Fifteen Hundred Miles an Hour

by Charles Dixon

  CHAPTER XVII.

  AT THE TEMPLE ON THE HILL VEROSI.

  "Already my comrades had retired to rest, and I did not see any of themuntil the morrow. Each one of us had now a separate chamber, fittedup with every convenience and every luxury; and after I had lightlysupped a Martial showed me to my own apartment. Sleep I could not. Thecouch was soft; the surroundings all that might woo sleep for any man;but my eyes refused to close in slumber. Hour after hour I lay thereawake, busy with thoughts of the woman I was about to espouse, and ofthe awful conditions under which our union was to be made. All nightI tossed in feverish excitement, until the sickly light of the yellowdawn crept between the window draperies. Then I rose and dressed, andthrew wide the casement, to let the refreshing morning air cool myburning temples. My tongue was dry and parched, and the cruel grip ofa deadly fever seemed to have seized me. Then a terrible dread cameover me that I was becoming mad. Was I still on Earth, and my visit tothis strange world, and all that had befallen me thereon, but the wilddelusion of a madman's dream? I would seek out Doctor Hermann, if allwas an absolute reality, tell him my symptoms, and let him prescribesome remedy.

  "Early as it was, I left my room and sought the Doctor's; for to staythere any longer I felt to be impossible.

  "'Good morning, Doctor----'

  "'Why, Graham,' said he, in a voice mingled with alarm and sympathy,rising from his couch as he spoke--'why, whatever ails you?'

  "'That is just what I came here to know, Doctor. I feel all to pieces;generally out of sorts; and thought you might have some simple remedyat hand to brace me up a bit.'

  "'Simple remedy! Why, man, you look half dead. Come, let me have a lookat you. Your pulse! Ah! I thought so. You are exciting yourself toomuch over something or other. You don't want medicine. Absolute restis all I can prescribe. Have you been to bed at all? You have! Then goback to bed again, man----'

  "'But, Doctor, I cannot sleep, try as I will. All night I have notclosed my eyes.'

  "'Then swallow a couple of those,' answered the Doctor, taking twotiny, silver-coated pills from a phial in his pocket-case as he spoke.'Twelve hours' sleep should put you to rights. And just one word ofadvice, Graham--don't worry yourself so much, whatever may be thecause, or you will be downright ill. There, be off to bed again, and Iwill look in later on.'

  "I took the pills, and went back to my bed; but it seemed hours andhours before the opiate acted, and I sank into a deep and dreamlessslumber. The sun was low down in the western sky before I woke again;but the fever had left me, and I felt refreshed. By my bedside I foundvarious meats, and a tall, slender flagon of 'wine'; but far morewelcome to my opening eyes was a small nosegay of flowers, with ascroll of paper fastened to them, on which was written the two magicwords 'Ra Volin?'--From Volin?! Heaven guard her from all evil!

  "I dressed in haste, eating as I did so, for the hour appointed for mymeeting with her was nigh, and my heart was filled with anxiety forthe news that she might bring. But ere I had time to leave my chambera servant came, leaving a message from my darling, saying that shewould see me in her apartments. At the foot of the stairway Cyni andher sister waited my coming, and conducted me into the same room I hadentered before.

  "Volin? was waiting for me, and as the two handmaidens bowed and left,she came quickly to my side, a frightened, anxious look clouding herpeerless face.

  "'What is the matter, dear one?' I asked, as I saw her troubled look,although I guessed the cause.

  "'Thy sickness hath grieved me sorely, dear. Art thou better now?'

  "'The sight of you makes illness flee. But my malady is more of thespirit than the body. Darling, I cannot sleep for thoughts of you. Thatis all my ailment. And now let me thank you and kiss you for the prettyflowers. See; I wear them near my heart, and prize them much. But whydo I see you here?'

  "'For two reasons. First, thou art not well enough to risk the chillyair of evening; and second, I have prevailed upon Echri to meet theehere at a later hour. Already have I seen him when he came to Edos thismorning, as is his daily custom, and by great good fortune persuadedhim to grant my prayer. Oh! Harry, Harry, canst thou bear this pain forme?'

