Chapter 26 of Our Death by Marie Correlli, the priest Zell. As he uttered the last word, the sound of an approaching light step disturbed the silence. It was one of the young girls of the household, a dark, hearty-looking beauty whom Theos remembered to have seen in the palace hall when he first arrived lying indolently among cushions and playing with a tame bird which flew to and fro at her beckoning. She advanced now with an almost imperial stateliness. Her salute to Saluma was grateful, yet scarcely submissive, while he, turning eagerly toward her, seemed gladdened and relieved at her appearance, his face assuming a gratified expression like that of a child, who, having broken one toy, is easily consoled with another.  What news hast thou, my sweet, is there fresh havoc in this city, more deaths, more troubleous tidings, nay, then hold thy peace, for thou art not a fit messenger of woe, thou art much too fair. Irenea's red lips curled disdainfully, the naughty pout was plainly visible, my Lord is pleased to flatter his slave, she said with a touch of scorn. In her musical accents, certs of ill news, there is more than enough, and evil rumors have never been lacking these many months, as my Lord would have known had he deigned to listen to the calm and talk of those who are not poets but merely sad and suffering men. Nevertheless, though I may think, I speak not at all of matters such as these, and for my present errant is but to say that a priest of the inner temple waits without desirous of instant speech with the most illustrious saluma. A priest of the inner temple echoed the laureate, wonderingly, by my faith, a most unwelcome visitor, what business can he have with me? Say that I know not, responded Irenea calmly, he hath come hither, so he bad me. Say by command of the absolute authority, saluma's face flushed, and he looked annoyed, then taking theose by the arm he turned away from the terrace, and re-entered his apartment where he flung himself full length on his couch, billowing his handsome head against a fold of glossy leopard skin, which formed a most becoming background for the soft dark oval beauty of his features. See down, my friend, he's a glancing smilingly at theose and signing to him to take possession of a luxurious lounge chair near him. If we must need receive this sanctified professor of many hypocrisies, we will do it with suitable indifference and ease. Will thou stay here with us, Irenea? He added, stretching out one arm, and catching the maiden round the waist in spite of her attempted resistance, or art thou in a frowward mood and wilt thou go thine own proud way, without so much as a consoling kiss from saluma.   He laughed heartily, and instantly loosened her from his embrace. Off, off with thee, sweet virtue, fair as prude, he cried, still laughing, live out thy life, and thou wilt empty of love or passion, count the years as they slip by, leaving thee each day less lovely and less fit for pleasure, grow old and on the brink of death, look back, poor child, and see the glory thou hast missed and left behind thee, the light of love and youth that once departed can dawn again no more.  Hence, hence, Irenea, he exclaimed, escaped temptation quickly while thou mayest support thy virgin pride and peace, thou shalt never say again, Saluma's kisses are unwelcome, the poet's touch shall never be wrong, or sanctified by name, thou art safe from me, as pillared icicles in everlasting snow, dear little one, be happy without love if that be possible, nevertheless take heed thou, do not weakly clamor in thee after it used for once rejected joy, now bid yon waiting priests to tend me, tell him I can but spare a few brief moments, audience. Irenea's head drooped, Theo saw tears in her eyes, but she managed to restrain them, and with something of a defiant air she made her formal obeisance and withdrew. She did not return again, but a page appeared instead ushering in with ceremonious civility, a tall personage clad in flowing white robes and muffled up to the eyes in a mantle of silver tissue, a majestic, mysterious, solemn-looking individual who, pausing on the threshold of the apartment, described a circle in the air with a small staff he carried and said, in monotonous accents, by the going in and passing out of the sun, through the gates of the east and the gates of the west, by the vulture of gold and white lotus and the countless virtues of Nagaya, may peace dwell in this house forever. Agreed to, with all my heart, responded Selama, carelessly looking up from his couch, for making no attempt to rise, peace is an excellent thing, most holy father. Excellent returned the priests slowly advancing and undoing his mantle, so that his face became fully visible, so truly excellent indeed that at times it is needful to make war in order to ensure it. He sat down as he spoke in a chair which was placed for him at Selama's bidding by the page who had ushered him in, and he maintained a great silence till that youthful servitor had departed. The Eos meanwhile studied his countenance with some curiosity.  The features were handsome, but also singularly repulsive. They were rendered in a certain degree dignified by a full dark beard, which however failed entirely to conceal the receding chin and compressed cruel mouth. The eyes were keen and crafty and very clear. The forehead was high and intelligent and deeply furrowed, with lines that seemed to be the result of much pondering over, close and cunning calculation, rather than the marks of profound unselfish and enombling thought. The page having left the room, Selama began the conversation. Do what unexpected cause, most righteous sir, am I indebted for the honor of this present visit? Be things I recognize the countenance of the famous Zell, the high priest of the sacrificial altar. If so, to his marvelous, so great a man should venture forth alone and unattended to the house of one who loves not priestly company and who hath at best for all professors of religion a somewhat indifferent welcome. The priests smile coldly. Most rightly, dost thou speak, Selama? He answered, his measured metallic voice seeming to strike a wave of chilling discord through the air, and most frankly, hast thou thus declared one of that many deficiencies. Atheist, as thou art, and to that man are born, thou art in very deed outside the pale of all religious teaching and consulment. Nevertheless, there is much gentle mercy shown thee by the virgin priestess of Nagaya. Here he solemnly bent his head and made the rapid sign of a circle on his breast, who, knowing thy great genius, doth ever strive with thoughtful zeal to draw thee closely within the saving silver veil. Yet it is possible that even her patience with thy sins may tire at last, wherefore, while there is time, offer dependence to the offended gods and humble thy stiff heart before the holy maid, lest she expel thee from her sight forever.  All this is the mere common rhetoric of the temple craft, he said indolently. Why not, good zeal, give plainer utterance to thine errand? We know each other's follies well enough to spare formalities. Lycea has sent thee hither what then, what says the beauty's virgin to her willing slave. An undertone of mockery rang through the languid silvery sweetness of his accents, and the priest's dark brows knitted in an irritated frown. Thou art over a flippant of speech, Selama, he observed austerely, take heed, thou be not sneered into misfortune by the glibness of thy tongue. Thou dost speak of the chaste Lycea with unseemly lightness, learn to be reverent, and so shalt thou be wiser. Selama laughed and settled himself more easily on his couch, turning in such a manner as to look the stately zealful in the face. They exchanged one glance, expressive as it seemed of some mutual secret understanding, for the priest coughed as though he were embarrassed and stroked his beard deliberately, with one hand in an endeavor to hide the strange smile that despite his efforts to conceal it visibly lightened his cold eyes to a sudden tigerish brillancy. The mission with which I am charged, he resumed presently, is to thee, chief laureate of the realm, and runs as followeth, whereas thou hast of late avoided many days of public service in the temple, so that those among the people who admired thee follow thine ill example, in absent themselves also with equal readiness. The priest is undefiled, the noble lycea doth tonight command thy presence as a duty not to be foregone. Therefore come thou and take thy part in the great sacrifice for these late tumults and disaster in the city, notably the perplexing downfall of the obelisk have caused all hearts to fail and sink for very fear. The river darkens and its crimson hue each hour by passing hour. Strange noises have been heard a thwart the sky and in the deeper underground, and all these drear unwanted things are so many cogent reasons, where we should in solemn unison implore the favor of negaia and the gods whereby further catastrophes may be perchance averted. Moreover, for motives of most urgent state policy, it is advisable that all who hold place, dignity, and renown within the city should this not be seen as fervent supplicants before the sacred shrine, so may much threatening rebellion be appeased in order be restored out of impending confusion, such as the message I'm bidden to convey to thee. Furthermore, I am required to bear back again to the high priestess thy faithful promise that her orders shall be surely and entirely obeyed, though art not want and up pale sneer flitted over his features to set her mandate at defiance.  Assuredly I shall be present at the service, he said curtly, there needed no such weighty summoning, it was my intention to join the ranks of worshipers tonight, though for myself I have no faith in worship, the gods I wean are death and carry not a jot, whether we mortals weep or sink. Nevertheless, I shall look on with fitting gravity and deport myself with due decorum throughout the ceremonious ritual, though verily I tell thee, Reverend Zell, tis tedious and monotonous at best, and concerning the poor maiden sacrifice, it is a shattering horror we could well dispense with. I think not so replied the priest calmly, thou who art well instructed in the capricious humors of men must surely know how dearly the majority of them love the shedding of blood, tis a clamorous brute instinct in them which must be satisfied, better therefore that we, the anointed priests, should slay one willing victim for the purposes of religion, than that they, the ignorant mob, should kill a thousand to gratify their lust of murder, an unresentful all-loving deity would be impossible of comprehension to a mutually hating and malignant race of beings, all creeds must be accommodated to the dispositions of the million. Pardon me, suddenly interruptive Theos, I am a stranger and in a great measure ignorant of this city's customs, but I confess I am amazed to hear a priest uphold so specious an argument, what must divine religion be dragged down from his pure throne to pander to the selfish passions of the multitude, because men are vile, must a vile god be invented to suit their savage caprices, because men are so cruel must the unseen creator of things be delineated as even more barbless than they in order to give them some pietistical excuse for wickedness. I ask these questions not out of wanton curiosity before the sake of instruction. The haughty zeal turned upon him in severe astonishment. Sir, he said stranger undoubtedly, thou art and so bold a manner of speech most truly savers of the utterly uneducated Western barbarian. All wise and prudent governments have learned that a god fit for the adoration of men must be depicted as much like men as possible. Any absolutely superhuman attributes are unnecessary to the character of a useful deity in as much as no man ever will or ever can understand the worth of superhuman qualities. Humanity is only capable of worshiping self. Thus it is necessary that when people are persuaded to pay honor to an elected divinity they should be well and comfortably assured in their own minds that they are but