The crisis was appalling.
"Shall we," I cried, "continue the fight, now that we know it is our queen we fight against, that it is our arms that will murder her?"
"We certainly do not murder her," said Hushnoly; "and yet this unexpected crisis paralyzes me."
"The king will not dare to murder the queen," said the grand sorcerer; "and if he does——"
The sorcerer suddenly checked himself; the mere contemplation of such an event was overpowering, yet he seemed, of all others, the most composed. His eyes shone with a strange fire that I had not hitherto noticed.
"I am satisfied," said Governor Ladalmir, "that unless we lay down our arms and submit ourselves to his mercy, which means death to every one here, the fate of the queen is sealed."
"I think," said the high priestess Zooly-Soase, "that his excellency, the commander-in-chief, should, if possible, obtain an order from the king permitting him to visit her majesty, and advise her of the entire facts of the situation, and then act as she commands. If she asks us to lay down our arms and surrender ourselves as the price of her liberty, there is none, I think, who would be so faithless as to refuse."
"And I," said the grand sorceress, "approve of your proposal. I am willing to surrender myself to save the life of the late goddess."
"We are all willing to sacrifice ourselves if need be!" shouted the entire council with generous and chivalrous enthusiasm.
"I will go," said I, "and see Lyone, as you propose, and upon her decision will depend our future action."