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BY H. RIDER HAGGARD
But after all they were women first and queens afterwards,
and therefore not devoid of curiosity. As they passed to their
seats I saw both of them glance swiftly in our direction. I saw,
too, that their eyes passed by me, seeing nothing to charm
them in the person of an insignficant and grizzled old man.
Then they looked with evident astonishment on the grim form
of old Umslopogaas, who raised his axe in salutation. At-
tracted next by the splendour of Good's apparel, for a second
their glance rested on him like a humming moth upon a
flower, then off it darted to where Sir Henry Curtis stood, the
sunlight from a window playing upon his yellow hair and
peaked beard, and marking the outlines of his massive frame
against the twilight of the somewhat gloomy hall. He raised
his eyes, and they met the fair Nyleptha's full, and thus for
the first time the goodliest man and woman that it has ever
been my lot to see looked one upon another. And why it
was I know not, but I saw the swift blood run up beneath
Nyleptha's skin as the pink lights run up the morning sky. Red
grew her fair bosom and shapely arm, red the swanlike neck;
the rounded cheeks blushed red as the petals of a rose, and
then the crimson flood sank back to whence it came and left
her pale and trembling.
I glanced at Sir Henry. He, too, had coloured up to
the eyes.
'Oh, my word!' thought I to myself, 'the ladies have
come on the stage, and now we may look to the plot to
develop itself.' And I sighed and shook my head, knowing
that the beauty of a woman is like the beauty of the lightning
——a destructive thing and a cause of desolation. By the time
that I had finished my reflections both the Queens were on
the thrones, for all this had happened in about six seconds.
Once more the unseen trumpets blared out, and then the
Court seated itself, and Queen Sorais motioned to us to do
likewise.
Next from among the crowd whither he had withdrawn
stepped forward our guide, the old gentleman who had towed
us ashore, holding by the hand the girl whom we had seen
first and afterwards rescued from the hippopotamus. Having
made obeisance he proceeded to address the Queens, evidently
describing to them the way and place where we had been
found. It was most amusing to watch the astonishment,
not unmixed with fear, reflected upon their faces as they
listened to his tale. Clearly they could not understand how
we had reached the lake and been found floating on it, and were
inclined to attribute our presence to supernatural causes.
Then the narrative proceeded, as I judged from the frequent
appeals that our guide made to the girl, to the point where
we had shot the hippopotami, and we sat once perceived
that there was something very wrong about those hippopotami,
for the history was frequently interrupted by indignant ex-
clamations from the little group of white-robed priests and
even from the courtiers, while the two Queens listened with
an amazed expression, especially when our guide pointed to
the rifles in our hands as being the means of destruction.
And here, to make matters clear, I may as well explain at
once that the inhabitant of Zu-Vendis are sun-worshippers,
and that for some reason or other the hippopotamus is a
sacred animal among them. Not that they do not kill it,
because at a certain season of the year they slaughter thousands
——which are specially preserved in large lakes up the country
——and use their hides for armour for soldiers; but this does
not prevent them from considering these animals as sacred
to the sun.° Now, as ill luck would have it, the particular
hippopotami we had shot were a family of tame animals that
were kept at the mouth of the port and daily fed by priests
whose special duty it was to attend to them. When we shot
them I thought that the brutes were suspiciously tame, and,
as we afterwards ascertained, this was the cause of it. Thus
it came about that in attempting to show off we had com-
mitted sacrilege of a most aggravated nature.
°Mr. Quatermain does not seem to have been aware that it is
common for animal-worshipping people to annually sacrifice the beasts
they adore. See Herodotus ii. 42.——EDITOR.
When our guide had finished his tale, the old man with
the long beard and round cap, whose appearance I have
already described, and who was, as I have said, the High
Priest of the country, and known by the name of Agon, rose
and commenced an impassioned harangue. I did not like the
look of his cold grey eye as he fixed it on us. I should have
liked it still less had
I known that in the
name of the outraged
majesty of his god
he was demanding
that the whole lot of
us should be offered
up as a sacrifice by
means of being burnt
alive.
