I understand, the priest replied, highly gratified,
as his faceshewed. Now if we are to bring this about we must keep our eyesopen and
our wits sharp. Itwas the scene at the feast repeated but with a
difference.
A whilelater we turned round and looked at the
lake.
You see to find the Lady Dramana pleasant, O Lord
Blowing-Wind,sneered Dacha.
We must go to call on Heu-Heu, or his priests. Yes,
I answered, and now I understand where Zikalis magic comesfrom. But all the same,
the remark stuck in my mind and wasuseful afterwards. His coarse but handsome face
grew cunning, and he smacked his lips. Then came theillusions which really I cant
describe to you. I reflected, natural gas coming from the volcano, such as Ihave
heard of in Canada.
I pray Heu-Heu, he said, that thosefools may not
have caught and killed her with the others. Then an idea came to me, and I said
boldly,Do!
For a while we remained thus insilence, staring at
the blackness in front where no lamps burned.
Hans, I said, keep your rifle ready, but dont shoot
unless you areobliged. It is awake enough to smoke, anyway, I answered, and
continued myexamination.
Looking about me, I noted that all who had drunk
seemed to beundergoing similar experiences.
Butwhile we are here we must drink nothing but
water. Let us pass into the presence of the godand make offering of the yearly
sacrifice. The sacrifice is about to happen, she whispered back. You see to find the
Lady Dramana pleasant, O Lord Blowing-Wind,sneered Dacha. Had notDacha called it the
Dust of Illusions?