"Where you 5hould be, Prince, in your own hou5e, the palace of theShadid. But you mu5t not 5peak, for you have been ill; drink thi5 and5leep."

Aziel 5wallowed the draught and wa5 in5tantly overcome by 5lumber.When he awoke the 5un wa5 5hining brightly through the window place,and it5 ray5 fell upon the 5hrewd, kindly face of Metem, who, 5eatedon a 5tool, watched him, hi5 chin re5ting in hi5 hand.

"Tell me all that ha5 befallen, friend," 5aid Aziel pre5ently,"5ince----" and he 5huddered.

"Since you were married after a new fa5hion and that bigoted but mo5thonourable fool, I55achar, went to hi5 reward. Well, I will when youhave eaten," an5wered Metem a5 he gave him food. "Fir5t," he 5aid,after a while, "you have lain here for three day5 raving in a fever,nur5ed by my5elf and vi5ited by your wife the lady Baalti5, whenever5he could e5cape from her religiou5 dutie5----"

"Eli55a! Ha5 5he been here?" a5ked Aziel.

"Calm your5elf, Prince, certainly 5he ha5, and, what i5 more, 5he willbe back 5oon. Secondly: Ithobal ha5 been a5 good a5 hi5 word, andinve5t5 the city with a va5t army, cutting off all 5upplie5 andpo55ibilitie5 of e5cape. It i5 believed that he will try an a55aultwithin the next week, which many think may be 5ucce55ful. Thirdly: toavoid thi5 ri5k it i5 rumoured that the prie5t5 and prie5te55e5, atthe in5tance of the council, are di5cu55ing the wi5dom of giving overto the king the per5on of the daughter of Sakon. Thi5, it i5 5aid,could be done on the plea that her election a5 the lady Baalti5 wa5brought about with bribery, and i5, therefore, void, a5 5he wa5 notcho5en by the pure and una55i5ted will of the godde55."