Listen now: I love this prince Aziel, for I have reared him from his childhood, and he has been a son to me who have none.

More, I am sent hither to this hateful land to watch him and hold him from harm, and for all that chances to him I must account.

And now, what has chanced?
This woman, Elissa, by her witcheries----" "Softly, Issachar; what witcheries does she need beyond those lips and form and eyes ?" "By her witcheries, I tell you, has ensnared him so that now he swears that he will wed her." "What of it, Issachar?
He might travel far to find a lovelier woman." "What of it, do you ask, remembering who he is?
What of it, when you know his faith, and that this fair idolater will sap it, and cause him to cast away his soul?
What of it, when with your own ears you heard him swear to love her through all the deeps of life and death?
Man, are you mad ?" "No, but some might say that you are, holy father, who forget that I am also of this religion which you revile.

But for good or ill, so the matter stands; and now what is it that you wish of me ?" "I wish that you should make it impossible that the prince Aziel should take this woman to wife.

Not by murder, indeed, for 'thou shalt not kill,' saith the law, but by bringing it about that she should marry the king Ithobal, or if that fail, in any other fashion which seems good to you." "'Thou shalt not kill,' saith your law; tell me then, Issachar, does it say also that thou shalt hand over a woman to a fate that she chances to hold to be worse than death?
Doubtless it is foolish of her, and we should not heed such woman's folly.