University of Virginia Library

4. IV.

Ipsistos stood in the presence of Bermahdi, the
white-bearded, and his heart sank within him.
Wondrous was the chamber in which he stood, —
strange were all the objects and aspects around
him. The roof of that chamber was vaulted like
the sky, and studded with a thousand stars. Clouds
hung aloft, now rising and now receding, and
from them, at moments, Ipsistos could see the keen

and cold eye of the goddess looking down upon
him. The vault was upborne by gigantic figures
of black marble, that moved around him in a constant
circle; and, ever and anon, a heavy instrument
of sounding metal told the progress of the
never stopping hours. A burning mirror stood
upright against the wall, and Ipsistos beheld within
it the constant progress of things as they concerned
the people of the goddess. And he saw
himself within it, even he, Ipsistos, but the figure
paused not, but disappeared at the waving of the
hand of Bermahdi. The chief priest sat before a
table of red porphyry, on which the characters and
signs of the seasons were inscribed. Instruments
of strange form, and to him, unknown uses, lay
upon the table. Bermahdi was a magician of
unbounded wisdom, and his studies were as various
as the faces of the stars of heaven. He seemed,
even then, to be toiling in the divine arts of astrology;
and when Ipsistos regarded his stern but
venerable aspect, and saw the strange instruments
around him, and beheld the books in languages
unknown, gathered with great pains and at wondrous
cost from the remotest nations, — his awe,
mingling with the apprehensions which his soul
felt at the summons of the sacred messenger, became
a sort of terror, and he trembled in the presence
of the holy man.

“Ipsistos!” said Bermahdi, “approach!”

And as the youth drew nigh to the table an
hundred serpents sprang forward, with hissing fury
and open jaws, ready to devour the intruder; but,
at the word of Bermahdi, they crawled back to
the slimy baskets where they had lain coiled in
sleep, and offered no farther interruption to his approach.

“Ipsistos! thou had'st been doomed but for
thy youth. Thou art poor and feeble, else thou
had'st perished. Had'st thou been high among
the people, — high of birth and fortune, — this
night thou had'st fed the sacred serpents of the
goddess, whom, in thy secret thoughts, thou hast
contemned. Wherefore is this madness, Ipsistos?
Thy brothers are devout worshippers, — they come
with glad hearts and full hands to the temple, —
they bend with reverence before the altar, — they
heed the words of the goddess, and question not
her laws. But thou dost not, Ipsistos. In thy vain
sould thou hast asked — `why is this?' With thy
shallow understanding, thou wouldst judge the
decrees which are written for the world. Why
dost thou not believe, and trust, and do homage
like thy brothers?”

“Alas! father! wherefore? It is from thee

that I would have the answer. Thou art the
favored of the goddess, — I pray thee implore
her that she tell me, why I am other in spirit than
my brothers?”

The holy man frowned gloomily as he listened
to these words of the unhappy youth.

“What, boy! — wouldst thou demand of the
goddess, why is this, and wherefore is that. I tell
thee that thy presumption prays a sudden judgment
upon thee. Thy vain thoughts are working
out thy doom.”

“Be merciful, father. I would not offend with
my presumption. I would school my heart unto
humility. It is to know the right only that I ask
to know at all. My prayer is for wisdom only.”

“Thy prayer is insolent, boy. What! shall
we be all Magi. Shall wisdom be a thing to cast
in equal lots, — shall we demand of the goddess
to be other than we are. Foolish and audacious
boy. Thou must learn to obey, ere thou art wise —
to trust those who are the born counsellors of the
land, — who have authority for judgment from the
goddess. Hast thou lived so long, and art thou
still ignorant of her power? Hast thou seen nothing
to shew to thee the might which she has, beyond
that of thee and all thy people, and which
she puts forth daily through the hands of those
who tend upon her altars? Hast thou not listened

to her oracles? Does she not foretell the plague
which kills, the tempest which desolates, the ruler
of the city who shall best serve its interests, the
coming of the enemy whom ye fear? Does not
her power dissipate the enemy, stay the plague,
repair the city, provide the ruler? Is thy people
prosperous or not?”

“Alas! father, poverty sits upon the hearth of
my sire, and the flesh is shrivelled upon his aged
limbs. The city is prosperous, but my father
lacks bread for his hunger, and he hath no raiment
against the cold.”

