ht the sacrifice with her own divine fire. She will do it,
too. She does everything. But I wish the flames may burn her when she
calls them down. This new Empress is the bane of our Clan, Deucalion,
these latter days. The people neglect us; they bring no offerings; and
now, since these rebels have been hammering at the walls, I might have
gone hungry if I had not some small store of my own. Oh, I tell you, the
cult of the true Gods is well-nigh oozed quite out of the land."

"My brother, it comes to my mind that the Priests of our Clan have been
limp in their service to let these things come to pass."

"I suppose we have done our best. At least, we did as we were taught.
But if the people will not come to hear your exhortations, and neglect
to adore the God, what hold have you over their religion? But I tell
you, Deucalion, that the High Gods try our own faith hard. Come into the
dwelling here. Look there on my bed."

I saw the shape of a man, untidily swathed in reddened bandages.

"This is all that is left of the poor priest that was my immediate
superior in this cure. It was his turn yesterday to celebrate the weekly
sacrifice to our Lord the Sun with the circle of His great stones.
Faugh! Deucalion, you should have seen how he was mangled when they
brought him back to me here."

"Did the people rise on him? Has it come to that?"

"The people stayed passive," said Ro bitterly, "what few of them had
interest to attend; but our Lord the Sun saw fit to try His minister
somewhat harshly. The wood was laid; the sacrifice was disposed upon it
according to the prescribed rites; the procession had been formed round
the altar, and the drums and the trumpets were speaking forth, to let
all men know that presently the smoke of their prayer would be wafted
up towards Those that sit in the great places in the heavens. But then,
above the noise of the ceremonial, there came the rushing sound of
wings, and from out of the sky there flew one of those great featherless
man-eating birds, of a bigness such as seldom before has been seen."

"An arrow shot in the eye, or a long-shafted spear receives them best."

"Oh, all men know what they were taught as children, Deucalion; but
these priests were unarmed, according to the rubric, which ordains that
they shall intrust themselves completely to the guardianship of the
High Gods during the hours of sacrifice. The great bird swooped down,
settling on the wood pyre, and attacked the s