CHAPTER XIII
BENEATH THE SHADOWING WINGS
One by one the terrified tribesmen crept away. When the last of themwere gone the priest advanced to Leo and saluted him by placing his handupon his forehead.
"Lord," he said, in the same corrupt Grecian dialect which was used bythe courtiers of Kaloon, "I will not ask if you are hurt, since from themoment that you entered the sacred river and set foot within this landyou and your companion were protected by a power invisible and could notbe harmed by man or spirit, however great may have seemed your danger.Yet vile hands have been laid upon you, and this is the command of theMother whom I serve, that, if you desire it, every one of those men whotouched you shall die before your eyes. Say, is that your will?"
"Nay," answered Leo; "they were mad and blind, let no blood be shed for_us_. All we ask of you, friend--but, how are you called?"
"Name me Oros," he answered.
"Friend Oros--a good title for one who dwells upon the Mountain--all weask is food and shelter, and to be led swiftly into the presence of herwhom you name Mother, that Oracle whose wisdom we have travelled far toseek."
He bowed and answered: "The food and shelter are prepared and to-morrow,when you have rested, I am commanded to conduct you whither you desireto be. Follow me, I pray you"; and he preceded us past the fiery pit toa building that stood about fifty yards away against the rock wall ofthe amphitheatre.
It would seem that it was a guest-house, or at least had been made readyto serve that purpose, as in it lamps were lit and a fire burned, forhere the air was cold. The house was divided into two rooms, the secondof them a sleeping place, to which he led us through the first.
"Enter," he said, "for you will need to cleanse yourselves, andyou"--here he addressed himself to me--"to be treated for that hurt toyour arm which you had from the jaws of the great hound."
"How know you that?" I asked.
"It matters not if I do know and have made ready," Oros answeredgravely.
This second room was lighted and warmed like the first, moreover, heatedwater stood in basins of metal and on the beds were laid clean linengarments and dark-coloured hooded robes, lined with rich fur. Also upona little table were ointments, bandages, and splints, a marvellous thingto see, for it told me that the very nature of my hurt had been divined.But I asked no more questions; I was too weary; moreover, I knew that itwould be useless.
Now the priest Oros helped me to remove my tattered robe, and, undoingthe rough bandages upon my arm, washed it gently with warm water, inwhich he mixed some spirit, and examined it with the skill of a traineddoctor.
"The fangs rent deep," he said, "and the small bone is broken, but youwill take no harm, save for the scars which must remain." Then, havingtreated the wounds with ointment, he wrapped the limb with such adelicate touch that it scarcely pained me, saying that by the morrowthe swelling would have gone down and he would set the bone. This indeedhappened.
After it was done he helped me to wash and to clothe myself in the cleangarments, and put a sling about my neck to serve as a rest for my arm.Meanwhile Leo had also dressed himself, so that we left the chambertogether very different men to the foul, blood-stained wanderers who hadentered there. In the outer room we found food prepared for us, of whichwe ate with a thankful heart and without speaking. Then, blind withweariness, we returned to the other chamber and, having removed ourouter garments, flung ourselves upon the beds and were soon plunged insleep.
At some time in the night I awoke suddenly, at what hour I do not know,as certain people wake, I among them, when their room is entered, evenwithout the slightest noise. Before I opened my eyes I felt that someone was with us in the place. Nor was I mistaken. A little lamp stillburned in the chamber, a mere wick floating in oil, and by its lightI saw a dim, ghost-like form standing near the door. Indeed I thoughtalmost that it was a ghost, till presently I remembered, and knew it forour corpse-like guide, who appeared to be looking intently at the bed onwhich Leo lay, or so I thought, for the head was bent in that direction.
At first she was quite still, then she moaned aloud, a low and terriblemoan, which seemed to well from the very heart.
So the thing was not dumb, as I had believed. Evidently it could suffer,and express its suffering in a human fashion. Look! it was wringing itspadded hands as in an excess of woe. Now it would seem that Leo began tofeel its influence also, for he stirred and spoke in his sleep, so lowat first that I could only distinguish the tongue he used, which wasArabic. Presently I caught a few words.
