The Great Organizer had high hopes for the approaching day of the National Holiday. Panem et circeneses is the eternal cry of the multitude, and in the absence of bread he hoped to soften hearts irritated by hunger and privation by splendid amusements. But he was troubled by the thought of wandering prophets: what if they came to the festival and spoiled it with some scandals? For more than three years they had agitated all countries with their denunciations and sorcery, and had tormented all the governments of the Union. Attempts to arrest them, equally zealous on the part of Antiochus and the rulers of the allied powers, were constantly unsuccessful, and often fatal to the executors of the orders of the authorities. In some cases, sorcerers sent a plague plague to the hostile populations. Antiochus could not think of them without rage and was determined to kill them if they appeared, but their marvellous sorcery powers confused him. He summoned Apollonius, and begged him to unleash all the powers of the magic art, so that there would be no failure. "I cannot tolerate such insignificant creatures taking away the trust of the people," he said. "I need unconditional faith in me, unconditional readiness to obey me in everything, I need to concentrate all the spiritual forces of humanity around me. Apollonius promised to do his best to help the Great Man, but he could not completely dispel his anxieties. Apollonius often communicated with Lucifer and easily summoned him to him by the simple exertion of his will. Lucifer appeared sometimes in a sensual form, sometimes invisibly. But Antiochus willingly turned to him only on those occasions when he thought to fight with God himself. Recognizing Lucifer as the supreme spirit, he did not regard himself as his slave, but as an ally, albeit a weaker one. He did not want to cede the possession of humanity to anyone, dreaming of having his share even in the possession of the universe. He did not yet know how this might be accomplished, but he thought it would become clear after the sovereignty of God was overthrown in the universe. He dreamed that the possession of the psychic powers of humanity, collectively immortal, would make him immortal, and that he would forever share with Lucifer the dominion of the world as the ruler of humanity. In him will be resurrected Adam Kadmon, in whom he believed with all the force of his Kabbalistic convictions. Therefore, he did not want to turn to Lucifer in such a trivial matter as fighting wandering sorcerers. But that night he was roused from his half-slumber by the palpable breath of Lucifer. The mighty adversary of God sat on his altar in the usual form of a sturdy man, in a phosphorus-luminous robe and luminous crown, with an expression of indomitable energy on his haughty but somewhat sad face. "My friend Antiochus is very proud," he joked, "but I have come to see you myself. "Are you not proud yourself, Great Spirit," replied Antiochus, "must we not be proud if we want to rule the world?" -Of course. But we are allies, and asking for my help does not mean being weak. I have come to tell you that these "vagabonds," as you call them, are not to be regarded as insignificant. These are indeed Enoch and Elijah, the strongest of men in spirit and who have achieved immortality, of which you are still only dreaming. They are armed with divine power, and to deal with them, you need my help very much. And I'll give it to you. People must see, or believe, he corrected himself with a grin, "that you have conquered them, not by means of earthly magic, but by your own inherent strength, as that ancient Jesus did," he added, with a sort of pain in his voice. I'll help you with that. And he vanished, leaving Antiochus with an unpleasant feeling of dependence on Lucifer. But he calmed down and began to prepare for the feast with a light heart. Now he even wanted the prophets to come to the celebration. But, in addition to reprisals against them, it was necessary to take care of the liquidation of the uprising, the approach of which was announced by police reports. In this respect, however, Antiochus was deceived by the erroneous information of the police. Osborne, who had been appointed dictator by the conspirators, kept the day of the insurrection secret, obliging all circles to be ready to act at a signal whenever it came. He cleverly gave false information to the police that the insurrection would take place three days before the festival, which would later be a celebration of liberation from the tyrant, as the revolutionary proclamations called the Great Organizer. These false reports also claimed that the revolt would begin with an attack on the palace of Antiochus and the Ministry of the Interior. Accordingly, the Great Organizer concentrated strong military units at these points. In his palace, as Edward had hoped, he appointed most of the Templars, so that the Temple itself was left with a minimum of guards. In reality, Osborne's plan was quite different: at the dawn of the National Day, to start looting grocery stores, arresting a number of government officials in their apartments, and seizing prisons to release the many political prisoners languishing in them. Antiochus himself was supposed to be simply killed near his house. On the day of the falsely indicated to the police, Osborne wanted to make only a few empty demonstrations in order to appease the authorities with the appearance of a failed attempt at indignation. Valentine, in view of the weakness of the Temple's guards, chose this day to raid the Tower of Spirits, without waiting for the National Holiday. He had at his disposal ten young, sturdy Christians, two of whom were guarding a boat capable of accommodating the whole company. Mark also went on the expedition, and he decided that he would be able to put the astral spirits to sleep. His father let him go very willingly, adding: "Just don't get caught, you are needed for the battle with Apollonius and Antiochus." Elder John also joined the detachment. "I," he said, "will be needed for Lydia." On the other side of the lake, a simple cart was prepared, drawn by three excellent steeds. Jani Kleft, through the efforts of the friends of Father Vincent, was appointed commander of the guard on the night of the proposed expedition. Valentinus was so convinced of his sincerity, and of his inner falling away from Antiochus, that he introduced him to all the meetings of the company. He watched the Christians closely, apparently sympathizing with them. Elder John made a deep impression on him; He listened to his every word, caught his every gesture... Once, the elder, looking at him attentively, said: "You are saving Lydia, and she, God willing, will save you... Yani thought for a moment... The Christians of the detachment enthusiastically went to their dangerous task, but the thought of killing the sentries from around the corner aroused in them an irresistible revulsion. They came up with different ways to do without it, but in vain. At this point, Yani suddenly asked if the Christians would agree to shelter him if he completely compromised himself before the authorities. "Of course," Elder John replied without hesitation. - Don't hesitate. We'll cover it fraternally. They won't find it..." Yani then announced that he would withdraw the sentries from their posts, so no killing would be necessary. But he will have to flee with the Christians... Since the last meeting, all the participants had to disperse in order to gather by night around the boat. Elder John served a short moleben and invited everyone to have a good meal at the table prepared by Valentine. "You're going to need strength," he said. A meal was held in solemn silence, perhaps the last in the lives of the participants. But the elder encouraged them: "Do not be dismayed, children, everything, God willing, will go well." And they all went their separate ways into the long detour of the lake, to the place where the boat was waiting for them. It was to drive up to the outer wall of the castle at night. Yani promised to indicate the place of the pier with a lantern and thoughtfully went to his barracks. Of all the participants in the enterprise, he put the biggest card... Bread and circuses - (Latin) ^ Adam Kadmon (Heb. "Adam the primordial", "the original man") - in the mystical tradition of Judaism, the absolute, spiritual manifestation of the human essence before the beginning of time as the prototype for the spiritual and material world, as well as for man ^

