you
slight her we are lost."

"Alas, then, what can I do?"

"But one thing can save us--all of us--my father, you, I."

"Name it," he cried.

"You would not listen to me," she sobbed, wringing her hands in
despair.

"I will do whatever you desire," he cried recklessly.

"Then make my people thy people. Fly with us. Even now the Ethiopians
are without the gates ready for battle. Join them, lead them, and----"

"A traitor to my country!" he cried, stricken with horror at the
thought.

"Then there is no hope. The Princess will drive us to death and
despair." She drew a picture that brought it all vividly into
Radames's mind. At last with breaking heart he cried:

"I will go with thee--making thy people my people," and he started to
leave the Temple with her.

"What path shall we take to avoid the Egyptian soldiers?" she
questioned wildly.

"We may go by the same path that the army will take: the gorges of
Napata: the way will be free till to-morrow." That was how Aida
discovered the way the Egyptians would take, while her father
listened.

"Ah! I will post my men there," Amonasro cried, stepping forth into
the moonlight, that Radames might see him.

"Who has heard?" Radames said, with a start.

"Amonasro, Aida's father, King of Ethiopia," he answered, proudly
facing Radames.

"Thou--thou art the King--Amonasro--Aida thy daughter! Do I dream? I
have betrayed my people to thee!" He suddenly realized all that he had
done, in wavering between love and duty.

"No, thy people are the people of Aida. The throne is thine, to share
with her."

"My name will be forever branded--a coward!" He groaned in despair.

"No blame to thee, son. It was thy fate; and with us thou wilt be far
from these scenes that try thy heart: far away where none can reproach
thee." But Radames knew that he had better die than live, knowing
himself for a traitor. He determined that he would not go; that he
would remain and undo the wrong that he had blindly done, but even
then Aida was trying to drag him away, and urging him with each loving
breath to fly with them. As he would have broken away from her,
Amneris, who had heard all, ran from the Temple, crying, "Traitor!"

"Destruction! She would undo us," Amonasro shouted, and as the people
began to pour from the Temple, he sprang forward and would have
plunged his sword through her had Radames not sprung between them.

"Thou art a madman," he shouted, horrified at the deed Amona