A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder James De Mille

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210 "Of course." "What! Almah too?" "Certainly. Why should we be so cruel to the dear child as to deprive her of so great a boon?" At this I groaned aloud and turned away in despair. Many joms now passed away. I grew more and more melancholy and desperate. I thought sometimes of fighting my way out. My fire-arms were now my chief consolation; for I had fully made up my mind not to die quietly like a slaughtered calf, but to strike a blow for life, and meet my death amid slain enemies. In this prospect I found some satisfaction, and death was robbed of some of its terrors. CHAPTER XXX THE DAY OF SACRIFICE At last the time came. It was the end of the dark season. Then, as the sun rises for its permanent course around the heavens, when the long day of six months begins, all in the land of the Kosekin is sorrow, and the last of the loved darkness is mourned over amid the most solemn ceremonies, and celebrated with the most imposing sacrifices. Then the most honored in all the land are publicly presented with the blessing of death, and allowed to depart this hated life, and go to the realms of that eternal darkness which they love so well. It is the greatest of sacrifices, and is followed by the greatest of feasts. Thus the busy season--the loved season of darkness--ends, and the long, hateful season of light begins, when the Kosekin lurk in caverns, and live in this way in the presence of what may be called artificial darkness. It was for us--for me and for Almah--the day of doom. Since the ceremony of separation I had not seen her; but my heart had been always with her. I did not even know whether she was alive or not, but believed that she must be; for I thought that if she had died I should
211 have heard of it, as the Kosekin would have rejoiced greatly over such an event. For every death is to them an occasion of joy, and the death of one so distinguished and so beloved as Almah would have given rise to nothing less than a national festival. Of time I had but a poor reckoning; but, from the way in which the paupers kept account of their joms, I judged that about three months had elapsed since the ceremony of separation. The paupers were now all joyous with a hideous joy. The Chief Pauper was more abhorrent than ever. He had the blood-thirst strong upon him. He was on that jom to perform his horrible office of Sar Tabakin, and as he accosted me he smiled the smile of a demon, and congratulated me on my coming escape from life. To this I had no word of answer to make; but my hands held my rifle and pistol, and these I clutched with a firmer grasp as my last hour approached. The time of departure at length arrived. Soldiers of the Kosekin came, following the paupers, who went first, while the guards came after me. Thus we all emerged into the open air. There the broad terrace already mentioned spread out before my eyes, filled with thousands upon thousands of human beings. It seemed as though the entire population of the city was there, and so densely packed was this great crowd that it was only with great difficulty that a way was laid open for our passage. Above was the sky, where the stars were twinkling faintly. There was no longer the light of the aurora australis; the constellations glimmered but dimly, the moon was shining with but a feeble ray; for there far away over the icy crests of the lofty mountains I saw a long line of splendid effulgence, all golden and red--the light of the new dawn--the dawn of that long day which was now approaching. The sight of that dawning light gave me new life. It was like a sight of home--the blessed dawn, the sunlight of a bright day, the glorious daybreak lost for so long a time, but now at last returning. I feasted my eyes on the spectacle, I burst into tears of joy, and I felt as though I could gaze at it forever. But the sun as it travelled was rapidly coming into view; soon the dazzling glory of its rim would appear above the mountain crest, and the season of darkness would end. There was no time to wait, and the guards hurried me on.
