Demetrios gently said:
"A bargain is a bargain. My wives are beautiful, but their caressesannoy me as much as formerly they pleased me. I have long thought itwould perhaps amuse me if I possessed a Christian wife who had eyeslike violets and hair like gold, and a plump white body. A man tiresvery soon of ebony and amber.... Procure me such a wife and I willwillingly release this Perion and all his fellows who are yet alive."
"But, seignior,"--and the boy was shaken now,--"you demand of me animpossibility!"
"I am so hardy as to think not. And my reason is that a man throws fromthe elbow only, but a woman with her whole arm."
There fell a silence now.
"Why, look you, I deal fairly, though. Were such a woman here--Demetrios of Anatolia's guest--I verily believe I would not hinder herdeparture, as I might easily do. For there is not a person within manymiles of this place who considers it wholesome to withstand me. Yetwere this woman purchasable, I would purchase. And--if she refused--Iwould not hinder her departure; but very certainly I would put Perionto the Torment of the Waterdrops. It is so droll to see a man go madbefore your eyes, I think that I would laugh and quite forget thewoman."
She said, "O God, I cry to You for justice!"
He answered:
"My good girl, in Nacumera the wishes of Demetrios are justice. But wewaste time. You desire to purchase one of my belongings? So be it. Iwill hear your offer."
Just once her hands had gripped each other. Her arms fell now as ifthey had been drained of life. She spoke in a dull voice.
"Seignior, I offer Melicent who was a princess. I cry a price,seignior, for red lips and bright eyes and a fair woman's tender bodywithout any blemish. I cry a price for youth and happiness and honour.These you may have for playthings, seignior, with everything which Ipossess, except my heart, for that is dead."
Demetrios asked, "Is this true speech?"
She answered:
"It is as sure as Love and Death. I know that nothing is more sure thanthese, and I praise God for my sure knowledge."
He chuckled, saying, "Platitudes break no bones."
So on the next day the chains were filed from Perion de la Foret andall his fellows, save the nine unfortunates whom Demetrios hadappointed to fight with lions a month before this, when he hadentertained the Soldan of Bacharia. These men were bathed and perfumedand richly clad.
A galley of the proconsul's fleet conveyed them toward Christendom andset the twoscore slaves of yesterday ashore not far from Megaris. Thecaptain of the galley on departure left with Perion a blue napkin,wherein were wrapped large emeralds and a bit of parchment.
Upon this parchment was written:
"Not these, but the body of Melicent, who was once a princess,purchased your bodies. Yet these will buy you ships and men and swordswith which to storm my house where Melicent now is. Come if you willand fight with Demetrios of Anatolia for that brave girl who loved aporter as all loyal men should love their Maker and customarily do not.I think it would amuse us."
Then Perion stood by the languid sea whichsevered him from Melicent and cried:
"O God, that hast permitted this hard bargain, trade now with me! nowbarter with me, O Father of us all! That which a man has I will give."
Thus he waited in the clear sunlight, with no more wavering in his facethan you may find in the next statue's face. Both hands strained towardthe blue sky, as though he made a vow. If so, he did not break it.
And now no more of Perion.
* * * * *
At the same hour young Melicent, wrapped all about with aflame-coloured veil and crowned with marjoram, was led by a spruce boytoward a threshold, over which Demetrios lifted her, while many peoplesang in a strange tongue. And then she paid her ransom.
"Hymen, O Hymen!" they sang. "Do thou of many names and many temples,golden Aphrodite, be propitious to this bridal! Now let him firstcompute the glittering stars of midnight and the grasshoppers of asummer day who would count the joys this bridal shall bring about! Hymen,O Hymen, rejoice thou in this bridal!"
8.
_How Demetrios Was Amused_
Now Melicent abode in the house of Demetrios, whom she had not seensince the morning after he had wedded her. A month had passed. As yetshe could not understand the language of her fellow prisoners, butHalaon, a eunuch who had once served a cardinal in Tuscany, informedher the proconsul was in the West Provinces, whe