'It runs thus: "Thou didst strive to win the love of my lord
Incubu." It is for this crime that my sister will slay me, not
because I levied war. It is perchance happy for thee, Nyleptha,
that I fixed my mind upon his love too late.
'Listen,' she went on, raising her voice. 'I have nought to
say save that I would I had won instead of lost. Do thou with
me even as thou wilt, O Queen, and let my lord the King there'
(pointing to Sir Henry) -- 'for now will he be King -- carry
out the sentence, as it is meet he should, for as he is the beginning
of the evil, let him also be the end.' And she drew herself
up and shot one angry glance at him from her deep fringed eyes,
and then began to toy with her spear.
Sir Henry bent towards Nyleptha and whispered something that
I could not catch, and then the Queen spoke.
'Sorais, ever have I been a good sister to thee. When our father
died, and there was much talk in the land as to whether thou
shouldst sit upon the throne with me, I being the elder, I gave
my voice for thee and said, "Nay, let her sit. She is twin with
me; we were born at a birth; wherefore should the one be preferred
before the other?" And so has it ever been 'twixt thee and me,
my sister. But now thou knowest in what sort thou hast repaid
me, but I have prevailed, and thy life is forfeit, Sorais.
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