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"Sah-luma! ... Sah-luma!" and the piercing, reproachful voice of the Prophet penetrated every part of the spacious square like a sonorous bell ringing over a still landscape: "O divine Spirit of Song pent up in gross clay, was ever mortal more gifted than thou!
"What a true philosopher she is, my sweet Aizif!" she went on amusedly stroking the creature's head, "Her feminine wit teaches her what the dull brains of men can never grasp, . . namely, that pleasures, no matter how sweet, turn to ashes and wormwood when once obtained, and that the only happiness in this world is the charm of DESIRE! There is a subject for thee, Sah-luma! ... write an immortal Ode on the mysteries, the delights, the never-ending ravishment of Desire! ... but carry not thy fancy on to desire's fulfilment, for there thou shalt find infinite bitterness!
"Ah, Sah-luma is thine host?" he said with a touch of melancholy surprise in his tone "Then wherefore art thou here? ... here in this dark abode where none may linger and escape with life? ... how earnest thou within the bounds of Lysid's fatal pleasaunce! ... Has the Laureate's friendship thus misguided thee?" Theos hesitated before replying.
What hast thou done, Sah-luma, . . what hast thou done with the treasures bestowed upon thee by the all-endowing Angels? ... How hast thou used the talisman of thy genius?
To die for thee, Sah-luma, is better than to live for thee, . . for living I must needs be conquered by my sin of love and lose myself and thee, but in the quiet Afterwards of Death, no passion shall have strength to mar the peaceful, patient waiting of my soul on thine!
Not a single countenance was there that did not openly betray the complacent hauteur and tranquil vanity of absolute Egotism, Sah-luma's especially. But then Sah-luma had something to be proud of his genius; it was natural that he should be satisfied with himself he was a great man! But was it well for even a great man to admire his own greatness?
And between the two powerful rivals who thus by stealth enjoyed her capricious favors, what would Lysia's own decision be? Like a loud hissing in his ears, he heard again the murderous command, a command which was half a menace: "KILL SAH-LUMA!"
At any rate some effort must be made to rescue him, and Theos, without more ado, bent above him and called aloud: "Sah-luma! ... Wake! Sah-luma!" Sah-luma stirred uneasily and smiled in his sleep. "More wine!" he muttered thickly "More, . . more I say! What! wilt thou stint the generous juice that warms my soul to song? Pour, . . pour out lavishly!
Suddenly Sah-luma looked up, his bright face alit with laughter. "Now by the Sacred Veil," he said gayly, addressing himself to the King "Your Majesty considers this venerable gentleman with too much gravity!
Sah-luma, a Poet, whose songs of Love were so perfect, so wildly sweet and soul- entrancing HE, to be ignorant of Love's true meaning? ... Oh, impossible! and a burning flush of shame rose to Theos's brow, shame that he could have entertained such a blasphemy against his Idol for a moment!
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