At such a crisis, as usual, Prince Joshua took the lead.

Rising from his seat, he knelt, not without difficulty, before the throne, and said: "O Child of Kings, why do you distress us with such words?
Have you not the God of Solomon to protect you ?" "God protects those who protect themselves," sobbed Maqueda.
"And have you not many brave officers ?" "What are officers without an army ?" "And have you not me, your uncle, your affianced, your lover ?" and he laid his hand where he conceived his heart to be, and stared up at her with his rolling, fish-like eyes.

"Had it not been for the interference of these Gentiles, in whom you seem to put such trust," he went on, "should I not have taken Barung captive the other day, and left the Fung without a head ?" "And the Abati without such shreds of honour as still belong to them, my uncle." "Let us be wed, O Bud of the Rose, O Flower of Mur, and soon I will free you from the Fung.

We are helpless because we are separate, but together we shall triumph.

Say, O Maqueda, when shall we be wed ?" "When the idol Harmac is utterly destroyed, and the Fung have departed for ever, my uncle," she answered impatiently.