absolute 'I' scrawled on the face of Nature! 'I' am afflicted, let
none dare to rejoice! 'I' would be glad, let none presume to
grieve!" ... She laughed, a little low laugh of icy satire, and
then resumed: "I thank thee for thy proffered service, sir
stranger, albeit I need it not,--nor do I care to claim it at thy
hands. Thou art my guest--no more! Whether thou wilt hereafter
deserve to be enrolled my bondsman depends upon thy prowess and--
my humor!"

Her beautiful eyes flashed scornfully, and there was something
cruel in her glance. Theos felt it sting him like a sharp blow.
His nerves quivered,--his spirit rose in arms against the cynical
hauteur of this woman whom he loved; yes,--LOVED, with a curious
sense of revived passion--passion that seemed to have slept in a
tomb for ages, and that now suddenly sprang into life and being,
like a fire kindled anew on dead ashes!

Acting on a sudden proud impulse he raised his head and looked at
her with a bold steadfastness,--a critical scrutiny,--a calmly
discriminating valuation of her physical charms that for the
moment certainly appeared to startle her self-possession, for a
deep flush colored the fairness of her face and then faded,
leaving her pale as marble. Her emotion, whatever it was, lasted
but a second,--yet in that second he had measured his mental
strength against hers, and had become aware of his own supremacy!
This consciousness filled him with peculiar satisfaction. He drew
a long breath like one narrowly escaped from close peril. He had
now no fear of her--only a great, all-absorbing, all-evil love,
and to that he was recklessly content to yield. Her eyes dwelt
glitteringly first upon him and then on Sah-luma, as the eyes of a