“She shall be lyngcheed,” added Tai Lin softly.
“But she may be a Christian,” interposed the bishop.
“Lyngcheed,” reiterated Tai Lin meditatively.
“She may be a Christian,” said the bishop again.
“Yes,” continued Tai Lin, heedless of the bishop’s words. “Yes, that is her punishment by the laws of the Empire.”
“But she may have become a Christian.”
“Yes; it is necessary that she shall die.”
“She is undoubtedly a Christian by this time,” interrupted the bishop decisively.
“What do I care if she is a Christian!” and Tai Lin rose up savagely, quaveringly before him.
“Well—you know,” and the bishop wrung caressingly his bony, bloodless hands, “Christians are entitled to our protection. Yes, yes, we could not permit you to——”