  "'Dear one, my word is given, and I am ready, even now, to-night, topass through this mystic ceremony, if it but hastens the day of ourhappiness. Have you yet made known our secret to the King?'

  "'Alas! no; for I fear his refusal. But methinks I hadst better tellhim before Echri comes. He may ask if my father hath given his consentto our betrothal, and even refuse his aid if such hath not been given.'

  "'Then, darling, tell your father of our love to-night,' and I took herin my arms as I spoke, and kissed her upturned face in boundless pride.

  "'As thou sayest, so will I do. Yea, even now shall the King hear of mylove for thee, and my desire to be thy wife.'

  "So speaking, Volin? withdrew herself from my arms, and placing thewhistle to her lips, called her faithful Cyni into the room.

  "'Is thy royal master engaged with business of State? Learn, and tellme.'

  "'His Majesty, O mistress, is in the Hall of Song.'

  "'Alone?'

  "'Even so, O mistress.'

  "'Ah, then, conduct me to his presence, good Cyni, for I would speak tohim there'; and waving her hand to me Volin? departed, leaving me towait by myself whilst the question of our happiness was decided.

  "Slowly the moments slipped away--one hour passed, another had nearlysped, and yet Volin? came not. My heart was filled with forebodings ofevil. Dread had seized upon my soul, and so agitated did I begin tofeel as the time wore on, that I trembled like an aspen, and my legsbecame unable to bear me. Once more I passed through untold agonies ofsuspense, until at last I heard Volin?'s voice outside, bidding Cynileave her.

  "The look of triumph on her face as she entered told me her storybefore she could speak, yet her flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes boresilent witness that the interview with the King, her father, had beenby no means an unexciting one.

  "'My darling, I read your secret on your radiant face. Now all is well,and I may justly claim you as my own.'

  "'Thou sayest truly. My father hath said that I may wed thee; he hathconsented to our troth, and, Harry, I could cry with joy. But wilt thoualways love me as thou lovest me now? Art thou really sure? for I cantell thee, men of Gathma are often known to tire of their wives.'

  "'Then they cannot be one quarter so charmingly fascinating as you are,darling.'

  "'Ah, flatterer, thou seemest to know the way to a woman's heart. Whohath taught thee her weakness?'

  "'None of your sex, certainly, my sweet one, unless maybe I inherit itfrom those who have had more experience. But, Volin?, why stay so longaway? Was your father at all inclined to withhold his sanction?'

  "'He was; for although succession to the crown of Gathma never runsthrough female descendants, it was his wish that I should wed a nobleof our own race. He hath prejudice against thee, for thou art not ofthis world; besides, he also urged thy short span of life.'

  "'But that is easily overcome, darling,' I urged.

  "'Not so easily as thou thinkest; but I am not going to brood on thatterror to-night--at least, not yet. I spoke of Echri's power, and ofthy own determination, and that bringeth me to what I hadst forgottenin my joy. My father at last consented to my wish; but he made it thecondition that thou shouldst pass through this ordeal of fire. Hesayeth that if thou hast the courage to face this awful trial, whichwill make thee more of Gathma than of Ramos, then, and then only, artthou worthy of being mate for me.'

  "'With you for my reward, dearest Volin?, I would not hesitate tosuffer the pangs of death a hundred times. I win your love in thisordeal----"

  "'Nay, Harry, thou hast won it long ago.'

  "'May heaven bless you for those precious words,' I answered, as Ikissed her flushed cheeks, and drew her head gently down upon myshoulder.

  "A low knocking at the door broke the spell of our delicious pleasure,and we heard Cyni, who had evidently being instructed to watch, say
ing:

  "'Hearken, O mistress; Echri the Priest cometh.'

  "'Then conduct him thither, Cyni, with thy fleetest steps,' Volin?answered, seating herself on a couch and smoothing her ruffled hair.

