32 THE GORGON’S HEAD.

sisters was in possession of the eye, they began their
quarrel anew. At last, as Perseus did not wish to put
~ these respectable dames to greater inconvenience than was
really necessary, he thought it right to explain the matter.

“My good ladies,” said he, “pray. do not be angry
with one another. If anybody is in fault, it is myself;
for I have the honor to hold your very brilliant and ex-
cellent eye in my own hand!”

“You! you have our eye! And who are you?”
screamed the Three Gray Women, all in a breath; for
they were terribly frightened, of course, at hearing a
strange voice, and discovering that their eyesight had got
into the hands of they could not guess whom. “O,
what shall we do, sisters? what shall we do? We are
all in the dark! Give us our eye! Give us our one,
precious, solitary eye! You have two of your own!
Give us our eye!”

“Tell them,” whispered Quicksilver to Perseus, “ that
they shall have back the eye as soon as they direct you
where to find the Nymphs who have the flying slippers,
the magic wallet, and the helmet of darkness.”

“My dear, good, admirable old ladies,” said Perseus,
addressing the Gray Women, “there is no occasion for
putting yourselves into such a fright. I am by no means
a bad young man. You shall have back your eye, safe
and sound, and as bright as ever, the moment you tell me
where to find the Nymphs.”

“The Nymphs! Goodness me! sisters, what Nymphs
does he mean?” screamed Scarecrow. ‘There are a
great many Nymphs, people say ; some that go a hunting