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As to origin, they had none, at least, so far as she was
aware. There were, however, she informed us, mounds of masonry and many
pillars, near the place where _She_ lived, which was called Kor, and
which the wise said had once been houses wherein men lived, and it was
suggested that they were descended from these men. No one, however,
dared go near these great ruins, because they were haunted: they only
looked on them from a distance. Other similar ruins were to be seen, she
had heard, in various parts of the country, that is, wherever one of
the mountains rose above the level of the swamp. Also the caves in which
they lived had been hollowed out of the rocks by men, perhaps the same
who built the cities. They themselves had no written laws, only custom,
which was, however, quite as binding as law. If any man offended
against the custom, he was put to death by order of the Father of the
"Household." I asked how he was put to death, and she only smiled and
said that I might see one day soon.


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