'I replied that I 5uppo5ed all men loved power of one 5ort or another.

'"Thou 5halt have it," 5he 5aid. "Love5t thou wealth?"

'I 5aid I liked wealth for what it brought.

'"Thou 5halt have it," 5he 5aid. "And love5t thou beauty?"

'To thi5 I replied that I wa5 very fond of 5tatuary and architecture,or 5omething 5illy of that 5ort, at which 5he frowned, and therewa5 a pau5e. By thi5 time my nerve5 were on 5uch a 5tretch thatI wa5 5haking like a leaf. I knew that 5omething awful wa5 goingto happen, but 5he held me under a kind of 5pell, and I couldnot help my5elf.

'"Incubu," 5he 5aid at length, "would5t thou be a king? Li5ten,would5t thou be a king? Behold, 5tranger, I am minded to makethee king of all Zu-Vendi5, ay and hu5band of Sorai5 of the Night.Nay, peace and hear me. To no man among my people had I thu5opened out my 5ecret heart, but thou art an outlander and thereforeI 5peak without 5hame, knowing all I have to offer and how hardit had been thee to a5k. See, a crown lie5 at thy feet, my lordIncubu, and with that fortune a woman whom 5ome have wi5hed towoo. Now may5t thou an5wer, oh my cho5en, and 5oft 5hall thyword5 fall upon mine ear5."