The Bourbon news. [volume] (Paris, Ky.) 1895-19??, 1902-01-21

nercenesSs ana then q gaesSed what
was coming) the whole massive fab
rio Of the pyramid trembled and
| groaned and shook, as though it had
been merely child's wooden toy
brushed about by strong mans san
dial.
1t was the pOrten4 served out year
ly by the chiefs of the Priests clan on
the Sacred Mountain, when they babe
all the world take count of their sins.
It was the sacred reminder that from
roaring, raging fire, and from the
agony of monstrous earth tremors,
man had been born, and that by these
same agencies he would eventually be
swallowed up-he and the sins within
his breast. And here the empress was
prostituting its solemnities into .
mere call to gluttony, and sign for
ribald laughter and sensuous display.
1t was with very undecided feel
ings, then, that I obeyed the sum
mons of the earth shaking, and babe
the slaves lead me through the wind
ings of the pyramid to the great ban
quoting hall The scene there was
dazzling. The majestic chamber with
it's marvellous carvings was filed with
a company decked out with all the
gauds and colors that fancy could
conceive. Little rocked they of the
solemn portent which had summoned
them to the meal, of the death and
misery that stalked openly through
the city wards without, of the rebels
which lay in Lacquer beyond the walls,
of the neglected gods and their clan
of priests on the Sacred Mountain
They were all gluttonous for the pas
siOns of the moment; it was their
fashion and conceit to look at moth
ing beyond.
Flaming jets of earth breath lit the
great hall to the brightness of mid
day; and when I stepped out upon the
pavement, trumpets blared, so that
oil might know of my coming. But
there was no roar of welcome. "Deuc-
alion," they lisped with mincing
voices, bowling themselves ridiculous
| ly to the ground so that all their or
naments and silks might jangle and
swish. Indeed, when Phorenice her
self appeared, and all sent up their
cries and made lawful obeisance,
there was the same artifciality in the
welcome. They meant we'll enough,
it is true; but this was the new fash
ion. Heartiness had come to be ac-
counted a barbariSm by this new Gull
ture.
A pair of posturing, Sinking
chamberlains took me in charge, and
ushered me with their fimsy golden
wands to the dais at the farther end.
1t appeared that was to sit on
Phorenice's divan and eat my meat
/ cut of her dish.
"There is no stint to the honor the
I empress puts upon me-" I said, as 1
knelt down and took my seat.
She gave me one of her queer, side
long looks. "Deucalion may have
more beside, if he asks for it prettily.
He may have what all the other men
10 the known world have sighed for,
and what none of them will ever get.
But 1 have given enough of my own
accord; he must ask me warmly for
those further favors."
81 ask" I said, FIRST, that I may
weep the boundaries clear of this
rabbls which is clamoring against the
city WSlls."
"Pah!" she said, and frOwned.
''HAve you appetite only for the
sterner pleasures of life? My good
Deucalion, they must have been rus
tic folk in that colony of yours.
Well, you shall give me news now of
the toothsomeness of this feast"
Dishes and goblets were placed be-
fore us, and we began to eat, though
I had little enough appetite for
victual so broken and so highly spiced.
But if this finicking cookery and these
luscious wines did not appeal to me,
the other diners in that gorgeous hall
appreciated it all to the full. They
sat about in groups on the pavement
beneath the light-jets like a tangle
of rainbows for color, and according
to the new custom they went into rap
lures and ecstasies over their enjoy
ment. Women and men both, they
fingered over each Utilization of the
palate as though it were a caress of
the gods.
Phorenice, with her quick, bright
eyes, looked on, and occasionally flung
one or another few words between
her talk with me, and now and again
called some favored creature up to
receive a scrap of Wand from the royal
dish. This the honored one would eat
with extravagant gesture, or Gas hap
pened twice. would put it away in the
folds of his clothes as a treasure too
dear to be profaned by human lips.
To me this fattery appeared gross
and disgustful, but Phorenice, through
use, perhaps, seemed to take it as
merely her due. There was, one had
to suppose, a weakness in her some
where, though truly to the outward
seeing none was apparent. Her face
was strong enough, and IL was
subtle also, and, moreover, it was
wondrous comely. All the courtiers