Afterward he informed me that he had spoken of the matter with Maqueda, and that she was much frightened for our sakes, and somewhat for her own.

Joshua, she said, was a man capable of any crime, who had at his back the great majority of the Abati; a jealous, mean and intolerant race who made up in cunning for what they lacked in courage.
Yet, as I saw well, the peril of their situation did nothing to separate this pair or to lessen their love.

Indeed, rather did it seem to bind them closer together, and to make them more completely one.

In short, the tragedy took its appointed course, whilst we stood by and watched it helplessly.
On the afternoon of my angry interview with Joshua we were summoned to a meeting of the Council, whither we went, not without some trepidation, expecting trouble.

Trouble there was, but of a different sort to that which we feared.