"Ayesha," he said, "_Ayesha!_"
The figure glided towards him and stopped. He sat up in the bed stillfast asleep, for his eyes were shut. He stretched out his arms, asthough seeking one whom he would embrace, and spoke again in a low andpassionate voice--"Ayesha, through life and death I have sought theelong. Come to me, my goddess, my desired."
The figure glided yet nearer, and I could see that it was trembling, andnow its arms were extended also.
At the bedside she halted, and Leo laid himself down again. Now thecoverings had fallen back, exposing his breast, where lay the leathersatchel he always wore, that which contained the lock of Ayesha's hair.He was fast asleep, and the figure seemed to fix its eyes upon thissatchel. Presently it did more, for, with surprising deftness thosewhite-wrapped fingers opened its clasp, yes, and drew out the longtress of shining hair. Long and earnestly she gazed at it, then gentlyreplaced the relic, closed the satchel and for a little while seemed toweep. While she stood thus the dreaming Leo once more stretched out hisarms and spoke, saying, in the same passion-laden voice--"Come to me, mydarling, my beautiful, my beautiful!"
At those words, with a little muffled scream, like that of a scarednight-bird, the figure turned and flitted through the doorway.
When I was quite certain that she had gone, I gasped aloud.
What might this mean, I wondered, in a very agony of bewilderment. Thiscould certainly be no dream: it was real, for I was wide awake. Indeed,what did it all mean? Who was the ghastly, mummy-like thing which hadguided us unharmed through such terrible dangers; the Messenger that allmen feared, who could strike down a brawny savage with a motion of itshand? Why did it creep into the place thus at dead of night, like aspirit revisiting one beloved? Why did its presence cause me to awakeand Leo to dream? Why did it draw out the tress; indeed, how knew itthat this tress was hidden there? And why--oh! why, at those tender andpassionate words did it flit away at last like some scared bat?
The priest Oros had called our guide Minister, and Sword, that is, onewho carries out decrees. But what if they were its own decrees? What ifthis thing should be she whom we sought, _Ayesha herself?_ Why should Itremble at the thought, seeing that if so, our quest was ended, we hadachieved? Oh! it must be because about this being there was somethingterrible, something un-human and appalling. If Ayesha lived withinthose mummy-cloths, then it was a different Ayesha whom we had knownand worshipped. Well could I remember the white-draped form of_She-Who-Must-Be-Obeyed_, and how, long before she revealed her gloriousface to us, we guessed the beauty and the majesty hidden beneath thatveil by which her radiant life and loveliness incarnate could not bedisguised.
But what of this creature? I would not pursue the thought. I wasmistaken. Doubtless she was what the priest Oros had said--somehalf-supernatural being to whom certain powers were given, and,doubtless, she had come to spy on us in our rest that she might makereport to the giver of those powers.
Comforting myself thus I fell asleep again, for fatigue overcame evensuch doubts and fears. In the morning, when they were naturally lessvivid, I made up my mind that, for various reasons, it would be wisestto say nothing of what I had seen to Leo. Nor, indeed, did I do so untilsome days had gone by.
When I awoke the full light was pouring into the chamber, and by it Isaw the priest Oros standing at my bedside. I sat up and asked him whattime it was, to which he answered with a smile, but in a low voice, thatit lacked but two hours of mid-day, adding that he had
come to set myarm. Now I saw why he spoke low, for Leo was still fast asleep.
"Let him rest on," he said, as he undid the wrappings on my arm, "forhe has suffered much, and," he continued significantly, "may still havemore to suffer."
"What do you mean, friend Oros?" I asked sharply. "I thought you told usthat we were safe upon this Mountain."
"I told you, friend----" and he looked at me.
"Holly is my name----"
"--friend Holly, that your bodies are safe. I said nothing of all therest of you. Man is more than flesh and blood. He is mind and spirit aswell, and these can be injured also."
"Who is there that would injure them?" I asked.
"Friend," he answered, gravely, "you and your companion have come to ahaunted land, not as mere wanderers, for then you would be dead ere now,but of set purpose, seeking to lift the veil from mysteries which havebeen hid for ages. Well, your aim is known and it may chance that itwill be achieved. But if this veil is lifted, it may chance also thatyou will find what shall send your souls shivering to despair andmadness. Say, are you not afraid?"
