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Updated: June 3, 2025
"Aye, aye!" and Sah-luma's dark brows contracted in a slight frown "Not so many fine words, I pray thee! Thou couldst not well mistake her, there is only one Lysia!" "Lysia!" murmured Theos dreamily, and the musical name slid off his lips with a soft, sibilant sound, "Lysia! And I forgot to kneel to that enchanting, that adorable being! Oh unwise, benighted fool! where were my thoughts?
And truly it now appeared as if mercy, and not cruelty, were to be the order of the hour, . . for just then the Priest Zel, after having exchanged a few inaudible words with Lysia, advanced again to the front of the Shrine and spoke in distinct tones of forced gentleness and bland forbearance: "Hear me, O King, Princes and People! ... Whereas it has unhappily occurred, to the wonder and sorrow of many, that the holy Spouse of the divine Nagaya is delayed in her desired departure, by the unforeseen opposition and unedifying contumacy of Sah-luma, Poet Laureate of this realm; and lest it may be perchance imagined by the uninitiated, that the maiden is in any way unwilling to fulfil her glorious destiny, the High and Immaculate Priestess of the Shrine doth bid me here pronounce a respite; a brief interval wherein, if the King and the People be willing, he who is named Sah-luma shall, by virtue of his high renown, be permitted to address the Virgin-victim and ascertain her own wishes from her own lips.
"To-morrow, Lysia, thou shalt claim nothing!" he said in a still, composed voice that to himself had something strange and unearthly in its tone ... "Not even a grave! Get thee hence! ... pray to thy gods if thou hast any, for truly there is need of prayer! Thou shalt not harm Sah-luma, . . his love for thee may be his present curse, but it shall not work his future ruin!
To this Lysia pointed with a fiendish glee, as she pulled Theos forward. "Strike now!" she whispered.. "Quick.. why dost thou hesitate?"
Aizif!" called Lysia imperiously. The animal looked round with an angry snarl, and seemed for once disposed to disobey the summons of its mistress. She therefore rose from her throne, and stepping forward with a swift, agile grace, caught the savage beast by the neck, and dragged it from its desired prey.
"What sayest thou, Sah-luma?" he demanded in a sort of ferocious gasping whisper ... "Repeat thy words! ... Repeat them!" ... and his hand clutched at his dagger-hilt, while his restless, lowering glance flashed from Lysia to the Laureate and from the Laureate back to Lysia again.. "Death encompasses us, . . this is no time for trifling! ... Speak!".. and his voice suddenly rose to a frantic shout of rage, "Speak!
The public voice pronounces Lysia chaste, and Zephoranim faithful; who then shall dare to disprove the verdict? 'Tis the same in all countries, near and far, the law serves the strong, while professing to defend the weak. The rich man gains his cause, the beggar loses it, how can it be otherwise, while lust of gold prevails?
Moreover, his mind was now entirely possessed by the haunting vision of Lysia a vision half-human, half-divine a beautiful, magical, irresistible Sweetness that allured his soul, and roused within him a wordless passion of infinite desire.
From sunset to midnight these messages keep coming without intermission, and all the most carefully concealed affairs of Al- Kyris are discovered by the Temple Spies and conveyed to Lysia by this means.
The most immediate place of safety seemed to be the Inner Sanctuary of Nagaya, . . it was untouched by the flames, and its Titanic pillars of brass and bronze suggested, in their very massiveness, a nearly impregnable harbor of refuge. The King had fled thither, and now stood, like a statue of undaunted gloomy amazement, beside Lysia, who on her part appeared literally frozen with terror.
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