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"Thank me not," he said gently. "It seems that you, who can read all hearts, have read mine aright, or perchance you fashioned it as you would have it be. Now, having done with love, let us to war. Woman, what is the secret of that door?" "Find it for yourself," snarled Soa. "It is easy to open when once you know the spring like a woman's heart, Olfan.
Then the aged priest cried aloud: "Down upon your faces, ye Children of the Snake; Worship, all ye People of the Spear, Dwellers in the Mist! Aca, the Queen immortal, has come home again: Jal, the god, has put on the flesh of men. Olfan, lay down thy kingship, it is his: ye priests, throw wide the temples, they are theirs. Worship the Mother, do honour to the god!"
"None, but they may be of use afterwards, if we get away." "Yes, Baas, if we get away," answered Otter, bethinking himself of the ice-bridge. "Well, we can pick it up as we go along." Just then Nam arrived, having been let down by Olfan and the captains, and stood glaring round him, not without awe, for neither he nor any of his brethren had ever dared to visit the sacred home of the Snake-god.
The priests had other rites, Olfan added, and these they would have an opportunity of witnessing if the spring festival, which should be celebrated on the second day from that date, were held according to custom. "It shall not be celebrated," said Juanna, almost fiercely. Then Leonard, who had hitherto listened in silence, asked a question through Juanna.
"The instruments of which you speak lie in the deep waters of the temple pool, daughter, for there I caused them to be cast." "Their arms are gone," said Soa, "they are alone, here they must live or die. Three of them I will give to death, and the fourth I would make the wife of the King, seeing that nothing better can be done for her. Let her be hidden awhile, and then let Olfan take her.
As he spoke the roars of wrath in the distance changed to a shout of triumph followed by silence. "What is that?" said Juanna faintly. At this moment Olfan pushed the curtains aside and entered, and his face was heavy. "Speak, Olfan," she said. "The people sacrifice as of old, Queen," he answered.
"The woman Soa, my servant, is of your people; indeed, she is a daughter to Nam the priest, and fled the land forty years ago because she was destined to the Snake." "Where is she now?" interrupted Olfan, looking round. "We do not know; last night she vanished as our other servants have vanished." "Perhaps Nam knows, and if so you may see her again soon. Proceed, Queen."
Then he asked another question. "Tell me, Olfan, what became of the red stones yesterday, and of him who offended in offering them to the god yonder?" "The most of them were cast into the pit of waters, lord, there to be hidden for ever. There were three hide sacks full." "Oh, heavens!" groaned Leonard when Juanna had translated this. "Otter, you have something to answer for!"
Here food had been prepared for them by Soa, who looked at them curiously, especially at Leonard and Francisco, as though, indeed, she had never expected to see them again. "Hearken, Olfan," said Juanna, "we have saved your life to-night and you have sworn fealty to us; is it not so?" "It is so, Queen," the warrior answered. "And I will be faithful to my oath.
Moreover it seemed to him that Olfan was not in the least disappointed to discover as a fact that Juanna was only a woman a supposition which was fully established by his next speech. "I am glad to learn from your own lips, Queen, that you are no goddess, but a mortal lady, seeing that goddesses are far away and we men must worship them from afar, whereas women we may love," and again he bowed.
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