Arachne | Page 8

Taus.
She had not recovered the careless cheerfulness of earlier years, but,
graver than the companions of her own age, she absented herself from
the gaieties of the Biamite maidens. Meanwhile her beauty had
increased wonderfully, and, attracting attention far and wide, drew
many suitors from neighbouring towns to Tennis. Only a few, however,
had made offers of marriage to her father; the beautiful girl's cold,
repellent manner disheartened them. She herself desired nothing better;
yet it secretly incensed her and pierced her soul with pain to see herself
at twenty unwedded, while far less attractive companions of her own
age had long been wives and mothers.
The arduous task which she had performed a short time before for her
widowed sister had increased the seriousness of her disposition to
sullen moroseness.
After her return home she often rowed to the Owl's Nest, for Ledscha
felt bound to old Tabus, and, so far as lay in her power, under
obligation to atone for the injury which the horror of her lover's sudden
death had inflicted upon his grandmother.
Now she had at last been subjugated by a new passion--love for the
Greek sculptor Hermon, who did his best to win the heart of the
Biamite girl, whose austere, extremely singular beauty attracted his
artist eyes.
To-day Ledscha had come to the sorceress to learn from her what
awaited her and her love. She had landed on the island, sure of
favourable predictions, but now her hopes lay as if crushed by
hailstones.
If Bias, who was superior to an ordinary slave, was right, she was to be
degraded to a toy and useful tool by the man who had already proved
his pernicious power over other women of her race, even her own

young sister, whom she had hitherto guarded with faithful care. It had
by no means escaped her notice that the girl was concealing something
from her, though she did not perceive the true cause of the change.
The bright moonbeams, which now wove a silvery web over every
surrounding object, seemed like a mockery of her darkened soul.
If the demons of the heights and depths had been subject to her, as to
the aged enchantress she would have commanded them to cover the
heavens with black clouds. Now they must show her what she had to
hope or to fear.
She shook her head slightly, as if she no longer believed in a favourable
turn of affairs, pushed the little curls which had escaped from the
wealth of her black hair back from her forehead with her slender hand,
and walked firmly to the house.
The old dame was crouching beside the hearth in the middle room,
turning the metal spit, on which she had put the ducks, over the freshly
kindled fire.
The smoke hurt her eyes, which were slightly inflamed, yet they
seemed to serve their purpose better than her half-dulled ear, for, after a
swift glance at Ledscha, she stammered in her faltering speech: "What
has happened? Nothing good, certainly. It is written on your face."
The girl nodded assent, pointed with a significant gesture to her eyes
and the open air, and went down to the shore again to convince herself
that no other vessel was approaching.
What she had to confide to Tabus was intended for her alone, and
experience taught how far spoken words could be heard at night over
the water.
When she had returned to the hut, she bent down to the old woman's
ear and, holding her curved hand to her lips, cried, "He is not coming!"
Tabus shrugged her shoulders, and the smile of satisfaction which

flitted over her brown, wrinkled face showed that the news was
welcome.
For her murdered grandson's sake the girl's confession that she had
given her heart to a Greek affected her painfully; but Tabus also had
something else on her mind for her beautiful darling.
Now she only intimated by a silent nod that she understood Ledscha,
and her head remained constantly in motion as the latter continued:
"True, I shall see him again to-morrow, but when we part, it will hardly
be in love. At any rate--do you hear, grandmother?--to-morrow must
decide everything. Therefore--do you understand me?--you must
question the cords now, to-night, for to-morrow evening what they
advised might be too late."
"Now?" repeated Tabus in surprise, letting her gaze rest inquiringly
upon the girl. Then she took the spit from the fire, exclaiming angrily:
"Directly, do you mean? As if that could be! As if the stars obeyed us
mortals like maids or men servants! The moon must be at the full to
learn the truth from the cords. Wait, child! What is life but waiting?
Only have patience, girl! True, few know how to practise this art at