&obele。
Theyrememberedthestrange,burningeyesofhismother。Theyrecalledthetragedyofhisfather,lostihesethirtyyearsago。
TheLaastheLaw;abeobeyed。
TheMenouldseetothat。
TheycarriedthewaheMarketPladthepeoplestoodaroufulsilence。
&illweakfromhuhirstandtheEldersbadehimsitdown。
Herefused。
Theyorderedhimtobesilent。
Buthespoke。
UpontheOldMeurnedhisbadhiseyessoughtthosewhobutashorttimebeforehadbeenhisrades。
“Listentome,”heimplored。“Listentomeandberejoiced。Ihaveebabeyoairodafreshsoil。Myhahetouchofotherraces。Myeyeshaveseenwhts。
“WhenIwasachild,myworldwasthegardenofmyfather。
“TothewestaothesouthahlaytheraheBeginningofTime。
“Wheheywerehiding,therewasahushandahastyshakingofheads。WhenIinsisted,IwastakentotherodshownthebleaesofthosewhohaddaredtodefytheGods。
“Wheandsaid,‘Itisalie!TheGodslovethosewhoarebrave!theMenWhoKnewdreadtomefromtheirsacredbooks。TheLaw,theyexplained,hadordaihingsofHeaveheValleywasourstohaveandtohold。Theanimalsandthef?lowers,thefruitandthef?isheswereours,t。ButthemouheGods。Whatlaybeyondwastoremainunknownuime。
“Sotheyspoke,aheyliedtome,evenastheyhaveliedtoyou。
“Therearepasturesinthosehills。Meadowstoo,asriy。Andmenandwomenofourownf?leshandblood。Andcitiesresplehegloriesofathousandyearsoflabor。
“Ihavefouoabetterhome。Ihaveseenthepromiseofahappierlife。FollowmeandIshallleadyouthither。ForthesmileoftheGodsisthesamethereashereandeverywhere。”
&oppedaupagreatcryofhorror。
“Blasphemy!”criedtheOldMen。“Blasphemyandsacrilege!Af?itpuforhiscrime!HehaslosthisreasooscoffattheLarittendownathousandyearsago。Hedeservestodie!”
Aookupheavystones。
Andtheykilledhim。
Andhisbodytheythrewatthefootofthecliffs,thatitmightliethereasawarningtoallwhoquestiohewisdomoftheaors。
&happetimelaterthattherewasagreatdrought。ThelittleBrookofKnowledgeralediedofthirst。Theharvestperishedinthef?ields,andtherewashuheValleyofIgnorance。
TheOldMenever,wereehingwouldallerightiheyprophesied,forsoitwaswritiHolyChapters。
&heythemselvestlefood。Theyweresoveryold。
>
Thevillagewasdeserted。
&hanhalfofthepopulacediedfromsheer>
Theohosewhosurvivedlaybeyoains。
ButtheLawsaid“No!”
Abeobeyed。
&herewasarebellion。
Despairgavecetothosewhomfearhadfortosilence。
&heOldMeed。