The Slave Sculptor — page 83: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

A STRANGE DISCOVERY. 85 the cell. For an instant, the sudden change rendered him almost blind, but he soon became accustomed to the brilliancy, and gazed with anxious interest upon the person who held the torch. It wasa large, muscular man, in the hieroglyphic garb of a priest, with a savage expression of features. In one hand he held the torch, in the other a eo Aap mai After having watched his victim ra few : . «* We have purchased you at a great price of your captor, to cer as 3 peg An the werent ise guns a at the ofane strangers in capi eg wroth ge ol and he must be appeased, or the nation will be destroy- ed.’’ I: may be supposed that Maxtla trembled, knowing, as he did, the laws of his country in these matters. There was no redress, not even by the interposition of the emperor himself, if the priesthood had marked the victim. _ You will remain here,’’ remarked the priest, without appearing to notice the effect of his words; ‘‘ until the hour assigned for the sacrifice, during which time your bodily wants shall be well cared for > - The priest then laid down his sword, approached the sculptor, and unbound his arms. That instant, Maxtla sprang to his feet, bound- ed upon the priest, with the fierceness of a tiger, and hurled him te the hard stone floor. His strength, however, was not sufficient to the task, and, in a few moments he was rebound, this time hand and foot, and left prostrate on the floor. This over-exertion, caused Maxtla to swoon, in which condition he lay, he kuew not how long. When he awoke, the cell was again illumed with the rays of a torch, and, turning his head so that he could discover who carried the light, he beheld an cld woman. There was that in her features, which for an instant engaged his at- torch “ tzcoatl! How came you here? ”’ That voice — that face! Surely they were those of his long absent godmother — she who had nurtured him in youth, and had Joved him tenderly always. He had not seen her since his residence in the capital. It was joy, indeed, to meet her Héw when his soul was tortured and his body suffered so in pain. ‘Mother Ytzcoatl,’? he replied: ‘* Hard and cruel fortune brought me here; but why are you here? and where are we?” « We are beneath a templé,’’ she answered. ‘*I was ordained to prepare you for the sacrifice, but I fear the victim will have flown ere the priests are ready. What say you, my son, would you rath- t ital? 4 . . Te ind aie indeed I would. I have no relish for this manner of appeasing the wrath of the indignant god. Do untie these cords, for they pain me dreadfully.” conmmcbdooks.comn