offering homage to an image of self placed before them in a deified or heroic form. This satisfies the natural idolatrous cravings of egotism and this is all that priest so teaches desire. Now in the worship of Nagaya we have the natures of man and woman conjoined. The snake is the emblem of male wisdom united with female subtlety and the two essences mingled in one make as near an approach to what we may imagine the positive divine capacities can be devised on earth by earthly intelligences. If on the other hand such an absurd doctrine as that formulated in the fanatic madman coast rules prophecy could be imagined as actually admitted and proclaimed to the nations it would have very few followers and the sincerity of those few might well be open to doubt for the deity it speaks of is supposed to be an immortal god disguised as man a god who voluntarily rejects and sets society's own glory to serve and save his perishable creatures. That's the root of that religion what consists in self abnegation and self abnegation is as experience proves utterly impossible to the human being. Why is it impossible as theos with a quiver of passionate earnestness in his voice are there none in all the world who would sacrifice their own interests to further another's welfare and happiness the pre-smile a delicately derisive smile certainly not he replied blandly the very question strikes me as singularly foolish in as much as we live in a planet where if we do not serve ourselves and look after our own personal advantage we may as well die the minute we are born our better still never be born at all there is no one living at least not in the wide realm of al-kiris who would put himself to the smallest inconvenience for the sake of another were that other his nearest and dearest blood relation and in matters of love and friendship tis the same as in business each man eagerly pursues his own chance of enjoyment even when he loves or fancies he loves a woman it is solely because her beauty or attractiveness gives him temporary pleasure not because he has any tenderness or after regard for the nature of her feelings how can it be otherwise we elect friends that are useful to us personally we care a little for their intrinsic merit and we only tolerate them as long as they happen to suit our taste for generally on the first occasion of a disagreement or difference of opinion we shake ourselves free of them without either regret or remorse and seek others who will be meek enough not to offer us any open contradiction it is and it must be always so self is the first person we are bound to consider in our religions if they are intended to last must prudently recognize and silently acquiesce in this the chief dogma of man's constitution saluma laughed excellently argued that most politics he exclaimed yet me thanks it is easy to worship self without either consecrated altars or priestly assistance thou shalt know better than anyone with what facilities such devotion can be practiced returns ill ironically rising as he spoke and beginning to wrap his mantle round him preparatory to departure thou hast a wider range of perpetual adoration than most men seeing thou thus so fully estimate the value of thine own genius some heretics there are in the city who say that merit is but a trick of song shared by the in common with the birds who truly seem to take no pride in the particular sweetness of their unsyllable language but thou thyself art better instructed and who shall blame thee for the veneration with which thou dost daily contemplate thine own intellectual powers not I believe me and his crafty eyes glittered mockingly as he arranged his silver gauze muffler so that it entirely veiled the lower part of his features and though I do somewhat regret to learn that thou among other noblemen of fashion hast of late taken part in the atheistic discussions encouraged by the positivist school of thought still as a priest my duty is not so much to reproach as to call thee to repentance therefore I inwardly rejoice to know you wilt present thyself before the shrine tonight if only for the sake of custom only for the sake of custom repeated solemn amusedly nay good zeal custom should be surely classified as an exceeding powerful god in as much as it rules all things from the cut of our close to the form of our creeds true replied zeal imperturbably and he who despises custom becomes an alien from his kind immoral leper among the pure and clean oh say rather a lion among sheep a giant among pygmies left the lawyer for by my soul a man who had the courage to scorn custom and set the small hypocrisies of society at defiance would be a glorious hero a warrior of strange integrity whom it would be well worth traveling miles to see coast rule with such in one interpose theos suddenly touch man coast rule was mad retorted saluma are not all men thought mad who speak the truth queried theos gently the priest zeal looked at him with proud and supercilious eyes thou has strange notions for one still young he said what art thou a new disciple of the mystics or a student of the positive doctrines theos met his gaze unflinchingly what am i he murmured sadly and his voice trembled reverend priest i'm nothing great are the sufferings of men who have lost their wealth their home their friends but i have lost myself where i anything could i ever hope to be anything i would pray to be accepted a servant of the cross that far off unknown faith to which my tired spirit cleans as he uttered these words he raised his eyes how dim and misty at the moment seemed the tall white figure of the majestic zeal and in contrast to it how brilliantly distinct saluma's radiant face appeared turned toward him in inquiring wonderment he felt the swooning dizziness upon him but the sensation of swiftly passed and he saw the haughty priest dark brows bent upon him in a frown of ominous disapproval tis well the art not a citizen of alkyrus he says quornfully to strangers we record a certain license of opinion but if thou wert a native of these realms thy speech would cost thee dear as it is i've warned thee dare not to make public mention of the cross the accursed emblem of the dead coast rules idolatry guard thy tongue heedfully and thou saluma if thou dost bring this rashling with thee to the temple thou must take upon thyself all measures for his safety from these days some words are like firebrands and he who cast them forth unconsciously may kindle flames that only the forfeit of his life can quench there was a quiver of suppressed fury in his tone and saluma lifted his lazy lids and looked at him with an air of tranquil indifference for thee trouble not by self most eminent zeal he answered nonchalantly i will answer for my friend's discretion thou dost mistake his temperament he is a budding poet and others many a disconnected thought which hath no meaning safe to his own fancy swarming brain he saw the frantic coast will die and the picture hath impressed him for the moment nothing more i pledge my word for his demurous prudence at the service tonight i would not have an absent for the world for pity he should miss the splendor of a scene which doubtless hath been admirably contrived by priestly ardent skill to play upon the passions of the multitude tell me good zeal what is the name of the self-offered victim the priest flashed a strangely malevolent glance at him does not to be devolved he replied curtly the virgin is no longer counted among the living she is as one already departed the name she bore hath been erased from the city registers and she wears instead the proud title of bride of the sun and negaya restrain thy curiosity until night hath fallen it may be that thou who hast a wide acquaintance among fair maidens wilt recognize her countenance nay i trust i know her not said saluma carelessly for though all women died for me when once their beauty fade still am i loathed to see them perish ere their prime yet many are doomed to perish so rejoined the priest impassively men as well as women and they thanks those who are best beloved of the gods are chosen first to die death is not difficult but to live long enough for life to lose all savor and love all charm this is a bitterness that comes with years and cannot be consoled and retreating slowly toward the door he paused as he had previously done on the threshold farewell saluma he said beware that nothing hinders thee from the fulfillment of thy promise and let thy homage to the holy maid be reverent at the parting of the silver veil he waited but saluma made no answer he therefore raised his staff and described a circle with it in the same solemn fashion that had distinguished his entrance by the coming forth of the moon through the ways of darkness by the shining of stars by the sleeping sun and the silence of night by the all-seeing eye of ray fawn and the wisdom of negiah made the protection of the gods abide in this house forever as he pronounced these words he noislessly departed without any salutation whatever to saluma who heaved a sight of relief when he had gone and rising from his couch came and placed one hand affectionately on the osis' shoulder thou foolish yet dear comrade he murmured what moves thee to blurt forth such strange and unwarrantable sayings why would thou pray to be a servant of the cross or why at any rate if thou hast taken a fancy for the dead coast rules new doctrine were thou so rash as to proclaim thy sentiment to young unprincipled bloodthirsty zeal who would not scruple to poison the king himself if his majesty gave sufficient cause of offense does thou desire to be straight way slain nay I will not have thee run thus furiously into danger thou wilt be offered the silver nectar like nerd-jalice and not even the intercession of my friendship would avail to save thee then thee who smile rather sadly and thus within forever my mistakes and follies he answered softly and I should perchance discover the small hidden secret of things the little simple unguessed clue that would unravel the mystery of meaning of existence for can it be that the majestic marvel of created nature is purposeless in its design that we are doomed to think thoughts which can never be realized to dream dreams that perish in the dreaming to build up hopes without foundation to call upon God when there is no God too long for heaven when there is no heaven I know solemnly surely we are not the mere fools and dupes of time surely there are some eternal beyond which is not annihilation some greater vast sphere of soul development where we shall find all that we have missed on earth Saluma's face clouded and a sigh escaped him I would my thoughts were similar to thine he said sorrowfully I would I could believe in an immortal destiny but alas my friend there is no shadow of ground for such a happy faith none neither in sense nor science I have reflected on it many a time till I have weirded myself with more infamusing and the end of all my meditation has been a useless protest against the great inevitable a climber of disdain hurled at the huge blind in different force that poisons the deep sea of space with an ever productive spawn of wasted life Anon I have flouted my own despair and have consoled myself with the old wise maxim that was found inscribed on the statue of a smiling god some centuries ago enjoy your lodgy passing tribes of men take pleasure and follow for this is the only wisdom that avails happy is he whose days are filled with the delight of love and laughter for there is nothing better found on earth and whatsoever you do whether wise or foolish the same end comes to all is not this true philosophy my theos what can a man do better than enjoy much depends on the particular form of enjoyment responded theos thoughtfully some there are for example who might find their greatest satisfaction in the pleasures of the table others in the gratification of central desires and gross appetites are these to be left to follow their own devices without any effort being made to raise them from the brute level where they lie why in the name of all the gods should they be raised demanded saluma impatiently if their choice is to