CHAPTER XVIII
A TASK FOR LOYALTY
Long and loud was the applause that rose above the Field of Jetan atManator, as The Keeper of the Towers summoned the two Princesses andthe victorious Chief to the center of the field and presented to thelatter the fruits of his prowess, and then, as custom demanded, thevictorious players, headed by Gahan and the two Princesses, formed inprocession behind The Keeper of the Towers and were conducted to theplace of victory before the royal enclosure that they might receive thecommendation of the jeddak. Those who were mounted gave up their thoatsto slaves as all must be on foot for this ceremony. Directly beneaththe royal enclosure are the gates to one of the tunnels that, passingbeneath the seats, give ingress or egress to or from the Field. Beforethis gate the party halted while O-Tar looked down upon them fromabove. Val Dor and Floran, passing quietly ahead of the others, wentdirectly to the gates, where they were hidden from those who occupiedthe enclosure with O-Tar. The Keeper of the Towers may have noticedthem, but so occupied was he with the formality of presenting thevictorious Chief to the jeddak that he paid no attention to them.
"I bring you, O-Tar, Jeddak of Manator, U-Kal of Manataj," he cried ina loud voice that might be heard by as many as possible, "victor overthe Orange in the second of the Jeddak's Games of the four hundred andthirty-third year of O-Tar, and the slave woman Tara and the slavewoman Lan-O that you may bestow these, the stakes, upon U-Kal."
As he spoke, a little, wrinkled, old man peered over the rail of theenclosure down upon the three who stood directly behind The Keeper, andstrained his weak and watery eyes in an effort to satisfy the curiosityof old age in a matter of no particular import, for what were twoslaves and a common warrior from Manataj to any who sat with O-Tar thejeddak?
"U-Kal of Manataj," said O-Tar, "you have deserved the stakes. Seldomhave we looked upon more noble swordplay. And you tire of Manataj therebe always here in the city of Manator a place for you in The Jeddak'sGuard."
While the jeddak was speaking the little, old man, failing clearly todiscern the features of the Black Chief, reached into his pocket-pouchand drew forth a pair of thick-lensed spectacles, which he placed uponhis nose. For a moment he scrutinized Gahan closely, then he leaped tohis feet and addressing O-Tar pointed a shaking finger at Gahan. As herose Tara of Helium clutched the Black Chief's arm.
"Turan!" she whispered. "It is I-Gos, whom I thought to have slain inthe pits of O-Tar. It is I-Gos and he recognizes you and will--"
But what I-Gos would do was already transpiring. In his falsetto voicehe fairly screamed: "It is the slave Turan who stole the woman Tarafrom your throne room, O-Tar. He desecrated the dead chief I-Mal andwears his harness now!"
Instantly all was pandemonium. Warriors drew their swords and leaped totheir feet. Gahan's victorious players rushed forward in a body,sweeping The Keeper of the Towers from his feet. Val Dor and Floranthrew open the gates beneath the royal enclosure, opening the tunnelthat led to the avenue in the city beyond the Towers. Gahan, surroundedby his men, drew Tara and Lan-O into the passageway, and at a rapidpace the party sought to reach the opposite end of the tunnel beforetheir escape could be cut off. They were successful and when theyemerged into the city the sun had set and darkness had come, relievedonly by an antiquated and ineffective lighting system, which cast but apale glow over the shadowy streets.
Now it was that Tara of Helium guessed why the Black Chief had drawnout his duel with U-Dor and realized that he might have slain his manat almost any moment he had elected. The whole plan that Gahan hadwhispered to his players before the game was thoroughly understood.They were to make their way to The Gate of Enemies and there offertheir services to U-Thor, the great Jed of Manatos. The fact that mostof them were Gatholians and that Gahan could lead rescuers to the pitwhere A-Kor, the son of U-Thor's wife, was confined, convinced the Jedof Gathol that they would meet with no rebuff at the hands of U-Thor.But even should he refuse them, still were they bound together to go ontoward freedom, if necessary cutting their way through the forces ofU-Thor at The Gate of Enemies--twenty men against a small army; but ofsuch stuff are the warriors of Barsoom.
