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Updated: June 28, 2025
I saw in her face something like a dreadful anticipation something that spoke of coming evil. The feeling was communicated to me, and I turned my eyes back to the group on the pyramid with vague fears in my soul. Those fears were but too well founded, for now the dread ceremony began. The Kohen drew his knife, and placed himself at the head of the stone table.
At a word from her the Kohen Gadol rose, with many apologies, and prepared to go. But before he left he said: "When I was a child I was shipwrecked, and was taken up a ship which conveyed me to a nation beyond the sea. There I grew up to manhood.
It was enough for me just then to know that my mild and self-denying and generous entertainers were addicted to the abhorrent custom of human sacrifices. On that very jom the Kohen informed me that they were about to set forth on the "sacred hunt," an event which always occurred toward the end of the season, and he kindly invited me to go.
All this seemed like hideous mockery, and I stared at the Kohen with a gaze that probably strengthened his opinion of my madness. "Do you love death?" I asked at length, in amazement. "Love death? What a question! Of course I love death all men do; who does not? Is it not human nature? Do we not instinctively fly to meet it whenever we can?
I see we cannot understand one another." "No," said the Kohen, musingly, as he looked at me. "No, it seems not; but tell me, Atam-or, is it possible that you really fear death that you really love life?" "Fear death! love life!" I cried. "Who does not? Who can help it? Why do you ask me that?" The Kohen clasped his hands in amazement.
I could not follow the Kohen in what seemed the wildest and maddest flights of fancy that ever were known; so I began to talk of other things, and gradually the Kohen was drawn to speak of his own life. The account which he gave of himself was not one whit less strange than his previous remarks, and for this reason I add it here. "I was born," said he, "in the most enviable of positions.
At the same time I felt that it would be both unwise and uncivil to interfere; and I was also quite sure that Almah's affections were not to be diverted from me by anyone, much less by such an elderly party as the Kohen Gadol.
"Who were the victims of the Mista Kosek?" "They?" said he, with an agreeable smile. "Oh, they were the victims of the sacrifice." I sank back in my seat, and said no more. The Kohen then took Almah's lute, played and sang in a very sweet voice, and at length, with his usual consideration, seeing that I looked weary, he retired.
Who is there who is not self-denying? No one can help that." This sounded strange indeed; but I did not care to criticize it. I came to my purpose direct and said, "Save us from our fate." "Your fate?" "Yes, from death that death of horror." "Death? horror? What do you mean by horror?" said the Kohen, in an amazement that was sincere and unfeigned. "I cannot comprehend your meaning.
Such was the fate that lay before us. The Kohen was now anxious to take us to the amir. I might possibly have persuaded him to postpone our departure, but I saw no use in that. It seemed better to go, for it was possible that amid new scenes and among new people there might be hope. This, too, seemed probable to Almah, who was quite anxious to go.
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