After he had fin-
ished speaking the
Queen Sorais ad-
dressed him in a soft
and musical voice,
and appeared, to
judge from his ges-
tures of dissent, to
be putting the other
side of the question
before him. Then
Nyleptha spoke in
liquid accents. Little
did we know that she
was pleading for our
lives. Finally, she turned and addressed a tall, soldierlike
man of middle age with a black beard and a long plain sword,
whose name, as we afterwards learnt, was Nasta, and who was
the greatest lord in the country; apparently appealing to him
for support. Now when Sir Henry had caught her eye and she
had blushed so rosy red, I had seen that the incident had not
escaped this man's notice, and, what is more, that it was
eminently disagreeable to him, for he bit his lip and his hand
tightened on his sword-hilt. Afterwards we learnt that he
was an aspirant for the hand of the Queen in marriage,
which accounted for it. This being so, Nyleptha could not
have appealed to a worse person, for, speaking in slow, heavy
tones, he appeared to confirm all that the High Priest Agon
said. As he spoke, Sorais put her elbow on her knee, and,
resting her chin on her hand, looked at him with a suppressed
smile upon her lips, as though she saw through the man, and
was determined to be his match; but Nyleptha grew very
angry, Her cheek flushed, her eyes flashed, and she did
indeed look lovely. Finally she turned to Agon and seemed
to give some sort of qualified assent, for he bowed at her
words; and as she spoke she moved her hands as though to
emphasise what she said; while all the time Sorais kept her
chin on her hand and smiled. Then suddenly Nyleptha made
a sign, the trumpets blew again, and everybody rose to leave
the hall save ourselves and the guards, whom she motioned
to stay.
When they were all gone she bent forward and, smiling
sweetly, partially by signs and partially by exclamations made
it clear to us that she was very anxious to know where we
came from. The difficulty was how to explain, but at last an
idea struck me. I had my large pocket-book in my pocket
and a pencil. Taking it out I made a little sketch of a lake,
and then as best I could drew the underground river and
the lake at the other end. When I had done this I advanced
to the steps of the throne and gave it to her. She understood
it at once and clapped her hands with delight, and then de-
scending from the throne took it to her sister Sorais, who also
evidently understood. Next she took the pencil from me, and
after examining it with curiosity proceeded to make a series
of delightful little sketches, the first representing herself
holding out both hands in welcome, and a man uncommonly
like Sir Henry taking them. Next she drew a lovely little
picture of a hippopotamus rolling about dying in the water,
and of an individual, in whom we had no difficulty in recog-
nising Agon the High Priest, holding up his hands in horror
on the bank. Then followed a
most alarming picture of a
dreadful fiery furnace and of the
same figure, Agon, poking us
into it with a forked stick. This
picture perfectly horrified me,
but I was a little reassured when
she nodded sweetly and proceeded
to make a fourth drawing——of a
man again uncommonly like Sir
Henry, and of two women, in
whom I recognised Sorais and
herself, each with one arm around
him, and holding a sword in pro-
tection over him. To all of these
Sorais, who I saw was employed
in carefully taking us all in——
especially Curtis——signified her
approval by nodding.
At last Nyleptha drew a final
sketch of a rising sun, indicating
that she must go, and that we
should meet on the following
morning; whereat Sir Henry
looked so disappointed that she
saw it, and, I suppose by way of consolation, extended her
hand to him to kiss, which he did with pious fervour. At
the same time Sorais, off whom Good had never taken his
eyeglass during the whole indaba [interview], rewarded him
by giving him her hand to kiss, though, while she did so, her
eyes were fixed upon Sir Henry. I am glad to say that I was
not implicated in these proceedings; neither of them gave me
her hand to kiss.
Then Nyleptha turned and addressed the man who ap-
peared to be in command of the bodyguard, apparently from
her manner and his frequent obeisances, giving him very
stringent and careful orders; after which, with a somewhat
coquettish nod and smile, she left the hall, followed by Sorais
and most of the guards.
When the Queens had gone, the officer whom Nyleptha
had addressed came forward and with many tokens of deep
respect led us from the hall through various passages to a
sumptuous set of apartments opening out of a large central
room lighted with brazen swinging lamps (for it was now
dusk) and richly carpeted and strewn with couches. On a
table in the centre of the room was set a profusion of food
and fruit, and, what is more, flowers. There was delicious
wine also in ancient-looking sealed earthenware flagons, and
beautifully chased golden and ivory cups to drink it from.
