“She knew also that although I must shrink from her, I still love her in my heart, and can still be jealous, and therefore that I should protect her from all men.  It was she who set me on that lord whom my dogs tore awhile ago, because he was powerful and sought her favour and would not be denied.  But now,” and again he glowered at Leo, “now I know why she has always seemed so cold.  It is because there lived a man to melt whose ice she husbanded her fire.”

Then Leo, who all this while had stood silent, stepped forward.

“Listen, Khan,” he said.  “Did the ice seem like melting a little while ago?”

“No—­unless you lied.  But that was only because the fire is not yet hot enough.  Wait awhile until it burns up, and melt you must, for who can match his will against Atene?”

“And what if the ice desires to flee the fire?  Khan, they said that I should kill you, but I do not seek your blood.  You think that I would rob you of your wife, yet I have no such thought towards her.  We desire to escape this town of yours, but cannot, because its gates are locked, and we are prisoners, guarded night and day.  Hear me, then.  You have the power to set us free and to be rid of us.”

The Khan looked at him cunningly.  “And if I set you free, whither would you go?  You could tumble down yonder gorge, but only the birds can climb its heights.”

“To the Fire-mountain, where we have business.”

Rassen stared at him.

“Is it I who am mad, or are you, who wish to visit the Fire-mountain?  Yet that is nothing to me, save that I do not believe you.  But if so you might return again and bring others with you.  Perchance, having its lady, you wish this land also by right of conquest.  It has foes up yonder.”

“It is not so,” answered Leo earnestly.  “As one man to another, I tell you it is not so. I ask no smile of your wife and no acre of your soil.  Be wise and help us to be gone, and live on undisturbed in such fashion as may please you.”

The Khan stood still awhile, swinging his long arms vacantly, till something seemed to come into his mind that moved him to merriment, for he burst into one of his hideous laughs.

“I am thinking,” he said, “what Atene would say if she woke up to find her sweet bird flown.  She would search for you and be angry with me.”

“It seems that she cannot be angrier than she is,” I answered.  “Give us a night’s start and let her search never so closely, she shall not find us.”

“You forget, Wanderer, that she and her old Rat have arts.  Those who knew where to meet you might know where to seek you.  And yet, and yet, it would be rare to see her rage.  ’Oh, Yellow-beard, where are you, Yellow-beard?’ he went on, mimicking his wife’s voice.  ’Come back and let me melt your ice, Yellow-beard.’”

Again he laughed; then said suddenly—­“When can you be ready?”

“In half an hour,” I answered.