Page:Thotharomance00nichgoog.djvu/129

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124
THOTH.

borne. Surely thou hast misunderstood my meaning. Say in what I have failed."

Daphne was somewhat soothed by the calmness of the reply, but her pride was still wounded. She resented the coldness of Thoth's reasoning, and she replied with passion—

"What more would I have? I would have one thing only, the first and the last—love—human love."

"And what," said Thoth, with an appearance of intellectual interest, "is love? What more than I have promised?"

The innocence of the answer of this wisest of men disarmed Daphne.

"Thy honour and respect could no more kindle a spark of love than all the power of the ocean could kindle a little fire. Read again, if thou hast the record, the story of thy ancestor, and know that I must be loved as