to carry out your will. Ay, before six suns have set, the regiments
rushing past you shall hail you King of the Nation of the Amasuka, Lord
of the ancient House of Fire!"

"I cannot," groaned the prince; "death were better than this!"

"Ay, death were better; but you shall not die, you shall live a servant,
and your name shall become a mockery, a name for women to make rhymes
on."

Now the prince sprang up.

"Take her!" he hissed; "take her! you, who are an evil ghost; you,
beneath whose eyes children wail, and at whose passing the hairs on the
backs of hounds stand up! Take her, priest of death and ill; but take my
curse with her! Ah! I also can prophecy; and I tell you that this
woman whom you have taught, this witch of many spells, whose glance can
shrivel the hearts of men, shall give you to drink of your own medicine;
ay, she shall dog you to the death, and mock you while you perish by an
end of shame!"

"What," laughed the wizard, "have I a rival in my own arts? Nay, Hafela,
if you would learn the trade, pay me well and I will give you lessons.
Yet I counsel you not; for you are flesh, nothing but flesh, and he who
would rule the air must cultivate the spirit. Why, I tell you, Prince,
that even the love for her who is my heart, the lady whom we both would
wed, partaking of the flesh as, alas! it does, has cost me half my
powers. Now let us cease from empty scoldings, and strike our bargain.

"Listen. On the last day of the feast, when all the regiments are