  "In a few moments this famous Priest arrived, and I was not a littleastonished to see with what reverence he was received. But his calm,saintly, dignified bearing seemed imperatively to demand respect,even obeisance. Never before had I seen so aged a being, or one whosefull-ripe years of life were borne with so much vigour and manliness.He came into Volin?'s room with a firm and upright step, his long hairand beard, which reached below his breast, white with the winters ofcenturies, setting off a singularly handsome and intelligent face.Bareheaded, clad in a long loose black garment, tightened with ascarlet sash round his waist, and with a scroll of what looked likeparchment in one hand, and a long, richly ornamented staff in theother, he advanced towards Volin? saying:--

  "'God's blessing rest upon thee and thine, Volin?, daughter of ourwell-loved King.'

  "'I thank thee, Holy Father, for thy kindly benediction, and also forshowing me such favour in coming hither at so late an hour.'

  "'Nay, nay, child. I am ever ready to comfort any sorrow, and assistdistress. I come to talk of thy troubles, and, by God's good grace,relieve them.'

  "'But thou art weary, good Father, and may not yet have supped. Wiltthou not eat before thou hast converse with us?'

  "'God ever gives me strength unto the measure of my labours, child; andmy humble fare awaits me in my mountain-home, as soon as the worksof the day be done. This stranger here is the man of Ramos, who wasdelivered from thy father's misplaced wrath at Remagaloth?'

  "'The same, O Father. See! thy sacred ring is even now upon his finger,thy talisman from evil.'

  "'And now, most reverend Echri, I would offer you my gratitude, as wellas that of my companions, for your timely and marvellous aid in thehour of our darkest need, both there and in the Chados deserts, when wewere perishing of thirst,' I said, advancing to where the old prieststood, and bowing to him respectfully.

  "'I ever seek to help all who put their faith in God, and blindly trustthemselves to His Omnipotence. But thou hast come a long journey, myson, from a world whose ways I know not save by their revelation to mein a vision. Therein was declared unto me that ye do worship God, butin a different manner from us of Gathma. Therein, too, was declaredunto me that, all in God's good time, the peoples of the worlds thatroll across the sky in majesty and splendour, those balls that speakof His creative wisdom in their throbbing lights by night, shall beknit together in one grand brotherhood of God! This vision teacheth methat in thee and thy companions I see the shadowed prophecy beginningits fulfilment. Ye have conquered Space by your cunning arts, and theplanets now no longer keep them to themselves. So will God gather thosescattered worlds together and hold all His people united! And nowVolin? tells me that the passion ye call Love hath taken root betweenye, and that already thou hast asked her to wife. Thou art but anagent of God in this wondrous thing, and being so, it is my holy dutyto help thee yet again, in prolonging thy days, so that they shallequal hers. I hear that thou art willing to go through the holy ritethat will endow thee with a longer span?'

  "'Even so,' I answered, overwhelmed by the solemn words the old priesthad uttered.

  "'But hast thou weighed well thine inclination? The ordeal that thoumust pass is one of Fire. Know ye that Fire is Life, and Life is Fire?By passing Fire ye enter Life. But even so must Death be conqueredfirst!'

  "'Holy Father, I wait with growing impatience to so prolong my days,having all faith in your wondrous power to help me,' I answered with atrembling voice, awed beyond description by the subtle influence thisold priest already had over me.

  "'Then, at noon upon the morrow, come thou to the Temple on the hillVerosi, and there will I help thee to thy wish. Volin? will show theethither; and let your coming and your going be in secret, and be doneby stealth.'

  "'Come hither, Volin?, for I would give my blessing to ye both before Igo'--and the old priest, taller by a head and shoulders than I, stoodup, and with one hand placed on Volin?'s head, and the other on my own,he breathed a silent prayer for us.

  "'And now, my children, I must get me gone. The nightly services of ourHoly House upon the hill await my ministration, and methinks ye both dotire of an old man's company.'

  "'We thank thee much for thy good offices, Holy Echri; and will keepfaith with thee to-morrow. Fare-thee-well.'

  "Then taking up his staff, and his scroll of holy writings, the oldpriest, with a smile in which no human passions mingled, slowly wenthis way.

  "'Now, Harry, thou shalt sup with me to-night, as a mark of royalfavour,' said Volin? with a smile, 'and then must thou go and rest, andfortify thyself for the morrow.'

