Little wonder

　　"Little wonder," she thought to herself, "that the spirits were angrywith her, seeing that yonder in the burying-ground of kings she haddared to break in upon their rest."From the Place of Purification she travelled on ten days' journey withher companions till they reached the mountain fastness where Hafelahad established himself. The town and its surroundings were ofextraordinary strength,replica montblanc pens, and so well guarded that it was only afterconsiderable difficulty and delay that the women were admitted.
　　Hearing of her arrival and that she had words for him,replica gucci wallets, Hafela sent forNoma at once, receiving her by night and alone in his principal hut.
　　She came and stood before him, and he looked at her beauty withadmiring eyes, for he could not forget the woman whom the cunning ofHokosa had forced him to put away.
　　"Whence come you, pretty one?" he asked, "and wherefore come you? Areyou weary of your husband, that you fly back to me? If so, you arewelcome indeed; for know, Noma, that I still love you.""Ay, Prince, I am weary of my husband sure enough; but I do not fly toyou, for he holds me fast to him with bonds that you cannotunderstand, and fast to him while he lives I must remain.""What hinders, Noma, that having got you here I should keep you here?
　　The cunning and magic of Hokosa may be great, but they will need to bestill greater to win you from my arms.""This hinders, Prince, that you are playing for a higher stake thanthat of a woman's love, and if you deal thus by me and my husband,then of a surety you will lose the game.""What stake, Noma?""The stake of the crown of the People of Fire.""And why should I lose if I take you as a wife?""Because Hokosa, seeing that I do not return and learning from hisspies why I do not return, will warn the king, and by many means bringall your plans to nothing. Listen now to the words of Hokosa that hehas set between my lips to deliver to you"--and she repeated to himall the message without fault or fail.
　　"Say it again," he said, and she obeyed.
　　Then he answered:--"Truly the skill of Hokosa is great, and well he knows how to set asnare; but I think that if by his counsel I should springe the bird,he will be too clever a man to keep upon the threshold of my throne.
　　He who sets one snare may set twain, and he who sits by the thresholdmay desire to enter the house of kings wherein there is no space fortwo to dwell.""Is this the answer that I am to take back to Hokosa?" asked Noma. "Itwill scarcely bind him to your cause, Prince, and I wonder that youdare to speak it to me who am his wife.""I dare to speak it to you, Noma, because, although you be his wife,all wives do not love their lords; and I think that, perchance in daysto come, you would choose rather to hold the hand of a young king thanthat of a witch-doctor sinking into eld. Thus shall you answer Hokosa:
　　You shall say to him that I have heard his words and that I find themvery good, and will walk along the path which he has made. Here beforeyou I swear by the oath that may not be broken--the sacred oath,calling down ruin upon my head should I break one word of it--that ifby his aid I succeed in this great venture, I will pay him the pricehe asks. After myself, the king,LINK, he shall be the greatest man amongthe people; he shall be general of the armies; he shall be captain ofthe council and head of the doctors, and to him shall be given halfthe cattle of Nodwengo. Also, into his hand I will deliver all thosewho cling to this faith of the Christians, and, if it pleases him, heshall offer them as a sacrifice to his god. This I swear, and you,Noma, are witness to the oath. Yet it may chance that after he,Hokosa, has gathered up all this pomp and greatness, he himself shallbe gathered up by Death, that harvest-man whom soon or late willgarner every ear,UGG Clerance;" and he looked at her meaningly.