ly too easy to grow rich; and, you
know, poverty once forfeited can never return except in rare
instances. I have, however, succeeded in getting rid of most of my
wealth, chiefly through the fortunate advent of Almah and afterward of
yourself. This, I confess, has been my salvation. Neither of you had
any scruples about accepting what was bestowed, and so I did not feel
as though I was doing you any wrong in giving you all I had in the
world. Most of the people of this city have taken advantage of your
extraordinary indifference to wealth, and have made themselves paupers
at your expense. I had already become your slave, and had received the
promise of being elevated to the rank of scullion in the cavern of the
Mista Kosek. But now, since this event of your love for Almah, I
hope to gain far more. I am almost certain of being made a pauper, and
I think I can almost venture to hope some day for the honor of a
public death."

To such a story I had nothing to say. It was sheer madness; yet it was
terribly suggestive, and showed how utterly hopeless was my effort to
secure the assistance of such a man toward my escape from death.

"A public death!" I said, grimly. "That will be very fortunate! And do
you think that you will gain the dignity of being eaten up afterward?"

The Kohen shook his head in all seriousness.

"Oh no," said he; "that would be far beyond my deserts. That is an
honor which is only bestowed upon the most distinguished."

CHAPTER XVI

THE KOSEKIN

These people call themselves the Kosekin. Their chief characteristic,
or, at least, their most prominent one, is their love of darkness,
which perhaps is due to their habit of dwelling in caves. Another
feeling, equally strong and perhaps connected with this, is their love
of death and dislike of life. This is visible in many ways, and
affects all their character. It leads to a passionate self-denial, an
incessant effort to benefit others at their own expense. Each one
hates life and longs for death. He, therefore, hates riches, and all
things that are associated with life.

Among the Kosekin everyone makes perpetual efforts to serve others,
which, however, are perpetually baffled by the unselfishness of these
others. People thus spend years in trying to overreach one another, so
as to make others richer than themselves. In a race each one tries to
keep behind; but as this leads to confusion, there is then a universal
effort for each one to be fi