“When the gods are angered against earth people, it is always the most precious they demand in sacrifice,” he said. “When we make vows, the gods watch that we keep the vows––else we pay, Señor,––we pay––we pay!”
CHAPTER XXIII
THE PROPHECY OF TAHN-TÉ
Vague tremblings were still felt underfoot; the river was red with the clay of fallen banks. Smoke came from an ancient crater to the south, and also the east, and above the Mesa of the Hearts hung a cloud of volcanic dust, or a puff of smoke escaped from the red ash-covered fissures of the Underworld.
The women were gathered in terror in the court, but fled at the sight of Tahn-té. The anger of the earth was a thing of fear; but he was made see that there were worse things, and they covered the faces of their children that his eyes might not rest on them.
At the door of the council house he paused and Don Ruy beside him. There was much talk. All the leading men were there, also Padre Vicente and Don Diego. They entered and there was silence.
No one offered to Tahn-té the pipe, and no one spoke to him.
The priest of the New God had told them things––he knew men’s hearts––he had confessed so many!––He told them it was love for the witch maid by which the hand of the sorcerer kept every other man from touching her.––Even to take the heart from her breast, was an easier thing than to give her to the men of Te-gat-ha or of Povi-whah, who had looked on her face and asked for her, also he had wrapped about her his priestly robe of office before he laid her in the 320 earth where Satan had broken the rock to reach for her!