Part 17 (1/2)

'Not if I know it,' I said with vigour 'I had rather face a wounded elephant with a shot-gun Take care of your own business,you must take the consequences I would not be in your place for an eed at school and the other boys caht has this Queen to coo'

'But you must; you are one of her officers and bound to obey her, and she knows it And after all it will soon be over'

'That's just what they used to say,' he said again 'I only hope she won't put a knife into me I believe that she is quite capable of it'

And off he started very faintheartedly, and no wonder

I sat and waited, and at the end of about forty-five ood deal worse than when he went

'Give ot him a cup of wine, and asked as the matter

'What is the matter? Why if ever there was trouble there's trouble now You knohen I left you? Well, I was shown straight into Sorais'

private chamber, and a wonderful place it is; and there she sat, quite alone, upon a silken couch at the end of the rooently upon that zither of hers I stood before her, and for a while she took no notice ofa little, and very sweet music it was At last she looked up and sht perchance thou hadst gone about the Queen Nyleptha's business Thou art ever on her business, and I doubt not a good servant and a true”

'To this I merely bowed, and said I was there to receive the Queen's word

'”Ah yes, I would talk with thee, but be thou seated It wearies h,” and sheherself with her back against the end, so as to have a view of my face

'”It is not meet,” I said, ”that I should make myself equal with the Queen”

'”I said be seated,” was her answer, so I sat down, and she began to look at me with those dark eyes of hers There she sat like an incarnate spirit of beauty, hardly talking at all, and when she did, very low, but all the while looking at me There was a white flower in her black hair, and I tried to keep my eyes on it and count the petals, but it was of no use At last, whether it was her gaze, or the perfume in her hair, or what I do not know, but I al mesmerized

At last she roused herself

'”Incubu,” she said, ”lovest thou power?”

'I replied that I supposed all men loved power of one sort or another

'”Thou shalt have it,” she said ”Lovest thou wealth?”

'I said I liked wealth for what it brought

'”Thou shalt have it,” she said ”And lovest thou beauty?”

'To this I replied that I was very fond of statuary and architecture, or so silly of that sort, at which she frowned, and there was a pause By this ti like a leaf I knew that so to happen, but she held me under a kind of spell, and I could not help th, ”wouldst thou be a king? Listen, wouldst thou be a king? Behold, stranger, I a of all Zu-Vendis, ay and husband of Sorais of the Night Nay, peace and hearmy people had I thus opened out my secret heart, but thou art an outlander and therefore I speak without sha all I have to offer and how hard it had been thee to ask See, a crown lies at thy feet, my lord Incubu, and with that fortune a woman whom some have wished to woo Now mayst thou answer, oh my chosen, and soft shall thy words fall upon mine ears”

'”Oh Sorais,” I said, ”I pray thee speak not thus”--you see I had not ti cannot be I am betrothed to thy sister Nyleptha, oh Sorais, and I love her and her alone”

'Next , and I looked up to see the results When I spoke, Sorais' face was hidden in her hands, and as my words reached her she slowly raised it, and I shrank back dis She rose to her feet and see was that she was so quiet about it all Once she looked at a side table, on which lay a dagger, and fro me; but she did not take it up At last she spoke one word, and one only--

'”_Go!_”

'And I went, and glad enough I was to get out of it, and here I aood fellow, and tell me, what is to be done?'