62 The Flame-Flower

On the ninth day they found Evan. His
javelin was broken, and he lay on the snow,
wounded by a boar. Evan raised his eyes
and saw them, and said, “Go hence, and
leave me to die!”

Then, while Honora bent toward him, the
flame-flower fell from her breast on to the
snow between them, and the petals of flame
crept towards Evan, melting all the snow
between those two; and the flower touched
the breast of Evan and flickered there.

Then Evan looked upon Honora, and
stretched out his arms.

There Honora and Flamma made a hut
of branches, and tended Evan until he was
well of his wound; and he looked upon
them as one does who has waked from a
dream, and took them to him. Thus had
the flame-flower melted the snows.

When Evan was strong again they went
back to the hut among the marshes; but
Flamma could walk no more, being too weak
and ill; so that Evan carried her through
the forest.

While Flamma lay sick in the hut, the