Even as he spoke the pulses in the old man's forehead were seen to
throb, and the veins in his neck to swell as they had swollen after he
had swallowed the poison; then once more they shrank to their natural
size. Umsuka stirred a hand, groaned, sat up, and spoke:--

"What has chanced to me?" he said. "I have descended into deep darkness,
now once again I see light."

No one answered, for all were staring, terrified and amazed, at the
Messenger--the white wizard to whom had been given power to bring men
back from the gate of death. At length Owen said:--

"This has chanced to you, King: that evil which I prophesied to you if
you refused to listen to the voice of mercy has fallen upon you. By now
you would have been dead, had it not pleased Him Whom I serve, working
through me, His messenger, to bring you back to look upon the sun. Thank
Him, therefore, and worship Him, for He alone is Master of the Earth,"
and he held the crucifix before his eyes.

The humbled monarch lifted his hand--he who for many years had made
obeisance to none--and saluted the symbol, saying:--

"Messenger, I thank Him and I worship Him, though I know Him not. Say
now, how did His magic work upon me to make me sick to death and to
recover me?"

"By the hand of man, King, and by the virtues that lie hid in Nature.
Did you not drink of a cup, and were not many things mixed in the
draught? Was it not but now in your mind to speak words that should