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therein his utmost desire, whether for food or drink. Among
adults there is no other food or drink than this. The children
are not allowed to taste it.
The black phosphorus is always added by a high priestess, and
it is not known in what manner she does this. The Zro that may
remain is the subject of eternal experiments by the Magicians. It
is generally thought by the greatest of them that an error was
committed in bringing it to a ninth stage of division into two,
and many openly deplored the discovery of black phosphorus. All
however strive in harmony to produce a tenth stage that shall
surpass the virtues of the ninth. Theoretically it is possible to
reach an eleventh stage wherein the Zro takes human form, and
lives! Opinion is divided as to whether this was not actually
done by a certain magician at the time of the passing of Atlas.
In any case, I beg the reader to remember that I have only
described one seventh of the virtues of Zro, and I have even
omitted this, that in its ninth stage it is not only food and
drink, but universal medicine, if properly understood. For Zro is
also a vision and a voice!
Now the muscles of the people of Atlas are the muscles of
giants, and yet they do one thing only. And this thing is
combined by the wisdom of the magicians, so that it is at the
same time work, exercise, sport, game, pleasure, and all else
that may fulfill life.
This work never ceases. It has these parts:
1. Working at Zro, i.e. bringing it from the first stage to
the ninth.
2. Working with Zro, i.e. for one's own particular purpose.
3. Working for Zro. This is the common and most honourable
task, the Zro eaten and drunken being worked into a quintessence
of higher power, though identical in property with the common
Zro. This new Zro (Atlas Zro) goes through the same stages as the
common Zro of the serviles. But it is the result of free and
joyful labour, and so serves the magicians in their experiments,
and the Governor of all for his sustenance. None by the way is
ever wasted. For example, a tunnel was drilled completely through
the earth and filled with Zro, and it is said that by this tunnel
the Atlanteans escaped.
This working, whether with or for Zro, requires two persons at
least at any one time and place. Great heat is generated in the
working, and the bodies of the workers are therefore sprinkled
heavily with the black phosphorus, which is incombustible. This
black phosphorus, poisonous to the servile race, becomes
innocuous to anyone who has been in any way impregnated with Zro.
This itself, in its first stage, is as dangerous as electricity
of high voltage.
The reverence attached to Zro is unbounded. At one time it was
hymned as the father of the gods, and till the end all children
were thought to be "begotten of Zro", though everyone might know
who was the father.* All such conception was however held
indignity. Its official name was 'the old experiment'. It was
carried on simply because the new methods of continuing the race
were not perfected. Childbirth was therefore in one way accident;
although a duty, everyone shrank from it. For though no pain or
discomfort attached to the process, it was a sort of second-best
achievement from which proud women turned contemptuously. This
was in part the reason why the father's name was never mentioned.
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