"And those yonder; who are they?"

"They are our ministers and servants, white for the white, and black for
the black, the companions of our wanderings, men and not spirits."

The three priests consulted together, while the chief looked on Juanna's
beauty with wondering eyes. Then the oldest of them spoke again:

"Thou tellest us in our own tongue of things that have long been hidden,
though perchance they are remembered. Either, O Beautiful, thou hast
learned these things and liest to us, and then food are ye all for the
Snake against whom thou dost blaspheme, or ye are gods indeed, and
as gods ye shall be worshipped. Tell us now thy name, and the name of
yonder dwarf, of whom we know."

"I am named the Shepherdess of Heaven among men. He is named Otter,
Dweller in the Waters, among men. Once we had other names."

"Tell us the other names, O Shepherdess."

"Once in the far past I was named Brightness, I was named Dawn, I was
named Daylight. Once in the far past he was named Silence, he was named
Terror, he was named Darkness. Yet at the beginning we had other names.
Perchance ye know them, Ministers of the Snake."

"Perchance we know them, O thou who art named Shepherdess of Heaven, O
thou who wert named Brightness, and Dawn, and Daylight; O thou who art
named Dweller in the Waters, and wert named Silence, and Terror, and
Darkness! Perchance we know them, although they be known to few, and are
never spoken, save in utter gloom and with hidden head. But do ye