"'Harry, thou hast grieved me sorely in respect to this meeting with Perodii. Have I not already counselled thee to leave him alone?'
"'And be branded as a coward, darling! Would you care to hear your lover's name bandied about Edos as another name for cowardice? Volinè, have no fears for me, as I have none for myself.'
"'But Perodii is cunning in the use of arms.'
"'Trouble not yourself, darling; for, with YOU as the issue between us, there lives no man in all wide Gathma that should overcome me. Besides, Perodii's insults on you can only be answered for in this manner. Before Edos he once has lied; before Edos shall he declare himself a speaker of lies.'
"'As thou wilt, Harry; but my heart will be heavy and comfortless until this fray is over.'
"'And now, my darling, have you spoken to your father about our wedding-day?'
"'I have; and he sayeth that it may be chosen by myself.'
"'Then if I overcome Perodii in fair and open combat on the morrow, will you come unto me? Volinè, let the morrow be our bridal day. Nay, urge no obstacles, my dear one. Say "Yes," and give me new strength for the fray.'
"'I will tell thee to-night, when thou meetest me in the arbour of Siccoth. Now hurry thee away, for there is much that I would do before the sun hath risen on the morrow.'
"On my way back I met Temple, and he was profuse in his congratulations on my happiness.
"'Why, Graham, the events of the past four and twenty hours seem like a dream--even in this strange city of enchantment and wondrous surprises. Now come along and have a chat. Surely the beautiful Volinè can spare you for one hour in which you may talk with your friends! To tell the truth, I feel almost afraid of you now, if all that I have heard is true.'
"'Well, Mr. Temple, and what may you have heard?' I asked, as we strolled out of the Palace together, and sat ourselves down under the cool shade of a broad-leafed shrub.
"'We have heard so much that, really, I scarcely know where to begin in describing it. Briefly, it is this. That yesterday afternoon Volinè and yourself went into that three-domed Temple on the hill we saw from the _Sirius_, and that there you went through some fiendish art of sorcery, which has professed to endow you with a longer span of life. After what happened at Remagaloth, I must confess I felt a certain amount of faith in this Priest Echri's power; but that he can prolong your days, even to the extent of one, I do not believe----"