_Chap. 13._
PRISONERS _OF THE_ SEA MONSTER]
The room in the enchanted castle which Zog called his "den," and inwhich the wicked sea monster passed most of his time, was a perfectlyshaped dome of solid gold. The upper part of this dome was thickly setwith precious jewels--diamonds, rubies, sapphires and emeralds, whichsparkled beautifully through the crystal water. The lower walls wereas thickly studded with pearls, all being of perfect shape and color.Many of the pearls were larger than any which may be found upon earth,for the sea people know where to find the very best, and hide them awaywhere men cannot discover them.
The golden floor was engraved with designs of rare beauty, depictingnot only sea life, but many adventures upon land. In the room wereseveral large golden cabinets, the doors of which were closed andlocked, and in addition to the cabinets there were tables, chairs andsofas, the latter upholstered with softest sealskins. Handsome rugs ofexquisitely woven seaweeds were scattered about, the colors of whichwere artistically blended together. In one corner a fountain of airbubbled up through the water.
The entire room was lighted as brilliantly as if exposed to the directrays of the sun, yet where this light came from our friends could notimagine. No lamp or other similar device was visible anywhere.
The strangers at first scarcely glanced at all these beautifulthings, for in an easy chair sat Zog himself, more wonderful than anyother living creature, and as they gazed upon him their eyes seemedfascinated, as if held by a spell.
Zog's face was the face of a man, except that the tops of his earswere pointed like horns and he had small horns instead of eyebrows,and a horn on the end of his chin. In spite of these deformities theexpression of the face was not unpleasant, or repulsive. His hair wascarefully parted and brushed, and his mouth and nose were not onlyperfect in shape, but quite handsome.
Only the eyes betrayed Zog and made him terrible to all beholders. Theyseemed like coals of glowing fire, and sparkled so fiercely that no oneever cared to meet their gaze for more than an instant. Perhaps themonster realized this, for he usually drooped his long lashes over hisfiery eyes to shut out their glare.
Zog had two well shaped legs which ended in the hoofs of beasts,instead of feet, and these hoofs were shod with gold. His body was ashapeless mass covered with richly embroidered raiment, over which agreat robe of cloth of gold fell in many folds. This robe was intendedto hide the magician's body from view, but Trot noticed that the clothmoved constantly, in little ripples, as if what lay underneath wouldnot keep still.
The best features of which Zog could boast were his arms and hands,the latter being as well formed, as delicate and white as those of awell-bred woman. When he spoke, his voice sounded sweet and clear, andits tones were very gentle. He had given them a few moments to stare athim, for he was examining them, in turn, with considerable curiosity.
"Well," said he, "do you not find me the most hateful creature you haveever beheld?"
The queen refrained from answering, but Trot said, promptly:
"We do. Nothing could be more horrider or more disgustin' than you are,it seems to me."
"Very good; very good, indeed," declared the monster, lifting hislashes to flash his glowing eyes upon her. Then he turned toward Cap'nBill. "Man-fish," he continued, "what do _you_ think of me?"
"Mighty little," the sailor replied. "You orter be 'shamed to ask secha question, knowin' you look worse ner the devil himself."
"Very true," answered Zog, frowning. He felt that he had received ahigh compliment, and the frown showed he was pleased with Cap'n Bill.
But now Queen Aquareine advanced to a position in front of their captorand said:
"Tell me, Zog; why have you trapped us and brought us here?"
"To destroy you," was the quick answer, and the magician turned for aninstant to flash his eyes upon the beautiful mermaid. "For two hundredyears I have been awaiting a chance to get within my power some friendof Anko the Sea Serpent--of Anko, whom I hate!" he added, smilingsweetly. "When you left your palace to-day my swift spies warned me,and so I sent the sea devils to capture you. Often have they tried todo this before, but always failed. To-day, acting by my command, theytricked you, and by surrounding you, forced you to the entrance of myenchanted castle. The result is a fine capture of important personages.I have now in my power the queen and princess of the fairy mermaids,as well as two wandering earth people, and I assure you I shall takegreat enjoyment in destroying you utterly."
"You are a coward," declared the Queen, proudly. "You dared not meet usin the open sea."
