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to the moon, were chattering in the trees. There was a statue in this place, carved out of black stone, in the likeness of a woman, having enamelled eyes and three rows of breasts, with the lower part of her body confined in a sheath; and upon the glistening pedestal of this statue chameleons sunned themselves with distended throats. Round about Melicent were nodding armaments of roses and gillyflowers and narcissi and amaranths, and many violets and white lilies, and other flowers of all kinds and colours.

To Melicent the world seemed very lovely. Here was a world created by Eternal Love that people might serve love in it not all unworthily. Here were anguishes to be endured, and time and human frailty and temporal hardshipā ā€”all for love to mock at; a sea or two for love to sever, a man-made law or so for love to override, a shallow wisdom for love to deny, in exultance that these ills at most were only corporal hindrances. This done, you have earned the right to comeā ā€”come hand-in-handā ā€”to heaven whose liege-lord was Eternal Love.

Thus Melicent, who knew that Perion loved her.

She sat on a stone bench. She combed her golden hair, not heeding the more coarse gray hairs which here and there were apparent nowadays. A peacock came and watched her with bright, hard, small eyes; and he craned his glistening neck this way and that way, as though he were wondering at this other shining and gaily coloured creature, who seemed so happy.

She did not dare to think of seeing Perion again. Instead, she made because of him a little song, which had not any words, so that it is not possible here to retail this song.

Thus Melicent, who knew that Perion loved her.

XXIV How Orestes Ruled

Melicent returned into the Court of Stars; and as she entered, Orestes lifted one of the red cushions from Demetriosā€™ face. The eyes of Ahasuerus, who stood by negligently, were as expressionless as the eyes of a snake.

ā€œThe great proconsul laid an inconvenient mandate upon me,ā€ said Orestes. ā€œThe great proconsul has been removed from us in order that his splendour may enhance the glories of Elysium.ā€

She saw that the young man had smothered his own father in the flesh as Demetrios lay helpless; and knew thereby that Orestes was indeed the son of Demetrios.

ā€œGo,ā€ this Orestes said thereafter; ā€œgo, and remember I am master here.ā€

Said Melicent, ā€œAnd by which door?ā€ A little hope there was as yet.

But he, as half in shame, had pointed to the entrance of the Womenā€™s Garden. ā€œI have no enmity against you, outlander. Yet my mother desires to talk with you. Also there is some bargaining to be completed with Ahasuerus here.ā€

Then Melicent knew what had prompted the proconsulā€™s murder. It seemed unfair Callistion should hate her with such bitterness; yet Melicent remembered certain thoughts concerning Dame MĆ©lusine, and did not wonder at Callistionā€™s mania half so much as did Callistionā€™s son.

ā€œI must endure discomfort and, it may be, torture for a little longer,ā€ said Melicent, and laughed wholeheartedly. ā€œOh, but today I find a cure for every ill,ā€ said Melicent; and thereupon she left Orestes as a princess should.

But first she knelt by that which yesterday had been her master.

ā€œI have no word of praise or blame to give you in farewell. You were not admirable, Demetrios. But you depart upon a fearful journey, and in my heart there is just memory of the long years wherein according to your fashion you were kind to me. A bargain is a bargain. I sold with open eyes that which you purchased. I may not reproach you.ā€

Then Melicent lifted the dead face between her hands, as mothers caress their boys in questioning them.

ā€œI would I had done this when you were living,ā€ said Melicent, ā€œbecause I understand now that you loved me in your fashion. And I pray that you may know I am the happiest woman in the world, because I think this knowledge would now gladden you. I go to slavery, Demetrios, where I was queen, I go to hardship, and it may be that I go to death. But I have learned this assuredlyā ā€”that love endures, that the strong knot which unites my heart and Perionā€™s heart can never be untied. Oh, living is a higher thing than you or I had dreamed! And I have in my heart just pity, poor Demetrios, for you who never found the love of which I must endeavour to be worthy. A curse was I to you unwillingly, as youā ā€”I now believeā ā€”have been to me against your will. So at the last I turn anew to bargaining, and cryā ā€”in your deaf earsā ā€”Pardon for pardon, O Demetrios!ā€

Then Melicent kissed pitiable lips which would not ever sneer again, and, rising, passed into the Womenā€™s Garden, proudly and unafraid.

Ahasuerus shrugged so patiently that she was half afraid. Then, as a cloud passes, she saw that all further buffetings would of necessity be trivial.

For Perion, as she now knew, was very near to herā ā€”single of purpose, clean of hands, and filled with such a love as thrilled her with delicious fears of her own poor unworthiness.

XXV How Women Talked Together

Dame Melicent walked proudly through the Womenā€™s Garden, and presently entered a grove of orange trees, the most of which were at this season about their flowering. In this place was an artificial pool by which the trees were nourished. On its embankment sprawled the body of young Diophantus, a child of some ten years of age, Demetriosā€™ son by Tryphera. Orestes had strangled Diophantus in order that there might be no rival to Orestesā€™ claims. The lad lay on his back, and his left arm hung elbow-deep in the water, which swayed it gently.

Callistion sat beside the corpse and stroked its limp right hand. She had hated the boy throughout his brief and merry life. She thought now of his likeness to Demetrios.

She raised toward Melicent the

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