eagle, which had evidently been alarmed at Maud's cry. But this was not the curious part of the scene. On the side of the room opposite to the door were two strange beings with large wings, but who, I noticed in a moment after, were somewhat human in aspect, with faces full of intelligence and of calm expression. On their breasts were brilliant gorgets of jewels of divers colours, and down to their feet hung long robes of metallic tissue, richly embroidered in singular designs. It was indeed a combination of the bird type of life with human, or more than human, intelligence.
They looked at us as if with curiosity and interest, and then each waving their hands (for they had hands, unlike the avine tribe) over their heads in what looked like a gesture of greeting, suddenly burst forth together in a short song of welcome, soft, sweet, and enthralling. It had a most weird and unearthly effect. They seemed utter foreigners to us in every sense,—in nature, in language, in mode of greeting; in fact, they evidently were not of the earth earthy.
"This is our mode of greeting a stranger," said Aleriel. "Every nation on earth has its diversity of customs, surely another world must be distinct from earth in all things."
