rave the vengeance of the gods of
night?"

Then the elders shook their heads approvingly; but one answered and
said,--

"Shall we take the herdsman's son as our equal? No!" The name of the man
who thus answered was Darvan, and his words were pleasing to the elders.

But Morven spoke out: "Of a truth, O councillors of kings, I look not to
be an equal with yourselves. Enough if I tend the gates of your palace,
and serve you as the son of Osslah may serve;" and he bowed his head
humbly as he spoke.

Then said the chief of the elders, for he was wiser than the others,
"But how wilt thou deliver us from the evil that is to come? Doubtless
the star has informed thee of the service thou canst render to us if we
take thee into our palace, as well as the ill that will fall on us if we
refuse."

Morven answered meekly, "Surely, if thou acceptest thy servant, the star
will teach him that which may requite thee; but as yet he knows only
what he has uttered."

Then the sages bade him withdraw, and they communed with themselves, and
they differed much; but though fierce men, and bold at the war-cry of a
human foe, they shuddered at the prophecy of a star. So they resolved
to take the son of Osslah, and suffer him to keep the gate of the
council-hall.

He heard their decree and bowed his head, and went to the gate, and sat
down by it in silence.

And the sun went down in the west, and the first stars of the twilight
began to glimmer, when Morven started from his seat, and a trembling
appeared to seize his limbs. His lips foamed; an agony and a fear
possessed him; he writhed as a man whom the spear of a foeman has
pierced with a mortal wound, and suddenly fell upon his face on the
stony earth.

The elders approached him; wondering, they lifted him up. He slowly
recovered as from a swoon; his eyes rolled wildly.

"Heard ye not the voice of the star?" he said.

And the chief of the elders answered, "Nay, we heard no sound."

Then Morven sighed heavily.

"To me only the word was given. Summon instantly, O councillors of the
king, summon the armed men, and all the youth of the tribe, and let them
take the sword and the spear, and follow thy servant! For lo! the star
hath announced to him that the foe shall fall into our hands as the wild
beasts of the forests."

The son of Osslah spoke with the voice of command, and the elders were
amazed. "Why pause ye?" he cried. "Do the gods of the night lie? On my
head rest the peri