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Updated: June 25, 2025
What chiefly concerned him however was the peculiar change in Sah-luma's demeanor, something in the aspect or speech of Gazra had surely exercised a remarkable influence upon him. His frame trembled through and through with scarcely controlled excitement, . . his eyes shot forth an almost evil fire, . . and a cold, calm, somewhat cruel smile played on the perfect outline of his delicate month.
He was again moved by that curious instinctive dread of hearing Sah-luma's name associated with any sort of reproach, and his voice had a somewhat defiant ring as he answered: "Nay, surely I am neither child nor woman that I should weakly yield to guidance or misleading!
"Not so!" interposed Theos suddenly, unknowing why he spoke, but feeling inwardly compelled to take up Sah-luma's defence-"for the colors ARE immortal, and permeate the Universe, whether seen in the soap-bubble or the rainbow!
Closer and closer grew the fearful Python's constricting clasp, . . nearer and nearer swept the dancing battalion of destroying flames! ... For one fleeting breath of time Theos stared aghast at the horrid scene, . . then making a superhuman effort he raised Sah-luma's corpse entirely from the ground and staggered with his burden away, . . away from the burning Shrine, . . the funeral pyre, as it vaguely seemed to him, of a wasted Love and a dead passion!
Again Sah-luma's eyes dwelt upon him with a curious, appealing tenderness. "Thy words savor of sweet consolation! ..." he said half gayly, half sadly. "May they be fulfilled! And if indeed there is a brighter world than this beyond the skies, I fancy thou and I will know each other, there as here, and be somewhat close companions!
Meanwhile I would that thou couldst promise me one thing,".. here he paused, but, seeing Sah-luma's inquiring look, went on in a low, eager tone! "Go not to the Temple to-night! absent thyself from this Sacrifice, which, though it be the law of the realm, is nevertheless mere murderous barbarity, and inasmuch as the King is wrathful I pray thee avoid his presence!"
Taking everything into serious consideration, he came at last to the deeply mortifying conclusion that it must be himself who was the plagiarist, the unconscious imitator of Sah-luma's ideas and methods, . . and the worst of it was that his imitation was so terribly EXACT! Oh, how heartily he despised himself for his poor and pitiful lack of originality!
"By the gods, yon stranger weeps!" said the monarch in a half- bantering tone...then with more gentleness he added.. "Yet 'tis not the first time Sah-luma's voice hath unsealed a fountain of tears! No greater triumph can minstrel have than this, to move the strong man's heart to woman's tenderness!
Sah-luma's clear, mocking laugh just then rang sharply through the perfumed stillness. "Thou mad Theos! Whither art thou bound?" cried the Laureate mirthfully. "Wilt leave our noble hostess ere the entertainment has begun? Ungallant barbarian! What frenzy possesses thee?" These words recalled him to himself.
There was a great quietness everywhere, the rising and falling inflections of Sah-luma's soft, rich voice rather, deepened than disturbed the stillness, the pen of Zabastes glided noiselessly over the slips of papyrus, and the small sounds of the outer air, such as the monotonous hum of bees among the masses of lily-bloom that towered in white clusters between the festooned awnings, the thirsty twitterimg of birds hiding under the long palm leaves to shelter themselves from the heat, and the incessant splash of the fountains, ... all seemed to be, as it were, mere appendages to enhance the breathless hush of nature.
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