Christian fiction; Second Advent -- Fiction; Tribulation (Christian eschatology) -- Fiction
They had made an arrangement, before parting, that everything--letters,
wireless, and all other messages--should be sent in code, and to an
address, and under a name that should not be recognized as having any
connection with the 'Courier'--"if," Ralph had added quietly, "there
are no demons present here who can divulge our talk."
This was always one of the difficulties that the godly, at that time,
had to contend with, the ignorance of how far _invisible_ demons could
spy upon, and report their sayings and doings.
Hour by hour, the streets grew denser, for each hour brought new
arrivals, and always some of the _elite_ of the earth. To George
Bullen, with the journalist instinct, there was "copy" everywhere, and
he was not slow to take full notes.
Things were quieter from one to four, for the heat, in the open, was
almost unbearable. At four o'clock, Bullen was close by the chief gate
of the Temple. He would watch the arrival of the chief actors in the
first part of the great ceremonies.
Through the mighty hosts of acclaiming peoples which lined that wide
marble upward road, King after King rode, all on white horses.
Merchant princes from Babylon; Royal princes from many lands.
The last of the Kings to arrive was the King of Syria. At the gate,
close to where George Bullen was standing, the horse of the Syrian
monarch grew restive.
Quick to seize an opportunity of getting into the Temple to see the
ceremony, George caught the rein of the horse, and with a soothing word
and touch, led the beast through the gate, flinging back a word in
Syrian to the King in the saddle.
Hearing his own tongue, and noting the garb of his horse's leader, the
King flung a word of thanks to George, who led the horse right up to
the door of the sanctuary.
Each monarch kept his saddle. Five were drawn up on one side, and five
on the other. They waited for Apleon. A moment or two only, then amid
a thunder of acclaim of "Long live the World's Emperor!" Lucien Apleon,
the Anti-christ, the Man of Sin, riding a jet black horse, cantered
through the gate.
He was a marvellous figure of a man. In stature he was nearer seven
feet than six. His form as erect as a Venetian mast. His costume was
strange, but very striking, and gave him a regality of appearance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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