THE MESSAGE
As the day advanced a message was brought to the priestess that a woman
was without who wished to speak to her, and that she carried roses in
her hand, an offering to Diana.
'Let her come to me,' said Saronia.
'Come within and seat thyself. I have much to say to thee, mother of
Chios. I know I may trust thee. Thou wilt never betray?'
'No. By all that is left for my eternal salvation, I swear to be true!'
'Then hear me. Take this message to Chios. I must see him.'
'Thou knowest, lady, Chios is a Christian?'
'I do. Dost thou know aught of this sect, seeing thou movest abroad
among the people?'
'O noble Saronia, 'tis a mighty God they serve.'
'What meanest thou?'
'I will tell thee. One day there came to my house the sons of Sceva;
they came to cast out a spirit of evil from a tortured man.'
'Did they succeed?'
'No. Miserably failed! And I, by my power, tried by Hecate to draw him
forth, but I could not.'
'By what process did they attempt this?'
'They invoked the name of the Jewish Christ, but the spirit rebelled
against them, and disowned their power. They had made a cross, the
symbol of that God, to carry out their plan, and when they had fled and
I also looked back, I saw the cross all lit with glorious sheen in the
hands of the man, and the spirit had come out of him. I fear this faith;
Diana, Hecate are servants to it, and this Christ will prevail in
Ephesus. I would this God would shield me from the curse, and I would
lie at His feet in gratitude and joy.'
'Endora, thou speakest strange sayings. Art thou certain of all those
things, or are they phantasies of the mind?'
'They are true, noble Saronia, as true as yonder Temple is the shrine of
thy goddess; true as there is a central sun in the universe, around
which all other suns revolve. And this Christ, they say, is the great
spiritual orb, the grand Spirit of the whole around which every other
intelligence moves, and to whom every spirit in the vast domains shall
bow. It's a terrible thought, is it not?'
'Why?'
'Because, if this saying be true, Diana is no more. She is not supreme,
and will fade away as the ages grow, dwindling into nothingness, and her
teaching be but a beautiful story.'
'Ah! Endora, thou speakest wisely. Truly thou art acting a part in
assuming the craft of a low-born fortune-teller. I see thou art skilled
in words, and still hast the soul and wisdom of a priestess; as a
diamond thou wilt sparkle, begrimed as thou art with the adverse
circumstances of thy life. Thou hast interested me. It is well one
should know what is propagated around her. Hast thou any more respecting
this strange belief?'
'Only this: One day when on the mountain yonder two men were near. I
hid, but close enough to listen.'
'Who were they?'
'One was Chios, the other his teacher, one of the chiefs of the
Christians.'
'What did they say?'
'I heard the old man speak in prophecy, saying the time was not far away
when the beautiful city beneath them should crumble to decay, the
temples perish, and the altars be broken and buried deep in the earth,
until men should seek for the glories and religion of Ephesus, but
should search in vain--that the faith of the goddess should be but a
broken note in the great hymn which the ages sing. More he said, but all
of the same import.'
'What kind of man was this prophet?'
'He was mean in appearance, possessing an intellect like the mind of a
god. His eyes were piercing, and his spirit consumed his flesh; his body
was but a disguise. Surely within that frail and plainly-built structure
there resided a soul which has circled around the central throne of the
King of the universe. He is a messenger from Him, whoever He may be.'
'Endora--Myrtile may I call thee?--go! Be careful of the message to
Chios. My life--everything depends on its safe delivery. Place it
carefully, and speed away. The message demands action this day.'
* * * * *
Endora crept up the avenue of myrtles to the door of Chios, and timidly
knocked at it.
'I have a message for thee.'
'From whom didst thou receive it?'
'From the High Priestess, Saronia.'
'What knowest thou of her? Thou mockest me.'
'No, I do not. Read it. Thou wilt see her in every line.'
He eagerly glanced at the message, and turned deadly pale.
'Come within, Endora.'
'Thou knowest my name. How so?'
'It matters little. I know thy name.'
As the old woman moved into the studio, a strange, weird light lit up
her cold, sinister face, and she gazed around at the beauties displayed
there.
'Sit down and rest. Dost thou know the contents of this message?'
'No.'
'Then I will tell thee. Saronia has trusted thee; I must. She cannot
err; her judgment is good, and I abide by it.'
'Ah, ah!' laughed Endora. 'I am safe, noble Greek. Thou canst trust me.
The High Priestess confides in me; Chios may do the same. Shall I
swear?'
'No; but look into my eyes, and tell me thou wilt be true.'
As she gazed into his eyes a shudder passed through her, and for an
instant she reeled as if drunken. Recovering herself, she said:
'Art thou satisfied?
He made no reply.
Endora cried:
'Speak--speak out straight from thy heart, or I will not receive thy
secret!'
'Yes; I can trust thee,' replied Chios. 'Why, I do not know. I am safe
in thine hands. Who art thou? What art thou?'
'I? I am a poor castaway, cast aside on the dung-heap like a broken
lamp! I am a reptile doomed to crawl the earth like the meanest snake. I
am Endora of Ephesus, the witch of Mount Pion! Who art _thou_? What a
foolish question, when all know thee to be Chios the Greek, the great
artist of this mighty city!... Thou art safe in the hands of Endora.
Thou art son of some mother who cherished thy young life. Hast thou a
mother?'
'No.'
'Where is she?'
'Dead.'
'Didst thou ever know her?'
Chios was silent, and his eyes looked far away.
'I have faint remembrance of her; she died when I was quite a child.'
'Didst thou love her?'
'Love her? Yes, passionately.'
'Is thy father alive?'
'I never knew him. But enough of this. Sufficient I trust thee in
respect of this message. Speak to me on no other subject. It bids me
meet the High Priestess to-night near the Sacred Grove, and she requests
me to tell thee this and to command thee be there and stand sentinel, to
give timely warning if strangers approach.
'Why or how Saronia confides thus in thee 'tis passing strange. But it
must be right. Thou knowest all now. Go thy way. Do thy part for thy
mistress, and I will do mine.'
'I will be there,' replied Endora, 'and, if necessary, die for thee.'
And she went out to the great road beyond the garden gate.