"Somewhat," I answered. "Yet my foster-son and I have seen strangethings and lived. We have seen the very Light of Life roll by inmajesty; we have been the guests of an Immortal, and watched Death seemto conquer her and leave us untouched. Think you then that we will turncowards now? Nay, we march on to fulfil our destinies."
At these words Oros showed neither curiosity nor surprise; it was asthough I told him only what he knew.
"Good," he replied, smiling, and with a courteous bow of his shavenhead, "within an hour you shall march on--to fulfil your destinies. IfI have warned you, forgive me, for I was bidden so to do, perhaps totry your mettle. Is it needful that I should repeat this warning to thelord----" and again he looked at me.
"Leo Vincey," I said.
"Leo Vincey, yes, Leo Vincey," he repeated, as though the name werefamiliar to him but had slipped his mind. "But you have not answered myquestion. Is it needful that I should repeat the warning?"
"Not in the least; but you can do so if you wish when he awakes."
"Nay, I think with you, that it would be but waste of words,for--forgive the comparison;--what the wolf dares"--and he looked atme--"the tiger does not flee from," and he nodded towards Leo. "There,see how much better are the wounds upon your arm, which is no longerswollen. Now I will bandage it, and within some few weeks the bone willbe as sound again as it was before you met the Khan Rassen hunting inthe Plains. By the way, you will see him again soon, and his fair wifewith him."
"See him again? Do the dead, then, come to life upon this Mountain?"
"Nay, but certain of them are brought hither for burial. It is theprivilege of the rulers of Kaloon; also, I think, that the Khania hasquestions to ask of its Oracle."
"Who is its Oracle?" I asked with eagerness.
"The Oracle," he replied darkly, "is a Voice. It was ever so, was itnot?"
"Yes; I have heard that from Atene, but a voice implies a speaker. Isthis speaker she whom you name Mother?"
"Perhaps, friend Holly."
"And is this Mother a spirit?"
"It is a point that has been much debated. They told you so in thePlains, did they not? Also the Tribes think it on the Mountain. Indeed,the thing seems reasonable, seeing that all of us who live are flesh andspirit. But you will form your own judgment and then we can discuss thematter. There, your arm is finished. Be careful now not to strike it orto fall, and look, your companion awakes."
Something over an hour later we started upon our upward journey. I wasagain mounted on the Khan's horse, which having been groomed and fedwas somewhat rested, while to Leo a litter had been offered. This hedeclined, however, saying that he had now recovered and would not becarried like a woman. So he walked by the side of my horse, using hisspear as a staff. We passed the fire-pit--now full of dead, whiteashes, among which were mixed those of the witch-finder and his horriblecat--preceded by our dumb guide, at the sight of whom, in her palewrappings, the people of the tribe who had returned to their villageprostrated themselves, and so remained until she was gone by.
One of them, however, rose again and, breaking through our escort ofpriests, ran to Leo, knelt before him and kissed his hand. It was thatyoung woman whose life he had saved, a noble-looking girl, with massesof red hair, and by her was her husband, the marks of his bonds stillshowing on his arms. Our guide seemed to see this incident, though howshe did so I do not know. At any rate she turned and made some signwhich the priest interpreted.
Calling the woman to him he asked her sternly how she dared to touchthe person of this stranger with her vile lips. She answered that it wasbecause her heart was grateful. Oros said that for this reason she wasforgiven; moreover, that in reward for what they had suffered he wascommanded to lift up her husband to be the ruler of that tribe duringthe pleasure of the Mother. He gave notice, moreover, that all shouldobey the new chief in his place, according to their customs, and if hedid any evil, make report that he might suffer punishment. Then wavingthe pair aside, without listening to their thanks or the acclamations ofthe crowd, he passed on.
