Once she ventured to unlace her fingers and glance through them fearfully; but at sight of the Prophet, calm, impassive, unconscious of his threatened danger--at sight of the six sombre shrouded figures that sat inside the Sanctuary railing, her blood turned cold and her courage quailed.
When the sign that ended the evening's meditation was given, she rose with the rest and sank weakly into her seat.

Then, in dumb, stricken helplessness such as envelops us in a terrible dream, she saw the Prophet rise very slowly and stand on the steps of the Throne, looking solemnly down upon the people.
During his change of position, she sat vacillating pitiably.

The knowledge that in a single moment he would have begun to speak spurred her to a fever of alarm, while a terrible nervous incapacity chained her limbs and paralyzed her tongue.
Bale-Corphew's words rose to her mind.

"He will fool us--as he has fooled us before." In the apprehension aroused by the memory, she half rose in her chair, her hands grasping the back of the seat in front of her; but suddenly the chapel, the lights, the congregation seemed to fade from her vision, and she sank back into her place.

The Prophet had begun to speak.
"My People," he said, very calmly and distinctly, "heretofore I have spoken to you as a teacher.