desert shall cover thy temples and palaces, and none hereafter
shall inquire concerning thee! None shall bemoan thee, . . none
shall shed tears for the grievous manner of thy death, . . none
shall know the names of thy mighty heroes and men of fame,--for
thou shalt vanish utterly and be lost far out of memory even as
though thou hadst never been!"

Here he stopped abruptly and caught his breath hard,--his blazing
eyes preternaturally large and brilliant fixed themselves
steadfastly on the sculptured ivory shield that surmounted the
back of the King's throne, and over his drawn and wrinkled
features came an expression of such ghastly horror that
instinctively every one present turned their looks in the same
direction. Suddenly a shriek, piercing and terrible, broke from
his lips,--a shriek that like a swiftly descending knife seemed to
saw the air discordantly asunder.

"See ... See!" he cried in fierce haste and eagerness ... "See how the
crested head gleams! ... How the soft, shiny throat curves and
glistens! ... how the lithe body twists and twines! ... Hence!--
Hence, accursed Snake! ..thou poisoner of peace! ... thou
quivering sting in the flesh!--thou destroyer of the strength of
manhood! What hast thou to do with Zephoranim, that thou dost wind
thy many coils about his heart? ... Lysia ... Lysia! ..." here
the King started violently, his face flushing darkly red, "Thou
delicate abomination! ... Thou tyrannous treachery.. what shall be
done unto thee in the hour of darkness! Put off, put off the
ornaments of gold and the jewels wherewith thou adornest thy
beauty, and crown thyself with the crown of an endless affliction!
... for thou shalt be girdled round about with flame, and fire shall