A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder James De Mille
A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder James De Mille
A Strange Manuscript Found in a Copper Cylinder James De Mille
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
69<br />
look<strong>in</strong>g forward. On its head was the mockery of a wreath of flowers,<br />
while from its heart there projected the handle and half of the blade<br />
of a knife which had been thrust there. What was the mean<strong>in</strong>g of this<br />
knife? It seemed to tell of a violent death. Yet the flowers must<br />
surely be a mark of honor. A violent death with honor, and the<br />
embalmed rema<strong>in</strong>s--these th<strong>in</strong>gs suggested noth<strong>in</strong>g else than the horrid<br />
thought of a human sacrifice. I looked away with eager and terrible<br />
curiosity. I saw all the niches, hundreds upon hundreds, all filled<br />
with these fearful occupants. I turned aga<strong>in</strong> with a s<strong>in</strong>k<strong>in</strong>g heart to<br />
Almah. Her face was full of anguish.<br />
"This is my duty," said she. "Every jom I must come here and crown<br />
these victims with fresh flowers."<br />
A feel<strong>in</strong>g of sicken<strong>in</strong>g horror overwhelmed me. Almah had spoken these<br />
words and stood look<strong>in</strong>g at me with a face of woe. This, then, was that<br />
daily task from which she was wont to return <strong>in</strong> such sadness--an<br />
abhorrent task to her, and one to which familiarity had never<br />
reconciled her. What was she do<strong>in</strong>g here? What dark fate was it that<br />
thus bound this child of light to these children of darkness? or why<br />
was she thus compelled to perform a service from which all her nature<br />
revolted? I read <strong>in</strong> her face at this moment a horror equal to my own;<br />
and at the sight of her distress my own was lessened, and there arose<br />
with<strong>in</strong> me a profound sympathy and a strong desire to do someth<strong>in</strong>g to<br />
alleviate her misery.<br />
"This is no place for you," cont<strong>in</strong>ued Almah. "Go, and I will soon jo<strong>in</strong><br />
you."<br />
"No," said I, us<strong>in</strong>g her language after my own broken fashion--"no, I<br />
will not go--I will stay, I will help, if you will permit."<br />
She looked at me earnestly, and seemed to see that my resolution was<br />
firmly fixed, and that I was not to be dissuaded from it.<br />
"Very well," said she; "if you do stay and help me, it will be a great<br />
relief."<br />
With these simple words she proceeded to carry out her work. At the<br />
foot of the pyramid there was a heap of wreaths made out of fresh<br />
flowers, and these were to be placed by her on the heads of the