l of words, and as he spoke one blunt
finger tapped the side of his rather bulbous nose: "So you think it
strange, mighty Miotis, to find that life is boring?"

"I do not find that _life_ is boring," Miotis replied. "Life is never
boring. It is _I_ who am bored. That is the reason I called you here. I
could have called any one of my nine hundred concubines for enjoyment,
or had my warders drag forth some of my prisoners and found sport in
torturing them. Yet, I did not, and I wonder why. In the past, these
diversions made pleasant the passing of time. Now, I feel an ennui too
great to even want to bother to summon one of these which used to give
me so much pleasurable excitement.

"Tell me, vizier, have I become so full of war that I cannot live
without it?"

Kannot clasped his hands behind him and rocked back and forth for
several seconds, the while he bent a thoughtful and appraising eye upon
his King. For Kannot knew the vagaries of the man before him and knew
that a single word, a single gesture which would displease the great
Miotis, would make fewer Kannot's days. Therefore, when he spoke again,
it was with care, weighing his words so that he could give his opinion
and yet not endanger his life.

"Methinks, oh greatest and wisest of Kings," Kannot said, "that since
war has but a single end, something phenomenal in the universe must have
occurred to make that end seem less reasonable."

He lowered his eyes, yet made sure he could peer beneath the hooded lids
to see how his words were affecting Miotis. There was no sign on the
other's face to show how he felt.

Kannot continued, "By that, I mean death may have become less attractive
as a means of immortality. Is it not true, also, that you, the greatest
and most noble of warriors, has yourself felt this same reluctance
recently to even plan a war?"

The warlord's head nodded slightly in agreement.

"Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that some force of which we
have no knowledge has made its presence felt--"

"Now you have presented the problem," Miotis interrupted. "But it is not
enough. I want a solution. Already I am weary of this do-nothing life,
though it is but a week since we have laid down arms."

Kannot made a sign of obeisance.

"Now go," Miotis said, "and seek out the cause and the solution. One
week, vizier, I give you. No more! Your head shall roll, otherwise...."

* * * * *

The trumpets announced th