ER III

THE DAUGHTER OF THE MOON

For the fourth time since we were cast away on this island the huge full
moon shone in a sky of wondrous blue. Kari and I watched it rise between
the two snow-clad peaks far away that he had called a gateway to his
land, which was so near to us and yet it would seem more distant than
Heaven itself. Heaven we might hope to reach upon the wings of spirit
when we died, but to that country how could we come?

We watched that great moon climb higher and higher up a ladder of little
bar-like clouds, till wearying we let our eyes fall upon the glittering
pathway which its light made upon the bosom of the placid sea. Suddenly
Kari stared and stared.

"What is it?" I asked idly.

"I thought I saw something yonder far away where Quilla's footsteps make
the waters bright," he said, speaking in his own language in which now
we often talked together.

"Quilla's?" I exclaimed. "Oh! I forgot: that is the lady moon's name in
your tongue, is it not? Well, come, Quilla, and I will wed and worship
you, as 'tis said the ancients did, and never turn to look upon another,
be she woman, or goddess, or both. Only come and take me from this
accursed isle and in payment I'll die for you, if need be, when first
I've taught you how to love as star or woman never loved before."

"Hush!" said Kari in a grave voice, when he had listened to this mad
stuff that burst through my lips from the spring of a mind distraught by
misery and despair.

"Why should I hush?" I asked. "Is it not pleasant to think of the moon
wearing a lovely woman's shape and descending to give a lonely mortal
love and comfort?"

"Because, Master, to me and my people the moon is a goddess who hears
prayer and answers it. Suppose, then, that she heard you and answered
you and came to you and claimed your love, what then?"

"Why, then, friend Kari," I raved on, "then I should welcome her, for
love goes a begging, ready as ripe fruit to be plucked by the first hand
if it be fair enough, ready to melt beneath the first lips if they be
warm enough. 'Tis said that it is the man who loves and the woman who
accepts the love. But that is not true. It is the man, Kari, who waits
to be loved and pays back just as much as is given to him, and no more,
like an honest merchant; for if he does otherwise, then he suffers for
it, as I have learned. Therefore, come, Quilla, and love as a Celestial
can and I swear that step by step I'll keep pace with you