Part 1 (1/2)
THE TOWER OF THE ELEPHANT
by Robert E Howard
Torches flared murkily on the revels in the Maul, where the thieves of the East held carnival by night In the Maul they could carouse and roar as they liked, for honest people shunned the quarters, and watchmen, well paid with stained coins, did not interfere with their sport Along the crooked, unpaved streets with their heaps of refuse and sloppy puddles, drunken roisters staggered, roaring Steel glinted in the shadohere rose the shrill laughter of woht licked luridly from broken s and widethrown doors, and out of those doors, stale s jacks and fists has, rushed like a blow in the face
In one of those dens merriathered in every stage of rags and tatters -- furtive cutpurses, leering kidnappers, quick-fingered thieves, swaggering bravos with their wenches, strident-voiced woues were the doers at their girdles and guile in their hearts But there olves of half a dozen outland nations there as well There was a giant Hyperborean renegade, taciturn, dangerous, with a broadsword strapped to his gaunt frame -- for men wore steel openly in the Maul There was a Shemitish counterfeiter, with his hook nose and curled blue-black beard There was a bold-eyed Brythunian wench, sitting on the knee of a tawdry-haired Gunder mercenary soldier, a deserter froue whose bawdy jests were causing all the shouts of mirth was a professional kidnapper co to Zae of the art than he could ever attain This man halted in his description of an intended victie tankard of frothing ale Then blowing the foam from his fat lips, he said, ”By Bel, God of all thieves, I'll show them how to steal wenches; I'll have her over the Za to receive her Three hundred pieces of silver, a count of Ophir pro Brythunian of the better class It took ar, to find one I kneould suit And she is a pretty baggage!
He blew a sobry kiss in the air
”I know lords in Shem ould trade the secret of the Elephant Tower for her,” he said, returning to his ale
A touch on his tunic sleeveat the interruption He saw a tall, stronglybeside hirey wolf autters His cheap tunic could not conceal the hard, rangy lines of his powerful frame, the broad heavy shoulders, the massive chest, lean waist, and heavy arms His skin was brown fro; a shock of tousled black hair crowned his broad forehead Fro a sword in a worn leather scabbard
The Kothian involuntarily drew back; for the man was not one of any civilized race he knew
”You spoke of the Elephant Tower,” said the stranger, speaking Zamorian with an alien accent ”I've heard much of this tohat is its secret?”
The fellow's attitude did not seee was bolstered up by the ale and the evident approval of his audience He swelled with self-importance
”The secret of the Elephant Tower?” he exclaimed ”Why any fool knows that Yara the priest dwells there with the great jewel ic”
The barbarian digested this for a space
”I have seen this tower,” he said ”It is set in a great garden above the level of the city, surrounded by high walls I have seen no guards The walls would be easy to cliem?”
The Kothian stared wide-mouthed at the other's simplicity, then burst into a roar of derisive mirth, in which the others joined
”Harken to this heathen!” he bellowed ”He would steal the jewel of Yara! -- Harken, fellow,” he said, turning portentously to the other, ”I suppose you are some sort of a northern barbarian--”
”I am a Cimmerian,” the outlander answered, in no friendly tone The reply and the dom that lay far to the south, on the borders of Sheive ear and learn wisdo jack at the discomfited youth ”Know that in Zamora, and more especially in this city, there are more bold thieves than anywhere else in the world, even Koth If eo You speak of cli cliain There are no guards in the garden at night for a very good reason -- that is no huuards But in the watch chamber, in the lower part of the tower, are arardens by night, you em is kept somewhee in the tower above”
”But if a ued the Cih the upper part of the tower and thus avoid the soldiers?”
Again the Kothian gaped at hily ”The barbarian is an eagle ould fly to the jeweled rim of the tohich is only a hundred and fifty feet above the earth, with rounded sides slicker than polished glass!”
The Ci laughter that greeted this remark He saw no particular humor in it and was too new to civilization to understand its discourtesies Civilized es because they know they can be i He was bewildered and chagrined and doubtless would have slunk away, abashed, but the Kothian chose to goad him further
”Come, come!” he shouted ”Tell these poor felloho have only been thieves since before you were spawned, tell theem!”
”There is always a way, if the desire be coupled with courage,” answered the Cimmerian shortly, nettled
The Kothian chose to take this as a personal slur His face grew purple with anger
”What!” he roared ”You dare tell us our business, and intiht!” And he pushed the Cimmerian violently