The Twilight of the Gods, and Other Tales | Page 6

or lot in these odious imputations? Even could I deem them true,
should I not think charitably of thee, but yesterday a heathen, and
educated in impiety by a foul sorcerer? My poor lamb! But tongues
must be stopped, and I have now to advise thee how this may be
accomplished."
"Say on."

"People will always talk so long as thou art the sole medium of
communication with the holy man. Some deem him less ignorant of our
speech than he seems, but concerning this I inquire not: for, in society,
what seems, is. Enough that thy colloquies expose thee to scandal.
There is but one remedy. Thou must yield thy place to another. It is
meet that thou forthwith instruct in that barbarous dialect some matron
of unblemished repute and devout aspirations; no mere ignorant
devotee, however, but a woman of the world, whose prudence and
experience may preserve the holy man from the pitfalls set for him by
the unprincipled. Manifestly she must be a married person, else nought
were gained, yet must she not be chargeable with forsaking her duties
towards her husband and children. It follows that she must be a widow.
It were also well that she should be of kin to some influential personage,
to whose counsel she might have recourse in times of difficulty, and
whose authority might protect her against the slanderous and evil
disposed. I have not been able to meet any one endowed with all these
qualifications, excepting myself. I therefore propose to thee that thou
shouldst instruct me in the speech of Desmotes, and when I am
qualified to take thy place my uncle shall elevate thee to the dignity of
Abbess, or bestow thee upon some young clergyman of extraordinary
desert."
Elenko intimated, perhaps with more warmth than necessary, her
aversion to both propositions, and the extreme improbability of the
Princess ever acquiring any knowledge of Greek by her instrumentality.
"If this is the case," said the Princess, with perfect calmness, "I must
have recourse to my other method, which is infallible."
Elenko inquired what it might be.
"I shall represent to my uncle, what indeed he very well knows, that a
saint is, properly speaking, of no value till he is dead. Not until his
decease are his relics available, or pilgrimages to his shrine feasible. It
is solely in anticipation of this event that my uncle is keeping Desmotes
at all; and the sooner it comes to pass, the sooner will my revered
relative come by his own. Only think of the capital locked up in the
new church, now so nearly completed, on the spot where they picked

up the eagle! How shall it be dedicated to Desmotes in Desmotes'
lifetime? Were it not a most blissful and appropriate coincidence if the
day of the consecration were that of the saint's migration to a better
world? I shall submit this view of the case to my uncle: he is
accustomed to hear reason from me, of whom, between ourselves, he is
not a little afraid. Thou mayest rely upon it that about the time of the
consecration Desmotes will ascend to heaven; while thou, it is gravely
to be feared, wilt proceed in the opposite direction. Would'st thou avert
this unpleasantness, think well of my first proposal. I give thee credit
for loving Desmotes, and suppose, therefore, that thou wilt make some
sacrifice for his sake. I am a Kettle, thou art a Pot. Take heed how thou
knockest against me!"
Elenko sped back to bear tidings of the threatened collision to
Prometheus. As she approached his chamber she heard with
astonishment two voices in eager conversation, and discovered with
still greater amazement that their dialogue was carried on in Greek. The
second speaker, moreover, was evidently a female. A jealous pang shot
through Elenko's breast; she looked cautiously in, and discerned the
same mysterious veiled woman whose demeanour had already been an
enigma to her. But the veil was thrown back, and the countenance went
far to allay Elenko's disquiet. It bore indeed traces of past beauty, but
was altogether that of one who had known better days; worn and faded,
weary and repining. Elenko's jealousy vanished, though her surprise
redoubled, when she heard Prometheus address the stranger as "Sister."
"A pretty brother I have got," rejoined the lady, in high sharp tones: "to
leave me in want! Never once to inquire after me!"
"Nay, sister, or sister-in-law," responded Prometheus, "if it comes to
that, where were you while I was on Caucasus? The Oceanides
ministered to me, Hermes came now and then, even Hercules left a card;
but I never saw Pandora."
"How could I compromise Epimetheus, Prometheus?" demanded
Pandora. "Besides, my attendant Hope was always telling me that all
would come right, without any