CHAPTER LI.
THE DEATH OF LYONE.
When the ecstasy of our meeting had somewhat subsided I informed Lyoneof the dreadful crisis in our affairs. I pointed out that to save herlife the king required her army to disband itself, and her leaders todeliver themselves up as rebels and insurrectionists, to receivepunishment for their so-called offences.
"Now," said I, "notwithstanding the fact that we can defeat the royalarmy in pitched battle, yet to save your precious life we are willingto surrender ourselves to his majesty."
"And what do you think would life be worth to me," said Lyone, hereyes flashing fire, "with my dearest friends slain, my cause ruined,and my soul covered with the shame of remorse, defeat and the disgraceof having purchased my miserable life by the death of the noblest ofsouls? I will go to the scaffold alone. You will conquer, and willavenge my death."
"Sweet goddess!" I cried, "you will not thus sacrifice yourself. Whatwill victory be worth if you, for whom we fight, are not our proudesttrophy? What avails the triumph of our cause if there remains no queento possess the triumph? Your life is our life, your death ourdestruction. With you to fight for, any company of leaders will besuccessful. Let us surrender ourselves to make you free."
"It can never be," replied Lyone, "that you must suffer, one hundredsouls for but one. I am that one, and the cause can more easily sufferthe loss of one soul than the loss of all. That the soul may againpossess freedom is worthy many a martyr. I only regret I have but onelife to give for this blessed cause. I counsel you to depart and carryon the war you have so bravely begun, and in your hour of triumphremember Lyone."
"There is no cause if there is no Lyone," I pleaded. "Do not be yourown enemy; accept the condition of freedom so freely offered you, andperhaps even we may still find some means of escape."
"The king, I know," said Lyone, "would much prefer your death to mine.He is exasperated at the loss of the fleet, and that, too, at thehands of strangers. Nothing would give him greater joy, and nothingsuch fame in the eyes of the nation, than to put yourself and yoursailors to death. My capture and your present visit are but thefulfilment of his plot to destroy you. He thinks you will never allowme to be sacrificed, and so hopes for your annihilation. But in thishe will be disappointed. In this terrible trial I have eaten my heartout. Without you, and without our faithful comrades, life would beless than worthless. This crisis can only be solved by heroicmeasures. I have decided for you all. Go!--go and avenge my death!"
I saw that Lyone had firmly steeled her soul for the sacrifice,tremendous at it was, and in the presence of such heroism it seemedsacrilege to again offer our less worthy lives for a life such ashers.
But a resolve so unsupportable agonized me. I clasped the divine girlin my arms in a transport of love and horror, and implored her againand again to accept life while it was offered her.
We stood beside the aquarium in the centre of the apartment, close tothe vase of gold filled with flowers. Lyone, in a dazed state, reachedfor a flower, and in doing so touched the vase, and in a moment felldead upon the floor!
LYONE REACHED FOR A FLOWER AND IN DOING SO TOUCHED THEVASE AND IMMEDIATELY FELL DEAD UPON THE FLOOR!]
I cannot dwell upon the horror of the scene. I rushed to the doorof the apartment, and stood in the outer chamber, where waited mycompanions.
The governor of the fortress came forward to explain that I was hisprisoner until he had heard from the king whether or not I should bepermitted to leave the prison. I raised my spear, and with one blowtransfixed the dog at my feet. He never spoke again!
The taking off of the governor was accomplished with so littledisturbance that we passed through the body-guard, which was assembledin the outer corridor, without interference.
The situation was war!
Was it really true that our hope was dead, that our jewel, the gloryof our cause, was lying cold and lifeless in her prison?
I was stunned with the first shock of the scene. I could only cry out,as though she were still alive, for her radiant soul to come and shareour mutual bliss.
But when it clearly dawned upon me that the being for whose freedom Ihad resolutely labored had become the victim of her murderers, that Icould never again enfold her beauty with my love, however ardent ortender, I was petrified with horror.
My immediate comrades, to whom I communicated the tidings, grew whitewith the appalling news.
The one cry was, "Could Lyone, the idol of her army, the goddess ofher people, be indeed dead? Was the voice that could conjure such loveand devotion hushed forever?"
Leaving a guard to watch over the body of the goddess, I set out forKioram.
Barely escaping arrest at the hands of several wayleals, we arrivedsafely at the fortress. It was our wings and spears, and not thepassport of the king, that saved us.
The council in Kioram, on hearing of the death of the queen, grewexcited. The one desire in the hearts of all had been to save Lyone'slife--but, alas!
I despatched a messenger to the king, charging him with the murder ofthe queen, and stating that I should exact retribution at his handsfor the foul deed. I warned him not to do any injury to the person ofher majesty, but deliver her dead body to the guard we would send, whowould convey it to Egyplosis.
"This is a wound that infuriates me," said the grand sorcerer.
