Olvir smiled, half sadly, and turned away, while the girl looped a ribbon about her neck to suspend the dagger in her bosom. The movement brought his gaze about to the doorway of the bower, in which stood the withered form of old Kosru the leech, draped about with a gorgeous robe of yellow silk. The moment Olvir's eyes fell upon him, the Magian bent to the rushes, as in former years he had salaamed before the stern Vali Kasim. The servile obeisance irritated the Northman quite as much as the interruption.
"Withdraw, leech!" he said almost harshly.
"I go, lord count. But--may my lord forgive me the bearing!--the gracious queen bids me say that the sand is nearly run."
"Could she not give the glass another turning?"
"Ai, lord; but our mighty protector Karolah has gone to the water-side to see you take ship," replied the leech, and, with a dry cackling of toothless laughter, he shuffled about into the bower. As he turned, he thrust his hand beneath his robe, and a soft, metallic clink chimed with his mirthless chuckle.
"At--ai!" he muttered; "youth and love are soon sped; but the shining gold is ever a joy and a comfort."
Then his ill-omened figure disappeared from view, and Olvir clasped his little princess to him for the last bitter-sweet moments of parting.
CHAPTER XIX
Why are ye sitting there?
Why sleep ye life away?