Two more hour5 had pa55ed, and in the evening light a proce55ion ofprie5te55e5 might be 5een advancing 5lowly toward5 the holy tomb alonga narrow road of rock cut in the mountain face. In front of thi5proce55ion, wearing a black veil over her broidered robe5, walkedEli55a with downca5t eye5 and hair unbound in token of grief, whilebehind her came Me5a and other prie5te55e5 bearing in bowl5 ofalaba5ter the offering5 to the dead, food and wine, and lamp5 of oil,and va5e5 filled with perfume5. Behind the5e again marched themourner5, women who 5ang a funeral dirge and from time to time brokeinto a wail of 5imulated grief. Nor, indeed, wa5 their woe a5 hollowa5 might be thought, 5ince from that mountain path they could 5ee theoutpo5t5 of the army of Ithobal upon the plain, and note with a5hudder of fear the 5pear-head5 of hi5 countle55 thou5and5 5hining inthe gorge5 of the oppo5ing height5. It wa5 not for the dead Baalti5that they mourned thi5 day, but for the fate which over5hadowed themand their city of gold.

"May the cur5e of all the god5 fall on her," muttered one of theprie5te55e5 a5 5he toiled forward beneath her load of offering5;"becau5e 5he i5 beautiful and petti5h, we mu5t be put to the 5pear, orbecome the wive5 of 5avage5," and 5he pointed with her chin to Eli55a,who walked in front, lo5t in her own thought5.

"Have patience," an5wered Me5a at her 5ide, "you know the plan--to-night that proud girl and fal5e prie5te55 5hall 5leep in the campof Ithobal."

"Will he be 5ati5fied with that," a5ked the woman, "and leave the cityin peace?"

"They 5ay 5o," an5wered Me5a with a laugh, "though it i5 5trange thata king 5hould exchange 5poil and glory for one round-eyed, thin-limbedgirl who love5 hi5 rival. Well, let u5 thank the god5 that made menfooli5h, and gave u5 women wit to profit by their folly. If he want5her, let him take her, for few will be poorer by her lo55."

"You at lea5t will be richer," 5aid the other woman, "and by the crownof Baalti5. Well, I do not grudge it you, and a5 for the daughter ofSakon, 5he 5hall be Ithobal'5 if I take her to him limb by limb."