X

A quiet black night shrouded the lake with an impenetrable veil, on which the boat sailed silently. Her rowlocks were wrapped in rags. The crew was silent. Valentin himself sat on the steering wheel, peering keenly into the distance. In the gloom of it the light of the lantern flickered. Ten minutes later, the outlines of the walls began to faintly emerge in the darkness. A few more strokes of the oars, and the boat moored to the shore. The wall rose directly from the narrow splash - and after a little fumble, the Christians felt in the trees for ladders hanging from above. Crossing themselves, they began to climb. Not a soul could be seen or heard on the wall. Only the majestic cedars rustled, their luxuriant crowns in some places hanging over the wall. The climbers threw the ladders into the park and descended in the same silence into the thicket of trees sinking in the darkness. Mark became their guide. The young Jew, apparently, carefully studied the road and confidently led his comrades along the narrow alleys, which resembled rather forest paths. Soon they stopped at the foot of the inner wall near the Tower of Spirits. "Now," Mark said almost in a whisper to Valentine, "stop. I will rise alone and try to paralyze the astral spirits. During the sessions, we were able to do this. I'll move the ladder when you need to go up." He began to climb one of the two ladders hanging here and disappeared into the darkness. His absence seemed endless. Valentine was trembling nervously, expecting some alarm from the castle guards every minute. Elder John patted him soothingly on the shoulder... At last the staircase swung softly. In an instant, everyone was on the wall. The same silence reigned there. In the windows of the Templar barracks there were lights here and there, and occasional voices could be heard, but there was not a single sentry on the wall. The door of the Spirit Tower was open. "I forged my key," Mark said in a low voice. - And the spirits hang motionless, where someone has been. If you had astral sight, they would seem to you like fish asleep in water. "I see them," Elder John remarked, "there are two ugly creatures near Lydia herself..." But poor thing, she lies as if dead... Unfold the sheets. He stepped into the tower. A faint ringing sound came from the corner. The Christians shuddered and backed away. Mark was embarrassed. The elder overshadowed the air of the tower with a wide cross. - Children of the elements, stand in silence... Lydia, I'm telling you, wake up. He softly stroked her hair. All was quiet in the tower. Lydia stirred slightly. "Jesus," she whispered, "have you visited me?" "Shut up, my daughter. He brought us to you. Wrap it up. Encouraged by Valentine's instructions, the Christians wrapped her in a sheet, and four burly fellows began to lower her down the ladders, on ropes like a bale, slowly, attentively, trying not to catch her against the wall. All this dragged on for an excruciatingly long time, until at last the whole procession moved with rapid steps towards the outer wall. When Lydia was lifted up, Mark said to Valentine, "Well, I'll run to the Tower. It is necessary to support the paralysis of spirits. You heard they almost woke up. I froze with fear." And he ran back quickly, saying hurriedly, "Go away alive, and I'll go myself." "As for me, brothers, you will have to take me with you," said Jani Kleft, who had quietly approached. "Now they'll pull all the veins out of me if they catch me." Valentin couldn't believe himself when the boat pulled away from the shore. Extraordinary luck seemed like a wonderful dream. But the boat, in the same darkness of the night, moved rapidly forward. The rowers did their best. At the bottom of the boat lay Lydia, her head bowed on the elder's lap. She did not ask any questions, but only whispered a prayer of thanksgiving with weakened lips and invoked God's blessing upon her deliverers. After swimming across the lake, the company split up. Lydia was put into a wagon on the hay. The elder, Valentine, and Klepht sat down with her and rushed to Ivan, the gardener. The rest reached out to the city in different ways to their dwellings. The farm of Ivan and Maria was located a few versts from Jerusalem, in the deep ravine of Vada Rumi, in the middle of the desert. The farm was hidden from above by magnificent palm trees, luxuriantly spread out near the stream, along which Ivan's vegetable garden stretched. In the stone cliffs of Wadi Rumi there were many caves in which hospitable hosts hid hiding Christians. However, the orphanage was too fragile for fugitives like Lydia, and she was supposed to be immediately taken further to Syrian shelters. "Let her calm down and rest a little," said Elder John, "and tomorrow I will take her to our mountains myself. She will be safe there." Yani Klefta was supposed to be sent to the province until the first fervor of the search had passed, but he said that he would think about it and stay in Wadi Rumi for the time being. Valentine, believing that his part in the abduction of Lydia would remain unknown, returned to Jerusalem, where he was to join the revolt. At the time when the farm was resting in sweet peace after all the toil and anxiety, the awakened Temple and the palace of the Great Organizer were seething with excitement. First of all, it was discovered that there were no sentries on both walls. They were immediately tracked down. During the interrogation, they testified that the commander of the guard, Jani Kleft, had transferred them to other places. They grabbed Yani: he turned out to be gone. At the same time, Apollonius learned that Lydia had disappeared from the Tower. There was a terrible commotion. It was further intensified when, at dawn, some people who were in quick hiding began to break the windows of the palace of Antiochus, and in some parts of the city crowds, though very small, attacked police posts. The police stirred, the armed forces prepared for action... However, as the day progressed, nothing special happened, and by evening it became clear that the attempted uprising had somehow failed. Of all the incidents of the day, only one of its own, important and disturbing, remained: the disappearance of Lydia. Apollonius vomited and threw on this occasion. Antiochus was also at first alarmed, not by the fate of Lydia, which he did not consider, but by the weakness of his supervision of the Temple. But when the inquest decided that the kidnapping was undoubtedly committed by Yani Kleft, he calmed down. Of course, the commander of the guard can bypass the most exemplary supervision. Jani's act is obviously exceptional, caused by the fact that he is in love with Lydia. The incident, therefore, casts no shadow on the vigilance and fidelity of the garrison. Thus reasoned Antiochus. However, the offender must be tracked down and punished exemplarily.