They had covered a considerable distance along the almost desertedavenue before signs of pursuit developed and then there came upon themsuddenly from behind a dozen warriors mounted on thoats--a detachment,evidently, from The Jeddak's Guard. Instantly the avenue was apandemonium of clashing blades, cursing warriors, and squealing thoats.In the first onslaught life blood was spilled upon both sides. Two ofGahan's men went down, and upon the enemies' side three riderlessthoats attested at least a portion of their casualties.
Gahan was engaged with a fellow who appeared to have been selected toaccount for him only, since he rode straight for him and sought to cuthim down without giving the slightest heed to several who slashed athim as he passed them. The Gatholian, practiced in the art of combatinga mounted warrior from the ground, sought to reach the left side of thefellow's thoat a little to the rider's rear, the only position in whichhe would have any advantage over his antagonist, or rather the positionthat would most greatly reduce the advantage of the mounted man, and,similarly, the Manatorian strove to thwart his design. And so theguardsman wheeled and turned his vicious, angry mount while Gahanleaped in and out in an effort to reach the coveted vantage point, butalways seeking some other opening in his foe's defense.
And while they jockeyed for position a rider swept swiftly past them.As he passed behind Gahan the latter heard a cry of alarm.
"Turan, they have me!" came to his ears in the voice of Tara of Helium.
A quick glance across his shoulder showed him the galloping thoatman inthe act of dragging Tara to the withers of the beast, and then, withthe fury of a demon, Gahan of Gathol leaped for his own man, draggedhim from his mount and as he fell smote his head from his shoulderswith a single cut of his keen sword. Scarce had the body touched thepavement when the Gatholian was upon the back of the dead warrior'smount, and galloping swiftly down the avenue after the diminishingfigures of Tara and her abductor, the sounds of the fight waning in thedistance as he pursued his quarry along the avenue that passes thepalace of O-Tar and leads to The Gate of Enemies.
Gahan's mount, carrying but a single rider, gained upon that of theManatorian, so that as they neared the palace Gahan was scarce ahundred yards behind, and now, to his consternation, he saw the fellowturn into the great entrance-way. For a moment only was he halted bythe guards and then he disappeared within. Gahan was almost upon himthen, but evidently he had warned the guards, for they leaped out tointercept the Gatholian. But no! the fellow could not have known thathe was pursued, since he had not seen Gahan seize a mount, nor would hehave thought that pursuit would come so soon. If he had passed then, socould Gahan pass, for did he not wear the trappings of a Manatorian?The Gatholian thought quickly, and stopping his thoat called to theguardsmen to let him pass, "In the name of O-Tar!" They hesitated amoment.
"Aside!" cried Gahan. "Must the jeddak's messenger parley for the rightto deliver his message?"
"To whom would you deliver it?" asked the padwar of the guard.
"Saw you not him who just entered?" cried Gahan, and without waitingfor a reply urged his thoat straight past them into the palace, andwhile they were deliberating what was best to be done, it was too lateto do anything--which is not unusual.
Along the marble corridors Gahan guided his thoat, and because he hadgone that way before, rather than because he knew which way Tara hadbeen taken, he followed the runways and passed through the chambersthat led to the throne room of O-Tar. On the second level he met aslave.
"Which way went he who carried the woman before him?" he asked.
The slave pointed toward a nearby runway that led to the third leveland Gahan dashed rapidly on in pursuit. At the same moment a thoatman,riding at a furious pace, approached the palace and halted his mount atthe gate.
"Saw you aught of a warrior pursuing one who carried a woman before himon his thoat?" he shouted to the g
uard.
"He but just passed in," replied the padwar, "saying that he wasO-Tar's messenger."
"He lied," cried the newcomer. "He was Turan, the slave, who stole thewoman from the throne room two days since. Arouse the palace! He mustbe seized, and alive if possible. It is O-Tar's command."
Instantly warriors were dispatched to search for the Gatholian and warnthe inmates of the palace to do likewise. Owing to the games there werecomparatively few retainers in the great building, but those whom theyfound were immediately enlisted in the search, so that presently atleast fifty warriors were seeking through the countless chambers andcorridors of the palace of O-Tar.
