“It imposes upon me seclusion in this spot. There is work for me here,” he said with an odd smile. “The temple requires a central spire, and I shall build and cover it with pure gold. Go thou all to the valley, and make thy life apart from me. I love thee well and need thee sadly, but even this love must be merged into the universal.” “What wilt thou have me do?” asked Hanabusa. “Go thou and build a balsa capable of riding the storm and stress of an angry sea. In twenty lunations more thou must be prepared to go voyaging with me.” “To what task dost thou appoint me?” It was Ben Hu Barabe who spoke. “Go thou amongst thy fellows and teach them the arts of peace. Show them how to coax back fertility to the denuded soil, and build up civil power, until I call thee.” “Hast thou no thought for me?” asked Ildiko. “The Brotherhood will guard thee until such time as a new Temple of Venus shall arise on this fair plain. Seek thou knowledge diligently, that thou mayst be able to teach the virgins committed to thy care. When thou art separated from thy beloved Alcyesta, thou wilt be conducted to a refuge in this teocalli, where other women are waiting to return to their homes.” Seeing that she made a brave effort to keep back tears, he added gently: “Be not downcast. The first days of loneliness will find me near thee. Shouldst thou need, call, and I shall come straightway.” To Alcyesta, he said, covering her hand with both his own, and holding it close to his breast: “Promise if thine unborn shall be of thy sex, thou wilt name her, Kerœcia?” “I promise,” she returned, “and if it should be a son, wilt thou give him thy name?” “I shall be to thy son what Akaza was to me, but thou must call him Gautamozin. In after years, he will understand the significance of this command.”[26] CHAPTER THIRTY YERMAH RETURNS TO THE MOUNTAIN PEAKS OF ATLANTIS The remnant of the survivors obeyed the will of Yermah, the leader, and for one year he was a recluse, giving himself up to solitary meditation, save when Gautama came to converse with him. In that time Yermah developed rectitude of judgment, correct appreciation, breadth of view, and an all-roundness of perception, habitually associated with a well-balanced and perfectly poised mind and character. As an initiate, he had marvelous sensibility vibrating to, and stirred by the faintest touch, yet remaining steadfast in purpose, because he saw all things in their proper proportion and estimated them at their real value. Possessed of discrimination, Yermah perceived the relative permanency of all that had befallen him. Measuring all by the standard of the Eternal, he was not swept out of equilibrium by any temporary or illusive appearance.