grovel admire why ask them to dwell in a palace they would not appreciate the change again went on theos there are others who are only happy in the pursuit of wisdom and the more they learn the more they seek to know one wonders one cannot help wondering are their aspirations all in vain and will the grave seal down their hopes forever saluma paused a moment before replying it seems so he said it last slowly and hesitatingly and herein i find the injustice of the matter because however great may be the imagination and fervor of a poet for instance he never is able wholly to utter his thoughts half of them remain in embryo like buds of flowers that never come to bloom yet they are there burning in the brain and seeming too vast of conception to syllable themselves into the common speech of mortals i've often marveled why such ideas suggest themselves at all as they can neither be written nor spoken unless and here his voice sank into a dreamy softness unless indeed they are to be received as hints foreshadowings of greater works destined for our accomplishment hereafter he was silent a minutes space and theos watching him wistfully suddenly asked which thou be willing to live again saluma if such a thing could be friend i would rather never die respond to the laureate half playfully half seriously but if i were certain that death was no more than a sleep from which i should assuredly awaken to another phase of existence i know well enough what i should do what question theos his heart beginning to beat with an almost insufferable anxiety i would live a different life now answered saluma steadily looking his companion full in the eyes as he spoke while a grave smile shattered rather than light and disfeatures i would begin it once so that when the new future dawned for me i might not be haunted or tortured by the remembrance of a misspent past for if we are to believe in any everlasting things at all we cannot shut out the fatal everlastingness of memory his words sounded unlike himself his voice was as the voice of some reproving angel speaking and theos listening shuddered he knew not why and held his peace never to be able to forget continued saluma in the same grave sweet tone never to lose sight of one's own bygone willful sins this will be an immortal destiny too terrible to endure for then inexorable retrospection would forever show us where we have missed the way and how we have failed to use the chances given us moreover we might happily find ourselves surrounded in his accent through slower and more emphatic by strange phantoms of our own creating who would act anew the drama of our obstinate past follies perplexing us thereby into an anguish greater than mortal fancy can depict thus if we indeed possess the positive foreknowledge of the eternal regeneration of our lives it would be well to free them from all hindrance to perfection here here while we are still conscious of time and opportunity he paused then went on in his customary gay manner but fortunately we are not positive nothing is certain no truth is so satisfactorily demonstrated that some wise acre cannot be found to disprove it hence it happens my friend and his face assumed it's wanted careless expression that we men whose common sense is offended by priestly hypocrisy an occult necromancy jugglery we who perhaps in our innermost heart of hearts ardently desire to believe in a supreme divinity and the grandly progressive sublime intention of the universe but who discovering not but ignoble can't and imposter everywhere are incontinently thrown back on our own resources hence it comes I say that we are satisfied to accept ourselves each man in his own personality as the beginning and end of existence and to minister do that absolute self which after all concerns us most and which will continue to engage our best service until well until history can show us a perfectly self as example which if human nature remains consistent with its own traditions will assuredly never be this was almost more than theos could bear there was a tightening agony at his heart that made him long to cry out to weep or better still to fling himself on his knees and pray pray to that far removed mild presence that selfless example who he knew had hallowed and dignified the world and yet who's holy and beloved name he miserable sinner was unworthy to even remember his suffering at the moment was so intense that he fancied some reflection of it must be visible in his face solemnly however apparently saw nothing he stepped across the room and out to divine shaded logia where he turned and beckoned his companion to his side come he said pushing his hair off his brows with a languid gesture the afternoon wears onward and the very heaven seemed to smoke with heat let us see cooler air beneath the shade of yonder cypresses whose dark green bow shut out the glaring sky we'll talk of love and poise and tender things till sunset I will recite to be a ballad of mine that nefrada loved tis called an idol of roses and it will lighten this hot and heavy silence when even birds sleep and butterflies drows in the hallowed shelter of the air and leaves come well thou tonight perchance we shall have little time for pleasant discourse as he spoke theos obediently went toward him with the day's sensations of one under the influence of mesmerism the dazzling face and luminous eyes of a laureate exercised over him an indescribable yet resistless authority and it was certain that wherever Solomon led the way he was bound to follow only as he mechanically descended from the terrace into the garden and linked his arm within that of his companion he was conscious of a big feeling of pity for himself pity that he should have dwindled into such a non-entity when Solomon was so renowned a celebrity pity too that he should have somehow never been able to devise anything original in the art of poetry this last was evident for he knew already that the idol of roses Solomon proposed reciting could be no other than what he had fancied was his idol of roses a poem he had composed or rather had plagiarized in some mysterious fashion before had even dreamt of the design of Newer Halma however he had become in part resigned to the peculiar position he occupied he was just a little sorry for himself and that was all even as the parted spirit of a dead man might hover ruthlessly above the grave of its perished mortal body so he compassionate his own full on estate and heaved a passing sigh of regret not only for all he once had been but also for all he could never be in the chapter 26 chapter 27 of our death by Marie Corelli this LibriVox recording is in the public domain in the temple of Nagaya the hours wore on with stealthy rapidity but the two friends were climbing together under a deep branched canopy of cypress bowels paid little or no heed to the flight of time the heat in the garden was intense the grass was dry and brittle as though it had been scorched by passing flames and a singularly profound stillness reigned everywhere there being no wind to stir the faintest rustle among the foliage lying lazily upon his back with his arms clasped above his head Theos looked greenily up at the patches of blue sky seen between the dark green gnarled stems and listened to the measured cadence of the laureates mellow voice as he recited with much tenderness the promised poem of course it was perfectly familiar the lines were precisely the same as those which he Theos remembered to have written out thinking them his own in an old manuscript book he had left at home at home where was that it must be a very long way off he have closed his eyes the sense of delightful drowsiness was upon him the rise and fall of his friends rhythmic utterance soothed him into a languid peace the idol of roses was very sweet and musical and though he knew it of old he heard it now with special satisfaction in as much as it being no longer his he was at liberty to bestow upon it that full measure of admiration which he felt it deserved yet every now and then his thoughts wandered and though he anxiously strove to concentrate his attention on the loveliest stanzas that murmured past his ears like the gentle sound of waves flowing beneath the mesmerism of the moon his brain was in a continual state of format and busied itself with all manner of vague suggestions to which he could give no name a great weariness weighed down his spirit a dim consciousness of the futility of all ambition and all endeavor he was haunted to bite the sharpest of Lysia's voice when she had said kill Saluma her look, her attitude, her murderous smile troubled his memory and made him ill of these the things she had thus demanded out his hands seemed more monstrous than if she had bitten him kill himself for there had been one moment when mastered by her beauty and the force of his own passion he would have killed himself had she requested it but to kill his adored his beloved friend I know not for a thousand sorcerers queens as fair as she he drew a long breath and the irresistible desire for rest came over him the air was heavy and warm and fragrant his companion's dulcet accent served as a lullaby to his tired mind it seemed a long time since he had enjoyed a pleasant slumber for the previous night he had not slept at all lower and lower drooped his aching lids he was almost beginning to slip away slowly into a blissful unconsciousness when all at once Saluma seized reciting and a harsh brazen clang of bells echoed through the silence storming to and fro with a violent hurried uproar suggestive of some sudden alarm he sprang to his feet rubbing his eyes Saluma rose also a slightly petulant expression on his face canst thou do no better than sleep he queried complainingly when thou art privileged to listen to an immortal poem impulsively Theos caught his hand impressed it fervently nay dost thou deem me so indifferent my noble friend he cried thou art mistaken for though perchance mine eyes were closed my ears were open I heard thy every word I loved thy every line what dost thou need have praised thou who canst do not but work which being perfect is beyond all criticism Saluma smiled well satisfied in the little lines of threatening ill humor vanished from his countenance enough he said I know that thou dost truly honor me above all poets and that thou wouldst not willingly offend hearest thou how great a clamor the ringers of the temple make tonight tis but the sunset chime yet one would think they were peeling forth an angry summons to battle already sunset exclaimed Theos surprised why it seems scarce a minute since that we came hither I such as the magic charm of poetry rejoin Saluma complacently it makes the hour split like moments and long days seemed about short hours nevertheless tis time we were within doors and at supper for if we start not soon for the temple it will be difficult to gain an entrance and at any rate must be early in my place beside the king he heaved short impatient sigh and as he spoke off Theos's old misgivings came rushing back upon him and in full force filling him with vague sorrow uneasiness fear but he knew how useless it was to try and impart any of his inward forebodings to Saluma Saluma who had so lightly explained Lysia's treacherous conduct to his own entire satisfaction Saluma on whom neither the prophecies of Coase rule nor the various disastrous events of the day had taken any permanent effect while no attempt could now be made to deter him from attending the sacrificial service in the temple seeing he had been so positively commanded thither by Lysia through the medium of the priest's zeal feeling bitterly his own incompetency to exercise any protective influence on the fate of his companion Theos said nothing but silently followed him as he thrust aside the drooping cypress boughs and made his way out to more open ground his live graceful figure looking even more brilliant and phantom like than ever contrasted with the deep green gloom spread about him by the hoary moss covered trees that were as twisted and grotesque in shape as a group of fetish idols as he bent back the last branchy barrier however and stepped into the