ed the
light of the night-lamp. He beheld Eliab, who was standing near the
door, stooping a little over the body of the girl, swaying like one in
wine. The young warrior raised his head under Solomon's gaze, and, when
his eyes met the wrathful, awesome eyes of the king, he blanched and
groaned. An expression of despair and terror distorted his features. And
suddenly, stooping, hiding his face in his mantle, he began timidly,
like a frightened jackal, to slink out of the room. But the king stayed
him, saying but three words:

"Who compelled thee?"

All a-tremble and with teeth chattering, with eyes grown white from
fear, the young warrior let drop dully:

"Queen Astis...."

"Get thee hence," commanded Solomon. "Tell the guard on duty to watch
thee."

Soon people with lights commenced running through the innumerable rooms
of the palace. All the chambers were illuminated. The leeches came; the
friends and the military officers of the king gathered.

The chief leech said:

"King, neither science nor God will now avail. She will die the instant
we draw out the sword left in her breast."

But at this moment Sulamith came to and said with a calm smile:

"I would drink."

And when she had drunk, her eyes rested with a tender, beautiful smile
upon the king, nor did she again take them away, the while he stood upon
his knees before her couch, all naked, even as she, without perceiving
that his knees were laved in her blood, nor that his hands were
encrimsoned with the scarlet of her blood.

Thus, with difficulty, gazing upon her beloved and smiling gently, did
the beautiful Sulamith speak:

"I thank thee, my king, for all things: for thy love, for thy beauty,
for thy wisdom, to which thou didst allow me to set my lips, as to a
sweet well of living waters. Let me to kiss thy hands; take them not
away from my mouth till such time when the last breath shall have fled
from me. Never has there been, nor ever shall there be, a woman happier
than I. I thank thee, my king, my beloved, my fair. Think ever and anon
upon thy slave, upon thy Sulamith, scorched of the sun."

And the king made answer to her, in a deep, slow voice:

"As long as men and women shall love one another; as long as beauty of
soul and body shall be the best and sweetest dream in the universe,--so
long, I swear to thee, Sulamith, shall thy name be uttered through many
ages with emotion and gratefulness."

* * * * *