Victory thus gained,the woman of Bulika began to speak about the city,and talked much of its defenceless condition,of the wickedness of its princess,of the cowardice of its inhabitants.In a few days the children chattered of nothing but Bulika,although indeed they had not the least notion of what a city was.Then first Ibecame aware of the design of the woman,although not yet of its motive.
The idea of taking possession of the place,recommended itself greatly to Lona--and to me also.The children were now so rapidly developing faculty,that I could see no serious obstacle to the success of the enterprise.For the terrible Lilith--woman or leopardess,I knew her one vulnerable point,her doom through her daughter,and the influence the ancient prophecy had upon the citizens:surely whatever in the enterprise could be called risk,was worth taking!Successful,--and who could doubt their success?--must not the Little Ones,from a crowd of children,speedily become a youthful people,whose government and influence would be all for righteousness?Ruling the wicked with a rod of iron,would they not be the redemption of the nation?
At the same time,I have to confess that I was not without views of personal advantage,not without ambition in the undertaking.It was just,it seemed to me,that Lona should take her seat on the throne that had been her mother's,and natural that she should make of me her consort and minister.For me,I would spend my life in her service;and between us,what might we not do,with such a core to it as the Little Ones,for the development of a noble state?
I confess also to an altogether foolish dream of opening a commerce in gems between the two worlds--happily impossible,for it could have done nothing but harm to both.
Calling to mind the appeal of Adam,I suggested to Lona that to find them water might perhaps expedite the growth of the Little Ones.She judged it prudent,however,to leave that alone for the present,as we did not know what its first consequences might be;while,in the course of time,it would almost certainly subject them to a new necessity.
"They are what they are without it!"she said:"when we have the city,we will search for water!"We began,therefore,and pushed forward our preparations,constantly reviewing the merry troops and companies.Lona gave her attention chiefly to the commissariat,while I drilled the little soldiers,exercised them in stone-throwing,taught them the use of some other weapons,and did all I could to make warriors of them.The main difficulty was to get them to rally to their flag the instant the call was sounded.Most of them were armed with slings,some of the bigger boys with bows and arrows.The bigger girls carried aloe-spikes,strong as steel and sharp as needles,fitted to longish shafts--rather formidable weapons.Their sole duty was the charge of such as were too small to fight.
Lona had herself grown a good deal,but did not seem aware of it:
she had always been,as she still was,the tallest!Her hair was much longer,and she was become almost a woman,but not one beauty of childhood had she outgrown.When first we met after our long separation,she laid down her infant,put her arms round my neck,and clung to me silent,her face glowing with gladness:the child whimpered;she sprang to him,and had him in her bosom instantly.
To see her with any thoughtless,obstinate,or irritable little one,was to think of a tender grandmother.I seemed to have known her for ages--for always--from before time began!I hardly remembered my mother,but in my mind's eye she now looked like Lona;and if Iimagined sister or child,invariably she had the face of Lona!My every imagination flew to her;she was my heart's wife!She hardly ever sought me,but was almost always within sound of my voice.What I did or thought,I referred constantly to her,and rejoiced to believe that,while doing her work in absolute independence,she was most at home by my side.Never for me did she neglect the smallest child,and my love only quickened my sense of duty.To love her and to do my duty,seemed,not indeed one,but inseparable.
She might suggest something I should do;she might ask me what she ought to do;but she never seemed to suppose that I,any more than she,would like to do,or could care about anything except what must be done.Her love overflowed upon me--not in caresses,but in a closeness of recognition which I can compare to nothing but the devotion of a divine animal.
I never told her anything about her mother.
The wood was full of birds,the splendour of whose plumage,while it took nothing from their song,seemed almost to make up for the lack of flowers--which,apparently,could not grow without water.
Their glorious feathers being everywhere about in the forest,it came into my heart to make from them a garment for Lona.While Igathered,and bound them in overlapping rows,she watched me with evident appreciation of my choice and arrangement,never asking what I was fashioning,but evidently waiting expectant the result of my work.In a week or two it was finished--a long loose mantle,to fasten at the throat and waist,with openings for the arms.
I rose and put it on her.She rose,took it off,and laid it at my feet--I imagine from a sense of propriety.I put it again on her shoulders,and showed her where to put her arms through.She smiled,looked at the feathers a little and stroked them--again took it off and laid it down,this time by her side.When she left me,she carried it with her,and I saw no more of it for some days.