full light he stopped short and uttering a loud exclamation lifted his hand and pointed westward his dark eyes dilating with amazement and all Theos at once came swiftly up beside him and looked where he looked what a scene a terrific splendor he beheld right across the horizon that glistened with a pale green hue light newly frozen water a cloud black as the black as midnight lay heavy emotionless in form resembling an enormous leaf fringe at the edges with tremulous lines of gold this nebulous mass was absolutely stirless it appeared as though it had been thrown upon Dras' weight into the vault of heaven and having fallen their purpose to remain ever in a non-beamy threads of lightning played through it luridly banning it with long arrowy flashes of orange and silver while poised immediately above it was the sun looking like a dull scarlet seal a ball of dim far destitute of rays and all sides the sky was crossed by gravy flecks of pearl and sun glimpses as a burning topaz and down toward the earth through to thin azure fog filming curtain through which the landscape took the strangest tints and unearthly flashes of color a moment and the spectral sun dropped suddenly into the lower darkness leaving behind it a glare of golden green lowering purple shadows crept over across the heavens darkening them as smoke darkened flame but the huge cloud palpitating with lightning moved not at all nor changed it shaped by it so much as a hair's breadth it appeared like a vast paw spread out in readiness for the solemn state burial of the world fascinated by the aspect of the weird sky phenomenon Theos was at the same time curiously impressed by a sense of its unreality indeed he found himself considering it with the calm attentiveness of one who is brought face to face with a remarkable picture effectively painted this peculiar sensation however it was like many others of his experience very transitory it passed and he watched the lightings come and go with a certain hesitating fear mingled with wonder Solomon was the first to speak storm at last he said forcing a smile though his face was unusually pale it has threatened us all day to a break before the night is over how sullenly yonder heavens frown they have quenched the sun in their sable darkness as though it were a beaten foe this will seem an ill assigned to those who worship him as a god for truly he death appeared to have withdrawn himself in haste and anger by my soul is a dull and ominous eave and a slight shudder ran through his delicate frame as he turned toward the white colored logea garlanded with its climbing vines roses and passion flowers through which there now floated a dim golden suffused radiance reflected from lamps lit within a wood the night were passed and that the new day had come with these words he entered the house he was accompanying him and together they went at once to the banqueting hall there they subbed royally served by silent and attentive slaves they themselves feeling mutually depressed yet apparently not wishing to communicate their depression one to the other converse but little after the repast was finished they set forth on foot to the temple Solomon informing his companion as they went that it was against the law to use any chariot or other sort of conveyance to go to the place of worship the king himself being obliged to dispense with his sumptuous car on such occasions and to walk with it as an ostentatiously as any one of his poorest subjects an excellent rule observed theos reflectively for the pomp and glitter of an earthly potentates display a sorts ill with the homage he intends to offer to the immortals and kings are no more than commoners in the sight of an all supreme divinity true if there were an all supreme divinity rejoined salam adhwali but in the present state of well-founded doubt regarding the existence of any such omnipotent personage think as though there is a monarch living who is sincerely willing to admit the possibility of any power superior to himself not zepharon and believe me his enforced humility on all occasions of public religious observance serves him really as a new channel where inter proclaim his pride service in obedience to the priests or rather let us say in obedience to the high priestess he pays as the common footpath in company with the common folk on ground and simply clad but what avails this affectation of meekness I'll know him for the king I'll make serve out way for him all flatter him and his progress to the temple resembles as much a triumphal procession as though he were mounted in his chariot and returning from some wondrous victory besides humility in my opinion is more a weakness than a virtue and even granted it were a virtue it is not possible to kings not as long as people continue to fawn on royalty like groveling curves and like the accepted hand that often loads their abject touch he spoke with a certain bitterness and impatience as though he were suffering from some inward nervous irritation and theos observing this prudently made no attempt to continue the conversation they were just then passing down on their rather dark street lined on both sides by lofty buildings of quaint and elaborate architecture long gloomy shadows had gathered in this particular spot therefore a short space the silence was so intense that one could almost hear one's own heart beat suddenly a yellowish green ray of light flashed across the pavement and lo the upper rim of the moon peered about the housetops looking strangely large and rosely brilliant the air seemed all it wants to grow suffocating and soft for us and between whilst there came the faint plashing sound of water lapping against stone with the monotonous murmur as of continuous soft whispers the vast silence the vast night were full of solemn weirdness the moon curiously magnified to twice her ordinary size sword higher and higher firing the lofty solitudes of heaven with long shooting radiations of rose and green while still in the purple hollow of the horizon lay that immense immovable cloud nerved as it were with living lightning which leaped incessantly from its center like a thousand swords drawn and redrawn from as many scabbards presently the deep booming noise of a great bell smote heavily on the stillness a sound that fears suppressed by the weight of unutterable foreboding's welcomed with a vague sense of relief while Solomon hearing it quickened his space they soon reached the end of the street which terminated in a spacious quadrangular court guarded on all sides by gigantic black statues and quickly crossing this place which was entirely deserted they came out at once into a dazzling blaze of light the temple of Nagaya in all its stately magnificence towered before them a stupendous pile of marvelously delicate architecture so fine as to seem like lacework rather than stone it was lit up from base to summit with glittering lamps of all colors the twelve revolving stars on its twelve tall turds cast forth wide beams of penetrating gradients into the deepening darkness of the night aloft in its topmost crown a pinnacle swung the prayer commanding bell while the enormous crowd swarming thick about it gave it the appearance of a brilliant pharaohs set in the midst of a surging sea the steps leading up to it were strewn ankle deep with flowers the doors stood open and a thunderous hum of solemn music vibrated in wave-like pulsations through the heavy heated air half blinded by the extreme effulgence and confused by the josting to and fro of a multitude immeasurably greater than any he had ever seen or imagined theos instinctively stretched out his hand in the helpless fashion of one not knowing wither next to turn Solomon immediately caught it in his own and hurried him along without saying a word how they managed to glide through the close ranks of pushing pressing people and in fact an entrance he never knew but when he recovered from his momentary days bewilderment he found himself inside the temple standing near a pillar a finely fluted white marble that shot up like the stem of a palm tree and lost its final point in the dim yet sparkling splendor of the immense dome above lights dwindled everywhere there was the odor of faint perfumes mingled with the fresher of fragrance and flowers there were distant glimpses of jewel shrines and the leering faces of grotesque idols clothed in draperies of amber purple and green and between the multitude in his columns that ring the superb fame with snowy circles one within the other hung glittering lamps set with rare gems and swinging by long chains of gold but the crowning splendor of the whole was concentrated on the place of the secret inner shrine there an arch of pale blue fire spanned the dome from left to right there from huge bronze vessels mounted on tall tripods the smoke of burning incense arose in thick and odorous clouds their children cried in white and wearing garlands a vivid scarlet blossom stood about in little groups as still as exquisitely model statuettes there are small hands folded and their eyes downcast there the steps were strewn with branches of palm flowering oleander, rose laurel and olive sprays but the sanctuary itself was not visible before that holy of holies hung the dazzling folds of the silver veil a curtain of the most wonderfully woven silver tissue that seen in the flashing azure light of the luminous arch above it resembled nothing so much as a suddenly frozen sheet of foam across it was emblazoned enlarged characters I am the past, the present, the future the might have been and the shall not be that the ever and the never no mortal know with my name as the U.S. with some difficulty or into the intense brilliancy of the veil managed to decipher these words he heard a solitary trumpet sounded a clear blown note that echoed itself many times among the lofty arches before it finally floated into silence recognizing this as an evident signal for some new and important phase in the proceedings he turned his eyes away from that place of the shrine and looking around the building was surprised to see how completely the vast area was filled with crowds upon crowds of silent and expectant people it seemed as though not the smallest wedge could have been inserted between the shoulders of one man and another yet where he stood with Solomon there was plenty of room the reason of this however it was soon apparent they were in the place reserved for the king and the immediate officers of the royal household and scarcely had the sweet vibration of that clear trumpet blast died away winds that were on him himself appeared walking slowly and majestically in the midst of a select company of his nobles and courtiers he wore the simple white garb of an ordinary citizen of Alcarris together with a silver belt and plain sheath dagger not a jewel relieved the classic severity of his costume and not even the nearest billet of gold in his rough dark hair denoted his royal rank but the pride of precedent spoke in his flashing eyes the arrogance of authority in the self-conscious poise of his figure and heartiness of his step his brows were knitted in something of a frown and his face looked pale and slightly care-worn he spied out Solomon at once and smiled kindly there was not a trace of coldness in his manner toward his favorite minstrel and Theos noted this with that curious sense of sudden consolation and encouragement why should I have feared Zephyron he thought Solomon has no greater friend except myself the king would be the last person in the world to do him any injury just then a magnificent burst of triumphal music rolled through the temple the music of somebody instrument organ like in sound but several tones deeper than the grandest organ ever made mingled with children's voices singing the king seated himself on a cushion chair directly in front of the silver veil Solomon took a place at his right hand giving Theos a low bench close beside him while the various distinguished personages who had attended Zephyron disposed themselves indifferently wherever they could find the standing room only keeping us near to their monarch as they were able to do in the extreme