The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-02-27
HAPTE V.


II PLACE OF SACRIFICE.
Suddenly Aziel. looking up from his ~reverie,
MAY tho Prince live fsoirovegr." he said. yet
r. he suffer melancholy to overcome him thus,
~ was. but thinking, Metem." answered
the Lady iS" Elisa, prlncer All, I guessed
also, though myself. in a woman I prefer the
beauty without tho learning. 1t ia n pity now
worship. for that will not please the holy Issa-
char, whom, fear; Prince. YOU find a stern
Your business, mcrchnnt." broke in Aziel.
PhGnician. spreading out his hands In depreca.
ware; this nn morning. S1ra' and q drank E9Sak S %Ine to t senl m Il,
therefore let me be forgiven r. have spoken too
ibneSiH S1"r nFi in the te rrinSo thew Hh ce,e Is mS
a service, which it is lawful for strangers to wit
ness, and I thought that. having heard some.
YOU might wish, to bShoid' it. II that be 50. i
am come to guide you"
deed, the words Of dismissal were on his lips
when another purpose entered his mind. For
tons and see the part. that ELISA played in
them, and thus be cured forever of the ~longings
What is the ceremony he asked.
IA sacTifSo for the recovery Of the Lady Baal.
"a dove. as I am told" was the Indifferent
answer.
1 Will come WITH yOn. Metem.
so be 1t, Prince. Your retinue awaits you
At, the main entrance to the palace .Aziel
found his guard and other servant gathered
whom he greeted, asking him il he knew the;
GRAND upon which they were bent.
II do. Prince; 1t is to witness the abomina-
ton Of a sacrifice of these heathcns."
WI you. then, accompany me there. Issa-
Where my lord goes. I co. answered the
hsvs YOUR sra REASONS I foE wisSinr 10 rFi ses tbi Il a s9n
Then hey set ont, Matem guiding them. At
1ns nG than gate a yard ar 'f in ' @idfS.' M the Ph %af hHs
spoke to the guards on duty. who drew back
to let them pass: In single alo, for the passage.
progression, they threaded the tortuous and
may paths Of the Great,building; between huge
tar. till at length they reached, a large open
space where the ceremony had already begun:
paved with blocks of granite, stood two conical
towers. the larger of which measured thirty
feet and the smaller about h9lf that height.
were. as Metem informed them. sacred to and
cmblcmatical, of the gods Of FL and Baaltis.
by a stone altar. and between them. built in a
pit in the ground. burned a great furnace Of
cupied by the priests and priestesses. while
without this sacred ring stood the masses Of
spectators. among whom Aziel and his FOL,
more rioIs murmured audibly at the admission
of these Jews.
When they entered. the companies of priests
and priestcsses. were finishing a prayer. the
sentences of which they chanted alternately
in part m improvised snpplication to the pro.
tecting gods to restore health TO that woman
or high p-riestess who was known as Lady Baal-
It's. The prayer ended. n beautiful girl adj
vanced TO an open space in front of the altar.
and with a sudden movement threw of her
In n many colored garment of gauzc through
which her fair flesh cleaned,
scarlet flowers, and hung loose about her. Her
feet and, arms were. naked. and In each hand
she held n knife Of bronze Very slowly she
though to speak. and he eyes. frightened with
pigments. turned up TO heaven. BY degrees her
she whirled round her long black hair streamed
out straight upon the air; and the crown OF
the bronze knife In her right hand flashed. and a
The knife in the left hand flashed, and another
each stroke the multitude cried An as with
one voice; a"d then were silent.
whirlinRs, leaped high into the air. clashing:the
knive. above her head and CRYING. Hear me,
time the answer that came from her lin, was
spoken in another voice. which said. II am
here. What seek your
own voice. Health for thy servant who 10 sick"
Then came the answer in The SECOND voice, Il
What sacrifice wouldst thou. @. Queeni A
doysT"
One only. The first; horn child of a woman"
AS this command. which they supposed. to be
the gashed and bleeding oracle, the multitude
shouted aloud. while the, girl herself. utterly
Now a priest Of F., named the shadid; mono
other, indeed, than the husband Of her who lay
s'" "fh spT Faad sP0hh has tss sb R'ft1"Eb v In; In" m "r!Sai of her
oracle. She who is the mother OF all demands
one life out of the many she has given. that the
may he recovered of her sickness. Say, who
will lay dow n life for the honor Of the god.
dess and that her regent In this land may DO
Now for all this scene had been carefully
R he pruSo Of n T priesfes s'0R wSo bore aSTT IN her W srmss
drugged and sleeping child.
II. father she cried. in a shrill, hard voice.
the goddess take this child. the first fruit of my
body. that our mother Raaltis may be cured OF
blessed by the goddess. and, through me. al. we
who worship her" And she held out the little
The Shadid stretched out his arms to take It.
hut he never did take II. for, at that Toment
appeared upon tho platform the white bearded
with flashing eyes, 'and touch not the innocent
Rppcase the devils whom ye worship. Well
shall they repay ye. oh! mine eyes are open, and
his | SEE bea Dc IN Men a T nro ShafinS f rcs zH." arm" II see the
fsAS $500
sword of the true God. and it flames above this
city Of idolators and nominations. ! see this
place of sacrifice, and | tell YOU that before the
moon is young again II shall run red with the
blood OF idol worhsippers and Of you, women of
the groves. The heather is at your gates. 20
followers OF demons. and my Goo sends them
as he sends the locusts or the north wind to de-
your You like grass, TO sweep you away Ike tho
dust Of the desert. Cry then upon III and Baal-
tbs. and lot FL and Baaltis save you II they can.
Doom is upon you; AZrael. angel CT death,
writes his name upon your foreheads, every one
of you, giving your city to the owls. your bodies
to Tho jackals. and your souls to SATAN
Thus far the priests and the spectators had lis:
tened to Issachar's denunciations in bewildered
amaZemont, not unmiXcd with fear. But now
with a roar of wrath they Gwoke, and suddenly.
he was dragged from the platform by a score or
hands and struck senseless with many blows.
Indeed he would then and, there have been
torn to pieces had not a guard OF soldiers. know
ing that he was Sakon's guest and In tho train
Of the Prince Aziel, sratched him from the mad
denod multitude and bore him swiftly 20 a place
OF safety without the inclosure., While the tu'
multi was at its height n Phnniclan., who had ar.
rived in the temple breathless with haste, might
have been seen, TO pluck Metem by, tho sleeve.
What is III" Metem asked. for the man was
his servant.
.GN hA