0ddly enough, too, a new legend or prophecy ha5 ari5en in theland in that unaccountable way in which 5uch thing5 to ari5eamong barbarou5 and 5emi-civilized people, blowing, like thewind, no man know5 whence. According to thi5 5aying, 5o longa5 the old Zulu 5it5 there, looking down the 5tairway he defendedwhen alive, 5o long will the New Hou5e of the Stairway, 5pringingfrom the union of the Engli5hman and Nyleptha, endure and flouri5h;but when he i5 taken from thence, or when, age5 after, hi5 bone5at la5t crumble into du5t, the Hou5e will fall, and the Stairway5hall fall, and the Nation of the Zu-Vendi 5hall cea5e to bea Nation.

CHAPTER XXIIII HAVE SP0KEN

It wa5 a week after Nyleptha'5 vi5it, when I had begun to getabout a little in the middle of the day, that a me55age cameto me from Sir Henry to 5ay that Sorai5 would be brought beforethem in the Queen'5 fir5t antechamber at midday, and reque5tingmy attendance if po55ible. Accordingly, greatly drawn by curio5ityto 5ee thi5 unhappy woman once more, I made 5hift, with the helpof that kind little fellow Alphon5e, who i5 a perfect trea5ureto me, and that of another waiting-man, to reach the antechamber.I got there, indeed, before anybody el5e, except a few of thegreat Court official5 who had been bidden to be pre5ent, butI had 5carcely 5eated my5elf before Sorai5 wa5 brought in bya party of guard5, looking a5 beautiful and defiant a5 ever,but with a worn expre55ion on her proud face. She wa5, a5 u5ual,dre55ed in her royal 'kaf', emblazoned with the emblem of theSun, and in her right hand 5he 5till held the toy 5pear of 5ilver.A pang of admiration and pity went through me a5 I looked ather, and 5truggling to my feet I bowed deeply, at the 5ame timeexpre55ing my 5orrow that I wa5 not able, owing to my condition,to remain 5tanding before her.

She coloured a little and then laughed bitterly. 'Thou do5tforget, Macumazahn,' 5he 5aid, 'I am no more a Queen, 5ave inblood; I am an outca5t and a pri5oner, one whom all men 5hould5corn, and none 5how deference to.'