XI

So Valentine was celebrating a great victory, but Edward Osborne was far from cheerful. He was not happy with the course of the conspiracy. Christians flocked to him in great numbers, but the rest of the population was weakly attached. He was greatly impressed by the proclamations of the government, which reminded him of the calamity of the past and the merits of the Great Organizer, and spoke of the folly of men who, through the sorcery of Christian sorcerers, might fall for the bait of the conspirators. The proclamations promised that witchcraft would soon be brought to an end, and the former prosperity would flourish in the country. Under the influence of this, the movement took on the appearance of a purely Christian one, and the mass of Christians were very pleased with this. She wanted to rise up in the name of God, with crosses and banners. Osborne knew that under such conditions the rebellion was doomed to defeat, but he could do nothing. The power of the plenipotentiary dictator was bursting at the seams, and the eve of decisive action was a day of bitter doubt for Edward. But there was no way to stop the movement, especially since even if the uprising had not taken place, the Great Organizer would still have begun exterminating the Christians who dared to plot its overthrow. Thus the conspirators feverishly prepared for the next day's struggle. Valentine did not want to abandon his own people in their hopeless enterprise. Suddenly, Jani Kleft appeared among the conspirators. He was not easily recognizable. He diligently changed his physiognomy, dressed up in a mountain Albanian costume and walked around like a handsome palikar [1]. "Why are you here?" Valetin asked in surprise. "I have come to fight with the enemies of Christ," Yani answered cheerfully, twirling his long moustache and clutching the hilt of his magnificent great-grandfather's scimitar. - I deny Satan, and all his works, and all his ministry... Valentine did not disappoint him. As he spoke, he could not be surprised at the change that had taken place in Yani. He remained a brave and somewhat frivolous bruiser, but he burned like a volcano with zeal for the cause of Christ. His chivalrous love for Lydia had completely transformed him. The martyress was portrayed to him as a bright angel blessing him for his feats. He did not think of her as a woman, but he revered her for the ideal, for the bright dream of all that is true and beautiful. Death for her, for the faith, for Christ, merged with him into something inseparable, and he, who had fallen behind the faith from his youth, now returned to it with the enthusiasm of a crusader knight. Death did not frighten him. He pictured to himself how Lydia would learn of his death in the battle for Christ, and perhaps her eyes would be clouded with tears when she prayed for the salvation of his soul. It seemed to him an enviable fate... But time flew by. At night, literally all the walls of the houses were covered with government announcements about the postponement of the National Holiday for one day in view of the uprising of Christians. The population was invited to sit quietly at home. The Great Organizer decided to point out sharply that the whole movement was nothing but a rebellion of Christians alone, and he succeeded in doing so. In the morning, while it was still dusk, detachments of insurgents appeared in different parts of the city. There were tens of thousands of them, and they were all almost exclusively Christians. They marched with crosses and banners, and singing hymns. The rest of the population did not move. Where the troops managed to break into the grocery stores, crowds of other citizens flocked, but, having snatched up supplies in a hurry, they just as quickly fled to their homes. Battles with the police and military units fell on the shoulders of Christians alone. Not a single prison could be taken, not a single arrest by the authorities succeeded. Everywhere the Christians were met with superior police forces and troops. But they fought with desperate courage. Early in the morning, Antiochus received a deputation from the Knights of the Temple, organized by Grandmaster Larmenius, who wanted to raise the reputation of his corps. The deputation asked that the Templars be allowed to go to the most dangerous places, so that they could make amends for the treacherous act of Jani Kleft. The Great Organizer, wishing to show his confidence in them, took command of their detachment in person. At the same time, Apollonius hastened to test his psychic batteries, and, hastily assembling them, sent them to the points indicated by Autiochus. By the middle of the day, hot battles of scattered detachments were taking place in all parts of the city. Osborne assumed the main leadership of the rebel forces. The actions of the government troops were ordered by Aktioch himself. In view of the comparatively small number and dispersion of the Christian troops, the Great Organizer had a plan to push them all back to Lake Templar in order to isolate them from the city, surround them, and exterminate them. Osborne, on the other hand, did his best to keep his troops throughout the vast expanse of the city, entrenching himself in the barricades. He hoped that by holding out until nightfall, he would be able to draw some of the rest of the population into the uprising. But the superiority of the forces gave all the advantages to Antiochus. Everywhere the bands of Christians, after a valiant resistance, had to withdraw in the direction which the enemy left free for them. On some particularly stubborn barricades, the psychic batteries of Apollonius produced a striking effect. Few defenders of the fortifications could resist the spell that bound their limbs in an irresistible slumber. Many Christians fell asleep paralyzed and were taken captive. Others escaped only by fleeing. Marcus Apollonius could not find his batteries anywhere during these exploits: it turned out that he was lying supposedly sick with his father. A cunning young man evaded action against the rebels... On the whole, Antiochus' plan moved unstoppably to execution, and in the afternoon all the forces of the Christians were driven together in the park near the Templar Lake. The crossing to the other side was cut off for them by hastily constructed rafts occupied by armed forces, and on the other sides they were surrounded by dense columns of government troops. The park, however, presented good natural conditions for defense, especially since the detachments of Christians hidden in the dense thicket no longer provided a conspicuous object on which the actions of psychic batteries could be directed. Taking advantage of the involuntary concentration of his forces, Edward looked out for some weak point of the enemy in order to test the only means of saving his army - to break through the city completely and withdraw into the mountains. But Antiochus would not allow him to do so, and, determined to end the struggle at one blow, he sent all his forces into a general attack. Thus took place the great battle of Lake Templar, in which Antiochus was destined to crush the forces of the Christians. Both sides fought with unparalleled ferocity. In many places, despite their numerical weakness, the Christians managed to break and put to flight their enemies. Encouraged, Osborne was already thinking of storming into town again. But the unstoppable onslaught of the Templars turned everything upside down in a different way. Until now, they have flaunted themselves in inactivity, standing out for their original clothes. Armed with the latest and improved weapons, the Templars retained their ancient knightly uniforms, including a long white cloak on which the former cross was replaced by a bright red five-pointed star. All the time Antiochus kept them in reserve, and the knights burned with frustration that they had almost no part in the battle. Now the Great Organizer himself spoke to them with a passionate speech. "The moment has come," he said, "when everything depends on us. If we don't break the Christians, the battle is lost. I will personally lead you. Show that the Templars have not forgotten the ancient statutes: to die, but not to retreat." Full of fresh strength, with the fervor of self-forgetfulness, the knights slammed like a wedge into the exhausted and already disorganized ranks of their opponents. Nothing could stand against their frenzied attack. They fought their way into the middle of the Christians, turned to the right, then to the left, tearing them into several pieces and throwing one group of opponents against another. In half an hour, Osborne's army was a disorderly, panic-stricken mob. Everyone was thinking only about fleeing, but there was nowhere to run. The fugitives were intercepted everywhere, and only a few managed to escape to the other side of the lake. Edward Osborne himself, cruelly wounded, was seized by the knights and carried at the feet of the triumphant Antiochus. The setting sun illuminated the picture of the complete defeat of the Christians. The whole park was strewn with their corpses and moaning wounded. The prisoners were driven in droves into the city to prisons and barracks. Antiochus' troops returned with music and banners unfurled, followed by wagons laden with wounded and huge piles of crosses and banners picked up on the blood-stained battlefield. Other squads searched the park, looking for the vanquished and picking up the wounded from the dead. And innumerable crowds of people came out of the city, cheering with enthusiastic shouts the triumphant, against whom tens of thousands of them had prepared to raise the banner of rebellion a few days before. "And it was given to him to wage war against the saints and to conquer them," whispered a wounded Christian, stretched out on a cart full of his comrades in misfortune. Palikar (literally, strong fellow) is a soldier of Greek or Albanian origin, dressed in Albanian attire and armed with a long Turkish rifle, two pistols and a long dagger. The Palikars, who were not in the service of anyone, formed independent detachments (such palikars were popularly called klephts, cf. the surname Yani). The Palikars-Klefts participated in the struggle for the liberation of Greece from the Turkish yoke in the 20s of the 19th century. ^ Statute - provision, law. In the Middle Ages, the name given to the privileges of cities, aristocracy, spiritual and chivalric orders, etc. ^ See: Revelation 13, 7 ^

