 Section three of Under the Sunset. This is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox.org. Recording by Sandra Cullen. Under the Sunset by Bram Stoker. Section three. The Invisible Giant. Time goes on in the country under the Sunset, much as it does here. Many years passed away and they wrought much change. And now we find a time when the people that lived in Good King Mago's time would hardly have known their beautiful land if they had seen it again. It had sadly changed indeed. No longer was there the same love or the same reverence towards the King. No longer was there perfect peace. People had become more selfish and more greedy and had tried to grasp all they could for themselves. There were some very rich and there were many poor. Most of the beautiful gardens were laid waste. Houses had grown up close round the palace. And in some of these dwelt many persons who could only afford to pay for part of a house. All the beautiful country was sadly changed and changed was the life of the dwellers in it. The people had almost forgotten Prince Sophia who was dead many many years ago and no more roses were spread on the pathways. Those that live now in the country under the Sunset laughed at the idea of more giants and they did not fear them because they did not see them. Some of them said tush what can there be to fear even if there ever were giants there are none now. And so the people sang and danced and feasted as before and thought only of themselves. The spirits that guarded the land were very very sad. Their great white shadowy wings drooped as they stood at their posts at the portals of the land. They hid their faces and their eyes were dim with continuous weeping so that they heeded not if any evil thing went by them. They tried to make the people think of their evil doing but they could not leave their posts and the people heard their moaning in the night season and said listen to the sighing of the breeze how sweet it is. So is it ever with us also that when we hear the wind sighing and moaning and sobbing around our houses in the lonely nights we do not think that our angels may be sorrowing for a clear misdeeds but only that there is a storm coming. The angels wept ever more and they felt the sorrow of dumbness for though they could speak those they spoke to would not hear. Whilst the people laughed at the idea of giants there was one old old man who shook his head and made answer to them when he heard them and said death has many children and there are giants in the marshes still you may not see them perhaps that they are there and the only bulwark of safety is in a land of patient faithful hearts. The name of this good old man was Noel and he lived in a house built of great blocks of stone in the middle of a wild place far from the city. In the city there were many great old houses story upon story high and in these houses lived much poor people. The higher you went up the great steep stairs the poorer were the people that lived there so that in the garrets were some so poor but when the morning came they did not know whether they should have anything to eat the whole long day. This was very very sad and gentle children would have wept if they had seen their pain. In one of these garrets there lived all alone a little maiden called Zaya. She was an orphan for her father had died many years before and her poor mother who had toiled long and wearily for her dear little daughter her only child had died also not long since. Poor little Zaya had wept so bitterly when she saw her dear mother lying dead and she had been so sad and sorry for a long time that she quite forgot she had no means of living. However the poor people who lived in the house had given her part of their own food so that she did not starve. Then after a while she had tried to work for herself and earn her own living. Her mother had taught her to make flowers out of paper so she made a lot of flowers and when she had a full basket she took them into the street and sold them. She made flowers of many kinds roses and lilies and violets and snowdrops and prim roses and mignonette and many beautiful sweet flowers that only grow in the country under the sunset. Some of them she could make without any pattern but others she could not. So when she wanted a pattern she took her basket of paper and scissors and pastes and brushes and all the things she used and went into the garden which a kind lady owned where there grew many beautiful flowers. There she sat down and worked away looking at the flowers she wanted. Sometimes she was very sad and her tears fell thick and fast as she thought of her dear dead mother. Often she seemed to feel that her mother was looking down at her and to see her tender smile in the sunshine on the water. Then her heart was glad and she sang so sweetly that the birds came around her and stopped their own singing to listen to her. She and the birds grew great friends and sometimes when she had sung a song they would all cry out together as they sat round her in a ring in a few notes that seemed to say quite plainly, Sing to us again, sing to us again. So she would sing again. Then she would ask them to sing and they would sing till there was quite a concert. After a while the birds knew her so well that they would come into her room