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Updated: June 24, 2025
Then straightway he became indignant on his friend's behalf, why should Sah-luma be blamed? ... Sah-luma was a glorious poet! a master-singer of singers! ... his fume must and should endure forever! ... Thus thinking, he regained his composure by degrees, and strove to assume the same air of easy indifference as that exhibited by his companion, when again Khosrul's declamatory tones thundered forth with an absoluteness of emphasis that was both startling and convincing: "Hear me, Sah-luma, Chief Minstrel of Al-Kyris! hear me, thou who hast willfully wasted the golden moments of never-returning time!
The King seated himself on a cushioned chair directly in front of the Silver Veil, . . Sah-luma took a place at his right hand, giving Theos a low bench close beside him, while the various distinguished personages who had attended Zephoranim disposed themselves indifferently wherever they could find standing-room, only keeping as near to their monarch as they were able to do in the extreme pressure of so vast a congregation.
But if the auguries of the stars prevail, 'twill be for the last time!" Here he paused and looked fixedly at Theos. "Thou dost return straightway to Sah-luma ... is it not so?" Theos bent his head in assent. "Art thou true friend, or mere flatterer to that spoilt child of fair fame and fortune?" "Friend!" cried Theos with eager enthusiasm, ... "I would give my life to save his!"
What is this woman to thee?" "Everything!".. returned Sah-luma with prompt and passionate fearlessness, his glorious eyes blazing a proud defiance as he spoke.. "Everything that woman can be, or ever shall be, unto man! Call her by whatsoever name a foolish creed enjoins, . . Virgin- Daughter of the Sun, or High-Priestess of Nagaya, she is nevertheless MINE! and mine only! I am her lover!"
"Ah, Sir Gad-about!" he exclaimed in a harsh, squeaky voice as he perceived Sah-luma "Back again from your self-advertising in the city! Is there any poor soul left in Al-Kyris whose ears have not been deafened by the parrot-cry of the name of Sah-luma?
How many men would have loved thee as I have loved? ... None! not even this dead Sah-luma, slain like a dog to give thee pleasure! Come! ... Let me kiss thee once again ere death makes cold our lips! False or true, thou art nevertheless fair! and the wrathful gods know best how I worship thy fairness!" And folding his arms about her, he kissed her passionately.
Were Al-Kyris besieged by a thousand enemies, and these strong palace-walls razed to the ground by the engines of warfare, we would ourselves defend Sah-luma! aye, even cry aloud in the heat of combat that he, the Chief Minstrel of our land, should be sheltered from fury and spared from death, as the only one capable of chronicling our vanquishment of victory!"
But he knew how useless it was to try and impart any of his inward forebodings to Sah-luma, Sah-luma, who had so lightly explained Lysia's treacherous conduct to his own entire satisfaction, . . Sah-luma, on whom neither the prophecies of Khosrul nor the various disastrous events of the day had taken any permanent effect, . . while no attempt could now be made to deter him from attending the Sacrificial Service in the Temple, seeing he had been so positively commanded thither by Lysia, through the medium of the priest Zel.
Their countenances exhibited various expressions of uneasiness amounting to fear, . . some few smiled forcedly, others feigned a careless indifference, . . Sah-luma flushed an angry red, and Theos, though he knew not why, felt a sudden pricking sense of shame.
"Whatever thou WERT or ART to me, Sah-luma, "he murmured in sobbing haste, "thou knowest that I loved thee, though now I leave thee! Farewell!" and his voice broke in its strong agony "O how much easier to divide body from soul than part myself from thee! Sah-luma, beloved Sah-luma! God give thee rest! ... God pardon thy sins, and mine!"
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