“Night Goddess”
“Once again, the friends paused to savor the glory of the scene surrounding them. This night resembled a gigantic goddess flashing a masterpiece of jewelry: the moon hung from its invisible chain like a perfectly rounded opal, but it was only half of a parure, for its matching stone floated on the surface of the lake. The silken neck of the goddess’s dress was the immaculately rich blue of the sky; her bodice, the marginally lighter blue of the vitreous water. Her aura of tranquility and settled beauty pervaded the place. All the friends were moved by what they saw.”