It will never be perfect, until--" "Until when ?" "Until, Antony,"-- and Silencieux lowered her voice to an awful whisper,--"until you have made for me the human sacrifice." "The human sacrifice!" "Yes, Antony,--all my lovers have done that for me.

They were not really mine till then.

Some have brought me many such offerings.

Antony, when will you bring me the human sacrifice ?" "O Silencieux!" Antony's heart chilled with terror at Silencieux's words.

It was against this that the voices had warned him as he came up the wood.