and let us, who must prepare to die, waste no more
breath in words. The first is that we are your friends and have trusted
you, saving your life at the danger of our own and telling you this tale
of our own free will. Therefore in the name of friendship, which you
should hold sacred, who are no common man but a king, we demand your
help, we who have put our lives in the hollow of your hand, knowing that
you are of noble mind and will not betray us.

"The second is that our interest is your interest: we strive against Nam
and the priests, and so do you. If Nam conquers us to-day, to-morrow
it will be your turn, and the Snake, whose fangs we must feel, shall in
days to come feed upon you also. Now is the hour of destiny for you and
your descendants: cling to us and break the yoke of Nam and the priests,
or desert us and bind that yoke upon your shoulders to your doom. I have
spoken--choose."

Olfan thought awhile and answered:

"Truly your mind is great, Queen, and sees far into the darkness of
things such as our women have no knowledge of. You should have ruled
this country and not I, for then by now Nam, who is my master, would
have begged his daily bread at the gates of your palace, and the priests
his servants had become the hewers of your wood and the drawers of your
water. But I will not talk to you of policy, for time is short. Nay, I
will deal with your first reason and that alone.

"You have conjured me in the name of friendship and of my oath, and by
the memory of service done, and not in vain. I am a man different from
that race of men of whom you are, a wild chief of a wild tribe, having
little wisdom; yet I have learned these things--never to break a
promise, never to desert a friend, and never to forget a service.
Therefore, because I swore fealty to you, because you are my friend, and
because you saved my life, I will protect you to the last, though it
may well chance that I can do nothing except die for you. For, Queen,
although you can be nought to me while yonder man lives, still I am
ready to give my life for you. As for the others I will say this only,
that I will not harm them or betray them.

"Now I go to speak with certain of the great men who are friends to me
and hate the priest, so that when this matter comes on for judgment they
may lift up their voices in your favour, for nothing can be done except
by policy--that is, not now. Shortly I will return to lead you to the
temple. Till then, fa