usage is that Tu-Kila-Kila, the very high god, confers upon her
the honor of making her his bride. It is a mighty honor. The feast is
great. Blood flows like water. For seven days and nights, then, she lives
with Tu-Kila-Kila in his sacred abode, the threshold of Heaven; she eats
of human flesh; she tastes human blood; she drinks abundantly of the
divine kava. At the end of that time, in accordance with the custom of
our fathers, those great dead gods, Tu-Kila-Kila performs the high act of
sacrifice. He puts on his mask of the face of a shark, for he is holy and
cruel; he brings forth the Queen of the Clouds before the eyes of all his
people, attired in her wedding robes, and made drunk with kava. Then he
gashes her with knives; he offers her up to Heaven that accepted her; and
the King of the Rain he offers after her; and all the people eat of their
flesh, Korong! and drink of their blood, so that the body of gods and
goddesses may dwell within all of them. And when all is done, the high
god chooses a new king and queen at his will (for he is a mighty god),
who rule for six moons more, and then are offered up, at the end, in like
fashion."

As he spoke, the ferocious light that gleamed in the savage's eye made
Felix positively mad with anger. But he answered nothing directly. "Is
this so?" he asked, turning for confirmation to Fire and Water. "Is it
the custom of Boupari that Tu-Kila-Kila should wed the Queen of the
Clouds seven days before the date appointed for her sacrifice?"

The King of Fire and the King of Water, tried guardians of the etiquette
of Tu-Kila-Kila's court, made answer at once with one accord, "It is so,
O King of the Rain. Your lips have said it. Tu-Kila-Kila speaks the
solemn truth. He is a very great god. Such is the custom of Boupari."

Tu-Kila-Kila laughed his triumph in harsh, savage outbursts.

But Felix drew back for a second, irresolute. At last he stood face to
face with the absolute need for immediate action. Now was almost the
moment when he must redeem his terrible promise to Muriel. And yet, even
so, there was still one chance of life, one respite left. The mystic
yellow bough on the sacred banyan! the Great Taboo! the wager of battle
with Tu-Kila-Kila! Quick as lightning it all came up in his excited
brain. Time after time, since he heard Methuselah's strange message
from the grave, had he passed Tu-Kila-Kila's temple enclosure and
looked up with vague awe at that sacred parasite th