  "So saying, she led me into another and a smaller room adjoining, whereCyni and her sister Irolne waited to serve us with food. Our meal over,I bade Volin? adieu until the morrow, she promising to meet me at ourold tryst in the garden of Siccoth-trees, an hour before noon, whencewe might journey together to the gold-domed Temple on the distant hillof Verosi.

  "'And so the morrow is to be the most eventful day of all my eventfullife,' I mused, as I sat in my chamber looking out upon the Palacegrounds, now appearing in all the subtle beauty a tropical nightalone can lend. There I sat for an hour or more, deeply ponderingover the morrow's mysteries. 'Where and what shall I, Harry Graham,be at the close of that all-fateful day?' My home, my Earth, shonelike a steady-burning brilliant in the green-blue southern sky; in afew hours more, and all the ties that bind me thereto will be burntaway--destroyed by fire! Slowly, as I mused, her beautiful pointof light sank lower and lower, and finally she dropped behind thegarden-trees, and I bade her adieu--farewell, for with earthly eyes Ishould see her no more. One pang of regret, and one only, shot throughmy heart quicker than the lightning flash, and was gone; and then Icursed my weakness, for it seemed like a breach of loyalty to Her!

  "All night I slept but little, and right glad was I to see the distantmountains, through my eastern window, tipped with ruddy day. I rose upfrom my couch and, early as it was, summoned Herio, the servant who hadbeen charged with the duty of attending to my personal needs.

  "'At what hour do my comrades take their morning meal, Herio?' I askedas he entered.

  "'Two hours from the present, sire.'

  "'Then you will find me, if they make enquiry, in the garden below. Igo there to breathe the morning air, and to refresh myself.'

  "Truly, this garden was a wondrous place--filled with strange flowersand plants and trees, many of the latter festooned together by creeperswhich dropped in mid-air blooms of rare beauty and fragrance. It wasgraced with statuary, and with fountains which, by hidden means,dispelled a subtle perfume in their spray as the winds caught it andwafted it across the groves. Here I wandered, striving to composemyself and steady my nerves for the coming trial. Besides, I had nodesire at present to betray myself, and to let my comrades know thestep I was contemplating. When all was over, then might I tell them mysecrets, but, until then, I deemed it best to keep my own counsel.

  "The time slipped quickly away, and Herio came to summon me to eat.Already my companions were at table, waiting for me. "'Why, Graham,wherever on Earth--no, on Mars--do you hide yourself?' said Temple, asI entered the room. 'Where did you conceal yourself last evening? Weknew that you were a-bed all day, for the Doctor came from time to timeand saw you as you slept, but at night you utterly vanished.'

  "'I thought I told you explicitly to keep quiet, Graham, and here youare gadding about the moment you awake, casting all my cautions to thewinds.'

  "'Now, Doctor--and you, too, Temple--as to where I spent the evening,I did so with Volin?, at her invitation, and I assure you I was welltaken care of----'

  "'Really; I don't doubt it! What a lucky fellow you are! And when isthe fatal day to be?' said Temple carelessly, and with a merry laugh,determined to have his say for once, in spite of the Doctor's presence,y
et little dreaming of the awful signification his last lightly-spokenwords had for me.

  "'I'm real glad to see you in such spirits, Mr. Temple, after all wehave gone through lately,' I answered, trying to turn our conversationto subjects less personal and painful to me. 'What are your plans forthe future, Doctor? Have you seen anything more of the King?'

  "'Well, Graham,' said the Doctor, evidently as pleased as myself tosee the conversation taking a more practical turn, for an argument ofany feminine subject was his one abomination. 'Well, Temple and I hada long consultation with the King yesterday; and we are about to holda grand scientific Congress here in Edos, to which all the leadingphilosophers are to be invited, and then we are going to discuss Idon't know how many important subjects. The King is quite enthusiastic,especially on one great project we are contemplating, namely, theestablishment of regular communication between Earth and here. I have,also, a bit of news for you. I heard yesterday from our old friendKios that that rascal, that villain Perodii, had destroyed the poor_Sirius_--wrecked her completely!'

  "'Doctor, you don't mean that?'

  "'But I do; and if I were a younger man, I would thrash him soundly forhis mischief.'

  "'Ah, Doctor,' I answered, 'Perodii is having his day, but retributionmay be coming swiftly.'

