Part 35 (2/2)
Then Leonard, who had hitherto listened in silence, asked a question through Juanna ”How is it,” he said, ”that Na already in absolute poere so willing to accept the Gods Jal and Aca when they appeared in person, seeing that henceforth they must obey, not rule?”
”For two reasons, lord,” Olfan answered; ”first, because the Gods are Gods, and their servants know theer of losing his authority Of all the chief priests that have been told of, Nareedy For three years he has doubled the tale of sacrifices, and though the people love these sights of death, they murmur, for none know upon whoreet the Gods coht that they would confirher than he sat before Now he is astonished because they proclaim peace and will have none of the sacrifice of entle Gods”
”Yet he shall obey the for the first ti as interpreter, ”or drink his own medicine, for I myself will sacrifice him to myself”
When Juanna had translated the dwarf's bloodthirsty threat, Olfan bowed his head meekly and smiled; clearly the prospect of Narief It was curious to see this stately warrior chief hu his pride before the misshapen, knob-nosed Kaffir
”Say, Olfan,” asked Leonard, ”who cut froht, and what is that reptile hen the woman was thrown into the pool of troubled waters?”
”Ask the Water-dweller of the water-dweller, the Snake of the snake, and the Dwarf of his i towards Otter ”How can I, who as, lord? I only know that the statue was fashi+oned in the far past, ho are now but a rereat people; and as for the Snake, he has always lived there in his holy place Our grandfather's grandfathers knew hi fact in natural history,” said Leonard; ”I wish I could get hiical Gardens”
Then he asked another question ”Tell me, Olfan, what became of the red stones yesterday, and of hi them to the God yonder?”
”The most of them were cast into the pit of waters, lord, there to be hidden for ever There were three hide sacks full”
”Oh, heavens!” groaned Leonard when Juanna had translated this ”Otter, you have so to answer for!”
”But the choicest,” went on Olfan, ”were put in a s, and tied about the neck of thetheest stones, that until yesterday shone in the eyes of the idol, stones blue and red together Also, there was that stone, shaped like a huh priest on the days of sacrifice, and with it the iereat blue stone, and other smaller ones chosen because of their beauty and also because they have been known for long in the land For althoughfor the them is lost”
”And what beca as quietly as he could, for his excitereat
”Nay, I do not know,” answered Olfan ”I only know that he was let doith ropes into the hoained that holy place, for it was told to ed rope after him, perhaps as he fled before the Snake
”Noas pro of stones in the place of the Snake, for the Snake to guard for ever, his sins would be purged, and, if it pleased the Water-dweller to spare hiain Thus Nam swore to him, but he did not keep his oath, for when the man had entered the cave he bade those who held the ropes to cast them loose, and I know not what happened to him, but doubtless he is food for the Snake None who look upon that holy place ain”
”I only hope that the brute did not s the rubies as well as their bearer,” said Leonard to Juanna; ”not that there isthem, anyway”
Then Olfan went, nor did he return till the afternoon, when he announced that Nam and his two principal priests waited without to speak with them Juanna ordered that they should be admitted, and presently they came in Their air was hulea in their sombre eyes, and was not deceived by this mask of hu Juanna and Otter, who sat side by side on the throne-like chairs: ”we come to ask your will, for ye have laid down a nehich we do not understand On the third day from now is the feast of Jal, and fifty women are made ready to be offered to Jal that his wrath may be appeased with their blood, and that hehis servants, and withhold his anger froood season This has been the custoeneration, and whenever that custorown, nor have the cattle and the goats multiplied after their kind But now, O ye Gods, ye have proclaimed a ne, and I, who am yet your servant, coo, and what sacrifice shall be offered unto you?”
”The feast shall go thus,” answered Juanna ”Ye shall offer us a sacrifice indeed; to each of us shall ye offer an ox and a goat, and the ox and the goat shall be given to the Snake to feed him, but not the flesh of men; ht-tioat!” said Nam humbly, but in a voice of bitterest sarcasentle-hearted Gods And the festival shall be held at noon, and not in the night season as of old As ye will, O ye kind Gods Your word is ed man withdrew himself, followed by his satellites
”That devilish priest makes my flesh creep,” said Juanna, when she had translated his words
”Oh! Baas, Baas,” echoed Otter, ”why did you not shoot hiht? Noill surely live to throw us to the Snake”
As he spoke Soa advanced froe when Naives himself out as a God to threaten the life of one wholy ”Perchance the hour shall coe himself on the false, and by the hand of his faithful servant, whom you would do to death, you base-born dwarf” And before anyone could answer she left the cha a malevolent look at Otter as she went
”That servant of yours makes _ is clear enough, we must not allow her to overhear any reat deal too much already”
”I cannot understand what has happened to Soa,” said Juanna; ”she seeed”