A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder James De Mille

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that I made this discovery; for I longed to find someone among this
singular people who was selfish, who feared death, who loved life, who
loved riches, and had something in common with me. This I thought I
perceived in the shrewd, cunning face of the Kohen Gadol, and I was
glad; for I saw that while he could not possibly be more dangerous to
me than those self-sacrificing, self-denying cannibals whom I had thus
far known, he might prove of some assistance, and might help me to
devise means of escape. If I could only find someone who was a coward,
and selfish and avaricious--if this Kohen Gadol could but be he--how
much brighter my life would be! And so there happened to me an
incredible thing, that my highest wish was now to find in the Kohen
Gadol cowardice, avarice, and selfishness.
The Kohen was accompanied by a young female, richly attired, who, I
afterward learned, was his daughter. Her name was Layelah, and she
filled the office of Malca, which signifies queen; and though
honorable with us above all, is among the Kosekin the lowest in the
land. Layelah was so beautiful that I looked at her in amazement. She
was very tall for one of the Kosekin, which made her stature equal
to that of an ordinary girl with us; her hair was rich, dark and
luxuriant, gathered about her head in great masses and bound by a
golden band. Her features were delicate and perfect in their outline;
her expression was noble and commanding. Her eyes were utterly unlike
those of the other Kosekin; the upper lids had a slight droop, but
that was all, and that was the nearest approach to the national blink.
Her first entrance into the room seemed to dazzle her, and she shaded
her eyes for a few moments, but after that she looked at me fixedly,
and seemed to suffer no more inconvenience than I did. The perfect
liberty of women among the Kosekin made this visit from her quite as
natural as that of her father; and though she said but little on this
occasion, she was an attentive listener and close observer.
Their visit was long, for they were evidently full of curiosity. They
had heard much about me and wished to see more. It was the first time
that I had found among the Kosekin the slightest desire to know where
I had come from. Hitherto all had been content with the knowledge
that I was a foreigner. Now, however, I found in the Kohen Gadol and
Layelah a curiosity that was most eager and intense. They questioned
me about my country, about the great world beyond the mountains, about
the way in which I had come here, about the manners and customs of my
countrymen. They were eager to know about those great nations of which