The lofty, spacious apartment was brilliantly illuminated, and the door was garlanded with flowers.
"It was magnificent! Then, in a manner as respectful as if welcoming an illustrious guest, he invited me to take my place opposite to him, that he might form a goddess after my model.

This was the highest flattery of all, and I willingly assumed the position he directed, but he looked at me from every side, with sparkling eyes, 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 ?--my blood boiled with righteous indignation; but instead of being ashamed of the outrage, 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.
"Fool!" cried Tabus indignantly, but the girl exclaimed, in a tone of sincere shame: "You do well to call me that.