NEUOFFENBARUNGRead in German · Volume contents
[01] And the senior priests said very grim-faced: "You already seem to cheer in advance about our unsuccessful attempt?! Be careful not to cheer too soon!"
[02] And the speaker of the ten said: "We do not rejoice in the least; but if you threaten us with ‘woe you’ for nothing at all and for giving you a sound advice, we think it is not inappropriate to add a favorable justification to your hasty ‘woe’ call, which overemphasizes what we hinted to you on a small scale!
[03] But now nothing further; we will be silent now and wait and see what the day of tomorrow will bring!"
[04] Upon this comment the senior priests were quite taken aback and left the stage, and the ten also went to their dwellings.
[05] But the senior priests immediately sent out a thousand heralds to summon all the great aristocrats of Hanoch to appear in the large open council chamber the next day.
[06] The next morning the large council chamber was teeming with mighty aristocrats of the city; but none of them knew yet why they had been called.
[07] Some thought that the priests had arranged for another big slave auction; others thought that a new law was going to be introduced, or even new taxes be enforced. And so they guessed in anticipation back and forth, what would become of this convocation; but no one knew the real reason.
[08] And after being given a sign, the ten with the other junior priests entered from the one side, and after a while also the senior priests, bristling with gold and precious stones, entered from the other side.
[09] In the crowd the ten were asked by the aristocrats what was to be expected.
[10] And the ten said: "Nothing else than merely repurchasing the slaves! Demand proper prices, otherwise you all go under!"
[11] This hint spread like wildfire among the aristocrats, and they were now well- prepared for what was coming.
[12] The ten now remained standing at the bottom of the steps of the great stage and waited for the shining senior priests. After a while they appeared with great ceremony and went onto the stage while repeatedly shouting ‘Hurrah’.
[13] When this rampaging salute came to an end, a strong-voiced senior priest opened his mouth and said:
[14] "Listen to me, you great-glorious aristocrats of the empire! The messengers sent out by us have discovered mountains in a very distant land, mountains, which are made of pure gold, of which they brought us a rich sample!
[15] But these magnificent mountains are inhabited by monstrous giants who are likely to be very strong. To combat them and to assure us of the gold mountains, we need a strong force, at least as a precaution, because we can not know how strong those giants are!
[16] In order to set up this great force, we need all the slaves! But it is now a matter under which conditions you are going to give us the slaves. Do you want to cede them to us by sharing the profit or for a cheap refund? – This is the reason we are here and thus give us a good answer! Let it be done!"
[17] When the aristocrats heard such, they said, "Listen, the discovery should be very much respected for mountains of pure gold are indeed not a trifle matter -; but the good project is too far away, therefore we certainly can not share the assured profit!
[18] But to be no hindrance to such brilliant undertaking, we'll cede you on average every male slave for a cheap restitution of five pounds of gold, and every female slave for three pounds!
[19] If they come back, we are going to take them back for one third of the inset price! We believe that this condition is fair?"
[20] Here the ten cheered secretly; but the senior priests almost fell in despair and did not know what to say to such high prices. They therefore called the ten onto the stage.