But the majority, in scorn, received his words. Not even the most anxious could bring themselves to believe this paradisiacal island in danger. Possibly Atlano and Oltis might suffer, but their dear island could not come to harm! Had not the gods loved it? Had not one dwelt in it? And was he not their father? Had not blessings ever been showered upon it? No—no—their island must be safe!
But, as they ran in and out of the court, up and down the hill, along the banks of canal and stream, complaints of king and high priest began to rise.
“Said we not evil would follow that loss, ruin in Pelasgia?” murmured one.
“True, one evil bringeth another,” returned a second.
“It may be that the gods were angry then, with King Atlano,” whispered an old and thoughtful-looking man to his wife.
“But, Queen Atlana is good,” spoke their daughter, a young mother who was standing beside them with a little child clinging to each hand, and who was eyeing in dread the encroaching water of the stream. “Would she were here. Why, why did she sail away?—But look, Father, Mother! The water riseth even to the top of the bank! Oh, my dear ones!” And she kneeled to draw forlornly within her arms her little ones. “Oh, wert thy father but here!”
For their father was afar. He was the captain of the queen’s galley.
Past this kneeling, weeping mother were surging the distracted islanders, some making their way to the shore others rushing to gaze upon the menacing streams, others flying to the court of the temple there to plead for mercy, others running to the summit of the hill in order to view better the fast brightening sky of the northeast. And continuously now was the earth shaking, groaning beneath them—whilst great raindrops were beginning to fall, and Amen’s thunderbolts to play.
About this mother moaning over her children gathered other mothers with their husbands and little ones, the plaints mingling in chorus. But soon came a shaking so long and severe that every voice hushed, every face set in terror. Then all groveled on the ground.
When the trembling had subsided, and they were standing erect again, an old woman said to be the most aged person on the island, spoke in shrillest tone: