But it was an hour before the king re-entered the apartment and in the
meantime the ape-man had occupied himself in examining the carvings
upon the walls and the numerous specimens of the handicraft of
Pal-ul-donian artisans which combined to impart an atmosphere of
richness and luxury to the apartment.
The limestone of the country, close-grained and of marble whiteness yet
worked with comparative ease with crude implements, had been wrought by
cunning craftsmen into bowls and urns and vases of considerable grace
and beauty. Into the carved designs of many of these virgin gold had
been hammered, presenting the effect of a rich and magnificent
cloisonne. A barbarian himself the art of barbarians had always
appealed to the ape-man to whom they represented a natural expression
of man's love of the beautiful to even a greater extent than the
studied and artificial efforts of civilization. Here was the real art
of old masters, the other the cheap imitation of the chromo.
It was while he was thus pleasurably engaged that Ko-tan returned. As
Tarzan, attracted by the movement of the hangings through which the
king entered, turned and faced him he was almost shocked by the
remarkable alteration of the king's appearance. His face was livid; his
hands trembled as with palsy, and his eyes were wide as with fright.
His appearance was one apparently of a combination of consuming anger
and withering fear. Tarzan looked at him questioningly.
"You have had bad news, Ko-tan?" he asked.
The king mumbled an unintelligible reply. Behind there thronged into
the apartment so great a number of warriors that they choked the
entrance-way. The king looked apprehensively to right and left. He cast
terrified glances at the ape-man and then raising his face and turning
his eyes upward he cried: "Jad-ben-Otho be my witness that I do not
this thing of my own accord." There was a moment's silence which was
again broken by Ko-tan. "Seize him," he cried to the warriors about
him, "for Lu-don, the high priest, swears that he is an impostor."
To have offered armed resistance to this great concourse of warriors in
the very heart of the palace of their king would have been worse than
fatal. Already Tarzan had come far by his wits and now that within a
few hours he had had his hopes and his suspicions partially verified by
the vague admissions of O-lo-a he was impressed with the necessity of
inviting no mortal risk that he could avoid.
"Stop!" he cried, raising his palm against them. "What is the meaning
of this?"
"Lu-don claims he has proof that you are not the son of Jad-ben-Otho,"
replied Ko-tan. "He demands that you be brought to the throneroom to
face your accusers. If you are what you claim to be none knows better
than you that you need have no fear in acquiescing to his demands, but
remember always that in such matters the high priest commands the king
and that I am only the bearer of these commands, not their author."
Tarzan saw that Ko-tan was not entirely convinced of his duplicity as
was evidenced by his palpable design to play safe.
"Let not your warriors seize me," he said to Ko-tan, "lest
Jad-ben-Otho, mistaking their intention, strike them dead." The effect
of his words was immediate upon the men in the front rank of those who
faced him, each seeming suddenly to acquire a new modesty that
compelled him to self-effacement behind those directly in his rear--a
modesty that became rapidly contagious.
The ape-man smiled. "Fear not," he said, "I will go willingly to the
audience chamber to face the blasphemers who accuse me."
Arrived at the great throneroom a new complication arose. Ko-tan would
not acknowledge the right of Lu-don to occupy the apex of the pyramid
and Lu-don would not consent to occupying an inferior position while
Tarzan, to remain consistent with his high claims, insisted that no one
should stand above him, but only to the ape-man was the humor of the
situation apparent.
To relieve the situation Ja-don suggested that all three of them occupy
the throne, but this suggestion was repudiated by Ko-tan who argued
that no mortal other than a king of Pal-ul-don had ever sat upon the
high eminence, and that furthermore there was not room for three there.
"But who," said Tarzan, "is my accuser and who is my judge?"
"Lu-don is your accuser," explained Ko-tan.
"And Lu-don is your judge," cried the high priest.
"I am to be judged by him who accuses me then," said Tarzan. "It were
better to dispense then with any formalities and ask Lu-don to sentence
me." His tone was ironical and his sneering face, looking straight into
that of the high priest, but caused the latter's hatred to rise to
still greater proportions.