As we went down the ravine by which we had approached the village on theprevious night, a sound of chanting struck our ears. Presently the pathturned, and we saw a solemn procession advancing up that dismal, sunlessgorge. At the head of it rode none other than the beautiful Khania,followed by her great-uncle, the old Shaman, and after these came acompany of shaven priests in their white robes, bearing between them abier, upon which, its face uncovered, lay the body of the Khan, drapedin a black garment. Yet he looked better thus than he had ever done, fornow death had touched this insane and dissolute man with something ofthe dignity which he lacked in life.
Thus then we met. At the sight of our guide's white form, the horsewhich the Khania rode reared up so violently that I thought it wouldhave thrown her. But she mastered the animal with her whip and voice,and called out--"Who is this draped hag of the Mountain that stops thepath of the Khania Atene and her dead lord? My guests, I find you in illcompany, for it seems that you are conducted by an evil spirit to meetan evil fate. That guide of yours must surely be something hateful andhideous, for were she a wholesome woman she would not fear to show herface."
Now the Shaman plucked his mistress by the sleeve, and the priestOros, bowing to her, prayed her to be silent and cease to speak suchill-omened words into the air, which might carry them she knew notwhither. But some instinctive hate seemed to bubble up in Atene, andshe would not be silent, for she addressed our guide using the direct"thou," a manner of speech that we found was very usual on the Mountainthough rare upon the Plains.
"Let the air carry them whither it will," she cried. "Sorceress, stripoff thy rags, fit only for a corpse too vile to view. Show us what thouart, thou flitting night-owl, who thinkest to frighten me with thatlivery of death, which only serves to hide the death within."
"Cease, I pray lady, cease," said Oros, stirred for once out of hisimperturbable calm. "She is the Minister, none other, and with her goesthe Power."
"Then it goes not against Atene, Khania of Kaloon," she answered, "or soI think. Power, forsooth! Let her show her power. If she has any it isnot her own, but that of the Witch of the Mountain, who feigns to be aspirit, and by her sorceries has drawn away my guests"--and she pointedto us--"thus bringing my husband to his death."
"Niece, be silent!" said the old Shaman, whose wrinkled face was whitewith terror, whilst Oros held up his hands as though in supplicationto some unseen Strength, saying--"O thou that hearest and seest, bemerciful, I beseech thee, and forgive this woman her madness, lest theblood of a guest should stain the hands of thy servants, and the ancienthonour of our worship be brought low in the eyes of men."
Thus he prayed, but although his hands were uplifted, it seemed to methat his eyes were fixed upon our guide, as ours were. While he spoke,I saw her hand raised, as she had raised it when she slew or rathersentenced the witchdoctor. Then she seemed to ref
lect, and stayed it inmid air, so that it pointed at the Khania. She did not move, she madeno sound, only she pointed, and, the angry words died upon Atene's lips,the fury left her eyes, and the colour her face. Yes, she grew whiteand silent as the corpse upon the bier behind her. Then, cowed by thatinvisible power, she struck her horse so fiercely that it bounded by usonward towards the village, at which the funeral company were to restawhile.
As the Shaman Simbri followed the Khania, the priest Oros caught hishorse's bridle and said to him--"Magician, we have met before, forinstance, when your lady's father was brought to his funeral. Warn her,then, you that know something of the truth and of her power to speakmore gently of the ruler of this land. Say to her, from me, that had shenot been the ambassadress of death, and, therefore, inviolate, surelyere now she would have shared her husband's bier. Farewell, tomorrow wewill speak again," and, loosing the Shaman's bridle, Oros passed on.
Soon we had left the melancholy procession behind us and, issuing fromthe gorge, turned up the Mountain slope towards the edge of the brightsnows that lay not far above. It was as we came out of this darksomevalley, where the overhanging pine trees almost eclipsed the light, thatsuddenly we missed our guide.
"Has she gone back to--to reason with the Khania?" I asked of Oros.
"Nay!" he answered, with a slight smile, "I think that she has goneforward to give warning that the Hesea's guests draw near."
"Indeed," I answered, staring hard at the bare slope of mountain,up which not a mouse could have passed without being seen. "Iunderstand--she has gone forward," and the matter dropped. But whatI did _not_ understand was--how she had gone. As the Mountain washoneycombed with caves and galleries, I suppose, however, that sheentered one of them.
