She rose, and ran towards me.
"Is my lord dead? Oh, say not he is dead," she cried, lifting her
noble-looking face, all stained as it was with tears, up to me with an
air of infinite beseeching that went straight to my heart.
"Nay, he lives," I answered. "_She_ hath saved him. Enter."
She sighed deeply, entered, and fell upon her hands and knees, after the
custom of the Amahagger people, in the presence of the dread _She_.
"Stand," said Ayesha, in her coldest voice, "and come hither."
Ustane obeyed, standing before her with bowed head.
Then came a pause, which Ayesha broke.
"Who is this man?" she said, pointing to the sleeping form of Leo.
"The man is my husband," she answered in a low voice.
"Who gave him to thee for a husband?"
"I took him according to the custom of our country, oh _She_."
"Thou hast done evil, woman, in taking this man, who is a stranger. He
is not a man of thine own race, and the custom fails. Listen: perchance
thou didst this thing through ignorance, therefore, woman, do I spare
thee, otherwise hadst thou died.
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