Full upon the closed petals it fell and ran shimmering down their golden sides, and then the glorious flower opened as though beneath the bright influence.
Slowly it opened, and as the great petals fell wide and revealed the golden altar on which the fire ever burns, the priests blew a blast upon the trumpets, and from all the people there rose a shout of praise that beat against the domed roof and came echoing down the marble walls.

And now the flower altar was open, and the sunlight fell full upon the tongue of sacred flame and beat it down, so that it wavered, sank, and vanished into the hollow recesses whence it rose.

As it vanished, the mellow notes of the trumpets rolled out once more.

Again the old priest flung up his hands and called aloud -- We sacrifice to thee, oh Sun! Once more I caught Nyleptha's eye; it was fixed upon the brazen flooring.
'Look out,' I said, aloud; and as I said it, I saw Agon bend forward and touch something on the altar.

As he did so, the great white sea of faces around us turned red and then white again, and a deep breath went up like a universal sigh.
Nyleptha leant forward, and with an involuntary movement covered her eyes with her hand.