CHAPTER XXXV
BE NOBLE OR BE BASE
For a while there was silence, then Juanna looked up, searching Olfan'sface with her eyes. Nothing was to be read there, for it was impossibleto pierce the mask of solemn calm beneath which, in common with allhis race, the king was accustomed to hide his thoughts. He leant on theshaft of his broad spear, his head bowed slightly as though in humility,his dark eyes fixed upon her face, immovable, impassive, a picture ofsavage dignity.
Indeed, Juanna was fain to confess to herself that she had never seen agrander specimen of the natural man than that presented by the chief ofthe People of the Mist, as he stood before her in her rock prison. Thelight of the candles fell full upon him, revealing his great girth andstature, beside which those of the finest men of her own race wouldhave seemed insignificant. It shone upon the ivory torques, emblems ofroyalty, which were about his neck, wrists, and ankles, upon the glossygarments of black goat-skin that hung from his shoulders and middle, andthe raven tresses of his hair bound back from his forehead by a narrowband of white linen, which showed in striking contrast against the clearolive colouring of his face and breast.
"Speak, Olfan," said Juanna at length.
"It was told to me, Queen," he answered in a low, full voice, "that youhad words to say to me. Nevertheless, now as always, I obey you. Queen,I learn that your husband, he whom you loved, is dead, and believe me, Isorrow for you. In this shameful deed I had no hand; that, together withthe end of the other white man and the dwarf, must be set down to theaccount of this priest, who swears that he was driven to it by theclamour of the people. Queen, they have all gone across the mountainsand through the sky beyond, and you, like some weary dove, far travelledfrom a southern clime, are left a prey among the eagles of the People ofthe Mist.
"But a few hours since I thought you dead also, for with all thethousands in the temple I believed that it was your fair body which Namhurled at dawn from the brow of the statue, and I tell you that when Isaw it, I, who am a warrior, wept and cursed myself, because, althoughI was a king, I had no power to save you. Afterwards this man, the highpriest, came to me, telling me the truth and a plan that he had made forhis own ends, whereby you might be saved alive and lifted up among thepeople, and he also might be saved, and my rule be made sure in theland." And he ceased.
"What is this plan, Olfan?" asked Juanna, after a pause.
"Queen, it is that you should wed me, and appear before the people nolonger as a goddess, but as a woman who has put on the flesh forher love's sake. I know well that I am all unworthy of such honour,moreover, that your heart must be sore with the loss of one who wasdear to you, and little set upon the finding of another husband; alsoI remember certain words that passed between us and a promise which Imade. All these things I told to Nam, and he answered me saying thatthe matter was urgent, that here you could not be hid away for long, andthat if I did not take you to wife then you must die. Therefore, becausemy love towards you is great, I said to him, 'Go now and ask her if shewill smile upon me if I come before her with such words.'
"Nam went, but before he went he made certain agreements with me onmatters of policy, under which I must pay a heavy price for you, Lady,and forego revenge and forget many an ancient hate, all of which thingsI have promised to do should you smile upon me, so great is my lovetowards you. The hours went by, and Nam came back to me, saying that,having weighed the matter in your mind, your answer was favourable. Tothis I replied that I did not trust him, and would take it from yourlips alone.
"And now, Queen, I am here to listen to your word, and to offer myselfto you, to serve you all my life as your husband and your slave. I havelittle to give you who have been bred up in sunnier lands, and among amore gentle people; I who am but the wild chief of men whose hearts arerugged as our mountains, and gloomy as a winter's day that is heavy withsnow to come,--only myself, the service of my soldiers' spears, and thefirst place among the Children of the Mist.
"Now let me hear your answer, and be it what it may, I will accept itwithout a murmur, for least of all things do I desire to force myselfupon you in marriage. Still I pray you, speak to me plainly once and forall, for if I must lose you I would know the worst; nor can I bear, whenyou have smiled upon me, to see you turn away. Nay, I would sooner die."
And once more he bowed his head, leaned upon his spear, and was silent.
Juanna considered the position rapidly. It was hopeless and cruel. Namand Soa were on either side of her, the latter standing near the doorwith the sliding panel beyond which Leonard lay bound, and she knew wellthat did she speak a single word of the truth to Olfan, it would be thesignal for her lover's death. It was possible that the king might beable to protect her own person from violence, but if Leonard died itmattered little what became of her. There was but one thing that shecould do--declare herself willing to become the wife of Olfan. Yet itseemed shameless thus to treat this honourable man, the only friendthat they had found among the People of the Mist. But of a truth,such necessities as hers cannot wait while those in their toils weighscruples or the law of honour.
