"Man of Ramos, by the ordeal of Fire, and by the right of conquest, thou hast well merited the honour and the dignity I do now confer upon thee. No longer art thou Harry Graham, of Earth or Ramos; henceforth, as Prince Tihernah, of Edos, shalt thou be known," and taking the gold sword from the Minister standing by, he presented it to Graham, with the roll of parchment and the seals confirming the rank to which he had just been exalted. Graham's few stammering words of thanks were stopped by the King, who, interrupting him, smilingly commanded the wedding service to proceed. Once more did Echri step forward, and bade Volinè and Graham stand side by side before him at the altar. Then, taking the slender chain of fine gold which connected the bracelets on Volinè's wrists, he commanded Graham to grasp it in his left hand and to break it asunder, saying as he did so: "The bondage of thy maidenhood this man hath broken; henceforward, in thy state of wifehood, shalt thou only cleave to him, and him only, who hath set thee free. "Volinè, doth thou enter this state of thine own will, and prepared to abide by the conditions and fulfil the duties of thy sacred office as wife to him?" "Even so, O Holy Father." "Prince Tihernah, thou takest this maiden unto thee of thine own will, and art thou prepared to abide by the conditions and fulfil the duties of thy sacred office as husband to her?" "Even so, O Holy Father." Then Echri, taking Volinè's left hand, placed it in Graham's right, and as they stood thus together, the two hundred Priests commenced to swing their incense-pots, and to sing a solemn chant in sweet harmonious voice. The singing and the incense-throwing having ceased, one of the aged Priests attendant on Echri came forward and gave to him an instrument, fashioned very like a lancet, but with a long carved handle of solid gold, embossed with gems. Taking Volinè's right hand in his, he pricked her arm below the elbow so that blood did flow, yet causing her no apparent pain. Then taking Graham's left hand, he proceeded to do the same unto him; and when the blood trickled down, he crossed Volinè's arm and his, letting the two streams of blood intermingle in a tiny crimson torrent. "Blood is life; so therefore let the lives of this man and maid mingle and fuse together that they do now and henceforward, until death, be One. May the arrows of God's wrath o'ertake all they who seek by temptation, force, or stealth, to break this bond asunder; and may His holy blessing rest upon ye both, as well as upon the unborn posterity within ye, for Man and Wife ye have now become!" This was all. Yet the bridal ceremony was solemn and imposing to a degree no man could conceive, who had not witnessed it.