THE SENTENCE UPON ARRACK
Sir John, with Masters, Desmond and Mavis at Hoormoori in time for the trial. They were much in Alan’s adventures, and were looking to the of Jovian justice. Mavis and Chlorie were already warm friends, and the Rorka on the of in his palace. Baby John Alan had into a boy. Now nearly four, he about the and away in a mixture of Keemarnian and English. The grown-ups used English now—their past life to be away entirely; they were already to Jupiter and looked upon it as their home. Mavis at the of her heart, however, did not all the in which she had been up from and she it was who a as a necessary to a wedding. Chlorie took up the idea with fervour, and in all had trousseaux, and as parts of their festivities.
Chlorie’s mother had the call of Schlerik-itata when she was but a small child, and no near relatives, the Keemarnian Princess was to have Mavis helping her at the time of her life. All was and at the palace. The wedding was to be a affair, but it took place, Arrack had to answer publicly the that were against him. In the large Justice Hall, on the day appointed, the Rorka took his seat his of Justice.
A of his arrival, with 297his and and attachés. All full dress, and the whole was brilliant. Alan had not yet been to the circles in Jovian society; his was to come on his wedding day—so to meet the of the case, a special seat had been at the right hand of the Rorka, and there Alan sat in and the proceedings. There were neither lawyers in this land of harmony. The case for the defence, if so it be called, was taken by the High Priest—and for the by the Djoh in the whole of Keemar.
The Rorka to the on sides, and gave his as he fairest. No be afterwards; his was final. Never had there been such a case as this one. Arrack had the of his land. If the Rorka him guilty, he would take his stoically. The Rorka rose, and the in the was profound. “Bring in Arrack the Miserable,” he cried, and Arrack appeared in the prisoner’s of an tint. This of was only by prisoners, when with some offence. It was something of the shape of a Jewish gaberdine. About his the a rope; his was with a hood, and there were sandals upon his feet. “O Arrack,” said the Rorka, “take your seat upon the Penitent’s Chair, for you are by this of most dealings. If you are guilty, a terrible you. Speak first, Lamii, Djoh of all Keemar, read your first.” And Djoh Lamii, a old greybeard, and read from a parchment.
“Rorka, most mighty, by the of Mitzor, Keemarnians one and all, I Arrack the Miserable with sins. Whether he alone is or rests with another—unnamed, but now in a of serquor—remains to be proved. First, I Arrack with and worship,—nay more, I him with the 298greatest of all against Mitzor—the of black sacrifices, the of bodies, to Pirox the Killer, a image of aspect. I him with acting as in that Temple of Sin and Death. I him as a and a heathen. He, a in the one and only Creator, is a from his faith. I him with the unnamed, now serquor, in his horrible, practices. All these are with to his against Mitzor. Now I him with attempting to hands on the person of our loved Princess; with her that was drugged, and being a party to her a against her will. Above all, I him with trying to the unnamed, now serquor, to her purity, and thus to her to one she did not love. These, O Rorka, are the in brief, and a more category of evil, I have had to repeat. Although I am old, and my call must come soon, this is the day of my life to think I have to such against a true Keemarnian.”
He sat down, and then rose up Misrath the High Priest. “O Rorka, the and the just. I cannot the that Lamii has brought. Long have I talked with Arrack the Miserable, and it is hard to offer a word in his favour. Yet of I of you to me out, and I will tell the of and shame. Arrack and the unnamed, now serquor, were brothers. The mother of the her call while her was yet a suckling, and these two babes, from the same breast, the food of life from the same woman. As they their together, and their balls. Then the of Arrack, Meol, now serquor, took these to the Temple of Pirox the Killer. It is he I blame, not the ones. He, with two others, a life of lies. Respected Keemarnians, wise fathers, husbands, they of their practices; for they were all and offered up the black sacrifice. But took them 299all into his bosom. These in the of sin. He, the unnamed, and cunning. He was the leader. He it was who took Arrack the Miserable on to our Isle of Holiness—made him him a hut, and left him there, a tool to work his will and prepare his rites. Since he was of years he has this life—hating it, yet it; it, yet it. Then the time came when he, the unnamed, that Arrack the Miserable. Whispered of for a Princess. The Ipso-Rorka was named—and to that length of would Arrack have assisted, so was he in the of sin. Then the day of came. Mighty the Cave of Darkness. The of Mitzor it asunder; no more shall these be from father to son. No longer shall out in Keemar. The Great White Glory has spoken. The Temple of Sin is in ruins, and under the of and the of Waiko. Whether he, too, had the of the also, we know not. But we do know his was weak. We pray that his on the Black Altar may have his and that soon he will be in the of the Tower of Help.”
Misrath sat down, and the Rorka rose. “I have your case, O Arrack, in silence. I have to your of shame. One thing only is in your favour. You not an life, but and its were you when you were yet a child. But—” he paused. “You the life of Keemar. You our services of that were offered to Mitzor. You was to us. From the time when our our world, we have to keep Keemar perfect. Thanks to Mitzor we nearly succeeded. It is to prevent the of like yours that I sentence. Misrath, High Priest of our Temples—our Mediator on earth Mitzor and man, the in the of shame.”
Immediately the was 300from Arrack, and in its place was put a long of black. The was taken from his head, and the sandals from his feet. His was in shame, and in he was to the Sentence Bar, there to his fate.
“Through the of Hoormoori be led,” said the Rorka. “A rope middle shall direct the way to go. Neither man woman shall speak to thee. Neither bird shall be permitted to upon thee. Alone and an be sent upon way. Lonely days be. Lonely be taken to the Hall of Sorrows at Fyjipo. There live until and white with age. Should call come early, alone have to meet the Great White Glory. No Sacrament shall help on way. Neither prayers shall in last moments here. Alone and this world. But should call not come soon, then in the Hall of Sorrows until and middle, then—when that time arrives, be free to the place of sorrow. But life will be all days for the committed.”
Misrath rose. “Oh my Rorka, is sound, just. May I ask but one for the Arrack? During his time of sorrows, should he perform two and allow him freedom?”
“Yes, Misrath. Should he perform two deeds, that mark him as a true son of Keemar, then publicly shall his be him, and once more shall he take his place among the people he has wronged. I have spoken.”
The Rorka rose from his seat of justice, and with another of took his place in his and to the palace. Alan waited to see the end. The Arrack was from his place, and taken through a entrance out on to the highway. There a rope was his waist, a rope that had six ends. Six men took of each end, and it taut, him through the streets. 301On he went, a to himself, and to those that saw him.
An air bird was for the to Fyjipo. Alan that he might it. He wanted to see for himself what the Hall of Sorrows was like. He had no of it. Was it like a Pentonville or Portland in England, or did it some that no ordinary mind conceive?
“Go then,” said the Rorka to Alan. “Swift be there, and as return. Just time have the day when Misrath shall make my child and thee—one. One on earth and one in Heaven.”
“Farewell,” said Chlorie, when Alan told her of the he was to make. “’Tis in Keemar for a to herself from all for twelve Kymos her wedding day. During that time she thinks and on her state. I go into to-morrow, Alan, and my prayers will be all for you. May you return to me in safety. Farewell.”
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