"He had the madness upon
him. I struck once and he was dead. My father would have done the
same.
"That would he not!" said Queen Maya bitterly. "Your father would
have crept up, fawning on the deer, and offered him the fruits he
loved, stroking him the while. And in trust the beast would have
eaten, and the poison in the fruit would have slain him. For the
people of your father meet neither man nor beast in fair fight.
With a kiss they stab!"
Horror kept the women staring and silent. No one had dreamed that
the scandal had reached the Queen. Never had she spoken or looked
her knowledge but endured all in patience. Now it sprang out like
a sword among them, and they feared for Maya, whom all loved.
Mindon did not understand. It was beyond him, but he saw he was
scorned. Dwaymenau, her face rigid as a mask, looked pitilessly
at the shaking Queen, and each word dropped from her mouth, hard
and cold as the falling of diamonds. She refused the insult.
"If it is thus you speak of our lord and my love, what wonder he
forsakes you? Mother of a craven milk runs in your veins and his
for blood.
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