United States or Iraq ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Leo stared at her, making no comment, but after a pause, as though he were thinking the matter over, he went on "Atene said as much, but I did not believe her. I thought the end of the world had come, that was all.
Yes, answering nothing, he shrank into the corner and cowered there, while Simbri, taking Atene by the hand, went from the room. At its massive, iron-bound door he turned and pointing to the crouching figure with his staff, said "Khan Rassen, I raised you up, and now I cast you down. Remember me when you lie dying in blood and pain."
Choose then between the vengeance of Atene and her love, since I am not minded to be mocked in my own land as a wanton who sought a stranger and was refused." Slowly, slowly, in an intense whisper she spoke the words, that fell one by one from her lips like drops of blood from a death wound, and there followed silence. Never shall I forget the scene.
Now, this letter from the Mountain that the head-priest Oros sent to your court a while ago?" and he selected a parchment from a pile which lay upon the table and looked at her. "Read," she said, "I would hear it again." So he read: "From the Hesea of the House of Fire, to Atene, Khania of Kaloon.
Show us what thou art, thou flitting night-owl, who thinkest to frighten me with that livery of death, which only serves to hide the death within." "Cease, I pray lady, cease," said Oros, stirred for once out of his imperturbable calm. "She is the Minister, none other, and with her goes the Power." "Then it goes not against Atene, Khania of Kaloon," she answered, "or so I think. Power, forsooth!
Art thou Ayesha? And if so why is thy voice changed? Why art thou less in stature? Oh! in the name of whatever god thou dost worship, tell me art thou Ayesha?" "I am Ayesha" she answered solemnly, "that very Ayesha to whom thou didst pledge thyself eternally." "She lies, she lies," broke in Atene.
"Then the heavens have declared a lie," said Leo contemptuously. "That is as you will," answered Atene; "but so it must befall, not by my hand or those of my servants, but by yours. And then?" "Why by mine? Why not by Holly's? Yet, if so, then doubtless I shall suffer the punishment of my crime at the hands of his mourning widow," he replied exasperated.
This was the first temptation, the ordeal of thy flesh nay, not the first the second, for Atene and her lurings were the first. But thou wast loyal, and in the magic of thy conquering love my beauty and my womanhood were re-born.
Thereon I bade the Khania Atene, and that old magician her great-uncle, who is Guardian of the Gate, go down to the ancient gates of Kaloon to receive you and bring you hither with all speed. Yet for men who burned to learn the answer to a riddle, you have been long in coming."
"You were borne hither in your sleep, and see, the change has bettered you. Do you remember nothing?" "Nothing, nothing at all," I answered earnestly. "But what of my friend?" "He also is better. The Khania Atene nurses him." "Atene?" I said. "That is an old Egyptian name. It means the Disk of the Sun, and a woman who bore it thousands of years ago was famous for her beauty."