But the king, child of a social order that wreaks itself on particularizations, returned to his quest for a certain recounting.

“Prince Tabnit,” he said, “the High Council and the people of Yaque are impatient for your answer to this woman’s words.”

“I rejoice with them and with your Majesty,” replied Prince Tabnit softly, “that the treasure is safe.  My own explanation is far less simple.  If what this woman says is true, yet it is true in such wise as, strive as I may, I can not speak; nor, strive as you may, can you fathom.  Therefore I say that the claim which she has made is idle, and not within my power to answer.”

At this St. George bounded to his feet.  Amory looked up at him in terror, and Little Cawthorne and Bennietod went a step or two after him as he sprang forward, and Rollo’s lean shadowed face, obvious as his way of speech, was wrinkled in terrified appeal.

“An idle claim!” St. George thundered as he strode before the dais.  “Is this woman’s story and mine an idle claim, and one not within your power to answer?  Then I will tell you how to answer, Prince Tabnit.  I challenge you now, in the presence of your people—­taste this!”

Upon the carven arm of Prince Tabnit’s throne St. George set something that he had taken from his pocket.  It was the vase of rock-crystal from which, the night before in the room of the tombs, the king had drunk.

What followed was the last thing that St. George had expected.  It was as if his defiance had unlocked flood-gates.  In an instant the vast assembly was in motion.  With a sound of garments that was like far wind they were upon their feet and pressing toward the throne.  With all the passion of their “Yes!  Yes!  Yes!” in response to Olivia’s appeal they came, resistlessly demanding the answer to some dreadful question long shrouded in their hearts.  Their armour was their silence; they made no sound save that ominous sweep of their robes and the conspiracy of their sandaled feet upon the tiles.

St. George did not turn.  Indeed, it did not once cross his mind that their hostility could possibly be toward him.  Besides, his look was fixed upon the prince’s face, and what he read there was enough.  The peers, the High Council and those nearest the throne wavered and swerved from the man, leaving him to face what was to come.

Whatever was to come he would have met nobly.  He was of those infrequent folk of some upper air who exhibit a certain purity even in error, or in worse.  He stood with his exquisite pale face uplifted, his white hair in a glory about it, his white gown embroidered by a thousand needles falling in virginal lines against the warm, pure colour of that room with its wraiths of hue and light.  And he opened the heart of the green jewel that burned upon his breast.

“Not for me the wine of youth,” he said slowly, “but the poison of age.  The poison which, without me to unlock the secret, all mankind must drink alone.  May you drink it late, my friends!” he cried.  “I, who hold in my soul the secret of the passing of time and youth, drink now to those among you and among all men who have won and kept the one thing dearer than these.”