"Olfan," she said, "I have heard you, and this is my answer: I will takeyou as my husband. You know my story, you know that he who was my lordis but this day dead," here Soa smiled approvingly at the lie, "and thatI loved him. Therefore of your gentleness, you will accord me some fewweeks before I pass from him to you, in which I may mourn my widowhood.I will say no more, but surely you can guess the sorrow of my heart, andall that I have left unsaid."
"It shall be as you wish, Queen," replied Olfan, taking her hand andkissing it, while his sombre face grew radiant with happiness. "Youshall pass into my keeping at that time which best pleases you, yet Ifear that in one matter you must be troubled now, this very hour."
"What may that be, Olfan?" asked Juanna anxiously.
"Only this, Queen, that the rite of marriage as we practise it must becelebrated between us. It is necessary for many reasons which will bemade clear to you to-morrow. Moreover, such was my bargain with Namsealed by an oath sworn upon the blood of Aca, an oath that I do notdare to break."
"Oh, no, no!" said Juanna in acute distress. "Think, Olfan, how can I,whose husband is not six hours dead, vow myself to another man upon thealtar of his grave? Give me some few days, I pray you."
"Most willingly would I do this, Lady, but I may not, it is against myoath. Also, what can it matter? You shall remain alone for so long as itshall please you."
Then Nam spoke for the first time, saying:
"Shepherdess, waste no breath in words, for learn that though thisgarment of modesty is becoming to one new widowed, yet you must put itfrom you. More depends upon this ceremony than you know of, the livesof many hang upon it, our own, perchance, among them, and especially thelife of one of whom it does not become me to speak," and as though byaccident Nam let his eyes rest upon the door of the adjoining cell.
Of his auditors Olfan thought that he was alluding to his own life,but Juanna and his daughter knew well that he spoke of that of Leonard,which would be sacrificed did the former persist in her objections tothe instant celebration of the marriage.
"You hear his words, Queen," said Olfan, "and there is weight in them.The times are very dangerous, and if our plot is to be carried through,before midnight I must make oath to the captains and the Council of theElders that you have come back from death to be my wife."
"Maybe," answered Juanna, catching at a straw in her despair, "butmust I, who shall be set over this people as queen, be married thus insecret? At the least I will have witnesses. Let some of the captainswhom you trust, Olfan, be brought here to see us wed, otherwise the timemay come when I shall be held to be no true wife, and there are none toestablish my honour by their words."
"There is little fear of such a thing, Queen," answered Olfan witha faint smile, "yet your demands are just. I will bring three of mycaptains here, men who will not betray us, and they shall be witness tothis rite," and he turned as though he would go to seek them.
"Do not leave me," said Juanna, catching him by the wrist. "I trust you,but these two I do not trust. I fear to be left alone."
"There is no need for witnesses," exclaimed Nam in a threatening voice.
"The Shepherdess has asked for witnesses, and she shall have them,"answered Olfan fiercely. "Old man, you have played with me long enough;hitherto I have been your servant, now I will be your master. Some hoursago your life was forfeit to me, for the white dawn had turned tored, and I meant to take it, but you bribed me with this bait," andhe pointed to Juanna. "Nay, do not lay your hand upon your knife; youforget I have my spear. Your priests are without, I know it, but so aremy captains, and I have told them where I am; if I vanish as many vanishhere, my life will be required at your hands, for, Nam, your power isbroken.
"Now, obey me. Bid that woman summon him who guards without. No, youdo not stir," and he lifted the spear till its keen blue point quiveredover the high priest's naked breast. "Bid her go to the door and summonthe guard. I said to the door, but not beyond it, or beware!"
Nam was cowed: his tool had become his master.
"Obey," he said to Soa.
"Obey, but no more," echoed Olfan.
Snarling like a wolf, the woman slipped past them to the door, andopening it a little way, she whistled through the crack.
"Hide yourself, Lady," said Olfan.
Juanna retreated into the shadow behind the candle, and at that moment avoice spoke through the open door, saying, "I am here, father."
"Now, speak," said Olfan, advancing the spear an inch nearer Nam'sheart.