“And what of this, idle boy. What is the
pleasure or the life of one, or even of a thousand,
in consideration of this great argument. Thy life
is but a span at best, and something must end it.
The goddess that gives thee life, hath surely a
right to prescribe its laws, its limits, and its vicissitudes.
Believe this, and thy father suffers little;
but even this pretence shall be denied thee for
complaint. Thou shalt carry from the temple this
night the food which shall make him strong, and
the garments which shall bring the blood back
into his aged limbs. Will that content thee?”

“I will bless thee for it, father.”

“And be true and joyful in thy worship of the
goddess?”

“I will strive — with all my soul and with all my
strength, I will strive,” replied Ipsistos.

“Thou shalt, or it shall be worse for thee. Lo!
— Here shalt thou see the power of the goddess.
Thou shalt behold sights never yet vouchsafed to
thy people. Look! What seest thou?”

And, as he spake, the magician uttered a word
of power, and the brooding cloud rolled away
from overhead, and the sun hung his broad and
burning shield above the eyes of Ipsistos, though,
it was then the mid hour of the night, so that they
were confounded and darkened by the blaze. And
when he looked again, the cold pale moon was
shining in its place.

“Thou hast seen the mansions of the sun and
moon, — they are ever present to the goddess, and
visible at her command. Some of her power she
will now confer, even upon thee, that thou may'st
no longer doubt of her worship. Grasp me that
wand of ebony which thou seest upon the edge of
yon fountain.”

The youth did so, and of a sudden it became a
serpent in his grasp. He flung it to the ground,
and it once more became a wand of ebony.

“Thou seest; but that is not all. Thou shalt
cross unharmed upon those fiery bars over which
it is written that every devotee should go. But

first put off thy sandals, and put on these sacred
shoes which have been hallowed upon the altar of
the goddess.”

The youth put on the shoes as he was directed,
and at the same instant a part of the wall opened
before him, and he beheld a bridge of fire-bars
which spanned a cavernous hollow of vast extent,
in which he could see nothing, but from which
there came a continual roaring like the evening
anthem of the sea. The youth shrank back from
the trial, but Bermahdi encouraged him.

“Fear nothing!” he said, — “For thou wearest
sandals which have been hallowed by the goddess.”
A voice, soft but clear, and but melodious,
reached his ears an instant after, which repeated
the words of encouragement.

“Fear nothing, Ipsistos. There is nought to
harm thee!”

“What voice is that!” cried Bermahdi, with
looks of unfeigned astonishment.

“Was it not the voice of the goddess?” said
Ipsistos, — “methought it was she who spoke.”

“Ay, it was, — it must have been!” cried
Bermahdi, — “it must have been the goddess.
Thou seest, my son, that she loves thee. Fear
nothing.”

“Fear nothing, Ipsistos,” said the gentle voice
once more.

And the heart of Ipsistos was full of joy as he
heard it, but the countenance of Bermahdi was
troubled. The youth felt tears of pleasure steal
out upon his cheek, for the tones of that sweet
speaker sunk like music and peace into his heart.
He feared no longer, Boldly he advanced upon
the blazing bars, which, to his great wonder, gave
out no heat. And when he had passed over the
bridge to the opposite side of the cavern, he stood
in the presence of the goddess. But her looks
were lovely no longer. Anger blazed in her eyes,
and her lips were distorted by reason of the passion
within her breast.

“This is strange,” said Bermahdi, — “strange
that she should frown upon thee, Ipsistos, when
thou hast passed through the first trial of the noviciate.
Thou wilt become a noviciate, my son.”

“Wherefore, father?”

“See'st thou not that she frowns upon thee?”
The youth was silent.

“Ha! dost thou refuse?” cried Bermahdi.

“No, no — I refuse not — but suffer me to think
upon it, my father. I am not yet worthy — I
would meditate upon the wonders I have seen.”

“Thou shalt! Go now in safety. The path

is clear. Nothing shall harm thee on thy way.
But see that thou hast early thought upon this, my
son. Thou hast thought, already, too much or too
little, and thy error must be amended. Remember!
the eyes of the goddess are upon thee.”

Again the gentle voice whispered in his ears.

“Fear nothing, Ipsistos;” and when he looked
upon the statue of the goddess, her features were
convulsed with anger. A stream of fire seemed
to issue from her eyes, and with a shivering fear
that ran through all his veins like a sudden ague,
the youth fled from her terrific presence.