With a quick movement of his left arm he swept it aside; then there came a sudden pressure upon his sword ending in a jarring shock, a flash of steel above his head, and down he went to the ground beneath the weight of the black giant.
"Now there is an end," he thought; "Heaven receive my spirit." And his senses left him.
When they returned again, Aziel perceived dimly that a white-draped figure bent over him, dragging at something black which crushed his breast, who, as she dragged, sobbed in her grief and fear.

Then he remembered, and with an effort sat up, rolling from him the corpse of his foe, for his sword had pierced the barbarian through breast and heart and back.

At this sight the woman ceased her sobbing, and said in the Phoenician tongue:-- "Sir, do you indeed live?
Then the protecting gods be thanked, and to Baaltis the Mother I vow a gift of this hair of mine in gratitude." "Nay, lady," he answered faintly, for he was much shaken, "that would be a pity; also, if any, it is my hair which should be vowed." "You bleed from the head," she broke in; "say, stranger, are you deeply wounded." "I will tell you nothing of my head," he replied, with a smile, "unless you promise that you will not offer up your hair." "So be it, stranger, since I must; I will give the goddess this gold chain instead; it is of more worth." "You would do better, lady," said the shrill voice of Metem again, who by now had found his wits again, "to give the gold chain to me whose scalp has been broken in rescuing you from that black thief." "Sir," she answered, "I am grateful to you from my heart, but it is this young lord who killed the man and saved me from slavery worse than death, and he shall be rewarded by my father." "Listen to her," grumbled Metem.

"Did I not rush in first in my folly and receive what I deserved for my pains?
But am I to have neither thanks nor pay, who am but an old merchant; they are for the young prince who came after.

Well, so it ever was; the thanks I can spare, and the reward I shall claim from the treasury of the goddess.
"Now, Prince, let me see your hurt.