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Momus saw with fear that Laodice on this straight inviting road would out-distance him to her peril. He shouted inarticulately after her, but her reply came back, high with desperation and terror. "The corner-stone of Israel! All his treasure! God's portion, lost, lost!" She was out of his sight.
Laodice shrank from him with a gasp that was almost a cry. Behold, the faithful old servant had suffered she knew not what to bring such evidence as would force her to do that which she believed she could not do and survive! Momus sought to put the papers in her hands, but she thrust them away and he stood looking at her in amazement and sorrow. Nathan, the Christian, stood close to her.
Before her splendid young beauty, pale with distress and weariness, he was not abashed. His simple eyes studied her with equal frankness, but with an admiration beyond words. Feeling somehow that his sudden appearance might have distressed her, he said finally: "Go on, lady, or stay as it pleases you. I will not hurt you." Momus' shoulders submerged his ears in an indignant shrug.
Come, my fine fellow, is it not all ridiculous? Mo. What did I tell you, Gods? All this was sure to come out and be carefully overhauled. Zeus. You did, Momus, and your strictures were justified; if once we come safe out of this present peril, I will try to introduce reforms. Ti. Infidel! where do you find the source of oracles and prophecies, if not in the Gods and their Providence? Da.
The pagan, bruised and raging, drew his weapon and spurred his horse to ride down his assailants, but they scattered before him and from safe refuge continued their assault with redoubled determination. Momus, seeing only injury in attempting to enforce hospitality, turned his camel and, swinging around the outermost limits of the settlement, fled.
Probability or truth to life he demands not, perfection of form were thrown away upon him. His soul melts before the simplest pathos, he is made happy by a happy ending, and when Momus sits on a hat "he openeth his mouth and saith Ha! ha!" He is a flute upon which you may play what false notes you will. In some versions of "Uncle Tom's Cabin" he placidly accepts two Topsies.
But I had rather they should hear these things from Momus, from whom heretofore they were wont to have their shares, till in one of their angry humors they tumbled him, together with Ate, goddess of mischief, down headlong to the earth, because his wisdom, forsooth, unseasonably disturbed their happiness.
The remark had the effect of a signal: twenty voices took it up. "True, true! His eyes his face," they cried. "What!" answered one, disgusted. "Messala is a Roman; Arrius is a Jew." "Thou sayest right," a third exclaimed. "He is a Jew, or Momus lent his mother the wrong mask." There was promise of a dispute; seeing which, Messala interposed.
This was a young cotton-planter a free, dashing spirit, who had sacrificed a fortune at the shrines of Momus and Bacchus. "Why, Haller, old fellow! glad to see you. How have you been? Think of going with us?" "Yes, I have signed. Who is that man?" "He's a Creole; his name is Dubrosc." It was a face purely Norman, and one that would halt the wandering eye in any collection.
On an elevation is placed the most ingeniously contrived Grotto; at every turn there is a device of another character to the last, here a lion couchant, there the head of Momus, a wild boar's head, a heron, a skeleton, &c., &c.
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