The King's Talisman — page 92: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE KINGS TALISMAN, 83 _bending a meaning look upon Al-Bassa, he added, in a half suppressed tone: ‘*'To hear your king is to obey!” ‘But yet I cannot obey till I hear,” returned the old man, without seeming to notice his monarch’s manner. For a moment the king seemed puzzled by the manner of his counselor. -He had never before seen Al-Bassa in such a mood, and he never had expected aught but meek submission to his will. ‘The pampered, arbitrary monarch knew not how much grief the human heart might feel, nor knew he how that same grief might steel the heart that had at first bent submissively beneath it. ‘* Al-Bassa,” at length said the king, assuming a kind and patronizing air, ‘‘I have need not only of thy counsel and advice, but I have need-also of thy efficient aid, I must. ~ have the Petran monarch’s talisman.” “The King’s Talisman!” iterated Al-Bassa, in startled surprise. Soe ‘‘ Ay,” returned the king, ‘‘ I must possess that talisman, even though all Egypt and Arabia be ransacked to find it.” ‘<In this case, your majesty,” deliberately replied the counselor, ‘‘ I can neither advise nor assist you, for I have no clew to its whereabouts.” ‘Neither have I,’ Modad said, ‘‘ but still I must have it. Something tells me that without it my reign must be short- ened. One blow I have already averted, but— What ails thee, my friend?” the king exclaimed, as he noticed Al- Bassa’s countenance turn pale. ‘Nothing, sire—only your words brought back to my mind a scene that I cannot reflect upon but with the deep- est sorrow.” The king understood the illusion, but passing it by in silence, he continued: | ‘‘T am threatened by a calamity still greater than would have been the attack of Boljaz, and if Iam without the Gomicbooks (Elo)