The Priestesses are young, dark skinned, and dark eyed, and their long black hair falls loosely toward their feet, which are concealed by their crimson and yellow robes. Around their heads are fillets, corresponding with those worn by the Priests. In the foreground are a number of youths and maidens, and back of them a throng of men and women, all with anxious, terror stricken faces. Well may the eyes and faces of the assemblage be full of fear, for some one's child will be selected as a sacrifice to their Gods, whose dwelling place is beyond the clouds which veil the portals of Astranola̤, lest impious, inquiring eyes gazing upward, may behold what mortals may not see, and live.
This painting depicts a scene once of frequent occurrence, but during four centuries past the horrible cruelty has not been practiced.
We now will pass into the adjoining apartment. This appears to be a sort of lounging room, in which form and color combined have produced some fine effects. Over the lofty corniced windows and doorways, velvet-like, crimson drapery falls in graceful folds. Luxurious divans line the cream tinted walls, over which sprays of lovely, dainty blossoms are scattered. The floor is a mosaic of exquisite effects. The field, a rich cream color, the designs, graceful, lifelike flower pieces, united by trailing vines. A deep border of aquatic plants, grasses and vining lily blooms, forms a fitting frame to the lovely floor picture, over which very beautiful rugs are disposed.
This large and massive table, so exquisitely carved, and inlaid with rare colored woods, in a design partly arabesque, partly floral, is indeed a thing of beauty, but more beautiful still is this superb vase, occupying its raised centre.
These portfolios of pictured illustrations we can only glance at. Yes, in conception, coloring, and execution, they are highly meritorious. The same may be said of these handsomely bound volumes. You had not thought to find books on Ento? Why not, madame? Do not you yet comprehend that the inherent attributes of the genus homo, not only impels, but inevitably compels him in one common direction? This is a universal law, and there is no escape from it. As I already have declared, its expression, wherever demonstrated, is essentially the same. We doubt not that many things we shall show you on Ento will surprise you, more by their likeness than by their unlikeness, to what may be found on our Planet.
The entire ornamentation and appointments of this apartment are rather quiet in tone, but le tout ensemble, is very refined and beautiful.
George is so urgent to hasten our movements that I suspect he is up to some mischief. Yes, yes, we are coming. George, George, you are incorrigible; it is not surprising that madame is startled, for this figure is wonderfully lifelike, and what an odd conceit, to use one of its long arms to hold back this heavy drapery.
Medium—Really, for a moment, I thought it a living creature. Does it represent a human being? It looks very like one.
De L'Ester—Truly it does appear very human, but it represents a species of Ento anthropoid, so intelligent, that frequently it is trained for simple requirements, mostly of a domestic nature. As later on, you will see living specimens of the same creature, I shall not now describe it. Enough cannot be said of the fidelity with which the artificer has reproduced the form, coloring, and expression of the living animal. Of what metal is it made? Of a composition of copper and tin, and if you choose, you may call it bronze, for that is what it is. Yes, the enamelling is very fine, the tinting is true to nature.