"O people doomed and made desolate!" he cried.. "O nation once mighty, brought low to the dust of destruction! Hear me, ye strong men and fair women!--and you, ye poor little children who never again shall see the sun rise on the thousand domes of Al-Kyris! Lift up the burden of bitter lamentation!--lift it up to the Heaven of Heavens, the Throne of the All-Seeing Glory, the Giver of Law, the Destroyer of Evil! Weep! ... weep for your sins and the sins of your sons and your daughters--cast off the jewels of pride,--rend the fine raiment, ... let your tears be abundant as the rain and dew! Kneel down and cry aloud on the great and terrible Unknown God--the God ye have denied and wronged,--the Founder of worlds, who doth hold in His Hand the Sun as a torch, and scattereth stars with the fire of His breath! Mourn and bend ye all beneath the iron stroke of Destiny!--for know ye not how fierce a thing has come upon Al-Kyris? ... a thing that lips cannot utter nor words define,--a thing more horrible than strange sounds in thick darkness,--more deadly than the lightning when it leaps from Heaven with intent to slay! O City stately beyond all cities! Thy marble palaces are already ringed round with a river of blood!--the temples of thy knowledge wherein thy wise men have studied to exceed all wisdom, begin to totter to their fall,--thou shalt be swept away even as a light heap of ashes, and what shall all thy learning avail thee in that brief and fearful end! Hear me, O people of Al-Kyris!--Hear me and cease to strive among yourselves, ... resist not thus desperately the King's armed minions, for to them I also speak and say,--Lo! the time approaches when a stronger hand than that of the mighty Zephoranim shall take me prisoner and bear me hence where most I long to go! Peace, I command you! ... in the Name of that God whose truth I do proclaim ... Peace!" As he uttered the last word an instantaneous hush fell upon the crowd,--every head was turned toward his grand, gaunt, almost spectral figure; and even the mounted soldiery reined up their plunging, chafing steeds and remained motionless as though suddenly fixed to the ground by some powerful magnetic spell. Theos and Sah-luma took immediate advantage of this lull in the conflict, to try and secure for themselves a better point of vantage, though there was much difficulty in pressing through the closely packed throng, inasmuch as not a man moved to give them passage-room.