to them the piles of gold, and the soldiers that stood behind the
sculptors were caused to sheath their swords. And the people shouted:

"These be indeed Pegana's gods, whose faces we are permitted to see by
the will of Althazar the King, to whom be the gods benignant." And
heralds were sent abroad through the cities of Runazar and of all the
lands near by, proclaiming of the images:

"These be Pegana's gods."

But up in Pegana the gods howled with wrath and Mung leant forward to
make the sign of Mung against Althazar the King. But the gods laid
Their hands upon his shoulder saying:

"Slay him not, for it is not enough that Althazar shall die, who hath
made the faces of the gods to be like the faces of men, but he must not
even have ever been."

Then said the gods:

"Spake we of Althazar, a King?"

And the gods said:

"Nay, we spake not." And the gods said:

"Dreamed we of one Althazar?" And the gods said:

"Nay, we dreamed not."