I must be
content to do my killing on those.

And Nais, what of her? I had a quiet mind there. When any spoilers came
to the house where she lay, she would know that Deucalion had been taken
up to the Gods, and she would not be long in following him. She had her
dagger. No, I had no fears of being parted long from Nais now.

19. DESTRUCTION OF ATLANTIS

A tottering old Priest came up and touched me on the shoulder.

"Well?" I said sharply, having small taste for interruption just now.

"News has been carried to the Three, my King, of what is threatened."

"Then they will know that I stand here now, brother, to enjoy the finest
fight of my life. When it is finished I shall go to the Gods, and be
there standing behind the stars to welcome them when presently they also
arrive. They have my regrets that they are too old and too feeble to die
and look upon a fine killing themselves."

"I have commands from them, my King, to lay upon you, which I fear you
will like but slenderly. You are forbidden to find your death here in
the fighting. They have a further use for you yet."

I turned on the old man angrily enough. "I shall take no such order,
my brother. I am not going to believe it was ever given. You must have
misunderstood. If I am a man, if I am a Priest, if I am a soldier, if
I am a King, then it stands to my honour that no enemy should pass this
gate whilst yet I live. And you may go back and throw that message at
their teeth."

The old man smiled enviously. He, too, had been a keen soldier in his
day. "I told them you would not easily believe such a message, and asked
them for a sign, and they bore with me, and gave me one. I was to give
you this jewel, my King."

"How came they by that? It is a bracelet from the elbow of Nais."

"They must have stripped her of it. I did not know it came from Nais.
The word I was to bring you said that the owner of the jewel was inside
the Ark of the Mysteries, and waited you there. The use which the Three
have for you further concerns her also."

Even when I heard that, I will freely confess that my obedience was
sorely tried, and I have the less shame in setting it down on these
sheets, because I know that all true soldiers will feel a sympathy for
my plight. Indeed, the promise of the battle was very tempting. But in
the end my love for Nais prevailed, and I gave the salutation that was
needful in token that I heard the order and obeyed it.

To the knot of Pr