er. "It is in sorrow, not
pleasure, I behold you thus."

"I am entangled in the snare of the Evil One, Master Benteen. But I
continue manfully to war against the adversary even as becomes my high
station."

"Have you been long in so pitiful a state? I dreamed not it would ever
come to this."

"It may be true you were ignorant of the wiles of that emissary of
Satan who doth encompass us," he acknowledged, a trifle mollified by my
sympathy. "I would not be guilty of evil thought even toward an
unregenerated heretic. Yet I have sat thus, wrapped like a mummy of
the Egyptians, since early dawn. Ay, verily have I been sore oppressed
both of body and spirit. Nor has there been any surcease, when the
heathen have not lain thus at my feet. What means such action?"

"They mistake you for a god, and prostrate themselves in worship. You
are unto them a mysterious visitant from the Sun--so the Queen named
you, inspired by the color of your hair."

He groaned aloud, his chin dropping dejectedly upon his breast.

"I feared as much, and the thought greatly oppressed me. 'T is as if I
were a golden calf set aloft in the wilderness to mock the true God.
It resteth heavy on my spirit to abide as a vain idol in the tents of
these idolaters. When first they draped me with this foul livery of
Satan," he touched the scarlet robe gingerly with his chin, "I made so
vigorous a protest two of the black imps went down before me, but the
others overpowered my struggles, binding me fast, as you see. But,
verily, I have delivered unto them the whole truth as revealed unto the
saints; have struck and spared not--ay! the very language of the
scriptures have I poured forth unstinted upon them, and drawn before
their eyes that fiery hell over which they dangle in their sins. It
must be their understandings are darkened, for they hearken not unto my
exhortations, only lie thus, or dance before me by the hour in unholy
worship, snapping their fingers and shouting strange words, while twice
yonder black emissary of false religion held his smoking torch so
closely to my face the flame scorched the skin. Nor have my most
fervent prayers availed to drive them hence, or ease the prickings of
the spirit. 'T is as if the ear of the Lord had been turned aside from
the supplications of His servant; yea, verily, as if the vials of His
wrath were being poured forth upon my head, because, in a moment of
weakness, I yielded to the machinations of