  "'Has come, but too late for me. The King has banished him from here.'

  "'A worse fate than that awaits him, or I am no prophet,' I added, in atone of hatred.

  "'But your plans, Doctor?'

  "'We are going to make exhaustive collections of the fauna and theflora of this planet. Temple is going to investigate its commercialresources, visiting all the great centres of industry, acquiringinformation useful to the manufacturers of Earth, and at the sametime imparting whatever knowledge he may possess that is likely tobe welcome here. You, Graham, might do worse than go with Temple--anengineer would be a useful companion. Ah, Graham, we have years ofwork before us--years. Here, in my glory of triumph, I positivelypity the poor scientists of Earth, turning over and over their fewtheories and time-worn specimens, each with little better to do thanto spend his life and efforts in seeking to overturn the views ofhis contemporaries on this question and on that. It is almost anevent, nowadays, in the scientific world at home, for any real goodnew species to be discovered; and yet here a world, an entire world,crammed full of new and curious forms, lies before me!'

  "'You see, the Doctor has not been idle,' said Temple.

  "'Indeed he has not,' I answered, 'and all you tell me interests meexceedingly.' At any other time I should have felt enchanted whilstlistening to dear old Doctor Hermann's plans and projects, but thismorning I heard all that was said like one in a dream. I was heartilyglad when the Doctor took Temple off to hear of a wonderful account ofsome monster insect, whose habitat was in a valley near Edos.'

  "'I suppose you are engaged for the day, Graham?' said Temple, slily,as the two walked away.

  "'I am going to write up some of my notes, and may then join you,' Ianswered evasively. Already it wanted but an hour to the time I hadpromised Volin? to meet her, so long had we lingered at table.

  "With ever increasing excitement, with nerves becoming strung untotheir tightest tension, I passed that hour away, and then betookmyself to the arbour where Volin? was to join me. There, to mygreat astonishment, I found one of her maids--Irolne, sister ofCyni--awaiting my coming with a message from her mistress, saying thatI was to go with this maiden, who would conduct me to a distant partof the Palace grounds, where Volin? already waited. Along secludedpaths, and twice for some considerable way underground, through wildand wondrous grottoes we went, until at last we came unto steps whichseemed to lead into a large and lofty building, entirely underground.At the bottom of this stairway stood Volin?, with Cyni. We were in around chamber, from which radiated in all directions large pipes ortunnels, similar to the one through which we were brought by Perodiicaptives to Edos. In the centre was a luxuriously-fitted car, by theside of which stood two marshals in royal uniform.

  "Smiling sweetly to me, Volin? stepped forward and said to theseattendants:

  "'We would visit Echri's Temple on the hill Verosi. Place us thitherwith speed,' and, beckoning to me, she entered the brilliantly-lightedcar, and I followed her and sat down by her side. Then the car wasturned round perhaps a quarter of a circle, and began to move forwardinto one of the pipes, and in an instant we were gliding onwardswith ever-increasing speed. My arm stole round Volin?'s waist as wetravelled on, and, kissing her, I said:

  "'You see, dear one, I am still as anxious to go through this ordeal offire as I was when I left you last night.'

  "'I knew thou wouldst not fail, dear Harry; but already my heartfalters within me. Even now there is time for thee to repent thy words.'

  "'And lose you? Never, darling! I see happiness before me, happinesswith you; and though the path that leads thereto is rough and terrible,the reward will all the sweeter be.'

  "We had no time for much further converse, as in a few minutes of timewe slowed, and at last came to a stop in another building, similar inall respects to the one we had left.

  "Instantly four venerable, white-haired Priests approached, and withsome invocation which I did not understand, assisted us to alight, and,in a tone of great respect, asked us to follow them. We walked up asloping path in silence, and then found ourselves in a beautiful groveof trees, from which, perhaps a quarter of a mile distant, towered thethree mighty domes of burnished metal we had seen from the air, whenapproaching Edos in the _Sirius_.

