em except by my own successful apostasy. And yet when all else is
peaceful and happy, or at least appears so, why should I become the
leader of an insurrection that would precipitate a hundred times more
misery on the nation, to say nothing of the possibility of defeat?"

I saw that a crisis had come to Lyone, a tremendous debate agitated
her soul. I forebore treading further on the sacred ground. She, with
true delicacy, was striving to hide the intensity of her proud unrest.
I felt that in time she would have the courage to take the irrevocable
step that led to freedom or death.

As I sat devouring every word spoken by Lyone I felt a strange power
surrounding me, an emanation of the soul of my beloved friend. I
resisted for a long time a sacrilegious desire to fling myself at her
feet and clasp her in my arms. I thought of her supreme dignity, her
love for her faith and her people, and I knew one cold glance from her
eyes would pierce me through and through like a sword. The more I
thought of my position at that moment the more amazed I became at
the audacity that led me to ever think of claiming the soul of the
goddess as mine, much less my encouragement of an enterprise so
desperate as we had already assuredly embarked upon.

[Illustration: HER KISS WAS A BLINDING WHIRLWIND OF FLAME AND TEARS!
IT WAS THE PROCLAMATION OF WAR UPON ATVATABAR. THENCEFORTH WE BECAME A
NEW AND FORMIDABLE TWIN-SOUL.]

As I gazed in adoration at the splendid soul before me the scene
through the open windows seemed to grow more ideal. There was a new
glory in the gardens around me, a finer flashing of fountains in the
sunlight, and a bolder chiselling of palaces and temples. Beyond and
above there wheeled the roof of the world, with its still more
prodigious forests and mountains and a wider expanse of gleaming seas.

I sprang forward with a cry of joy, falling at the feet of the
goddess. I encircled her figure with my arms and held up my face to
hers. Her kiss was a blinding whirlwind of flame and tears! Its
silence was irresistible entreaty. It dissolved all other interests
like fire melting stubborn steel. It was the proclamation of war upon
Atvatabar! It was the destruction of a unique civilization with all
its appurtenances of hopeless love. It was love defying death.
Thenceforward we became a new and formidable twin-soul!

CHAPTER XXXV.

OUR VISIT TO THE INFERNAL PALACE.

The infernal palace was a congregation of subte