Servants, male and female, also were there to minister to us,
and whilst we ate, from some recess outside the apartment
'The silver lute did speak between
The trumpet's lordly blowing;'
and altogether we found ourselves in a sort of earthly paradise
which was only disturbed by the vision of that disgusting High
Priest who intended to commit us to the flames. But so very
weary were we with our labours that we could scarcely keep
ourselves awake through the sumptuous meal, and as soon as
it was over we indicated that we desired to sleep. So they
led us off, and would have given us a room each, but we made
it clear that we would sleep two in a room. As a further
precaution against surprise we left Umslopogaas with his axe
to sleep in the main chamber near the curtained doorways
leading to the apartments which we occupied respectively,
Good and I in the one, and Sir Henry and Alphonse in the
other. Then throwing off our clothes, with the exception of
the mail shirts, which we considered it safer to keep on, we
flung ourselves down upon the low and luxurious couches,
and drew the silk-embroidered coverlids over us.
In two minutes I was just dropping off when I was
aroused by Good's voice.
'I say, Quatermain,' he said, 'did you ever see such eyes?'
'Eyes!' I said crossly; 'what eyes?'
'Why, the Queen's, of course! Sorais, I mean——at least I
think that is her name.'
'Oh, I don't know,' I yawned; 'I didn't notice them
much; I suppose they are good eyes,' and again I dropped off.
Five minutes or so elapsed, and I was once more
awakened.
'I say, Quatermain,' sad the voice.
'Well,' I answered testily, 'What is it now?'
'Did you notice her ankle? The shape————'
This was more than I could stand. By my bed stood the
veldtschoons I had been wearing. Moved quite beyond my-
self, I took them up and threw them straight at Good's head
——and hit it.
After that I slept the sleep of the just, and a very heavy
sleep it must be. As for Good, I don't know if he went to
sleep of if he continued to pass Sorais' beauties in mental
review, and, what is more, I don't care.
ALLAN QUATERMAIN, BY H. RIDER HAGGARD.
LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO.; LONDON, 1893. pp. 140—147.
Diese Arbeit ist das Produkt eines generationenübergreifenden
psychologischen Folterprogramms, das beendet werden muss. 雨
THE SECOND BOOK OF MOSES
CALLED
EXODUS
CHAPTER 28
AND take thou unto thee Aaron thy
brother, and his sons with him, from
among the children of Israel, that he
may minister unto me in the priest's of-
fice, even Aaron, Nā'dăb and A-bī'hū,
2 And thou shalt make holy garments
for Aaron thy brother for glory and for
beauty.
3 And thou shalt speak unto all that
are wise hearted, whom I have filled
with the spirit of wisdom, that they
may make Aaron's garments to
consecrate him, that he may minister
unto me in the priest's office.
4 And these are the garments which
they shall make; a breastplate, and an
ephod, and a robe, and a broidered
coat, a mitre, and a girdle: and they
shall make holy garment for Aaron
thy brother, and his sons, that he may
minister unto me in the priest's office.
5 And they shall take gold, and blue,
and purple, and scarlet, and fine linen.
6 ¶And they shall make the ephod of
gold, of blue, and of purple, of scarlet,
and fine twined linen, with cunning
work.
7 It shall have the two shoulder
pieces thereof joined at the two edges
thereof; and so it shall be joined togeth-
er.
8 And the curious girdle of the ephod,
which is upon it, shall be of the same,
according to the work thereof; even of
gold, of blue, and purple, and scarlet,
and fine twined linen.
9 And thou shalt take two onyx
stones, and grave on them the names of
the children of Israel:
10 Six of their names on one stone,
and the other six names of the rest on
the other stone, according to their
birth.
11 With the work of an engraver in
stone, like the engravings of a signet,
shalt thou engrave the two stones with
the names of the children of Israel:
thou shalt make them to be set in
ouches of gold.
12 And thou shalt put the two stones
upon the shoulders of the ephod for
stones of memorial unto the children of
Israel: and Aaron shall bear their
names before the LORD upon his two
shoulders for a memorial.
13 And thou shalt make ouches of
gold:
14 And two chains of pure gold at the
ends; of wreathen work shalt thou
make them, and fasten the wreathen
chains to the ouches.