All the rest of that day we marched upwards, gradually drawing nearer tothe snow-line, as we went gathering what information we could from thepriest Oros. This was the sum of it--From the beginning of the world,as he expressed it, that is, from thousands and thousands of years ago,this Mountain had been the home of a peculiar fire-worship, of which thehead heirophant was a woman. About twenty centuries before, however, theinvading general named Rassen, had made himself Khan of Kaloon. Rassenestablished a new priestess on the Mountain, a worshipper of theEgyptian goddess, Hes, or Isis. This priestess had introduced certainmodifications in the ancient doctrines, superseding the cult of fire,pure and simple, by a new faith, which, while holding to some of the oldceremonies, revered as its head the Spirit of Life or Nature, of whomthey looked upon their priestess as the earthly representative.
Of this priestess Oros would only tell us that she was "ever present,"although we gathered that when one priestess died or was "taken tothe fire," as he put it, her child, whether in fact or by adoption,succeeded her and was known by the same names, those of "Hes" or the"Hesea" and "Mother." We asked if we should see this Mother, to which heanswered that she manifested herself very rarely. As to her appearanceand attributes he would say nothing, except that the former changed fromtime to time and that when she chose to use it she had "all power."
The priests of her College, he informed us, numbered three hundred,never more nor less, and there were also three hundred priestesses.Certain of those who desired it were allowed to marry, and fromamong their children were reared up the new generation of priestsand priestesses. Thus they were a people apart from all others, withdistinct racial characteristics. This, indeed, was evident, for ourescort were all exceedingly like to each other, very handsome andrefined in appearance, with dark eyes, clean-cut features and olive-huedskins; such a people as might well have descended from Easterns of highblood, with a dash of that of the Egyptians and Greeks thrown in.
We asked him whether the mighty looped pillar that towered from thetopmost cup of the Mountain was the work of men. He answered, No; thehand of Nature had fashioned it, and that the light shining through itcame from the fires which burned in the crater of the volcano. The firstpriestess, having recognized in this gigantic column the familiar Symbolof Life of the Egyptian worship, established her altars beneath itsshadow.
For the rest, the Mountain with its mighty slopes and borderlands waspeopled by a multitude of half-savage folk, who accepted the rule of theHesea, bringing her tribute of all things necessary, such as food andmetals. Much of the meat and grain however the priests raised themselveson sheltered farms, and the metals they worked with their own hands.This rule, however, was of a moral nature, since for centuries theCollege had sought no conquests and the Mother contented herself withpunishing crime in some such fashion as we had seen. For the pettywars between the Tribes and the people of the Plain they were notresponsible, and those chiefs who carried them on were deposed, unlessthey had themselves been attacked. All the Tribes, however, were swornto the defence of the Hesea and the College, and, however much theymight quarrel amongst themselves, if need arose, were ready to die forher to the last man. That war must one day break out again betweenthe priests of the Mountain and the people of Kaloon was recognized;therefore they endeavoured to be prepared for that great and finalstruggle.
Such was the gist of his history, which, as we learned afterwards,proved to be true in every particular.
Towards sundown we came to a vast cup extending over many thousandacres, situated beneath the snow-line of the peak and filled with richsoil washed down, I suppose, from above. So sheltered was the place byits configuration and the over-hanging mountain that, facing south-westas it did, notwithstanding its altitude it produced corn and othertemperate crops in abundance. Here the College had its farms, and verywell cultivated these seemed to be. This great cup, which could notbe seen from below, we entered through a kind of natural gateway, thatmight be easily defended against a host.
There were other peculiarities, but it is not necessary to describe themfurther than to say that I think the soil benefited by the natural heatof the volcano, and that when this erupted, as happened occasionally,the lava streams always passed to the north and south of the cup ofland. Indeed, it was these lava streams that had built up the protectingcliffs.
Crossing the garden-like lands, we came to a small town beautifullybuilt of lava rock. Here dwelt the priests, except those who were onduty, no man of the Tribes or other stranger being allowed to set footwithin the place.