  "Escorted by our priestly guides, we wended our way between the trees,until we reached the lofty arched entrance to the Temple. Passing underthis we came into a kind of courtyard, after crossing which we wentthrough another and a smaller way, and here Holy Echri stood waitingto receive us. He was dressed much more imposingly, in a crimson robe,with a long rod of what looked like fine gold in his left hand, and ascroll of parchments, bound and suspended by a curiously-wrought chainof the same metal, in his right.

  "'Welcome to our Holy House, O daughter of the King, and man of Ramos!Welcome to the Temple of God. Thy faith is strong within thee, my son.Have no fear, and follow me without dismay, for heaven shall lend theestrength equal to thy weakness.'

  "Then, turning round, he led the way into a gorgeous sanctuary underone of the smaller domes. To say that I was astonished at themagnificence around me, conveys but a faint idea of my actual feelings.It was a Temple of gems and costly fabrics, enough to excite the envyof a Solomon, and fill his soul with despair. There were altars andcurious structures whose uses were unknown to me, wrought in solidgold and garnished with jewels; there were rows and rows of venerablePriests ranged in close array round each altar, some bearing pots ofincense slung by chains of gold, others with rods of gold, others yetagain with curious lamps that burnt so brilliantly that the eye couldnot look upon them without becoming almost blind to all other objects.Then there was a sumptuous throne, encircled round about with a lowtrellis-work of gold, and behind that a lofty gallery, also filled withPriests. As we entered a dirge-like chant was sung to strains of music,where and how played I know not, which vibrated through our very soulsin its harmonious beauty. Coming to a pause before the trellis-work,Echri bade Volin? and myself stand there together, and then, escortedby two aged Priests, he went and sat him down thereon. Then the musicand the singing ceased, and a great silence fell upon the assembledthrong, all eyes being fixed upon the throne, and we who stood beforeit. Volin? clung to me, and I could feel that ever and anon shetrembled violently. All were apparently waiting now for Echri to act.Soon he did so, by addressing me:

  "'Man of Ramos, the hour hath now arrived when, if thy faith or thycourage hath not failed thee, thou mayest, by the ordinance of EternalFire, obtain a greater span of years for thy decaying body. If thouhast the nerve within thee to let this living Fire embrace thee, thenshalt thou become possessed of that for which thy heart hath craved.'

  "Then, addressing Volin?, he continued:
r />   "'And hast thou, Volin?, daughter of Gathma's mighty King, sought andgot thy royal Father's free consent to take this man of Ramos for thyhusband? If so be thou hast, speak!'

  "'In truth, most Holy Echri, the King hath said that this shall be, andI assure thee this man of Ramos, standing by my side, goes through thysacred ceremony with the King's full knowledge and approval unto thatend,' Volin? answered, in a voice choked with the emotion that was fastovercoming her.

  "'Enough! Now let us, therefore, enter upon our solemn duty.'

  "And as he finished speaking, the multitude of Priests formedthemselves into procession; the incense-throwers swung their cups toand fro, the lamp-bearers hoisted their lights on high, and the singersin the gallery commenced their solemn anthems. When they had finishedsinging, the grand procession began its imposing movement to thedistant strains of some wind-instrument of great power and loud tone,on which twelve priestly artistes played, with marvellous precision,a march of soul-stirring beauty, though sad and tenderly plaintive inits cadence. At the end of this long company of marching Priests cameVolin?, Echri, and myself; and so we wended our way around the spaciousHall and under an archway, into a larger building which was beneaththe mightiest of the three brazen domes.

  "This larger Temple was fitted up even more gorgeously than the onewe had left; and right in the centre thereof was a High Altar, at thefront of which flowed a constant stream of molten fire, smokeless andsilent, yet so brilliant that it lighted up the vast dome into itsuttermost recesses with a noonday brightness. The heat, as we passedwithin fifty paces of this wondrous fire-stream, was great, and beadsof perspiration formed themselves on my face; but these were more theresult of the great and awful excitement that filled my brain, thanthe glow of heat that radiated from this living furnace. As we passed,Echri said:

  "'Behold, my son, Fire that hath never ceased to burn since Gathmasprang from chaos! It is the primordial force that hath sustained andnourished Life from the beginning of all things! yea, the blood thatcourses through the veins and arteries of worlds. It floweth here by adark and rocky way beneath the ground, from the mountain of fire ye,perhaps, have noted some distance from Edos.'