pressure of so vast a congregation for now every available inch of space was occupied as far as I could see there were rows upon rows of men and white veiled women Theos imagined there must have been more than 5,000 people present on went the huge pulsations of melody surging through the incense laden air like waves thudding incessantly on a rocky shore and presently out of a side archway near the sanctuary steps came with slow and gliding norselessness a band of priests walking two by two and carrying branches of palm these were all clad in purple and crowned with ivy reeds they marched sedately keeping their eyes lowered while their lips moved constantly as though they muttered inaudible incantations waving their palm dials to and fro they paced along past the king and down the center aisle of the temple then turning they came back again to the lowest step of the shrine and there they all prospered themselves while the children who stood near the incense burners flung fresh perfumes on the flowing embers and chanted the following recitati O negaya great everlasting and terrible thou who dust whine thy coils of wisdom into the heart thou whose eyes waking and sleeping do behold all things thou who art the joy of the sun and the master of virgins hear us we beseech thee when we call upon thy name their young treble voices were clear and piercing and peeled up to the dome to fall again like the drops of distinct round melody from a lark's singing throat and when they ceased there came our short impressive pause the silver veil quivered from end to end as though swayed by a faint wind and the flaming arch above turned from pale blue to a strange shimmering green then in mellow unison the kneeling priests in tone O thou who give us words of power to the dumb mouth of the soul in Hades hear us negaya O thou who open us the grave and give us peace to the heart plead for us negaya O thou who art companion of the sun and controller of the east and of the west comfort us negaya here they ended and the children began again not to chant but to sing a strange and tristful tune wilder than any that fragrant winds could play on the strings of an e'erlian life O virgin of virgins holy may to what shall we resemble the chaste daughter of the sun how shall we praise thy perilous beauty thou art the gate of the house of stars thou art the first of the seven jewels of negaya thou dost wield the scepter of ebony and the eye of ray fawn beholds thee with love and contentment thou art the chiefest of women thou hast the secrets of earth and heaven thou knowest the dark mysteries e'erlasea queen of the hall of judgment e'erl pure pearl in the sea of the sun's glory declare unto us we beseech thee the will of negaya they close this canticle softly and slowly them flinging themselves drunk they press their faces to the earth and again the glittering veil waved to and fro suggestively well theos his heart beating fast watched its shining wolf with straining eyes in a sense of suffocation in his throat what ignorant fools what mad barbarians what blind blasphemers were these people he indignantly thought who could thus patiently hear the praise of an evil woman like licea publicly proclaimed with almost divine honors did they actually intend to worship her he wondered if so he at any rate would never bend the knee to one so vow he might have done so once perhaps but now at that instant a flute like murmur of melody crept upward as it seemed from the ground with a plaintive whispering sweetness like the lament of some exiled fairy so exquisitely tender and pathetic and yet with all so heart stirring and passionate that despite himself he listened with a strange swooning sense of languor stealing insidiously over him a dreamy lassitude that while it made him feel innervated and deprived of strength was still not altogether unpleasing a faint sigh escaped his lips and he kept his gaze fixed on a silver veil as pertiniciously as though behind it lay the mystery of his soul's ruin or salvation how the light flashed on its shimmering foes like the rippling phosphorescence on southern seas as green and clear and brilliant as rays reflected from thousands and thousands of glistening airmos and that haunting sorrowful weird music how it seemed to eat into his heart and their awakened bitter remorse combined with an equally bitter despair once more the veil moved and this time it appeared to inflate itself in the fashion of a sale caught by a sudden breeze that it began to part in the middle very slowly and without sound further and further back run each side it gradually receded and like a lily disclosed between folding leaves a figure white wonderful and angelically fair shown out the center jewel of the stately shrine a shrine whose immense carving pillars grotesque idols bronze and gold ornaments jeweled lamps and dazzling embroideries only served as a sort of neutral tinted background to intensify with a more lustrous charm the statuesque loveliness revealed Olyseum unvirgined priestess of the sun and the guy how gloriously art thou arrayed in sin o singular sweetness whose end must needs be destruction was ever woman fairer than thou oh love love lost in the dead long ago and drowned in the utter most darkness of things evil wilt thou drag my soul with thee again into everlasting night thus the use inwardly rate without any real comprehension of his own thoughts but only stricken anew by a feverish passion of mingled love and hatred as he stared on the witching sorceress whose marvelous beauty was such wonder and torture to his eyes what mattered it to him that king laureate and people had all prospered themselves before her in reverent humility he knew her nature he had fathomed her inborn wickedness and though his senses were attracted by her his spirit loathingly repelled her he therefore remained seated stiffly upright watching her with that sort of passive immovable intentness as she now appeared before him her loveliness was absolutely and ideally perfect she looked the embodiment of all grace the model of all chastity she stood quite still her hands folded on her breast her head slightly lifted her dark eyes upturned her unbound black hair streamed over her shoulders in loose glossy waves and above her brows her diadem of serpents head sparkled like a coronal of flame her robe was white made of some silky shining stuff that glistened with soft pearly hues it was gathered about her waist by a twisted golden girdle her arms were bare decked as before with the small jeweled snakes that coiled upward from wrist to shoulder and when after a brief pause she unfolded her hands and raised them with a slow majestic movement above her head the great symbolic eye flared from her bosom like a darting coal seeming to turn sinister glances on all sides as though on the search for some suspected foe fortunately no one appeared to notice Theosis delivered non-observance of the homage due to her no one except Lycee herself she met the open, defined, scorned and reluctant admiration of his glance and a cold smile dawn on her features a smile more dreadful in its very sweetness than any frown then turning away her beautiful thousandless, lumbrous eyes and still keeping her arms raised she lifted up her voice a voice mellow as a golden flute that pierced the silence with a straight air of pure sound enchanted give glory to the sun O ye people for his light death the lumen your darkness and the murmur of the mighty crowd surged back in answer we give him glory here came a brief clash of brazen bells and when the clamor ceased Lycee continued give glory to the moon O ye people for she is the servant of the sun and the ruler of the house of sleep again the people responded we give her glory and again the bells jangled tempestuously give glory to Nagaya O ye people for he alone can turn aside the wrath of the immortals we give him glory rejoin the multitude and we give him glory seemed to be shouted high among the arches of the temple with a strange sound as of the mocking laughter of devils this preliminary over there came out of unseen doors on both sides of the sanctuary twenty priests and companies of ten each ten advancing from the left ten from the right these were clad in flowing garments of carnation colored silk heavily bordered with gold and the leader of the right hand group was the priest Zell his demeanor was austere and dignified he carried a square cushion covered in black on which lay a long thin cruel-looking knife with a jeweled hilt the chief of the priests who stood on the left bore a very tall and massive staff of polished ebony which ye solemnly presented to the high priestess he grasped it firmly in one slight hand and allowed it to rest steadily on the ground while its uppermost point reached far above her head then followed the strangest weirdest scene that even the panopoets who brushed a painter devised a march round and round the temple of all the priests bearing lighted flambeau and singing in chorus a wild litany a confused medley of supplications to the son and the guy which accompanied as it was by the discordant beating drums and the clanging of bells had an evidently powerful effect on the minds of the assembled populace for presently they also joined in the maddening chant and growing more and more possessed by the contagious fever of fanaticism began to howl and shriek and clap their hands furiously creating a frightful din suggestive of some fiendish clamor in hell the o's half-deafened by the horrible uproar as well as roused to an abnormal pitch of restless excitement looked round to see how Saluma comported himself he was sitting quite still in a perfectly composed attitude a faint, divisive smile played on his lips his profile as it just then appeared had the firmness and the pure soft outline of a delicately finished cameo his splendid eyes now darkened now lightened with passion as he gazed at Lycee who all alone in the center of the shrine held her ebony staff as perpendicularly erect as though it were a tree rooted fathoms deep in earth keeping herself too as motionless as a figure of frozen snow and the king what of him glancing at that bronze-like brooding countenance the o's was startled and at the same time half-fascinated by its expression such a mixture of tigerish tenderness servile idolatry and temperate desire and craven fear he had never seen delineated on the face of any human being in the black thirsty eyes there was a look that spoke volumes a look that portrayed what the heart concealed and reading that featured emblazement of hidden guilt feels new beyond all doubt that the rumors concerning the high priestess and the king were true that the dead coast rule had spoken rightly does that for on him loved Lycee love it seemed to tame a word for the pent-up fury of passion that visibly and violently consumed the man what would be the result when the high priestess is the king's mistress then fall alcarus these foolish dogro lines why did they suggest themselves they meant nothing the question did not concern alcarus at all that the city's standard fall as it lists took here so long as saluma escaped injury such at least was the tenor of theos's thoughts as he rapidly began to calculate certain contingencies that now seemed likely to occur if for instance the king were made aware of saluma's intrigue with lycee would not his rage and jealousy exceed all bounds and if on the other hand saluma were convinced of the king's passion for the same fatally fair traitors would not his wrath and injured self-love overbear all loyalty and prudence and between the two powerful rivals who thus by stealth enjoyed her capricious favors what would lycee's own decision be like a loud hissing in his ears he heard again the murder's command a command which was half a menace kill saluma faint shutters as a icy cold ran through him he nerfed himself to meet some deadly evil though he could not guess what that evil might be he was willing to throw away all the paths that haunted him and cut off all hope of a future provided he could only baffle the snares of that pitiless beauty to whom the torture of men was an evident joy and rescue