"Yes," said Almah. "Here among these people the paupers form the most honored, influential, and envied portion of the community."
This was incomprehensible. Almah tried to explain, but to no purpose, and I determined to talk to the Kohen.
CHAPTER XV — THE KOHEN IS INEXORABLE
I determined to talk to the Kohen, and try for myself whether he might not be accessible to pity. This greatest of cannibals might, indeed, have his little peculiarities, I thought, and who has not?—yet at bottom he seemed full of tender and benevolent feeling; and as he evidently spent his whole time in the endeavor to make us happy, it seemed not unlikely that he might do something for our happiness in a case where our very existence was at stake.
The Kohen listened with deep attention as I stated my case. I did this fully and frankly. I talked of my love for Almah and of Almah's love for me; our hope that we might be united so as to live happily in reciprocal affection; and I was going on to speak of the dread that was in my heart when he interrupted me:
"You speak of being united," said he. "You talk strangely. Of course you mean that you wish to be separated."
"Separated!" I exclaimed. "What do you mean? Of course we wish to be united."
The Kohen stared at me as I said this with the look of one who was quite puzzled; and I then went on to speak of the fate that was before us, and to entreat his sympathy and his aid that we might be saved from so hideous a doom. To all these words the Kohen listened with an air of amazement, as though I were saying incomprehensible things.