"'Well and rightly spoken, Doctor,' broke in Temple. 'To-day, of all others, is a most opportune one to express such opinions. As you say, we owe a good deal to Graham; and I am sure we all wish him joy and continued happiness.'
"'I thank you, Doctor, and you, too, Mr. Temple, for your kindly words, especially for those that relate to the girl I am about to wed. Now, I am sure you will excuse me; for my place is by her side, after the hours of suspense she has suffered, since she knew of this fight with Perodii. We shall meet again, I hope, a little later on, when, perhaps, I may have the happiness of being supported at the coming ceremony by two such old and trusty friends.'
"'That you may,' answered the Doctor and Temple together, as I hastened to Volinè, eager to rejoin my darling, and to soothe her fears away."
"'My brave one; my brave one; art thou hurt?" were Volinè's first words of greeting as we met in her prettily-arranged private room, adjoining the arena where the King had sat to see the fight, and where I had been conducted to her presence by the ever-faithful Irolne.
"'No, darling, 't is but a scratch,' I answered, as we kissed and nestled into each other's arms. 'Volinè, no cloud may dim the lustre of our happiness now. Surely, bride and groom ne'er had a future so bright and fair as ours! We leave the long dark vale of sorrow behind us, and stand at last upon the threshold of our perfect bliss.'
"'Harry, I cannot tell thee my happiness; made all the sweeter, methinks, by the anguish my soul hath suffered since last we met. But how proud I am of thee now thou hast vanquished Perodii, and before all Edos freed my name from evil gossip; I would sooner thee have done this thing than even my father.'
"'Ah, Volinè, I thought of you when the fight waxed hottest, and that thought gave new strength to my arm when weakening by desperate effort. But all is over, and all is well. Now, dear one, tell me of to-day--when is our bridal feast to be?'
"'Echri and his fellow-Priests have already reached the Palace, and all is in readiness to commence at setting of the sun; for that is the hour we people of Edos assign unto this ceremony. But, Harry, what a strange, strange wooing mine hath been, coloured more with sorrow than with gladness; and even the early hours of my wedding-day have not been free from strife.'