his beloved and gifted friend from her perilous attraction making a strong effort to master the inward conflict of fear and pain that tormented him he turned his attention anew to the gorgeous ceremony that was going on the march of the priests who come to an abrupt end they stood now on each side of the shrine divided in groups of equal numbers tossing their flambeau around and above them to the measured ringing of bells that every upward wave of these flaring torches a tongue of fire leaped aloft to an instantly break in descent in a sparkling shower of gold the effect of this was wonderful in the extreme as by the dexterous way in which the flames were flung forth it appeared to the spectator's eyes as though a luminous snake were twisting and corning itself to info in mid-air all loud music ceased the multitude calmed down by degrees and left off their delirious cries of frenzy or rapture there was nothing heard but a monotonous chanting in under ten of which not a syllable was distinctly intelligible then from out a dark portal unperceived in the shadow gloom of a curtain niche their advance to procession of young girls fifteen all clad in pure white and closely veiled they carried small sitherns and arriving in front of the shrine they knelt down in a semi-circle and very gently began to strike their short responsive strings the murmur of a lazy rivulet among whispering wreaths the sighing suggestions of leaves ready to fall in autumn the low-language trilling of nightingales just learning to sing any or all these might be said to resemble the dulcet melody they played while every delicate arpeggio every rippling chord was muffled with a soft pressure of their hands air the sound had time to become vehement this self-like harping continued for a short interval during which the priests gathered in a ring round a huge bronze front-shaped vessel hard by dipped their flambeau therein and suddenly extinguished them at the same moment the lights in the body of the temple were all lowered only the arch spanning the shrine blazed in undiminished brilliancy its green tint appearing more intense in contrast with the surrounding deepening shadow and now with a harsh clanging noise as of the turning of heavy bolts and keys the back of the sanctuary parted asunder in the fashion of a revolving doubled doorway and a golden grating was disclosed as strong glistening bars welded together like knotted ropes and wrought with marvelous finish and solidity turning toward the semblance of our prison cell la sea a spoke aloud her clear tones floating with mellifluous slowness above the harsh quiverings of the southern choir come forth O negai thou who did slumber in the bosom of space ere ever the world was made come forth O negai thou who did behold the sun born out of chaos and the earth enriched with ever producing light come forth O negai friend of the gods and the people and comfort us with the divine silence of that wisdom supernal well she pronounced these words the golden grating ascended gradually inch by inch with a steady clank as of the upward winding of a chain and when she ceased there came a mysterious rustling slippery sound suggestive of some creeping thing forcing its way through wet entangled grass or over dead leaves one instant more and a huge serpent a species of python some 10 feet in length glided through the round aperture made by the lifted bars and writhed itself slowly along the marble pavement straight to where la sea stood once it stopped curving back its glistening body in a strange loop as though in readiness to spring but it soon resumed its course and arrived at the high priestess's feet there its whole frame trembled and glowed with extraordinary radiance the prevailing color of its skin was creamy white marked with countless rings and scaly bright spots of silver purple and a peculiar livid blue and all these tints came into brilliant prominence as it crouched before at la sea and twisted its sinuous neck to infer with an evidently fawning and supplicatory gesture while she keeping her somber dark eyes fixed full upon it moved not an inch from her position but majestically serene continued to hold the tall staff of ebony straight and erect as a growing palm the scytherin playing had now the soothing softness of her mother's lullaby to her tired child and as the liquid notes quavered delicately on the other wise deep stillness the formidable reptile began to coil itself ascending late round and around the ebony rod higher and higher one glistening ring after another higher still till its eyes were on a level with the eye of rayfond that flamed on la sea's breast there it paused in apparent reflectiveness and seemed to listen to the slumber's strains that floated toward it in wind-like breaths of sound then starting afresh on its upward way it carefully and with almost human tenderness avoided touching la sea's hand which now rested on the staff between two thick twists of its body and finally it reached the top where fully raising its crested head it displayed the prismatic tense of its soft restless wavy throat which was adorned for the more bi-flexible circle of magnificent diamonds nothing more striking or more singular could the years imagine than the scene now before him the beautiful woman still as sculptured marble and the palpitating snake coiled on that mass like rod and uplifted above her while round the twain knelt the priests their faces covered in their robes and from all parts of the temple the loud shout arose all hail negaya praise honor and glory be unto thee forever and ever then it was that the proud king flung himself to earth and kissed the dust in abject submission then saluma carelessly complacent bent the knee and smiled to himself mocking as he performed the act of veneration then the enormous multitude with class pans and beseeching looks fell down and worshiped the glittering beast of the field whose shining emerald light curiously sat eyes rode hither and thither with a darting yet melancholy eagerness over all the people who called it lord dootheos as imagination it looked a creature more sorrowful than fierce a poor charmed brute that while netted in the drowsy roofs of its mistress liceous magnetic spells seemed as though it dimly wondered why it should thus be raised aloft for the adoration of infatuated humankind its brilliant crest quivered and emitted little arrowy scintillations of lustre the god was ill at ease in the midst of all his splendor and two or three times bent back his gleaming neck as the desirous of descending to the levered ground but when the sense of rebellion declared themselves in the tremors running through the scaly twists of his body licea looked up and it once compelled as it were by involuntary attraction negaya the divine looked down the strange subtle mesmeric sleepy eyes of the woman met the glittering green mournful eyes of the snake and thus the two beautiful creatures regarded each other steadfastly and within an apparent vague sympathy till the deity evidently overcome by a stronger will than his own and resigning himself to the inevitable twisted his radiant head back again to the top of the ebony staff and again surveyed the kneeling crowds of worshipers presently his glistening jaws opened his tongue darted forth vibratingly and he gave vent to a low hissing sound erecting and depressing his crest with extraordinary rapidity so that it flashed like an agrit of rare gems then with slow and solemn step the priest zeal advanced to the front of the shrine and spreading out his hands in the manner of one pronouncing a benediction said loudly and with emphasis negaya the divine doth hear the prayers of his people negaya the supreme doth accept the offered sacrifice bring forth the victim the last words were spoken with stern authoritativeness and scarce they had they been uttered when the great entrance doors of the temple flew open and a procession of children appeared strewing flowers and singing oh happy bride we bring thee unto joy and peace do thee are open the palaces of the air the beautiful silent palaces where the bright stars dwell oh happy bride of negaya how fair of fate is thine pausing the flung reeds and garlands among the people and continued oh happy bride for thee are past all sorrows and sin thou shalt never know shame or pain or grief or the weariness of tears for thee no husband shall prove false no children prove ungrateful oh happy bride of negaya how glad of fate is thine oh happy bride when thou art wedded to that beautiful god the god of rest thou shalt forget all trouble and dwell among sweet dreams forever thou art the blessed one chosen for the love embraces of negaya oh happy bride how glorious of fate is thine thus they sang in the soft strange vow language of alchurus and tripped along with that innocent unthinking gaiety usual to such young creatures up to the center aisle toward the sanctuary they were followed by four priests and scarlet robes and closely masked and walking steadfastly between these camels slim girl clad in white bailed from head to foot and crowned with a wreath of lotus lilies all the congregation as though moved by an impulse turned to look at her as she passed but her features were not as yet discernible through the mist-like draperies that enfolded her the singing children always preceding her and scattering flowers having arrived at the steps to the shrine grouped themselves on either side and the red-garmented priests after having made several genuflections to the glittering python that now with reared neck and quivering fangs seemed to watch everything that was going on with absorbed and crafty vigilance proceeded to unveil the maiden martyr and also to tie her slight hands behind her back by means of a knotted silver cord then in a firm voice the priest's L proclaimed behold the elected bride of the sun and the divine Nagaya she bears away from the city the burden of your sins O ye people and by her death the gods are satisfied rejoice greatly for ye are absolved and by the silver veil and the eye of Rayfond we pronounce upon all here present the blessing of pardon and peace as he spoke the girl turned round as though in obedience to some mechanical impulse and fully confronted the multitude her pale pure face framed in a shining oriole of rippling fair hair floated before theoses bewildered eyes like a vision seen indistinctly in a magic crystal and he was for a moment uncertain of her identity but quick as a flash Saluma's glance lighted upon her and with a cry of horror that scent desolate echoes through and through the arches of the temple he started from his seat his arms outstretched his whole frame convulsed and quivering nifrata nifrata and his rich voice shook with a passion of appeal O ye gods what mad blind murders cruelty suffer on him and he turned impetuously on the astonished monarch as thou livest crowned king I say this made his mind and in the very presence of Nagaya I swear she shall not die into chapter 27 chapter 28 of our death by Marie Corelli this LibriVox recording is in the public domain the sacrifice a solemn silence ensued consternation and wrath were depicted on every countenance the sacred service was interrupted a defiance had been hurled as it were in the very teeth of the god Nagaya and this horrible outrage to religion and law had been actually committed by the laureate of the realm it was preposterous incredible and the gaping crowds reached over each other's shoulders to stare at the offender pressing forward eager wandering startle faces which toothios looked far more spectral than real seen in the shimmering green radiance that was thrown flickering upon them from the luminous arch above the altar the priest stood still and speechless indignation Lyosia moved not at all nor raised her eyes only her lips parted in a very slight cold smile seized with mortal dread theos gazed helplessly at his reckless beautiful poet friend who with head erect and visage white as a waning moon haughtily confronted his sovereign and audaciously asserted his right to be heard even in the holy place of worship the king was the first to break the breathless stillness