XII

Antiochus awoke in the morning, from his half-slumber, fresh and vigorous, with an expression of firm intransigence. He decided on the coming day to finally accept power over the world. At night he conferred with Lucifer on this matter and received his full approval. At the same time, the spirit of rebellion informed him that Enoch and Elijah would be arriving for the National Festival. "Don't be afraid of them," he said, "I'll be with you." Antiochus then summoned Apollonius to him, consulted with him about his plans, and ordered him to have all magical means ready. "No misfortunes or setbacks should overshadow my celebration," he said. Residents of the city could start their festive festivities from the very early morning. Everywhere you could see a lot of pavilions where you could have a drink and a snack. The sumptuous scenery of the city was in itself a spectacle of inexhaustible variety. People were especially crowded around the huge cathedral, which now took on a completely unusual appearance. This ancient and revered temple was almost taken away from the Christians in the time of Antiochus. It was locked up, and church services were rarely allowed. Now all the symbols of Christianity have disappeared from it. The crosses were removed and replaced with brightly shining pentacles [1]. All images and wall paintings outside and inside are removed and scraped. From the roof to the ground, the walls were now covered with intricate patterns of Kabbalistic figures and signs. Above the doors and windows was a special symbolic image, in which, as the crowd interpreted, one should look for the monogram of the Great Organizer. "This is his seal," explained those in the know, "it has already been made for official papers." The doors of the cathedral were wide open and the police allowed the people to enter by letting them out through the opposite doors. Passers-by noticed with curiosity that the altar had been cleansed of all Christian symbols, and the altar had been turned into a gilded throne, over which the same mysterious "seal" could be seen. "What's going to happen here?" they all asked each other. But no one could explain. Among the merry crowd there were occasionally gloomy figures of Christians. They looked in horror at the temple, and especially at the altar. "What a disgrace," whispered one; "The seal of the Antichrist is ready," remarked another; "God save us, give us the strength not to succumb to the enemy," a third heard quietly. In the noise of the crowd these timid expressions of indignation remained imperceptible, but the very gloom of their faces excited the hostile attention of the citizens. "Here come the Christian sorcerers," they shouted loudly in one place, "what do you want, get out of here." "It would have been high time for them all to be put on the rope," others remarked... And the cowering Christian tried to stealthily shy away and somehow get out of the way to scurry home. In the main square, in front of the statue of Lucifer, not far from the decorated stage, on which the throne of the Great Organizer hung, surrounded by the chairs of the highest officials of the administration, the people paid attention to a huge peculiar bonfire: crosses and banners were piled up on it in a heap. The whole thing was obviously supposed to be burned. But the program of the holiday remained unknown at first. A little later, hundreds of heralds rushed to all parts of the city, stopping at all the crossroads and preparing, after the sound of the trumpet, to announce to the citizens the announcement of the Great Organizer. In the meantime he himself, with the Council of the Union, surrounded by the Templar Life Guards, arrived in a splendid cortege to the stage assigned to him. A crowd of people cheered him with boisterous shouts, and a huge chorus of music broke out into a new solemn march, while everyone on the stage took their seats in their chairs. Apollonius, in a bright red robe and the same magic cap, sat beside Antiochus on the throne, a little lower than the throne of the Great Organizer. And so the great man stood up and raised his hand. All was silent, and amid the dead silence of the thousand-headed crowd, he began to speak. He shone with inspiration, and his firm voice resounded clearly over the vast expanse around him. All mankind of the globe, said Antiochus, is today celebrating the new Age inaugurated by him, whom he has declared to be the Great Organizer. And humanity is not wrong. With it really comes a new Age and a new dispensation of the world. But this new Age has only been feebly begun by what he has hitherto accomplished. He is confronted with immeasurably greater tasks, and now the hour has come for the full disclosure of the great cause. People must now realize that humanity has been the victim of deception for thousands of years. In fact, the world was not created by Jehovah. It took shape only when, out of the combination of its most essential elements, man, Adam Kadmon, arose of his own accord. But one of the great Spirits of the universe, who called himself God, and pretended to be the creator of the world, enslaved man in order to make use of his spiritual power, which holds the higher spheres of the universe. This Spirit has persuaded men that their whole lives depend on him, and has given them laws whereby they obey him. In vain did another great spirit, Lucifer, who was in essence stronger but more disadvantageous, fought against him. He was defeated, and God declared him to be an Evil Spirit, although in reality he is the spirit of goodness and truth, who loves people and always helps them. All this deception reached its climax when Jesus appeared, promising people various dreamy blessings after death, and finally fettering them during life. For two thousand years this subtle enslavement continued, but the growing human spirit, with the help of the beneficent Lucifer, finally overcame the forces of deception and attained self-consciousness. Man unites in himself all the elements of the universe, from the material to the higher spiritual, the movements of which govern the material world. Man, therefore, is a true deity when he consciously masters all these powers. And such a Man-God finally appeared in him, Antiochus. He is, in fact, what Jesus falsely claimed to be. He is the Saviour of mankind, he is the Christ, the anointed not of any one god but of all the elements of existence. He has the power to possess the laws of nature, and this possession will be used to give people bliss not somewhere beyond the grave, but here on earth. But in order to achieve this, the sovereignty of God, and above all of Jesus, must first be overthrown. In this world task he will be assisted by Lucifer, who, with the help of men, will at last attain his rightful place of primacy in the universe, and man shall have a share in the administration of the universe and full autonomy in his own affairs. "Fellow citizens," said Antiochus, "let us glorify him for the dispensation he has given. But this merit is insignificant in comparison with the great upheaval which he is about to make, and after which humanity will for the first time become itself. This is the beginning of a new life in the full sense of the word, the greatest moment in history. On the basis of all this, he, Antiochus, declares by the power of mankind inherent in him: (1) the authority of God and Jesus, who is called Christ, is destroyed; 2) Christianity, as a criminal deception and an encroachment on the freedom and good of mankind, is destroyed and declared the supreme state crime; (3) He, Antiochus Mason, is recognized as the Man-God, the true god of mankind; 4) Lucifer is recognized as the supreme god of the universe, the Ally and Protector of mankind. This announcement, at the same time as Antiochus' speech, was read by heralds throughout the capital. Antiochus concluded by declaring that the present day was dedicated to the same celebration of the new Age of life which he was inaugurating. The speech of the Man-God was very long and delivered with extreme enthusiasm. In it, Antiochus formulated in a complete form those doctrines, thoughts, and desires which, in a more fragmentary and vague way, were in fact already the common property of the time. A vast crowd listened to the exponent of these ideas and aspirations with intense attention, and at the end covered his speech with a kind of roar of delight. Antiochus