Page:Gaston Leroux--The bride of the sun.djvu/220

206 of them signed to a mammacona, who carried the sleeping boy to his sister; she burst into tears, for the first time since her captivity. The child opened his eyes and clung to her, sobbing, "Maria-Teresa! Maria-Teresa!"

"How did he come here? You would not hurt him!"

"We shall do as he wishes. He came to us, not we to him. He himself shall decide his fate. Let him beware of his words. That is all I can say to you, all I can do for you. Is that not so, ye Guardians of the Temple?"

Maria-Teresa, clutching the child to her, looked at them with fresh terror painted on her features; at Huascar, calm and motionless; at the three living mummies, gently swaying.

"What do you moan? How can a child beware of his words?"

Huascar, without moving, then spoke to little Christobal.

"Child, will you come with me? I will take you to your father."

"No! I will stop with Maria-Teresa!"

"The child has spoken," said Huascar. "So it is ordered. Is it not so, Guardians of the Temple?"

The three horrible skulls swayed gently.

Then Huascar, before leaving, had chanted the words of an Aïmara psalm: "Blessed are