Yes, the mighty Ayesha whose
dead, slain for him, lay strewn by the thousand on yonder plain, blushed
and trembled like a maiden at her first lover's kiss.
Leo rose from the table. "I would that I had been with thee in the
fray," he said.
"At the drift there was fighting," she answered, "afterwards none. My
ministers of Fire, Earth and Air smote, no more; I waked them from their
sleep and at my command they smote for thee and saved thee."
"Many lives to take for one man's safety," Leo said solemnly, as though
the thought pained him.
"Had they been millions and not thousands, I would have spent them every
one. On my head be their deaths, not on thine. Or rather on hers," and
she pointed to the dead Atene. "Yes, on hers who made this war. At least
she should thank me who have sent so royal a host to guard her through
the darkness."
"Yet it is terrible," said Leo, "to think of thee, beloved, red to the
hair with slaughter."
"What reck I?" she answered with a splendid pride. "Let their blood
suffice to wash the stain of thy blood from off these cruel hands that
once did murder thee."
"Who am I that I should blame thee?" Leo went on as though arguing
with himself, "I who but yesterday killed two men--to save myself from
treachery."
"Speak not of it," she exclaimed in cold rage. "I saw the place and,
Holly, thou knowest how I swore that a hundred lives should pay for
every drop of that dear blood of thine, and I, who lie not, have kept
the oath.
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