As Gahan's thoat bore him to the third Level the man glimpsed the hindquarters of another thoat disappearing at the turn of a corridor farahead. Urging his own animal forward he raced swiftly in pursuit andmaking the turn discovered only an empty corridor ahead. Along this hehurried to discover near its farther end a runway to the fourth level,which he followed upward. Here he saw that he had gained upon hisquarry who was just turning through a doorway fifty yards ahead. AsGahan reached the opening he saw that the warrior had dismounted andwas dragging Tara toward a small door on the opposite side of thechamber. At the same instant the clank of harness to his rear causedhim to cast a glance behind where, along the corridor he had justtraversed, he saw three warriors approaching on foot at a run. Leapingfrom his thoat Gahan sprang into the chamber where Tara was strugglingto free herself from the grasp of her captor, slammed the door behindhim, shot the great bolt into its seat, and drawing his sword crossedthe room at a run to engage the Manatorian. The fellow, thus menaced,called aloud to Gahan to halt, at the same time thrusting Tara at arm'slength and threatening her heart with the point of his short-sword.
"Stay!" he cried, "or the woman dies, for such is the command of O-Tar,rather than that she again fall into your hands."
Gahan stopped. But a few feet separated him from Tara and her captor,yet he was helpless to aid her. Slowly the warrior backed toward theopen doorway behind him, dragging Tara with him. The girl struggled andfought, but the warrior was a powerful man and having seized her by theharness from behind was able to hold her in a position of helplessness.
"Save me, Turan!" she cried. "Let them not drag me to a fate worse thandeath. Better that I die now while my eyes behold a brave friend thanlater, fighting alone among enemies in defense of my honor."
He took a step nearer. The warrior made a threatening gesture with hissword close to the soft, smooth skin of the princess, and Gahan halted.
"I cannot, Tara of Helium," he cried. "Think not ill of me that I amweak--that I cannot see you die. Too great is my love for you, daughterof Helium."
The Manatorian warrior, a derisive grin upon his lips, backed steadilyaway. He had almost reached the doorway when Gahan saw another warriorin the chamber toward which Tara was being borne--a fellow who movedsilently, almost stealthily, across the marble floor as he approachedTara's captor from behind. In his right hand he grasped a long-sword.
"Two to one," thought Gahan, and a grim smile touched his lips, for hehad no doubt that once they had Tara safely in the adjoining chamberthe two would set upon him. If he could not save her, he could at leastdie for her.
And then, suddenly, Gahan's eyes fastened with amazement upon thefigure of the warrior behind the grinning fellow who held Tara and wasforcing her to the doorway. He saw the newcomer step almost withinarm's reach of the other. He saw him stop, an expression of malevolenthatred upon his features. He saw the great sword swing through the arcof a great circle, gathering swift and terrific momentum from its ownweight backed by the brawn of the steel thews that guided it; he saw itpass through the feathered skull of the Manatorian, splitting hissardonic grin in twain, and open him to the middle of his breast bone.
As the dead hand relaxed its grasp upon Tara's wrist the girl leapedforward, without a backward glance, to Gahan's side. His left armencircled her, nor did she draw away, as with ready sword the Gatholianawaited Fate's next decree. Before them Tara's deliverer was wiping theblood from his sword upon the hair of his victim. He was evidently aManatorian, his trappings those of the Jeddak's Guard, and so his actwas inexplicable to Gahan and to Tara. Presently he sheathed his swordand approached them.
"When a man chooses to hide his identity behind an assumed name," hesaid, looking straight into Gahan's eyes, "whatever friend pierces thedeception were no friend if he divulged the other's secret."
He paused as though awaiting a reply.
"Your integrity has perceived and your lips voiced an unalterabletruth," replied Gahan, whose mind was filled with wonder if theimplication could by any possibility be true--that this Manatorian hadguessed his identity.
"We are thus agreed," continued the other, "and I may tell you thatthough I am here known as A-Sor, my real name is Tasor." He paused andwatched Gahan's face intently for any sign of the effect of thisknowledge and was rewarded with a quick, though guarded expression ofrecognition.
