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Updated: June 19, 2025
But it was in Babylon the Great, that the woman of Zechariah v. 1 Commerce had found all she had been insisting for, through all the past years, and it all emanated from, and was centred in Apleon. And it was all connected with worship. "Covetousness, which is idolatry." Apleon had made it his head-quarters. "The kings of the earth lived wantonly with her."
Events which, in the swift-moving times of the last years of the nineteenth century, would have occupied a decade to bring to pass, now occupied no more than the same number of days. The revived Roman Empire was an established fact. Moved by Satan, the ten kings had united to make Lucien Apleon their Emperor.
He was conscious also of a strange uncanny sense that this smiling handsome man, with mocking, dancing light in his eyes, was no ordinary man. In that same instant, too, Ralph Bastin knew who his visitor was, since he had become familiarized by the illustrated papers and magazines, with the features of "The Genius of the Age" as he was often styled Lucien Apleon.
With a sudden new eagerness, but as sad as he was eager, he said: "In your extremity, and in your desire to be established in the land of your fathers, you talk of making a seven years covenant with Lucien Apleon, Emperor of the European confederacy?" Cohen, evidently impressed by Ralph's manner, nodded an assent, but did not speak. "Oh, Cohen, my friend, my friend!" Ralph went on.
It took a full minute for the command to pass from lip to lip to the uttermost reaches of the people. Then, in the comparative stillness, Apleon dismounted from his horse, took the diamond-studded key from the hand of the High-Priest, opened the door, flung it wide, and proclaimed The Temple opened, "in the name of Apleon, Emperor Dictator of the World."
Bastin started sharply. Some idea of what his friend meant flashed upon him. "Lucien Apleon!" he cried hoarsely. "But what " Baring broke in with: "I believe that Lucien Apleon will presently be revealed as the Anti-christ, and " It was now interrupted by a startling call over the tape-wire, and Baring suddenly realizing the hour, took a hurried temporary farewell of his friend.
Cohen and a few others crawled towards the wide, folding-doors of the Temple. But the hurricane was before them, and the doors slammed to, and, in some way jammed. The horses started in stampede, terrified by the storm. Apleon spoke the one word "Soh!" and they stood absolutely still, save for a long, shuddering kind of shiver that ran through each beast at the same instant.
By that time wonders infernal wonders had been wrought. From the packing case there had been taken a gigantic image of Lucien Apleon, and it had been reared upon a plinth of dark green marble, upon the tessellated platform within the Temple. The statue was of gold, and upon the green marble plinth was engraved: "I AM THAT I AM!"
Now it had been decreed by Apleon, and endorsed by his second, the false Prophet, that the wearing of a detatchable "Sign," be no longer permissable, that all must be branded or die. Brands, in several sizes, had been prepared, which, when pressed against the forehead, and worked by a spring-lever, left the damnable mark upon the skin in deep, rich purple characters.
Ralph lowered the letter-sheet, a moment, and a weary little smile crept into his face. "I might have guessed that Apleon would have done this," he mused, "if he is, as I believe, the Anti-christ!" He lifted the letter again, and read on: "He wanted to take possession at once, and give me 5,000 pounds extra as a retiring fee for you.
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