CHAPTER XX. ALL IS WELL.
There was now no occasion to fly a step farther. Neither of themfeared any one but Watho. They left her there, and went back. A greatcloud came over the sun, and rain began to fall heavily, and Nycteriswas much refreshed, grew able to see a little, and with Photogen'shelp walked gently over the cool wet grass.
They had not gone far before they met Fargu and the other huntsmen.Photogen told them he had killed a great red wolf, and it was MadamWatho. The huntsmen looked grave, but gladness shone through.
"Then," said Fargu, "I will go and bury my mistress."
But when they reached the place, they found she was already buried--inthe maws of sundry birds and beasts which had made their breakfast ofher.
Then Fargu, overtaking them, would, very wisely, have Photogen go tothe king, and tell him the whole story. But Photogen, yet wiser thanFargu, would not set out until he had married Nycteris; "for then," hesaid, "the king himself can't part us; and if ever two people couldn'tdo the one without the other, those two are Nycteris and I. She hasgot to teach me to be a brave man in the dark, and I have got to lookafter her until she can bear the heat of the sun, and he helps her tosee, instead of blinding her."
They were married that very day. And the next day they went togetherto the king, and told him the whole story. But whom should they findat the court but the father and mother of Photogen, both in highfavour with the king and queen. Aurora nearly died for joy, and toldthem all how Watho had lied, and made her believe her child was dead.
No one knew anything of the father or mother of Nycteris; but whenAurora, saw in the lovely girl her own azure eyes shining throughnight and its clouds, it made her think strange things, and wonder howeven the wicked themselves may be a link to join together the good.Through Watho, the mothers, who had never seen each other, had changedeyes in their children.
The king gave them the castle and lands of Watho, and there they livedand taught each other for many years that were not long. But hardlyhad one of them passed, before Nycteris had come to love the day best,because it was the clothing and crown of Photogen, and she saw thatthe day was greater than the night, and the sun more lordly than themoon; and Photogen had come to love the night best, because it was themother and home of Nycteris.
"But who knows," Nycteris would say to Photogen, "that, when we goout, we shall not go into a day as much greater than your day as yourday is greater than my night?"