Into the Green Prism by A. Hyatt Verrill

Author:A. Hyatt Verrill
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
ISBN: 9781612101651
Publisher: eStar Books LLC
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER IX

“Good Lord!" I ejaculated. "You were right over them and they didn't know you were there!"

For a time he remained silent, lost in thought. Then, ignoring my exclamation: "Really," he said, "I don't know exactly what happened to me. The last I remember clearly was looking into the prism and seeing the priest in the temple door. Then I heard you shout and found myself out there. I must have been temporarily hypnotized by gazing into the crystal. Did I do anything foolish or ridiculous?"

"No." I lied glibly, feeling he might be embarrassed if I described his strange behavior. "You merely acted as if you were walking in your sleep."

Then, not wishing to let him know my suspicions as to the real cause of his actions, I added: "Probably you are right. Gazing fixedly at any bright object often produces an hypnotic effect. But, man alive, don't you realize the wonder of what I said? You stood on top of the temple and produced no effect upon it!"

"Naturally not," he replied, although I could sec that his mind was not on my words. "I was, relatively, as far above the temple as the summits of those snowcapped Andean peaks are above us. Much farther in fact—perhaps as far above it as—well I won't say the moon; but so far above the people and the temple that I was beyond the range of their vision. But, amigo mio, I have a strange sensation of having seen those people and their ceremonies before now. A vivid impression. I even know the words of their chant. I even feel as if I had been in that temple myself. Of course, I never have seen anything of the sort. I wonder if it is the result of my studying so many of the Incan and pre-Incan remains and reading so much about their ceremonies?"

"Very possibly." I agreed, without taking my eyes from the prism. "But, look, Ramon! Did you notice those stone chairs in the temple? They are exact duplicates of those we find about here. It solves the mystery of their use. And the ceremonial! It proves conclusively that the Incan religion was a direct outcome of the beliefs of these pre-Incan people. Why, man, it's like turning back time for several thousand years and seeing the people as they were forty centuries ago!"

Ramon was beside me, staring into the prism again. I glanced at him. His lips were moving as if he were talking to himself. Then, completely lost to his surroundings, his words became audible. "Kapak Inti Illariymin" he muttered in Quicha, and to my amazement, using the ancient Hualla form of the dialect, while, through the prism, I saw the high priest bowing before the altar. Then "Puncaho Pakariyrcutmen," muttered Ramon, as though he was there among the worshipping Indians. Now the people were dispersing; streaming away from the temple, dancing and singing, until, reaching the open stage or plaza of the village, they gathered in groups and knots as if awaiting some other event.

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