As it flashed by a branch caught upon the trailing tapestry, hurling me to the deck, and tearing away with it all that finery.

Then the great spar, tossing half its dripping length into the air, went plunging downstream with shreds of silk and flowers trailing from it, and white water bubbling in its rear.
When I scrambled to my feet all was ludicrous confusion on board.

Hath still stood by his throne--an island in a sea of disorder--staring at me; all else was chaos.

The rowers and courtiers were kicking and wallowing in the "waist" of the ship like fish newly shot out of a trawl net, but the princess was gone.

Where was she?
I brushed the spray from my eyes, and stared overboard.