the moment we paid no attention to this remark, but it came
back to our minds now, and we determined that they should dance also.
To accomplish this we used all our arts and very soon bent them to our
wills, so that they could refuse us nothing. At the end of the day we
remained possessors of the talismans and had left them to their fate,
while the prince and Thelamis fell more in love with us than ever, and
declared that we were more lovely than any women in the world.

'The sun had set before we quitted the inn, and we had made no plans
as to where we should go next, so we readily consented to the prince's
proposal that we should embark without delay for the Isle of Black
Marble. What a place it was! Rocks blacker than jet towered above its
shores and shed thick darkness over the country. Our sailors had not
been there before and were nearly as frightened as ourselves, but thanks
to Thelamis, who undertook to be our pilot, we landed safely on the
beach.

'When we had left the coast behind us, with its walls of jet, we entered
a lovely country where the fields were greener, the streams clearer, and
the sun brighter than anywhere else. The people crowded round to welcome
their prince, whom they loved dearly, but they told him that the king
was still full of rage at his son's refusal to marry his cousin the
Princess Okimpare, and also at his flight. Indeed, they all begged him
not to visit the capital, as his life would hardly be safe. So, much as
I should have enjoyed seeing the home of my beloved prince, I implored
him to listen to this wise advice and to let us all go to Thelamis's
palace in the middle of a vast forest.

'To my sister and myself, who had been brought up in a cottage, this
house of Thelamis's seemed like fairyland. It was built of pink marble,
so highly polished that the flowers and streams surrounding it were
reflected as in a mirror. One set of rooms was furnished especially for
me in yellow silk and silver, to suit my black hair. Fresh dresses were
provided for us every day, and we had slaves to wait on us. Ah, why
could not this happiness have lasted for ever!

'The peace of our lives was troubled by Thelamis's jealousy of my
sister, as he could not endure to see her on friendly terms with the
prince, though knowing full well that his heart was mine. Every day we
had scenes of tender reproaches and of explanations, but Tezila's
tears never failed to bring Thelamis to his knees, with prayers for