Part 34 (2/2)
As he spoke, Juanna, wrapped in her dark cloak, appeared, apparently out of the stones of the wall, and with her Otter, the Settle their dead co whom, however, Nam was not to be seen
”Oh, is that you, Leonard?” said Juanna in English, and in a voice broken with fear ”Thank Heaven that you are safe!”
”Thank Heaven that we are all safe,” he answered ”Coet on
No, we can walk, thank you,” and he waved away the priests, who produced the litters from where they had hidden them under the wall
The ate of the palace a welcoht met their eyes, for here stood Olfan, and with him at least a hundred captains and soldiers, who lifted their spears in salute as they advanced
”Olfan, hear our bidding,” said Juanna ”Suffer no priest of the Snake to enter the palace gates We give you couards at every doorway and co bowed and issued some orders, in obedience to which the sullen priests fell back ates, crossed the courtyard, and presently stood in the torch-lit throne-rooht Here food had been prepared for them by Soa, who looked at theh, indeed, she had never expected to see theain
”Hearken, Olfan,” said Juanna, ”we have saved your life to-night and you have sworn fealty to us; is it not so?”
”It is so, Queen,” the warrior answered ”And I will be faithful to my oath This heart, that but for you had now been cold, beats for you alone The life you gave back to me is yours, and for you I live and die”
As he spoke he glanced at her with an expression in which, as it see was mixed with supernatural awe Was it possible, she wondered with a thrill of fear, that this savage king washis worshi+p of the Goddess with adin to suspect that she was no Goddess after all? Time would show, but at least the look in his eyes alaruard you night and day
The power of Nam is broken for a while, and now all this company may sleep in peace”
”It is well, Olfan To-ain, for we have reat man bowed and went, and at last they were alone
”Let us eat,” said Leonard ”What is this? Spirit, or a very good ilass of brandy more in my life”
When they had finished their meal, at the request of Leonard Juanna translated all that had been said in the te her listeners there was none more interested than Soa
”Say, Soa,” said Leonard, when she had finished, ”you did not expect to see us come back alive, did you? Is that why you stayed away?”
”No, Deliverer,” she answered ”I thought that you would be killed, every one of you And so it must have come about, had it not been for the Shepherdess Also, I stayed away because those who have looked upon the Snake once do not desire to see hio I was bride to the Snake, Deliverer, and, had I not fled, ht”
”Well, I do not wonder that you chose to go,” said Leonard
”Oh, Baas,” broke in Otter, ”why did you not shoot that old medicine-man as I told you? It would have been easy when you were about it, Baas, and noould have been broken like an eggshell thrown from a house-top, and not alive and full of the e and wickedness, and I say that he will kill us all if he can”
”I rather wish I had,” said Leonard, pulling his beard ”I thought of it, but could not do everything; and on future occasions, Otter, will you remember that your name is Silence? Luckily, these people do not understand you: if they did you would ruin us all What is the , Deliverer,” she answered; ”only I was thinking that Nalad that you did not shoot hiests”
”Of Gods I know nothing, you old cow,” answered Otter angrily; ”they are a far-off people, though it see these fools, your kins, and it is that they bite”
”Yes, and cows toss dogs,” said Soa, showing her teeth
”Here is another coht Leonard to himself; ”one day this woman will make friends with her venerable parent and betray us, and then where shall we be? Well, aers an extra one does not o to bed,” said Juanna faintly; ”iddy place When first I sahere I was, I nearly fainted and fell, but after a while I grewto the people I quite forgot ht it was! When all is said and done, it is a grand thing to have lived through such an experience I wonder if anyone has ever seen its like”