CHAPTER XLIX.
TWICE DECEIVED The blood-red banner had drooped, dipped, and vanished.
The sky overhead had deepened to purple, and opened starry eyes upon the world beneath.

Each time the silent woman, alone upon the battlements, lifted a sorrowful face to the heavens, yet another bright eye seemed to spring wide and gaze down upon her.
At length the whole expanse of the sky was studded with stars; the planets hung luminous; the moon, already waning, rose large and golden from behind the firs, growing smaller and more silvery as she mounted higher.
Mora covered her face with her hands.

The summer night was too full of scented sweetness.

The stars sang together.

The moon rode triumphant in the heavens.