13. XIII.
And towards evening the two went again to the
place of their secret worship. But this time they
went not in secret. Eyes were upon them that regarded
not the object of their devotion, and hearts
were busy to find evil in the things which their
hearts desired. The brethren to whom Bermahdi
had given it in charge to heed the backslidings of
Ipsistos, followed with cautious footsteps upon his
path, and beheld the place where he worshipped.
And they took heed that he bent himself down before
the altar which his own hands had raised, and
that he prayed to other than the goddess of the
temple. And they hurried to the chief priest with
the tidings, and he gave them a rich bounty and
much praise for their zeal in his behalf. And he
bade them keep secret what they had seen, and
seek out more knowledge yet of the doings of Ipsistos.
And they were spies set upon their brother,
who told the chief priest of his outgoings, and followed
him from place to place. But nothing did
they say of Damaina, the sweet maiden, who
bowed with her brother before the strange altar
of his worship. And nothing did Ipsistos know
of the doings of his brothers; and he gave little
heed to his fears, that counselled him to be cautious
in what he did. For the spirit of truth which he
worshipped, worked within him, and a fire lighted
up his tongue. So that when the elders, and the
chiefs, and the rulers of the people, were gathered
together in the high places, he could not be kept
from speech, and he came to where they were assembled;
and he penetrated into the high places,
even among the mighty men of the city, the famous
in arts and arms, the sages and the lawgivers.
And he cried to them with a loud voice,
and all fear had utterly gone out of his heart. And
he told them of the wonders which his eyes had
seen, and his ears had heard, even of the wonders
of that new goddess which had vouchsafed to smile
upon one so lowly. And he prayed that they
might give heed to his counsels, that they might
be blessed also by her countenance. And he would
have led them to his place of worship, even to the
pale groves where he had raised his altar; but
they mocked at his madness, and marvelled at the
fondness of the youth.
And they were astounded, and said, one to
another —
“Who is he that speaks to us with so bold a
voice — is he not one of the dust-carriers? —
wears he not of the blue which is the cloth of the
laborer? — is he not of the suburbs — the son of
the brick-maker?”
And they drave him out from among them, and
they shut the door against his face.
