st speak to me, the Queen, after this
sort? How darest thou?'

'Yea, I dare. Listen. The moments which thou dost waste in
idle anger may well cost thee thy crown and all of us our lives.
Already Sorais' horsemen go forth and call to arms. In three
days' time Nasta will rouse himself in his fastnesses like a
lion in the evening, and his growling will be heard throughout
the North. The "Lady of the Night" (Sorais) hath a sweet voice,
and she will not sing in vain. Her banner will be borne from
range to range and valley to valley, and warriors will spring
up in its track like dust beneath a whirlwind; half the army
will echo her war-cry; and in every town and hamlet of this wide
land the priests will call out against the foreigner and will
preach her cause as holy. I have spoken, oh Queen!'

Nyleptha was quite calm now; her jealous anger had passed; and
putting off the character of a lovely headstrong lady, with a
rapidity and completeness that distinguished her, she put on
that of a queen and a woman of business. The transformation
was sudden but entire.

'Thy words are very wise, Macumazahn. Forgive me my folly.
Ah, what a Queen I should be if only I had no heart! To be heartless
-- that is to conquer all. Passion is like the lightning, it
is beautiful, and it links the earth to heaven, but alas it blinds!

'And thou thinkest that my sister Sorais would levy war upon
me. So be it. She shall not prevail against me. I, too, have
my friends and my retainers. There are many, I say, who will
shout "Nyleptha!" when my pennon runs up on peak and pinnacle,
and the light of my beacon fires leaps tonight from crag to crag,
bearing the message of my war. I will break her strength and
scatter her armies. Eternal night shall be the portion of Sorais
of the Night. Give me that parchment and the ink. So.
Now summon the officer in the ante-room. He is a trusty man.'

I did as I was bid! and the man, a veteran and quiet-looking
gentleman of the guard, named Kara, entered, bowing low.

'Take this parchment,' said Nyleptha; 'it is thy warrant; and
guard every place of in and outgoing in the apartments of my
sister Sorais, the "Lady of the Night", and a Queen of the Zu-Vendi.
Let none come in and none go out, or thy life shall pay the
cost.'

The man looked startled, but he merely said, 'The Queen's word
be done,' and departed. Then Nyleptha sent a messenger to Sir
Henry, and presently he arrived looking unco