stood proudly, weighing the strength of the impression he had made, when suddenly a loud voice was heard: "Mad man, mad people, into what an abyss of perdition you are throwing yourselves!" Unnoticed, the two prophets had passed through the crowds and were now standing in front of the stage, full of indignation. "Wandering sorcerers have appeared" swept through the whole mass of the people in scattered waves, the dead silence was replaced by a storm of rapture, and in the midst of the general silence Elijah's speech was distinctly heard: "You, who proclaim yourself to be a man-god, who imagine to seize power over the universe, you do not know that you are simply sick with pride, and have lost your reason, and have lost all concept of the real nature of man. God's creature, man, is endowed with great powers from him, but they are alive only when united with God. These are not the powers of man himself, but the powers of God. By renouncing it, a person loses them. You declare Satan-Lucifer to be the supreme God and protector of mankind. But he is also a creature of God, before whom all his powers are nothing. And he is not the protector of mankind, but the destroyer. He wouldn't tell you his true thoughts, but now he was listening to you with a grin. You imagine that he will share with you the power of the universe, recognize you as his ally, and give people freedom to organize their lives. But Lucifer was unwilling to acknowledge even the authority of God himself; He even keeps his own angels in slavish subjection. Will it give you power and independence? He tries to turn you away from God only to enslave you. And you blindly go for this deception, exposing yourselves to the same eternal destruction that is destined for him." Antnoch listened, his eyes fixed on the prophets. "Everyone will now see in practice what my strength is, and what yours is," he said menacingly. His eyes flashed as if they were throwing lightning, and his whole figure tensed as if preparing a crushing blow. And so he raised both hands and waved them in the direction of the prophets... The crowd shuddered, and suddenly there was a frantic cry from them: "He has slain them! The sorcerers died.. Glory to the God of Man!" Both prophets, indeed, fell in their places, lifeless as mowed grass. They lay motionless. Antiochus looked at them with proud contempt, and the cry grew louder and farther across the agitated sea of heads: "He has destroyed them! They're dead! Glory to the almighty Antiochus, the true God of Man!" the crowd began to advance thickly towards the corpses. Neither the police nor the chains of the army were able to restrain her. "Not at all," said Antiochus, commandingly, "you will all see the blasphemous dead I have slain." On his orders, a detachment of Templars put the dead prophets on stretchers and laid their bodies on a nearby stage, cleared of an orchestra of musicians. "They will remain here," said Antiochus to the people, "until all who are willing have examined them and are convinced that the deceivers are dead. But these corpses should not delay our celebration." And the celebration began in full swing. The main points of his program, announced by the heralds, were: 1) the accession of Antiochus to the throne of the deposed God; (2) The solemn glorification of Lucifer; 3) Folk feast and entertainment. By order of Antiochus, everything necessary for this program was prepared in advance, as unnoticed as possible by the public. "But first," said Antiochus, "we must honour our faithful assistant Apollonius Zagros." He took a sumptuous mitre, sparkling with precious stones and surmounted by a diamond pentacle, and beckoned to Apollonius. He knelt down, and Antiochus put the mitre on him. "By the authority of the Man-God," he said, "I elevate you to the rank of Supreme High Priest of the true religion of Man-God. Be faithful to me and remember that I am the true Christ, accepting the authority usurped by Jesus. By my authority I confirm you as the High Priest of my friend and ally Lucifer." Apollonius rose to his feet, and immediately hymns sang in praise of the Man-God and Lucifer in the air. The people looked around, but nowhere did they notice the invisible singers. "The spirits of nature," explained Apollonius, "are the first to begin the Praise of the Man-God. They are the first to greet liberated humanity with their gifts." And immediately out of thin air cascades of fresh flowers fell on the crowd, which were snapped up by the jubilant people. After that, a gilded carriage drawn by white horses drove up to the stage, and Antiochus, surrounded by a platoon of the Life Guards, moved slowly through the crowd to the church, which had excited such general curiosity in the morning. At the door, he was met by Apollonius, who had arrived earlier, greeting him with a speech like a prayer, while choirs of singers and music sang of the majesty of the Man-God as he proceeded to the altar, to the throne on which he was seated. Apollonius, with a whole staff of priests, performed a kind of mystery, depicting the creation of the Man-God by mankind. He fumigated the throne with precious incense, and the worship of the new God ended with a concert. After that, the hero of the occasion departed to the statue of Lucifer. Here Antiochus made a speech in honor of Lucifer, thanking him for his protection of mankind and praising him for his courageous struggle against God. Apollonius performed a prayer ceremony in front of the statue with the burning of incense. In conclusion, a bonfire of crosses and banners was lit. "Let these symbols of the crushed slavery of men be destroyed in thy honor," said the Great High Priest. The rest of the day was devoted to public feasting, and the night, after the brilliant fireworks, the whole city, aided by barrels of wine everywhere, was spent in of drunken revelry. In these unbridled crowds were seen here and there ladies of high society, among whom the famous beauty Phryne, the daughter of Grandmaster Larmia, was especially distinguished for her shamelessness. Larmenius, a clever but dirty person, raised his daughter on his own. Her love affairs numbered dozens and sometimes brought her father a lot of benefits. Having become the mistress of Apollonius, she gave Larmenius his powerful protection. This connection, however, did not hinder either her or the Magician in other adventures. Thus passed the most solemn day of Antiochus' life. Joy filled the hearts of his subjects for the next three days. Vassal rulers and millions of private individuals showered him with congratulatory gifts in honor of his victory over the prophets. This event was especially admired by everyone. At the news of the death of the prophets, it was as if a mountain fell from the shoulders of those who were rebuked. Only then did they believe in the triumph of mankind over the laws of God that fettered their passions. It was not until the fourth day that the general mood of triumph was shattered by the incomprehensible resurrection of the slain accusers. I.e. five-pointed stars ^

XIII

The silence of the night gave way to the afternoon roar of the Battle of Lake Templar. Detachments of troops withdrew. There weren't even sentries around. There was nothing left to guard. The wounded, friends and foes, have already been taken away and taken away. The killed soldiers of the government army were also taken to the city for an honorable burial. The slain Christians were piled up at the site of the battle in a long heap near a common deep ditch, in which they were to be buried in the early morning before the National Holiday. The dead silence was occasionally broken only by the heavy flapping of the wings of an owl searching for its former home, and its mournful cry in the dense thicket of split and fallen trees. A pale ray of the moon, slipping between the branches, illuminated here and there the broken bushes, the trampled grass, and the brown stains of blood mixed with mud. But there was also a living being in this realm of death. Cautiously looking around, a man emerged from the hollow of a huge oak tree. He descended to the ground and began to make his way to the lake. And now his path was blocked by an infinitely long ridge of corpses. He stopped, looking for a passage. "My God, how many dead, what a terrible devastation," he whispered. This man was Jani Kleft, stained, ragged, stained with his own blood and that of others. He fought desperately in battle until he was carried away by a crowd fleeing in panic from the onslaught of the Templars. His efforts to stop this disaster were in vain. Several times the crowd knocked him down and trampled him down, and in order to escape from his own and not from his enemies, he climbed a mighty oak against which the stream of fugitives broke. High above him yawned the black hole of a vast hollow, into which he hurried to descend. From here he watched the agony of the battle, and here he hid deep as the victors searched the park. Now he walked dejectedly along the ridge of corpses. The fatal outcome of the battle depressed and astonished him. "Here the whole flower of Christianity has fallen," he thought, "God has not given a blessing to the weapons of the saints. How could this happen?" Yani was quite sure of victory... Suddenly, a faint moan caught his attention. At the top of the pile of corpses lay someone still alive, prostrate, over the grave itself, where he was to be thrown first in a few hours. Yani