and they even built their nests there and they followed her wherever she went. The people used to say, look at the girl with the birds. She must be half a bird herself for see how the birds know and love her. From so many people coming to say things like this some silly people actually believed that she was partly a bird and they shook their heads when wise people laughed at them and said, Indeed she must be. Listen to her singing. Her voice is sweeter even than the birds. So a nickname was applied to her and Naughty Boys called it after her in the street and the nickname was Big Bird but Ziya did not mind the name. And although often Naughty Boys said it to her, meaning to cause her pain, she did not dislike it but the contrary, for she so gloried in the love and trust of her little sweet voice pets that she wished to be thought like them. Indeed it would be well for some Naughty Little Boys and girls if they were as good and harmless as the little birds that worked all day long for their helpless baby birds, building nests and bringing food and sitting so patiently hatching their little speckled eggs. One evening Ziya sat alone in her garret very sad and lonely. It was a lovely summer's evening and she sat in the window looking out over the city. She could see over the many streets towards the great cathedral whose spire tower deloft into the sky higher by far even than the great tower of the King's Palace. There was hardly a breath of wind and the smoke went up straight from the chimneys getting fainter and fainter till it was lost altogether. Ziya was very sad. For the first time for many days her birds were all away from her at once and she did not know where they had gone. It seemed to her as if they had deserted her and she was so lonely, poor little maid, that she wept bitter tears. She was thinking of the story which long ago her dead mother had told her. How Prince Zafir had slain the giant and she wondered what the prince was like and thought how happy the people must have been when Zafir and Bluebell were king and queen. Then she wondered if there were any hungry children in those good days and if indeed as the people said there were no more giants. So she thought and thought as she went on with her work before the open window. Presently she looked up from her work and gazed across the city. There she saw a terrible thing, something so terrible that she gave a low cry of fear and wonder and leaned out of the window shading her eyes with her hand to see more clearly. In the sky beyond the city she saw a vast shadowy form with its arms raised. It was shrouded in a great misty robe that covered it, fading away into air so that she could only see the face and the grim spectral hands. The form was so mighty that the city below it seemed like a child's toy. It was still far off the city. The little maid's heart seemed to stand still with fear as she thought to herself. The giants then are not dead. This is another of them. Quickly she ran down the high stairs and out into the street. There she saw some people and cried to them. Look! Look! The giant! The giant! And pointed towards the form which she still saw moving slowly onwards to the city. The people looked up but they could not see anything and they laughed and said, the child is mad. Then poor little Zaya was more than ever frightened and ran down the street crying out still. Look! Look! The giant! The giant! But no one heeded her and all said, the child is mad and they went on their own ways. Then the naughty boys came around her and cried out, Big Bird has lost her mates. She sees a bigger bird in the sky and she wants it and they made rhymes about her and sang them as they danced round. Zaya ran away from them and she hurried right through the city and out into the country beyond it for she still saw the great form before her in the air. As she went on and got nearer and nearer to the giant it grew a little darker. She could only see the clouds but still there was visible the form of a giant hanging dimly in the air. A cold mist closed around her as the giant appeared to come onwards towards her then she thought of all the poor people in the city and she hoped the giant would spare them and she knelt down before him and lifted up her hands appealingly and cried aloud. Oh great giant, spare them, spare them! But the giant moved onwards still as though he never heard. She cried aloud all the more. Oh great giant, spare them, spare them! And she bowed down her head and wept and the giant still though very slowly moved onward towards the city. There was an old man not far off standing at the door of a small house built of great stones but the little maid saw him not. His face were a look of fear and wonder and when he saw the child kneel and raise her hands he drew nigh and listened to her voice. When he heard her say, oh great giant, he murmured to himself, it is then even as I feared there are more giants and truly this is another. He looked upwards but he saw nothing and he murmured again. I see not yet this child can see and yet I feared for something told me that there was danger. Truly knowledge is blinder than innocence. The little maid still not knowing there was any human being near her cried out again with a great cry of anguish. Oh do not, do not great giant, do them