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AsitfellOrocaughtitbythehilt，and，rising，waveditintriumph。
"Ithankthee，Godofmypeoplefromthebeginning，"hecried。
"Thouhastgiventome，thylastservant，thineownswordandI
willuseitwell。Fortheseworshippersofthinewhohavefallen，thoushalthaveothers，yes，allthosewhodwellinthenewworldthatistobe。Mydaughterandthemanwhomshehaschosentobethefatherofthekingsoftheearth，andwithhimhiscompanions，shallbethefirstofthehundredsofmillionsthataretofollow，fortheyshallkissthyfeetorperish。Thoushaltsetthyfootuponthenecksofallothergods；thoushaltruleandthoualone，and，asofold，Orobethyminister。"
Stillholdingthesword，heflunghimselfdownasthoughinanecstasy，andwassilent。
"Ireadtheomenotherwise，"whisperedYva。"TheworshippersofFateareoverthrown。Hisswordofpowerisfallen，butnotintothehandsthatclaspedit，andhetottersonhisthrone。A
greaterGodassertsdominionoftheworldandthisFateisbuthisinstrument。"
Ororoseagain。
"Oneprayermore，"hecried。"Givemelife，longlife，thatI
mayexecutethydecrees。BywordorgestureshowmeasignthatI
shallbesatisfiedwithlife，ayearforeveryyearthatIhavelived，ortwain！"
Hewaited，staringabouthim，butnotokencame；theidoldidnotspeakorbowitshead，asYvahadtoldmeitwaswonttodoinsignofacceptedprayer，how，sheknewnot。OnlyIthoughtI
heardtheechoofOro’scriesruninawhisperofmockeryroundthesoaringdome。
OncemoreOroflunghimselfuponhiskneesandbegantoprayinaveritableagony。
"Godofmyforefathers，Godofmylostpeople，Iwillhidenaughtfromthee，"hesaid。"Iwhofearnothingelse，feardeath。
Thepriest—foolyonderwithhisnewfaith，hasspokenblunderingwordsofjudgmentanddamnationwhich，thoughIdonotbelievethem，yetstickinmyheartlikearrows。Iwillstampouthisfaith，andwiththisancientswordofthinedrivebackthenewgodsintothedarknesswhencetheycame。YetwhatifsomewaterofTruthflowsthroughthechannelofhisleadenlips，andwhatifbecauseIhaveruledandwillruleasthoudidstdecree，therefore，insomedimplaceofsouls，ImustbeartheseburdensofterrorandofdoomwhichIhavebounduponthebacksofothers！Nay，itcannotbe，forwhatpoweristhereinalltheuniversethatdarestomakeaslaveofOroandtoafflicthimwithstripes？
"Yetthiscanbeandmayhapwillbe，thatpresentlyIlosemypathinthewaysofeverlastingdarkness，andbecomestrengthlessandforgottenasarethosewhowentbeforeme，whilemycrownofPowershinesonyoungerbrows。Alas！Igrowold，sinceaeonsofsleephavenotrenewedmystrength。MytimeisshortandyetI
wouldnotdieasmortalsmust。Oh！Godofmypeople，whomIhaveservedsowell，savemefromthedeathIdread。ForIwouldnotdie。Givemeasign；givemetheancient，sacredsign！"
Sohespoke，liftinghisproudandsplendidheadandwatchingthestatuewithwide，expectanteyes。
"Thoudostnotanswer，"hecriedagain。"Wouldstthoudesertme，Fate？ThenbewarelestIsetupsomenewgodagainsttheeandhurltheefromthineimmemorialthrone。WhileIliveIstillhavepowers，Iwhoamthelastofthyworshippers，sinceitseemsthatmydaughterturnsherbackonthee。Iwillgetmetothesepulchreofthekingsandtakecounselwiththedustofthatwizardwhofirsttaughtmewisdom。Evenfromthedepthsofdeathhemustcometomycallcladinamockeryoflife，andcomfortme。AlittlewhileyetIwillwait，andifthouanswernot，thenFate，soonI’lltearthesceptrefromthyhand，andthoushaltjointhecompanyofdeadgods。"Andthrowingasidethesword，againOrolaiddownhisheaduponthegroundandstretchedouthisarmsinthelastabasementofsupplication。
