credence with thee. Do thou rather
unfold what thine own speech has left dark to me. Why the language of the
Gods, as should seem, is here understood by thee and me alone; what foes
Zeus has here other than myself; what is the profane crowd of which thou
didst speak; and why, alone and defenceless, thou ascendest this mountain.
Think of me, if thou wilt, as one fallen from the clouds."

"Strange man," returned the maiden, "who knowest Homer's speech and not
Homer's self, who renouncest Zeus and resemblest him, hear my tale ere I
require thine. Yesterday I should have called myself the last priestess of
Apollo in this fallen land, to-day I have neither shrine nor altar. Moved
by I know not what madness, my countrymen have long ago forsaken the
worship of the Gods. The temples crumbled into ruin, prayer was no longer
offered or sacrifice made as of old, the priestly revenues were plundered;
the sacred vessels carried away; the voice of oracles became dumb; the
divine tongue of Greece was forgotten, its scrolls of wisdom mouldered
unread, and the deluded people turned to human mechanics and fishermen. One
faithful servant of Apollo remained, my father; but 'tis seven days since
he closed his eyes for ever. It was time, for yesternoon the heralds
proclaimed by order of the King that Zeus and the Olympians should be named
no more in Caucasia."

"Ha!" interrupted the stranger, "I see it all. Said I not so?" he shouted,
gazing into the sky as if his eye could pierce and his voice reach beyond
the drifting clouds. "But to thy own tale," he added, turning with a
gesture of command to the astonished Elenko.

"It is soon told," she said. "I knew that it was death to serve the Gods
any more, yet none the less in my little temple did fire burn upon
Apollo's altar this morning. Scarcely was it kindled ere I became aware of
a ruffianly mob thronging to sack and spoil. I was ready for death, but not
at their hands. I caught up this basket, and escaped up the mountain. On
its inaccessible summit, it is reported, hangs Prometheus, whom Zeus (let
me bow in awe before his inscrutable counsels) doomed for his benevolence
to mankind. To him, as Aeschylus sings, Io of old found her way, and from
him received monition and knowledge of what should come to pass. I will try
if courage and some favouring God will guide me to him; if not, I will die
as near Heaven as I may attain. Tell me on thy part what thou wilt, and let
me depart. If thou a