But thou, my silent agent, canst do mine errand without questioning or comprehending it; with thee to hear is to obey." A bend of the body and a genuflection were the appropriate answer of the Ethiopian to these observations.
"And now to another point," said the King, and speaking suddenly and rapidly--"have you yet seen Edith Plantagenet ?" The mute looked up as in the act of being about to speak--nay, his lips had begun to utter a distinct negative--when the abortive attempt died away in the imperfect murmurs of the dumb.
"Why, lo you there!" said the King, "the very sound of the name of a royal maiden of beauty so surpassing as that of our lovely cousin seems to have power enough well-nigh to make the dumb speak.

What miracles then might her eye work upon such a subject! I will make the experiment, friend slave.

Thou shalt see this choice beauty of our Court, and do the errand of the princely Soldan." Again a joyful glance--again a genuflection--but, as he arose, the King laid his hand heavily on his shoulder, and proceeded with stern gravity thus: "Let me in one thing warn you, my sable envoy.

Even if thou shouldst feel that the kindly influence of her whom thou art soon to behold should loosen the bonds of thy tongue, presently imprisoned, as the good Soldan expresses it, within the ivory walls of its castle, beware how thou changest thy taciturn character, or speakest a word in her presence, even if thy powers of utterance were to be miraculously restored.

Believe me that I should have thy tongue extracted by the roots, and its ivory palace--that is, I presume, its range of teeth--drawn out one by one.