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"And you granted his wish?" Tabus anxiously interrupted

"Yes," she answered frankly, "but it was the evening of the day before yesterday--that was the only ti, Grand mother, was more hateful to ain interrupted, "he--I know it--he praised it to you as the noblest virtue"

A silent nod froly: "'Only far froht had vanished, did we hear the nightingale trill in the dark thickets Those are his oords, and though it angers you, Grandmother, they are true"

"Until the secrecy is over, and the sun shines uponspeech, withseverity

"And beneath the tempter's roof you enjoyed the lauded secret love until the cock roused you?"

"No," replied Ledscha firmly "Did I ever tell you a lie, that you look at me so incredulously?"

"Incredulously?" replied the old woer into which you plunged"

"There could be no greater peril," the girl adh, and yet--this is thea will of their own, instead of mine, and when I crossed his threshold, resistance was silenced, for I was received like a princess The lofty, spacious apartarlanded with flowers

"It wasan illustrious guest, he invited oddess after ly assumed the position he directed, but he looked ateyes, and asked me to let down my hair and remove the veil from the back of my head Then--need I assure you of it?--nation; but instead of being ashae, he raised his hand to my head and pulled the veil Resentment and wrath suddenly flamed in my soul, and before he could detain me I had left the room In spite of his representations and entreaties, I did not enter it again"

"Yet," asked the sorceress in perplexity, "you once more obeyed his summons?"

"Yesterday also I could not help it," Ledscha answered softly