teeth and his bare arms for weapons. It may be that he expected a
miracle--he has not spoke since, poor soul, in explanation--but all
he met were blows from leathery wings, and rakings from talons
which went near to disembowelling him. The bird brushed him away
as easily as we could sweep aside a fly, and there he lay bleeding
on the pavement beside the altar, whilst the sacrifice was torn and
eaten in the presence of all the people. And then, when the bird
was glutted, it flew away again to the mountains."

"And the people gave no help?"

"They cried out that the thing was a portent, that our Lord
the Sun was a God no longer if He had not power or thought to guard
His own sacrifice; and some cried that there was no God remaining
now, and others would have it that there was a new God come to
weigh on the country, which had chosen to take the form of a common
man-eating bird. But a few began to shout that Phorenice stood for
all the Gods now in Atlantis, and that cry was taken up till the
stones of the great circle rang with it. Some may have made
proclamations because they were convinced; many because the cry was
new, and pleased them; but I am sure there were not a few who
joined in because it was dangerous to leave such an outburst
unwelcomed. The Empress can be hard enough to those who neglect to
give her adulation."

"The Empress is Empress," I said formally, "and her name
carries respect. It is not for us to question her doings."

"I am a priest," said Ro, "and I speak as I have been taught,
and defend the Faith as I have been commanded. Whether there is a