CHAPTER XIII.THE ACCUSATION.
The heat of the day had been excessive, but our friends had not suffered to any great extent because of the shade which the avenue trees had afforded; and then they had rested during the midday hour, and had not taken up the journey until late in the afternoon. Then, too, the brisk trot of the animals, as they moved over the smooth stone pavement, had created a breeze which was very cooling to the riders; but as they emerged from the forest, dark clouds were seen rising out of the west; dark, forboding clouds, which portended rain and probably a hard blow. The forerunner of this equatorial storm reached them before they arrived at the villa, in the shape of quick, rapidly moving gusts of wind, which would overtake them and moving on would leave the air perfectly calm, hot and humid, until the next gust would spring out of the ground seemingly, and fly after its leaders.
The riders hurried on, one minute fanned by a refreshing breeze and the next almost sweltering in the dead calm. But they suffered only a short time, as the villa was reached and once inside its cool, onyx walls, all thought of the humidity of the outside was forgotten, and the on-coming storm was only thought of as making the air cool for the morrow’s journey. After dinner the travelers went into the garden and hardly any signs were seen now of the approaching storm; in fact, the evening was much the same as had been many others since their arrival. They retiredlate but had not slept long when the wind rose almost to a gale. The storm was a novelty, and our friends never having seen an equatorial storm, all arose and went on the terrace.
The elephants had already sniffed the approaching storm and began to throw their trunks in the air, moving their huge ears back and forth, all the time making those funny sounds, which seemed so strange in such large animals. The storm meant to them a refreshing bath, coupled with a feed of grass and herbs washed by the cooling rain; they gloried in it. The zebras were already grazing, or half buried in the long grass, were rolling and kicking, happy to be free from bridle and saddle.
Onrai alone, of all the party, after going onto the terrace, seemed to be worried over the storm. He had gone to one end of the terrace, and now stood looking intently at the black mass of clouds which were rolling on, coming nearer and nearer, and reaching out huge, dark arms toward the earth. He was muttering in the strange tongue of his people:
“An omen. Is our great God angry? Have my people failed in their duties? Have we neglected our work? Have we treated lightly our teachings? No; but our God is great. He sees all things, and goes deep into the hearts of his people, and he knows even if they contemplate doing wrong. Oh!——” Onrai raises his hand to his forehead, and pressing it tightly against his throbbing temples, he staggers and almost falls.
“Can this thing be?” he gasped. “Is this a warning to me, the King of the Land of On? Is this to show me that God knows my sinful thoughts and would check them before it is forever too late? Oh,my God, spare me!” he cries, and sinks into one of the onyx chairs near him. His powerful frame shook like an aspen leaf; his breath came in gasps; his hands twitched nervously; his eyes almost started from their sockets as he gazed on the black clouds, which seemed to engulf him. Unable to look upon the fearful sight any longer, he sprung to his feet, and shading his eyes with his hand as if to hide from view those fearful clouds, he staggered towards the entrance. He struck something as he hurried forward, and started back frightened. Looking up he saw that it was Enola, and raising his hand as if to warn her back, he said:
“You, too? Have you come to accuse me at this moment? Could you not have spared me?”
Onrai again started for the entrance, but Enola noticing the pained look in his face, and being totally at a loss to know why he should address her in this manner, caught him by the light tunic as he was passing her. He stopped and looked at her with frightened eyes.
“Onrai,” said Enola, “don’t look at me in that way. How have I offended you? Tell me, is it I or one of my people?”
Onrai looked at her, his heroic figure standing erect, his shoulders thrown back as if to defy the influence which Enola was exerting over him. But his face was deathly pale and his hands clutched nervously as they hung by his side; his eye never flinched, however, as he looked at her.
“Onrai, do not look at me so,” said Enola, stepping back, growing afraid of that unbending figure and steely gaze.
“What have I done?” she continued. “I come toseek you to-night to thank you for the happy, happy day which you have given me; for having suggested this pleasant journey. The beautiful music of the evening made me forget for a time this duty, but I thought of it as I retired to my apartment and was glad of the opportunity which the storm afforded me to thank you yet to-night. My heart was light as I came from the villa, expecting to find that great, noble Onrai glad to see me and ready to hear my thanks, but I find him excited and nervous, and when he sees me he speaks as I never heard him speak before. Tell me, oh, tell me, Onrai, what have I done?”
Enola stopped near the entrance and waited for Onrai’s answer.
“What have you done?” he said. “Everything. You have come from that planet home of yours and have stolen into our land in the night; but we have received you as guests and have treated you as we would those who come from afar and sought our hospitality.