harm. If someone must suffer, let it be me, take me. I am willing to die but spare them, spare them great giant and do with me even as thou wilt. But the giant he did not and knowle, for he was the old man, felt his eyes fill with tears and he said to himself, oh noble child how brave she is, she would sacrifice herself. And coming closer to her he put his hand upon her head. Ziya, who was again bowing her head started and looked round when she felt the touch. However when she saw that it was knoll she was comforted, for she knew how wise and good he was and felt that if any person could help her he could. So she clung to him and hid her face in his breast and he stroked her hair and comforted her. But still he could see nothing. The cold mist swept by and when Ziya looked up she saw that the giant had passed by and was moving onward to the city. Come with me my child, said the old man, and the two arose and went into the dwelling built of great stones. When Ziya entered she started for lo, the inside was as a tomb. The old man felt her shudder, for he still held her close to him and he said, Weep not little one and fear not, this place reminds me and all who enter it, that to the tomb we must all come at the last. Fear it not, for it has grown to be a cheerful home to me. Then the little maid was comforted and began to examine all around her more closely. She saw all sorts of curious instruments and many strange and many common herbs and simples hung to dry in bunches on the walls. The old man watched her in silence till her fear was gone and then he said, My child saw you the features of the giant as he passed. She answered, Yes, can you describe his face and form to me? He asked again where upon she began to tell him all that she had seen, how the giant was so great that all the sky seemed filled, how the great arms were outspread veiled in his robe till far away the shroud was lost in air, how the face was as that of a strong man, pitiless yet without malice and that the eyes were blind. The old man shuddered as he heard, for he knew that the giant was a very terrible one and his heart wept for the doomed city where so many would perish in the midst of their sin. They determined to go forth and warn again the doomed people and making no delay the old man and the little maid hurried towards the city. As they left the small house Ziya saw the giant before them moving still towards the city. They hurried on and when they had passed through the cold mist, Ziya looked back and saw the giant behind them. Presently they came to the city. It was a strange sight to see that old man and that little maid flying to tell the people of the terrible plague that was coming upon them. The old man's long white beard and hair and the child's golden locks were swept behind them in the wind so quick they came. The faces of both were white as death. Behind them, seen only to the eyes of the pure-hearted little maid when she looked back, came ever-omward at slow pace the spectral giant that hung a dark shadow in the evening air. But those in the city never saw the giant and when the old man and the little maid warned them, still they heeded not but scoffed and jeered at them and said, Tush there are no giants now and they went on their way laughing and jeering. Then the old man came and stood on a raised place amongst them on the lowest step of the great fountain with the little maid by his side and he spake thus, O people dwellers in this land be warned in time this pure-hearted child round whose sweet innocence even the little birds that fear men and women gather in peace has this night seen in the sky the form of a giant that advances ever-omward menacingly to our city. Believe, O believe and be warned, whilst ye may, to myself even as to you the sky is a blank and yet see that I believe, for listen to me all unknowing another giant had invaded our land. I sat pensive in my dwelling and without cause or motive there came into my heart a sudden fear for the safety of our city. I arose and looked north and south and east and west and on high and below but never a sign of danger could I see. So I said to myself, Mine eyes are dim with a hundred years of watching and waiting and so I cannot see and yet, O people dwellers in this land, though that century has dimmed mine outer eyes, still it has quickened mine inner eyes, the eyes of my soul. Again I went forth and low, this little maid knelt and implored a giant unseen by me to spare the city but he heard her not or if he heard answered her not and she fell prone. So hither we come to warn you, yonder says the maid he passes on towards the city. O be warned, be warned in time. Still the people he did not but they scuffed and jeered the moor and said, Lo the maid and the old man both are mad and they passed onwards to their homes to dancing and feasting as before. Then the naughty boys came and mocked them and said that Zaya had lost her birds and had gone mad and they made songs and sang them as they danced round. Zaya was so sorely grieved for the poor people that she heeded not the cruel boys. Seeing that she did not heed them some of them got still more rude and wicked. They went a little way off and threw things at them and mocked them all the more. Then, sad of heart, the old man arose and took the little maid