"Strike now!" she whispered.. "Quick.. why dost thou hesitate?"

He looked at her fixedly, . . the previous hot passion he had felt
for her froze like ice within his veins, ... her fairness seemed
no longer so distinctly fair, . . the witching radiance of her eyes
had lost its charm, . . ... and he motioned her from him with a
silent gesture of stern repugnance. Catching sight of the sheeny
glimmer of the lake through the curtained entrance of the tent, he
made a sudden spring thither--dashed aside the draperies, and
flung the dagger he held, far out towards the watery mirror. It
whirled glittering through the air, and fell with a quick splash
into the silver-rippled depths,--and, gravely contented, he turned
upon her, dauntless and serene in the consciousness of power.

"Thus do I obey thee!" he said, in firm tones that thrilled
through and through with scorn and indignation,--"Thou evil
Beauty! ... thou fallen Fairness! ... Kill Sah-luma? ... Nay,
sooner would I kill myself...or thee! His life is a glory to the
world, . . his death shall never profit thee!"...

For one instant a lurid anger blazed in her face,--the next her
features hardened themselves into a rigidly cold expression of
disdain, though her eyes widened with wrathful wonder. A low laugh
broke from her lips.

"Ah!" she cried--"Art thou angel or demon that thou darest defy
me? Thou shouldst be either or both, to array thyself in
opposition against the High Priestess of Nagaya, whose relentless
Will hath caused empires to totter and thrones to fall! HIS life a