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Article THE THREE STEPS. ← Page 3 of 4 →
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The Three Steps.
Mothers led forth their fairest and youngest to complete the numbered victims ! The fatal morning had dawned ; the trembling maidens , crowned with flowers , were surrounded by the fierce guards of the Moloch king who waited within his cavern temple for the commencement of the rites . To draw him from his shrine his deluded subjects raised the hymn of invocation : Come in thmightmake bright the day
y , , Creation , joyous , springs to meet thee ; Whole nations wait thy cheering ray . And choral strains are raised to greet thee . The tamrisk buds their perfume hide , O ' er shadowed by the spreading tree ; Veil'd like some lovely Indian bride , Their grateful incense is for thee .
Oh ! come then from the dazzling throne , In all thy regal pomp appear With silken robe and diamond zone , Confirm our hope—dispel each fear .
As the last strain of his worshippers ceased , Meroun appeared at the entrance of the cavern . The debased multitude prostrated themselves in adoration and terror at his presence , while from the garland-crowned victims arose the wailing of despair . " How ! " exclaimed the Rajah , as his bloodshot eye glanced over the assembly , " is there a mortal rash enough to stand erect before me ?" The multitude raised their eyes in awe and astonishment at the words of their masterand beheld a miserably deformed Brahminwho alone
, , , of all that countless multitude , had refused to bend the knee before the tyrant of the earth . " Approach , " said Meroun , in mingled astonishment and wrath , " knowest thou before whom thou standest ? " " Yea , " answered the Brahmin , " before a piece of earth—a creature like myself , though vested with superior attributes . " " Slave ! " uttered the tyrant , '' for this I'll rack thee with torturesfevers shall drink thblood—agues distort thlimbs—hunger gnaw th
y y y heart ; down , down and worship me ere my wrath consumes thee . " " Rajah , " answered the Brahmin , coolly , " I have sworn by Brahma never to worship thee , save on one condition . Destroy me thou canst ; to disfigure me is past even thy cruelty , since the sun shines not on a wretch so deformed , so out of nature , as the thing before you . " " Name thy request , " replied the tyrant , roused to something like admiration of the stranger ' s firmness , " what vast empire must I bestow
to secure the homage of so fair a worshipper ? " " The earth is thine , '' said the Brahmin , bowing in mock humility , " the heavens obey thee ; grant me , I beseech thee , as much of thy dominions as I can compass in THBEE STEPS . " He raised his garment as he spoke , and displayed his short deformed legs to the derision of the multitude , " Grant it , and I am thy slave for ever . " " Thou hast thy wishmad fool" exclaimed Meroun" remember
, , , , three paces of my dominions , and thou art mine . " The stranger bowed in token of assent " Thy request is granted . " " Thou must swear it , " said the Brahmin . " Is three paces of thy distorted limbs so vast a boon from the empire of the universe , that there needs an oath to confirm it ? Well , have thy wish . By Brahma it is thine !" " And thou , " exclaimed the Brahmin , in a voice of thunder , " art
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Three Steps.
Mothers led forth their fairest and youngest to complete the numbered victims ! The fatal morning had dawned ; the trembling maidens , crowned with flowers , were surrounded by the fierce guards of the Moloch king who waited within his cavern temple for the commencement of the rites . To draw him from his shrine his deluded subjects raised the hymn of invocation : Come in thmightmake bright the day
y , , Creation , joyous , springs to meet thee ; Whole nations wait thy cheering ray . And choral strains are raised to greet thee . The tamrisk buds their perfume hide , O ' er shadowed by the spreading tree ; Veil'd like some lovely Indian bride , Their grateful incense is for thee .
Oh ! come then from the dazzling throne , In all thy regal pomp appear With silken robe and diamond zone , Confirm our hope—dispel each fear .
As the last strain of his worshippers ceased , Meroun appeared at the entrance of the cavern . The debased multitude prostrated themselves in adoration and terror at his presence , while from the garland-crowned victims arose the wailing of despair . " How ! " exclaimed the Rajah , as his bloodshot eye glanced over the assembly , " is there a mortal rash enough to stand erect before me ?" The multitude raised their eyes in awe and astonishment at the words of their masterand beheld a miserably deformed Brahminwho alone
, , , of all that countless multitude , had refused to bend the knee before the tyrant of the earth . " Approach , " said Meroun , in mingled astonishment and wrath , " knowest thou before whom thou standest ? " " Yea , " answered the Brahmin , " before a piece of earth—a creature like myself , though vested with superior attributes . " " Slave ! " uttered the tyrant , '' for this I'll rack thee with torturesfevers shall drink thblood—agues distort thlimbs—hunger gnaw th
y y y heart ; down , down and worship me ere my wrath consumes thee . " " Rajah , " answered the Brahmin , coolly , " I have sworn by Brahma never to worship thee , save on one condition . Destroy me thou canst ; to disfigure me is past even thy cruelty , since the sun shines not on a wretch so deformed , so out of nature , as the thing before you . " " Name thy request , " replied the tyrant , roused to something like admiration of the stranger ' s firmness , " what vast empire must I bestow
to secure the homage of so fair a worshipper ? " " The earth is thine , '' said the Brahmin , bowing in mock humility , " the heavens obey thee ; grant me , I beseech thee , as much of thy dominions as I can compass in THBEE STEPS . " He raised his garment as he spoke , and displayed his short deformed legs to the derision of the multitude , " Grant it , and I am thy slave for ever . " " Thou hast thy wishmad fool" exclaimed Meroun" remember
, , , , three paces of my dominions , and thou art mine . " The stranger bowed in token of assent " Thy request is granted . " " Thou must swear it , " said the Brahmin . " Is three paces of thy distorted limbs so vast a boon from the empire of the universe , that there needs an oath to confirm it ? Well , have thy wish . By Brahma it is thine !" " And thou , " exclaimed the Brahmin , in a voice of thunder , " art