“Myself and my people have done all in our power to make your sojourn in our world a happy one. From that world of yours, far above, in one of those shining stars which twinkles and throws its soft light on us on the clear beautiful nights, we believe that your people have for ages looked down on us, and have learned our life, our customs and our secrets. This we have learned to believe since you have come among us, for before that time we knew nothing of another people. And you come to us with the chain of the high priest about your neck, and this is proof that you know the great secrets of the high priests and those of the Day of Resis. For this reason we have looked for you to respect our laws and customs. To all but meyou seem to have done this. I have just begun to believe that you, and may be your people, have no respect for the sacred laws that govern me, the King of On. To-night has been a revelation to me. Never before, during my life, has there come such a storm at this season. I looked at the dark heavens and saw the black clouds hurried on by the mad winds, almost sweeping the earth, and I could see in it only a warning. Then it flashed over my bewildered brain that the warning was meant for me. I had sinned. But why had I sinned? Because tempted by you who knew our laws, and knew the fearful punishment which would be the King’s who would dare disobey these laws. You who cared naught for all these, but still threw out your alluring temptations, your subtle fascinations, in order to entrap me. But God has spoken in this storm and I am saved. Listen to His voice,” and as he ceased speaking a fearful peal of thunder broke through the air as if in answer to him.
Enola stood aghast during this accusation, unable to account for this fearful change in Onrai’s conduct toward her, until he had mentioned the storm, and then she realized that it was this unusual phenomenon which had wakened in his mind the sin he was committing in loving her; she must let him know that these fascinations were only those which God had given her, and that the seeming allurements were but the graceful acknowledgments of his many courtesies. But how to tell him, how to convince him! He still stood like a statue, like an accusing Apollo who had but little mercy for one who had caused him even a moment’s pain. To suffer for even an instant was such a new sensation to the man, and it was so acute withal,that for the time he could find no forgiveness for the one who had caused it, and he stood contemplating Enola, for the moment a savage, glaring at the one who had caused him a moment’s pain, and whom he had in his power to torture as he saw fit.
He forgot his love for her for the moment; he only remembered that she had hurt him, and when the first great fear of the discovery was over, he grew hard and cold and wanted revenge. Enola saw that she had blind superstition to deal with, superstition whose birth was in sin, and she knew that it would be hard to convince Onrai of her innocence. But this she must do; so taking a step timidly toward him, she raised her hand as if she would touch his arm, but when he saw this movement he involuntarily drew his arm away as if afraid that her touch would contaminate him. The movement hurt her more than all his harsh words had done, and she partially turned as if to walk away, but remembering the fearful consequences that might ensue unless Onrai’s mind should be disabused of this fearful mistake which he had made, she turned again, and placing her hands behind her, walked up to him and looking him straight in the eye, said:
“Onrai, look at me. Do you see any guilt or flinching in my eye? Do you think that I, who have the same faith in the same God that you have, could look at you now if I were guilty, and too, when this fearful storm is raging, which you call the voice and anger of God? No, Onrai; you and your people have a mistaken idea when you think we knew your life, customs and laws before we came to your world. We did not even know that your people existed; but weknew that there was a world here and we determined to visit it, and learn whether it was inhabited or not. So we came and found this glorious land and this beautiful, justice-loving people. And never until to-night have I learned to think that they had any but the grandest minds, with the most charitable thoughts for those who had been thrown in with them for awhile. I understand your laws but imperfectly, and I do not understand why you should treat me thus, or accuse me of wishing to make you sin or suffer because of an unusual phenomenon. Search your mind, Onrai, and see if it was not yourself who sinned willingly and not because I have tempted you; ask yourself if in any way I have been less modest than your native women; whether I have sought you, or you me; whether I have not avoided you rather than sought you. Ask yourself these questions, and then accuse me if you can.” And as Enola finished speaking, she drew herself up nobly and started to walk toward the entrance. She had nearly reached this when Onrai stepped forward and almost in a whisper, said:
“Enola, wait; wait; let me think; let me think; my brain is whirling; I cannot see all clearly yet; but it is growing brighter. Oh, Enola, forgive, forgive me. I cannot now tell you the great sin which I thought was your making, but which I can now see was all my own. The laws of the Land of On are stringent on this point, and if I should give up to the temptation I would be killed. To be killed for sinning means not only the death of the body, but the everlasting torture of the soul. It is a fearful thing for any of us to sin, but how much more so is it for the King, the chosen one, who is the people’s choice notbecause he is the greatest physically, but the purest of mind, if there can be one purer than the others. But I have sinned unwittingly, and it is because of this that I was so ready to accuse you. But I look at you now and see in that clear, unflinching eye, that smooth brow and erect body, no guilt. You are innocent, Enola; innocent and I ask forgiveness. It seems strange that I should use the word to one on earth, for it belongs to God, and is never used among us. But I have wronged you fearfully and I know not how else to make amends. Forgive me, Enola,” and as he finished, he took her hand and raised it to his lips.
Enola was crying, for the pleading words of this strong man, this King, touched her strangely.
“But tell me, Onrai, of this strange sin, that I may know,” she said.
“No,” Onrai answered, “it would be a greater sin to tell it to you. But listen; what is that fearful rumbling sound?”