Keeping his dark eye fixed upon her as long as she continued in sight, no sooner had the intervening shrubs screened her from his view, than, throwing himself upon the ground, the Carib broke into a shrill laugh. “And so the haughty beauty thinks that a people who have scarcely known control, will bend their shoulders to the dominion of a girl and a white-faced boy!—ha! ha! If the wild kites chose a king, would it be a colibri?[96] No! Should the Caribs follow the custom of the strangers who have come among us, and torn away our most fruitful countries, and own a king, who should it be but Cuanaboa? for who has slain so many enemies and drunk their blood as I have? or who can shew a longer string of teeth than I have here?” and he played with the one which ornamented his neck. “If Zulmiera will be queen, it must be as my wife; and truly she would serve to swell a richer triumph than I even expect to have. But as for the youth, his race is almost run; before this time to-morrow, I think he will give me but little further trouble. ’Tis well I came so soon to-night, and thus was witness of the meeting. I wish I could have understood what he said; but these pale-faced people speak so vilely, that it is hard to know what they mean. However, it matters not, I saw enough; and as I intend Zulmiera to be my prize, I will very shortly get rid of the youngster; he’ll make a capital sacrifice to Old Mayboya. White men eat better than red people, it can’t be denied;” and as he finished his soliloquy, he arose from the ground, and springing over the brush-wood, was lost to sight in the impending copse. ------ [92] A kind of small guitar, in use about the 16th and 17th centuries. [93] A priest, or magician, among the Caribs. [94] Now called Bat’s Cave. [95] Supreme deity among the Caribs. [96] The Indian name for the humming bird. CHAPTER XXV. CONCLUSION OF THE LEGEND. The morning after this eventful meeting rose fair and bright. Bridget and Zulmiera, seated at an open window, inhaled the sweet breeze, while they bent over their embroidery frames; and the fair Englishwoman was giving a description of her own far-off land, when, gazing in the direction of the before-named copse, Zulmiera espied a white feather glancing for a moment above the tops of the trees, a well-known signal indicating the presence of Raphe de Merefield. Framing an excuse, she shortly left the apartment; and taking a circuitous route to escape observation, in a few moments gained the old tree, where, as expected, she found her lover. “Zulmiera,” said the young man, after the first greetings were passed, “I have suffered deeply in mind since we parted, on account of the strange words you let fall last evening; and I now seek your presence to demand, as your affianced husband, their signification. Tell me, Zulmiera, thine whole heart, or as Willy Shakspeare saith—