I cared nothing for display even then; I wanted only the heart of a thing; that I did want.

The old slave came to a halt and stood before us, swaying, head lowered, breathing heavily from the effort he had been put to. I saw after all that he hardly looked at us. He was accustomed, no doubt, to the many scions of the Imperial House, all the ranks of the heirs of Gandda as well as the lesser kin, sent off here or there to claim or rule distant dominions, never knowing what whim of the Dynast would recall us to what fate: mostly he kept us in the Imperial capital kicking our heels.