When he ascended on high he left to his son the sacred Snake, the ark of his valour, to be God's dower and pledge to the people whom He has chosen.' I could not make out what followed.

It seemed to be a long roll of the kings who had borne the Snake.

None of them I knew, but at the end I thought I caught the name of Tchaka the Terrible, and I remembered Arcoll's tale.
The Keeper held in his arms a box of curiously wrought ivory, about two feet long and one broad.

He was standing beyond the ashes, from which, in spite of the blood, thin streams of smoke still ascended.

He opened it, and drew out something which swung from his hand like a cascade of red fire.
'Behold the Snake,' cried the Keeper, and every man in the assembly, excepting Laputa and including me, bowed his head to the ground and cried 'Ow.' 'Ye who have seen the Snake,' came the voice, on you is the vow of silence and peace.