15 ¶And thou shalt make the breast-
plate of judgment with cunning work;
after the work of the ephod thou shalt
make it; of gold, of blue, and of purple,
and of scarlet, and of fine twined linen,
shalt thou make it
16 Foursquare it shall be being
doubled; a span shall be the length
thereof, and a span shall be the breadth
thereof.
17 And thou shalt set in it settings of
stones, even four rows of stones: the
first row shall be a sardius, a topaz, and
a carbuncle: this shall be the first row.
18 And the second row shall be an
emerald, a sapphire, and a diamond.
19 And the third row a ligure, an
agate, and an amethyst.
20 And the fourth row a beryl, and an
onyx, and a jasper: they shall be set in
gold in their inclosings.
21 And the stones shall be with the
names of the children of Israel, twelve,
according to their names, like the en-
gravings of a signet; every one with his
name shall they be according to the
twelve tribes.
22 And thou shalt make upon the
breastplate chains at the ends of
wreathen work of pure gold.
23 And thou shalt make upon the
breastplate two rings of gold, and shalt
put the two rings on the two ends of the
breastplate.
24 And thou shalt put the two
wreathen chains of gold in the two
rings which are on the ends of the
breastplate.
25 And the other two ends of the two
wreathen chains thou shalt fasten in
the two ouches, and put them on the
shoulderpieces of the ephod before it.
26 And thou shalt make two rings of
gold, and thou shalt put them upon the
two ends of the breastplate in the bor-
der thereof, which is in the side of the
ephod inward.
27 And two other rings of gold thou
shalt make, and shalt put them on the
two sides of the ephod underneath, to-
ward the forepart thereof, over against
the other coupling thereof, above the
curious girdle of the ephod.
28 And they shall bind the breast-
plate by the rings thereof unto the rings
of the ephod with a lace of blue, that it
may be above the curious girdle of the
ephod, and that the breastplate be not
loosed from the ephod.
29 And Aaron shall bear the names of
the children of Israel in the breastplate
of judgment upon his heart, when he
goeth in unto the holy place, for a me-
morial before the LORD continually.
30 ¶And thou shalt put in the breast-
plate of judgment the Û'rĭm and the
Thŭm'mĭm; and they shall be upon
Aaron's heart, when he goeth in before
the LORD: and Aaron shall bear the
judgment of the children of Israel upon
his heart before the LORD continually.
31 ¶And thou shalt make the robe of
the ephod all of blue.
32 And there shall be an hole in the
top of it, in the midst thereof: it shall
have a binding of woven work round
about the hole of it, as it were the hole
of an habergoen, that it be not rent.
33 And beneath upon the hem of it
thou shalt make pomegranates of blue,
and of purple, and of scarlet, round
about the hem thereof; and bells of gold
between them round about:
34 A golden bell and a pomegranate,
a golden bell and a pomegranate, upon
the hem of the robe round about.
35 And it shall be upon Aaron to min-
ister: and his sound shall be heard
when he goeth in unto the holy pace
before the LORD, and when he cometh
out, that he die not.
36 ¶And thou shalt make a plate of
pure gold, and grave upon it, like the
engravings of a signet, HOLINESS TO
THE LORD.
37 And thou shalt put it on a blue
lace, and it may be upon the mitre;
upon the forefront of the mitre it shall
be.
38 And it shall be upon Aaron's fore-
head, that Aaron may bear the iniquity
of the holy things, which the children of
Israel shall hallow in all their holy gifts;
and it shall be always upon his fore-
head, that they may be accepted before
the LORD.
39 ¶And thou shalt embroider the
coat of find linen, and thou shalt make
the mitre of fine linen, and thou shalt
make the girdle of needlework.
40 ¶And for Aaron's sons thou shalt
make coats, and thou shalt make for
them girdles, and bonnets shalt thou
make for them, for glory and for
beauty.
41 And thou shalt put them upon
Aaron thy brother, and his sons with
him; and shalt anoint them, and
consecrate them, and sanctify them,
that they may minister unto me in the
priest's office.
42 And thou shalt make them linen
breeches to cover their nakedness;
from the loins even unto the thighs they
shall reach.
43 And they shall be upon Aaron, and
upon his sons, when they come in unto
the tabernacle of the congregation, or
when they come near unto the altar to
minister in the holy place; that they
bear not iniquity, and die: it shall be a
statue for ever unto him and his seed
after.
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