Page:Doughty--Mirrikh or A woman from Mars.djvu/249

 than no bread,” she was not only willing but anxious to make the sacrifice and ease the strain all around.

But I doubt if Maurice quite understood her at first.

“No, no! You talk nonsense—ridiculous nonsense!” he muttered pettishly, but he had not the heart to push her  away.

It was most painful to watch her. She fairly grovelled at his feet, kissing his knees and trying to seize his hand.

“No, no! Get up! Get up girl!” he cried. “Take her away George! For God’s sake, take her away!”

Really I wonder I had not attempted to interfere before, but something seemed to restrain me. Was it the same influence which kept one word forever ringing in my ears? Possibly. Need I write the word? Need I say that it was:

“Hope!”

Suddenly Walla’s wild ejaculations ceased and a convulsive shudder swept through her whole frame; she sank back upon  the sand, trembling and twitching. I thought I knew what was coming, but I did not speak, for the change which now  came over Maurice took all my thought.

He leaped up with a wild shout and began running about over the sand.

“She is gone, George! She is gone! Oh God! send her back again. Don’t let her go!”

There was something in it. I felt then that there must be something in it; but still I was restrained from speaking, and in an instant Walla staggered to her feet. Her eyes were closed and the lids kept twitching. The expression of her face had altered somewhat. It was softer—more refined. She made one rush toward Maurice, speaking rapidly, unintelligible words.

“Merzilla! My Merzilla!” he murmured brokenly; opening his arms he folded her to his breast.

Still I remained dumb! Still the same strange spell was upon me. As one looks at distant objects through a mist I saw them; the sound of their voices—they were both speaking that strange language—fell upon my ears as the confused murmuring of some distant stream.

How long was it? Seconds, minutes or even more than minutes; I cannot tell. I seemed to be far from them. I could not have interfered had I tried, and the next I knew  Maurice was sitting down again with Walla crouching upon  the sand.