nd he?" asked Tabus anxiously.

"He called the brief hours which I required him to wait an eternity,"
replied the girl, "and they seemed no less long to me--but neither
entreaties nor urgency availed; what you predicted for me from the cords
last year strengthened my courage. I should wantonly throw away--I
constantly reminded myself--whatever great good fortune Fate destined for
me if I yielded to my longing and took prematurely what was already so
close at hand; for--do you remember?--at that time it was promised that
on a night when the moon was at the full a new period of the utmost
happiness would begin for me. And now--unless everything deceives me--now
it awaits me. Whether it will come with the full moon of to-morrow night,
or the next, or the following one, your spirits alone can know; but
yesterday was surely too soon to expect the new happiness."

"And he?" asked the old dame.

"He certainly did not make it easy for me," was the reply, "but as I
remained firm, he was obliged to yield. I granted only his earnest desire
to see me again this evening. I fancy I can still hear him exclaim, with
loving impetuosity, that he hated every day and every night which kept
him from me. And now? Now? For another's sake he lets me wait for him in
vain, and if his slave does not lie, this is only the beginning of his
infamous, treacherous game."

She had uttered the last words in a hoarse cry, but Tabus answered
soothingly: "Hush, child, hush! The first thing is to see clearly, if I
am to interpret correctly what is shown me here. The demons are to be
fully informed they have required it. But you? Did you come to hear
whether the spirits still intend to keep the promise they made then?"

Ledscha eagerly assented to this question, and the old woman continued
urgently: "Then tell me first what suddenly incenses you so violently
against the man whom you have so highly praised?"

The girl related what had formerly been rumoured in Tennis, and which she
had just heard from the slave.

He had lured other women--even her innocent young sister--to his studio.
Now he wanted to induce Ledscha to go there, not from love, but merely to
model her limbs so far as he considered them useful for his work. He was
in haste to do so because he intended to return to the capital
immediately. Whether he meant to leave her in the lurch after using her
for his selfish purposes, she also desired to learn from the sorceress.
But she would ask hi