But very soon the girls crept back.
“I don’t like sacrifices,” Jane said. So she and Anthea went and talked to the priest, who was no longer lying on his face, but sitting on the top step mopping his forehead with his robe, for it was a hot day.
“It’s a special sacrifice,” he said; “usually it’s only done on the justice days every five years and six years alternately. And then they drink the cup of wine with some of the bull’s blood in it, and swear to judge truly. And they wear the sacred blue robe, and put out all the Temple fires. But this today is because the City’s so upset by the odd noises from the sea, and the god inside the big mountain speaking with his thunder-voice. But all that’s happened so often before. If anything could make ME uneasy it wouldn’t be that.”
“What would it be?” asked Jane kindly.
“It would be the Lemmings.”
“Who are they—enemies?”
“They’re a sort of rat; and every year they come swimming over from the country that no man knows, and stay here awhile, and then swim away. This year they haven’t come. You know rats won’t stay on a ship that’s going to be wrecked. If anything horrible were going to happen to us, it’s my belief those Lemmings would know; and that may be why they’ve fought shy of us.”
“What do you call this country?” asked the Psammead, suddenly putting its head out of its bag.
“Atlantis,” said the priest.
“Then I advise you to get on to the highest ground you can find. I remember hearing something about a flood here. Look here, you”—it turned to Anthea; “let’s get home. The prospect’s too wet for my whiskers.”