"No; I dare not leave this castle," Zog admitted, still smiling. "Buthere, in my own domain, my power is supreme. Nothing can interfere withmy vengeance."
"That remains to be seen," said Aquareine, firmly meeting the gaze ofthe terrible eyes.
"Of course," he answered, nodding his head with a graceful movement."You will try to thwart me and escape. You will pit your fairy poweragainst my powers of magic. This will give me great pleasure, for themore you struggle the greater will be my revenge."
"But why should you seek revenge upon us?" asked Clia. "We have neverharmed you."
"That is true," replied Zog. "I bear you no personal ill will. But youare friends of my great enemy, King Anko, and it will annoy him verymuch when he finds that you have been destroyed by me. I cannot hurtthe rascally old sea serpent himself, but through you I can make himfeel my vengeance."
"The mermaids have existed thousands of years," said the Queen, in atone of pride. "Do you imagine the despised and conquered Zog has powerto destroy them?"
"I do not know," was the quiet answer. "It will be interesting todiscover which is the more powerful."
"I challenge you to begin the test at once, vile magician!" exclaimedAquareine.
"There is no hurry, fair Queen," answered Zog, in his softest tones."I have been so many years in accomplishing your capture that it isfoolish to act hastily now. Besides, I am lonely. Here, in my forcedretirement, I see only those uninteresting earth mortals whom I havemade my slaves, for all sea dwellers are forbidden to serve me savethe sea devils, and they dare not enter my castle. I have saved manymortals from drowning and brought them here to people my castle, but Ido not love mortals. Two lovely mermaids are much more interesting, andbefore I allow you to perish I shall have much amusement in witnessingyour despair, and your struggles to escape. You are now my prisoners.By slow degrees I shall wear out your fairy powers and break yourhearts, as well as the hearts of these earth dwellers who have no magicpowers, and I think it will be a long time before I finally permit youto die."
"That's all right," said Trot, cheerfully. "The longer I live thebetter I'll be satisfied."
"That's how I feel about it," added Cap'n Bill. "Don't get in a hurryto kill us, Zog; it'll be such a wear an' tear on your nerves. Jes'take it easy an' let us live as long as we can."
"Don't you care to die?" asked the magician.
"It's a thing I never longed for," the sailor replied. "You see, wehad no business to go on a trip with the mermaids, to begin with. I'veallus heard tell that mermaids is dangerous, an' no one as met 'em everlived to tell the tale. Eh, Trot?"
"That's what you said, Cap'n Bill."
"So, I guess we're done for, one way 'r 'nother; an' it don't mattermuch which. But Trot's a good child, an' mighty young an' tender. Itdon't seem like her time has come to die. I'd like to have her sentsafe home to her mother. So I've got this 'ere propersition to make,Zog: If your magic could make _me_ die twice, or even _three_ times fergood measure, why you go ahead an' do it an' I won't complain. All Iask is fer you to send this little girl safe back to dry land again."
"Don't you do it, Zog!" cried Trot, indignantly, and turning to Cap'nBill she added: "I'm not goin' to leave you down here in all this mess,Cap'n, and don't you think it. If one of us gets out of the muddlewe're in, we'll both get out; so don't you make any bargains with Zogto die twice."
Zog listened to this conversation very carefully.
>
MAKE ME DIE TWICE]
"The dying does not amount to much," he said; "it is the thinkingabout it that hurts you mortals most. I've watched many a shipwreck atsea, and the people would howl and scream for hours before the shipbroke up. Their terror was very enjoyable. But when the end came theyall drowned as peacefully as if they were going to sleep, so it didn'tamuse me at all."
"I'm not worrying," said Trot.
"Ner me," said Cap'n Bill. "You'll find we can take what comes jes' aseasy as anybody."
"I do not expect to get much fun from you poor mortals," said Zog,carelessly. "You are merely a side show to my circus--a sort of dessertto my feast of vengeance. When the time comes I can find a hundred waysto kill you. My most interesting prisoners are these pretty mermaids,who claim that none of their race has ever yet died, or been destroyed.The first mermaid ever created is living yet--and I am told she is noneother than Queen Aquareine. So I have a pretty problem before me, toinvent some way to destroy the mermaids, or put them out of existence.And it will require some thought."