came up, peered and recognized - Valentina! Clotted blood glued his long curls together, flowed down his neck and chest, but he was still alive. What should I do? Sturdy and strong, Yani suffered only a few superficial wounds. There is enough strength to pull a comrade out, but where? He decided to carry the wounded man to the other side of the lake for the time being, and then we would see. Shouldering Valentine, he descended into the water and swam dressed along the shore, keeping his head on the surface. "Let the blood wash away," he thought. The cold bath, however, refreshed Valentin and on the shore he was able to speak coherently. His skull seemed to be intact, but he could not move. Bandaging his head with rags, Yani reasoned: "After all, we have to get to Wadi Rumi, there is nowhere else to go." He lifted Valentine back onto his shoulders and moved forward, exhausted with exhaustion. It is unlikely that he had enough strength to walk even a quarter of the way, but, fortunately, Ivan himself suddenly appeared ahead. He was on his way to the city to inquire about the outcome of the battle, and now he heard sad news from Yani... But the two of them could have already dragged the wounded man to the rescue shelter. Here Valentine was laid in a cave, and Yani dressed up in an Arab dress and prepared to play the role of a farm worker. Mary, who had learned the art of the Arabs from her youth in the treatment of wounds, immediately began to care for both, bandaging them and washing them with infusions of various herbs. In the midst of these cares, the inhabitants of Wadi Rumi sadly dragged on in sad talk of the triumph of Antiochus, and then they were soon frightened by the terrible vibrations of the ground and the tremors of the earthquake. Everyone rushed to Valentine, fearing that his cave had collapsed. But everything turned out to be safe. We got off with one fright. Day after day passed, and Yani was already thinking of going to Jerusalem to reconnoitre, for he felt well, and Valentine's health seemed to be on the mend. But on the steep slopes of Wadi Rumi, a traveler appeared with two loaded donkeys. Ivan recognized his friend Franz, also a Christian, as a bricklayer. He told the desert dwellers many extraordinary incidents and said that Bishop Augustine had sent him to inspect the caves in view of the coming persecution and to give Ivan the food with which the donkeys were loaded. The villagers listened with intense attention to Franz's account of the astonishing events that had taken place during this time. He walked all over Jerusalem, saw many things for himself, and knew other things from the people. He recounted the speech of Antiochus, the slaying of Enoch and Elijah, how the Antichrist sat in the temple, pretending to be God, and how the worship of Lucifer was performed. For three days the impious atheists gave themselves up to frantic joy, and the astonished Christians were plunged into despondency and anguish, which neither Bishop Augustine, nor the Orthodox Patriarch Basil, nor the Pope of Rome, who had recently arrived in Jerusalem, could dispel. "The enemy conquers the very messengers of God, shakes the whole kingdom of God," was heard among Christians. They were seized with doubts about God's power. But on the fourth day, an unexpected miracle happened. Franz passed by the bandstand where the corpses of the prophets lay. As always, there was a crowd of people and mockery of the shamed "sorcerers". Suddenly, Enoch and Elijah stirred and rose to their feet. The astonished crowd was about to flee when a voice was heard from above, and the two prophets ascended to heaven. They stopped on the clouds and all eyes were fixed on them. Suddenly, there was a deafening underground thunder and a terrible earthquake shook the entire city. Almost a tenth of the buildings crumbled into ruins, under which many human victims died. Not only did the Christians cry out, "Glory be to the Lord Almighty," but others trembling, "Great is the Christian God!" "Glory to the Lord Almighty, great is the Christian God," Ivan, Maria and Yani said reverently, crossing themselves. "The pagans," Franz went on, "were so terrified that they only fled, not thinking of helping the victims, and some of our Christians threw themselves into the ruins, dragging out the wounded and strangled, risking that they themselves would be covered by the crumbling vaults of the buildings. I also worked with all my might, and we saved many people from a painful death. But these bitter people don't even feel gratitude. On the following day came the announcement of Antiochus, full of threats against us. He accused us of witchcraft and of blowing up the city, and deserving of the severest punishments. A decree was issued prohibiting the worship of Christ under penalty of death. They began to seize Christians everywhere. Both the Patriarch and the Pope were arrested. All those arrested are imprisoned in the prisons of the Temple, which, they say, are already packed. Bishop Augustine, thank God, who survived, is preparing new refuges everywhere. He sent me to you. But it will be difficult to find so many premises if the Lord does not stop the persecution. "We have plenty of cracks in the cliffs," said Ivan, "but for the most part they are very noticeable, and to cover them with stones is such a task that it takes a lot of people. "Well, let's do what we can." The four of them got to work. First of all, they camouflaged the cave of Valentine, who, having learned about all the events, tried to help himself, but Maria forcibly laid him down. "You'll be back on your feet in three or four days, if you don't hurt your wounds," she said, "be patient a little." In the evening, however, a dozen more people came from the bishop, and the work went faster. The newcomers said that the ruins of the earthquake were now used as shelters in Jerusalem; Bishop Augustine builds a church in the cellar among them. But the greater part of the people were drawn to Syria, to Elder John. Mary received good news of her son, for whom she was terribly worried: he was alive and well, and was constantly with the bishop. The poor woman kept dreaming how nice it would be if Yusuf had come to Wadi Rumi: she would have hidden him! Jani Kleft, who noticed her grief, found her a cave that could not have been better than that, in case of her son's arrival. But as he worked hard to help the workers, Jani Kleft kept wondering if this was where he belonged, whether he should do this. At night he opened his soul to Valentine: "Is it really the fate of Christians only to hide in hiding places?" Can't we oppose the rapist with the power of self-defense? I'm healthy, I'm strong, I'm a warrior... Why am I going to sit here in inaction? Valentine pointed out to him that such a struggle was obviously fruitless lately, since it would be decided only by the coming of Christ, but Yani did not give up. Of course, Christ will destroy his enemies, but is it forbidden for him, Yani, to fight to the best of his human ability? No, he will not sit idly by and look for ways to undermine the villainy of Antiochus in any way. "Why, friend," said Valentine, "go where your conscience calls you. Of course, there are some things that can be done. Well, we saved Lydia. When I recover, I will wonder if it is possible to get the Patriarch and the Pope out of prison. "Then count on my help." But we should also think about Osborne's fate. In the morning, Yani said goodbye to Wadi Rumi and left for Jerusalem with Franz, who had to return to his family.

XIV

Yani expected to find some discouragement in the opposing camp, influenced by the miraculous resurrection of the prophets and the destruction of the city by an earthquake. But Antiochus struggled with marvellous energy, trying to raise the spirits of his followers. From morning till night, death executions of the participants of the uprising took place in the city. The resurrection of the prophets was declared to be mere sorcery. "Let them go to heaven," said the government proclamation. "We'll be able to get them there too." To prove this, Apollonius performed amazing miracles. In the presence of a huge crowd of people in the square, he also rose into the air without any visible mechanical devices. This, of course, made a powerful impression and greatly dispelled the horror aroused by the resurrection of Elijah and Enoch. Among the Christians, some said, it is true, that Apollonia had raised up a heap of demonic spirits, but others remarked that if demonic spirits could do the same thing as angels, then, after all, it was not known who was stronger. As for the earthquake, the commission of inquiry, on the orders of Antiochus, asserted that it was the explosion of Christian conspirators. The decrees promulgated by Antiochus on the day of his deification were published and posted throughout the city. Henceforth, a Christian became a state criminal by the very fact that he was a Christian. It was necessary either to renounce Christ or to prepare for destruction, and in the face of such a dilemma, the hearts of many wavered in trembling. Franz's family - wife, two sons and a daughter - were Czech Catholics. Jani and Franz found a small gathering in this poor, basement apartment. Some came, others left, all frightened, ran to inquire about the news, about their homeland and friends. Pastor Vincent, now a bishop, sat there: Pope Peter had consecrated him just before his arrest. They