a mixing in a bowl that should drive the Pestilence away, when through
his door there blew a draught that set the light a-flickering.

Then because the draught was cold the physician shivered and went and
closed the door, but as he turned again he saw the Pestilence lapping
at his mixing, who sprang and set one paw upon Adro's shoulder and
another upon his cloak, while with two he clung to his waist, and
looked him in the eyes.

Two men were walking in the street; one said to the other: "Upon the
morrow I will sup with thee."

And the Pestilence grinned a grin that none beheld, baring his dripping
teeth, and crept away to see whether upon the morrow those men should
sup together.

A traveller coming in said: "This is Harza. Here will I rest."

But his life went further than Harza upon that day's journey.

All feared the Pestilence, and those that he smote beheld him, but none
saw the great shapes of the gods by starlight as They urged Their
Pestilence on.

Then all men fled from Harza, and the Pestilence chased dogs and rats
and sprang upward at the bats as they sailed above him, who died and
lay in the streets. But soon he returned and pursued the men of Harza
where they fled, and sat by rivers where they came to drink, away below
the city. Then back to Harza went the people of Harza pursued by the
Pestilence still, and gathered in the Temple of All the gods save One,