CHAPTER XX
THE CHARGE OF COWARDICE
Gahan, watching through the aperture between the hangings, saw thefrantic flight of their pursuers. A grim smile rested upon his lips ashe viewed the mad scramble for safety and saw them throw away theirswords and fight with one another to be first from the chamber of fear,and when they were all gone he turned back toward Tara, the smile stillupon his lips; but the smile died the instant that he turned, for hesaw that Tara had disappeared.
"Tara!" he called in a loud voice, for he knew that there was no dangerthat their pursuers would return; but there was no response, unless itwas a faint sound as of cackling laughter from afar. Hurriedly hesearched the passageway behind the hangings finding several doors, oneof which was ajar. Through this he entered the adjoining chamber whichwas lighted more brilliantly for the moment by the soft rays ofhurtling Thuria taking her mad way through the heavens. Here he foundthe dust upon the floor disturbed, and the imprint of sandals. They hadcome this way--Tara and whatever the creature was that had stolen her.
But what could it have been? Gahan, a man of culture and highintelligence, held few if any superstitions. In common with nearly allraces of Barsoom he clung, more or less inherently, to a certainexalted form of ancestor worship, though it was rather the memory orlegends of the virtues and heroic deeds of his forebears that hedeified rather than themselves. He never expected any tangible evidenceof their existence after death; he did not believe that they had thepower either for good or for evil other than the effect that theirexample while living might have had upon following generations; he didnot believe therefore in the materialization of dead spirits. If therewas a life hereafter he knew nothing of it, for he knew that sciencehad demonstrated the existence of some material cause for everyseemingly supernatural phenomenon of ancient religions andsuperstitions. Yet he was at a loss to know what power might haveremoved Tara so suddenly and mysteriously from his side in a chamberthat had not known the presence of man for five thousand years.
In the darkness he could not see whether there were the imprints ofother sandals than Tara's--only that the dust was disturbed--and whenit led him into gloomy corridors he lost the trail altogether. Aperfect labyrinth of passages and apartments were now revealed to himas he hurried on through the deserted quarters of O-Mai. Here was anancient bath--doubtless that of the jeddak himself, and again he passedthrough a room in which a meal had been laid upon a table five thousandyears before--the untasted breakfast of O-Mai, perhaps. There passedbefore his eyes in the brief moments that he traversed the chambers, awealth of ornaments and jewels and precious metals that surprised eventhe Jed of Gathol whose harness was of diamonds and platinum and whoseriches were the envy of a world. But at last his search of O-Mai'schambers ended in a small closet in the floor of which was the openingto a spiral runway leading straight down into Stygian darkness. Thedust at the entrance of the closet had been freshly disturbed, and asthis was the only possible indication that Gahan had of the directiontaken by the abductor of Tara it seemed as well to follow on as tosearch elsewhere. So, without hesitation, he descended into the utterdarkness below. Feeling with a foot before taking a forward step hisdescent was necessarily slow, but Gahan was a Barsoomian and so knewthe pitfalls that might await the unwary in such dark, forbiddenportions of a jeddak's palace.
He had descended for what he judged might be three full levels and waspausing, as he occasionally did, to listen, when he distinctly heard apeculiar shuffling, scraping sound approaching him from below. Whateverthe thing was it was ascending the runway at a steady pace and wouldsoon be near him. Gahan laid his hand upon the hilt of his sword anddrew it slowly from its scabbard that he might make no noise that wouldapprise the creature of his presence. He wished that there might beeven the slightest lessening of the darkness. If he could see but theoutline of the thing that approached him he would feel that he had afairer chance in the meeting; but he could see nothing, and thenbecause he could see nothing the end of his scabbard struck the stoneside of the runway, giving off a sound that the stillness and thenarrow confines of the passage and the darkness seemed to magnify to aterrific clatter.
Instantly the shuffling sound of approach ceased. For a moment Gahanstood in silent waiting, then casting aside discretion he moved onagain down the spiral. The thing, whatever it might be, gave forth nosound now by which Gahan might locate it. At any moment it might beupon him and so he kept his sword in readiness. Down, ever downward thesteep spiral led. The darkness and the silence of the tomb surroundedhim, yet somewhere ahead was something. He was not alone in that horridplace--another presence that he could not hear or see hovered beforehim--of that he was positive. Perhaps it was the thing that had stolenTara. Perhaps Tara herself, still in the clutches of some namelesshorror, was just ahead of him. He quickened his pace--it became almosta run at the thought of the danger that threatened the woman he loved,and then he collided with a wooden door that swung open to the impact.Before him was a lighted corridor. On either side were chambers. He hadadvanced but a short distance from the bottom of the spiral when herecognized that he was in the pits below the palace. A moment later heheard behind him the shuffling sound that had attracted his attentionin the spiral runway. Wheeling about he saw the author of the soundemerging from a doorway he had just passed. It was Ghek the kaldane.