already knew Yani. - Do you still have friends in the Temple? He asked. Yani replied that it was unlikely, except perhaps for Hugh Clermont, an honest French officer who had accidentally enlisted in the Templars. They were friends, and Jani, concerned about the fate of Edward Osborne and the two primates, hoped to find him and find out his mood. Vincent noticed that he was asking with the Pope in mind. The Jesuits themselves are doing badly. Many have been arrested, and others, although they pretend to renounce Christianity, are nevertheless compelled to sit idle. In the meantime, something must be done to save the Pope, who, together with Patriarch Basil, is sitting in the recesses of the Temple. Vincent himself, apparently, was beyond suspicion and thought of going to the Grandmaster under the pretext of handing over to him the donations allegedly collected by him. - Unfortunately, we have to maintain the spirit of the people and risk being discovered every minute. - And what is the mood of Christians? -Bad. See how many renegades there are for fear of death. But renegade out of fear is not so important: there is no inner betrayal. Far worse is that many have a real doubt about Christ, the idea that Antiochus is not an impostor and that Lucifer is really the ruler of the world. For many people, the truth of faith is measured by a miracle, and the miracles of Apollonius are astounding. For many people, the truth is where the power is. And the Lord does not send us visible material help. And here comes a sincere renegade. This is the most terrible thing. It seems to me that a few failures of Antiochus might have brought the people to their senses better than any preaching. This train of thought was completely in the spirit of Yani. "So I think, too," he said, "that it is necessary to fight. Otherwise, how can you be lucky? "If, for example, the Holy Father could be freed," the Jesuit remarked. Yani said that Valentine also had the idea of releasing the first hierarchs, and they decided with Vincent to begin preparations. But Jani also revealed to him another project of his own: to gather a new army against Antiochus, in the provinces. He has already kept silent about his third dream. He had the idea of killing Antiochus. But it seemed so impracticable that he decided to keep silent for the time being. Jani asked Vincent if he would give de Clermont a note. But he justly replied that that would be to expose his dealings with Kleft, which was inconceivable without knowing how Hugh felt about him now. So Yani had to find his own ways to get in touch with his former friend. But first, I had to find a place for myself. Franz's was too crowded. Vincent didn't have a suitable place either. Klepht decided to look for an apartment with a Jew, as the safest one, and went to Augustine to summon Mark through him, the Bishop was not at home. He went among the Christians, encouraging and comforting them. But Yusuf promised to bring Mark by evening. "Now," he added, "you can take refuge with us." But evening was still a long way off. Yani prepared a note for Clermont and went to try to pass it on. He had his own plan. On the way, he listened to the rumors of the people, and was sadly convinced of the general admiration for Antiochus. The thought of killing this idol of the crowd burned even more strongly in his mind. Thus he approached the Temple. The window of de Clermont's room looked out onto an alley that meandered in this place near the Temple, and Yani was pleased to see that it was open, and even noticed the figure of Hugh sitting at the table. He tied his note to a rock and threw it out the window. Hugh jumped up and rushed to the window. Yani was standing in plain sight, and his friend seemed to recognize him. He read the note hurriedly, made a displeased grimace, but went back to the window and nodded his head affirmatively. The note said, "I need your help. I'm waiting for you in the park near the mass grave. Albanelli". He was often jokingly called by the name of Albanelli by Hugo. And now Yani stood again at the scene of the fateful battle, at the foot of the oak tree that had given him a hospitable shelter. Nature has already managed to make up for the traces of human devastation. The pile of corpses also disappeared. And only an infinitely long strip of freshly dug earth marked the place of the ditch where Yani's comrades found their last resting place... His anguish came over him again. He went back to his oak tree. But then distant footsteps were heard, and Hugh de Clermont came out into the clearing, looking in all directions. Yani stepped forward to meet him. His former friend approached him with a disgruntled look: "What do you want?" Why, crazy, are you hanging around here? 'Cause you're going to get caught. "Hugo, speak honestly: will you betray me?" "I'm a knight, not a spy... At least, I thought of being a knight when I entered this vile den... But you'll be caught without me, and me with you... What do you need? - Your help! - Do you need money to escape? Of course, I will. I took it with me on purpose. And then, don't put me in any more danger. Don't come to me. Yani spoke passionately. Hugo himself has just said that he serves in a vile den. Is it decent, is it honest to understand everything and continue to serve obviously vile people? He, Yani, is not going to run anywhere and he does not need money. He dedicates himself to fighting against those he previously served. "You have hundreds and thousands of innocent people being tortured here," he said, "and I want information about them, and that is why I have come to you. "I've come to call you to an honest life..." "Go away." I'm not a spy, but I'm not a traitor either! "Hugh, what does the duty of a decent man prescribe to de Clermont?" I'll come here in five days, and you'll answer me. Good bye. He turned toward the thicket of the forest. -Wait. Have you become a Christian? -Yes. - And I don't... seem... No. -Still. I appeal to an honest man and will come here. He disappeared, leaving his friend in thought and embarrassment. At Augustine's he found Mark, who promised to shelter the fugitive the next day with an honest Jew, for a handsome reward, of course. He will not betray the one who is hiding, but it would still be better to take another name. Jani bombarded him with questions about the Temple, but Mark couldn't say much about that. He could not bear to take part in the psychic influence on the Christians, and under the pretext of his ill health, he took leave from Apollonius, so that he hardly had to go to the Temple. All he knows is that the prisons, both upper and underground, are crammed with the more important prisoners of Lake Templar and the Christians who have been arrested in their homes. The commander of the uprising and the two primates are kept especially strictly, but in what barracks he does not know. After Mark's departure, Jani told the bishop of his meeting with Clermont, in whom he now began to pin some hopes.

XV

During the construction of the Temple, extensive ancient dungeons were discovered, some of which were apparently even older than Lake Templar, while others were said to have been built by knights. There was a huge vaulted hall, a series of corridors with many chambers of different sizes. In some of them instruments of torture have been preserved, in others great treasures have been found. Several corridors extended beyond the castle to the surface of the ground and were partly filled in, and one was flooded with water. As it turned out, after it had been drained, it passed under the lake. All these dungeons have been renovated and supplemented with new ones. In general, they now served as courthouses, for prisons, and some corridors were cleared and preserved for sorties, in case of a siege. Underground prisons were used for solitary confiners. In addition, the Temple had extensive underground prisons, mostly as a general ward. These spacious halls, usually empty, were now crowded with prisoners, just like all the city prisons and the great military arena: here sat ordinary participants in the uprising and Christians arrested on petty political charges. Their number, however, quickly decreased. Antiochus wanted to terrorize his enemies, and the reprisals were brief. The court established only the existence of participation in the uprising, and then the death penalty followed. In the form of leniency, pardon was given to all those who agreed to renounce Christianity and worship the statues of the Man-God and Lucifer. There was no shortage of renegades. Terrified and demoralized captives seldom renounced their faith before the court, but when dozens and hundreds of corpses began to fall before them at the place of execution, they raised cries of renunciation and were led to the statues of Antiochus and Lucifer. Both executions and abdications were carried out in public; Thousands of people crowded into the squares of death and renegadeism, showering both the heroes and the faint-hearted with curses and ridicule. In contrast, there was silence in the underground prisons. They, too, were full of prisoners. It even showed the abundance of Templar sentries walking measuredly, each in his own area, through the brightly lit corridors into which the doors of the solitary confinement cells opened. From time to time the sentry would go to the narrow window in the door of the cell, lift the little shutter, and cast a glance into the sad