n
the terrible river. And not till the slow filling and sinking of the
jars was the agony over and the cries for mercy stilled. No, the Queen's
speech was safe with her, but was it safe with the Queen? For her
silence, Dwaymenau must take measures.

Then she put it all aside and laughed and jested with the King and did
indeed for a time forget, for she loved him for his black-browed beauty
and his courage and royalty and the childlike trust and the man's
passion that mingled in him for her. Daily and nightly such prayers as
she made to strange gods were that she might bear a son, true son of
his.

Next day, in the noonday stillness when all slept, she led her young son
by the hand to her secret chamber, and, holding him upon her knees in
that rich and golden place, she lifted his face to hers and stared into
his eyes. And so unwavering was her gaze, so mighty the hard, unblinking
stare that his own was held against it, and he stared back as the earth
stares breathless at the moon. Gradually the terror faded out of his
eyes; they glazed as if in a trance; his head fell stupidly against her
bosom; his spirit stood on the borderland of being and waited.

Seeing this, she took his palm and, molding it like wax, into the cup
of it she dropped clear fluid from a small vessel of pottery with the
fylfot upon its side and the disks of the god Shiva. And strange it was
to see that lore of India in the palace where the Blessed Law reigned
in peace. Then, fixing her eyes with power upon Mindon, she bade him, a
pure child, see for her in its clearness.

"Only virgin-pure can see!" she muttered, staring into his eyes. "See!
See!"

The eyes of Mindon were closing. He half opened them and looked dully at
his palm. His face was pinched and yellow.

"A woman--a child, on a long couch. Dead! I see!"

"See her face. Is her head crowned with the Queen's jewels? See!"

"Jewels. I cannot see her face. It is hidden."

"Why is it hidden?"

"A robe across her face. Oh, let me go!"

"And the child? See!"

"Let me go. Stop--my head--my head! I cannot see. The child is hidden.
Her arm holds it. A woman stoops above them."

"A woman? Who? Is it like me? Speak! See!"

"A woman. It is like you, mother--it is like you. I fear very greatly. A
knife--a knife! Blood! I cannot see--I cannot speak! I--I sleep."

His face was ghastly white now, his body cold and collapsed. Terrified,
she caught him to her breast and relaxed the power of he