Sah-luma looked up,--his black, silky lashes were wet with tears.
"Not worthy! ... Oh, the old poor consolation!" he exclaimed, quickly dashing the drops from his eyes, . . "Not worthy?--No! ... what mortal woman IS ever worthy of a poet's love?--Not one in all the world! Nevertheless, worthy or unworthy, true or treacherous, naught can make Lysia otherwise than fair! Fair beyond all fairness! ... and I--I was sole possessor of her beauty!--for me her eyes warmed into stars of fire,--for me her kisses ripened in their pearl and ruby nest, . . all--all for me!--and now! ... "He flung himself desolately on his couch, and fixed his wistful gaze on his companion's grave, pained countenance,--till all at once a hopeful light flashed across his features, . . a light that seemed to shine through him like an inwardly kindled flame.
"Ah! what a querulous fool am I!" he cried, joyously,--so joyously that Theos knew not whether to be glad or sorry at his sudden and capricious change of mood.. "why should I thus bemoan myself for fancied wrong?--Good, noble Theos, thou hast been misled!--My Lysia's words were but to try thy mettle! ... to test thee to the core, and prove thee truly faithful as Sah-luma's friend! She bade thee slay me! ... Even so!--but hadst thou rashly undertaken such a deed, thine own life would have paid the forfeit! Now I begin to understand it all--'tis plain!"--and his face grew brighter and brighter, as he cheated himself into the pleasing idea his own fancy had suggested.. "She tried thee,--she tempted thee, . . she found thee true and incorruptible.. Ah! 'twas a jest, my friend!" --and entirely recovering from his depression, he clapped his hand heartily on Theos's shoulder--"'Twas all a jest!--and she the fair inquisitor will herself prove it so ere long, and make merry with our ill-omened fears! Why, I can laugh now at mine own despondency!--come, look thou also more cheerily, gentle Theos,-- and pardon these uncivil fingers that so nearly gripped thee into silence!"--and he laughed--"Thou art the best and kindest of loyal comrades, and I will so assure Lysia of thy merit, that she shall institute no more torture-trials upon thy frank and trusting nature. Heigho!"--and stretching out his arms lazily, he heaved a sigh of tranquil satisfaction--"Methought I was wounded into death! but 'twas the mere fancied prick of an arrow after all, and I am well again! What, art thou still melancholy! ... still sombre! ... Nay, surely thou wilt not be a veritable kill-joy!"
Theos stood mute and sorely perplexed. He saw at once how useless it was now to try and convince Sah luma of any danger threatening him through the instigation of the woman he loved,--he would never believe it! And yet ... something must be done to put him on his guard. Taking up the scroll of the public news, where the account of the finding of the body of Nir-jalis was written with all that exaggerated attention to repulsive details which seems to be a special gift of the cheap re-porters, Theos pointed to it.