cognise your voice."

"You have pardoned him, Haggart?"

"You have heard--the rope broke--"

"Tell me, did you pardon the murderer? I want to hear your voice,
Haggart."

A threatening voice is heard from among the crowd:

"The rope broke. Who is talking there? The rope broke."

"Silence!" exclaims Haggart, but there is no longer the same commanding
tone in his voice. "Take them all away! Boatswain! Whistle for everybody
to go aboard. The time is up! Flerio! Get the boats ready."

"Yes, yes."

Khorre whistles. The sailors disperse unwillingly, and the same
threatening voice sounds somewhere from the darkness:

"I thought at first it was the dead man who started to speak. But I
would have answered him too: 'Lie there! The rope broke.'"

Another voice replies:

"Don't grumble. Khorre has stronger defenders than you are."

"What are you prating about, devils?" says Khorre. "Silence! Is that
you, Tommy? I know you, you are always the mischief-maker--"

"Come on, Mariet!" says Haggart. "Give me little Noni, I want to carry
him to the boat myself. Come on, Mariet."

"Where, Haggart?"

"Eh, Mariet! The dreams are ended. I don't like your voice, woman--when
did you find time to change it? What a land of jugglers! I have never
seen such a land before!"

"Eh, Haggart! The dreams are ended. I don't like your voice,
either--little Haggart! But it may be that I am still sleeping--then
wake me. Haggart, swear that it was you who said it: 'The rope broke.'
Swear that my eyes have not grown blind and that they see Khorre alive.
Swear that this is your hand, Haggart!"

Silence. The voice of the sea is growing louder--there is the splash and
the call and the promise of a stern caress.

"I swear."

Silence. Khorre and Flerio come up to Haggart.

"All's ready, Captain," says Flerio.

"They are waiting, Noni. Go quicker! They want to feast to-night, Noni!
But I must tell you, Noni, that they--"

HAGGART--Did you say something, Flerio? Yes, yes, everything is ready. I
am coming. I think I am not quite through yet with land. This is such
a remarkable land, Flerio; the dreams here drive their claws into a
man like thorns, and they hold him. One has to tear his clothing, and
perhaps his body as well. What did you say, Mariet?

MARIET--Don't you want to kiss little Noni? You shall never kiss him
again.

"No, I don't want to."

Silence.

"You will go alone."

"Yes, I will go alone."

"Did you ever cry, Haggar