Part 19 (2/2)
They were slices of se fro and intersecting the chalilimpsed a pile of this silken stuff near by, and as we laid our burden upon it Ruth caught h a curtained oval sidled a figure
Black and tall, its long and gnarled ar apelike; its shoulders were distorted, one sofar below the knee
It walked with a curious, crablike motion Upon its face were stamped countless wrinkles and its blackness see of unbelievable years, the very stain of ancientness And about neither face nor figure was there anything to shohether it was man or woman
From the twisted shoulders a short and sleeveless red tunic fell
Incredibly old the creature was--and by its corded muscles, its sinewy tendons, as incredibly powerful It raised withinBut the eyes were not ancient, no Irisless, lashless, black and brilliant, they blazed out of the face's carven web of wrinkles, intent upon Norhala and filled with a flame of worshi+p
It threw itself at her feet, prostrate, the inordinately long arh and curiously unpleasant falsetto
”Great lady! Goddess!”
She stretched out a sandaled foot, touched one of the black taloned hands, and at the contact I saw a shi+ver of ecstasy run through the lank body ”Yuruk--” she began, and paused, regarding us
”The Goddess speaks! Yuruk hears! The Goddess speaks!” It was a chant of adoration
”Yuruk Rise Look upon the strangers”
The creature--and now I knehat it rithed, twisted, and hideously apelike crouched upon its haunches, hands knuckling the floor
By the a eyes it was plain that not till now had the eunuch taken cognizance of us The anancy, of hatred--jealousy
”Augh!” he snarled; leaped to his feet; thrust an arainst Drake
”None of that!” He struck down the clutching arer in the bell-toned voice ”Yuruk, these belong to me No harm must come to them Yuruk--beware!”
”The Goddess commands Yuruk obeys” If fear quavered in the words, beneath was h
”That's a nice little plays,” ay--I shoot hi ”Cheer up, Ruth Don'twe can handle”
Norhala waved a white hand; Yuruk sidled over to one of the curtained ovals and through it, reappearing ale platter upon which were fruits, and a curdly white liquid in bowls of thick porcelain
”Eat,” she said, as the gnarled black arry?” asked Drake Ruth shook her head violently