"No sound," he thought. "I may open and close again. Who knoweth what may be here? I offend no order of any officer."
Nevertheless, he trembled as he obeyed the strong impulse that was in him. A step forward and he was in the corridor. It was lofty, its floor was of pictured tiling, and it was lighted by windows at each end. Into it came another vaulted passage three fathoms away, and he went swiftly to that opening.
"Vast is this palace," he was thinking, but at the next beating of his heart he went forward with a great bound, for the music of a woman's voice in a gay song fell upon his ear.
"She is here!" he exclaimed. "Now I care not if I die, so I but see her."
Wide open was a door into this second passage and through it poured the song, accompanied by the touching of a small harp. It was a love song, and he heard:
"Now cometh he, my love,
From the land beyond the sea,
And the fair wind blowing knoweth,
That it bringeth him to me."
"Sapphira! O my beloved! I am here!"
She sprang to her feet and the lyre fell from her hand. O she was beautiful, in her sudden astonishment and fear, but he who came toward her with open arms seemed even more beautiful than she, for his face was radiant and his eyes were a flame of fire.
"Sapphira?"