"Ghek!" exclaimed Gahan. "It was you in the runway? Have you seen Taraof Helium?"
"It was I in the spiral," replied the kaldane; "but I have not seenTara of Helium. I have been searching for her. Where is she?"
"I do not know," replied the Gatholian; "but we must find her and takeher from this place."
"We may find her," said Ghek; "but I doubt our ability to take heraway. It is not so easy to leave Manator as it is to enter it. I maycome and go at will, through the ancient burrows of the ulsios; but youare too large for that and your lungs need more air than may be foundin some of the deeper runways."
"But U-Thor!" exclaimed Gahan. "Have you heard aught of him or hisintentions?"
"I have heard much," replied Ghek. "He camps at The Gate of Enemies.That spot he holds and his warriors lie just beyond The Gate; but hehas not sufficient force to enter the city and take the palace. An hoursince and you might have made your way to him; but now every avenue isstrongly guarded since O-Tar learned that A-Kor had escaped to U-Thor."
"A-Kor has escaped and joined U-Thor!" exclaimed Gahan.
"But little more than an hour since. I was with him when a warriorcame--a man whose name is Tasor--who brought a message from you. It wasdecided that Tasor should accompany A-Kor in an attempt to reach thecamp of U-Thor, the great jed of Manatos, and exact from him theassurances you required. Then U-Thor was to return and take food to youand the Princess of Helium. I accompanied them. We won through easilyand found U-Thor more than willing to respect your every wish, but whenTasor would have returned to you the way was blocked by the warriors ofO-Tar. Then it was that I volunteered to come to you and report andfind food and drink and then go forth among the Gatholian slaves ofManator and prepare them for their part in the plan that U-Thor andTasor conceived."
"And what was this plan?"
"U-Thor has sent for reinforcements. To Manatos he has sent and to allthe outlying districts that are his. It will take a month to collectand bring them hither and in the meantime the slaves within the cityare to organize secretly, stealing and hiding arms against the day thatthe reinforcements arrive. When that day comes the forces of U-Thorwill enter the Gate of Enemies and as the warriors of O-Tar rush torepulse them the slaves from Gathol will fall upon them from the rearwith the majority of their numbers, while the balance will assault thepalace. They hope thus to divert so many from The Gate that U-Thor willhave little difficulty in forcing an entrance to the city."
"Perhaps they will succeed," commented Gahan; "but the warriors ofO-Tar are many, and those who fight in defense of their homes and theirjeddak have always an advantage. Ah, Ghek, would that we had the greatwarships of Gathol or of
Helium to pour their merciless fire into thestreets of Manator while U-Thor marched to the palace over the corpsesof the slain." He paused, deep in thought, and then turned his gazeagain upon the kaldane. "Heard you aught of the party that escaped withme from The Field of Jetan--of Floran, Val Dor, and the others? What ofthem?"
"Ten of these won through to U-Thor at The Gate of Enemies and werewell received by him. Eight fell in the fighting upon the way. Val Dorand Floran live, I believe, for I am sure that I heard U-Thor addresstwo warriors by these names."
"Good!" exclaimed Gahan. "Go then, through the burrows of the ulsios,to The Gate of Enemies and carry to Floran the message that I shallwrite in his own language. Come, while I write the message."
In a nearby room they found a bench and table and there Gahan sat andwrote in the strange, stenographic characters of Martian script amessage to Floran of Gathol. "Why," he asked, when he had finished it,"did you search for Tara through the spiral runway where we nearly met?"
"Tasor told me where you were to be found, and as I have explored thegreater part of the palace by means of the ulsio runways and the darkerand less frequented passages I knew precisely where you were and how toreach you. This secret spiral ascends from the pits to the roof of theloftiest of the palace towers. It has secret openings at every level;but there is no living Manatorian, I believe, who knows of itsexistence. At least never have I met one within it and I have used itmany times. Thrice have I been in the chamber where O-Mai lies, thoughI knew nothing of his identity or the story of his death until Tasortold it to us in the camp of U-Thor."
"You know the palace thoroughly then?" Gahan interrupted.
"Better than O-Tar himself or any of his servants."
"Good! And you would serve the Princess Tara, Ghek, you may serve herbest by accompanying Floran and following his instructions. I willwrite them here at the close of my message to him, for the walls haveears, Ghek, while none but a Gatholian may read what I have written toFloran. He will transmit it to you. Can I trust you?"
"I may never return to Bantoom," replied Ghek. "Therefore I have buttwo friends in all Barsoom. What better may I do than serve themfaithfully? You may trust me, Gatholian, who with a woman of your kindhas taught me that there be finer and nobler things than perfectmentality uninfluenced by the unreasoning tuitions of the heart. I go."