It was evident that Ko-tan and his warriors saw the justice of Tarzan's
implied objection to this unfair method of dispensing justice. "Only
Ko-tan can judge in the throneroom of his palace," said Ja-don, "let
him hear Lu-don's charges and the testimony of his witnesses, and then
let Ko-tan's judgment be final."
Ko-tan, however, was not particularly enthusiastic over the prospect of
sitting in trial upon one who might after all very possibly be the son
of his god, and so he temporized, seeking for an avenue of escape. "It
is purely a religious matter," he said, "and it is traditional that the
kings of Pal-ul-don interfere not in questions of the church."
"Then let the trial be held in the temple," cried one of the chiefs,
for the warriors were as anxious as their king to be relieved of all
responsibility in the matter. This suggestion was more than
satisfactory to the high priest who inwardly condemned himself for not
having thought of it before.
"It is true," he said, "this man's sin is against the temple. Let him
be dragged thither then for trial."
"The son of Jad-ben-Otho will be dragged nowhere," cried Tarzan. "But
when this trial is over it is possible that the corpse of Lu-don, the
high priest, will be dragged from the temple of the god he would
desecrate. Think well, then, Lu-don before you commit this folly."
His words, intended to frighten the high priest from his position
failed utterly in consummating their purpose. Lu-don showed no terror
at the suggestion the ape-man's words implied.
"Here is one," thought Tarzan, "who, knowing more of his religion than
any of his fellows, realizes fully the falsity of my claims as he does
the falsity of the faith he preaches."
He realized, however, that his only hope lay in seeming indifference to
the charges. Ko-tan and the warriors were still under the spell of
their belief in him and upon this fact must he depend in the final act
of the drama that Lu-don was staging for his rescue from the jealous
priest whom he knew had already passed sentence upon him in his own
heart.
With a shrug he descended the steps of the pyramid. "It matters not to
Dor-ul-Otho," he said, "where Lu-don enrages his god, for Jad-ben-Otho
can reach as easily into the chambers of the temple as into the
throneroom of Ko-tan."
Immeasurably relieved by this easy solution of their problem the king
and the warriors thronged from the throneroom toward the temple
grounds, their faith in Tarzan increased by his apparent indifference
to the charges against him. Lu-don led them to the largest of the altar
courts.
Taking his place behind the western altar he motioned Ko-tan to a place
upon the platform at the left hand of the altar and directed Tarzan to
a similar place at the right.
As Tarzan ascended the platform his eyes narrowed angrily at the sight
which met them. The basin hollowed in the top of the altar was filled
with water in which floated the naked corpse of a new-born babe. "What
means this?" he cried angrily, turning upon Lu-don.
The latter smiled malevolently. "That you do not know," he replied, "is
but added evidence of the falsity of your claim. He who poses as the
son of god did not know that as the last rays of the setting sun flood
the eastern altar of the temple the lifeblood of an adult reddens the
white stone for the edification of Jad-ben-Otho, and that when the sun
rises again from the body of its maker it looks first upon this western
altar and rejoices in the death of a new-born babe each day, the ghost
of which accompanies it across the heavens by day as the ghost of the
adult returns with it to Jad-ben-Otho at night.
"Even the little children of the Ho-don know these things, while he who
claims to be the son of Jad-ben-Otho knows them not; and if this proof
be not enough, there is more. Come, Waz-don," he cried, pointing to a
tall slave who stood with a group of other blacks and priests on the
temple floor at the left of the altar.
The fellow came forward fearfully. "Tell us what you know of this
creature," cried Lu-don, pointing to Tarzan.
"I have seen him before," said the Waz-don. "I am of the tribe of
Kor-ul-lul, and one day recently a party of which I was one encountered
a few of the warriors of the Kor-ul-JA upon the ridge which separates
our villages. Among the enemy was this strange creature whom they
called Tarzan-jad-guru; and terrible indeed was he for he fought with
the strength of many men so that it required twenty of us to subdue
him. But he did not fight as a god fights, and when a club struck him
upon the head he sank unconscious as might an ordinary mortal.
