But it was fatal to linger here. Mouraki would be expecting the return of his emissary. I saw now clearly that the Pasha had prepared the way for Constantine’s attempt. If no news came, he would not wait long. I put my reflections behind me and walked briskly back to where I had left Phroso. I found her lying on the ground; she seemed to be in a faint. Setting my face close to hers, I saw that her eyes were shut and her lips parted. I sat down by her in the narrow passage and supported her head on my arm. Then I took out a flask, and pouring some of the brandy-and-water it contained into the cup forced a little between her lips. With a heavy sigh she opened her eyes and shuddered. ‘It is over,’ I said. ‘There’s no need to be afraid; all is over now.’ ‘Constantine?’ ‘He is dead.’ ‘And Kortes?’ ‘They are both gone. They fell together into the pool and must be dead; there’s no sound from it.’ A frightened sob was her answer; she put her hand up to her eyes. ‘Ah, dear Kortes!’ she whispered, and I heard her sob gently again. ‘He was a brave man,’ said I. ‘God rest his soul!’ ‘He loved me,’ she said simply, between her sobs. ‘He--he and his sister were the only friends I had.’ ‘You have other friends,’ said I, and my voice was well nigh as low as hers. ‘You are very good to me, my lord,’ she said, and she conquered her sobs and lay still, her head on my arm, her hair enveloping my hand in its silken masses. ‘We must go on,’ said I. ‘We mustn’t stay here. Our only chance is to go on.’ ‘Chance? Chance of what?’ she echoed in a little despairing murmur, ‘Where am I to go? Why should I struggle any more?’ ‘Would you fall into Mouraki’s power?’ I asked from between set lips. ‘No; but I need not. I have my dagger.’ ‘God forbid!’ I cried in sudden horror; and in spite of myself I felt my hand tighten and press her head among the coils of her hair. She also felt it; she raised herself on her elbow, turned to me, and sent a straining look into my eyes. What answer could I make to it? I averted my face; she dropped her head between her hands on the rocky floor. ‘We must go,’ said I again. ‘Can you walk, Phroso?’ I hardly noticed the name I called her, nor did she appear to mark it. ‘I can’t go,’ she moaned. ‘Let me stay here. I can get back to the house, perhaps.’ ‘I won’t leave you here. I won’t leave you to Mouraki.’ ‘It will not be to Mouraki, it will be to--’ I caught her hand, crying in a low whisper, ‘No, no.’ ‘What else?’ she asked, again sitting up and looking at me. ‘We must make a push for safety, as we meant to before.’ ‘Safety?’ Her lips bent in a sadly derisive little smile. ‘What is this safety you talk about?’ she seemed to say. ‘Yes, safety.’ ‘Ah, yes, you must be safe,’ she said, appearing to awake suddenly to a consciousness of something forgotten. ‘Ah, yes, my lord, you must be safe. Don’t linger, my lord. Don’t linger!’