“Thou speakest as if all mankind were noxious serpents and raging beasts. To me, a Grecian maiden, thou talkest calmly of destroying the whole Grecian race. Thou wouldst found a universal tyranny on universal slaughter, and so degraded is thy nature that thou dost not see anything horrible in such monstrous crime. I despise myself for ever having listened to thy love. Kill me, torture me, abuse me, I am in thy power, but never will I share in thy unholy schemes.” Then Thoth said to her—“Take heed; even my passion will not bear such a strain.” “I would thy passion were turned to hatred,” she cried, “for thou canst not hate me as I hate thee!” For a time it seemed as if anger and scorn would altogether destroy his love; but Daphne quailed not, and in her wrath became even more beautiful and majestic. The struggle in Thoth’s mind did not endure long. “True it is,” he said, “that I cannot hate thee; my love is overpowering. But I cannot shatter to its foundations the edifice which my ancestors have raised. Rather would I make the whole world lifeless. I will give thee a day to reflect.” CHAPTER XVI. THE REVOLT OF NATURE. At Daphne’s request Thoth departed, but as he left her he said with great emphasis— “Remember that I have spoken the truth, and if thou wilt thou mayest become queen of the earth!” His words excited her heart to a burning activity, and thought after thought rushed swiftly through her mind. At first she tried to persuade herself that he must have told her incredible fictions, but the more she thought the less she doubted. She had seen enough of Thoth’s power to believe to the full in the truth of his narrative. She had seen him with a touch of his staff strike dead the ogress, and she had had abundant proofs of the absolute obedience of his people. For a time, however, she wondered how a few hundred men could possibly destroy all the nations of the earth. She thought of Thoth and his dread compatriots flying through the air, and discharging missiles on the helpless people beneath; but even with this advantage it seemed to her that numbers must prevail. She said to herself, “Even Apollo’s arm would grow weary of such endless archery;” and then, suddenly, she remembered how the arrows of Apollo had smitten the Greeks before Troy.