ve of the Borodemy on the charge of
sacrilege, apostasy, and insurrection. Her holiness has been
found guilty and is now under sentence of death. His
majesty, of merciful intent, wishes it to be known that he
will pardon her holiness on this condition, viz.: That the
insurrectionary army lays down its arms forthwith, and the
wayleals separate and depart to their respective abodes;
that his excellency, the commander-in-chief, and his
generals surrender themselves to his majesty as prisoners of
war, to be tried and punished as military law dictates. This
surrender to include that of the admiral of the fleet and
the ships under his command.

"On no other condition whatever will mercy be extended to
her holiness, and should this offer be temporized with or
rejected nothing can save the late goddess from the sword of
justice.

"Dictated at the palace in Calnogor, in the twenty-fifth
year of his majesty's reign.

"ALDEMEGRY BHOOLMAKAR."

The king's communication was received with a sensation of contempt and
dismay. The thought of surrender was in itself preposterous, but when
we thought that our rebellion would drive a sword into the heart of
Lyone, the awful idea struck us dumb with horror!

The king possessed our proudest and most precious soul as hostage, and
he was cowardly enough to sacrifice her as his most deadly blow to the
insurrection.

The crisis was appalling.

"Shall we," I cried, "continue the fight, now that we know it is our
queen we fight against, that it is our arms that will murder her?"

"We certainly do not murder her," said Hushnoly; "and yet this
unexpected crisis paralyzes me."

"The king will not dare to murder the queen," said the grand sorcerer;
"and if he does----"

The sorcerer suddenly checked himself; the mere contemplation of such
an event was overpowering, yet he seemed, of all others, the most
composed. His eyes shone with a strange fire that I had not hitherto
noticed.

"I am satisfied," said Governor Ladalmir, "that unless we lay down our
arms and submit ourselves to his mercy, which means death to every one
here, the fate of the queen is sealed."

"I think," said the high priestess Zooly-Soase, "that his excellency,
the commander-in-chief, should, if possible, obtain an order from the
king permitting him to visit her majesty, and advise her of the