Then I spoke to him, saying, "'I am come to put out your eyes, as you deserve, seeing how you have treated my master.

Still I will spare you at a price.

Give me the King's ancient white seal that opens all doors, and I will only make a pretence of blinding you.

Moreover I will cut your cords nearly through, so that when the night comes you can break them, roll into the river and escape.' "'Take it if you can,' he said, 'and use it to injure or destroy that accursed one.'" "So you took it, Bes." "Yes, Master, but not easily.

Remember, it was on a chain about the man's neck, and I could not draw it over his head, for, like his hands, his throat was tied by a cord, as you remember yours was." "I remember very well," I said, "for my throat is still sore from the rope that ran to the same staples to which my hands were fastened." "Yes, Master, and therefore if I drew the chain off his neck, it would still have been on the ropes.