egates below. Ye are all aware of the manner of life of Morven,
whom ye have surnamed the Prophet! He harms not man nor beast; he lives
alone; and, far from the wild joys of the warrior tribe, he worships
in awe and fear the Powers of Night. So is he able to advise ye of the
coming danger,--so is he able to save ye from the foe. Thus are your
huntsmen swift and your warriors bold; and thus do your cattle bring
forth their young, and the earth its fruits. What think ye, and what do
ye ask to hear? Listen, men of Oestrich!--they have laid snares for my
life; and there are amongst you those who have whetted the sword against
the bosom that is only filled with love for you all. Therefore have the
stern lords of heaven loosened the chains of the river; therefore doth
this evil menace ye. Neither will it pass away until they who dug the
pit for the servant of the stars are buried in the same."

Then, by the red torches, the faces of the men looked fierce and
threatening; and ten thousand voices shouted forth, "Name them who
conspired against thy life, O holy prophet, and surely they shall be
torn limb from limb."

And Morven turned aside, and they saw that he wept bitterly; and he
said,--

"Ye have asked me, and I have answered: but now scarce will ye believe
the foe that I have provoked against me; and by the heavens themselves
I swear, that if my death would satisfy their fury, nor bring down upon
yourselves and your children's children the anger of the throned stars,
gladly would I give my bosom to the knife. Yes," he cried, lifting up
his voice, and pointing his shadowy arm towards the hall where the king
sat by the pine-fire,--"yes, thou whom by my voice the stars chose
above thy brother; yes, Siror, the guilty one! take thy sword, and come
hither; strike, if thou hast the heart to strike, the Prophet of the
Gods!"

The king started to his feet, and the crowd were hushed in a shuddering
silence.

Morven resumed:--

"Know then, O men of Oestrich, that Siror and Voltoch his brother, and
Darvan the elder of the wise men, have purposed to slay your prophet,
even at such hour as when alone he seeks the shade of the forest to
devise new benefits for you. Let the king deny it, if he can!"

Then Voltoch, of the giant limbs, strode forth from the hall, and his
spear quivered in his hand.

"Rightly hast thou spoken, base son of my father's herdsman! and for
thy sins shalt thou surely die; for thou liest when thou speakes