"But little," Atene answered, without flinching. "For years I have been
bound to a madman and a brute, and if my fancy wandered towards this man
and his fancy wandered towards me--well, Nature spoke to us, and that is
all. Afterwards it seems that he grew afraid of the vengeance of Rassen,
or this Holly, whom I would that the hounds had torn bone from bone,
grew afraid. So they strove to escape the land, and perchance wandered
to thy Mountain. But I weary of this talk, and ask thy leave to rest
before to-morrow's rite."

"Thou sayest, Atene," said the Hesea, "that Nature spoke to this man
and to thee, and that his heart is thine; but that, fearing thy lord's
vengeance, he fled from thee, he who seems no coward. Tell me, then,
is that tress he hides in the satchel on his breast thy gage of love to
him?"

"I know nothing of what he hides in the satchel," answered the Khania
sullenly.

"And yet, yonder in the Gatehouse when he lay so sick he set the lock
against thine own--ah, dost remember now?"

"So, O Hes, already he has told thee all our secrets, though they
be such as most men hide within their breasts;" and she looked
contemptuously at Leo.

"I told her nothing of the matter, Khania," Leo said in an angry voice.

"Nay, _thou_ toldest me nothing, Wanderer; my watching wisdom told me.
Oh, didst thou think, Atene, that thou couldst hide the truth from the
all-seeing Hesea of the Mountain? If so, spare thy breath, for I know
all, and have known it from the first. I passed thy disobedience by; of
thy false messages I took no heed. For my own purposes I, to whom time
is naught, suffered even that thou shouldst hold these, my guests, thy
prisoners whilst thou didst strive by threats and force to win a love
denied."

She paused, then went on coldly: "Woman, I tell thee that, to complete
thy sin, thou hast even dared to lie to me here, in my very Sanctuary."

"If so, what of it?" was the bold answer. "Dost thou love the man
thyself? Nay, it is monstrous. Nature would cry aloud at such a shame.
Oh! tremble not with rage. Hes, I know thy evil powers, but I know also
that I am thy guest, and that in this hallowed place, beneath yonder
symbol of eternal Love, thou may'st shed no blood. More, thou canst not
harm me, Hes, who am thy equal."

"Atene," replied the measured Voice, "did I desire it, I could destroy
thee where thou art. Yet thou art right, I shall not harm thee, thou
faithless servant. Did not my writ bid