"My son," said the priest, "go to the entrance by which the kingentered, where you will find three captains, generals of the king. Leadthem hither."
"And see that you speak to no one on the way," whispered Olfan in Nam'sear.
"And see that you speak to no one on the way," repeated Nam.
"I hear you, father," replied the priest, and went.
Some ten minutes passed and the door opened again. "The captains arehere," whispered a voice.
"Let them enter," said Nam.
The order was obeyed, and three great men armed with spears stalked intothe narrow chamber. One of them was brother to the king, and the twoothers were his chosen friends. Then the door closed.
"My brethren," said Olfan, "I have sent for you to acquaint you with amystery and to ask you to witness a rite. The goddess Aca, who this daywas hurled into the pool of the Snake, has returned to earth as a woman,and is about to become my wife,"--here the captains started--"nay,brethren, ask no questions; these things are so, it is enough. Now,priest, play your part."
After that, for a while all seemed a dream to Juanna, a dream of whichshe was never able to recover any exact memory. She could recollectstanding side by side with Olfan, while Nam muttered prayers andinvocations over them, administering to them terrible oaths, which theytook, calling upon the names of Aca and of Jal, and swearing by thesymbol of the Snake. Beyond that everything went blank. Indeed, her mindflew back to another marriage ceremony, when she stood beside Leonard inthe slave camp, and the priest, Francisco, prayed over them and blessedthem. It was that scene which she saw, and not the one enactingbefore her eyes, and with its visions were mixed up strange impersonalreflections on the irony of fate, which had brought it about that sheshould figure as the chief actor in two such dramas, the first of whichLeonard had gone through to save her, and the second of which she mustgo through to save him.
At last it was done, and once more Olfan was bowing before her andkissing her hand.
"Greeting, Shepherdess. Hail! Queen of the People of the Mist," he said,and the captains repeated his words.
Juanna awoke from her stupor. What was to be done now? she wondered.What could be done? Everything seemed lost. Then of a sudden aninspiration took her.
"It is true that I am a queen, is it not, Olfan?"
"It is true, Lady."
"And as Queen of the People of the Mist I have power, have I not,Olfan."
"Even to life and death," he answered gravely; "though if you kill, youmust answer to the Council of the Elders and to me. All in this land areyour servants, Lady, and none dare to disobey you except on matters ofreligion."
"Good," said Juanna. Then addressing the captains in a tone of command,she added, "Seize that priest who is named Nam, and the woman with him."
Olfan looked astonished and the captains hesitated. As for Nam, he didnot hesitate, but made a bound towards the door.
"Stay awhile, Nam," said the king, making a barrier before him withhis spear; "doubtless the Queen has reasons, and you would wish to hearthem. Hold them, my captains, since the Queen commands it."
Then the three men sprang upon them. Once Nam tried to draw his knife,but failing in his attempt he submitted without further struggle. WithSoa it was different. She bit and tore like a wild-cat, and Juanna sawthat she was striving to reach the panel and to speak through it.
"On your lives do not suffer her to come to that door," she said;"presently you shall know why."
Then the brother of the king dragged Soa to the couch, and throwing herdown upon it stood over her, his spear-point at her throat.
"Now, Queen," said Olfan, "your will is done, and perhaps it may pleaseyou to explain."
"Listen, King, and listen, you, captains," she answered. "These liarstold you that the Deliverer was dead, was it not so? He is not dead, helies bound in yonder cell, but had I spoken a word to you, then he wouldhave died. Olfan, do you know how my consent was won to be your wife?A shutter within that door was opened, and he, my husband, was shown tome, gagged and bound, and being held over the mouth of a hideous pit inthe floor of his prison, that leads I know not whither.
"'Consent, or he dies,' they said, and for my love's sake I consented.This was the plot, Olfan: to marry me to you, partly because the womanyonder, who was my nurse, did not desire my death, and partly that Nammight use me to save himself from the anger of the people. But do notthink that you would have kept me long, Olfan; for this was in the plotalso, that when you had served their purpose you should die by secretmeans, as one who knew too much."
"It is a lie," said Nam.
"Silence!" answered Juanna. "Let that door be opened, and you shall seeif I have lied."
"Wait awhile, Queen," said Olfan, who appeared utterly overcome. "If Iunderstand you right, your husband lives, and therefore you say thatthe words which we have spoken and the oaths that we have sworn meannothing, for you are not my wife."
