Part 35 (1/2)
”You are a marvellous woman, Juanna,” said Leonard, with ade”
”You see I was right in insisting on coressively
”For our sakes, yes; for your own I am not so sure To tell you the truth, I think that we should have done better never to have started on thisnow, though Nam and his company have still to be reckoned with, and we don't seem much nearer the rubies, which are our one, and we shall be lucky if we do not follow theht”
”Francisco,” said Leonard, as he rolled hiht If I had missed my hold!”
”Yes, Outra and your mind quick Ah, I am a dreadful coward, and I can see the place now;” and he shuddered ”Always from a child I have believed that I shall die by a fall froht that my hour had co the Senora's face in the el Then I saw, and h hands were stretched up fro h that will not help me, for I shall perish in some such way at last So be it It is best that I should die, who cannot conquer the evil of my heart”
”Nonsense,
We can none of us afford to die just at present--that is, unless we are obliged to do so Your nerves are upset, and no wonder! As for 'the evil of your heart,' I wish that o to sleep; you will feel very differently to-morrow”
Francisco san to say his prayers The last thing that Leonard saw before his eyes closed in sleep was the rapt girlish face of the priest, round which the light of the taper fell like an aureole, as he kneltprayer after prayer with his pale lips
It was nine o'clock before Leonard awoke next --for they had not slept till nearly four--to find Francisco already up, dressed, and, as usual, praying When Leonard was ready they adjourned to Juanna's room, where breakfast was prepared for the somewhat disturbed
”Baas, Baas,” he said, ”they have coo away!”
”Who?” asked Leonard
”The woiven to me to wife, and many other women--her servants--with her There are more than twenty of the Nohat shall I do with her, Baas? I came here to serve you and to seek the red stones that you desire, and not a worandmother”
”I really don't know and don't care,” answered Leonard ”If you will be a God you must take the consequences Only beware, Otter: lock up your tongue, for this woe, and she may be a spy”
”Yes, Baas, I will see to that Is not my name Silence, and shall women make me talk--me, who have always hated them? But--the Baas would not like to h it was you who ive her to you, Baas”
”Certainly not,” answered Leonard decidedly ”See if the breakfast is ready No, I forgot, you are a God, so climb up into the throne and look the part, if you can”
As he spoke, Juanna ca a little pale, and they sat down to breakfast Before they had finished theirwithout Juanna ordered him to be admitted, and presently he entered
”Is all well, Olfan?” asked Juanna
”All is well, Queen,” he answered ”Na held council at dawn in the house of the priests yonder There is much stir and talk in the city, but the hearts of the people are light because their ancient Gods have co peace with thean to question hirees they learnt more of the People of the Mist
It seeuessed, that they were a very ancient race, having existed for countless generations on the saether isolated, for occasionally they e tribes But they never intermarried with these tribes, all the captives taken in their wars being offered in sacrifice at the religious festivals The real governing power in the community was the Society of the Priests of the Snake, who held their office by hereditary tenure, outsiders being admitted to their body only under very exceptional circus, and when they eary of one of the his issue or elsewhere This being the custoined, the relations between church and state were much strained, but hitherto, as Olfan explained with suppressed rage, the church had been supre was only its mouthpiece, or executive officer He led the armies, but the superstitions of the people, and even of the soldiers the any real power; and, unless he chanced to die naturally, his end was nearly always the sary”
The country was large but sparsely populated, the fighting men numbered not reat city, the rest occupying villages here and there on the amous, except the priests It was the custom of sacrifice which kept down the population to its low level, reater than that of all the other inhabitants of the country put together, for they chose the victiainst the mother-Goddess, and confiscated their possessions to ”the service of the tereat herds of half-wild cattle which the travellers had seen on the plains belonged to the priests, and the priests took a fourth of the produce of every arden--that is, when they did not take it all, and his life with it
Twice in every year great festivals were held in the te season and in the autu of the crops At each of these festivals many victims were offered in sacrifice, so pool beneath the statue, there to be consuround river The feast celebrated in the spring was sacred to Jal, and that in the autumn to the mother-Goddess But there was this difference between the ceremony female victims only were sacrificed to Jal to propitiate him and to avert his evil influence, while at the autumn celebration ratitude for her gifts of plenty Also crier ht be satisfied The priests had other rites, Olfan added, and these they would have an opportunity of witnessing if the spring festival, which should be celebrated on the second day fro to custom
”It shall not be celebrated,” said Juanna, almost fiercely