* * * * *
As O-Tar pointed to the little doorway all eyes turned in the directionhe indicated and surprise was writ large upon the faces of the warriorswhen they recognized the two who had entered the banquet hall. Therewas I-Gos, and he dragged behind him one who was gagged and whose handswere fastened behind with a ribbon of tough silk. It was the slavegirl. I-Gos' cackling laughter rose above the silence of the room.
"Ey, ey!" he shrilled. "What the young warriors of O-Tar cannot do, oldI-Gos does alone."
"Only a Corphal may capture a Corphal," growled one of the chiefs whohad fled from the chambers of O-Mai.
I-Gos laughed. "Terror turned your heart to water," he replied; "andshame your tongue to libel. This be no Corphal, but only a woman ofHelium; her companion a warrior who can match blades with the best ofyou and cut your putrid hearts. Not so in the days of I-Gos' youth. Ah,then were there men in Manator. Well do I recall that day that I--"
"Peace, doddering fool!" commanded O-Tar. "Where is the man?"
"Where I found the woman--in the death chamber of O-Mai. Let your wiseand brave chieftains go thither and fetch him. I am an old man, andcould bring but one."
"You have done well, I-Gos," O-Tar hastened to assure him, for when helearned that Gahan might still be in the haunted chambers he wished toappease the wrath of I-Gos, knowing well the vitriolic tongue andtemper of the ancient one. "You think she is no Corphal, then, I-Gos?"he asked, wishing to carry the subject from the man who was still atlarge.
"No more than you," replied the ancient taxidermist.
O-Tar looked long and searchingly at Tara of Helium. All the beautythat was hers seemed suddenly to be carried to every fibre of hisconsciousness. She was still garbed in the rich harness of a BlackPrincess of Jetan, and as O-Tar the Jeddak gazed upon her he realizedthat never before had his eyes rested upon a more perfect figure--amore beautiful face.
"She is no Corphal," he murmured to himself. "She is no Corphal and sheis a princess--a princess of Helium, and, by the golden hair of theHoly Hekkador, she is beautiful. Take the gag from her mouth andrelease her hands," he commanded aloud. "Make room for the PrincessTara of Helium at the side of O-Tar of Manator. She shall dine asbecomes a princess."
Slaves did as O-Tar bid and Tara of Helium stood with flashing eyesbehind the chair that was offered her. "Sit!" commanded O-Tar.
The girl sank into the chair. "I sit as a prisoner," she said; "not asa guest at the board of my enemy, O-Tar of Manator."
O-Tar motioned his followers from the room. "I would speak alone withthe Princess of Helium," he said. The company and the slaves withdrewand once more the Jeddak of Manator turned toward the girl. "O-Tar ofManator would be your friend," he said.
Tara of Helium sat with arms folded upon her small, firm breasts, hereyes flashing from behind narrowed lids, nor did she deign to answerhis overture. O-Tar leaned closer to her. He noted the hostility of herbearing and he recalled his first encounter with her. She was ashe-banth, but she was beautiful. She was by far the most desirablewoman that O-Tar had ever looked upon and he was determined to possessher. He told her so.
"I could take you as my slave," he said to her; "but it pleases me tomake you my wife. You shall be Jeddara of Manator. You shall have sevendays in which to prepare for the great honor that O-Tar is conferringupon you, and at this hour of the seventh day you shall become anempress and the wife of O-Tar in the throne room of the jeddaks ofManator." He struck a gong that stood beside him upon the table andwhen a slave appeared he bade him recall the company. Slowly the chiefsfiled in and took their places at the table. Their faces were grim andscowling, for there was still unanswered the question of their jeddak'scourage. If O-Tar had hoped they would forget he had been mistaken inhis men.
O-Tar arose. "In seven days," he announced, "there will be a greatfeast in honor of the new Jeddara of Manator," and he waved his handtoward Tara of Helium. "The ceremony will occur at the beginning of theseventh zode* in the throne room. In the meantime the Princess ofHelium will be cared for in the tower of the women's quarters of thepalace. Conduct her thither, E-Thas, with a suitable guard of honor andsee to it that slaves and eunuchs be placed at her disposal, who shallattend upon all her wants and guard her carefully from harm."
* About 8:30 P. M. Earth Time.
Now E-Thas knew that the real meaning concealed in these fine words wasthat he should conduct the prisoner under a strong guard to the women'squarters and confine her there in the tower for seven days, placingabout her trustworthy guards who would prevent her escape or frustrateany attempted rescue.
As Tara was departing from the chamber with E-Thas and the guard, O-Tarleaned close to her ear and whispered: "Consider well during theseseven days the high honor I have offered you, and--its solealternative." As though she had not heard him the girl passed out ofthe banquet hall, her head high and her eyes straight to the front.
