They then turned the gleam of both lights upon the
knight, and having accurately surveyed him, turned their faces to
each other, and set up a loud, yelling laugh, which resounded in
his ears. The sound was so ghastly that Sir Kenneth started at
hearing it, and hastily demanded, in the name of God, who they
were who profaned that holy place with such antic gestures and
elritch exclamations.
"I am the dwarf Nectabanus," said the abortion-seeming male, in a
voice corresponding to his figure, and resembling the voice of
the night-crow more than any sound which is heard by daylight.
"And I am Guenevra, his lady and his love," replied the female,
in tones which, being shriller, were yet wilder than those of her
companion.
"Wherefore are you here?" again demanded the knight, scarcely
yet assured that they were human beings which he saw before him.
"I am," replied the male dwarf, with much assumed gravity and
dignity, "the twelfth Imaum. I am Mohammed Mohadi, the guide and
the conductor of the faithful. A hundred horses stand ready
saddled for me and my train at the Holy City, and as many at the
City of Refuge.
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