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Updated: May 8, 2025
He was silent for a little space then he resumed in a more ordinary tone: "The wretched Nir-jalis, whose fate thou dost so persistently deplore, deserved his end for his presumption, ... didst thou not hear his insolent insinuation concerning the King?" "I heard it yes!" replied Theos "And I saw no harm in the manner of his utterance." "No harm!" exclaimed Sah-luma excitedly "No harm!
What were the sufferings of Nir-jalis now? ... what was anything compared to the strangely enervating ecstasy he felt in letting his eyes dwell fondly on the fairness of her face, the whiteness of her half-veiled bosom, the delicate, sheeny dazzle of her polished skin, the soft and supple curves of her whole exquisite form, . . and spell-bound by the witchery of her loveliness, he almost forgot the very presence of her dying victim.
"By the vow which thou hast vowed to me, Nir-jalis " she said slowly.. "and by thine oath sworn on the Symbolic Eye of Raphon".. here she touched the dreadful Jewel on her breast "which bound thy life to my keeping, and thy death to my day of choice, I herewith bestow on thee the Chalice of Oblivion the Silver Nectar of Peace! Sleep, and wake no more! drink and die!
"Friend Nir-jalis," she said, . . how tuneful were her accents, . . how chilly sweet her smile! ... "Methinks thou art grown altogether too wise for this world! ... 'tis pity thou shouldest continue to linger in so narrow and incomplete a sphere! ... Depart hence therefore! ... I shall frely excuse thine absence, since THY HOUR HAS COME! ..."
The low, cold, merciless laughter of the beautiful Priestess cut through the air hissingly like the sweep of a scimetar. "Thou art wondrous merry, Nir-jalis," she said, in languid, lazily enunciated accents. "Knowest thou not that too much mirth engenders weeping, and that excessive rejoicing hath its fitting end in grievous lamentation? Nay, even now already thou lookest more sadly!
The body of Nir-jalis sank therein, 'tis true, . . but was there no after-means of lifting it from thence, and placing it where best such carrion should be found? Hath not the High Priestess of Nagaya slaves enough to work her will? ... Verily thou dost trouble thyself overmuch concerning these trivial every-day occurences, I marvel at thee!
Presently he inquired: "How comes it, Sah-luma, that the corpse of Nir-jalis was found on the shores of the river? Did we not see it weighted with iron and laid elsewhere ... ?" "O simpleton!" laughed Sah-luma "Thinkest thou Lysia's lake of lilies is a common grave for criminals?
Not one, . . but ye are cultured hypocrites all, and careful to keep your heresies secret!" "And thou, Lysia!" suddenly cried Nir-jalis, . . "Why if thou canst so liberally admire the valor of thy sworn enemy Khosrul, why dost not THOU step boldly forth, and abjure the Faith thou art Priestess of, yet in thy heart deridest as a miserable superstition?"
One of these, "Death of the Sculptor, Nir-jalis," seemed to burn into Theos's brain like letters of fire, how was it, he wondered, that the body of that unfortunate victim had been found on the shore of the river, when he himself had seen it loaded with iron weights, and cast into the lake that formed part of Lysia's fatal garden?
He could not bear to hear Sah-luma thus lightly maligned even by this half-drunken reveller, it stung him to the quick, as if he personally were included in the implied accusation of unworthiness. Nir-jalis perceived his annoyance, and added good naturedly: "Tush, man! Vex not thy soul as to thy friend's virtues or vices what are they to thee? And of truth Sah-luma is no worse than the rest of us.
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