cell, where, in the pale light of the lamp, the occupant lay, sat, or often walked. Everything was quiet. Only occasionally the heavy tramp and clanking of the convoy was heard, the doors of the cell opened with a crack, and the prisoner was taken away for interrogation. For many, this meant torture. The great vaulted hall, surrounded by a labyrinth of corridors and brightly lit, buzzed with voices. It housed the tribunal of the commission of inquiry, the judges and the secretaries, at tables covered with red cloth. In the walls, lined with cabinets of piles of papers, were doors leading to a corridor and several smaller rooms where interrogations were also conducted. From time to time, the accused were brought into the court-martial. "Bring in Edward Osborne," said the chairman's voice. "He's been tortured and can barely walk," one of the judges remarked. - Send a doctor to examine. The secretary came out accompanied by an escort. In the middle of a long corridor, at the end of their sections, two Templar sentries converged. They were forbidden to stop and talk. But there was no sign of any of the authorities, and they stopped, looking at each other. "What, Hugo, I suppose it's not fun for you to be on duty?" "It's disgusting, Frederick, I'm ashamed of myself. Hugo was evidently in a state of nervous excitement. "To think: You, Friedrich von Walde, I am Hugh de Clermont, the great-grandchildren of the knights, we sought chivalry, and what are we?" To say nothing more than that nine-tenths of our "knights" are nothing more than shameless robbers, enfants perdus, without a secret of honor. But we ourselves... What am I doing? I'm on guard for the valiant Osborne, a true knight... And yesterday he was tortured and brought here on a stretcher, all torn to pieces by the executioners. And I'm on guard for him! I fought him on the battlefield, I inflicted a crushing wound on him and dragged him prisoner... to put them in the hands of the executioners. For the fact that he honestly defended his cause. Oh, it's terrible. "Yes, dear Hugo, our situation is not pretty. I am a Catholic, I am the guardian of the Roman Primate... guilty only by the sanctity of his life... But here they go... By places. We will talk to you later. Friedrich von Walde was one of two Jesuit brothers whom the Societas Jesu managed to lead into the Knights Templar. The sentries dispersed, and in the distance appeared the guard sent for Edward, with a doctor and a secretary. When they reached Osborne's cell, de Clermont stretched himself out at the door. Edward lay pale and lifeless on his miserable bunk. His mighty body, all wounded, looked like a corpse. The doctor bent down to examine him. "He can't walk, it's dangerous to carry... In general, I will say that the torture was unnecessarily cruel. "Yes," replied the secretary, "but he did not want to give any testimony. Osborne shifted slightly. "And report to your executioners that they will never tear out a word of testimony from me, even if all the Jews have torn it out," he said in a weak voice. The lock clicked, the guard withdrew, and Hugh de Clermont seemed to freeze in his posture. At last he made up his mind. He lifted the shutter of the window and called softly, "Osborne, can you speak?" - What else do you need? "I'm a sentry. I have taken you prisoner. Please forgive me... Do you need to pass something on to your friends? - After, after... Thank you," the martyr groaned rather than whispered. And Friedrich von Walde, alias Brother Ignatius, walked merrily, pleased to have met a knight of such a mood, and that he was now changing from the guard, returning from the subterranean night to the afternoon sun. Climbing upstairs, he was surprised to see Bishop Vincent in the courtyard. "Are you here, carissime?" [3] He smiled slyly, not with his lips, but with his eyes: "Yes, I have brought a collection of donations. I have just handed over Larmenia to the Venerable. And I see that they are working hard here. - Very much. But won't we go to my place to refresh ourselves with a glass of good wine? As soon as they entered his apartment, Frederick respectfully asked the bishop's blessing and reported to him information about the Pope. - Can there be hope, mi file? [4] - In human terms, there are none. But maybe the Lord will show us something we don't know. - Amen [5]. And I'm afraid I'm suspected. That fox, Larmenius, behaved rather strangely, though I gave him a good deal of money. After all, he put half of it in his pocket. You're going to comfort the Holy Father, tell him we're looking for ways to set him free. And now, I don't have anything to stay with you. He blessed Brother Ignatius and left. His fears were justified. Some of those arrested let slip about a certain Vincent who encouraged the Christians, and by the similarity of the reception Larmenius vaguely suspected his "worldly accomplice." As he left the Temple, Vincent noticed that he was being watched, and made his way to the inn, where, as a precaution, he had hired a room beforehand, as a newcomer. He did not suspect that Larmenius had sent after him, under the supervision of spies, the Christian who had slandered him, to see if it was the same Vincent. He was arrested the same night. Meanwhile, interrogations continued in the dungeons. In front of the tribunal stood two venerable elders in spiritual vestments. They were Pope Peter and Patriarch Basil. The latter represented a pronounced type of Greek ascetic, with an intelligent, expressive, thin face. Peter was an Italian with an imperious expression of delicate features. The Chair addressed the two together. He said that since the law has no retroactive effect, justice does not condemn them for having assumed supreme authority over all the governments of the church. They are both charged with another state crime: participation in rebellion, which they encouraged and encouraged by being in association with Edward Osborne on this subject. He exhorted them to confess frankly and uncover the threads of the conspiracy. Both hierarchs replied that this accusation was false. The Patriarch always exhorted the people to be faithful to Christ and patiently endure persecution for the faith, but he never called for rebellion, and in particular he never saw Osborne. The pope added that he had not even been to Jerusalem at the time of the revolt. - Yes, you were one or two days late in arrival, but you were coming to help him. "That's not true," the Pope said. The judges whispered among themselves, and the President told the defendants that they were only making their situation worse by this denial. But justice will be able to untie their tongues. They probably hope that their age, by law, makes them exempt from torture: but by special order of the Supreme Power of the Man-God, torture may be inflicted on them as well. He advises them to think carefully about their situation and will call them again in a few days. Moreover, if they are not guilty of assuming the dignity of Pope and Patriarch, they are now guilty if they do not renounce offices which are now forbidden by law along with the Christian faith. After that, the defendants were taken back to their cells. The interrogations of the other defendants and witnesses revolved mainly on who was Vincent, who exhorted the people to stand up for the faith, and whether Jani Kleft, a former Templar, took part in the rebellion. On the latter question, several knights were summoned, including Hugh de Clermont. But none of those involved in the battle noticed Kleft. The defendants sometimes looked pathetic and intimidated. The threat of torture sent them shivering. But the majority behaved boldly and with dignity, openly declaring that it was impossible not to rebel against a government mired in atrocities and denying all human rights to freedom of conscience. Some proudly assured the court that no amount of torture would force them to betray their comrades or apostatize their faith. The Tribunal treated them abusively, rudely and with ridicule. "You don't know what torture is yet," the President remarked to one, "you haven't even had your fingernails pulled out yet. They'll bake it well, so the fee will jump off quickly." "You, scoundrel, forget respect for the court," he shouted to the other, "sentry, give him a good slap!" and the sentry struck him in the face with his fist, so that his nose bled. Insulted, he rushed at the judges in a rage, but several guards seized him and, showering him with blows, dragged him out of the courtroom. With regard to torture, the tribunal at once, without being embarrassed by the presence of the interrogated, decided, firstly, to demand from the Great High Priest a much larger number of psychic batteries, which were not sufficient for the preparation of the interrogations, and secondly, to appoint a medical commission to work out the most painful methods of torture. Having seen such scenes and heard such speeches, Hugo, released from the interrogation, only thought to himself: "Forgive me, Lord, that I have forgotten You, that I have departed from You, the source of all good in people. Can there be a spark of truth in the Antiochian-Luciferian faith that produces such beasts.. Jani Kleft is right in declaring war on Antiochism." Spoiled Children - (French) ^ Society of Jesus - (Latin) - name of the Jesuit order ^ My son - (Italian) ^ Dearest - (Italian) ^ Amen - (Latin) ^

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