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Here Metem gave her over into the care of her father, telling him as much of the story as he thought wise, and cautioning him to keep silent concerning what had happened. At the door of the palace Issachar spoke to Aziel. "Did I dream, Prince," he said, "or did my ears indeed hear you tell that idolatress that you loved her for ever, and did my eyes see you kiss her on the lips?"
"For him, perchance it is best," she answered; as with an unwilling hand she gave him back the letter which she dared not keep, "but what of me? Oh! Metem, what of me?" "Lady," he said sadly, "I have no words to soothe your sorrow save that the gods have willed it thus." "What gods?" she asked fiercely; "not those they bid me worship." She shuddered, then went on, "Metem, be pitiful!
Metem saluted them as he entered, and they detained him, answering his greeting by requests for news and with jests, not too refined, or by demands for presents of jewels, in return for which they promised him the blessings of the goddess. To each he made some apt reply, for even the priestesses of Baaltis could not abash Metem.
"Save her," said Ithobal hoarsely, "and I will pay you a doctor's fee of a hundred ounces of pure gold. Oh! had I but known, the clumsy fool should not have died so easily." Metem took out his tablets and made a note of the amount. "Take comfort, King," he said, "I think that I shall earn the fee. But to speak truth, this matter looks somewhat ugly, and your name is mentioned in it.
Again there was silence, which, after a while, was broken by a loud knocking at the door. "Rise," said Aziel, "Metem comes for us." "No, no," cried Elissa, "it is Doom that knocks, not Metem." As the words passed her lips the door was burst open, and through it poured a mob of armed priests, at the head of whom marched the Shadid.
Metem wrung his hands in grief; even Issachar veiled his eyes with his robe, to shut out the sight of dread, and the priest, who bore the bowl of incense, thrust it towards Aziel imploringly. For some seconds, three perhaps, though to him they seemed an age, the heart of Aziel was racked and torn in this terrific contest.
Swift, oh! come with me swiftly, for see, the moon rises," and she sprang to the door followed by the amazed Metem. Another minute, and they were speeding down the narrow street so fast that those who loitered there turned their heads and laughed, for they thought that a jealous husband pursued his wife. As Elissa fumbled at the hasp of the door of the garden, Metem overtook her.
"A woman to be feared," thought Metem to himself as, shaking off the priestesses, he passed her upon his way up the long chamber. Presently he had reached the end of it, and was saluting the presence of the Baaltis by kneeling and touching the carpet with his brow.
For a moment the great man stood still, then he opened his arms wide and of a sudden plunged downward, falling with a crash on the roadway, where he lay dead at the side of dead Elissa. "The play is played, and the fate fulfilled," cried Metem. "See, the servants of the king speed yonder with their evil tidings; let us away lest we bide here with these two for ever."
See and read, since whatever you may say of yourself, you are, I think, no traitor." "Not if I am well paid to keep counsel, Prince," Metem answered with a smile. Then he read the scroll. "I am glad that the noble lady brings an attendant with her," he said as he returned it, with a bow.
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