Such things
were done daily by young and old, and this was a long sorrow come
to a head between the boys.
Suddenly, lifting the hangings of the palace gateway, before them
stood the mother of Mindon, the Lady Dwaymenau, pale as wool,
having heard the shout of her boy, so that the two Queens faced
each other, each holding the shoulders of her son, and the ladies
watched, mute as fishes, for it was years since these two had
met.
"What have you done to my son?" breathed Maya the Queen, dry in
the throat and all but speechless with passion. For indeed his
face, for a child, was ghastly.
"Look at his knife! What would he do to my son?" Dwaymenau was
stiff with hate and spoke as to a slave.
"He has killed my deer and mocks me because I loved him, He is
the devil in this place. Look at the devils in his eyes. Look
quick before he smiles, my mother."
And indeed, young as the boy was, an evil thing sat in either eye
and glittered upon them. Dwaymenau passed her hand across his
brow, and he smiled and they were gone.
"The beast ran at me and would have flung me with his horns," he
said, looking up brightly at his mother.
Pages:
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235