After Ghek had left him Gahan roamed the pits and the ancient corridorsof the deserted portions of the palace seeking some clue to thewhereabouts or the fate of Tara of Helium. He utilized the spiralrunway in passing from level to level until he knew every foot of itfrom the pits to the summit of the high tower, and into what apartmentsit opened at the various levels as well as the ingenious and hiddenmechanism that operated the locks of the cleverly concealed doorsleading to it. For food he drew upon the stores he found in the pitsand when he slept he lay upon the royal couch of O-Mai in the forbiddenchamber sharing the dais with the dead foot of the ancient jeddak.
In the palace about him seethed, all unknown to Gahan, a vast unrest.Warriors and chieftains pursued the duties of their vocations w
ith dourfaces, and little knots of them were collecting here and there and withfrowns of anger discussing some subject that was uppermost in the mindsof all. It was upon the fourth day following Tara's incarceration inthe tower that E-Thas, the major-domo of the palace and one of O-Tar'screatures, came to his master upon some trivial errand. O-Tar was alonein one of the smaller chambers of his personal suite when themajor-domo was announced, and after the matter upon which E-Thas hadcome was disposed of the jeddak signed him to remain.
"From the position of an obscure warrior I have elevated you, E-Thas,to the honors of a chief. Within the confines of the palace your wordis second only to mine. You are not loved for this, E-Thas, and shouldanother jeddak ascend the throne of Manator what would become of you,whose enemies are among the most powerful of Manator?"
"Speak not of it, O-Tar," begged E-Thas. "These last few days I havethought upon it much and I would forget it; but I have sought toappease the wrath of my worst enemies. I have been very kind andindulgent with them."
"You, too, read the voiceless message in the air?" demanded the jeddak.
E-Thas was palpably uneasy and he did not reply.
"Why did you not come to me with your apprehensions?" demanded O-Tar."Be this loyalty?"
"I feared, O mighty jeddak!" replied E-Thas. "I feared that you wouldnot understand and that you would be angry."
"What know you? Speak the whole truth!" commanded O-Tar.
"There is much unrest among the chieftains and the warriors," repliedE-Thas. "Even those who were your friends fear the power of those whospeak against you."
"What say they?" growled the jeddak.
"They say that you are afraid to enter the apartments of O-Mai insearch of the slave Turan--oh, do not be angry with me, Jeddak; it isbut what they say that I repeat. I, your loyal E-Thas, believe no suchfoul slander."
"No, no; why should I fear?" demanded O-Tar. "We do not know that he isthere. Did not my chiefs go thither and see nothing of him?"
"But they say that you did not go," pursued E-Thas, "and that they willhave none of a coward upon the throne of Manator."
"They said that treason?" O-Tar almost shouted.
"They said that and more, great jeddak," answered the major-domo. "Theysaid that not only did you fear to enter the chambers of O-Mai, butthat you feared the slave Turan, and they blame you for your treatmentof A-Kor, whom they all believe to have been murdered at your command.They were fond of A-Kor and there are many now who say aloud that A-Korwould have made a wondrous jeddak."
"They dare?" screamed O-Tar. "They dare suggest the name of a slave'sbastard for the throne of O-Tar!"
"He is your son, O-Tar," E-Thas reminded him, "nor is there a morebeloved man in Manator--I but speak to you of facts which may not beignored, and I dare do so because only when you realize the truth mayyou seek a cure for the ills that draw about your throne."
O-Tar had slumped down upon his bench--suddenly he looked shrunken andtired and old. "Cursed be the day," he cried, "that saw those threestrangers enter the city of Manator. Would that U-Dor had been sparedto me. He was strong--my enemies feared him; but he is gone--dead atthe hands of that hateful slave, Turan; may the curse of Issus be uponhim!"
"My jeddak, what shall we do?" begged E-Thas. "Cursing the slave willnot solve your problems."
"But the great feast and the marriage is but three days off," pleadedO-Tar. "It shall be a great gala occasion. The warriors and the chiefsall know that--it is the custom. Upon that day gifts and honors shallbe bestowed. Tell me, who are most bitter against me? I will send youamong them and let it be known that I am planning rewards for theirpast services to the throne. We will make jeds of chiefs and chiefs ofwarriors, and grant them palaces and slaves. Eh, E-Thas?"
The other shook his head. "It will not do, O-Tar. They will havenothing of your gifts or honors. I have heard them say as much."
"What do they want?" demanded O-Tar.
"They want a jeddak as brave as the bravest," replied E-Thas, thoughhis knees shook as he said it.
"They think I am a coward?" cried the jeddak.
"They say you are afraid to go to the apartments of O-mai the Cruel."
For a long time O-Tar sat, his head sunk upon his breast, staringblankly at the floor.
"Tell them," he said at last in a hollow voice that sounded not at alllike the voice of a great jeddak; "tell them that I will go to thechambers of O-Mai and search for Turan the slave."