Part 17 (2/2)
No smile of welcome crossed her cold, implacable features as her gaze met that of her son Omar; no enthusiastic or maternal greeting pa.s.sed her lips. Her maids of honour and courtiers grouped about her murmured approbation and welcome as the heavy curtains fell aside, but frowning slightly she raised her bejewelled claw-like hand impatiently with a gesture commanding silence, darting hasty glances of displeasure upon those who had, by applauding, lowered her regal dignity. On either side black female slaves in garments of crimson silk and wearing golden girdles, ma.s.sive earrings and neck chains, slowly fanned the ruler of Mo with large circular fans of ostrich feathers, and from a pedestal near her a tiny fountain of some fragrant perfume shot up and fell with faint plas.h.i.+ng into its basin of marvellously-cut crystal. The splendour was barbaric yet refined, ill.u.s.trative everywhere of the tastes of these denizens of the unknown kingdom. The walls of the great hall were strangely sculptured with colossal monstrosities, mostly hideous designs, apparently intended to depict the awful wrath of the deity Zomara, while here and there were curious frescoes of almost photographic finish, the execution of which had been accomplished by some art quite unknown to European civilization. The paving whereon we stood was of jasper, highly polished, with here and there strange outlines inlaid with gold. These outlines, a little crude and unfinished, were mostly ill.u.s.trative of the power of the Nayas, depicting scenes of battle, justice and execution.
”Let our son Omar stand forth and approach our Emerald Throne,” exclaimed the Naya at last, in a thin, rasping voice, moving slightly as she bent forward, fixing her s.h.i.+ning eyes upon us. They glittered with evil.
At the royal command all bowed low in submission, it being etiquette to do this whenever the Naya expressed command or wish, and Omar, leaving my side, strode forward with becoming hauteur, and, crossing the floor as highly polished as gla.s.s, advanced to his royal mother, and, bending upon his knee, pressed her thin, bony hand to his lips.
But even then no expression of pleasure crossed her stony features. I had expected to witness an affectionate meeting between mother and son, and was extremely surprised at the coldness of my friend's reception, having regard to his long absence and the many perils we had together faced on our entry into Mo.
”News was flashed unto me last night that thou hadst crossed the Thousand Steps,” the Queen said, slowly withdrawing her bony hand. ”Why hast thou returned from the land of the white men, and why, pray, hast thou brought hither strangers with thee?”
”These strangers are heroes, each one of them,” Omar answered, rising, and standing before the throne. ”Every man has already fought for thee, and for Mo.”
”For me? How?”
Then briefly he related how we had met the remnant of Samory's invading force and defeated them, so that not a single fugitive remained.
”These savages fought merely for their own lives, not for me,” she said with a supercilious sneer, regarding the half-clad natives with disdain.
”We in Mo desire not the introduction of such creatures as these.”
”Are not my friends welcome?” Omar asked, pale with anger. ”A Sanom hath never yet turned from his palace those who have proved themselves his friends.”
”Neither hath a Sanom sought the aid of savages,” answered the Great White Queen, with a glance of withering scorn.
”Adversity sometimes causeth us to seek strange alliances,” my friend argued. ”These men of the Dagomba, Kona, their head man, and Scarsmere, my friend from the land of the white men, have given me aid, and if thou accordest them no welcome, then I, Omar, in the name of my ancestors, the Nabas and the Nayas, will give them greeting, and provide them with befitting entertainment while they are within our walls.”
His words caused instant consternation. The will of the Naya was not to be thwarted. Her every wish was law; a single word from her meant life or death. This openly-expressed opposition was, to the court, a most terrible offence, punishable by death to all others save the heir.
The Naya, her thin lips tightly set and cruelty lurking in the corners of her mouth, rose slowly with an air of terrible anger.
”Does our son Omar thus defy us?” she asked with grim harshness.
”I defy thee not O queen-mother,” answered my friend, clasping his hands resolutely behind his back, and standing with his legs slightly apart. ”I bring unto thee those who have fought for me, and have been my companions through many perils, expecting welcome. Were it not for them I, the last of our regal line, would be no longer living, and at thy death our kingdom would have been without a ruler.”
”Son, the claim of these, thy friends, to my protection is admitted; nevertheless, the stranger, whoever he may be, is by the law of our kingdom that hath been rigorously observed for a thousand years, debarred from traversing the Thousand Steps.”
As the queen spoke I noticed two gorgeously-attired men behind her, probably her chief advisers, exchange whispers with smiles of evident satisfaction.
”Then I am to understand that the Naya of Mo absolutely refuseth to sanction these my friends to dwell within our walls?” Omar said.
”We forbid these strangers to remain,” answered the Queen, crimsoning with anger that her son should have thus argued with her. ”They are granted until noon to-morrow to quit our city. Those found within our land after three suns have set will be held as slaves. I, the Naya, have spoken.”
”As thou willest it, so it will be,” answered her son, bowing very stiffly. Then, turning to us, he said:
”Friends, the people give you cordial welcome, even though the Naya may refuse to grant you peace. You shall remain----”
”Thou insultest us publicly,” cried the Great White Queen, still standing erect, her black eyes flas.h.i.+ng beneath the wisp of scanty grey hair, and her talon-like hand uplifted. ”To utter such words hast thou returned from the land beyond the black seas? True, thou art my son, and some day will sit upon this my stool, but for thus opposing my will thou shalt be banished from Mo until such time as I am carried to the tombs of my fathers. Then, when thou returnest hither, thy reign shall be one of tumults and evil-doing. The people who now shout themselves hoa.r.s.e because their idol Omar hath returned to them, shall, in that day, curse thee, and heap upon thee every indignity. May the Great Darkness encompa.s.s thee, may thine enemies break and crush thee, and may Zomara, the One of Power, smite and devour thee,” and as she uttered these words she held up her long skinny arms to the hideous golden crocodile suspended over her, muttering some mystic sentences the while.
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