"We carried him with us to our village as a prisoner but he escaped
after cutting off the head of the warrior we left to guard him and
carrying it down into the gorge and tying it to the branch of a tree
upon the opposite side."
"The word of a slave against that of a god!" cried Ja-don, who had
shown previously a friendly interest in the pseudo godling.
"It is only a step in the progress toward truth," interjected Lu-don.
"Possibly the evidence of the only princess of the house of Ko-tan will
have greater weight with the great chief from the north, though the
father of a son who fled the holy offer of the priesthood may not
receive with willing ears any testimony against another blasphemer."
Ja-don's hand leaped to his knife, but the warriors next him laid
detaining fingers upon his arms. "You are in the temple of
Jad-ben-Otho, Ja-don," they cautioned and the great chief was forced to
swallow Lu-don's affront though it left in his heart bitter hatred of
the high priest.
And now Ko-tan turned toward Lu-don. "What knoweth my daughter of this
matter?" he asked. "You would not bring a princess of my house to
testify thus publicly?"
"No," replied Lu-don, "not in person, but I have here one who will
testify for her." He beckoned to an under priest. "Fetch the slave of
the princess," he said.
His grotesque headdress adding a touch of the hideous to the scene, the
priest stepped forward dragging the reluctant Pan-at-lee by the wrist.
"The Princess O-lo-a was alone in the Forbidden Garden with but this
one slave," explained the priest, "when there suddenly appeared from
the foliage nearby this creature who claims to be the Dor-ul-Otho. When
the slave saw him the princess says that she cried aloud in startled
recognition and called the creature by name--Tarzan-jad-guru--the same
name that the slave from Kor-ul-lul gave him. This woman is not from
Kor-ul-lul but from Kor-ul-JA, the very tribe with which the Kor-ul-lul
says the creature was associating when he first saw him. And further
the princess said that when this woman, whose name is Pan-at-lee, was
brought to her yesterday she told a strange story of having been
rescued from a Tor-o-don in the Kor-ul-GRYF by a creature such as this,
whom she spoke of then as Tarzan-jad-guru; and of how the two were
pursued in the bottom of the gorge by two monster gryfs, and of how the
man led them away while Pan-at-lee escaped, only to be taken prisoner
in the Kor-ul-lul as she was seeking to return to her own tribe.
"Is it not plain now," cried Lu-don, "that this creature is no god. Did
he tell you that he was the son of god?" he almost shouted, turning
suddenly upon Pan-at-lee.
The girl shrank back terrified. "Answer me, slave!" cried the high
priest.
"He seemed more than mortal," parried Pan-at-lee.
"Did he tell you that he was the son of god? Answer my question,"
insisted Lu-don.
"No," she admitted in a low voice, casting an appealing look of
forgiveness at Tarzan who returned a smile of encouragement and
friendship.
"That is no proof that he is not the son of god," cried Ja-don. "Dost
think Jad-ben-Otho goes about crying 'I am god! I am god!' Hast ever
heard him Lu-don? No, you have not. Why should his son do that which
the father does not do?"
"Enough," cried Lu-don. "The evidence is clear. The creature is an
impostor and I, the head priest of Jad-ben-Otho in the city of A-lur,
do condemn him to die." There was a moment's silence during which
Lu-don evidently paused for the dramatic effect of his climax. "And if
I am wrong may Jad-ben-Otho pierce my heart with his lightnings as I
stand here before you all."
The lapping of the wavelets of the lake against the foot of the palace
wall was distinctly audible in the utter and almost breathless silence
which ensued. Lu-don stood with his face turned toward the heavens and
his arms outstretched in the attitude of one who bares his breast to
the dagger of an executioner. The warriors and the priests and the
slaves gathered in the sacred court awaited the consuming vengeance of
their god.
It was Tarzan who broke the silence. "Your god ignores you Lu-don," he
taunted, with a sneer that he meant to still further anger the high
priest, "he ignores you and I can prove it before the eyes of your
priests and your people."
"Prove it, blasphemer! How can you prove it?"
