Nay, I know what you think; that this is but some passing fancy bred of the pleasant beauty of a woman, but it is not so.

I say that from the moment when first I saw Elissa, she became life of my life, and soul of my soul and that I go hence beggared of joy and hope, and carrying with me a cankering memory which shall eat my heart away.

You deem her a witch, one to whom Baaltis has given power to drag the minds of men to their destruction, but I tell you that her only spell is the spell of her love for me, also that she whom you named so grossly is no longer the servant of the demon Baaltis." "Elissa not the servant of Baaltis?
How comes she then to be her high-priestess?
Aziel, your passion has made you mad." "She is high-priestess because Metem and others brought about her election without her will, urged on to it by I know not whom." And he looked hard at Issachar, who turned away.

"But what matters it who did the ill deed," he continued, "since this, at least, is certain, that here my presence breeds sorrow and bloodshed, and therefore I must go as I have promised." "When do we depart, Prince ?" queried Issachar.
"I know not, it is naught to me.

Here comes Metem, ask of him." "Metem," said the Levite, "the prince desires to leave Zimboe and march to the coast, there to take ship to Tyre.