fit to listen to your idolatrous importunities？ The god Phoebus； who is a
true god； has been charioted for an hour…and were you not to be on the
ramparts by sunrise？ Aedepol！ do you think that we； the conquerors of the
world； have nothing better to do than stand waiting by the walls of every
kennel； to traffic with the dogs of the earth？ Lower away！ I sayand see
that your trumpery be bright in color and just in weight！〃
〃El Elohim！〃 ejaculated the Pharisee； as the discordant tones of the
centurion rattled up the crags of the precipice； and fainted away against
the temple …〃El Elohim！who is the god Phoebus？whom doth the blasphemer
invoke？ Thou； Buzi…BenLevi！ who art read in the laws of the Gentiles； and
hast sojourned among them who dabble with the Teraphim！is it Nergal of
whom the idolater speaketh？or Ashimah？or Nibhaz；or Tartak？ or
Adramalech？or Anamalech？or Succoth…Benith？…or Dagon？…or
Belial？…or Baal…Perith？ …or Baal…Peor？…or Baal…Zebub？〃
〃Verily it is neither…but beware how thou lettest the rope slip too
rapidly through thy fingers； for should the wicker…work chance to hang on
the projection of Yonder crag； there will be a woful outpouring of the
holy things of the sanctuary。〃
By the assistance of some rudely constructed machinery； the heavily laden
basket was now carefully lowered down among the multitude； and； from the
giddy pinnacle； the Romans were seen gathering confusedly round it； but
owing to the vast height and the prevalence of a fog； no distinct view of
their operations could be obtained。
Half an hour had already elapsed。
〃We shall be too late！〃 sighed the Pharisee； as at the expiration of this
period he looked over into the abyss…〃we shall be too late！ we shall be
turned out of office by the Katholim。〃
〃No more；〃 responded Abel…Phittim〃no more shall we feast upon the fat
of the land…no longer shall our beards be odorous with frankincenseour
loins girded up with fine linen from the Temple。〃
〃Racal〃 swore Ben…Levi； 〃Racal do they mean to defraud us of the purchase
money？ or； Holy Moses ！ are they weighing the shekels of the tabernacle ？〃
〃They have given the signal at last！〃 cried the Pharisee…〃they have
given the signal at last！pull away； Abel…Phittim！…and thou； Buzi…Ben…Levi；
pull away！…for verily the Philistines have either still hold upon the
basket； or the Lord hath softened their hearts to place therein a beast of
good weight！〃 And the Gizbarim pulled away； while their burden swung
heavily upward through the still increasing mist。
〃Booshoh he！〃…as； at the conclusion of an hour； some object at the
extremity of the rope became indistinctly visible…〃Booshoh he！〃 was the
exclamation which burst from the lips of Ben…Levi。
。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。 。
〃Booshoh he！for shame！…it is a ram from the thickets of Engedi； and as
rugged as the valley of jehosaphat！〃
〃It is a firstling of the flock；〃 said Abel…Phittim； 〃I know him by the
bleating of his lips； and the innocent folding of his limbs。 His eyes are
more beautiful than the jewels of the Pectoral； and his flesh is like the
honey of Hebron。〃
〃It is a fatted calf from the pastures of Bashan；〃 said the Pharisee； 〃the
heathen have dealt wonderfully with us let us raise up our voices in a
psalm let us give thanks on the shawm and on the psaltery…on the harp
and on the huggab…on the cythern and on the sackbut！〃
It was not until the basket had arrived within a few feet of the Gizbarim
that a low grunt betrayed to their perception a hog of no common size。
〃Now El Emanu！〃 slowly and with upturned eyes ejaculated the trio； as；
letting go their hold； the emancipated porker tumbled headlong among the
Philistines； 〃El Emanu！…God be with us…it is _the unutterable flesh！〃_
~~~~~~ End of Text ~~~~~~
THE SPHINX
DURING the dread reign of the Cholera in New York； I had accepted the
invitation of a relative to spend a fortnight with him in the retirement
of his _cottage ornee_ on the banks of the Hudson。 We had here around us
all the ordinary means of summer amusement； and what with rambling in the
woods； sketching； boating； fishing； bathing； music； and books； we should
have passed the time pleasantly enough； but for the fearful intelligence
which reached us every morning from the populous city。 Not a day elapsed
which did not bring us news of the decease of some acquaintance。 Then as
the fatality increased； we learned to expect daily the loss of some
friend。 At length we trembled at the approach of every messenger。 The very
air from the South seemed to us redolent with death。 That palsying
thought； indeed； took entire possession of my soul。 I could neither speak；
think； nor dream of any thing else。 My host was of a less excitable
temperament； and； although greatly depressed in spirits； exerted himself
to sustain my own。 His richly philosophical intellect was not at any time
affected by unrealities。 To the substances of terror he was sufficiently
alive； but of its shadows he had no apprehension。
His endeavors to arouse me from the condition of abnormal gloom into which