Tasor! Friend of his youth. The son of that great Gatholian noble whohad given his life so gloriously, however futilely, in an attempt todefend Gahan's sire from the daggers of the assassins. Tasor anunder-padwar in the guard of O-Tar, Jeddak of Manator! It wasinconceivable--and yet it was he; there could be no doubt of it."Tasor," Gahan repeated aloud. "But it is no Manatorian name." Thestatement was half interrogatory, for Gahan's curiosity was aroused. Hewould know how his friend and loyal subject had become a Manatorian.Long years had passed since Tasor had disappeared as mysteriously asthe Princess Haja and many other of Gahan's subjects. The Jed of Gatholhad long supposed him dead.
"No," replied Tasor, "nor is it a Manatorian name. Come, while I searchfor a hiding place for you in some forgotten chamber in one of theuntenanted portions of the palace, and as we go I will tell you brieflyhow Tasor the Gatholian became A-Sor the Manatorian.
"It befell that as I rode with a dozen of my warriors along the westernborder of Gathol searching for zitidars that had strayed from my herds,we were set upon and surrounded by a great company of Manatorians. Theyoverpowered us, though not before half our number was slain and thebalance helpless from wounds. And so I was brought a prisoner toManataj, a distant city of Manator, and there sold into slavery. Awoman bought me--a princess of Manataj whose wealth and position wereunequaled in the city of her birth. She loved me and when her husbanddiscovered her infatuation she beseeched me to slay him, and when Irefused she hired another to do it. Then she married me; but none wouldhave aught to do with her in Manataj, for they suspected her guiltyknowledge of her husband's murder. And so we set out from Manataj forManatos accompanied by a great caravan bearing all her worldly goodsand jewels and precious metals, and on the way she caused the rumor tobe spread that she and I had died. Then we came to Manator instead, shetaking a new name and I the name A-Sor, that we might not be tracedthrough our names. With her great wealth she bought me a post in TheJeddak's Guard and none knows that I am not a Manatorian, for she isdead. She was beautiful, but she was a devil."
"And you never sought to return to your native city?" asked Gahan.
"Never has the hope been absent from my heart, or my mind empty of aplan," replied Tasor. "I dream of it by day and by night, but alwaysmust I return to the same conclusion--that there can be but a singlemeans for escape. I must wait until Fortune favors me with a place in araiding party to Gathol. Then, once within the boundaries of my owncountry, they shall see me no more."
"Perhaps your opportunity lies already within your grasp," said Gahan,"has not your fealty to your own Jed been undermined by years ofassociation with the men of Manator." The statement was half challenge.
"And my Jed stood before me now," cried Tasor, "and my avowal could bemade without violating his confidence, I should cast my sword at hisfeet and beg the high privilege of dying for him as my sire died forhis sire."
There could be no doubt of his sincerity nor any that he was cognizantof Gahan's identity. The Jed of Gathol smiled. "And if
your Jed werehere there is little doubt but that he would command you to devote yourtalents and your prowess to the rescue of the Princess Tara of Helium,"he said, meaningly. "And he possessed the knowledge I have gainedduring my captivity he would say to you, 'Go, Tasor, to the pit whereA-kor, son of Haja of Gathol, is confined and set him free and with himarouse the slaves from Gathol and march to The Gate of Enemies andoffer your services to U-Thor of Manataj, who is wed to Haja of Gathol,and ask of him in return that he attack the palace of O-Tar and rescueTara of Helium and when that thing is accomplished that he free theslaves of Gathol and furnish them with the arms and the means to returnto their own country.' That, Tasor of Gathol, is what Gahan your Jedwould demand of you."
"And that, Turan the slave, is what I shall bend my every effort toaccomplish after I have found a safe refuge for Tara of Helium and herpanthan," replied Tasor.
Gahan's glance carried to Tasor an intimation of his Jed'sgratification and filled him with a chivalrous determination to do thething required of him, or die, for he considered that he had receivedfrom the lips of his beloved ruler a commission that placed upon hisshoulders a responsibility that encompassed not alone the life of Gahanand Tara but the welfare, perhaps the whole future, of Gathol. And sohe hastened them onward through the musty corridors of the old palacewhere the dust of ages lay undisturbed upon the marble tiles. Now andagain he tried a door until he found one that was unlocked. Opening ithe ushered them into a chamber, heavy with dust. Crumbling silks andfurs adorned the walls, with ancient weapons, and great paintings whosecolors were toned by age to wondrous softness.
