'The short time of rest and warmth is soon over, and she is out in the storm again and has passed from our sight. 'So it is with the life of man; it, too, is but for a moment, what has gone before, and what will come after it, we do not know, and no man has yet told us. 'If, then, these strangers can tell us aught of what is beyond the grave--if they can tell us whence man comes and whither he goes, let us give ear to them and think over what they say.' A murmur went round the hall as the old man showed them by this story that the new religion told them of a life beyond this world, while their own did not. Then up started Coifi, the chief priest of the heathen gods whom the king and his people had worshipped. 'O king,' cried the priest, 'there is no man in this hall has served the gods more faithfully than I, but they have never done anything for me.' When the wise men had made an end of speaking, the king rose up and said, 'Let us worship the God of Paulinus, and follow his ways.' Then he called aloud and said, 'Who will be the first to throw down the altar of these false gods and destroy their temple.' 'I will be the first, O king,' shouted Coifi the priest. 'Give me a horse and weapons, and I will overthrow the temple of the false gods. Follow me, O thanes, and let us see if the gods can defend their own altars.' Then, snatching a sword, the high priest rushed from the hall and sprang upon the king's war-horse. The king and his wise men followed; and on their way they were joined by a number of people who left their work or the cattle they were tending, and followed, shouting as they ran, 'Coifi the high priest is mad!' Soon they arrived at the temple. Here the people hung back, afraid to enter, but the priest burst open the door with a blow of his spear, and rode into the wooden building. The king and his wise men followed, but the others remained outside, wondering what dreadful thing would happen to the mad priest. Before them was the dark interior of the temple with the altar at the farther end, and the great wooden figure of the god rising above it; a monstrous thing painted in gaudy colours, with a fierce, cruel grin on its ugly face; and the madman was riding his war-horse in the building. Surely the god was about to take some terrible vengeance! A great crash resounded through the temple as the priest hurled his sword at the wooden figure. Some of the people ran away; others remained huddled at the door, too terrified to move. But nothing happened. There was the figure of the god still grinning down upon the people as before, without a change in its face. No thunder came down from heaven to destroy the rash priest and his followers who had insulted the temple.