lone. Therefore in my wickedness I showed them how they
might feign to be the gods of the People of the Mist, come back
according to the legend, for I saw that the dwarf, the Deliverer's
servant, was shaped like to the shape of the statue of Jal, who sits in
stone above you. Being greedy, they fell into the plan, for above all
things they desired to win the precious stones. But when we were come
hither the true gods visited me in a dream so that my heart was troubled
because of the evil which I had done, and yesterday I escaped to Nam and
told him all the tale which you have heard. That is the story, People of
the Mist, and now I pray your mercy and your pardon."

Soa ceased, and Leonard, who had been watching the multitude, whispered
to Juanna:

"Speak quickly if you can think of anything to say. They are silent now
because of their astonishment, but in another minute they will break
out, and then----"

"People of the Mist," cried Juanna, taking the hint, "you have heard the
words of Nam and the words of her who was my servant. They dare to tel
you that we are no gods. So be it: on this matter we will not reason
with you, for can the gods descend to prove their godhead? We will not
reason, but I will say this in warning: put us away if you wish,--and it
may well chance that we shall suffer ourselves to be put away, since the
gods do not desire to rule over those who reject them, but would choose
rather to return to their own place.

"Yet for you it shall be a sad and an unlucky day when ye lift a hand
against our majesty, for in going we will leave you that by which we
shall be remembered. Ay, we will bequeath to you three things: famine
and pestilence and civil war, which shall rage among you and destroy
you till ye are no more a people. Ye have suffered our servants to be
murdered, and disobeyed our commands, and it is for this reason, as I
have told you, that the sun shines no more and the summer will not come.
Complete your wickedness if ye will, and let the gods follow by the path
that their servants trod. Then, People of the Mist, ye shall reap as ye
have sown, and death and desolation shall be your harvest.

"Now for that base slave who has borne false witness against us. Among
the many things she has told you, one thing she has left untold: that
she is daughter to Nam the priest; that she fled the land because she
was chosen bride to the Snake, and is therefore an apostate worthy of
death. One word also as