"O master!" said the startled girl, "I should never have dared to confess the weakness of my heart." "You will not confess your love? Well! I love you with all my soul, and I dare to tell you so." "You love me?--you, the Shogun?" she exclaimed, with touching amazement. "Yes, and I have long waited your coming, wicked one. I have sought you; I was plunged in despair; you have made me suffer cruelly! But since you are here, all is forgotten. Why did you delay so long? Had you no thought of me?" "You were my only thought; it blossomed like a celestial flower in the midst of my sad life; without it I should have died." "You thought of me, while I groaned at your absence; and you did not come?" "I did not know that you had deigned to remember me. Besides, had I known it, I should not have come." "What!" cried the Shogun, "is it thus you love me? Would you refuse to live with me--to be my wife?" "Your wife!" murmured Omiti, with a bitter smile. "Certainly," said Fide-Yori; "why do you look so sad?" "Because I am not worthy even to be numbered with your servants; and when you learn what I have become, you will drive me from you with loathing." "What do you mean?" cried the Shogun, turning pale. "Listen," said the girl, in a hollow voice. "Hieyas came to my father's castle; he found out that I had discovered the frightful plot against your life, and had betrayed it; he had me carried away and sold as servant in a tavern of the lowest class. There I have lived as women live who are slaves. I never left that inn until last night. Once more I overheard a conspiracy against you. I escaped from the window by means of a rope, which broke. Now you are saved, let me go; it is not fit that you should stay any longer in the company of a woman like me." "Hush!" cried Fide-Yori; "what you tell me breaks my heart. But do you think that I could cease to love you? What! It was for my sake you were reduced to servitude; for my sake you have suffered. You have saved my life twice, and you think I would forsake you I would scorn you? You are crazy. I love you more than ever. You shall be queen; do you hear me? How many women in your condition have been bought and married by nobles. You are here; you shall not leave me." "O master!" exclaimed Omiti, "I conjure you, remember your rank; think of the duty you owe to yourself; do not yield to a passing desire!" "Hush, cruel girl!" said the King. "I swear that if you continue to drive me to despair I will slay myself at your feet!" Fide-Yori put his hand to his sword. "Oh! no, no!" shrieked the girl, turning ashy pale "I am your slave; do with me as you will." "My beloved queen!" cried Fide-Yori, clasping her in his arms, "you are my equal, my companion, and not my slave. It is not merely from a spirit of obedience that you yield, is it?" "I love you!" whispered Omiti, raising her beautiful eyes, wet with tears, to the King. CHAPTER XXVIII. HENCEFORTH MY HOUSE SHALL BE AT PEACE.