"Lady Who Dreams, shall we not kill these intruders as has ever been our custom? The people are mystified and in doubt of my judgment, and demand decision from you."
"And you would kill?"
"Such is my judgment. I seek now your judgment that yours and mine may be one."
She glanced over the faces of the four captives. For Torres, her brooding expression portrayed only pity. To Leoncia she extended a frown; to Henry, doubt. And upon Francis she gazed a full minute, her face growing tender, at least to Leoncia's angry observation.
"Are any of you unmarried?" the Queen asked suddenly. "Nay," she anticipated them. "It is given me to know that you are all unmarried." She turned quickly to Leoncia. "Is it well," she demanded, "that a woman should have two husbands?"
Both Henry and Francis could not refrain from smiling their amusement at so absurdly irrelevant a question. But to Leoncia it was neither absurd nor irrelevant, and in her cheeks arose the flush of anger again. This was a woman, she knew, with whom she had to deal, and who was dealing with her like a woman.
"It is not well," Leoncia answered, with clear, ringing voice.
"It is very strange," the Queen pondered aloud. "It is very strange. Yet is it not fair. Since there are equal numbers of men and women in the world, it cannot be fair for one woman to have two husbands, for, if so, it means that another woman shall have no husband."
Another pinch of dust she tossed into the great bowl of gold. The sheen of smoke arose and vanished as before.
"The Mirror of the World will tell me, priest, what disposition shall be made of our captives."