from me--I knew that his
faith in the stars or in my skill to interpret them aright had been
shaken. But I held my place and kept to the even tenor of my ways, for I
had resolved that, if ever Prince Hasan should return home, then
assuredly would I be on hand to warn Mirza Shah, so that, the crisis
approaching, steps might at least be tried to avert the blow of destiny.
Of this I was determined, even though death itself would come to me as
the penalty of my long silence.

"But all of a sudden the storm of impending events broke. One day there
came to Kashmir the intelligence that Prince Hasan, incensed at his
father's just rebukes, was marching against him with a mighty host
gathered together from the forces of his companions in revelry.
Preparations for defence on our side were at once made, the armed men
gathered in from the surrounding villages, and carronades mounted on the
walls and at the gateway of the citadel, which hung on sloping ground,
with a precipitous mountain guarding it in the rear.

"Too true proved to be the news. One morning the army of Prince Hasan
came into view ascending the valley, and before nightfall the
semi-circle of ground beneath the walls of the citadel, at a distance of
four or five hundred yards, was occupied by the hosts of our enemy.
Among these were both horsemen and foot soldiers, also full two score of
great elephants dragging a train of siege guns.

"Now at last were the seals of silence broken from my lips. Without
further delay I must tell everything to Mirza Shah. Just as the sun was
setting I intercepted him when making a round of the walls, and begged
of him to come with me to my tower.

"'Later,' he said, sternly, as he passed on to complete his plans for
repelling the assault expected at daybreak on the morrow.

"The night was far advanced when at last my lord came to me, and, to my
surprise, clinging to his arm, was his wife, the sultana. I placed
cushions for her close to one of the casements, where she had been wont
to sit on the occasions of her visits in days gone by. Without a word
she sank into the place thus assigned to her.

"But Mirza Shah strode into the centre of the little circular room, and
took his stand right under the lamp that illuminated it.

"'Now what have you to say, thou false astrologer?' he demanded, without
word of prelude.

"Then did I take my courage in both hands, and told him everything--that
the stars had in truth revealed to me that t