Копи царя Соломона
The Witch-Hunt
Theirfaceswerepaintedinstripesofwhiteandyellow;downtheirbackshungsnake-skins,androundtheirwaistsrattledcircletsofhumanbones, whileeachheldasmallforkedwandinhershrivelledhand. Inallthereweretenofthem. Whentheyarrivedinfrontofustheyhalted,andoneofthem,pointingwithherwandtowardsthecrouchingfigureofGagool,criedout—
"Mother,oldmother,wearehere."
"Good!good!good!"answeredthatagedIniquity."Areyoureyeskeen,Isanusis,yeseersindarkplaces?"
"Mother,theyarekeen."
"Good!good!good!Areyourearsopen,Isanusis,yewhohearwordsthatcomenotfromthetongue?"
"Mother,theyareopen."
"Good!good!good!Areyoursensesawake,Isanusis—canyesmellblood,canyepurgethelandofthewickedoneswhocompassevilagainstthekingandagainsttheirneighbours? Areyereadytodothejusticeof‘Heavenabove,’yewhomIhavetaught,whohaveeatenofthebreadofmywisdom,anddrunkofthewaterofmymagic?"
"Mother,wecan."
"Thengo!Tarrynot,yevultures;see,theslayers"—pointingtotheominousgroupofexecutionersbehind—"makesharptheirspears; thewhitemenfromafararehungrytosee.Go!"
WithawildyellGagool’shorridministersbrokeawayineverydirection,likefragmentsfromashell,thedrybonesroundtheirwaistsrattlingastheyran,andheadedforvariouspointsofthedensehumancircle. Wecouldnotwatchthemall,sowefixedoureyesupontheIsanusinearesttous.
