HERE FOLLOWS THE FIFTH EXTRACT FROM THE BOOK OF THE ACTS OF KEMENDIL:
Chapters 11, 12
11.1. Now the King and his companions stood by Calendis, waiting for her spell to be made complete. And none of them was hurt, for none had had any fragment of the broken orb; but Calendis fell down in a swoon.
2. Then Aldred said, Lord King. I see a strange appearance that approacheth through the air. And Kemendil said, A new dragon, doubtless. And one said, Nay: it is a cloud. And another said, It is flies. And another said, It is many: Behold how they drive towards us from right, and from left, and from every hand.
3. And as they looked, they beheld the clouds twinkling with small gleams, which came from the innumerable glass fragments; and they revolved in the air, above the dwelling of the witch. And then they also descended into the cauldron.
4. Then the sun set, and all grew still. And Calendis arose not from the grass. And the water in the cauldron grew clear.
5. Then Ristila came to it: she dipped her arms into the water, and lifted out the orb which was reassembled. And behold, it was clear, as if it had never been broken. And she bare it to the King.
6. And when he felt it in his hands, he said to her, Now I thank thee, good damsel. Therefore tend your mistress, and say to her from the King when she awakeneth: Lo, the debt is fully discharged: she is free of her bond, and she may depart.
7. So the King returned again with his knights, Aldred bearing the orb. And when they came to the City they heard the lamentations of the people and saw the harms that had been done; and when they came to the King’s house, they saw that it also was partly destroyed.
8. But the Queen governed the people of the house, and Bryd ministered to them that were hurt. And King Kemendil told the Queen of the spell that Calendis had wrought.
9. And the Queen said to him, Thou knewest, then, that many would suffer and die? And he answered, Even so.
10. And she said, Waltrot the Punchkin and Wencela daughter of Bryd are both unhurt; but their chambers are ruined. Wherefore I have bestowed upon them one of the small houses that stand hard by this palace: such as my father did bestow upon his favoured servants.
11. And he replied, Thou hast done well.
12.1. Now there was a young man of the Temple, a priest named Melda, who being an opportunist had obtained great favour of Atan, and risen high in the service of Dru; but he saw his fortune changed under the new dispensation.
2. Therefore he concealed himself and bided his time. But he was wont to keep watch in secret before the gates of the palace, and to spy about its walls,
3. For that he loved Wencela with a consuming passion; and when he heard of her marriage, he ground his teeth.
4. Yet he saw new opportunities in the disorder of the City, for he reckoned that the people would blame the King; and he saw also that Waltrot and Wencela had removed into a small house.
5. And in the same night he came into their house: and he used the stealth of his craft, and entered into their bedchamber; and he watched them while they embraced.
6. And when they fell asleep, he stabbed Waltrot with a knife, and murdered him.
7. Then Melda took Wencela by force, and lay with her. And then he hated her exceedingly: so that the hatred wherewith he hated her was greater than the love wherewith he had loved her. So he cut her throat, and murdered her also.
8. And before daybreak Melda ran to the Temple, where the crowd of people had remained all night; and he danced before the people, holding the bloody knives in his hands. And he sang a song of victory, saying,
9. Hear, O ye people: give ear, O ye princes and priests of the Lord; I, even I will sing praise unto Dru, the Lord God of the Temple.
10. The accursed woman and the dwarf did lie down together: they consented unto adultery: verily they mocked God in their lust, and their marriage-bed stank in his nostrils.
11. But I MELDA did avenge the Lord: in the strength of his arm did I slay the blasphemers: the daggers of the Lord went into them, and they fell down to the ground.
12. Sing unto the Lord Dru, O ye peoples and tribes of the Lord, that he may turn aside his anger, and his plagues cease from us. Praise God for ever. Amen.
13. The King is blind, he stumbleth, he seeth not the ways of the righteous: in this Temple he slew the innocent, and the holiest was defiled with blood.
14. Shall we not arise, O ye people, shall we not visit the palace and the strong citadel? Verily the King trembleth, he dreadeth the hour of his judgement.
15. For the City is the Lord’s, and all they that dwell therein; he that uplifteth the meek shall succour us: the priests shall rejoice, and the proud kings be laid low.
16. Behold, they are smitten, they lie helpless: for Dru is the Lord, he that chastiseth the warrior, and breaketh in pieces the bow and the spear.
17. For we shall fight from heaven, yea, we shall fall upon him as the lightning; the stars in their courses shall fight against Kemendil; and the river Bleck, that ancient river Belechel shall sweep him away. Praise God for ever. Amen.
18. Then all the people followed after Melda, and he led them to the palace, a great multitude.