Page 184 (1/2)

"I did," I answered in a hollow voice, for in truth her eyes held me as

they had held Saduko

"Then co

will permit it, and since I have now no husband, who take Death to

husband, there is none to say you nay"

I rose It seemed to me that I could not help myself I went to her,

this woman surrounded by ireat stakes and lost them, and who kneell how to lose I

stood before her, ashareatness, evil though it ht be, drove out my shaedy

Slowly she lifted her languid arm and threw it about my neck; slowly she

bent her red lips to mine and kissed me, once upon the mouth and once

upon the forehead But between those two kisses she did a thing so

swiftly that my eyes could scarcely follohat she did It seemed to

me that she brushed her left hand across her lips, and that I saw her

throat rise as though she sed so: "Farewell, O Macuet this kiss of ain we shall have much to talk of, for between now and

then your story will be long Farewell, Zikali I pray that all your