"Fools!".. he muttered under his breath,--"For you, and such as you, the wisest sages toil in vain! ... on you Art wastes her treasures of suggestive loveliness! ... low grovellers in earth, ye have no eyes for heaven! O ignorant, ungenerous, fickle hypocrites, whose ruling passion is the greed of gold!--Why should great men perish, that YE may live! ... And yet.. your acclamations make up the thing called Fame! Fame? ... Good God!-- 'tis a brief shout in the universal clamor, scarce heard and soon forgotten!"
And filled with strange bitterness, he gazed disconsolately at Niphrata, who stood like one in a trance of ecstasy, patiently awaiting her doom, her lovely, innocent blue eyes gladly upturned to the long, jewel-like head of Nagaya, which twined round the summit of the ebony staff, seemed to peer down at her in a sort of drowsy reflectiveness. Then, all suddenly, Lysia spoke, . . how enchanting was the exquisite modulation of that slow, languid, silvery voice!
"Come hither, O Maiden fair, pure, and faithful! The desire of thy soul is granted! Before thee are the Gates of the Unknown World! Already they open to admit thee; Through their golden bars gleams the glory of thy future! Speak! ... What seest thou?"
A moment of breathless silence ensued,--all present seemed to be straining their ears to catch the victim's answer. It came,--soft and clear as a bell: "I see a wondrous land o'er-canopied with skies of gold and azure: . . white flowers grow in the fragrant fields, . . there are many trees, . . I hear the warbling of many birds; . . I see fair faces that smile upon me and gentle hands that beckon! ... Figures that wear glistening robes, and carry garlands of roses and myrtle, pass slowly, singing as they go! ... How beautiful they are! How strange! ... how sweet!"
And as she uttered these words, in accents of dreamy delight, she ascended the first step of the Shrine. Theos, looking, held his breath in wonder and fear, while Sah-luma with a groan turned himself resolutely away, and, pressing his forehead against the great column where he stood, hid his eyes in his clasped hands.
The High Priestess continued: "Come hither, O Maiden of chaste and patient life! Rejoice greatly, for thy virtue hath pleased the gods: The undiscovered marvels of the Stars are thine, Earth has no more control over thee: Heaven is thine absolute Heritage! ... Behold! the Ship of the Sun awaits thee! Speak! ... What seest thou?"
A soft cry of rapture came from the girl's lips.
"Oh, I see glory everywhere!".. she exclaimed.. "Light everywhere! ... Peace everywhere! ... O joy, joy! ... The face of my beloved shines upon me,--he calls, . . he bids me come to him! ... Ah! we shall be together at last, . . we twain shall be as one never to part, never to doubt, never to suffer more! O let me hasten to him! ... Why should I linger thus, when I would fain, be gone!"