ver depended at his back; an unstrung bow occupied his hand; the majesty
and benignity of his presence alike seemed augmented tenfold. Eubulides and
the crowd sank simultaneously on their knees, for all recognised Apollo.

All was silence for a space. It was at length broken by Phoebus.

"Well, Eubulides," inquired he, with the bland raillery of an Immortal,
"has it at length occurred to thee that I may have been long enough away
from Parnassus, filling thy place here while thou hast been disporting
thyself amid heretics and barbarians?"

The abashed Eubulides made no response. The Deity continued:

"Deem not that thou hast in aught excited the displeasure of the Gods. In
deserting their altars for Truth's sake, thou didst render them the most
acceptable of sacrifices, the only one, it may be, by which they set much
store. But, Eubulides, take heed how thou again sufferest the unworthiness
of men to overcome the instincts of thine own nature. Thy holiest
sentiments should not have been at the mercy of a knave. If the oracle of
Dorylaeum was an imposture, hadst thou no oracle in thine own bosom? If the
voice of Religion was no longer breathed from the tripod, were the winds
and waters silent, or had aught quenched the everlasting stars? If there
was no power to impose its mandates from without, couldst thou be
unconscious of a power within? If thou hadst nothing to reveal unto men,
mightest thou not have found somewhat to propound unto them? Know this,
that thou hast never experienced a more truly religious emotion than that
which led thee to form the design of overthrowing this my temple, the
abode, as thou didst deem it, of fraud and superstition."

"But now, Phoebus," Eubulides ventured to reply, "shall I not return to the
shrine purified by thy presence, and again officiate as thy unworthy
minister?"

"No, Eubulides," returned Phoebus, with a smile; "silver is good, but not
for ploughshares. Thy strange experience, thy long wanderings, thy lonely
meditations, and varied intercourse with men, have spoiled thee for a
priest, while, as I would fain hope, qualifying thee for a sage. Some
worthy person may easily be found to preside over this temple; and by the
aid of such inspiration as I may from time to time see meet to vouchsafe
him, administer its affairs indifferently well. Do thou, Eubulides,
consecrate thy powers to a more august service than Apollo's, to one that
shall endure when Delphi and Delos know _his