Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: July 13, 2025
"I read your heart, Hugh," he said, "as Murgh read mine, for I think that he gave me not only strength, but something of his wisdom also, whereby I was able to win safe back to England and to this hour to walk unharmed by many a pit.
Also after the priest had read his hurried Office, as they left the gates, whence Lady Carleon's bearers had already fled affrighted, they met more melancholy processions heralded by a torch or two whereof the light fell upon some sheeted and uncoffined form. "'Twixt earthquake and plague Murgh the Helper is helping very well," said Grey Dick grimly, and Hugh only groaned in answer.
All stared at Murgh, and Murgh stared back at them with his cold eyes. Then a voice screamed: "Satan! Satan come from hell to guard his own! Death himself is with you! Fly, men of Avignon, fly!" Small need was there for this command.
The faint light showed that they were masked and gleamed upon the blue steel of the daggers in their hands. Two of these men struck at Murgh with their knives, while the others tried to pass him, doubtless to attack his companions, but failed. Why they failed Hugh and Dick never knew. All they saw was that Murgh stretched out his white-gloved hands, and they fell back.
So they rode on through Kessland, which they reached as night was closing in, through Benacre and Wrentham, also past houses in which none seemed to dwell. "Murgh has been here before us, I think," said Dick at length. "Then I hope that we may overtake him," answered Hugh with a smile, "for I need his tidings or his rest. Oh!
Then they flamed up with mingled joy and rage. They laughed madly. They cursed him who had departed. "We live, we live, we live!" they cried. "Murgh is gone! Murgh is gone! Kill his priests! Make sacrifice of his Shadows. Murgh is gone bearing the curse of the East into the bosom of the West.
"Nay, Dick, since first we must learn whether or no we leave friends behind us here." "Ay, master, if you will. But since yonder Murgh said nothing of them, it was in my mind that they are either dead or fled." "Not dead, I pray, Dick. Oh, I am sure, not dead, and I left living!
"Fools," wailed the voice, "still with you is Murgh, the second Thing created; Murgh, who was made to be man's minister. Murgh the Messenger shall reappear from beyond the setting sun. Ye cannot kill, ye cannot spare. Those priests you seemed to slay he had summoned to be his officers afar. Fools! Ye do but serve as serves Murgh, Gateway of the Gods. Life and death are not in your hands or in his.
Hard upon two months had gone by when at length these three, Hugh, Grey Dick, and David Day, set eyes upon the towers of stately Avignon standing red against the sunset and encircled by the blue waters of the Rhone. Terrible beyond imagination had been the journey of these men, who followed in the footsteps of Murgh. They saw him not, it is true, but always they saw his handiwork.
Nothing remained visible except the white fingerless gloves why were they fingerless, and what lay beneath them? Hugh wondered and the white shoes. Forward they went across the Place of Arms, past the timber stand ornamented with banners, which Murgh stayed to contemplate for an instant, until they came to the mouth of the street up which men had followed them, apparently with evil intent.
Word Of The Day
Others Looking