Page:Selections from the Writings of Lord Dunsany.djvu/46

 THAHN (stretching out a hand to a lamb upon an altar.) That leg is not being cooked at all.

ILLANAUN It is strange that gods should be thus anxious about the cooking of a leg of lamb.

OORANDER It is strange certainly.

ILLANAUN Almost I had said that it was a man spoke then.

OORANDER (Stroking his beard and regarding the second beggar.) Strange. Strange certainly.

AGMAR Is it then strange that the gods love roasted flesh? For this purpose they keep the lightning. When the lightning flickers about the limbs of men there comes to the gods in Marma a pleasant smell, even a smell of roasting. Sometimes the gods, being pacific, are pleased to have roasted instead the flesh of lamb. It is all one to the gods: let the roasting stop.

OORANDER No, no, gods of the mountain!

OTHERS No, no.

OORANDER Quick, let us offer the flesh to them. If they eat all is well. (They offer it, the beggars eat, all but Agmar who watches.)

ILLANAUN One who was ignorant, one who did not know, had almost said that they ate like hungry men.

OTHERS Hush.

AKMOS Yet they look as though they had not had a meal like this for a long time.