"You have despised life," went on the low-toned voice. "Do you
really imagine that this mighty world has no meaning, and that life
is a joke?"

"What must I do?"

"Repent your murders, commit no fresh ones, pay honour to..."

The voice died away. Maskull waited in silence for it to speak
again. All remained still, however, and the speaker appeared to have
taken his departure. Supernatural horror seized him; he fell into a
sort of catalepsy.

At that moment he saw one of the statues fading away, from a pale,
white glow to darkness. He had not previously seen it shining.

In a few more minutes the normal light of the land returned. Corpang
got up, and shook him out of his trance.

Maskull looked around, but saw no third person. "Whose statue was
the last?" he demanded.

"Did you hear me speaking?"

"I heard your voice, but no one else's."

"I've just had my death foretold, so I suppose I have not long to
live. Leehallfae prophesied the same thing."

Corpang shook his head. "What value do you set on life?" he asked.