ny outside of
those whose duty it was to attend, but also the rumour that Nasta
was going to publicly ask the hand of Nyleptha in marriage had
gone abroad, with the result that the great hall was crowded
to its utmost capacity. There were our friends the priests in
force, headed by Agon, who regarded us with a vindictive eye;
and a most imposing band they were, with their long white embroidered
robes girt with a golden chain from which hung the fish-like
scales. There, too, were a number of the lords, each with a
band of brilliantly attired attendants, and prominent among them
was Nasta, stroking his black beard meditatively and looking
unusually pleasant. It was a splendid and impressive sight,
especially when the officer after having read out each law handed
them to the Queens to sign, whereon the trumpets blared out and
the Queens' guard grounded their spears with a crash in salute.
This reading and signing of the laws took a long time, but at
length it came to an end, the last one reciting that 'whereas
distinguished strangers, etc.', and proceeding to confer on the
three of us the rank of 'lords', together with certain military
commands and large estates bestowed by the Queen. When it was
read the trumpets blared and the spears clashed down as usual,
but I saw some of the lords turn and whisper to each other, while
Nasta ground his teeth. They did not like the favour that was
shown to us, which under all the circumstances was not perhaps
unnatural.

Then there came a pause, and Nasta stepped forward and bowing
humbly, though with no humility in his eye, craved a boon at
the hands of the Queen Nyleptha.

Nyleptha turned a little pale, but bowed graciously, and prayed
the 'well-beloved lord' to speak on, whereon in a few
straightforward soldier-like words he asked her hand in marriage.

Then, before she could find words to answer, the High Priest
Agon took up the tale, and in a speech of real eloquence and
power pointed out the many advantages of the proposed alliance;
how it would consolidate the kingdom, for Nasta's dominions,
of which he was virtually king, were to Zu-Vendis much what Scotland
used to be to England; how it would gratify the wild mountaineers
and be popular among the soldiery, for Nasta was a famous general;
how it would set her dynasty firmly on the throne, and would
gain the blessing and approval of the 'Sun', i.e. of the office
of the High Priest, and so on. Many of his arguments wer