Following the main street of this town, we arrived at the face of theprecipice beyond, and found ourselves in front of a vast archway, closedwith massive iron gates fantastically wrought. Here, taking my horsewith them, our escort left us alone with Oros. As we drew near the greatgates swung back upon their hinges. We passed them--with what sensationsI cannot describe--and groped our way down a short corridor which endedin tall, iron-covered doors. These also rolled open at our approach, andnext instant we staggered back amazed and half-blinded by the intenseblaze of light within.
Imagine, you who read, the nave of the vastest cathedral with which youare acquainted. Then double or treble its size, and you will have someconception of that temple in which we found ourselves. Perhaps in thebeginning it had been a cave, who can say? but now its sheer walls, itsmultitudinous columns springing to the arched roof far above us, had allbeen worked on and fashioned by the labour of men long dead; doubtlessthe old fire-worshippers of thousands of years ago.
You will wonder how so great a place was lighted, but I think that neverwould you guess. Thus--by twisted columns of living flame! I countedeighteen of them, but there may have been others. They sprang from thefloor at regular intervals along the lines of what in a cathedral wouldbe the aisles. Right to the roof they sprang, of even height and girth,so fierce was the force of the natural gas that drove them, and therewere lost, I suppose, through chimneys bored in the thickness of therock. Nor did they give off smell or smoke, or in that great, coldplace, any heat which could be noticed, only an intense white light likethat of molten iron, and a sharp hissing noise as of a million angrysnakes.
The huge temple was utterly deserted, and, save for this sybilant,pervading sound, utterly silent; an awes
ome, an overpowering place.
"Do these candles of yours ever go out?" asked Leo of Oros, placing hishand before his dazzled eyes.
"How can they," replied the priest, in his smooth, matter-of-fact voice,"seeing that they rise from the eternal fire which the builders of thishall worshipped? Thus they have burned from the beginning, and thusthey will burn for ever, though, if we wish it, we can shut off theirlight.[*] Be pleased to follow me: you will see greater things."
[*] This, as I ascertained afterwards, was done by thrusting a broad stone of great thickness over the apertures through which the gas or fire rushed and thus cutting off the air. These stones were worked to and fro by means of pulleys connected with iron rods.--L. H. H.
So in awed silence we followed, and, oh! how small and miserable wethree human beings looked alone in that vast temple illuminated by thislightning radiance. We reached the end of it at length, only to findthat to right and left ran transepts on a like gigantic scale and lit inthe same amazing fashion. Here Oros bade us halt, and we waited a littlewhile, till presently, from either transept arose a sound of chanting,and we perceived two white-robed processions advancing towards us fromtheir depths.
On they came, very slowly, and we saw that the procession to the rightwas a company of priests, and that to the left a company of priestesses,a hundred or so of them in all.
Now the men ranged themselves in front of us, while the women rangedthemselves behind, and at a signal from Oros, all of them still chantingsome wild and thrilling hymn, once more we started forward, this timealong a narrow gallery closed at the end with double wooden doors. Asour procession reached these they opened, and before us lay the crowningwonder of this marvellous fane, a vast, ellipse-shaped apse. Now weunderstood. The plan of the temple was the plan of the looped pillarwhich stood upon the brow of the Peak, and as we rightly guessed, itsdimensions were the same.
At intervals around this ellipse the fiery columns flared, but otherwisethe place was empty.
No, not quite, for at the head of the apse, almost between two of theflame columns, stood a plain, square altar of the size of a small room,in front of which, as we saw when we drew nearer, were hung curtains ofwoven silver thread. On this altar was placed a large statue of silver,that, backed as it was by the black rock, seemed to concentrate andreflect from its burnished surface the intense light of the two blazingpillars.
It was a lovely thing, but to describe it is hard indeed. The figure,which was winged, represented a draped woman of mature years, and purebut gracious form, half hidden by the forward-bending wings. Shelteredby these, yet shown between them, appeared the image of a male child,clasped to its bearer's breast with her left arm, while the right wasraised toward the sky. A study of Motherhood, evidently, but how shall Iwrite of all that was conveyed by those graven faces?
