kept still, and
looked beyond him. He began to shudder, with delight--and many emotions.
As he gazed, his poetic sensibility acquired such a nervous and
indefinable character that he could endure it no more; he burst into
tears.

When he looked up again the image had nearly disappeared, and in a few
moments more he was plunged back into total darkness.

Shortly afterward a second statue reappeared. It too was transfigured
into a living form, but Maskull was unable to see the details of its
face and body, because of the brightness of the light that radiated from
them. This light, which started as pale gold, ended as flaming golden
fire. It illumined the whole underground landscape. The rock ledges,
the cliffs, himself and Corpang on their knees, the two unlighted
statues--all appeared as if in sunlight, and the shadows were black and
strongly defined. The light carried heat with it, but a singular heat.
Maskull was unaware of any rise in temperature, but he felt his heart
melting to womanish softness. His male arrogance and egotism faded
imperceptibly away; his personality seemed to disappear. What was left
behind was not freedom of spirit or lightheartedness, but a passionate
and nearly savage mental state of pity and distress. He felt a
tormenting desire to serve. All this came from the heat of the statue,
and was without an object. He glanced anxiously around him, and fastened
his eyes on Corpang. He put a hand on his shoulder and aroused him from
his praying.

"You must know what I am feeling, Corpang."

Corpang smiled sweetly, but said nothing.

"I care nothing for my own affairs any more. How can I help you?"

"So much the better for you, Maskull, if you respond so quickly to the
invisible worlds."

As soon as he had spoken, the figure began to vanish, and the light to
die away from the landscape. Maskull's emotion slowly subsided, but
it was not until he was once more in complete darkness that he became
master of himself again. Then he felt ashamed of his boyish exhibition
of enthusiasm, and thought ruefully that there must be something wanting
in his character. He got up onto his feet.

The very moment that he arose, a man's voice sounded, not a yard from
his ear. It was hardly raised above a whisper, but he could distinguish
that it was not Corpang's. As he listened he was unable to prevent
himself from physically trembling.

"Maskull, you are to die," said the unseen speaker.

"Who is speaking?"