"Edam!" I cried. "What do ye here? Come and open these bars!"

He made no reply, save to laugh in a way I did not like. I shook the
grating savagely, so that I felt it give. "Edam!" I roared. "Open this
grating at once; and tell me, where is Ave?"

"I am here," came another voice; and I stopped in sheer surprise, to
peer closer and to see, for the first time, that it were really the
dreamer and the chit, these two and no more, who sat there in the
underground chamber. They seemed to be sitting in some sort of a box,
with glass windows.

"Ave--come here!" I spoke much more gently than to Edam; for my heart
was soft with thoughts of her. "It is thy lord, Strokor, the emperor,
who calls thee. Come!"

"I stay here," said she in the same clear voice, entirely unshaken by my
presence. "Edam hath claimed me, and I shall cleave to him. I want none
of ye, ye giant!"

For a moment I was minded to throw my weight against the barrier, such
was my rage. Then I thought better on it, and closely examined the bars.
Two were loose.

"Ave," said I, contriving to keep my voice even, although my hands were
busy with the bars as I spake. "Ave--ye do wrong to spite me thus. Know
ye not that I am the emperor, and that these bars cannot stand before
me? I warn ye, if I must call my men to help me, and to witness my
shame, it will go hard with ye! Better that ye should come willingly. Ye