lotus-flowers swayed over the grass-green, stagnant pool. There
she paused, and apparently scrutinized her visitors intently
through the folds of her snowy veil. Sah-luma bent his head before
her in a half haughty, half humble salutation.

"The tardy Sah-luma!" she said, with an undercurrent of laughter
in her musical tones, "the poet who loves the flattery of a
foolish king, and the applause of a still more foolish court! And
so Khosrul disturbed the flood of thine inspiration to-night, good
minstrel? Nay, for that he should die, if for no other crime! And
this," here she turned her veiled features toward Theos, whose
heart beat furiously as he caught a luminous flash from those
half-hidden, brilliant eyes, "this is the unwitting stranger who
honored me by so daring a scrutiny this morning! Verily, thou hast
a singularly venturesome spirit of thine own, fair sir! Still, we
must honor courage, even though it border on rashness, and I
rejoice to see that the wrathful mob of Al-Kyris hath yet left
thee man enough to deserve my welcome! Nevertheless thou were
guilty of most heinous presumption!" Here she extended her
jewelled hand. "Art thou repentant? and wilt thou sue for pardon?"

Scarcely conscious of what he did, Theos approached her, and
kneeling on one knee took that fair, soft hand in his own and
kissed it with passionate fervor.

"Criminal as I am," he murmured tremulously, "I glory in my crime,
nor will I seek forgiveness? Nay, rather will I plead, with thee
that I may sin so sweet a sin again, and blind myself with beauty
unreproved!"