by the hand and brought her away into the wilderness and lodged her with him in the house built with great stones. That night Zaya slept with the sweet smell of the drying herbs all around her and the old man held her hand that she might have no fear. In the morning Zaya arose betimes and awoke the old man who had fallen asleep in his chair. She went to the doorway and looked out and then a thrill of gladness came upon her heart for outside the door as though waiting to see her sat all her little birds and many, many more. When the birds saw the little maid they sang a few loud joyous notes and flew about foolishly for very joy. Some of them fluttering their wings and looking so funny that she could not help laughing a little when Noel and Zaya had eaten their frugal breakfast and given to their little feathered friends they set out with sorrowful hearts to visit the city and to try once more to warm the people. The birds flew around them as they went and to cheer them sang as joyously as they could although their little hearts were heavy. As they walked they saw before them the great shadowy giant and he had now advanced to the very confines of the city. Once again they warned the people and great crowds came around them but only mocked them more than ever and naughty boys threw stones and sticks at the little birds and killed some of them. Poor Zaya wept bitterly and Noel's heart was very sad. After a time when they had moved from the fountain Zaya looked up and started with joyous surprise for the great shadowy giant was nowhere to be seen. She cried out in joy and the people laughed and said cunning child she sees that we will not believe her and she pretends that the giant has gone. They surrounded her jeering and some of them said let us put her under the fountain and duck her as a lessened and liars who would frighten us then they approached her with menaces. She clung close to Noel who had looked terribly grave when she had said she did not see the giant any longer and who was now as if in a dream thinking. But at her touch she seemed to wake up and he spoke sternly to the people and rebuked them but they cried out on him also and said that as he had aided Zaya in her lie he should be ducked also and they advanced closer to lay hands on them both. The hand of one who was a ringleader was already outstretched when he gave a low cry and pressed his hand to his side and whilst the others turned to look at him in wonder he cried out in great pain and screamed horribly even whilst the people looked his face grew blacker and blacker and he fell down before them and writhed a while in pain and then died. All the people screamed out in terror and ran away crying aloud the giant the giant he is indeed amongst us they feared all the more that they could not see him but before they could leave the marketplace in the center of which was the fountain many fell dead and their corpses lay there in the center knelt the old man and the little maid praying and the birds sat perched around the fountain mute and still and there was no sound heard save the cries of the people far off then their wailing sounded louder and louder for the giant plague was amongst and around them and there was no escaping for it was now too late to fly alas in the country under the sunset there was much weeping that day and when the night came there was little sleep for there was fear in some hearts and pain in others none were still except the dead who lay stark about the city so still and lifeless that even the cold light of the moon and the shadows of the drifting clouds moving over them could not make them seem as though they lived and for many a long day there was pain and grief and death in the country under the sunset Noel and Ziya did all they could to help the poor people but it was hard indeed to aid them for the unseen giant was amongst them wandering through the city to and fro so that none could tell where next he would lay his ice cold hand some people fled away out of the city but it was little use for go how they would and fly never so fast they were still within the grasp of the unseen giant ever and a non he turned their warm hearts to ice with his breath and his touch and they fell dead some like those within the city were spared and of these some perished of hunger and the rest crept sadly back to the city and lived or died amongst their friends and it was all oh so sad for there was nothing but grief and fear and weeping from mourn till night now see how Ziya's little bird friends helped her in her need they seemed to see the coming of the giant when no one not even the little maid herself could see anything and they managed to tell her when there was danger just as well as though they could talk at first Noel and she went home every evening to the house built of great stones to sleep and came again to the city in the morning and stayed with the poor sick people comforting them and feeding them and giving them medicine which Noel from his great wisdom knew would do them good thus they saved many precious human lives and those who were rescued were very thankful and henceforth ever after lived holier and more unselfish lives after a few days however they found that the poor sick people needed help even more at night than in the day and so they came and