Part 32 (1/2)
The reh After the first exciteone by a reaction set in, and everybody was much depressed As the hours drew on, the mist, which had lifted a little about ten o'clock, closed in very densely, throwing the ill-lighted chaloouished; indeed, at tiether, and the only sound to be heard was that of the monotonous voices of the priests without the curtains, as they th Leonard could bear it no longer, but rose, declaring that he was going out to see whatever ht be seen Juanna tried faintly to dissuade him, and Otter wished to come too, which was impossible The end of it was that he went alone
First he revisited the SettlementThen he passed to the great gates of the palace yard and looked through them The mist had lifted a little, and about a hundred paces away he could perceive the doors of the temple, on either side of which rose Cyclopean walls fifty feet or ht It was obvious that here preparations for soe scale, for ih which bodies of priests and armed men passed continually
More he could not learn, for the gates of the palace yard were barred and guarded, and the soldiers would not let hi till sunset, then returning to the others, he told them what he had seen
Another hour passed, and suddenly the curtains were drawn aside and a body of priests entered, twelve in nue candles of fat in their hands, and headed by their chief, Na theed in silence
”Speak on,” said Juanna at length
”We come, O Mother, and O Snake,” said the priest Nam, ”to lead you to the temple that the people may look upon their Gods”
”It is well; lead on,” Juanna answered
”First you must be robed, Mother,” said Nam, ”for without the temple none may look upon your divinity, save your priests alone”
Rising as he spoke, he produced a black dress fro, which was carried by an attendant This dress was very curious It fastened in front with buttons of horn, and either was, or seele piece frooats Moreover, it had sleeves just long enough to leave the hands of the wearer visible, and beneath its peaked cap was a sort of mask with three slits, two for the eyes and one for the ar like the black ghost of a ave her two flowers, a red lily and a white, to be held in either hand, and it appeared that her equipment was complete
Next they cae of hair about his forehead in such fashi+on that the fringe hid his eyes, at the sa in his hand a sceptre of ivory, apparently of very ancient workmanshi+p, and fashi+oned in the shape of a snake standing on its tail
”All is prepared,” said Naain ”But let our servants come with us, both those here and those without, save the woman only, who stays to make ready for our return”
Juanna spoke thus because Soa had announced her wish to be left behind when they went to the teave it as his opinion that Soa had good reasons of her own forthis request Also he pointed out that in case of disturbance she could scarcely help theht possibly prove an encumbrance
”They wait,” answered Nam; ”all is prepared for _them_ also”: and as he spoke a sardonic smile flickered on his withered countenance that made Leonard feel very uncomfortable What was prepared, he wondered?
They passed through the curtains into the courtyard, where soldiers, clad in goat-skin cloaks, waited with two litters Here also were the Settleuarded by about fifty of the Great People, also armed
Juanna and Otter entered the litters, behind which Leonard for in front of it hi rifles in their hands and revolvers at their girdles, of which no attempt was made to deprive them, for none knew their use
Then they started, surrounded by the bare-breasted priests, who chanted and waved torches as they walked, and preceded and followed by the griht flashed oates of the palace yard were opened They passed them and across the space beyond until they reached the doors of the temple, which were throide before them
Here Otter and Juanna descended fro them in darkness
Leonard felt his hand seized and was led along, he knew not where, for the loom was intense He could scarcely see the face even of the priest who conducted theathered that all their party were being guided in a similar fashi+on Once or twice also he heard the voice of a Settle in accents of fear or complaint, but such demonstrations were followed quickly by the sound of a heavy blow, dealt, no doubt, by the priest or soldier in charge of that individual Evidently it was expected that all should be silent
Presently Leonard became aware that they had left the open space across which they alking, for the air grew close and their footsteps rang hollow on the rocky floor
”I believe that we are in a tunnel,” whispered Francisco
”Silence, dog,” hissed a priest in his ear ”Silence, this place is holy”
They did not understand theof the words at the moment, but the tone in which they were spoken made their purport sufficiently clear
Leonard took the hint, and at the saan to be afraid for their safety Whither were they being led--to a dungeon? Well, they would soon know, and at the worst it was not probable that these barbarians would hare for about a hundred and fifty paces; at first it sloped doards, then the floor becaan to ascend a stair There were sixty-one stone steps in this stairway, for Leonard counted theh, and when all were cli a tunnel that echoed strangely to their steps, and was so low that theyfro, they stood upon a platforht air fanned their brows