"This be as good as any place," he said. "No one comes here. Never haveI been here before, so I know no more of the other chambers than you;but this one, at least, I can find again when I bring you food anddrink. O-Mai the Cruel occupied this portion of the palace during hisreign, five thousand years before O-Tar. In one of these apartments hewas found dead, his face contorted in an expression of fear so horriblethat it drove to madness those who looked upon it; yet there was nomark of violence upon him. Since then the quarters of O-Mai have beenshunned for the legends have it that the ghosts of Corphals pursue thespirit of the wicked Jeddak nightly through these chambers, shriekingand moaning as they go. But," he added, as though to reassure himselfas well as his companions, "such things may not be countenanced by theculture of Gathol or Helium."
Gahan laughed. "And if all who looked upon him were driven mad, whothen was there to perform the last rites or prepare the body of theJeddak for them?"
"There was none," replied Tasor. "Where they found him they left himand there to this very day his mouldering bones lie hid in someforgotten chamber of this forbidden suite."
Tasor left them then assuring them that he would seek the firstopportunity to speak with A-Kor, and upon the following day he wouldbring them food and drink.*
* Those who have read John Carter's description of the Green Martiansin A Princess of Mars will recall that these strange people could existfor considerable periods of time without food or water, and to a lesserdegree is the same true of all Martians.
After Tasor had gone Tara turned to Gahan and approaching laid a handupon his arm. "So swiftly have events transpired since I recognized youbeneath your disguise," she said, "that I have had no opportunity toassure you of my gratitude and the high esteem that your valor has wonfor you in my consideration. Let me now acknowledge my indebtedness;and if promises be not vain from one whose life and liberty are ingrave jeopardy, accept my assurance of the great reward that awaits youat the hand of my father in Helium."
"I desire no reward," he replied, "other than the happiness of knowingthat the woman I love is happy."
For an instant the eyes of Tara of Helium blazed as she drew herselfhaughtily to her full height, and then they softened and her attituderelaxed as she shook her head sadly.
"I have it not in my heart to reprimand you, Turan," she said, "howevergreat your fault, for you have been an honorable and a loyal friend toTara of Helium; but you must not say what my ears must not hear."
"You mean," he asked, "that the ears of a Princess must not listen towords of love from a panthan?"
"It is not that, Turan," she replied; "but rather that I may not inhonor listen to words of love from another than him to whom I ambetrothed--a fellow countryman, Djor Kantos."
"You mean, Tara of Helium," he cried, "that were it not for that youwould--"
"Stop!" she commanded. "You have no right to assume aught else than mylips testify."
"The eyes are ofttimes more eloquent than the lips, Tara," he replied;"and in yours I have read that which is neither hatred nor contempt forTuran the panthan, and my heart tells me that your lips bore falsewitness when they cried in anger: 'I hate you!'"
"I do not hate you, Turan, nor yet may I love you," said the girl,simply.
"When I broke my way out from the chamber of I-Gos I was indeed uponthe verge of believing that you did hate me," he said, "for onlyhatred, it seemed to me, could account for the fact that you had gonewithout making an effort to liberate me; but presently both my heartand my judgment told me that Tara of Helium could not have deserted acompanion in distress, and though I still am in ignorance of the factsI know that it was beyond your power to aid me."
"It was indeed," said the girl. "Scarce had I-Gos fallen at the bite ofmy dagger than I heard the approach of warriors. I ran then to hideuntil they had passed, thinking to return and liberate you; but inseeking to elude the party I had heard I ran full into the arms ofanother. They questioned me as to your whereabouts, and I told themthat you had gone ahead and that I was following you and thus I ledthem from you."
"I knew," was Gahan's only comment, but his heart was glad withelation, as a lover's must be who has heard from the lips of hisdivinity an avowal of interest and loyalty, however little tinged by asuggestion of warmer regard it may be. To be abused, even, by themistress of one's heart is better than to be ignored.
As the two conversed in the ill-lit chamber, the dim bulbs of whichwere encrusted with the accumulated dust of centuries, a bent andwithered figure traversed slowly the gloomy corridors without, his weakand watery eyes peering through thick lenses at the signs of passagewritten upon the dusty floor.