StNicholas [serial] . t was weavinga lace of sunbeams, and dancing as it a vista of arches stretched away in thehalf-light, each arch different from its fellow,each crowned with arabesques in velvety pur-ples, dusky yellows, and gold. The daintycurves were softened by ornaments that hungdown like tropical moss, and made the wholeseem ready to float away. And there wherethe arches diminished to the smallness of abird were two windows whose tracery seemedto embroider the blue sky beyond. Elena trembled and her eyes filled withtears. Oh, it is so beautiful, so beautiful!she whispered;
StNicholas [serial] . t was weavinga lace of sunbeams, and dancing as it a vista of arches stretched away in thehalf-light, each arch different from its fellow,each crowned with arabesques in velvety pur-ples, dusky yellows, and gold. The daintycurves were softened by ornaments that hungdown like tropical moss, and made the wholeseem ready to float away. And there wherethe arches diminished to the smallness of abird were two windows whose tracery seemedto embroider the blue sky beyond. Elena trembled and her eyes filled withtears. Oh, it is so beautiful, so beautiful!she whispered; and Reduan whispered back, Now we are just beneath paradise. Come, now, said Reduan, at last; Imust bring thee to my mother. He turned into a small room, and drew 1900.] ELENA S CAPTIVE. 345 aside a curtain. Elena saw a woman, white- has been my good fortune to find and bring haired, but slender and lovely, lying on a thee a daughter. couch that was just a niche in the wall piled The mother rose with Reduans own smile. THEY galloped for some time in silence. (see next page.) high with embroidered cushions. Near the lat-ticed window stood a girl about her own age,draped in a robe of thin silk confined at thewaist by a loose girdle. She held a night-ingale on her finger, and the soft, interruptednotes of the bird were the only sounds. Mother, said Reduan, this is Elena. It Art thou indeed our Star of, of whom we have said so many in her eyesthe Morninbeautiful things? She clasped Elena in her arms, and Gulnare,hurrying from the window, added her was as if they had known her all her life. Thou art my daughter indeed. said the 346 ELENA S CAPTIVE. [Feb. mother, again and again, smoothing backElenas hair and petting her as Elena hadnever been petted before. Then Muza, Reduans father, came, tall andgrave, with .shining eyes, and clad in white,as if he were the priest of his people. Heseemed as overjoyed as the rest to see thelittle Spanish girl, and thought it was a goodo
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Keywords: ., bookauthordodgemar, bookcentury1800, bookdecade1870, bookyear1873
