Page:Gaston Leroux--The bride of the sun.djvu/206

192 if the bills were to be believed, came before the footlights and recited Spanish verse, in which Garcia was hailed as " the Savior of the country." Then the curtain rose, revealing a pedestal, on which was the bust of a general. It had served several times before for a like purpose, but this time it was supposed to represent Garcia. Round it was grouped the whole company, which intoned a triumphal chorus. Then, one by one, the actors filed past the bust, each with his little speech and a wreath.

The bust was almost buried in flowers when an Indian girl appeared. She was wearing the Quichua costume:—a little tunic open at the neck, and a dozen skirts of various colors worn one on the other; over her shoulders, a woolen mantlet, secured at the throat by a spoon-shaped brooch.

She was greeted with a roar of delight by the Indian part of the audience. And she, in her turn, that nothing might be lacking in Garcia's triumph, sang something in Indian, something by which the Indians also put all their hope and trust in the Savior of the Country. At the last verse she shouted, as was only meet, "Long live Garcia!" the crowd taking up the echo. There were other voices, however, shouting, "Huayna Capac Runtu!" A gorgeous din followed. Every Indian in the