  "I nodded, for I was absolutely too awe-stricken to speak, and the oldPriest continued:

  "'Note thee well its living, brilliant beauty, for it is the enemythou hast to conquer, or rather the friend that will help thee to thyheart's desire.'

  "I shuddered as I listened to his awful words, yet somehow I felt nofear, no regret, no dread, only an overwhelming sense of reverence andwonder.

  "Then, taking Volin? and myself by the hand, he walked between us,and led us to the foot of another throne, and, walking up the sevensteps of solid gold, sat him down thereon. The procession of Priestscontinued walking on with slow and stately step, keeping time to themusic that had now become louder, more triumphant in its melody, until,to the closing bars of this wondrous solo, they ranged themselves inone wide circle round the throne on which Echri sat, and the High Altarbefore which flowed the stream of Fire.

  "Amidst death-like silence four Priests advanced, two carrying chainsof gold, and two with some kind of vestments; and these they placed ona low table near, and then stood behind us, still and silent as therest. Volin? clasped my hand in terror, but she seemed too frightenedto speak, and tears were coursing down her white lovely face!

  "'My son, our holy Priests shall pray that God mayest give theestrength unto the measure of thy woe. Meantime, these men will takethee and prepare thee for thy fiery trial.'

  "As soon as these words were finished, the four Priests stepped forwardand bade me follow them. They took me across the wide floor of theTemple into a smaller chamber; and there I was divested of my garments,and draped in a priestly robe. Then the chains were fastened around mywrists, and I was given a draught of some sweet and volatile liquidfrom a goblet of crystal, before being conducted back to Echri'sthrone. Volin? was sobbing loudly; but I felt brave, endowed with anew-found strength, and stood calmly waiting for the end to come.

  "'Dost thou still desire to proceed through this ordeal, man of Ramos?'said Echri, in a solemn tone. 'Hath thou still the inclination to wedthis gracious lady, the daughter of our King, by such means as havealready been explained to thee?'

  "'I am ready,' I answered in a firm, unfaltering voice, with my armsextended towards him, draped in their manacles of gold. 'Fuse us inyour Fire, O Holy Priest! Weld our souls together upon the altar-anvilof your strange mysterious faith! Make our two loving hearts but one!I am ready to brave your fiery ordeal, e'en pass through the glowingfurnace of your wondrous creed, to reach my wedded bliss.'

  "Here Volin?, by a great effort, composed herself to speak, and turninground, she looked at me in a tender, supplicating way, saying:

  "'Oh, Harry! Harry! My love for thee is strong, yet my poor heartfalters before Echri's sacred furnace. Alas! Alas! my courage fails me!My dear one, my brave one, I am not worthy of such love as thine. Leaveme. Return unto thine own people. Spare thyself this agony of Fire.Return, I bid thee, and be safe.'

  "'Nay, Volin?, speak not so! for your words wound me worse than thatfire I now yearn to pass through to reach the full measure of myjoy. Courage, darling, courage! as beseems a daughter of your noble,peerless race! I wait but Echri's word to enter yon Shrine of Fire. Hewill unite our hearts together; for all things to him seem possible,'I answered, bowing reverently before the throne on which Echri satunmoved at Volin?'s sorrow, solemn and still as though carved inmarble, patiently waiting to complete what I deemed the spiritualportion of our strange betrothal.

  "'Oh! Holy Echri, this thing must not be. His pain is my pain; and ifhe will not spare himself, then must thou spare him,' Volin? said, in avoice piteous to hear; and her words went each like a keen-edged daggerinto my heart. Turning to me, she continued:

  "'Harry, thou shalt not go! Yea, I will even wed thee as thou art. Comeback to me, for my heart is breaking. Come back to me; come back andcomfort my dreadful sorrow. Oh! why did I tell thee of this terriblething! oh! why did I tempt thee! Why, oh why did I counsel thee tothis! Why send thee to such a doom of agony for ME--thee, whom I lovebetter than my own life!'

  "But even as Volin? spoke I was led away by the attendant Priests,feeling powerless to help the woman I loved, and growing moredetermined to consummate the dread doom before me.

