But then came the question as to whether the nobles would recognise the prince with a girl 's body , and indeed , when we came to think of it , which was prince and which was girl ? ` At last , after much argument , my head carried the day and we set out ; but only to find that the king had declared the Princess Okimpare his successor . The greater part of the senators and nobles openly professed that they would much have preferred the rightful heir , but as they could not recognise him either in the Prince or me , they chose to consider us as impostors and threw us into prison . ' A few days later Tezila and Thelamis , who had followed us to the capital , came to tell us that the new queen had accused us of high treason , and had herself been present at our trial -- which was conducted without us . They had been in mortal terror as to what would be our sentence , but by a piece of extraordinary luck we had been condemned to be beheaded . ' I told my sister that I did not see exactly where the luck came in , but Thelamis interrupted me rudely : ' `` What ! '' he cried , `` of course I shall make use of the pastilles , and -- '' but here the officers arrived to lead us to the great square where the execution was to take place -- for Okimpare was determined there should be no delay . ` The square was crowded with people of all ages and all ranks , and in the middle a platform had been erected on which was the scaffold , with the executioner , in a black mask , standing by . At a sign from him I mounted first , and in a moment my head was rolling at his feet . With a bound my sister and Thelamis were beside me , and like lightning Thelamis seized the sabre from the heads-man , and cut off the head of the prince . And before the multitude had recovered from their astonishment at these strange proceedings , our bodies were joined to our right heads , and the pastilles placed on our tongues . Then Thelamis led the prince to the edge of the platform and presented him to the people , saying `` Behold your lawful king . '' ` Shouts of joy rent the air at the sound of Thelamis 's words , and the noise reached Okimpare in the palace . Smitten with despair at the news , she fell down unconscious on her balcony , and was lifted up by the slaves and taken back to her own house . ` Meanwhile our happiness was all turned to sorrow . I had rushed up to the prince to embrace him fondly , when he suddenly grew pale and staggered . ' `` I die faithful to you , '' he murmured , turning his eyes towards me , `` and I die a king ! '' and leaning his head on my shoulder he expired quietly , for one of the arteries in his neck had been cut through . ` Not knowing what I did I staggered towards the sabre which was lying near me , with the intention of following my beloved prince as speedily as possible . And when Thelamis seized my hand -LRB- but only just in time -RRB- , in my madness I turned the sabre upon him , and he fell struck through the heart at my feet . '
* * * * * The whole company were listening to the story with breathless attention , when it became plain that Dely could go no further , while Tezila had flung herself on a heap XXXXX cushions and hidden her face .
At as from in into of on to upon without