I shrugged my shoulders. "It seems that you would save time
and pains if you threw me to these wolves of rebels, and let them
end me here and now."

The old man frowned on me angrily. "I am bidding you do your
duty. What reason have you for wishing to evade it?"

"I have in my memory the words you spoke in the pyramid, when
you came in amongst the banqueters. 'PHORENICE,' was your
cry, 'WHILST YOU ARE YET EMPRESS, YOU SHALL SEE THIS ROYAL
PYRAMID, WHICH YOU HAVE POLLUTED WITH YOUR DEBAUCHERIES, TORN TIER
FROM TIER, AND STONE FROM STONE, AND SCATTERED AS FEATHERS BEFORE
A WIND.' It seems that you foresee my defeat."

The old man shuddered. "I cannot tell what she may force us
to do. I spoke then only what it was revealed to me must happen.
Perhaps when matters have reached that pass, she will repent and
submit. But in the meanwhile, before we use the more desperate
weapons of the Gods, it is fitting that we should expend all human
power remaining to us. And so you must go, my brother, and play
your part to the utmost."

"It is an order. So I obey."

"You shall be at Phorenice's side again by the next dawn. She
has sent for you from Yucatan as a husband, and as one who (so she
thinks, poor human conqueror) has the weight of arm necessary to
prolong her tyrannies. You are a Priest, brother, and you are a
man of convincing tongue. It will be your part to make her