"Ye know not what ye ask; I cannot save ye from this peril: ye
have brought it on yourselves."

And they cried: "How? O son of Osslah--we are ignorant of our
crime."

And he answered:

"Go down to the king's palace and wait before it, and surely I
will follow ye, and ye shall learn wherefore ye have incurred
this punishment from the gods."

Then the crowd rolled murmuring back, as a receding sea; and
when it was gone from the place, Morven went alone to the house
of Darvan, which was next his own: and Darvan was greatly
terrified, for he was of a great age, and had no children,
neither friends, and he feared that he could not of himself
escape the waters.

And Morven said to him, soothingly:

"Lo, the people love me, and I will see that thou art saved for
verily thou hast been friendly to me, and done me much service
with the king."

And as he thus spake, Morven opened the door of the house and
looked forth, and saw that they were quite alone; then he seized
the old man by the throat, and ceased not his grip till he was
quite dead.