I had fallen； were frustrated； in great measure； by certain volumes which
I had found in his library。 These were of a character to force into
germination whatever seeds of hereditary superstition lay latent in my
bosom。 I had been reading these books without his knowledge； and thus he
was often at a loss to account for the forcible impressions which had been
made upon my fancy。
A favorite topic with me was the popular belief in omens a belief
which； at this one epoch of my life； I was almost seriously disposed to
defend。 On this subject we had long and animated discussions he
maintaining the utter groundlessness of faith in such matters； I
contending that a popular sentiment arising with absolute spontaneity…
that is to say； without apparent traces of suggestion had in itself the
unmistakable elements of truth； and was entitled to as much respect as
that intuition which is the idiosyncrasy of the individual man of genius。
The fact is； that soon after my arrival at the cottage there had occurred
to myself an incident so entirely inexplicable； and which had in it so
much of the portentous character； that I might well have been excused for
regarding it as an omen。 It appalled； and at the same time so confounded
and bewildered me； that many days elapsed before I could make up my mind
to communicate the circumstances to my friend。
Near the close of exceedingly warm day； I was sitting； book in hand； at an
open window； commanding； through a long vista of the river banks； a view
of a distant hill； the face of which nearest my position had been denuded
by what is termed a land…slide； of the principal portion of its trees。 My
thoughts had been long wandering from the volume before me to the gloom
and desolation of the neighboring city。 Uplifting my eyes from the page；
they fell upon the naked face of the bill； and upon an object upon some
living monster of hideous conformation； which very rapidly made its way
from the summit to the bottom； disappearing finally in the dense forest
below。 As this creature first came in sight； I doubted my own sanity or
at least the evidence of my own eyes； and many minutes passed before I
succeeded in convincing myself that I was neither mad nor in a dream。 Yet
when I described the monster （which I distinctly saw； and calmly surveyed
through the whole period of its progress）； my readers； I fear； will feel
more difficulty in being convinced of these points than even I did myself。
Estimating the size of the creature by comparison with the diameter of the
large trees near which it passed the few giants of the forest which had
escaped the fury of the land…slide I concluded it to be far larger than
any ship of the line in existence。 I say ship of the line； because the
shape of the monster suggested the idea… the hull of one of our
seventy…four might convey a very tolerable conception of the general
outline。 The mouth of the animal was situated at the extremity of a
proboscis some sixty or seventy feet in length； and about as thick as the
body of an ordinary elephant。 Near the root of this trunk was an immense
quantity of black shaggy hair… more than could have been supplied by the
coats of a score of buffaloes； and projecting from this hair downwardly
and laterally； sprang two gleaming tusks not unlike those of the wild
boar； but of infinitely greater dimensions。 Extending forward； parallel
with the proboscis； and on each side of it； was a gigantic staff； thirty
or forty feet in length； formed seemingly of pure crystal and in shape a
perfect prism； it reflected in the most gorgeous manner the rays of the
declining sun。 The trunk was fashioned like a wedge with the apex to the
earth。 From it there were outspread two pairs of wings… each wing nearly
one hundred yards in length one pair being placed above the other； and
all thickly covered with metal scales； each scale apparently some ten or
twelve feet in diameter。 I observed that the upper and lower tiers of
wings were connected by a strong chain。 But the chief peculiarity of this
horrible thing was the representation of a Death's Head； which covered
nearly the whole surface of its breast； and which was as accurately traced
in glaring white； upon the dark ground of the body； as if it had been
there carefully designed by an artist。 While I regarded the terrific
animal； and more especially the appearance on its breast； with a feeling
or horror and awe with a sentiment of forthcoming evil； which I found
it impossible to quell by any effort of the reason； I perceived the huge
jaws at the extremity of the proboscis suddenly expand themselves； and
from them there proceeded a sound so loud and so expressive of wo； that it
struck upon my nerves like a knell and as the monster disappeared at the
foot of the hill； I fell at once； fainting； to the floor。
Upon recovering； my first impulse； of course； was to inform my friend of
what I had seen and heard and I can scarcely explain what feeling of
repugnance it was which； in the end； operated to prevent me。
At length； one evening； some three or four days after the occurrence； we