The Irish standard., 1896-01-18
HEART OF TIE WORLD.
Bx III. RIDER HAGGARD.
Strange Story, Old
sJexan o His Friend and comrsde. an
sAsA shmanN
Copyrighted. 1894. By q. Rider HaGgard

y, -
I would have you understand somo-
thing. also; namely, that if | do not
return presently, there are some with
out who will come to seek me, and
then"
And then they will find your carcass .
broke in the senior. ''and what will all
your plots and schemes advantage you
when you are lump OF senseless
clay?"
Little, indeed ] confess" he an
swercd. ''Still, my daughter, whom
love better than myself, will reap some
profit, and with that, III this sad case,
must be content. Bat, do not be SO
hasty, white man. | asked why |
should have a plan, did not say had
none"
Then if you have one, let us hear it
without more ado" said the senior.
Natal bowed as he. answered: -
Your will is mine, but know not
how my plan will please the Lady
Maya yonder, and therefore. before
unfold it, would make it clear that
there is but one alternative-the death
of all Of you by tomorrow light. Your
lives lie in my hands; if I must do SO to
save my daughter and myself, shall
not hesitate to take them"
ANY more than l shall hesitate to
take yours, old man." said the senior
grimly, "for remember always that if
You do not make your plan such as we
can accept you will leave this chamber
feet first, with broken neck
Again Mattai bowed and continued:
'In one way only has TilSal been able
to pacity the people, by declaring that
the Lady Maya shall be produced be-
fore the Council Of the Heart. in the
sanctuary upon the night of the rising
of, Iof% f%or Of I
eyes Of the whole city.
'The words of Zibalbay have taken a
strange hold of the people, and they
desire to know what will happen when
once more the severed halves of the
symbol of the heart are laid side 10y
side in their place upon the altar.
Zibalbay told them that he believed
the god would reveal his purpose and
show what part each of you should play
in the fate that is to be, and therefore
the people look to see some sign or
wonder when Day and Night are come
together"
Now Mattai thought for awhile, and
went on:
Lady, am old, and for many years
have followed the worship of the
gods, and yet never have l known the
gods to make answer to their votaries.
or heard the voices of the imnortals
speaking into human ears. l cannot
tell, but think were l in SO sore d
strait as you find yourselves tonight, I
should not hesitate to give voice to
these dumb gods"
"Whatis your nleaning?" asked Maya.
"When the severed halves of the
heart are set in their place upon the al
tar, if there should be any gods they
should give sign. The ancient sym
Io1 ln ,1f SO hal ar1 # II
were to open it might be that a writing
would be found within it, an ancient
writing of the gods prepared against
the present time that shall be to US as
lantern to one wandering in the dark,
or it might be that nothing would be
found.
'Now, as it happens, in searching
through the earliest records Of the tenn
pie, have discovered certain writing,
and it seems to me that your fortune
would be great il that writing should
lie within the symbol on the night of
the Rising Waters. Here it is
And suddenly he produced small
plate Of dull gold covered over with
symbols.
'Read it, said Maya.
Then Natal read:
''To thee it speaks, unborn daughter
of a chief to be, whose name is the name
of nation. When my people have
grown old and their NUM- bers have less
ened and their heart is faint. then,
lady, take to thyself as a husband a
man of the race Of the white god, a son
of the sea foam. whom thou shalt lead
hither across the desert, for so my peo-
pie shall once more prosper and grow
strong, and the land shall be to thy
child and the child of the god, east and
f,,,, !
my my :; eagles wing between sunrise and
He finished reading, and there was
silence as we looked on each other
amazed at the boldness and the cum
ming of this old priest and plotter. 1t
was Maya who spoke first
''You have forged this writing, Mat
tai" she said, ''and now you desire that
should set it in the symbol, for you
are mindful of that curse which is
written in the ritual. In short, if you
do not fear the vengeance of the god,
you fear the vengeance of the order"
''To speak the truth, lady, fear
and swiftly"
Now she turned to us, saying:
''Advise me, friends, for / know not
what to answer. In the faith of my
people I have lost faith. and it is to
yours that l look for comfort, and yet
the deed seems awful, for FIVE are not
worshipers of the nameless god, still we
are all of US brethren of the ancient
mysteries of the Heart and to do this
thing would be to break our solemn
oaths. Come, let us put it to vote, and
do you, who are the oldest and the
wisest among u.s., vote first, Ignatio."
$50 be it," l answered For my
part give my voice against the trick.
OF the gods of your people know moth
ing and think less, but I am the master
of our order in my own land, and will
not offend against it. Still, in this
matter your lives are at stake as we'll
as mine: therefore. if of the three OF
us two are in favor Of the act will be
bound by their decision"
-' s.Good, let it be so," said Maya. "And
now, beloved, speak and tell us whether
YOU choose death and clean con-
science, or life and my love to gladden.
it." and she looked into his face with
her beautiful eyes, and half stretched
out her arms as though she would clasp
him to her breast.
81 have no choice he said. 81 do
not fear to die, if need be; but should
be no man were to choose death while
It is your wish that should live. Like
Ignatio, say that the gods Of this city
are to me nothing more than idols, and
to deceive that which does not exist is
impossible For the rest, became a
Brother Of the Heart not by my own
wish. but by accident; therefore, on this
4 ,,,;n4 nv, copco;nnca prirkS me little. &