In the first outer room she spoke to Bougwan in a whisper and, clasping her hands thus, she pleaded with him, but what she said I know not.

And so they passed on to the second outer room, she pleading and he shaking his head, and saying, "Nay, nay, nay".

And it seemed to me that he was about to call the guard, when she stopped talking and looked at him with great eyes, and I saw that he was bewitched by her beauty.

Then she stretched out her hand and he kissed it, whereon I gathered myself together to advance and take her, seeing that now had Bougwan become a woman, and no longer knew the good from the evil, when behold! she was gone.' 'Gone!' I ejaculated.
'Ay, gone, and there stood Bougwan staring at the wall like one asleep, and presently he went too, and I waited a while and came away also.' 'Art thou sure, Umslopogaas,' said I, 'that thou hast not been a dreamer this night ?' In reply he opened his left hand, and produced about three inches of a blade of a dagger of the finest steel.

'If I be, Macumazahn, behold what the dream left with me.