band going in front of it himself with both of them having in their hands and at their of which no attempt was made to deprive them for none knew their use then they started surrounded by the bare priests who and waved as they walked and preceded and followed by the grim of tall soldiers on whose the torch light flashed as they came the gates of the palace yard were opened they passed them and across the space beyond until they reached the doors of the temple which were thrown wide before them here and descended from the and all the were extinguished leaving them in darkness felt his hand seized and was led along he knew not where for the misty gloom was intense he could scarcely see the face even of the priest who conducted him but from the sounds he gathered that all their party were being guided in a similar fashion once or twice also he heard the voice of a settlement man speaking in accents of fear or complaint but such 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 became aware that they had left the open space across which they were walking for the air grew close and their footsteps rang hollow on the rocky floor � i believe that we are in a whispered silence dog a priest in his ear silence this place is holy they did not understand the meaning of the words at the moment but the tone in which they were spoken made their purport sufficiently clear took the hint and t the people of the at the same time clutched his rifle more tightly he began to be afraid for their safety whither were they led � to a well they would soon know and at the worst it was not probable that these would harm they followed the or passage for about a and fifty paces at first it downwards then the floor became level till at length they began to ascend a stair there were sixty one stone steps in this for counted them each about ten inches high and when all were climbed they advanced eleven paces along a that echoed strangely to their steps and was so low that they must bend their heads to pass it emerging from this through a narrow opening they stood upon a platform also of stone and once more the chill air their brows so dense was the gloom that could tell nothing of the place where they might be but from far beneath them rose a hissing sound as of water and combined with it another sound of faint aa though thousands of people whispered each to each also from time to time he heard a rustling like that of a forest when a gentle wind its leaves or the rustling of the robes of innumerable women this sense of the presence of hidden waters and of an unseen multitude was strange and in the extreme it was as though without perceiving them their human faculties suddenly had become aware of the spirits of the dead following � there but speaking without words touching without hands was tempted to cry aloud so great was the strain upon his nerves which usually were strong enough nor was he alone in this desire presently a sound arose from below him as of some person in and he heard a priest command in a fierce voice the sobbing and laughter went on till it in a shrill scream after the scream came the of a blow a heavy fall a groan and once again the invisible multitude whispered and has been killed muttered in s ear who is it i wonder shuddered but made no answer for a great hand was placed upon his mouth in warning at length the quiet was broken and a voice i the temple of spoke the voice of the priest in the silence all that he uttered could be heard plainly but his words came from far away and the sound of them was still and small this was what he said as told it to them after the ceremony hear me ye children of the snake ye ancient people of the mist to me the priest of the snake many a generation gone in the beginning of time so runs the legend the mother goddess whom we worship from of old descended from heaven and came hither to us and with her came the snake her child while she in the land the crime of crimes was wrought the darkness the daylight and she passed hence we know not how or where and from that hour the land has been a land of mist and its people have wandered in the mist for he whose name is darkness has ruled over them answering their prayers with death but this doom was on the snake that because of his wickedness he must put off the flesh of men and descend into the holy place of waters where as we and our fathers have known his symbol dwells taking tribute of the lives of men yet ere that crime was wrought the mother gave a word of promise to her people now i am about to die at the hands of him i bore for so it is fated she said but not for ever do i leave you and not for ever shall the snake be punished by putting off the flesh of men many generations shall go by and we will return again and rule over you and the veil of mist shall be lifted from your land and ye shall be great in the earth till then choose you kings and let them govern you moreover forget not my worship and see to it that 