Toward morning Sulamith ceased to be.

Then did the king rise up, command the means for laving to be brought to
him, and, donning his most magnificent chiton of purple, broidered with
golden scarabae, he placed upon his head a crown of blood-red rubies.
After this he did call Benaiah to him, and spake calmly:

"Benaiah, thou shalt go and put Eliab to death."

But the old man covered his face with his hands and fell prostrate before
the king.

"Eliab is my grandson, O King."

"Didst thou hear me, Benaiah?"

"Forgive me, O King,--threaten me not with thy wrath; command some other
to do this. Eliab, having come out of the palace, did run to the temple,
and caught hold on the horns of the altar. I am old, my death is nigh; I
dare not take upon my soul this two-fold crime."

But the king retorted:

"Nevertheless, when I did instruct thee to put to death my brother
Adonijah, who had likewise caught hold on the sacred horns of the altar,
didst thou not hearken to me, Benaiah?"

"Forgive me! Spare me, King!"

"Lift up thy face," commanded Solomon.

And when Benaiah did raise up his face, and beheld the king's eyes, he
quickly rose up from the floor and obediently made his way to the exit.

Then, turning to Ahishar, who was the seneschal, and over the household,
he commanded:

"I do not want to give the queen up to death; let her live as she
wishes, and die when she wishes. But nevermore shall she behold my
countenance. This day, Ahishar, thou shalt fit out a caravan and escort
the queen to the harbour at Jaffa; and thence to AEgypt, to the Pharaoh
Shishak. Now let all get hence."

And, left alone face to face with the body of Sulamith, he long
contemplated her beautiful features. Her face was pale, and never had it
been so fair during her life. The half-parted lips that Solomon had been
kissing but half an hour ago were smiling enigmatically and beautifully;
and her teeth, still humid, gleamed very faintly from between them.

For long did the king gaze upon his dead leman; then, he softly touched
with his fingers her brow, already losing the warmth of life, and with
slow steps withdrew from the chamber.

Beyond the doors the high priest Azariah, son of Zadok, was awaiting
him. Approaching the king, he asked:

"What shall we do with the body of this woman? It is now the Sabbath."

And the king recalled how, many years ere this, his father had expired
and lay upon the sand, already beginning to decompose rap