"Because I would learn the future, Spirit of the king," answered the wizard boldly, but saluting as he spoke."You are dead, and to your sight all the Gates are opened.By the power that I have, I command you to show me what you see therein concerning myself, and to point out to me the path that I should follow to attain my ends and the ends of her in whose breast you dwell."At once the answer came, always in the same horrible voice:--"Hearken to your fate for this world, Hokosa the wizard.You shall triumph over your rival, the white man, the messenger; and by your hand he shall perish, passing to his appointed place where you must meet again.By that to which you cling you shall be betrayed, ah! you shall lose that which you love and follow after that which you do not desire.In the grave of error you shall find truth, from the deeps of sin you shall pluck righteousness.When these words fall upon your ears again, then, Wizard, take them for a sign and let your heart be turned.That which you deem accursed shall lift you up on high.High shall you be set above the nation and its king, and from age to age the voice of the people shall praise you.Yet in the end comes judgment; and there shall the sin and the atonement strive together, and in that hour, Wizard, you shall----"Thus the voice spoke, strongly at first, but growing ever more feeble as the sparks of life departed from the body of the woman, till at length it ceased altogether.
"What shall chance to me in that hour?" Hokosa asked eagerly, placing his ears against Noma's lips.
No answer came; and the wizard knew that if he would drag his wife back from the door of death he must delay no longer.Dashing the sweat from his eyes with one hand, with the other he seized the gourd of fluid that he had placed ready, and thrusting back her head, he poured of its contents down her throat and waited a while.She did not move.
In an extremity of terror he snatched a knife, and with a single cut severed a vein in her arm, then taking some of the fluid that remained in the gourd in his hand, he rubbed it roughly upon her brow and throat and heart.Now Noma's fingers stirred, and now, with horrible contortions and every symptom of agony, life returned to her.The blood flowed from her wounded arm, slowly at first, then more fast, and lifting her head she spoke.
"Take me hence," she cried, "or I shall go mad; for I have seen and heard things too terrible to be spoken!""What have you seen and heard?" he asked, while he cut the thongs which bound her wrists and feet.
"I do not know," Noma answered weeping; "the vision of them passes from me; but all the distances of death were open to my sight; yes, Itravelled through the distances of death.In them I met him who was the king, and he lay cold within me, speaking to my heart; and as he passed from me he looked upon the child which I shall bear and cursed it, and surely accursed it shall be.Take me hence, O you most evil man, for of your magic I have had enough, and from this day forth I am haunted!""Have no fear," answered Hokosa; "you have made the journey whence but few return; and yet, as I promised you, you have returned to wear the greatness you desire and that I sent you forth to win; for henceforth we shall be great.Look, the dawn is breaking--the dawn of life and the dawn of power--and the mists of death and of disgrace roll back before us.Now the path is clear, the dead have shown it to me, and of wizardry I shall need no more.""Ay!" answered Noma, "but night follows dawn as the dawn follows night; and through the darkness and the daylight, I tell you, Wizard, henceforth I am haunted! Also, be not so sure, for though I know not what the dead have spoken to you, yet it lingers on my mind that their words have many meanings.Nay, speak to me no more, but let us fly from this dread home of ghosts, this habitation of the spirit-folk which we have violated."So the wizard and his wife crept from that solemn place, and as they went they saw the dawn-beams lighting upon the white cross that was reared in the Plain of Fire.
