Chapter XXThe Beginning of the End

How little a man sees of what is before him. A week hence I would have scorned the thought that, once free, I should enter willingly again the City of heathen gods; that monster city that stretched before me, pitiless and dark, and full of mystery. Full, too, of the thirst of blood and of nameless deeds.

Surely the measure of its iniquity had overflowed. Within its walls there was little room for a man of peace like myself, but in these days I was not the master of my acts that I had once been; an inward fire consumed me. I will not make out my case one whit better than it was. Looking back in the calm of these latter days, I see Astolba was not all wrong.

It was not duty simply that drove me back; the duty of man to woman. It was, too, a strange half-bitter gladness that rose within me, as by Hubla’s side I went back, to face death, if need be, with her whose peril called me,—Lah, the Queen.

When the red witch had clutched my knees beseeching, she had seemed too feeble for further effort. Now, however, as once before had chanced, as we sought the road to the Palace, I had much ado to keep up with the swiftness of her halting gait.

For all my efforts she was ever in front, and as we had naught to say to each other, it was not long before we reached one of the secret entrances to the place, within which the uncanny figure of Hubla vanished, flitting like a bat through the darkness.

On the threshold I paused for an instant. One wing of the Palace was already aflame; the great square in front was packed with a howling mob. It had not yet surrounded the royal residence, but I knew it would soon do so; for if the magic of the Queen’s eloquence had, as I surmised, held itthus far in check, the spell now had lost its power.

Already the maddened people swarmed up the front of the massive building. The bodyguard within was faithful, and hurled back the rebels as they came. But the struggle I knew was but too unequal.

Fascinated by the spectacle, I still lingered. I saw one and another of the enemy bearing off rich spoil: jewelled garments, costly furnishings, goblets, skins, tapestries.

In the midst of the foe stood Agno, urging on the plunderers by word and gesture. His place was directly beneath the great statue of the god, Hed, and even as I looked a blue flame shot from above, and the stone image reeled.

The High Priest with a cry of terror flung himself back, but too late. The stone crashed downward. In a moment’s space all was over. Agno, the arch-traitor, had received from his master a just reward.

With a lighter heart I stepped within the Palace. Now that our chief enemy was dead hope rose again within my breast. It wouldgo hard indeed if having received from Heaven this signal favor, I did not save the Queen.

Hubla had disappeared, but I had threaded the labyrinth before me too often to need a guide. The thick walls of the place deadened the sound of the storm without. Only the echo of my running feet jarred on the silence.

The lust of the battle was upon me. First, I would give a lesson to these knaves, and that before the face of Lah; then, if need be, we would fly together. So would I pay my debt.

The clash of arms and the cries of the wounded told me all too surely which way to turn. Breathless, I rushed into the Queen’s own chamber. This place the last desperate handful of her followers had made their stronghold.

In their midst, clothed right royally, as for a festal day, stood Lah, their mistress and my own. When she saw me, the fire in her eyes gave place to a look of such glad wonder that I was humbled at the sight, and would have knelt before her, save that the hour and place were for more active service.

The great tawny beast, the tiger that she fondled, stood guard on one side; Zobo the Mighty, with drawn sword, had taken his stand on the other.

The same look of hostile jealousy leaped into the eyes of both man and brute, as I advanced; but Lah saw it, and with a word made peace between us. She was so lovely, so wondrously lovely, in that hour! All Queen and yet all woman.

And not ten paces off, and drawing ever nearer, came the ravening mob. Agno’s death had not turned them from their purpose, as I had hoped.

It was the beginning of the end; but I swore within me that it was life with Lah, or death for me. It is thus fate laughs at the oaths of men. In this hour I am whole and strong, while she—

But I must not let the bitterness of memory stay my hand. I have, I know it well, but little art in picturing out the past, and even now I could not if I would dwell on what followed next. The wound, for all these intervening years, is still too fresh.

She stood there thus, my Queen, the love light in her eyes, in the full radiance of her beauty.

