By the time they had ascended a few hundred feet , the young man began to feel what a delightful thing it was to leave the dull earth so far beneath him , and to be able to flit about like a bird . It was now deep night . Perseus looked upward , and saw the round , bright , silvery moon , and thought that he should desire nothing better than to soar up thither , and spend his life there . Then he looked downward again , and saw the earth , with its seas , and lakes , and the silver courses of its rivers , and its snowy mountain-peaks , and the breadth of its fields , and the dark cluster of its woods , and its cities of white marble ; and , with the moonshine sleeping over the whole scene , it was as beautiful as the moon or any star could be . And , among other objects , he saw the island of Seriplius , where his dear mother was . Sometimes , he and Quicksilver approached a cloud , that , at a distance , looked as if it were made of fleecy silver ; although , when they plunged into it , they found themselves chilled and moistened with gray mist . So swift was their flight , however , that , in an instant , they emerged from the cloud into the moonlight again . Once , a high-soaring eagle flew right against the invisible Perseus . The bravest sights were the meteors , that gleamed suddenly out , as if a bonfire had been kindled in the sky , and made the moonshine pale for as much as a hundred miles around them . As the two companions flew onward , Perseus fancied that he could hear the rustle of a garment close by his side ; and it was on the side opposite to the one where he beheld Quicksilver , yet only Quicksilver was visible . `` Whose garment is this , '' inquired Perseus , `` that keeps rustling close beside me , in the breeze ? '' `` O , it is my sister 's ! '' answered Quicksilver . `` She is coming along with us , as I told you she would . We could do nothing without the help of my sister . You have no idea how wise she is . She has such eyes , too ! Why , she can see you , at this moment , just as distinctly as if you were not invisible ; and I 'll venture to say , she will be the first to discover the Gorgons . '' By this time , in their swift voyage through the air , they had come within sight of the great ocean , and were soon flying over it . Far beneath them , the waves tossed themselves tumultuously in mid-sea , or rolled a white surf-line upon the long beaches , or foamed against the rocky cliffs , with a roar that was thunderous , in the lower world ; although it became a gentle murmur , like the voice of a baby half asleep , before it reached the ears of Perseus .
Just then a voice spoke XXXXX the air close by him .
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