Share page |
262 |
L1LITII |
||
shadow that got into me, and hated him from inside me; it was not my own self me ! And now I know that I ought not to have run away! But indeed I did not quite know what I was doing until it was done ! My legs did it, I think : they grew frightened, and forgot me, and ran away! Naughty legs! There ! and there!'
Thus ended Odu, with a kick to each of his naughty legs.
' What became of the shadow ? ' I asked.
'I do not know,' he answered. 'I suppose he went home into the night where there is no moon.'
I fell a wondering where Lona was gone, and dropping on the grass, took the dead thing in my lap, and whispered in its ear, ' Where are you, Lona ? I love you!' But its lips gave no answer. I kissed them, not quite cold, laid the body down again, and appointing a guard over it, rose to provide for the safety of Lona's people during the night.
Before the sun went down, I had set a watch over the princess outside the camp, and sentinels round it: intending to walk about it myself all night long, I told the rest of the army to go to sleep. They threw themselves on the grass and were asleep in a moment.
When the moon rose I caught a glimpse of something white ; it was the leopardess. She swept silently round the sleeping camp, and I saw her pass three times between the princess and the Little Ones. Thereupon I made the watch lie down with the others, and stretched myself beside the body of Lona. |
|||