  "They led me unto the fiery stream, and there, as Echri rose and raisedhis voice in some unknown tongue, the floor gave way beneath me and Isank in an oblique direction into a small pit which seemed to me tobe under, or in the very course of, the fiery stream! Then all becamedark, and I could hear, as afar off, the singing of the Priests, theirheaven-wrought music, and the piteous appeals of she whom I loved!Shortly the agony of my awful situation entered into my soul; yet allwas hopeless now; hopeless! A living death by Fire approached me! Itried to cry out, but my voice was dumb; 'Volin?,' the one word Icould say, became but a hideous rattle in my burning throat; and asmy eyes strove in vain to penetrate the ghastly gloom of this dreadchamber, the blackness around me seemed to fall away, and a volume ofwhite-hot fire approached! Scorched and burnt by the sudden heat, allthe agony of death entered into my soul in that one awful moment oftime, my brain seemed to burst asunder with pain, and all became aninstant blank!

  "How long this lasted I know not; but in what seemed to me thetwinkling of an eye I awoke, and found myself in the same small chamberwhere the Priests had robed and chained me. Echri stood near, and thesame Priests were arranging my old garments ready for use. The meltedgold of my manacles still hung in guttered streams from my wrists; myrobe was burned to tinder; yet, otherwise, not one trace of fire markedmy body, and even the downy hair upon my arms was soft and unsinged!The sacred ring upon my finger had also passed through the fireunscathed! At all this I marvelled greatly, and pondered in amazement.I felt myself, and yet I knew instinctively I was not. What hadactually befallen me I had not a single remembrance; all was blottedout by that stream of raging fire. How this wond
erful transformationhad been accomplished I never learned. It was the jealously-kept secretof Echri and his brother-Priests.

  "'My son, thou hast acted as only a brave man couldst. Begarb thyself,and hasten to the comfort of her whom thou lovest. She needs thy care.'

  "I walked by Echri's side back into the Temple and as I entered, asong of my triumph over death was raised in my honour, and strains ofsweet music rolled through the mighty dome like a paean of praise.I ran forward in my new-found joy, and Volin?, sobbing and weepingbitterly, fell senseless into my arms!

  "'Joy doth not kill, my son. Let her tears flow freely, for they willbear away her sorrow; and her faintness is but caused by her pleasureat seeing thee.'

  "Slowly we brought my poor darling back to life, and then she and Iwended our way from this tabernacle of fiery mystery into the placewhere we might start back to Edos again. In my great concern forVolin?, I forgot even to thank Echri, or to speak to any living soulbut her. All my thoughts were centered in Volin?, and the moment thatwe were at last alone in the carriage I took her in my arms, and werained passionate kisses upon each other's lips.

  "'Oh, Harry, how I love thee! Verily hast thou won me at the Shrine ofDeath.'

  "'The joy that fills these fleeting moments is a full recompense foraught that I have suffered, darling. And now you must try and be yourown dear self. I want to see the roses in your cheeks again, and thehappy careless smile upon your lips once more. Come, darling, cheer upnow! All is over, and we have the long and radiant future before us.'

  "'Wilt thou always be so good and kind and loving as thou art just now?Oh, Harry, I shall worship thee if thou art ever so.'

  "'For ever, my dear one! For I love you--love you better now, Volin?,than I ever have before. And, darling, I have now a request to ask.'

  "'Anything that I can grant thee thou canst have for asking. Do with meas thou wilt.'

  "'Then, dear one, when may I look for the consummation of my happiness?When shall our nuptials be? When will you name your bridal day, so thatI may make you my own for evermore?'

  "'Oh, Harry, thy words almost frighten me! How impatient thou hastbecome! In how many months must I say--?'

  "'How--many--months--' I repeated in despair. 'Nay, surely you will notbe so cruel! Promise me in one month--even in less.'

  "'If my father so wishes, then will I favour thee,' she answered,hiding her blushing cheeks upon my breast. 'Now, wilt that contentthee?'

  "By this time we had reached the Palace grounds in Edos again; and uponleaving the car we found Volin?'s two handmaidens waiting for theirmistress. There I left her in their charge, and sought the Palace byanother way, alone."