"Also, it will require some power you do not possess," suggested theQueen.
"That may be," replied Zog, softly; "but I am going to experiment, andI believe I shall be able to cause you a lot of pain and sorrow beforeI finally make an end of you. I have not lived twenty-seven thousandyears, Aquareine, without getting a certain amount of wisdom, and I ammore powerful than you suspect."
"You are a monster and a wicked magician," said the Mermaid Queen.
"I am," agreed Zog; "but I cannot help it. I was created part man, partbird, part fish, part beast and part reptile, and such a monstrositycould not be otherwise than wicked. Everybody hates me, and I hateeverybody."
"Why don't you kill yourself?" asked Trot.
"I've tried that, and failed," he answered. "Only one being in theworld has power to destroy me, and that is King Anko, the sea serpent."
"Then you'd better let him do it," advised the little girl.
"No; much as I long to die, I cannot allow King Anko the pleasure ofkilling me. He has always been my worst enemy, and it would be such ajoy to him to kill me that I really cannot allow him. Indeed, I havealways hoped to kill Anko. I have now been three thousand six hundredand forty-two years, eleven months and nine days figuring out a plan todestroy old Anko, and as yet I have not discovered a way."
"I'd give it up, if I were you," advised Trot. "Don't you think youcould get some fun out of trying to be good?"
"No!" cried Zog, and his voice was not so soft as before. "Listen,Aquareine: You and your attendants shall be prisoners in this castleuntil I can manage to stop you from living. Rooms will be placed atyour disposal, and I wish you to go to them at once, as I am tired oflooking at you."
"You're no more tired than we are," remarked Trot. "It's lucky youcan't see yourself, Zog."
He turned his glowing eyes full upon her.
"The worst of my queer body I keep concealed," he said. "If ever yousee it, you will scream with terror."
He touched a bell beside him and the girl was surprised to find howclearly its tones rang out through the water. In an instant the boySacho appeared and bowed low before his dreadful master.
"Take the mermaids and the child to the Rose Chamber," commanded Zog;"and take the old man-fish to the Peony Room."
Sacho turned to obey.
"Are the outer passages well guarded?" asked the monster.
"Yes; as you have commanded," said the boy.
"Then you may allow the prisoners to roam at will throughout thecastle. Now, go!"
The prisoners followed Sacho from the room, glad to get away. Thepresence of this evil being had grown oppressive to them, and Zog hadhimself seemed ill at ease during the last few minutes. The robe soclosely wound around his body moved jerkily, as if something beneathdisturbed it, and at such times Zog shifted nervously in his seat.
Sacho's thin little legs trotted through the water, and led the wayinto a different passage from the one by which they had entered. Theyswam slowly after him and breathed easier when they had left the goldendomed chamber, where their wicked enemy sat enthroned.
"Well, how do you like him?" asked Sacho, with a laugh.
"We hate him!" declared Trot, emphatically.
"Of course you do," replied Sacho. "But, you're wasting time hatinganything. It doesn't do you any good, or him any harm. Can you sing?"
"A little," said Trot; "but I don't feel like singing now."
"You're wrong about that," the boy asserted. "Anything that keeps youfrom singing is foolishness, unless it's laughter. Laughter, joy andsong are the only good things in the world."
Trot did not answer this queer speech, for just then they came to aflight of stairs, and Sacho climbed up them, while the others swam. Andnow they were in a lofty, broad corridor having many doors hung withseaweed draperies. At one of these doorways Sacho stopped and said:
"Here is the Rose Chamber, where the master commands you to live untilyou die. You may wander anywhere in the castle as you please; to leaveit is impossible. Whenever you return to the Rose Chamber you will knowit by this design of roses, sewn in pearls upon the hangings. The PeonyRoom, where the man-fish is to live, is the next one farther on."
"Thank you," replied Queen Aquareine. "Are we to be fed?"
"Meals will be served in your rooms. If you desire anything, ring thebell and some of the slaves will be sure to answer it. I am mostly inattendance upon my master, but whenever I am at liberty I will lookafter your comfort myself."
Again they thanked the strange boy, and he turned and left them. Theycould hear him whistle and sing as he returned along the passage. ThenPrincess Clia parted the curtains that her queen and companions mightenter the Rose Chamber.