"God
Save the King!" challenged the dark, and then, hand in hand, the crowd
marched round about the pyramid of fire in measured rhythm, while "Auld
Lang Syne," sorrowfully sweet, echoed above the haunted mountain-top
where in the infancy of Britain, Celt and Roman in succession had built
their camps and reared their watch-towers. And presently from all
quarters of the great horizon sprang the answering flames from mountain
peaks that were themselves invisible in the murky night, while they sent
forward yet, without fail or break, the great torch-race of victory,
leaping on, invincible by rain or dark, far into the clouded north.
But Geoffrey's eyes could not tear themselves from Helena. He saw her
bathed in light, from top to toe, now gold, now scarlet, a fire-goddess,
inimitably beautiful. They danced hand in hand, intoxicated by the music,
and by the movement of their young swaying bodies. He felt Helena
unconsciously leaning on him, her soft breath on his cheek. Her eyes were
his now, and her smiling lips, just parted over her white teeth, tempted
him beyond his powers of resistance.
Pages:
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378