The leader had just finished speaking when Templemore and Elwood entered, and he cast at them a scowl that was almost appalling in its malignity.
The king signed to the young men to seat themselves beside Monella; then, turning to the man who had just spoken, said,
“It avails nothing, Dakla, for thee to come to us with messages of this intent, and with presentments, void of truth, of what befell to-day. Here are the three strangers who, as thou sayest, opposed themselves to Zelus, the son of Coryon thy master. They slew him, it is true, and some of those who followed him, but it was to save my daughter from his violence.”
“It is false, O King! They lie, if they say so! For our lord Zelus had no thought of violence!” This from Dakla.
“If thine errand here is but to charge with falsehood these three men, I’ll grant thee audience no longer.” The kings voice was stern, and his eyes flashed angrily, so that Dakla trembled, and there was less confidence in his tone when he replied,
“But they are strangers whom the king knows not; wherefore should he accept their word before our trusted servants?”
“Because it is confirmed by mine own daughter, sirrah! And if thou darest again to say it is untrue that Zelus lifted his hand to take her life, thou shalt not return unpunished, be the consequences what they may!”
By the king’s impressive manner, and still more by the menace he had thus let fall, Dakla seemed daunted. He had expected to be able to carry things his own way. He hesitated, then said in a milder tone,
“But even so, they should not have taken the life of our lord Zelus, but have brought him before thee.”