Satisfy my
being with thy immortal lore and a love that does not fail or die, and
if thou wilt, then take my life in payment. Speak to me from the heaven
above, O Baaltis, or show me some sign upon the earth beneath; fill up
the vessel of my thirsty soul and satisfy the hunger of my spirit. Oh!
thou that art the goddess, thou that hast the gift of power, give me,
thy servant, of thy power, of thy godhead, and of thy peace. Hear me,
O Heaven-born, hear me, Elissa, the daughter of Sakon, the dedicate
of thee. Hear, hear, and answer now in the secret holy hour, answer by
voice, by wonder, or by symbol."
The woman paused as though exhausted with the passion of her prayer,
hiding her face in her hands, and as she stood thus silent and
expectant, the sign came, or at least that chanced which for a while she
believed to have been an answer to her invocation. Her face was hidden,
so she could not see, and fascinated by her beauty as it appeared to
them in that unhallowed spot, and by the depth and dignity of her wild
prayer, the two watchers had eyes for her alone. Therefore it happened
that not until his arm was about to drag her away, did either of them
perceive a huge man, black as ebony in colour, clad in a cloak of
leopard skins and carrying in his right hand a broad-bladed spear who,
following the shadow of the trees, had crept upon the priestess from the
farther side of the glade.
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