"Come，"whisperedYva，"whilethereisyettime。Presentlyhewillseekthisplacetodescendtothesepulchre，andifhelearnsthatwehavereadhisheartandknowhimforacowarddesertedofhisoutworngod，surelyhewillblotusout。Come，andbeswiftandsilent。"
Wecreptoutofthechapel，Yvaleading，andalongthecircleofthegreatdometillwereachedthegates。HereIglancedbackandperceivedthatOro，lookingunutterablysmallinthatvastness，lookinglikeadeadman，stilllayoutstretchedbeforethestern—faced，unansweringEffigywhich，withallhiswisdom，hebelievedtobelivinganddivine。Perhapsonceitwas，butifsoitsstarhadsetforever，likethoseofAmon，JupiterandBaal，andhewasitslastworshipper。
Nowweweresafe，butstillwespedontillwereachedtheporticoofoursleepingplace。ThenYvaturnedandspoke。
"Itishorrible，"shesaid，"andmysoulsickens。Oh，IthanktheStrengthwhichmadeitthatIhavenodesiretoruletheearth，and，beinginnocentofdeath，donotfeartodieandcrosshisthreshold。"
"Yes，itishorrible，"Ianswered。"Yetallmenfeardeath。"
"Notwhentheyhavefoundlove，Humphrey，forthatIthinkishistruename，and，withitwrittenonhisbrow，hestandsupontheneckofFatewhoisstillmyfather’sgod。"
"Thenheisnotyours，Yva？"
"Nay。Onceitwasso，butnowIrejecthim；heisnolongermine。AsOrothreatens，andperchancedaredoinhisrage，Ihavebrokenhischain，thoughinanotherfashion。Askmenomore；
perhapsonedayyouwilllearnthepathItrodtofreedom。"
ThenbeforeIcouldspeak，shewentoff：
"Restnow，forwithinafewhoursImustcometoleadyouandyourcompanionstoaterribleplace。Yetwhateveryoumayseeorhear，benotafraid，Humphrey，forIthinkthatOro’sgodhasnopoweroveryou，strongthoughhewas，andthatOro’splanswillfail，whileI，whotoohaveknowledge，shallfindstrengthtosavetheworld。"
Thenofasudden，onceagainshegrewsplendid，almostdivine；
nomoreawomanbutasitwereanangel。Somefireofpurepurposeseemedtoburnupinherandtoshineoutofhereyes。
Yetshesaidlittle。Onlythisindeed：
"Toeveryone，Ithink，therecomesthemomentofopportunitywhenchoicemustbemadebetweenwhatisgreatandwhatissmall，betweenselfanditsdesiresandthegoodofotherwanderersintheway。Thisdaythatmomentmaydrawneartoyouorme，andifso，surelyweshallgreetitwell。SuchisBastin’slesson，whichIhavestriventolearn。"
Thensheflungherarmsaboutmeandkissedmeonthebrowasamothermight，andwasgone。
Strangelyenough，perhapsbecauseofmymentalexhaustion，forwhatIhadpassedthroughseemedtooverwhelmmesothatIcouldnolongersomuchasthinkwithclearness，evenafterallthatI
havedescribedIsleptlikeachildandawokerefreshedandwell。
Ilookedatmywatchtofindthatitwasnoweighto’clockinthemorninginthishorribleplacewheretherewasneithermorn，nornoon，nornight，butonlyaneternalbrightnessthatcameI
knewnotwhence，andneverlearned。
IfoundthatIwasalone，sinceBickleyandBastinhadgonetofillourbottleswiththeLife—water。Presentlytheyreturnedandweatealittle；withthatwatertodrinkonedidnotneedmuchfood。Itwasasomewhatsilentmeal，forourcircumstanceswereacheckontalk；moreover，Ithoughtthattheotherslookedatmeratheroddly。Perhapstheyguessedsomethingofmymidnightvisittothetemple，butifsotheythoughtitwisesttosaynothing。
NordidIenlightenthem。
ShortlyafterwehadfinishedYvaappeared。Shewaswonderfullyquietandgentleinhermanner，calmalso，andgreetedallofuswithmuchsweetness。Ofourexperiencesduringthenightshesaidnowordtome，evenwhenwewerealone。OnedifferenceInoticedabouther，however；thatshewasclothedingarmentssuchasI
hadneverseenherwearbefore。Theywereclosefitting，saveforaflowingcape，and
