Atla; A Story of the Lost Island

Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: II. N AT AL. A8TEEA, DAUGHTER OF THE STARS. On the night of the vernal equinox, the city of Atlan was wild with excitement; the birth of a princess had been announced, the first heir of Kron the Magnificent. The infant was named Astera, Star of the "West, and in her honor constellations of fire illuminated every building in the city. Atlan blazed in a glory that might have outshone the lights of heaven and the fiery volcanoes; but neither moon nor star rivalled the artificial glare, for a panoply of storm-clouds filled the sky. In a gorgeous inner chamber of the palace, Ishma of the East, the court physician, and the midwives watched by the bedside of the queen, while Thalok, the high-priest, performed the customary natal rites in the temple. Throughout the palace all sounds were muffled and all lights subdued, perfume of flowers and burning incense mingled like love whispers in the soft airs that were permitted to stray through the luxurious chamber which welcomed to wealth and homage the royal maiden. chapter{Section 4III. AT LA. GIFT OF THE SEA. " Oh night and storm and darkness, Te are wondrous strong." On this eventful night, while the newly born princess lay upon a curtained pillow, wrapped in, soft slumber, another infant opened its eyes for the first time, under far different auspices. At Pirhua, the harbor nearest Atlan, the fury of the equinoctial storm was appalling. The wind howled, the rain came down in torrents, and great waves broke heavily against the mole that protected the harbor. In the watch-tower of the gate stood Karinet and Occuna, warders of the port. The building…