she put her two hands together, and pressed them
tight against her heart, and then against her brow. And all at once, she
came quickly to him, and said in a low voice: It is time. And she took
his head in her hands, and kissed him, with lips that were cold as ice,
and yet hot as fire, first on the eyes, and then on the mouth, and last
of all upon the brow. And then she took his hand, and held it for a
little while, with a clutch that almost hurt him, gazing at him with
thirsty eyes. And suddenly, she threw away his hand, and pushed him away
roughly, saying: Go. But Aja caught her in his arms, and kissed her yet
again, as it were against her will. And he said: O fearful heart, be not
afraid. Very soon, I will return. And he went away quickly, but at the
door he turned, and saw her standing still, watching him with dry bright
eyes, and lips that were shut tight. And at that very moment, the old
King took him by the arm, and said: Come now, and I will show thee the
way by which all thy predecessors went before thee.

Then Aja said: O King, I am unarmed. Give me a weapon to carry with me.
So the King took him into the armoury, and he chose for himself a sword
almost as long as he was tall. But he threw away the scabbard, saying:
This would only be in the way: and now, I am prepared. And then the King
led him away, and up a winding stair.

And when they were at the top, he stopped. And he said: O son-in-law
that might have been, now fare thee well. And even I feel it harder to
part with thee than with any of thy predecessors. Thou wouldst have made
an altogether appropriate husband for my daughter, and O! that thou
couldst have seen her dance, before thus disappearing: but now it is too
late, for I doubt whether Tumburu himself could make her dance to-night,
so troubled did she seem to be at bidding thee good bye. Go out, now,
through yonder door: and thou wilt be more fortunate than all the
others, if thou canst manage to return through it.

Then he went back into the palace. But Aja passed through the door, and
found himself on the city wall.

A Total Eclipse.

_Then kith and kin and home forget, and all,
To sail beyond the setting-sun, with me,
Where dead love's dreamy recollections call
Across the sea._

I.

And he stood on the edge of the city wall, with his naked sword in his
hand. And he looked on this side and on that, and saw the turrets of the
city j