his words came harshly from his throat and the great muscles in his neck seemed to swell visibly with his hardly controlled anger peace thou art suddenly distraught saluma he said in half smothered fierce accents how darest thou uplift thy clamors tongue thus wantingly before nagaya and interrupt the progress of his sacred ritual check that mad speech if ever yonder made with thine to certain she is thine no longer she hath offered herself a voluntary sacrifice and the gods are pleased to claim what thou perchance has failed to value for all answer saluma flung himself desperately at the monarch's feet zephyr on him he cried again i tell thee she is mine mine as truly mine as love and maker oh she is chaser than lily buds in her sweet body but in her spirit she is wedded wedded to me saluma whom thou o king hast ever delighted to honor and now must i kneel to thee in vain thou whose victories i have sung whose praises i have chanted in burning words that shall carry thy name forever with triumph down to unborn generations will thou become inglorious a warrior stricken strengthless by the memories of priest craft the juggleries of a perishing creed thou art the ruler of alchiris thou and thou only restored to me this innocent virgin life that is scarcely yet begun to bloom speak but the word and she is saved and her timely rescue shall add luster to the record of thy noblest deeds his matchless voice full of passionate pulsations exercise for a moment of resistless influence and magnetic charm the king's lowering brows relaxed and a gleam of pity passed like light across his countenance instinctively he extended his hand to raise saluma from a humble attitude as though even in his wrath he were conscious of the immense intellectual superiority of a great poet to ever so great a king and the thrill of involuntary compassion seemed at the same time to run sympathetically through the vast congregation theos drew a quick breath of relief and glanced at the frotter how cold and unconcerned was her demeanor did she not hear saluma's pleading in her behalf no matter she would be saved he thought and all would yet be well and truly it now appeared as if mercy and not cruelty were to be the order of the hour for just then the priest's ill after having exchanged a few inaudible words with lycea advanced again to the front of the shrine and spoke in distinct tones of forced gentleness and bland forbearance hear me oh king princes and people whereas it has unhappily occurred to the wonder and sorrow of many that the holy spouse of the divine negaya is delayed in her desired departure by the unforeseen opposition and unedifying intimacy of saluma poet laury of this realm unless it may be perchance imagined by the uninitiated that the maiden is in any way unwilling to fulfill her glorious destiny the high and immaculate priestess of the shrine doth bid me hear pronounce a respite a brief interval wherein if the king and the people be willing he who is named saluma shall by virtue of his high renown be permitted to address the virgin victim and ascertain her own wishes from her own lips injustice cannot dwell within this sacred temple and if on trial the maiden chooses the transitory joys of earth in preference to the everlasting joys of the palaces of the sun then in the guy his name shall she go free in as much as that god loves not a reluctant bride and better no sacrifice at all than one that is grudgingly consummated he seized in saluma sprang erect his eyes sparkling his whole demeanor that of a man unexpectedly disperting from some crushing grief thanks be unto the benevolent destiny see exclaimed flashing a quick glance of gratitude toward licea the statuesque licea on whose delicately curved lips the faintly derisive smile still lingered and in return for the life of my defraud I will give a thousand jewels rare beyond all price to deck the guy is tabernacle and I will pour libations to the sun for 20 days and nights in token of my heart's requital for mercy well bestowed stooping he kissed the king's hand we're upon at a sign from zeal one of the priests attired in scarlet unfast and the frauders found hands and let her as one leads up blind child straight up to where saluma and theo stood close beside the king who together with many others stared curiously upon her how fixed and feverishly brilliant were her large dark blue eyes how except were the sensitive lines of her mouth how indifferent she seemed how totally unaware of the laureate's presence the priest who brought her retired into the background and she remained where he left her quite mute and motionless oh how every nerve and theos' body throbbed with inexpressible agony as he beheld her thus the wildest remorse possessed him it was as though he looked on the dim picture of a ruin which he himself had recklessly wrought and he could have grown allowed in the horrible vagueness of his incomprehensible despair saluma caught the girl's hand and peered into her white still face nefrada nefrada he said in a tremulous half whisper i'm here saluma does thou not know me she sighed a long shivering sigh and smiled what a strange whisper dying smile it was but she made no answer nefrada continued the laureate passionately pressing the little cold fingers that lay so passively in his grasp look at me i've come to save thee to take thee home again home to thy flowers thy birds thy harp thy pretty chamber with his curtain nook where thy friend zorlan waits and weeps all day for thee oh ye gods how weak am i and he fiercely bedashed away the drops that glistened on his black silky lashes come with me sweet one he resumed tenderly come why art thou thus silent thou whose voice hath many a time out rival the music of the nightingales hast thou no word for me by lord come and theos struggling to repress his own rising tears hurt his friend's accents sink into a still lower more caressing cadence thou shalt never again have cause for grief mind of fraud never we will never part listen am i not he whom thou lovest the poor child's set mouth trembled her beautiful sad eyes gazed at him uncomprehendingly he whom i love is not here she said in tired soft tones i left him but he followed me and now he waits for me yonder and she turned resolutely toward the sanctuary as though compelled to do so by some powerful mesmeric attraction see you not how fair he is and she pointed with her disengaged hand to the formidable python through whose huge coils ran the tremors of impatient and eager breathing how tenderly his eyes behold me those eyes that i've worshiped so patiently so faithfully and yet that never lightened into love for me till now oh thou more than beloved how beautiful thou art my adored one my heart's idle and a look of pale exaltation lightened her features as she fixed her wistful gaze like a fascinated bird on the shadowy recess whence the serpent had emerged there there thou dost rest on a couch of fadeless roses how softly the moonlight enfolds thee with a radiance as about spread wings i hear thy voice charming the silence thou dost call me by my name oh once poor name made rich by thy sweet utterance yes my beloved i'm ready i come i shall die in thy embraces nay i shall not die but sleep and dream a dream of love that shall last forever and ever no more sorrow no more tears no more heart-sick longings here she stopped in her incoherent speech and strove to release her hand from salumas her blue eyes filling with infinite anxiety and distress i pray the good stranger she entreated with touching mildness who soever thou art delay me not but let me go i am but a poor love sorrowful mate on whom love hath at last taken pity be gentle therefore and hinder me not on my way to saluma i've waited for happiness so long so long her young plaintive voice quavered into a half sob and again she endeavored to break away from the laureates hold but he overcome by the excess of his own grief and agitation seized her other hand and drew her close up to him nifrata nifrata he cried despairingly what evil hath befalling thee where is thy sight thy memory look look straight in these eyes of mine and read there my truth and tenderness i am saluma thine own saluma thy poet thy lover thy master thy slave all that thou wouldst have me be i am wither which thou wander in search of me thou hast no further to go dear heart than these arms thou art safe with me my singing bird come let me lead the hands and home she watched him while he spoke with a strange expression of distrust and uneasiness then by a violent effort she wrenched her hands from his clasp and stood aloof waving him back with an eloquent gesture of amazed reproach away she said in firm accents of sweet severity thou art a demon that does seek to tempt my soul to ruin thou saluma and she lifted her lily crowned head with that movement of proud rejection nay thou mayest wear his look your smile thou mayest even borrow the clear heaven luster of his eyes but i tell thee thou art fiend not angel and i will not follow thee into the tangled ways of sin oh thou knowest not the meaning of true love thou there is treachery on thy lips and thy tongue is trained to utter honey falsehood me thinks thou hast wantonly broken many a faithful heart and made like jest of many a betrayed virgin sorrow and thou darest to call thyself my poet my saluma in whom there is no guile and who would die a thousand deaths rather than wound the frail his soul that trusted him depart from me thou happy grit in poets guise thou cruel phantom of my love back to that darkness where thou dost belong and trouble not my peace saluma recoil from her amazed and stupefied theos clenched his hands together in a sort of physical effort to keep down the storm of emotions working within him for nefrata's words burnt into his brain like fire too well too well he understood their full intensity of meaning she loved the ideal saluma the saluma of her own pure fancies and desires not the real man as he was with all his haughty egotism vain glory and vice vice in which he took more pride than shame perhaps she had never known him in his actual character she like other women of her lofty and art and type had no doubt set up the hero of her life as a god in the shrine of her own holy and enthusiastic imagination and had there endowed him with resplendent virtues which he had never once deemed it worth his wild to practice oh the loving hearts of women how much men have to answer for when they voluntarily break these clear mirrors of affection wherein they all unworthy have been for a time reflected angel wise with all the warmth and color of an innocently adoring passion shining about them like the prismatic rays in a vase of polished crystal to nefrata saluma remained as a sort of splendid divinity for whom no devotion was too vast too high or too complete better oh surely far better that she should die in her beautiful self deception and live to see her elected idol descend to his true level and openly display all the weaknesses of his volatile flippant godless sensual yet alas most fascinating and genius gifted nature a nature which overflowing as it was with potentialities of noble deeds yet lacked sufficient intrinsic faith and force to accomplish them this thought stung theos like a sharp arrow prick and filled him with a strange indescribable penitence and he stood in dumb misery remorsefully eyeing his friend's consternation disappointment and pain bewilderment without being able to offer him the slightest consolation saluma was indeed the very picture of dismay if he had never suffered in his life before surely he suffered now nefrata the tender the humbly adoring nefrata positively rejected him refused to recognize his actual presence and turned insanely away from him toward some dream ideal saluma whom she fancied could only be found in that unexplored country bordered by the cold river of death meanwhile the silence in the temple was intense the priests were like so many wax figures fastened in fixed positions the king leaning slightly forward in his chair had the appearance of a massively molded image of bronze and to theos's overwrought condition of mind the only