Behold! murmured he at last, while the shadow of another--and yet another stranger, shot along the lighted floor, as he stole about the room a-tiptoe, and gathering up the pearls, if pearls they were, that lay in heaps underneath the window, and flinging aside the magnificent robe he wore, prepared himself anew and with more determination than ever, for the work he had evidently set his heart upon, if not his life, by measuring the elevation with a steadier eye, and poising every pearl with a more delicate touch, before he projected it toward the window. Behold! how the Ancient of Days delighteth in counteracting the purposes of Man?
The other started back and threw up his arms with a look of horror and amazement, and all who were about him began whispering together and shaking their heads.
At this moment the slow jarring vibration of a great bell was heard from the topmost tower--the cannon of the fortress thundered forth, and were answered, peal after peal, from the lighted mountains--a volume of white smoke rolled heavily toward the earth and covered the people--the sea-fog trembled--parted--and slowly drifted away in patches and fragments, through which the blue sky appeared, and the hot sunshine flashed with an arrowy brightness, while the mighty ship swung round with her broadside to the shore, and lighted matches were seen moving about hither and thither, like wandering meteors, through the damp hazy atmosphere; and instantly there went up a slow half-smothered wail from the multitude, with a weight and volume like the unutterable and growing earnestness of the Great Deep, when it begins to heave with a pre-appointed and irresistible change; and all eyes were upturned, and all arms outstretched with a troubled expression toward the stranger, who walked forward a few steps to the verge of the scaffold--and looking about him, on every side, called out with a loud voice,--Of such are the Gods of the Unconverted! and of such their followers!
The answering roar of the multitude reached the prisoner, who lifting his head and listening for a moment with a placid smile, asked what more they would have?--and whether they were not yet satisfied?--and then straightway began balancing another of the glittering seeds and eyeing the window--