When the priests awoke out of the grip of the
drug that was offered with the honey to Hlo-hlo, they rushed to a
little secret room with an outlet on the stars and cast a horoscope of
the thief. Something that they saw in the horoscope seemed to satisfy
the priests.
It was not like Thangobrind to go back by the road by which he had
come. No, he went by another road, even though it led to the narrow
way, night-house and spider-forest.
The city of Moung went towering by behind him, balcony above balcony,
eclipsing half the stars, as he trudged away. Though when a soft
pittering as of velvet feet arose behind him he refused to acknowledge
that it might be what he feared, yet the instincts of his trade told
him that it is not well when any noise whatever follows a diamond by
night, and this was one of the largest that had ever come to him in
the way of business. When he came to the narrow way that leads to
spider-forest, Dead Man's Diamond feeling cold and heavy, and the
velvety footfall seeming fearfully close, the jeweller stopped and
almost hesitated. He looked behind him; there was nothing there. He
listened attentively; there was no sound now. Then he thought of the
screams of the Merchant Prince's daughter, whose soul was the
diamond's price, and smiled and went stoutly on.
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