I do not know if I have mentioned anywhere that I am a tall man and very muscular.She was tall, also, but as I judged not so very heavy after her long fast.At any rate I felt quite certain that I could carry her for that distance.Stooping down, I lifted her up, signing to her to put her arms round my neck, which she did.Then calling to Bickley and Bastin to bring along the Ancient between them, with some difficulty I struggled out of the sepulchre, and started down the cave.She was more heavy than Ithought, and yet I could have wished the journey longer.To begin with she seemed quite trustful and happy in my arms, where she lay with her head against my shoulder, smiling a little as a child might do, especially when I had to stop and throw her long hair round my neck like a muffler, to prevent it from trailing in the dust.
A bundle of lavender, or a truss of new-mown hay, could not have been more sweet to carry and there was something electric about the touch of her, which went through and through me.Very soon it was over, and we were out of the cave into the full glory of the tropical sun.At first, that her eyes might become accustomed to its light and her awakened body to its heat, I set her down where shadow fell from the overhanging rock, in a canvas deck chair that had been brought by Marama with the other things, throwing the rug about her to protect her from such wind as there was.She nestled gratefully into the soft seat and shut her eyes, for the motion had tired her.I noted, however, that she drew in the sweet air with long breaths.
Then I turned to observe the arrival of the Ancient, who was being borne between Bickley and Bastin in what children know as a dandy-chair, which is formed by two people crossing their hands in a peculiar fashion.It says much for the tremendous dignity of his presence that even thus, with one arm round the neck of Bickley and the other round that of Bastin, and his long white beard falling almost to the ground, he still looked most imposing.
Unfortunately, however, just as they were emerging from the cave, Bastin, always the most awkward of creatures, managed to leave hold with one hand, so that his passenger nearly came to the ground.Never shall I forget the look that he gave him.
Indeed, I think that from this moment he hated Bastin.Bickley he respected as a man of intelligence and learning, although in comparison with his own, the latter was infantile and crude; me he tolerated and even liked; but Bastin he detested.The only one of our party for whom he felt anything approaching real affection was the spaniel Tommy.
We set him down, fortunately uninjured, on some rugs, and also in the shadow.Then, after a little while, we moved both of them into the sun.It was quite curious to see them expand there.As Bickley said, what happened to them might well be compared to the development of a butterfly which has just broken from the living grave of its chrysalis and crept into the full, hot radiance of the light.Its crinkled wings unfold, their brilliant tints develop; in an hour or two it is perfect, glorious, prepared for life and flight, a new creature.
So it was with this pair, from moment to moment they gathered strength and vigour.Near-by to them, as it happened, stood a large basket of the luscious native fruits brought that morning by the Orofenans, and at these the Lady looked with longing.With Bickley's permission, I offered them to her and to the Ancient, first peeling them with my fingers.They ate of them greedily, a full meal, and would have gone on had not the stern Bickley, fearing untoward consequences, removed the basket.Again the results were wonderful, for half an hour afterwards they seemed to be quite strong.With my assistance the Glittering Lady, as Istill call her, for at that time I did not know her name, rose from the chair, and, leaning on me, tottered a few steps forward.
Then she stood looking at the sky and all the lovely panorama of nature beneath, and stretching out her arms as though in worship.
Oh! how beautiful she seemed with the sunlight shining on her heavenly face!
Now for the first time I heard her voice.It was soft and deep, yet in it was a curious bell-like tone that seemed to vibrate like the sound of chimes heard from far away.Never have Ilistened to such another voice.She pointed to the sun whereof the light turned her radiant hair and garments to a kind of golden glory, and called it by some name that I could not understand.I shook my head, whereon she gave it a different name taken, I suppose, from another language.Again I shook my head and she tried a third time.To my delight this word was practically the same that the Orofenans used for "sun.""Yes," I said, speaking very slowly, "so it is called by the people of this land."She understood, for she answered in much the same language:
"What, then, do you call it?"
"Sun in the English tongue," I replied.
"Sun.English," she repeated after me, then added, "How are you named, Wanderer?""Humphrey," I answered.