You have conquered me, king Ithobal! Henceforward these lips of mine are yours and no other man's.

Give the signal, I pray you, and I will cast aside the dagger and the poison and come out living from this tomb." Aziel hung in his cage over the abyss of air, awaiting death, and glad to die, because now he was sure that Elissa had refused to purchase his life at the expense of her own surrender.

There he hung, dizzy and sick at heart, making his prayer to heaven and waiting the end, while the eagles that would prey upon his shattered flesh swept past him.
Presently, from the opposing cliff, came the sound of a horn blown thrice.

Then, while Aziel wondered what this might mean, the cage in which he lay was drawn in gently over the edge of the precipice, and carried down the steeps of the granite hill as it had been carried up them.
At the foot of the hill its covering was torn aside, and he saw before him a caravan of camels, and seated on each camel a comrade of his own.
But one camel had no rider, and Metem led it by a rope.
The servants of Ithobal took him from the cage and set him upon this camel, though they did not loosen the bonds about the wrists.
"This is the command of the king," said the captain to Metem "that the arms of the prince Aziel shall remain bound until you have travelled for six hours.

Begone in safety, fearing nothing." ***** "What happens now, Metem," asked Aziel, as the camels strode forward, "and why am I set free who was expecting death?
Is this some new artifice of yours, or has the lady Elissa----" and he ceased.
"Upon the word of an honest merchant I cannot tell you, Prince.
Yesterday, as I was forced, I gave the message of king Ithobal to the lady Elissa yonder in the tomb.