"A. E. Merritt - Dwellers in the mirage" - читать интересную книгу автора (Merritt A. E)

the appearance of great antiquity. Here I was washed and carefully
shaved and my long hair trimmed--a ceremonial cleansing accompanied by
rites of purification which, at times, were somewhat startling.

These ended, I was given a cotton undergarment which sheathed me from
toes to neck. After this, a pair of long, loose, girdled trousers that
seemed spun of threads of gold reduced by some process to the softness
of silk. I noticed with amusement that they had been carefully repaired
and patched. I wondered how many centuries the man who had first worn
them had been dead. There was a long, blouse-like coat of the same
material, and my feet were slipped into cothurms, or high buskins,
whose elaborate embroidery was a bit ragged.

The old priest placed the ring on my thumb, and stood back, staring at
me raptly. Quite evidently he saw nothing of the ravages of time upon
my garments.

I was to him the splendid figure from the past that he thought me.

"So did you appear when our race was great," he said. "And soon, when
it has recovered a little of its greatness, we shall bring back those
who still dwell in the Shadow-land."

"The Shadow-land?" I asked.

"It is far to the East, over the Great Water," he said. "But we know
they dwell there, those of Khalk'ru who fled at the time of the great
sacrilege which changed fecund Uighuriand into desert. They will be of
the pure blood like yourself, Dwayanu, and you shall find mates among
the women. And in time, we of the thinned blood shall pass away, and
Uighuriand again be peopled by its ancient race."

He walked abruptly away, the lesser priests following. At the door he
turned.

"Wait here," he said, "until the word comes from me."




CHAPTER IV.



TENTACLE OF KHALK'RU


I Waited for an hour, examining the curious contents of the room, and
amusing myself with shadow-fencing with the two swords. I swung round
to find the Uighur captain watching me from the doorway, pale eyes