He disappeared, and where his slime had dripped stood a being with fingers intertwisted and a back that bent. “I am Greed,” it said. “I sap the veins of youth; I drain the hearts of women; I bring contention where peace should be. I make fathers destroy their sons, and daughters betray their mother. I never forget, and I never release. I am the master. Mary, come with me, and you shall own the world.”
The fetor of the presence went, and in its place came one whose footsteps thundered. “I am Anger,” he declared. “I exterminate and rejoice. I batten on blood. In my heart is suspicion, in my hand is flame. It is I that am war and disaster and regret. My breath consumes, and my voice affrights. Mary, come with me, and you will learn to quell.”
He dissolved, and in the shadows stood one whose hands were ample, and whose wide mouth laughed. “I am Gluttony,” he announced, and as he spoke his voice was thick. “I fatten and forsake. I offer satrapies for one new dish. I invite and alienate, I welcome and repel. It is I that bring disease and disorders. I am the harbinger of Death. Mary, come with me, and you shall taste of Life.”
He also disappeared, and two heralds entered with trumpets on which they blew, and one exclaimed, “Make way for Assurbanipal, ruler of land and of sea.” Then, with horsemen riding royally, Sardanapalus advanced through the fissure in the wall. On his head a high and wonderful tiara shone with zebras that had wings and horns. His hair was long, and his beard curled in overlapping rings. His robe dazzled, and the close sleeves were fastened over his knuckles with bracelets of precious stones. In one hand he held a sceptre, in the other a chart.
“I,” he cried—“I am Assurbanipal; [pg 85]the progeny of Assur and of Baaltis, son of the great king Riduti, whom the lord of crowns, in days remote prophesying in his name, raised to the kingdom, and in the womb of his mother created to rule. The man of war, the joy of Assur and of Istar, the royal offspring, am I. When the gods seated me on the throne of the father my begetter, Bin poured down his rain, Hea feasted the people. My enemies I destroyed, and their gods glorified me before my camp. The god of their oracles, whose image no man had seen, I took, and the goddesses whom the kings worshipped I dishonored.”
He paused and looked proudly about, then he continued:
“That which is in the storehouse of heaven is kindled, and to the city of cities my glory flies. The queens above and below proclaim my glory. I am Glory, and I am Pride. Mary, come with me, and you shall disdain the sky.”
But Mary gave no sign. The clattering horses vanished, and two men dressed in [pg 86]women’s clothes appeared. They bowed to the ground and chanted:
“The holy goddess, our Lady Mylitta, whose sacrificants we are.”
Then came a form so luminous that Mary hid her face and listened merely.