“But what was in the letter？” asked Shasta.
“Be quiet， youngster，” said Bree. “You’re spoiling the story. She‘ll tell us all about the letter in the right place. Go on， Tarkheena.”
“Then I called the maid who was to go with me to the woods and perform the rites of Zardeenah and told her to wake me very early in the morning. And I became merry with her and gave her wine to drink； but I had mixed such things in her cup that I knew she must sleep for a night and a day. As soon as the household of my father had committed themselves to sleep I arose and put on an armour of my brother’s which I always kept in my chamber in his memory. I put into my girdle all the money I had and certain choice jewels and provided myself also with food， and saddled the mare with my own hands and rode away in the second watch of the night. I directed my course not to the woodswhere my father supposed that I would go but north and east to Tashbaan.
