“Thou dost not love me,” said Daphne, “or thou wouldst prove thyself greater than this ancient tyrant. He is unworthy of thee.” Thoth only replied, “I cannot do this thing.” “Then,” said Daphne, “choose between me and them. Unless they perish, my love for thee shall be changed to hate and loathing. Choose!” He looked at her face, and felt his will quail before hers. “What wouldst thou have?” he said. “I alone cannot carry out the scheme of destruction, and without it thou canst not become queen of the earth.” “I would rather,” she replied, “tend sheep with thee on a lonely islet of Greece, than be the shadowy queen of a desolate world. Choose between my living love and this impious deed, which I am certain can never be accomplished. Thou hast failed already,—thou hast made serious errors; chance and nature have baffled thee in the most unexpected manner. Awake! arise! and leave this city and all its horrors, as thou wouldst throw off a horrible dream. Come with me! Treasures thou hast beyond estimation, and wisdom and courage. Thou shalt become a leader of living Greeks, and in a few short years the last remnant of these dreadful scenes shall fade away.” Again she approached him and kissed him. “See,” she said, “I will not let thee go. The crime is not thine but mine.” He said, “Leave me,—it cannot be. I will break their trance, and then we will flee away, as before thou didst agree. Time presses. Thou seest this shadow slowly creeping along. Before it reaches the spot on which we stand it will be too late.” He pointed to the shadow of a huge column, covered with curious signs and symbols. Daphne clung to him and whispered, “Let it be to them who hate me and thee the shadow of death!” She looked into his eyes with eager passion, and saw signs of yielding. She redoubled her caresses, and whispered wild words of love. * * * * * The shadow came nearer and nearer. She covered his eyes with her hands, and showered hot kisses on his face. The shadow was close to them. “This,” she said, “is love such as the world has never seen. Let me lose myself in thee.” The shadow had passed, and then in her anxiety Daphne became cold and still. Thoth roused himself and looked. Then he uttered a great cry—“Too late; all is over!” “Art thou certain?” “Every one by this time is dead beyond recall. Thus ends the greatest scheme ever planned by man.” CHAPTER XX. THE RETURN TO ATHENS. Although Thoth assured Daphne in the most explicit manner that the whole assembly of the royal race must have perished, she insisted upon instant flight. The danger had been so great and the culminating events so appalling, that she desired above everything to be hundreds of leagues from the scene.