Мор - ученик смерти

           Murmur,murmur.

           TheHighPriest’sfacedarkened.

           ’Isuppose,mm,ashortprayer,mm,istotallyoutofthequestion?’hesaidacidly.

           ’Ifsomepeopledon’tgetamoveon,’saidKelidemurely,’thereisgoingtobetrouble.’

           Murmur.

           ’Idon’tknow,I’msure,’saidtheHighPriest.’Peoplemightaswellnotbotherwithareligious,mm,ceremonyatall.Fetchthebloodyelephant,then.’

           TheacolytegaveCutwellafranticlookandwavedattheguards.Astheyurgedtheirgently-swayingchargeforwardwithshoutsandpointedstickstheyoungpriestsidledtowardsCutwellandpushedsomethingintohishand.

           Helookeddown.Itwasawaterproofhat.

           ’Isthisnecessary?’

           ’He’sverydevout,’saidtheacolyte.’Wemayneedasnorkel.’

           Theelephantreachedthealtarandwasforced,withouttoomuchdifficulty,tokneel.Ithiccupped.

           ’Well,whereisit,then?’snappedtheHighPriest.’Let’sgetthis,mm,farceoverwith!’

           Murmurwenttheacolyte.TheHighPriestlistened,noddedgravely,pickeduphiswhite-handledsacrificialknifeandraiseditdouble-handedoverhishead.Thewholehallwatched,holdingitsbreath.Thenhelowereditagain.

           ’Whereinfrontofme?’

           Murmur.

           ’Icertainlydon’tneedyourhelp,mylad!I’vebeensacrificingmanandboy–and,mm,womenandanimals–forseventyyears,andwhenIcan’tusethe,mm,knifeyoucanputmetobedwithashovel!’

           Andhebroughtthebladedowninawildsweepwhich,bysheerluck,gavetheelephantamildfleshwoundonthetrunk.