"
"Aye," she answered, "so while this one sleeps, bear him to another
chamber, for he needs change, and the lord yonder needs more space and
untainted air."
The Guardian, whom she called "Shaman" or Magician, held a lamp in his
hand, and by its light it was easy to see his face, which I watched
out of the corner of my eye. I thought that it wore a very strange
expression, one moreover that alarmed me somewhat. From the beginning
I had misdoubted me of this old man, whose cast of countenance was
vindictive as it was able; now I was afraid of him.
"To which chamber, Khania?" he said with meaning.
"I think," she answered slowly, "to one that is healthful, where he
will recover. The man has wisdom," she added as though in explanation,
"moreover, having the word from the Mountain, to harm him would be
dangerous. But why do you ask?"
He shrugged his shoulders.
"I tell you I heard the death-hounds bay, that is all. Yes, with you I
think that he has wisdom, and the bee which seeks honey should suck the
flower--before it fades! Also, as you say, there are commands with which
it is ill to trifle, even if we cannot guess their meaning."
Then going to the door he blew upon his whistle, and instantly I heard
the feet of his servants upon the stairs. He gave them an order, and
gently enough they lifted the mattress on which I lay and followed him
down sundry passages and past some stairs into another chamber shaped
like that we had left, but not so large, where they placed me upon a
bed.
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