"I was treated with contempt and insult! I--I, Prince and Rajah here, was shown that I, who had stooped to love a woman of an infidel race, had been mocked and played with by the beautiful English maiden; and at that moment, Helen, had I seen you, I should have killed you with my kris, and then, in my mad rage, I would have done as my people do--run headlong here and there, killing and slaying as I went, my bare kris dripping with the blood I spilt--running _amok_, my people call it--and killing till they slew me where I ran. I, as a Malay, should have done all this. It is the custom among my people; but your English ways prevailed. I had learned English, and I, as a Prince, after my first wild rage was past, said that I must wait--be patient--and that the time would come when my revenge could be had. I waited patiently--and waited longer, to see if the lady would be kind and gentle to me once again; but she would not while she was among her people; so I said I would bring her amongst mine, where she would soon learn to be gentle and as kind as she was of old." "Coward!" she cried, fiercely. "I knew you would say that," he replied, mockingly. "I knew that you would assume to be very angry. You coquettes, as you English people call them, always do; and then, when all your angry, cruel things are said, you become tender, and gentle, and sweet. I do not mind." Helen stamped her foot with impotent rage, as she felt how justly she had been appraised by this half-savage prince; but she could find no words in reply. "Your people thought me contented, and that peace was made," he said, laughing. "I know all. There was a terrible state of fright at first, when you refused my hand. I know all, you see. Your people armed themselves and kept watch. `The people of Murad will attack us, and take revenge,' you said, `and we shall be all crushed;' and so you armed yourselves. Then you all feared to go to the _fete_ lest there should be treachery, and I was watched; but they did not know my ways. I meant to have revenge; but what good would the blood of all your people be to me? That was not the revenge I wanted. I could wait, and I have waited with the result you see. There, is that good English? Do you understand these my words well?" Helen did not answer, but stood there proud and defiant, though her heart quailed as she listened, and thought of the patient way in which this man had waited his time. "I have had patience," he said, with a calm smile of superiority, which changed, to her horror, to one of earnestness, almost of appeal.