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He was asking Laputa questions； to which came answers in that rich voice which on board the liner had preached the gospel of Christ。 The tongue I did not know； and I doubt if my neighbours were in better case。 It must have been some old sacred language … Phoenician； Sabaean； I know not what … which had survived in the rite of the Snake。
Then came silence while the fire died down and the smoke eddied away in wreaths towards the river。 The priest's lips moved as if in prayer： of Laputa I saw only the back； and his head was bowed。
Suddenly a rapt cry broke from the Keeper。 'God has spoken；' he cried。 'The path is clear。 The Snake returns to the House of its Birth。'
An attendant led forward a black goat； which bleated feebly。 With a huge antique knife the old man slit its throat； catching the blood in a stone ewer。 Some was flung on the fire； which had burned small and low。
'Even so；' cried the priest； 'will the king quench in blood the hearth…fires of his foes。'
Then on Laputa's forehead and bare breast he drew a bloody cross。 'I seal thee；' said the voice； 'priest and king of God's people。' The ewer was carried round the assembly； and each dipped his finger in it and marked his forehead。 I got a dab to add to the other marks on my face。
'Priest and king of God's people；' said the voice again； 'I call thee to the inheritance of John。 Priest and king was he； king of kings； lord of hosts； master of the earth。 When he ascended on high he left to his son the sacred Snake； the ark of his valour； to be God's dower and pledge to the people whom He has chosen。'
I could not make out what followed。 It seemed to be a long roll of the kings who had borne the Snake。 None of them I knew； but at the end I thought I caught the name of Tchaka the Terrible； and I remembered Arcoll's tale。
The Keeper held in his arms a box of curiously wrought ivory； about two feet long and one broad。 He was standing beyond the ashes； from which； in spite of the blood； thin streams of smoke still ascended。 He opened it； and drew out something which swung from his hand like a cascade of red fire。
'Behold the Snake；' cried the Keeper； and every man in the assembly； excepting Laputa and including me； bowed his head to the ground and cried 'Ow。'
'Ye who have seen the Snake；' came the voice； on you is the vow of silence and peace。 No blood shall ye shed of man or beast； no flesh shall ye eat till the vow is taken from you。 From the hour of midnight till sunrise on the second day ye are bound to God。 Whoever shall break the vow； on him shall the curse fall。 His blood shall dry in his veins； and his flesh shrink on his bones。 He shall be an outlaw and accursed； and there shall follow him through life and death the Avengers of the Snake。 Choose ye； my people； upon you is the vow。'
By this time we were all flat on our faces； and a great cry of assent went up。 I lifted my head as much as I dared to see what would happen next。
The priest raised the necklace till it shone above his head like a halo of blood。 I have never seen such a jewel； and I think there has never been another such on earth。 Later I was to have the handling of it； and could examine it closely； though now I had only a glimpse。 There were fifty…five rubies in it； the largest as big as a pigeon's egg； and the least not smaller than my thumbnail。 In shape they were oval； cut on both sides en cabochon； and on each certain characters were engraved。 No doubt this detracted from their value as gems； yet the characters might have been removed and the stones cut in facets； and these rubies would still have been the noblest in the world。 I was no jewel merchant to guess their value； but I knew enough to see that here was wealth beyond human computation。 At each end of the string was a great pearl and a golden clasp。 The sight absorbed me to the exclusion of all fear。 I； David Crawfurd； nineteen years of age； an assistant… storekeeper in a back…veld dorp； was privileged to see a sight to which no Portuguese adventurer had ever attained。 There； floating on the smoke…wreaths； was the jewel which may once have burned in Sheba's hair。 As the priest held the collar aloft； the assembly rocked with a strange passion。 Foreheads were rubbed in the dust； and then adoring eyes would be raised； while a kind of sobbing shook the worshippers。 In that moment I learned something of the secret of Africa； of Prester John's empire and Tchaka's victories。
； In the name of God；' came the voice； 'I deliver to the heir of John the Snake of John。'
Laputa took the necklet and twined it in two loops round his neck till the clasp hung down over his breast。 The position changed。 The priest knelt before him； and received his hands on his head。 Then I knew that； to the confusion of all talk about equality； God has ordained some men to be kings and others to serve。 Laputa stood naked as when he was born； The rubies were dulled against the background of his skin； but they still shone with a dusky fire。 Above the blood…red collar his face had the passive pride of a Roman emperor。 Only his great eyes gloomed and burned as he looked on his followers。
'Heir of John；' he said； 'I stand before you as priest and king。 My kingship is for the morrow。 Now I am the priest to make intercession for my people。'
He prayed … prayed as I never heard man pray before … and to the God of Israel！ It was no heathen fetich he was invoking； but the God of whom he had often preached in Christian kirks。 I recognized texts from Isaiah and the Psalms and the Gospels； and very especially from the two last chapters of Revelation。 He pled with God to forget the sins of his people； to recall the bondage of Zion。 It was amazing to hear these bloodthirsty savages consecrated by their leader to the meek service of Christ。 An enthusiast may deceive himself； and I did not question his sincerity。 I knew his heart； black with all the lusts of paganism。 I knew that his purpose was to deluge the land with blood。 But I knew also that in his eyes his mission was divine； and that he felt behind him all the armies of Heaven。
__'Thou hast been a strength to the poor；' said the voice； 'a refuge from the storm； a shadow from the heat； when the blast of the Terrible Ones is as a storm against a wall。
__'Thou shalt bring down the noise of strangers； as the heat in a dry place； the branch of the Terrible Ones shall be brought low。
__'And in this mountain shall the Lord of Hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things； a feast of wines on the lees； of fat things full of marrow。
__'And He will destroy in this mountain the face of the covering cast over all people； and the vail that is brought over all nations。 __'And the rebuke of His people shall He take away from off all the earth； for the Lord hath spoken it。'_
I listened spellbound as he prayed。 I heard the phrases familiar to me in my schooldays at Kirkcaple。 He had some of the tones of my father's voice； and when I shut my eyes I could have believed myself a child again。 So much he had got from his apprenticeship to the ministry。 I wondered vaguely what the good folks who had listened to him in churches and halls at home would think