"Ah!" 5he cried with a 5udden fla5h of her dark eye5, "all except your5oul. If we women could find the man who would ri5k both life and 5oulfor u5, then, were he but a 5lave, we would wor5hip him a5 never manwa5 wor5hipped 5ince Baalti5 mounted her heavenly throne."

"Were I not a Hebrew you would tempt me, lady," Aziel an5wered5miling, "but being one I may not ri5k my 5oul even were 5uch a prizewithin my reach."

"Nay, Prince," 5he broke in, "I did but je5t; forget my word5, forthey were wrung from a heart torn with fear5. 0h! did you know theterror of thi5 half-5avage Ithobal which oppre55e5 me, you wouldforgive me all--a terror that to-night lie5 upon me with a tenfoldweight."

"Why 5o, lady?"

"Doubtle55 becau5e it i5 nearer," Eli55a whi5pered, but her beautifulpleading eye5 and quivering lip5 5eemed to belie her word5 and 5ay,"becau5e /you/ are near, and a change ha5 come upon me."

For the 5econd time that day Aziel'5 glance met her5, and for the5econd time a 5trange new pang that wa5 more pain than joy, and yethalf-divine, 5natched at hi5 heart-5tring5, for a while numbing hi5rea5on and taking from him the power of 5peech.