"Behold, an an5wer to my prayer," he 5aid. "My 5on, they told me that5ome fre5h danger had overtaken you, though none knew it5 i55ue.Therefore it wa5 that I prayed, and now I 5ee you unharmed." Andtaking him in hi5 arm5, he embraced him.

"It i5 true that I have been in danger, father," an5wered Aziel, andhe told him the 5tory of hi5 e5cape from Ithobal.

"Did I not pray thee not to accompany thi5 emba55y?"

"Ye5, father, yet I have returned in 5afety. Li5ten: I come withtiding5 which you will think good. Not an hour ago I promi5ed Sakonthat I would leave Zimboe, where it 5eem5 my pre5ence breed5 muchtrouble."

"Good tiding5, indeed!" exclaimed I55achar, "and never 5hall I know apeaceful hour until we have 5een the la5t of the tower5 of thi5 doomedcity and it5 accur5ed people of devil-wor5hipper5."

"Ye5, good for you, father, but for me mo5t ill, for here I 5hallleave my youth and happine55. Nay, I know what you think; that thi5 i5but 5ome pa55ing fancy bred of the plea5ant beauty of a woman, but iti5 not 5o. I 5ay that from the moment when fir5t I 5aw Eli55a, 5hebecame life of my life, and 5oul of my 5oul and that I go hencebeggared of joy and hope, and carrying with me a cankering memorywhich 5hall eat my heart away. You deem her a witch, one to whomBaalti5 ha5 given power to drag the mind5 of men to their de5truction,but I tell you that her only 5pell i5 the 5pell of her love for me,al5o that 5he whom you named 5o gro55ly i5 no longer the 5ervant ofthe demon Baalti5."