Page:Tales of the Punjab.pdf/239

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GWASHBRARI, THE GLACIER-HEARTED QUEEN 217

rise farther through the mists, but there was none so fair as she in all the land,

Yet once, when the cloud-veil wrapped Westarwan from sight, and the wrath rose loud and fierce, she flashed a contemptuous smile upon the rest, bidding them hold their peace.

‘What need to wrangle?’ she said, in calm superiority ; ‘great Westarwan is proud; but though the stars seem to crown his head, his feet are of the earth, earthy. He is made of the same stuff as we are; there is more of it, that is all.’

‘The more reason to resent his pride!’ retorted the grumblers. ‘Who made him a King over us?’

Gwashbrari smiled an evil smile. ‘O fools! poor fools and blind! giving him a majesty he has not in my sight. I tell you mighty Westarwan, for all his star-crowned loftiness, is no King to me. "Tis I who am his Queen !’

Then the mighty hills laughed aloud, for Gwash- brari was the lowliest of them all.

‘Wait and see!’ answered the cold passionless voice. ‘Before to-morrow’s sunrise great Westarwan shall be my slave!’

Once more the mighty hills echoed with scornful laughter, yet the icy-hearted beauty took no heed. Lovely, serene, she smiled on all through the long summer's day; only once or twice from her snowy sides would rise a white puff of smoke, showing where some avalanche had swept the sure-footed ibex to destruction,

But with the sctting sun a rosy radiance fell over the whole world. Then Gwdashbrri’s pale face flushed into life, her chill beauty glowed into passion. Trans-

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