THE HALL OF SORROWS
The air cold and Alan was of the that the Rorka on his taking for the journey. They had passed through scenery, but now it was changing. No longer was the air sweet and balmy; no longer were the with flowers. Great of and country took the place of the fields, and snow-topped looked on the desolation.
Then Fyjipo in sight. One great the scene. Of a dark it looked and forbidding. Kulmervan, still in the of serquor, had been in a of glass, and Alan the of the place, when he saw the being unshipped, to being in the Hall of that abode. The Waz, who was in of the the only key to the gates, and as he them, a rose from within.
Arrack was along, pushed the gate, and then left—to learn how to for himself in that place. Carefully was Kulmervan upon a in the hall. His had its candour, its of and its peace. The through the glass, was the of an old man with sin; and sinister. Alan as he away from the form. The of as by the Keemarnians was a very thing. Struck in life, the a trance-like from which they recovered. Real death the 303Jovians not; a was permitted them. As in a a voice told the that his time had come—that so many more Kymos would pass he would have to his world good-bye. Then in the Sacrament of Schlerik-itata his and were astral, and in a cloud of the one from sight, and entered into with his God. It was a end; there be no great at such a departure; no was to be the of the Jovian—he was just into glory. But those that in their condition. Alive yet dead! Dead yet alive! Useless to themselves, and of use to no one! No wonder it was the one thing in this land of all good.
There were but fifty in the condition of on the whole of Keemar, and most of them had been there for many ages. None some of them as full of life; their names were on and above them—their only with the of the present. In a small, in the Temple at Hoormoori were these ones kept. Niches, cushion-lined were in the walls, and in these the were laid. There they would until Jupiter itself returned to its void, and its population into the of Heaven.
“I you not long here, my Lord,” said the Waz to Alan. “’Tis an place, and I would and it me”.
“Nay, my Waz. Stay until the Kymo full in the Heavens—’tis but a time now, and then I shall be to you”.
There were no of in the Hall of Sorrows. The in its loneliness. The Keemarnians who were there were paying for their faults. Utter loneliness—comfortless—cheerless—it was personified. Those were the that Alan received. Food was let from the air at intervals. There was no division, and only just to go round. It was a question of come, served, 304and the man who appeared last little if any of his portion. No was in the place, and as it was near the Pole, their time was in total blackness. There was no warmth; it was cold and draughty; no privacy; no comfort.
The Keemarnians who themselves clean in this place of sorrow. Once they were free of it, they put themselves into the position to be sent there again. Their terms of varied. For some it might be for only six Kymos; for others sixty or six hundred! The there had nothing on his one as as Arrack the Miserable; but he was sent there too, to with them.
Alan not to in the place. The him—the him. His last view of Arrack, was of a in a of black, in a of the big Hall, the still of his late master. His hands were clasped, his hopeless—his whole one of despair.
“It’s very terrible,” said Alan to the Waz as they away from Fyjipo.
“What is, my Lord?”
“Your Hall of Sorrows.”
“But why, my Lord?”
“Surely it must do more than good?” The Waz looked amazed. “I know if I were sent to such a place, I should come out and defiant.”
The Jovian smiled. “That is where we differ, my Alan. The Keemarnian of every kind. This is in him. He offends—ever so slightly. The Priest with him. He makes promises to atone, but again. No second is him. Straight to the Hall of Sorrows he is sent, there to live in discomfort, cold and solitude. He is too to mix with his creatures; so his is and he comes out a man.”
Alan laughed at the Keemarnian’s earnestness. “I am afraid, my friend, that the world I came from was more material than yours. A life in 305such a place would have to sin—it would not have it.”
“Then I am I to Keemar,” said the Waz simply.
They the return in record time, and Desmond and Mavis were waiting for Alan on the station when the air bird in.
“Welcome home,” said Mavis. “We have missed you badly. However is for you, and in three more Kymos we will have you safely married.”
“Are you so to of me?” laughed Alan.
“No,” answered Mavis with a happy smile, “but I’ve the myself, and I want you to your also, my brother.”
“That’s very put, Mavis,” said Alan tenderly. “I wish for no one but you for Desmond. At I was a little when I his for me would be halved.”
“Not halved, Alan.”
“No, that’s not the right word. But Desmond and I had been to each other from our childhood, and then you came—”
“Well?”
“Now I what it means, and am I am going to of the same of that Desmond enjoys.”
“I’m sure you’ll be happy, Alan. Chlorie is so sweet—so human, so understanding. But—” there came a note into her voice. “I’m of only one thing, Alan. You are sure you are not too—too material—for these Jovians. You are going to with a girl almost—spiritual, if I may so put it. Now—the time is near, I’m so afraid—”
“Don’t be afraid, little woman. I’ve learnt a great since I came here. The past is dim. My love for Chlorie is so great that I think it is all my senses. I have only one for the future.”
“And that is?”
“My of death. Not that I death for myself, but its and me 306from my love. She will not have that fear. Until I can myself in the of Schlerik-itata, I shall have that always with me.”
“Death!” Mavis looked into the where her son and his father were together. “I think I, too, have a of left,” said she, “but I am trying to put it away. We have left the old world us. I was to put in your heart, Alan. You’ve wisely, I am sure. Good luck and good be yours!”
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