The voice of Nathan rose under him in an angry whisper: "There was a young man void of understanding, ... and there met him a woman subtle of heart. "And she caught him and kissed him, and with an impudent face said unto him: "'I have peace offerings with me.... "'I have decked my bed with coverings of tapestry, with carved works, with fine linen of Egypt. "'I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon....' "With her fair speech she caused him to yield, with the flattering of her lips she forced him. "He goeth after her straightway, as an ox goeth to the slaughter, or as a fool to the correction of the stocks. "Till a dart strike through his liver; as a bird hasteth to the snare, and knoweth not it is for his life...." "O Balkis, do you hear anything? Do you hear anything without the window? Do you hear a hissing as of a serpent aroused?" "I hear nothing, Solomon. I hear nothing but the little murmur of the trees. Come from the window. Come over here and kiss me with the kisses of your mouth, for your love is better than wine. Put your left hand under my head, Solomon, and let your right embrace me--" "Don't you hear anything, Balkis? Are you sure?" "There is nothing, Solomon, O white and ruddy, O chiefest among ten thousand." "No, there is nothing. I thought for a moment--" Again the voice of Nathan came like the strokes of a sword: "... O King, attend to the words of my mouth. "Let not thine heart decline to her ways, go not astray in her paths. "For she hath cast down many wounded: yea, many strong men have been slain by her. "Her house is the way to hell, going down to the chambers of death." "Oh!" went a long shudder from the king. "What is it, Solomon? Does anything affright you?" "No, no, Balkis." "Then come over to me, Solomon. Come where I can see your face. Your countenance is like Lebanon, excellent as the cedars. Come." "Remember your father, David," came the voice beneath the window, "son of Jesse, turned from wisdom. Remember how his chiefest joy, Absalom his son, died. Remember how he stood against God, the prophet of the Lord, and the Lord sent a pestilence upon Israel from the morning even to the time appointed, three days' time; and there died of the people from Dan even to Beersheba seventy thousand men. "And the angel of the Lord stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it.... Remember!" "Oh!" "What is it, dearest? What is wrong? Have I done anything to offend you, to hurt you?" "Remember Samson, judge of Israel, and how he loved a woman in the valley of Sorek, whose name was Delilah, and he told her all his heart. "And remember his end, how the Lord was departed from him, and the Philistines took him and put out his eyes--" "O-o-o-o-h!" "--and brought him down to Gaza, and bound him with fetters of brass--" "A-a-a-a-h!" "Solomon, dearest Solomon, why do you cry?" "--and he did grind in the prison house ... and make them sport...."