Their companion rejoined them, urging his wearied horse to its utmost
speed.

"Nicaeus!" he called out, "halt."

They stopped their willing horses.

"How now! my friend;" said the prince; "you look grave."

"Lady Iduna!" said the Armenian, "we are pursued."

Hitherto the prospect of success, and the consciousness of the terrible
destiny that awaited failure, had supported Iduna under exertions,
which under any other circumstances must have proved fatal. But to
learn, at the very moment that she was congratulating herself on the
felicitous completion of their daring enterprise, that that dreaded
failure was absolutely impending, demanded too great an exertion of her
exhausted energies. She turned pale; she lifted up her imploring hands
and eyes to heaven in speechless agony, and then, bending down her
head, wept with unrestrained and harrowing violence. The distracted
Nicaeus sprung from his horse, endeavoured to console the almost
insensible Iduna, and then woefully glancing at his fellow adventurer,
wrung his hands in despair. His fellow adventurer seemed lost in
thought.

"They come," said Nicaeus, starting; "methinks I see one on the brow of
the hill. Away! fly! Let us at least die fighting. Dear, dear Iduna,
would that my life could ransom thine! O God! this is indeed agony."

"Escape is impossible," said Iduna, in a tone of calmness which