The Romance of Golden Star ...Griffith, George Chetwynd
Science
The Romance of Golden Star ...
Griffith, George Chetwynd
Fantasy fiction
The first thing she asked me when she found that Djama was not with us
was what had become of him, and then, knowing that sooner or later the
bitter truth had to be told, I told her as gently as I was able, and
hiding from her all that I could without lying to her. My words struck
her dumb with horror and amazement, and if it had not been that Francis
Hartness and the professor were there, and told her that they had seen
and heard with their own eyes and ears the truth of all that I said, I
do not think she would have believed me. But when at last she could no
longer doubt the story of her brother's crime and treachery, she came to
me and laid her hand upon my arm, and looked up at me with tearful eyes
and said,--
'But you will not kill him, Vilcaroya, for my sake, will you? He is my
brother, you know, after all, though he has made me almost ashamed to
say so. You must protect yourself, of course, and your people from
treachery, but you will not kill him, will you?'
'He is alive now,' I said, 'because he is Joyful Star's brother, not
because I think he is worthy to live, for he would have betrayed one
life that he gave back, and stained the other with infamy. But I have
given my word, and he shall live, and when he can do no more harm I will
pardon him, and he shall go back to his own country in safety. More than
that I cannot promise even to you.'
'It is all that I can ask for,' she said, 'and more than he could expect
after what he has done. But, oh! why should he have brought such a shame
as this upon us?'
'Upon himself only,' I said. It would not be possible for such a thing
as shame to touch you.'
She looked up at me again and smiled through her tears, as if my words
had pleased her well, and that smile of hers was more to me than even
her tears. Then she went back to the little chamber where she had slept,
and presently returned leading Golden Star by the hand, and then we all
sat down in the silver seats and talked of the wonderful things that had
happened, and I told Golden Star all the story of my own return to life,
and hers, and what I knew of the changes that had happened in the world
since she and I had said our last words to each other in the Sanctuary
of the Sun; and then I set her talking with the others, translating for
her and for them as well as I could, and she, knowing nothing of what
had happened in the night, and being glad that Evil Eyes, as she called
Djama in our own speech, had gone away for a long time, was as happy as
a child amongst us, and soon even Ruth became more cheerful and began to
try and make her say words of English and repeat her name and the
professor's and Francis Hartness's after her, for she already loved her
dearly, and, even in the midst of her own sorrow, she was rejoiced that
the soul which had slept had been so happily re-awakened in her.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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