n my beams.'

"Thus that Spirit spoke to me, Councillors, though at the time I did not
know whether the vision were more than a happy dream. But now I do know
that it was no dream, but the truth.

"For did not my sight begin to return to me in the flashing of the sword
that is named Flame-of-the-Wave? And if this were true, why should not
the rest be true also? People of the Chancas, I am your Queen to-day and
my counsel to you is that we flee from this land before the Inca's net
closes round us and the Inca's spears pierce our heart, to seek our
ancient home far in the depths of the western forest where, as I trust,
his armies cannot come. Is that your will, O my People? If so, by the
tongues of your Lords and Captains declare it here and now before it be
too late."

Back thundered the answer:

"It is our will, O Daughter of the Moon!"

When its echoes had died away Quilla turned to me, lovely to look on as
the evening star and with eyes that shone like stars, and asked:

"Is it your will also, O Lord-from-the-Sea?"

"Your will is my will, Quilla," I answered, "and your heart is my home.
Lead on; where you go I follow, even to the edge of the world and beyond
the world."

"So be it!" she cried in a triumphant voice. "Now the evil past
is finished with its fears and battles and before our feet, lit by
moonbeams, stretches the Future's shining road leading us to the mystery
in which all roads begin and for an hour are lost again. Now, too, our
separations end in a perfect unity that perchance we have known before
and shall know again in ages to be born and lands revisited. Now,
Lord-from-the-Sea, at whose coming my sleeping heart awoke to love and
whose sword saved me from shame and death, giving me back to life and
light, here, before this company of our people, I, the Daughter of the
Moon, defying the Sun who held me captive, and all his servants, take
you to husband with this kiss," and leaning forward Quilla pressed her
lips upon my own. . . .

The remaining parchment sheets of the ancient Manuscript are
rotted with the damp of the tomb in which it lay for centuries
and quite undecipherable.
Editor.

End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Virgin of the Sun, by H. R. Haggard

*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE VIRGIN OF THE SUN ***

***** This file should be named 3153.txt or 3153.zip *****
This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: