Stephen Archer, and Other Tales

  CHAPTER XIV. THE SUN.

  There Nycteris sat, and there the youth lay, all night long, in theheart of the great cone-shadow of the earth, like two Pharaohs in onepyramid. Photogen slept, and slept; and Nycteris sat motionless lestshe should wake him, and so betray him to his fear.

  The moon rode high in the blue eternity; it was a very triumph ofglorious night; the river ran babble-murmuring in deep soft syllables;the fountain kept rushing moon-ward, and blossoming momently to agreat silvery flower, whose petals were for ever falling like snow,but with a continuous musical clash, into the bed of its exhaustionbeneath; the wind woke, took a run among the trees, went to sleep, andwoke again; the daisies slept on their feet at hers, but she did notknow they slept; the roses might well seem awake, for their scentfilled the air, but in truth they slept also, and the odour was thatof their dreams; the oranges hung like gold lamps in the trees, andtheir silvery flowers were the souls of their yet unembodied children;the scent of the acacia blooms filled the air like the very odour ofthe moon herself.

  At last, unused to the living air, and weary with sitting so still andso long, Nycteris grew drowsy. The air began to grow cool. It wasgetting near the time when she too was accustomed to sleep. She closedher eyes just a moment, and nodded--opened them suddenly wide, for shehad promised to watch.

  In that moment a change had come. The moon had got round, and wasfronting her from the west, and she saw that her face was altered,that she had grown pale, as if she too were wan with fear, and fromher lofty place espied a coming terror. The light seemed to bedissolving out of her; she was dying--she was going out! And yeteverything around looked strangely clear--clearer than ever she hadseen anything before: how could the lamp be shedding more light whenshe herself had less? Ah, that was just it! See how faint she looked!It was because the light was forsaking her, and spreading itself overthe room, that she grew so thin and pale! She was giving upeverything! She was melting away from the roof like a bit of sugar inwater.

  Nycteris was fast growing afraid, and sought refuge with the face uponher lap. How beautiful the creature was!--what to call it she couldnot think, for it had been angry when she called it what Watho calledher. And, wonder upon wonder! now, even in the cold change that waspassing upon the great room, the colour as of a red rose was rising inthe wan cheek. What beautiful yellow hair it was that spread over herlap! What great huge breaths the creature took! And what were thosecurious things it carried? She had seen them on her walls, she wassure.

  Thus she talked to herself while the lamp grew paler and paler, andeverything kept growing yet clearer. What could it mean? The lamp wasdying--going out into the other place of which the creature in her laphad spoken, to be a sun! But why were the things growing clearerbefore it was yet a sun? That was the point. Was it her growing into asun that did it? Yes! yes! it was coming death! She knew it, for itwas coming upon her also! She felt it coming! What was she about togrow into? Something beautiful, like the creature in her lap? It mightbe! Anyhow, it must be death; for all her strength was going out ofher, while all around her was growing so light she could not bear it!She must be blind soon! Would she be blind or dead first?

  For the sun was rushing up behind her. Photogen woke, lifted his headfrom her lap, and sprang to his feet. His face was one radiant smile.His heart was full of daring--that of the hunter who will creep intothe tiger's den. Nycteris gave a cry, covered her face with her hands,and pressed her eyelids close. Then blindly she stretched out her armsto Photogen, crying, "Oh, I am so frightened! What is this? It must bedeath! I don't wish to die yet. I love this room and the old lamp. Ido not want the other place! This is terrible. I want to hide. I wantto get into the sweet, soft, dark hands of all the other creatures. Ahme! ah me!"

  "What is the matter with you, girl?" said Photogen, with the arroganceof all male creatures until they have been taught by the other kind.He stood looking down upon her over his bow, of which he was examiningthe string. "There is no fear of anything now, child. It is day. Thesun is all but up. Look! he will be above the brow of yon hill in onemoment more! Good-bye. Thank you for my night's lodging. I'm off.Don't be a goose. If ever I can do anything for you--and all that, youknow!"

  "Don't leave me; oh, don't leave me!" cried Nycteris. "I am dying! Iam dying! I cannot move. The light sucks all the strength out of me.And oh, I am so frightened!"

  But already Photogen had splashed through the river, holding high hisbow that it might not get wet. He rushed across the level, andstrained up the opposing hill. Hearing no answer, Nycteris removed herhands. Photogen had reached the top, and the same moment the sunraysalighted upon him: the glory of the king of day crowded blazing uponthe golden-haired youth. Radiant as Apollo, he stood in mightystrength, a flashing shape in the midst of flame. He fitted a glowingarrow to a gleaming bow. The arrow parted with a keen musical twang ofthe bowstring, and Photogen darting after it, vanished with a shout.Up shot Apollo himself, and from his quiver scattered astonishment andexultation. But the brain of poor Nycteris was pierced through andthrough. She fell down in utter darkness. All around her was a flamingfurnace. In despair and feebleness and agony, she crept back, feelingher way with doubt and difficulty and enforced persistence to hercell. When at last the friendly darkness of her chamber folded herabout with its cooling and consoling arms, she threw herself on herbed and fell fast asleep. And there she slept on, one alive in a tomb,while Photogen, above in the sun-glory, pursued the buffaloes on thelofty plain, thinking not once of her where she lay dark and forsaken,whose presence had been his refuge, her eyes and her hands hisguardians through the night. He was in his glory and his pride; andthe darkness and its disgrace had vanished for a time.