📔 The Black Abbot of Puthuum

Zobal the archer and Cushara the pikebearer had poured many a libation to their friendship in the sanguine liquors of Yoros and the blood of the kingdom's enemies.

Simban bore at his girdle a bag of gold coins with which, if the girl's pulchritude should be in any wise commensurate with the renown thereof, he was empowered to bargain for her purchase.

Cushara, splendid in his plate-armor of bronze, on a huge piebald mare with a cataphract of leather scaled with copper, led the cavalcade.

I wish ye a pleasant vigil,' said Ujuk, with a cachinnation like the laughter of hyenas in some underground tomb.

When Rubalsa had finished her dressing, the two began to look about them for such objects as might serve in the proposed sortilege.

[...] they came to the verdurous pasture-lands beyond that dreary desert.

Both, however, began to feel the oncreeping of a sleepy hebetude which, under the circumstances, was most undesirable.

To add to their distress, the terrain grew rougher and steeper, and they climbed acclivitous hillsides and went down endlessly into drear valleys.

To their growing disgust and anger, he sat lolling obesely, with lustful eyes upon Rubalsa in a stare broken only by the nictitations that accompanied his perpetual grinning.

And still I am condemned to see his turpitudes; and the seeing is my most grievous punishment.