Transcriber's Note:
This etext was produced from Astounding Science Fiction,
April, 1951. Extensive research did not uncover any
evidence that the copyright on this publication was renewed.
TEMPLE TROUBLE
BY H. BEAM PIPER
Miracles to order was a fine way for the paratimers to
get mining concessions—but Nature can sometimes pull
counter-miracles. And so can men, for that matter....
Illustrated by Rogers
Through a haze of incense and altar smoke, Yat-Zar looked down fromhis golden throne at the end of the dusky, many-pillared temple.Yat-Zar was an idol, of gigantic size and extraordinarily goodworkmanship; he had three eyes, made of turquoises as big asdoorknobs, and six arms. In his three right hands, from top to bottom,he held a sword with a flame-shaped blade, a jeweled object of vaguelyphallic appearance, and, by the ears, a rabbit. In his left hands werea bronze torch with burnished copper flames, a big goblet, and a pairof scales with an egg in one pan balanced against a skull in theother. He had a long bifurcate beard made of gold wire, feet like abird's, and other rather startling anatomical features. His throne wasset upon a stone plinth about twenty feet high, into the front ofwhich a doorway opened; behind him was a wooden screen, elaboratelygilded and painted.
Directly in front of the idol, Ghullam the high priest knelt on a bigblue and gold cushion. He wore a gold-fringed robe of dark blue, and atall conical gold miter, and a bright blue false beard, forked likethe idol's golden one: he was intoning a prayer, and holding up, inboth hands, for divine inspection and approval, a long curved knife.Behind him, about thirty feel away, stood a square stone altar, aroundwhich four of the lesser priests, in light blue robes with less goldfringe and dark-blue false beards, were busy with the preliminaries tothe sacrifice. At considerable distance, about halfway down the lengthof the temple, some two hundred worshipers—a few substantial citizensin gold-fringed tunics, artisans in tunics without gold fringe,soldiers in mail hauberks and plain steel caps, one officer inornately gilded armor, a number of peasants in nondescript smocks, andwomen of all classes—were beginning to prostrate themselves on thestone floor.
Ghullam rose to his feet, bowing deeply to Yat-Zar and holding theknife extended in front of him, and backed away toward the altar. Ashe did, one of the lesser priests reached into a fringed andembroidered sack and pulled out a live rabbit, a big one, obviously ofdomestic breed, holding it by the ears while one of his fellows tookit by the hind legs. A third priest caught up a silver pitcher, whilethe fourth fanned the altar fire with a sheet-silver fan. As theybegan chanting antiphonally, Ghullam turned and quickly whipped theedge of his knife across the rabbit's throat. The priest with thepitcher stepped in to catch the blood, and when the rabbit was bled,it was laid on the fire. Ghullam and his four assistants all shoutedtogether, and the congregation shouted in response.
The high priest waited as long as was decently necessary and then,holding the knife in front of him, stepped around the prayer-cushionand went through the door under the idol into the Holy of Holies. Aboy in novice's white robes met him and took the knife, carrying itreverently to a fountain for washing. Eight or ten under-priests,sitting at a long table, rose and bowed, then