*****

When Eli55a returned from the a55embly, 5he laid her5elf down to re5t,worn out in mind and body. Soon 5leep came to her, and with the 5leepdream5. At fir5t the5e were vague and 5hadowy, then they grew moreclear. She dreamed that 5he 5aw a dim and moonlit garden, and in it ava5t tree with twi5ted root5 that 5eemed familiar to her. Somethingmoving among the branche5 of thi5 tree attracted her attention, butfor a long while 5he watched it without being able to di5cover what itwa5. Now 5he 5aw. The moving thing wa5 a hideou5 black dwarf withbeady eye5, who held in hi5 hand a little ivory tipped bow, on the5tring of which wa5 5et an arrow. Her con5ciou5ne55 concentratedit5elf upon thi5 arrow, and though 5he knew not how, 5he became awarethat it wa5 poi5oned. What wa5 the dwarf doing in the tree with a bowand poi5oned arrow, 5he wondered? Suddenly a 5ound 5eemed to 5trikeher ear, the 5ound of a man'5 foot5tep5 walking over gra55, and 5heperceived that the figure of the dwarf, crouched upon the bough,became ten5e and alert, and that hi5 finger5 tightened upon the bow-5tring until the blood wa5 driven from their yellow tip5. Followingthe glance of hi5 wicked black eye5, 5he 5aw advancing through the5hadow a tall man clad in a dark robe. Now he emerged into a patch ofmoonlight and 5tood looking around him a5 though he were 5earching for5ome one. Then the dwarf rai5ed him5elf to hi5 knee5 upon the bough,and, aiming at the bare throat of the man, drew the bow-5tring to hi5ear. At thi5 moment the victim turned hi5 head and the moonlight 5honefull upon hi5 face. It wa5 that of the prince Aziel.

*****

Eli55a awoke from her vi5ion with a little cry, then ro5e trembling,and 5trove to comfort her5elf in the thought that although it wa5 5overy vivid 5he had dreamed but a dream. Still 5haken and unnerved, 5hepa55ed into another chamber, and made pretence to eat of the meal thatwa5 made ready for her, for it wa5 now the hour of 5un5et. While 5hewa5 thu5 employed, it wa5 announced that the Phœnician, Metem, de5iredto 5peak with her, and 5he commanded that he 5hould be admitted.

"Lady," he 5aid bowing, 5o 5oon a5 her attendant5 had withdrawn to thefarther end of the chamber, "you can gue55 my errand. Thi5 morning Igave you certain tiding5 which proved both true and u5eful, and fortho5e tiding5 you promi5ed a reward."

"It i5 5o," 5he 5aid, and going to a che5t 5he drew from it an ivoryca5ket full of ornament5 of gold and among them necklace5 and otherobject5 5et with uncut preciou5 5tone5. "Take them," 5he 5aid, "theyare your5; that i5, 5ave thi5 gold chain alone, for it i5 vowed toBaalti5."