lived in the city altogether helping the stricken folk day and night at the earliest dawn Ziya would go forth to breathe the morning air and there just waked from sleep would be her feathered friends waiting for her they sang glad songs of joy and came and perched on her shoulders and her head and kissed her then if she went to go towards any place where during the night the plague had laid his deadly hand they would flutter before her and try to impede her and scream out in their own tongue go back, go back they pecked of her bread and drank of her cup before she touched them and when there was danger for the cold hand of the giant was placed everywhere they would cry and she would not touch the food or let anyone else do so often it happened that even whilst it pecked at the bread or drank of the cup a poor little bird would fall down and flutter its wings and die but all they that died did so with a chirp of joy looking at their little mistress for whom they had gladly perished whenever the little birds found that the bread and the cup were pure and free from danger they would look up at Ziya jauntily and flap their wings and try to crow and seemed so saucy that the poor sad little maiden would smile there was one old bird that always took a second and often a great many pecks at the bread when it was good so that he got quite a hearty meal and sometimes he would go on feeding till Ziya would shake her finger at him and say greedy and he would hop away as if he had done nothing there was one other dear little bird a robin with a breast as red as the sunset that loves Ziya more than one can think when he tried the food and found that it was safe to eat he would take a little tiny piece in his bill and fly up and put it in her mouth every little bird that drank from Ziya's cup and found it good raised its head to say grace and ever since then the little birds do the same and they never forget to say their grace as some thankless children do thus Noel and Ziya lived although many around them died and the giant still remained in the city so many people died that one began to wonder that so many people were left for it was only when the town began to get thinned that people thought of the vast numbers that had lived in it poor little Ziya had got so pale and thin that she looked like a shadow and Noel's form was bent more with the sufferings of a few weeks than it had been by his century of age but although the two were weary and worn they still kept on their good work of aiding the sick many of the little birds were dead one morning the old man was very weak so weak that he could hardly stand Ziya got frightened about him and said are you ill father? for she always called him father now he answered her in a voice alas, hoarse and low but very, very tender my child I fear the end is coming take me home that there I may die at his word Ziya gave a low cry and fell on her knees beside him and buried her head in his bosom and wept bitterly whilst she hugged him close but she had little time for weeping for the old man struggled up to his feet and seeing that he wanted aid she dried her tears and helped him the old man took his staff and with Ziya helping to support him got as far as the fountain in the midst of the marketplace and there on the lowest step he sank down as though exhausted Ziya felt him grow cold as ice and she knew that the chilly hand of the giant had been laid upon him then without knowing why she looked up to where she had last seen the giant as Noel and she had stood beside the fountain and low as she looked holding Noel's hand she saw the shadowy form of the terrible giant who had been so long invisible growing more and more clearly out of the clouds his face was stern as ever and his eyes were still blind Ziya cried to the giant still holding Noel tightly by the hand not him, not him, almighty giant not him, not him and she bowed down her head and wept there was such anguish in her heart that to the blind eyes of the shadowy giant came tears that fell like dew on the forehead of the old man Noel spake to Ziya grieve not, my child I am glad that you see the giant again for I have hoped that he will leave our city free from woe I am the last victim and I gladly die then Ziya knelt to the giant and said spare him, oh spare him and take me but spare him, spare him the old man raised himself upon his elbow as he lay and spoke to her grieve not, little one and repine not soothe I know that she would gladly give your life for mine but we must give for the good of others that which is dearer to us than our lives bless you my little one and be good farewell, farewell as he spake the last word he grew cold as death and his spirit passed away Ziya knelt down and prayed and when she looked up she saw the shadowy giant moving away the giant turned as he passed on and Ziya saw that his blind eyes looked towards her as though he were trying to see he raised the great shadowy arms draped still in his shroud of mist as though blessing her and she thought that the wind that came by her moaning bore the echo of the words innocence and devotion save the land presently she saw far off the great shadowy giant plague moving away to the border of the land and passing between the guardian spirits out through the portal into the deserts beyond forever