actually living things present seemed to be the monster serpent whose scaly folds palpitated visibly in that strong light and the hideous eye of rayfond that blazed unless he is breast without menacing stare as of a wrathful ghoul all at once a flash of comprehension lightened the laureate sternly perplexed face a bitter laugh broke from his lips she has been drugged he cried fiercely pointing to nefrata's white and rigid form poisoned by some deadly potion devised of devils to twist and torture the quivering centers of the brain a cursed work will none undo it and springing forward nearer the shrine erased his angry impassioned eyes to the dark inscrutable ones of the high priestess who met his trouble look with serene and irresponsible gravity is there no touch of human pity in things divine no mercy in the icy feet that rules our destinies this child knows not of what she does she have been led astray in a moment of excitement and religious exaltation her mind hath lost its balance her thoughts float disconnectedly on a sea of vague illusions ah by the gods i understand it all now and he suddenly threw himself on his knees his appealing gaze resting not on the snake deity but on the lovely countenance of la sea fair and brilliant as a summer morn with a certain waving light of triumph about it like the reflected radiance of sun beams she is under the influence of ray found oh withering madness oh cureless misery she is ruled by that most horrible secret force unknown as yet to the outer world of men and she hears things that are not and sees what has no existence oh la sea daughter of the sun i do beseech thee by all the inborn gentleness of womanhood unwind the mystic spell a serious smile of fain sorrowful compassion for the beautiful lips of the priestess but she gave no word or sign in answer and the weird jewel on her breast at that moment shot forth a mirrored scintillations as appointed sharp steel some extraordinary power in it or in la sea herself was manifested work for without violence starts aluma rose from his knees unstaggered helplessly backward when hand pressed to his eyes as though to shut out some blinding blaze of lightning he seemed to be vaguely groping his way to his former place beside the king and theos seeing this quickly caught him by the arm and drew him wither whispering angstlessly the while saluma saluma what ails thee the laureate turned upon him a bewildered piteous face white with an intensity of speechless anguish nothing he faltered nothing tis over the child must die then all suddenly the hard drawn lines of his countenance relaxed great tears gathered in his eyes and fell slowly one by one and moving aside he shrank away as far as possible into the shadow cast by a huge column close by oh nefrada nefrada theos heard him say in a voice broken by despair why do i love the only now now when thou art lost to me forever the king looked after him half compassionately half sullenly but presently paid no further heed to his distress theos however kept near him whispering whatever poor suggestions of comfort he could in the extremity of his own grief devise a hopeless task for to all his offered solace saluma made but the one reply oh let me weep let me weep for the untimely death of innocence and now the sithern playing which had ceased commenced again accompanied by the mysterious thrilling bass notes of the invisible organ-like instrument whose sound resembled the roll and rush of huge billows breaking into foam as the rich and solemn strains swept grandly through the spacious temple nefrada stretched out her hands toward the high priestess a smile of wonderful beauty lighting up her fair child face take me oh ye immortal god she cried her voice ringing in clear tune above all the other music take me and bear me away on your strong swift wings to the everlasting palaces of air wherein all sorrows have been impatient love beats have lasted long delayed reward take me for lo i'm ready to depart my soul is wounded and weary of its prison it struggles to be free or destiny i thank thee for that mercy i praise thee for the glory thou dost hear unveil before my eyes pardon my sins accept my life sanctify my love a murmur of relief and rejoicing ran rippling through the listening crowds a weight seemed lifted from their minds the victim was willing to die after all the sacrifice would be proceeded with there was a slight pause during which the priest crossed and recrossed the sanctuary many times one of them descending the steps to tighten nefrada's hands behind her back as before in the immediate interest of the moment saluma and his hot interference seemed to be almost forgotten a few people in decast injured and indignant looks toward the corner where he dejectedly leaned and once the wrinkled malicious head of old sabbastis peered at him with an expression of incredulous amazement but otherwise no sympathy was manifested by anyone for the popular laureate suffering and his comforture he was the nation's puppet it's tame bird whose business was to sing when bitten but he was not expected to have any voice in matters of religion or policy and still less was he supposed to intrude any of his own personal griefs on the public notice let him sing and sing well that was enough but let him dare to be afflicted and annoy others with his wants and troubles why then he at once became uninteresting he might even die for all anybody cared this was the unspoken sullen thought that theos sensitive to the core on his friend's behalf instinctively felt to be smoldering in the heart of the mighty multitude and he resented the half implied latent ungratefulness of the people with all his soul fools he muttered under his breath for you and such as you the wisest sages toil in vain on you art waste sir treasures of suggestive loveliness low grovelers in earth ye have no eyes for heaven oh ignorant ungenerous fickle hypocrites whose ruling passion is the greed of gold why should great men perish that ye may live and yet your acclamations make up the thing called fame good god does a brief shout in the universal clamor scarce heard and soon forgotten and filled with strange bitterness he gazed disgust slightly at nefrada who stood like one in a trance of ecstasy patiently waiting her doom her lovely innocent blue eyes gladly upturned to the long jewel like head of negaya which twined round the summit of the ebony staff seemed to peer down at her in a sort of drowsy reflectiveness then all suddenly licea spoke how enchanting was the exquisite modulation of that slow language silvery voice come hither oh maiden fair pure and faithful the desire of that soul is granted before the other gates of the unknown world already they opened to admit thee through their golden bars gleams the glory of thy future speak what see is thou a moment of breathless silence ensued all present seem to be straining their ears to catch the victim's answer it came soft and clear isabel i see a wondrous land or canopy with skies of gold and azure white flowers grow in the fragrant fields there are many trees i hear the warbling of many birds i see fair faces that smile upon me and gentle hands that beckon figures that wear glistening robes and carry garlands of roses and myrtle pass slowly singing as they go how beautiful they are how strange how sweet and as she uttered these words in accents of dreamy delight she ascended the first step of the shrine theo's looking held his breath in wonder and fear while saluma with a groan turned himself resolutely away and pressing his forehead against the great column where he stood he desires in his class hands the high priestess continued come hither o maiden of chaste and patient life rejoice greatly for thy virtue hath pleased the gods the undiscovered marvels of the stars are thine earth has no more control over thee heaven is thine absolute heritage behold the ship of the sun awaits thee speak what see is thou a soft cry of rapture came from the girl's lips oh see glory everywhere she exclaimed light everywhere peace everywhere oh joy joy the face of my beloved shines upon me he calls he bids me come to him ah we shall be together at last we twain shall be as one never depart never to doubt never to suffer more oh let me hasten to him why should I linger this when I would faint be gone and she sprang eagerly up the second and third steps of the sanctuary and faced licea her head thrown back her blue eyes ablaze with excitement her bosom heaving and her delicate features transfigured and illumined by unspeakable inward delirious bliss just then the presale lifted this long jewel-hilted knife from the back cushion where it had lain till now and crouching stealthily in the shadow behind licea held it in both hands pointed straightforward in a level line with nathrata's breast thus armed he waited silent and immovable a slight shutter of morbid expectancy seemed to quiver through the vast congregation but theos' nerves were strung up to such a high pitch a frenzy horror that he could neither speak nor sigh motionless as a stature he could only watch with freezing blood each detail of the extraordinary scene once more the high priest has spoke come hither oh happy maiden whose griefs are ended the day of thy triumph and reward has dawn for thee the immortals unveil the mysteries of being to thee they openly declare all secrets to thee the hidden things of wisdom are made manifest for the last time ere thou leave us us here and answer speak what see as thou love replied nathrata in a tone of thrilling and solemn tenderness love the eternal all in which dark things are made light love that is never served in vain love wherein lost happiness has rediscovered him and perfected oh divine love by whom the passion of my heart has sanctified absorbed me in the quenchless glory of thine immortality draw me to thyself and let me find in thee my soul's completion her voice sank to a slow prayerful emphasis her look was as of a wrapped angel waiting for wings lycea's gaze dwelt upon it with slow dilating wonder and contempt such a devout and earnest application was evident made not commonly heard from the lips of negaia's victims at that instant to negaia himself seemed curiously excited and disturbed his great glittering coils quivered so violently as to shake the rod in which he was trying to win his priestess raised her mesmeric reproving eyes toward him he bent back his head rebelliously and sent a vehement hiss through the silence like the noise made by the roar of a cemetery suddenly and with deafening abruptness a clap of thunder short and sharp as a quick volley of musket tree crashed overhead accompanied by a strange circular sweep of lightning that blazed through the windows of the temple illuminating it from end to end with a brilliant blue glare the superstitious crowd exchanged startled looks of terror the king moved uneasily and glanced frowningly about him it was plainly manifest that no one had forgotten the disaster's downfall of the obelisk and there seemed to be a contagion of alarm in the very air but licea was perfectly self-possessed in fact she appeared to accept the threat of a storm as an imposing and by no means undesirable adjunct to the mysteries of the sacroficial rite for riveting her vascular eyes on the frother she said in firm clear decisive accents the gods grow impatient wherefore oh princess and people of alkyr's let us hasten to appease their anger depart oh stain is made depart hence and be take thee to the golden throne of the sun our lord and ruler and in the name of the guy may the shedding of that virginal blood avert from us and ours the wrath of the immortals linger no longer and the guy accepts thee and the hour strikes death with the last word a southern bell boomed heavily through and through the temple and it once like a frenzy bird or butterfly winging its way into scorching flame nefrota rushed forward with swift unhesitating dreadful precision straight on the knife outheld by the untrendling ruthless hands of the priest's zone one second in theory sick with horror saw her speeding thus the next and the whole place was enveloped in dense darkness end of chapter 28