While she stood before the altar, a servant announced that Furca, the arch-priest of Cybele, had obeyed her summons.

"The spell of her beauty and grace, rather," answered Furca, with a grin.

Yet, as will be seen in the text, the gallows or furca itself is no longer used.

The furca is, as a rule, a powerful motor-organ, and has its laminae edged with strong teeth (ungues) or setae or both.