"It is the work of the jealous Koshnili and the murderous Bhoolmakar,"said I; "and dearly will they answer for it! I must return at once toCalnogor, and take charge of the body for honorable sepulture."
"I think it better for your excellency to remain at the head of thearmy," said the grand sorcerer, "and allow me to undertake the removalof the body of the queen to Egyplosis. By keeping her death a secretfrom the army you will be able to defeat Coltonobory, and bring theking and Koshnili to justice. I shall delay the obsequies of the queenuntil victory is assured."
I agreed to this proposition, being anxious to bring the king tojustice, and thereupon relieved General Charka of his command of the21,000 bockhockids, giving him a guard of 100 wayleals, and requestedhim to proceed at once to the fortress of Calnogor, and, demanding thebody of Lyone, bear it to Egyplosis for honorable sepulture.
The grand sorcerer, who had anticipated the refusal of Lyone to acceptliberty at the price demanded, but did not apprehend her sudden death,had, during my absence, assisted at completing the organization of thearmy. I gave his command of the right wing of the army to Sir JohnForbes, Captain Adams accepting a subordinate command.
Supreme General Hushnoly had fully armed the various battalions withmitrailleuses and electric spears, and had furnished all with electricwings.
I instructed Hushnoly to mobilize the army at once and order animmediate advance on Calnogor. All Kioram was alive with warlikepreparations. The various generals and captains, accompanied by theiraides-de-camp, flew over the city, calling their troops to arms. Bothwayleals and bockhockids, soaring into the air, formed themselves intoimmense living globes, and in the hollow centre of each flew thecommanding general and his subordinate officers. In less than an hourthe entire army lay marshalled in the air, and Supreme GeneralHushnoly called me to review our forces.
It was a magnificent sight. High over Kioram stretched a line ofenormous spheres composed of wayleals and bockhockids arranged in thefollowing order:
THE ARMY OF HER MAJESTY QUEEN LYONE.
HIS EXCELLENCY LEXINGTON WHITE, _Commander-in-Chief_.
GENERAL SIR JOHN FORBES, commanding the right wing of 21,000 bockhockids, as follows:
The Legion of Art, commanded by General Yermoul.Phalanx of Poetry--Vice-Gen. Ahornus 2,000Phalanx of Music " Arnondar 2,000Phalanx of Painting " Rhemegron 2,000Phalanx of Dancing " Osornon 2,000Phalanx of Architecture " Vanablis 2,000Phalanx of Drama " Clamavappy 2,000Phalanx of Sculpture " Hitturkey 2,000Phalanx of Decoration " Drapasius 2,000The Kioram Legion--General Nototherboc 5,000
br /> SUPREME GENERAL HUSHNOLY, commanding the centre of the army, comprising 175,000 wayleals.
The Phalanx of Egyplosis--General Gerolio 5,000First Amazonian Phalanx--General Zooly-Soase 2,500Second Amazonian Phalanx--General Thoubool 2,500The Kioram Phalanx--General Pra 10,000First Fletyeming Brigade--General Starbottle 10,000Second " " " Flathootly 10,000Third " " " Goldrock 10,000First Volunteer Army--General Jolgos 25,000Second " " " Akerbole 25,000Third " " " Tarabesq 25,000First Volunteer Legion--General Swilkar 10,000Second " " " Garreoc 10,000Third " " " Karramby 10,000Fourth " " " Botarnic 10,000Fifth " " " Heralion 5,000Sixth " " " Nosofrassy 5,000
GENERAL LADALMIR, commanding the left wing of 21,000 bockhockids, asfollows:
First Vol. Leg. Bockhockids--Vice-Gen. Adams 5,000Second " " " Doroccy 2,000Third " " " Madneaf 2,000Fourth " " " Darjiltis 2,000Fifth " " " Roumix 2,000Sixth " " " Hieralto 2,000Seventh " " " Dnublis 2,000Eighth " " " Napasacco 2,000Ninth " " " Dumargo 2,000
The army in all consisted of 182,000 men and 5,000 amazons. Theamazons were dressed similar to the priests of Egyplosis--that is, inpale brown soft-leather tights, high boots emblazoned with scales ofwhite metal, heavy spider-silk tunics, ornamented with beautifulembroidery and held close to the figure by a belt. The knapsack heldthe magnic cell, dynamo and wings, and also furnished the current fortheir spears.
As each wayleal required ample space for the movement of his or herwings, it will be seen that each living globe was of immense size, andthe entire army became of enormous proportions as it lay stretchedupon the air. I assumed supreme command as commander-in-chief, withFlathootly as special aide-de-camp, and gave orders for each globe todouble up its wayleals, so that in each case there would be twoglobes, the outer or fighting force and the interior or reserve force.In the centre of each living shell was placed the commissariatdepartment and the medical, musical and commanding staffs.
The death of Lyone had been kept a secret. The bands of each armybegan to play the "March of Lyone," and at the word of command thevast-flying mass of armed men moved grandly forward to Calnogor.