garding her as might a stranger, as one
who considers a beauty in which he hath no part; and, drawn by this
strangeness, she rose and knelt beside him, pillowing her head upon his
heart.

"Say on," she said in her voice of music.

He unfurled a scroll that he had crushed in his strong right hand, and
read aloud:--

"'Thus says Allah-u-Din, Shadow of God, Wonder of the Age,
Viceregent of Kings. We have heard that in the Treasury of Chitor is a
jewel, the like of which is not in the Four Seas--the work of the hand
of the Only God, to whom be praise! This jewel is thy Queen, the Lady
Padmini. Now, since the sons of the Prophet are righteous, I desire but
to look upon this jewel, and ascribing glory to the Creator, to depart
in peace. Granted requests are the bonds of friendship; therefore
lay the head of acquiescence in the dust of opportunity and name an
auspicious day.'"

He crushed it again and flung it furiously from him on the marble.

"The insult is deadly. The sorry son of a debased mother! Well he knows
that to the meanest Rajput his women are sacred, and how much more the
daughters and wives of the Kings! The jackals feast on the tongue that
speaks this shame! But it is a threat, Beloved--a threat! Give me thy
counsel that never failed me yet."

For the Rajputs take counsel with their women who are wise.

They were silent, each weighing the force of resistance that could be
made; and this the Rani knew even as he.

"It cannot be," she said; "the very ashes of the dead would shudder to
hear. Shall the Queens of India be made the sport of the barbarians?"

Her husband looked upon her fair face. She could feel his heart labor
beneath her ear.

"True, wife; but the barbarians are strong. Our men are tigers, each
one, but the red dogs of the Dekkan can pull down the tiger, for they
are many, and he alone."

Then that great Lady, accepting his words, and conscious of the danger,
murmured this, clinging to her husband:--

"There was a Princess of our line whose beauty made all other women seem
as waning moons in the sun's splendour. And many great Kings sought her,
and there was contention and war. And, she, fearing that the Rajputs
would be crushed to powder between the warring Kings, sent unto each
this message: 'Come on such and such a day, and thou shalt see my face
and hear my choice.' And they, coming, rejoiced exceedingly, thinking
each one that he was the Chosen. So they came into the great Hall,