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Updated: May 13, 2025
Presently Nam left the chamber, and having dismissed the attendant priest and his great-niece, Saga, who were waiting outside, he returned and prayed his daughter to explain the reason of her presence in the train of Aca. "First, you shall swear an oath to me, my father," said Soa, "and if you swear it not, I will tell you no word of my story.
Now is the hour of reconciliation, now Life and Death walk hand in hand, and the hearts of Aca and Jal have grown gentle through the ages, and they no longer crave the blood of men as an offering to their majesty. Henceforth ye shall bring them fruits and flowers, and not the lives of men. See, in my hand I hold winter lilies, red and white, blood-red they are and white as snow.
And the shape of Aca shall be such a shape as yours, Shepherdess, and the shape of Jal shall be as is the shape of this black dog of a dwarf, whom when first I saw him in my folly I deemed immortal and divine.
"Oh, had you but known him, Mr Cringle had you but known him in his boyhood, before bad company had corrupted him!" exclaimed she, after having asked me if he died penitent and she turned away and wept. "Francisca," said a low hoarse female voice from the other room; "Francisca, ven aca, mi querida hermana."
A priest came in bearing a torch, for there was no window to the chamber, and after him two women. "Who is this?" said Nam, pointing to the second of the women. "This is she who is servant to Aca, Father," answered the priest. "How comes she here?" said Nam again. "I gave no orders that she should be taken." "She comes of her own free will, Father, having somewhat to say to you."
Moreover, such was my bargain with Nam sealed by an oath sworn upon the blood of Aca, an oath that I do not dare to break." "Oh, no, no!" said Juanna in acute distress. "Think, Olfan, how can I, whose husband is not six hours dead, vow myself to another man upon the altar of his grave? Give me some few days, I pray you." "Most willingly would I do this, Lady, but I may not, it is against my oath.
She could recollect standing side by side with Olfan, while Nam muttered prayers and invocations over them, administering to them terrible oaths, which they took, calling upon the names of Aca and of Jal, and swearing by the symbol of the Snake. Beyond that everything went blank.
"She was bound by the order of Aca, father, and Jal was set to watch her; but I drugged Jal, and loosing her bonds I led her down the secret way, for she desires to speak to you." "How can that be, niece? Can I then understand her language?" "Nay, father, but she understands ours. Had she been bred in the land she could not speak it better."
One derivation of it supposes the arrival of the French to have been preceded by a visit from the Spaniards, who, searching for precious metals, and finding none, expressed their disappointment by the frequent repetition of the words "aca nada," "nothing here."
"Then this is the command of the people, O Aca: that we bring you thither, and it is a command that may not be disobeyed," answered the high priest slowly. "Beware, Nam," replied Juanna; "strange things happen here that call for vengeance. Our servants pass away like shadows, and in their place we find such weapons as you carry," and she pointed to the priests' knives.
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