Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-04-13
THE PEOPLE
OF THE MIST
By H. RIDER HgGGARD.
copyright, 1898, by the Author.]
[coNTISuED.l
CHAPTER Xxx.

more copious than usual, he remarked
blandly that the moon had risen in cleal
sky.
(which means, suppose, that it is tint
for us to start said Leonard gruffiy.
Then they set out, Juanna in her monk
like robe and Otter in his red fringe ant
goatskin cape which he insisted upoI
wearing
Il may as well die warm as cold, baas, .
he explained, ''for of cold l shall know
enough when am dead"
At the palace gate Olfan and guard
were waiting, but they found no opportu
nifty of speaking with him. Here also were
gathered great number of priests, who
preceded and followed them. The process
sion being formed, they were led solemnly
to a different gate of the temple from that
by which they had entered it on previous
occasions. This time the secret passage.
were avoided, and they passed up u broad
avenue through the center of the ampbi
theater to seats that had been prepared fol
them on that side of the pool which was
farthest from the colossal idol As before,
the temple was crowded with thousands
of human beings, and their advance
through it was very impressive, for the
priests chantcd as they walked, while the
multitude preserved an ominons silence
At first Leonard was at loss to know
why they were placed on the hither side OF
the pool, but presently he saw the reason.
In 'front.' of the chairs TO he occupied by
Juanna and Otter an open space of rock
was left, semicircular in shape, on which
| were set other seats to the number of &c
or more. These seats were allotted to cid
ers of the people, who, as Leonard rightly
guessed, had been chosen to act as theii
judges, and the position was selected fol
their convenience and in order that the
words spoken might be audible to a larger
proportion of the vast audience.
When Juanna and Otter were seated
and Leonard and Francisco had taken
their places behind them, Nam came for
ward and addressed the council of elders
and the multitude beyond
Elders of the People of the Mist" he
said. Il have conveyed your wishes to the
holy gods, who but lately have deigned to
put on the flesh of men and visit us, theiI
people--namely, that they should meet
you here and talk with you of the trouble
which has come upon the land. And now
the gracious gods have assented to your
wish, and behold they are face to face
with you and with this great company OF
their people. Now be pleased to make
known what you desire to the gods, that
they may answer you either with thciI
own mouths or by the voice of me, theiI
servant"
He ceased, and after pause, during
which the people murmured angrily, an
elder rose and said:
eve would know Of you how it is, O
N Il al I..,r,. 10
serted the land Now our strait is very
sorry, for famine will come upon us with
the winter SHOWS. Awhile ago, o Aca
and jail, you changed the worship of
| the land, forbidding the victims who had
| been prepared to be offered up at the
spring festival, and, 10! there has been no
spring Therefore We ask word of you
on this matter, for the people have con
suited together and say by our voice that
they will have no gods who kill the spring.
Speak, o We gods, and you, Nam, speak
also, for we would learn the reason of
these evils, and from you, o Man, we
would learn how it comes that you have
proclaimed gods in the land whose breath
has destroyed the sunshine"
You ask me, o People of the Mist, T"
answered Juanna, why it is that the
| NlultF stItiCUtS Oub his Dftliu ONST tIS
slumber of the spring, forbidding her to
awake, and Twill answer you in few words
and short. 1t is because of your disobedi
encc and the hardness of your hearts, O We
rebellious children. Did ye not do sacri
flee when we forbade you to take the blood
of men? Aye, and have not our servants
been stolen secretly away and put to death
! to satisfy your lust for blood? 1t is fer
4 lie ,fp q;
that the heavens have grown hard as your
own hearts and will not bless you with
their sunshine and their gentle rain.
have answered you"
Then again the spokesman of the elders
arose and said:
we have heard your words, o Aca and
thoy arc words of little comfort, for to
sacrifice is the custom of the land, and
hitherto no evil has bcfallen US because of
that ancient custom. Yet If there has
| been offensc it is not we who have offend
| cd, but rather the priests in whose hands
these matters lie, and as for your servants
we know nothing of them or of their fate
| Now, Nam, make answer to the charges
of the gods and to the questions of the
| people, for you are the chief of their serv
ants, and you have proclaimed them to be
bTuc gus anu scb luclii ONtT US " INle us.
| Thus adju-ed, Nam stood forward, and
his mien was humble and anxious, for he
| saw well that his accusers were not to be
| trifled with, and that his life, or at least
his power, was at stake, together with
those of the gods.
Children of the Mist, he began, your
words are sharp, yet do not complain of
| them, for, as you shall learn, my fault has
Inn 7 . ~ tie s
the servants of the gods, and am also the
servant of the people, and now it would
seem that have betrayed both gods and
people, though not of my own will. Lis
ten. Yc know the legend that has come
down to rs-how that AGA and Jal should
reappear in the land wearing the shapes of
the fair white maiden and dwarf Ye
know also how they came, as had been
promised, and how | showed them to you
here in this temple, and ye accepted them
Ye remember that then they put away the
ancient law and forbade the sacrifices, and
! by the hand or their servant, who is named
dcliverer, destroyed two of the priests, my
| brethren, in a strange and terrible fashion.
| Then l murmured, though they threat
engd me with death, but ye overruled
my words and accepted the new law,
| and since then all things have gone
i'll. Now, after that night took council
! with my heart for it seemed wonderful
to me that the gods should discard their
ancient worship, and l said to my heart
Can these be true gods, or have Iperchance
been duped? Then / held my peace and
set myself to watch, and now after much
watching--alasl that must say it to my
shame-I have discovered that they are no
true gods, but wicked liars who have
sought to usurp the places of the gods. "
He paused, and roar of rage and aston
ishment went up from the assembled
thousands.
sit has come at last, whispered Leon
ard into Juanna's ear.
Yes, it has come" she answered.
well, | expected it, and now we must
face it out. -
When the tumult had subsidized, the
spokesman of the elders addressed Nam,
saying:
These are heavy words, o Nam, and
having uttered them you must prove
them, for until they are proved we will
not readily believe that there live human
beings so wicked that they dare to name
themselves as gods. When you proclaimed
these to he AGA and Jal, We accepted
them, perhaps too readily and after toe
short search, Now you dcnounce then
as liars, but we will not disclaim then
whom we have once received till we art
sure that there is no room for error. Il
may chance, Nam, that it would pleas
you well to cast aside those gods who have
threatened you with death and do not low
you