The ivory horns trumpeted feverishly. A sudden rattling blow stopped Pandion’s breath — sheets of copper, beaten one against the other, rattled and rumbled victoriously, joyfully, drowning the broken rhythm of the tomtoms.
The girl threw herself backward in a sharp, gleaming curve. Then her tiny feet began to move over the smoothly beaten floor; the dancer travelled round the circle shyly and hesitantly in her bashful confusion.
In the light of the torches the girl seemed to be cast from some dark metal. Drawing back into the darkness she moved there like a light, almost invisible shadow.
The troubled rattle of the drums grew faster and faster, the copper sheets clattered wildly and the slow dance became more and more impetuous, following the furious dictates of the music.
Strong, slim legs moved in time with the shattering bass notes of the copper sheets, twined together, stopped dead still and again slid along, scarcely touching the floor. The shoulders and high bosom remained motionless and Iruma’s tensed arms, stretched out towards the idol of the goddess, curved slowly and gracefully in supplication.
The persistent rumble of the drums broke off, the rattle of copper sheets ceased, and only the occasional sorrowful moans of the horns and the tinkling of Iruma’s bracelets and anklets broke the silence that ensued.
The strange movement of the muscles under the girl’s skin fascinated Pandion. They did not protrude anywhere, they streamed and undulated like the water on the surface of a river and the lines of Iruma’s body flashed before Pandion’s eyes in constant, never repeated mutation in which there was the smooth rhythm of the sea and the gusty winds of the golden plain.
The supplication that had filled the girl’s every movement at the beginning of the dance had now given place to an imperative urge. It seemed to Pandion that the fire of life itself was flowing before him in the bronze reflection of light and the thunder of the music.
A craving for life flashed up again in the young Hellene’s breast, former dreams and desires returned, a wide and mysterious world opened up before him.
The horns stopped blowing. The low threatening rumble of the tom-toms merged with the piercing shrieks of the women. The copper sheets rattled like close thunder; then all of them stopped suddenly. Pandion could hear the beating of his own heart.
The girl plunged forward, then suddenly stopped, dropping her arms helplessly down her sides, trembling and exhausted. Her knees bent under her, the gleam went out of her eyes. Iruma cried out sadly and collapsed before the statuette of the goddess. She lay motionless where she had fallen, only her bosom heaving with her rapid breathing.
The tempestuous dance had broken off on a note of sadness and the astounded Pandion shuddered.
The roar of triumphant voices filled the house.
Four women, whispering incomprehensible words, lifted Iruma and carried her out of the circle of light. The ancient wooden statuette was immediately taken away. The women rose to their feet, all excited, their eyes blazing. They talked loudly amongst themselves, pointing to the stranger. The old women, guarding the door, made way for Kidogo and Cavius to enter; they rushed to their friend with questions. Pandion, however, could not and did not want to talk. The two friends took him home and he lay for a long time without sleep under the impression of that unusual dance.
Pandion began to recover. His young body regained its former strength with amazing rapidity.
Three days later he went without anybody’s help to the house of the hunter — he wanted to see Iruma. The girl was not at home, but her father received the guest in a friendly and tender manner, gave him good beer to drink and tried to explain something to him, gesticulating and slapping him on the shoulders and chest. The young Hellene ‘did not understand anything and left the hunter’s house with a vague feeling of chagrin.
Pandion’s rebirth had not been complete: he was free and convalescent, but the spiritual inhibition had not left him.
He himself realized that the trials and tribulations that had fallen to his lot had somehow shattered him. The terrific shake-up he had received during the tussle with the rhinoceros had proved more than he could stand. He had weakened and for a long time did not return to normality. But he must recover, he must be capable of further struggle on the road home. He made a tremendous effort and began gymnastic exercises in order to be the equal of his comrades as he formerly was.
Kidogo and Cavius were now quite satisfied with Pandion’s recovery and together with all the other former slaves and most of the local people they set out on a long hunt to round up giraffes, hoping that this would give them an opportunity to find out something about the road they were to travel and at the same time obtain more meat for their hospitable hosts.
To the amusement and good-natured jokes of his neighbours, Pandion, to strengthen his muscles, took to crushing grain for beer-making, despite the sneers of the men who regarded it as women’s work. Soon Pandion began to leave the confines of the village, taking with him a thin Egyptian spear. Out in the fields he practised running and throwing the spear, feeling that every day his muscles were hardening and that his untiring legs were once more carrying his body with their former ease.
At the same time he made a strenuous effort to study the native language, never for a moment forgetting Iruma. Time and again he repeated the unfamiliar but melodious words. His excellent memory helped him and in a week he was able to understand what was said to him.
Pandion had not seen Iruma for a fortnight, but did not venture to visit her in her father’s absence as he did not know the customs of these people. One day when he was on his way back from the fields, Pandion saw a figure in a blue mantle and his heart began to beat faster. He quickened his steps, overtook the girl and stood before her, smiling joyfully. He had made no mistake, it was Iruma. His first glance at the girl’s face excited Pandion. Uttering with difficulty words to which his tongue was not accustomed Pandion started to thank the confused Iruma. Pandion’s stock of words soon ran out, and he continued in his own language, realized that he was not understood and looked embarrassed at the girl’s coloured head-dress that just reached his shoulder. Iruma looked sideways at him with mischievous eyes and suddenly laughed. Pandion smiled, too, and then carefully pronounced a phrase that he had long since learned.
“May I come to see you?”
“Come,” answered the girl simply, “tomorrow to the edge of the forest, when the sun is behind the trees.”
Pandion was overjoyed but he did not know what else to say to her; he simply held out both hands to Iruma. The blue mantle flew open and two tiny strong hands lay trustfully in Pandion’s palms. He pressed them firmly but tenderly. At that moment he was not thinking of his distant Thessa. The girl’s hands trembled, her wide nostrils were dilated; with a gentle but strong movement she freed herself, covered her face with her mantle and strode swiftly away, down the slope of the hill. ‘Pandion realized that he must not follow her and remained standing where he was, watching the girl until she disappeared behind the houses. Smiling for no apparent reason Pandion walked down the street, jauntily swinging his spear.