Afterward, still under cover of the bulls, were imparted to Hellen confidences at which he marveled. Then Deucalion and Sensel hastened to the temple.
Hellen remained to walk up and down the alley in a condition of mind far removed from that in which he had parted from Atlano. Now hope was not only showing herself, but promising abiding.
Note.—“Down to the present century, ventriloquism was regarded as a physiological mystery. And, of old, it seemed awful when the river Nessus saluted Pythagoras, when a tree spoke before Apollonius, and when a newborn infant, or animals, or statues talked.”
CHAPTER XI.
THE HAPPENING OF THE UNEXPECTED.
Deucalion entered the hillside door to be met in the court by several weeping handmaids, one of whom cried out to him:
“Æole is no more. Æole is no more!”
He paused, and his look questioned; when another handmaid answered.
“She had just been called to the inner holy place, when, therein, we heard a great stir, and Sensel ran out to cry that she was lying dead at the foot of the statue of Amen. He had borne her in there, as she, of her grief, fell even at the door. Ah, poor Æole—poor Æole!”
This handmaid began to sob so that she could not continue. Then another handmaid spoke for her.
“Thus we ran to the inner holy place, forgetting we should not go there. And, at the foot of Amen, beheld her as Sensel had said, whilst about her were gathering the high priest and the other priests. At first we could not believe her dead; and rubbed her hands, and bathed her brow. But she would not arouse. Now is the cold of death upon her.”