Chapter 29: The Installation of a Twin-Soul

The sacred musicians of the temple surrounded the throne in solid circles each arrayed in lordly attire.

They flourished instruments of gold, that rang out music of such depth and clearness of tone as to melt every soul in that vast audience into one thrilling whole. The sounding song was the incarnation of all things majestic and glorious. In its breathless measures were born the spirits of conquest, pride, inspiration, love and sympathy. The thrilling climax was wrought of passages eloquent of love, tenderness, reverence, joy, adoration and poetry.

Again, with the music becoming more refined, a choir of singers in the high cloister in the walls sang as they walked a refrain of purifying sweetness. It was a wail of fidelity and love, and both song and music moved in perfect accord.

Thereafter music alone was heard, when the high priest Hushnoly, and the high priestess Zooly-Soase stood before us on the silver pavement beneath the throne.

The blue-black hair of the high priestess fell around her olive face and shoulders like a cloud of darkness. She wore a robe of coral-red silken gossamer, that with its foldings shivered like quicksilver, revealing a figure of olive marble beneath. Her shoulders, arms and breasts, soft and heavy in mould, were dimly seen beneath their coral veil. Her profile was perfect. Her eyes were jewels of swart fire. Her eyebrows made perfect arches above them, enhancing the beauty of her face. Her mouth was fine and tender, and her lips red with kisses. The high priest, whose noble features were olive-green in hue, wore a splendid opaque silk burnous of camellia-red, of heavier texture than that of the priestess. He wore boots of scarlet lacquered leather. Both wore diadems of kragon, the precious stone.

A stone altar curiously carved, on which stood a green bronze turtle of large size, occupied one side of the front of the pavement. The turtle held its head stretched upward, and through its open mouth a thin stream of blue smoke ascended. On the wide flat back of the turtle lay an open volume, the sacred book of Egyplosis.

The priest and priestess stood beside the altar, each reading an alternate stanza from the ritual of the goddess. While reading, the priests with loud voice followed the intoning of the high priest, and the priestesses that of the high priestess, as follows:

THE RITUAL OF HOPELESS LOVE.

PRIESTS.

Harikar is the supreme soul, and the goddess Lyone his

supreme incarnation. Equally free from asceticism and

indulgence, she treads the golden path.

PRIESTESSES.

Let us joyfully obey our adorable goddess, who commands us

in all manner of spiritual joys; let us follow her glorious

example, preserving purity of heart and life.

PRIESTS.

Let us adore a cupid agonized, worshipping the goddess of

hopeless, tender, romantic love. Let us, with our

counterparts, the most lovely of maidens, become twin-souls

for evermore.

PRIESTESSES.

Let us love the shapely and active youths, the young men of

soul and intellect, likewise those of courage and daring,

whose hearts and minds are in complete unity.

PRIESTS.

Let us add splendor of body to greatness of soul. May we

excel in the chase, the dance and the race. Let us drink

ambrosial wine, and eat the juiciest of meats, and clothe

ourselves with the finest and strongest of tissues.

[Illustration: THE PRIEST AND PRIESTESS STOOD BESIDE THE ALTAR, EACH READING AN ALTERNATE STANZA FROM THE RITUAL OF THE GODDESS.]

PRIESTESSES.

Let us have a beautiful companionship with our counterpart

souls. Let us rejoice in the sun, in the free winds of the

sky, in the glory of flowers, in the pride of horses and

elephants richly caparisoned. Let us treasure jewels. Let us

possess emeralds, turquoises, diamonds and rubies. Let us

array ourselves with marvellous stuffs, dyed with the

richest colorings.

PRIESTS.

Let us here in search of the ideal find an ever-increasing

Nirvana of blessedness. Goddess of souls, lead us to imagine

higher and holier exaltations; keener and more blessed

raptures!

PRIESTESSES.

Sweet mother of souls! teach us to cultivate consoling

friendships with sympathetic hearts. Give us longings for

the utmost depths of love and tenderness; let us possess