Part 10 (1/2)
”I wish to speak with you three. The Lady Elza----” His glance went to her briefly, then to Georg. ”She has told you, perhaps, what I had to say to her?”
”Yes,” said Georg shortly.
Elza had indeed told us. And with sinking heart I had listened, for it did not seem to me that any maiden could resist so dominant a man as this. But I had made no comment, nor had Georg. Elza had seemed unwilling to discuss it, had flushed when her brother's eyes had keenly searched her face.
And she flushed now, but Tarrano dismissed the subject with a gesture.
”That--is between her and me.... You have been following the general news, I a.s.sume? I provided you with it.” He rolled a little cylinder of the arrant-leaf, and lighted it.
”Yes,” said Georg.
Georg was waiting for our captor to lay his cards before us. Tarrano knew it; his smile broadened. ”I shall not mince words, Georg Brende.
Between men, that is not necessary. And we are isolated here--no one beyond Venia can listen. As you know, I am already Master of Venus. In Mars--that will shortly come. They will hand themselves over to me--or I shall conquer them.” He shrugged. ”It is quite immaterial.” He added contemptuously: ”People are fools--almost everyone--it is no great feat to dominate them.”
”You'll find our Earth leaders are not fools,” Georg said quietly.
Tarrano's heavy brows went up. ”So?” He chuckled. ”That remains to be seen. Well, you heard the ultimatum they sent me? What do you think of it?”
”I think you'd best obey it,” I burst out impulsively.
”I was not speaking to you.” He did not change the level intonation of his voice, nor even look my way. ”You are to die tomorrow, Jac Hallen----”
Elza gave a low cry; instantly his gaze swung to her. ”So? That strikes at _you_, Lady Elza?”
She flushed even deeper than before, and the flush, with her instinctive look to me that accompanied it, made my heart leap. Tarrano's face had darkened. ”You would not have me put him to death, Lady Elza?”
She was struggling to guard from him her emotions; struggling to match her woman's wit against him.
”I--why no,” she stammered.
”No? Because he is--your friend?”
”Yes. I--I would not let you do that.”
”Not let me?” Incredulous amus.e.m.e.nt swept over his face.
”No. I would not--let you do that.” Her gaze now held level with his. A strength came to her voice. Georg and I watched her--and watched Tarrano--fascinated. She repeated once more: ”No. I would not let you.”
”How could you stop me?”
”I would--tell you not to do it.”
”So?” Admiration leaped into his eyes to mingle with the amus.e.m.e.nt there. ”You would tell me not to do it?”
”Yes.” She did not flinch before him.
”And you think then--I would spare him?”
”Yes. I know you would.”
”And why?”