To begin with the child. It was that of a sturdy boy, full of health andthe joy of life. Yet he had been sleeping, and in his sleep some terrorhad over-shadowed him with the dark shades of death and evil. There wasfear in the lines of his sweet mouth and on the lips and cheeks, thatseemed to quiver. He had thrown his little arm about his mother's neck,and, pressing close against her breast, looked up to her for safety, hisright hand and outstretched finger pointing downwards and behind him, asthough to indicate whence the danger came. Yet it was passing, alreadyhalf-forgotten, for the upturned eyes expressed confidence renewed,peace of soul attained.
And the mother. She did not seem to mock or chide his fears, forher lovely face was anxious and alert. Yet upon it breathed a veryatmosphere of unchanging tenderness and power invincible; care for thehelpless, strength to shelter it from every harm. The great, calm eyestold their story, the parted lips were whispering some tale of hope,sure and immortal; the raised hand revealed whence that hope arose. Alllove seemed to be concentrated in the brooding figure, so human, yet socelestial; all heaven seemed to lie an open path before those quiveringwings. And see, the arching instep, the upward-springing foot, suggestedthat thither those wings were bound, bearing their God-given burden farfrom the horror of the earth, deep into the bosom of a changeless restabove.
The statue was only that of an affrighted child in its mother'sarms; its interpretation made clear even to the dullest by the simplesymbolism of some genius--Humanity saved by the Divine.
While we gazed at its enchanting beauty, the priests and priestesses,filing away to right and left, arranged themselves alternately, first aman and then a woman, within the ring of the columns of fire that burnedaround the loop-shaped shrine. So great was its circumference that thewhole hundred of them must stand wide apart one from another, and, toour sight, resembled little lonely children clad in gleaming garments,while their chant of worship reached us only like echoes thrown froma far precipice. In short, the effect of this holy shrine and itsoccupants was superb yet overwhelming, at least I know that it filled mewith a feeling akin to fear.
Oros waited till the last priest had reached his appointed place. Thenhe turned and said, in his gentle, reverent tones--"Draw nigh, now, OWanderers well-beloved, and give greeting to the Mother," and he pointedtowards the statue.
"Where is she?" asked Leo, in a whisper, for here we scarcely dared tospeak aloud. "I see no one."
"The Hesea dwells yonder," he answered, and, taking each of us by thehand, he led us forward across the great emptiness of the apse to thealtar at its head.
As we drew near the distant chant of the priests gathered in volume,assuming a glad, triumphant note, and it seemed to me--though this,perhaps was fancy--that the light from the twisted columns of flame greweven brighter.
At length we were there, and, Oros, loosing our hands, prostratedhimself thrice before the altar. Then he rose again, and, falling behindus, stood in silence with bent head and folded fingers. We stood silentalso, our hearts filled with mingled hope and fear like a cup with wine.
Were our labours ended? Had we found her whom we sought, or were we,perchance, but enmeshed in the web of some marvellous mummery andabout to make acquaintance with the secret of another new and mysticalworship? For years and years we had searched, enduring every hardness offlesh and spirit that man can suffer, and now we were to learn whetherwe had endured in vain. Yes, and Leo would learn if the promise wasto be fulfilled to him, or whether she whom he adored had become but adeparted dream to be sought for only beyond the gate of Death. Littlewonder that he trembled and turned white in the agony of that greatsuspense.
Long, long was the time. Hours, years, ages, aeons, seemed to flow overus as we stood there before glittering silver curtains that hid thefront of the black altar beneath the mystery of the sphinx-like faceof the glorious image which was its guardian, clothed with that frozensmile of eternal love and pity. All the past went before us as westruggled in those dark waters of our doubt. Item by item, event byevent, we rehearsed the story which began in the Caves of Kor, for ourthoughts, so long attuned, were open to each other and flashed from soulto soul.
Oh! now we knew, they were open also to _another_ soul. We could seenothing save the Altar and the Effigy, we could only hear the slow chantof the priests and priestesses and the snake-like hiss of the rushingfires. Yet we knew that our hearts were as an open book to One whowatched beneath the Mother's shadowing wings.
Ayesha, the Return of She Page 14