With my oath freshly sworn, I stepped forward to take my part in her defence. That second a spear, flung from a distance, clove the air and buried its point in Lah’s fair breast. It needed no surgeon’s skill to know the hurt was mortal. With a roar like that of an angry beast Zobo sprang forward to avenge the murder.

The Queen swayed heavily forward, and I caught her in my arms. She clasped her small hands round the spear’s shaft and tried with a man’s courage to pull out the cruel steel, but I saw the useless agony it gave her, and gently begged her cease. The tears rolled down my face, and I cared not who should see them.

Lah’s beautiful head lay on my shoulder. She rested there as a tired child rests in its mother’s arms. The great brute, the tiger she had loved, now lapped the hand that fell in piteous helplessness by her side.

The roar of battle came nearer, butI heeded it not. For me the worst was over.

With a mighty effort the Queen raised her head. She spoke no word to me, but what need was there of words between us in that hour? But faintly, in a strange tongue, she called to Zobo, and in the midst of all the din and turmoil round about, he heard that cry. I saw his face convulsed with agony, but again Lah spoke, with a sweet beseeching eagerness, and, falling on his knees before her, the warrior kissed her garment’s hem and bent his head in token of obedience. Then he turned to me.

I looked once more into the depths of the Queen’s beautiful eyes. Then their lids drooped. The tiger uttered a long, terrible cry.

Zobo picked me up like a child in his giant arms and bore me from the chamber. I saw the great tawny brute standing over the body of his mistress. With burning shame and anger, I struggled to be free, but the Captain of the Guard held me close.

A forked tongue of flame licked the curtained tapestry that screened the room from which he carried me. The threads of gold shone bright amongst those of baser metal. The hanging fell into place behind us. At a word from my captor four brawny slaves that waited took hold on me and bore me onward. Zobo tore down the burning tapestry and smothered the flame in his hands. He knelt beside the motionless body of the Queen. As he did so, the last of the gallant guard reeled back pierced by a hundred hungry knives. Then a turn in the winding corridor hid the room from sight.

Spurred by the fear of capture and of death, but bound by I know not what strange spell of obedience, my captors hurried onward, but ever with their burden.

So ingloriously was I borne without the Palace, and when at last they let me go, I saw a sheet of flame rise from its massive roof. The great palace with its fearsome Burial Hall, its beautiful Throne Room, and its wondrous Treasure Chamber, was even now a ruin—a fitting funeral pyre for her whose fair body lay within.

So once more I turned. And because in that hour, death would have been a sweet and not a bitter draught, Heaven withheld the cup from my thirsting lips. No man molested me, and at last I stood utterly alone once again and for the last time at the secret door that led through the wall of the City to the jungle without. Then that door, too, slipped into place behind me.

The dawn was breaking, the great storm was over, and I was free.

All this was, as I have said, many many years ago. I am an old man now, and having done my self-allotted task, I can die in peace at the appointed hour.

I have never mated. I have seen fair women, but none like her whose ashes lie within the dark circle of the City of Edba and of Hed. I have heard sweet voices, but none like hers.

Astolba, a matron now, passed me by on the arm of my one time gay comrade, Gaston Lestrade. He bore himself not so lightheartedly, I thought. Neither glanced at meas they passed on, but Astolba’s face turned from rose to white. But I do not blame them. I know too much which they would have forgotten.

So I sit beside the fire alone, save for my dreams and for the ruby that hangs upon my breast. When I hold the gem, I bear within the hollow of my hand untold wealth. This I know full well, but the riches of the universe would not tempt me to sell the parting gift of Lah, the Queen.

Is this love? Again I say I know not. Only this: in life the jewel rests upon my heart, and at my death he will be a bold man and not wise, who shall dare to wrest it from me.

THE END

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTESSilently corrected obvious typographical errors and variations in spelling.Retained archaic, non-standard, and uncertain spellings as printed.

TRANSCRIBER’S NOTES

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