The bright lunar beams cast the shadow of the idol slightly in front of our feet, but the priests, using some rough mechanical device, thrust the terrible image forward so that its shade, as the moon rose higher, would inevitably fall athwart our bodies. Into the monster's outstretched hand was placed a long brass-hilted sword, which overhung us in a menacing manner.
The shouting ceased as if by magic, and the priests with much ceremony killed three fowls, holding their bodies towards the moon and afterwards sprinkling the idol with their blood. Then, holding the doctor's revolver in a suppliant attitude, one of the savage officiates presented it to the idol; but as he did so he must have touched the trigger, for the weapon exploded, sending a bullet through the priest's arm and bringing down one of the natives in the crowd of worshippers. Superstitious awe fell upon the multitude; but with marvellous self-control the wounded priest picked up the revolver and, regardless of his arm, which hung helpless at his side, placed it at the feet of the idol.
In absolute silence the worshippers looked towards the priests, who in turn were eagerly regarding the upward path of the satellite.
During that awful time I lay in a sort of stupor, realizing my danger, yet filled with a complete indifference as to my fate. I was dimly conscious of the grinning idol, the fiendish painted faces of the priests, and the shouts of the crowd, which sounded like the subdued roar of a number of wild beasts; but the whole time my thoughts were fixed upon my home in peaceful Cornwall, and the various trifling incidents of my life flashed in quick succession through my brain.
The priests, one holding the knife in his uplifted hand, again watched the progress of the fateful shadow as it slowly climbed the Arab's side and approached his bare chest. In a firm voice the Moslem made the declaration of his faith: "Walla ghalib illah Allah!" he cried defiantly, and awaited the fatal stroke.
But it never came. The priest gave a hasty glance towards the moon, then, with a yell of superstitious terror, he dropped the knife and ran screeching through the crowd. The other priests followed his example, the panic became general, and in less than a minute the temple was deserted, save by the bound but living men, while from the village came the terrified wailings of the demoralized savages.
I spoke to the doctor, my voice broken and feeble, but no reply came from his lips; then I turned my head towards the Arab, who was vigorously but ineffectually struggling with his bonds, and he, too, had his eyes fixed on the moon.
My torpor had passed, and now I was eager to see the cause of this sudden diversion in our favour, and, following the direction of Yadillah's glance, I saw a dark shadow slowly creeping over the surface of the moon, and already its light was waning.
It was an eclipse; the penumbra had extended over half the satellite's hemisphere, and the umbra was rapidly following. To the ignorant savages the phenomenon could have but one meaning. They had offered sacrifices to the goddess of the night, and the goddess by hiding her face had scorned them, and dire calamity was bound to follow this mark of rejection.
How long I lay on that stone of sacrifice I cannot tell, but throughout the whole of the total eclipse, when everything was as dark as the blackest night and nature was hushed into absolute silence, I was fully awake to the possibilities of rescue or death. At length the umbra began to pass slowly across the moon, and a dim, greyish light faintly played on the grim outlines of the temple. In another two hours it would be daylight, and the savages would return and hale us to our deaths.