"That is so, Olfan."
"Then now I am minded to turn wicked and let him die," said the kingslowly, "for know this, Lady, I cannot give you up."
Juanna grew pale as death, understanding that this man's passions, nowthat once he had given them way, had passed beyond his control.
"I cannot give you up," he repeated. "Have I not dealt well with you?Did I not say to you, 'Consent or refuse, as it shall please you, buthaving once consented you must not go back upon your words'? What haveI to do with the reasons that prompted them? My heart heard them andbelieved them. Queen, you are wed to me; those oaths that you have swornmay not be broken. It is too late; now you are mine, nor can I sufferyou to pass from me back to another man, even though he was your husbandbefore me."
"But the Deliverer! must I then become my husband's murderer?"
"Nay, I will protect him, and, if it may be, find means to send him fromthe land."
Juanna stood silent and despairing, and at this moment Soa, lying on thecouch, broke into a shrill and mocking laugh that stung her like a whipand roused her from her lethargy.
"King," she said, "I am at your mercy, not through any wanton folly ofmy own, but because fate has made a sport of me. King, you have beenhardly used, and, as you say, hitherto you have dealt well with me. NowI pray you let the end be as the beginning was, so that I may alwaysthink of you as the noblest among men, except one who died this day tosave me. King, you say you love me; tell me then if my life hung upon aword of yours,
would that word remain unspoken?
"Such was my case: I spoke the word and for one short hour I betrayedyou. Will you, whose heart is great, bind me by such an oath as this, anoath wrung from me to save my darling from the power of those dogs? Ifthis is so, then I have erred strangely in my reading of your mind, fortill now I have held you to be a man who would perish ere he fell so lowas to force a helpless woman to be his wife, one whose crime is that shedeceived him to save her husband."
She paused, and, clasping her hands as though in prayer, looked up intohis troubled face with beseeching eyes; then, as he did not speak, shewent on:
"King, I have one more word to say. You are the strongest and you cantake me, but you cannot hold me, for that hour would be my last, and youbut the richer by your broken honour and a dead bride."
Olfan was about to answer when Soa, fearing lest Juanna's pleadingshould prevail against his passion, broke in saying, "Be not fooled,King, by a woman's pretty speeches, or by her idle threats that she willkill herself. She will not kill herself, I know her well, she loves herlife too much; and soon, when you are wed, she will love you also, forit is the nature of us women to worship those who master us. Moreover,that man, the Deliverer, is not her husband, except in name; for monthsI have lived with them and I know it. Take her, King, take her now,this hour, or live to mourn her loss and your own folly all your life'sdays."
"I will not answer that slave's falsehoods," said Juanna, drawingherself up and speaking proudly, "and it were more worthy of you notto listen to them, King. I have spoken; now do your will. Be great orlittle, be noble or be base, as your nature teaches you."
And suddenly she sank to the ground and, shaking her long hair about herface and arms, she burst into bitter weeping.
Twice the King glanced at her, then he turned his head as though he darelook no more, and spoke keeping his eyes fixed upon the wall.
"Rise, Queen," he said hoarsely, "and cease your tears, since you aresafe from me. Now as always I live to do your will, but I pray you, hideyour face from me as much as may be, for, Lady, my heart is broken withlove for you and I cannot bear to look on that which I have lost."
Still sobbing, but filled with admiration and wonder that a savage couldbe thus generous, Juanna rose and began to murmur thanks, while thecaptains stared, and Soa mocked and cursed them both.
"Thank me not," he said gently. "It seems that you, who can read allhearts, have read mine aright, or perchance you fashioned it as youwould have it be. Now, having done with love, let us to war. Woman, whatis the secret of that door?"
"Find it for yourself," snarled Soa. "It is easy to open when once youknow the spring--like a woman's heart, Olfan. Or if you cannot find it,then it can be forced--like a woman's love, Olfan. Surely you who areso skilled in the winning of a bride need not seek my counsel as to theopening of a door, for when I gave it but now upon the first of thesematters, you would not hearken, Olfan, but were melted by the sight oftears that you should have kissed away."
Juanna heard and from that moment made up her mind that whateverhappened she had done with Soa. Nor was this wonderful, for few womencould have pardoned what she had suffered at her hands.
"Drive the spear into her till she speaks, comrade," said Olfan.
Then at the touch of steel Soa gave up mocking and told the secret ofthe door.