Chapter 7
chapter seven of irasema the honey lips a legend of brazil by josé de alencar translated by isabel burton this librivox recording is in the public domain chapter seven Hirasema threaded the trees, silent as a shade. Her sparkling eyes pierced through the foliage like star beams. She listened to the profound silence of the night and inhaled the bomb-blowing breeze. She stopped. A shadow glided amidst the boughs, and the leaves were crackled by a light step,
unless, indeed, the report was the buzzing of some insect. Slowly the soft sound waxed louder, and with it the shadow became darker. It was a warrior. With one bound, the virgin confronted him,
trembling with fear and still more with wrath. "'Irasema!' exclaimed the brave, recoiling. "'The Anhangá hath doubtless disturbed the sleep of Irapuã, "'that he has lost himself in the Jurema wood, "'where no warrior enters save by the will of Araken?'
"'It was not the Anhangá, but the thought of Irasema "'that disturbed the sleep of the bravest of the Tabajara braves. "'Irapuã hath descended from his Eyrie "'to follow up the plain the white crane of the river. he came and inasema fled from his gaze the voices of the taba related in the hearing of the chief that a stranger had sat under the roof-tree of araken
the virgin trembled the warrior fixed upon her his burning eyes the heart here in irapuan's breast became a tiger's heart it panted with rage he came scenting the quarry the stranger is in this wood and irasema accompanied him irapuan will drink all his blood when that of the white warrior shall fill the veins of the tabajara chief perhaps the daughter of araken may love him the maiden's black pupils flashed in the dark and a smile of contempt dropped from her lips bitter as the gout of castig milk which the euphorbia sheds never will irasema give herself to the basest of the tabajara braves the spirit of tupin alone fills her breast vile is the vampire that hides from the light and drinks the blood of the sleeping victim daughter of araquen provoke not the ounce the name of irapuan flies farther than the guana of the lake when he scents the rain beyond the mountains let the white warrior appear and let irasema open her arms to the victor
the white warrior is the guest of araquem peace brought him to the plains of ipu and peace guards him here who so offends the stranger shall offend the pajé the tabajara chief roared lion-like in his rage the fury of irapuan now hears only the vengeance cry the stranger shall die the daughter of araquem is stronger than the chief of warriors said irasema seizing the war trumpet. She holds here the voice of the Tupan god who calls on his people. But she will not call, said the chief scoffingly. No, because Irapuan shall be punished by the hand of Irasema. His first step will be the step of death. The virgin, with one bound, retreated as
much as she had advanced, and drew her bow. The chief still grasped the handle of his formidable tomahawk, but he felt for the first time that it was heavy for his strong arm. The blow that was about to strike Irasema had already wounded his own heart. He then knew how easily the strongest brave is, out of his very strength, vanquished by love. The shadow of Irasema will not always hide the stranger from the vengeance of Irapuan. Vile is the warrior who allows himself to be
protected by a woman. Thus saying, the chief vanished amongst the trees. The virgin, always on the watch, returned to the sleeping Christian and guarded him for the rest of the night. The emotions so lately undergone agitated her soul, and ripened all those sweet affections of her heart, which the stranger's eyes had quickened to life. She longed to protect him from all peril, to shelter him as though she were an impenetrable
asylum. Then, deeds following her thoughts, she passed her arms round the sleeping warrior's neck, and she pillowed his head upon her bosom. but when the joy of seeing the stranger saved from the perils of the night had passed away the thought of new dangers about to arise caused her the liveliest disquiet the love of irasema is like the wind of the desert sands it kills the flower of the forest sighed the virgin and slowly she withdrew chapter seven