Page 1 and 2:
1 A Strange Manuscript Found in a C
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3 pitch out a bit of wood." Upon th
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5 And as he said this he reached ou
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7 attacked the copper cylinder, and
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9 "It looks like Egyptian papyrus,"
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11 extended far out from the promon
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13 was nowhere visible, nor were th
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15 consisted of a vast sheet of flo
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17 "Well, I do," said he, "and they
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19 THE LETTER. "Bristol April 20. 1
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21 attached to a piece of rock. "Th
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23 can have but one ending--there m
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25 thin, shrivelled, black, with lo
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27 run, but there was nothing of th
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29 chief attention, and while all l
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31 for this I would have burst thro
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33 not stop for one moment, but pur
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35 terror in my heart, I waited for
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37 the surface were but the tiniest
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39 that a new peril had arisen from
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41 roads winding far away along the
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43 experience other sensations. I b
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45 scrupulous delicacy and a carefu
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47 wide space where four cross-road
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49 Next came Noel Oxenden, late of
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51 "Do you know what is is?" asked
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53 have been written at least three
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55 and his low position on the hori
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57 "That's a complicated question,"
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59 difficulty that I could see anyt
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61 mutual inquiry. I was full of am
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63 I was always rather quick at lea
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65 The "Kohen" did not remain long,
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67 likely that if we had ordered ou
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69 looking forward. On its head was
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71 CHAPTER X THE SACRED HUNT On tha
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73 but not a man quailed. Never had
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75 that I felt. "It was honor to th
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77 The speed was amazing; the faste
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79 I was senseless for I know not h
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81 hiding. But I saw that she had a
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83 them to go abroad, to travel by
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85 the victims! Rejoice! Give thank
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87 the eyes that weep over the path
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89 dark season with a feast. From w
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91 "This is beyond my comprehension
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93 Almah shuddered. "If you had tol
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95 and gentle and sympathetic, and
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97 and for you, and for the reason
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99 fate." "Fate!" I repeated, looki
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101 "You don't understand," said sh
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103 you--are you not to be envied i
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105 We give up everything for life.
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107 anguish beyond expression--angu
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109 To such a story I had nothing t
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111 fear of death. This desire for
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113 There are many other crimes, al
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115 observed that women are a littl
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117 "Why, it must be a dodo, of cou
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119 shoulder-bones like those of th
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121 "All these stories of strange a
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123 Latin or Greek word begins with
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125 question, and gives us the conn
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127 that. It seemed better to go, f
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129 "Then I see by this that Almah
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131 He laughed joyously. "There's n
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133 tide as crowded and as busy as
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135 that I made this discovery; for
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137 they were all regarded with gre
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139 up--no, not even if they could
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141 "And then," said I, "if so, wou
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143 of my race--and the fear that I
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145 up." "She never will," said I.
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147 help joining in, and so we both
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149 I thought that perhaps it would
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151 For a moment I stood almost lif
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153 No sooner had I found myself ac
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155 "No." I was amazed at this. "Bu
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157 "Oh yes." "How many?" "Four." "
Page 159 and 160: 159 utterly unable to show to Layel
Page 161 and 162: 161 said: "I should like to fly in
Page 163 and 164: 163 a basin-shaped world--an immens
Page 165 and 166: 165 molten lava; between us and it
Page 167 and 168: 167 did. I went back to the shore,
Page 169 and 170: 169 which was cooling and hardening
Page 171 and 172: 171 triumph, was Layelah. "Ataesmzo
Page 173 and 174: 173 as that. Do you not know that w
Page 175 and 176: 175 intervals apart, flying in a st
Page 177 and 178: 177 This, however, was intolerable;
Page 179 and 180: 179 from Layelah. She started back,
Page 181 and 182: 181 to reach before life was extinc
Page 183 and 184: 183 life or death, it is all the sa
Page 185 and 186: 185 Magones, and had searched over
Page 187 and 188: 187 rot and rubbish to the Germania
Page 189 and 190: 189 part do not suspect him of exag
Page 191 and 192: 191 "That very difference can be sh
Page 193 and 194: 193 ring-shaped, but the action of
Page 195 and 196: 195 a different view of the case. I
Page 197 and 198: 197 The Council of State gathered f
Page 199 and 200: 199 this respect with the great pau
Page 201 and 202: 201 inconceivable horror of that em
Page 203 and 204: 203 class had a mania for doing wha
Page 205 and 206: 205 I turned away in despair. At le
Page 207 and 208: 207 darkness, faintly illuminating
Page 209: 209 sacrifice?" "What?" he asked, w
Page 213 and 214: 213 "I'll die first!" said I, fierc
Page 215 and 216: 215 with one common impulse came pr
Page 217 and 218: 217 CHAPTER XXXI CONCLUSION In the
Page 219 and 220: 219 Meleks, for we will take the mo
Page 221: 221 "What do you mean?" I exclaimed
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A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder James De Mille

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