"You have called me a blasphemer," replied Tarzan, "you have proved to
your own satisfaction that I am an impostor, that I, an ordinary
mortal, have posed as the son of god. Demand then that Jad-ben-Otho
uphold his godship and the dignity of his priesthood by directing his
consuming fires through my own bosom."
Again there ensued a brief silence while the onlookers waited for
Lu-don to thus consummate the destruction of this presumptuous impostor.
"You dare not," taunted Tarzan, "for you know that I would be struck
dead no quicker than were you."
"You lie," cried Lu-don, "and I would do it had I not but just received
a message from Jad-ben-Otho directing that your fate be different."
A chorus of admiring and reverential "Ahs" arose from the priesthood.
Ko-tan and his warriors were in a state of mental confusion. Secretly
they hated and feared Lu-don, but so ingrained was their sense of
reverence for the office of the high priest that none dared raise a
voice against him.
None? Well, there was Ja-don, fearless old Lion-man of the north. "The
proposition was a fair one," he cried. "Invoke the lightnings of
Jad-ben-Otho upon this man if you would ever convince us of his guilt."
"Enough of this," snapped Lu-don. "Since when was Ja-don created high
priest? Seize the prisoner," he cried to the priests and warriors, "and
on the morrow he shall die in the manner that Jad-ben-Otho has willed."
There was no immediate movement on the part of any of the warriors to
obey the high priest's command, but the lesser priests on the other
hand, imbued with the courage of fanaticism leaped eagerly forward like
a flock of hideous harpies to seize upon their prey.
The game was up. That Tarzan knew. No longer could cunning and
diplomacy usurp the functions of the weapons of defense he best loved.
And so the first hideous priest who leaped to the platform was
confronted by no suave ambassador from heaven, but rather a grim and
ferocious beast whose temper savored more of hell.
The altar stood close to the western wall of the enclosure. There was
just room between the two for the high priest to stand during the
performance of the sacrificial ceremonies and only Lu-don stood there
now behind Tarzan, while before him were perhaps two hundred warriors
and priests.
The presumptuous one who would have had the glory of first laying
arresting hands upon the blasphemous impersonator rushed forward with
outstretched hand to seize the ape-man. Instead it was he who was
seized; seized by steel fingers that snapped him up as though he had
been a dummy of straw, grasped him by one leg and the harness at his
back and raised him with giant arms high above the altar. Close at his
heels were others ready to seize the ape-man and drag him down, and
beyond the altar was Lu-don with drawn knife advancing toward him.
There was no instant to waste, nor was it the way of the ape-man to
fritter away precious moments in the uncertainty of belated decision.
Before Lu-don or any other could guess what was in the mind of the
condemned, Tarzan with all the force of his great muscles dashed the
screaming hierophant in the face of the high priest, and, as though the
two actions were one, so quickly did he move, he had leaped to the top
of the altar and from there to a handhold upon the summit of the temple
wall. As he gained a footing there he turned and looked down upon those
beneath. For a moment he stood in silence and then he spoke.
"Who dare believe," he cried, "that Jad-ben-Otho would forsake his
son?" and then he dropped from their sight upon the other side.
There were two at least left within the enclosure whose hearts leaped
with involuntary elation at the success of the ape-man's maneuver, and
one of them smiled openly. This was Ja-don, and the other, Pan-at-lee.
The brains of the priest that Tarzan had thrown at the head of Lu-don
had been dashed out against the temple wall while the high priest
himself had escaped with only a few bruises, sustained in his fall to
the hard pavement. Quickly scrambling to his feet he looked around in
fear, in terror and finally in bewilderment, for he had not been a
witness to the ape-man's escape. "Seize him," he cried; "seize the
blasphemer," and he continued to look around in search of his victim
with such a ridiculous expression of bewilderment that more than a
single warrior was compelled to hide his smiles beneath his palm.
The priests were rushing around wildly, exhorting the warriors to
pursue the fugitive but these awaited now stolidly the command of their
king or high priest. Ko-tan, more or less secretly pleased by the
discomfiture of Lu-don, waited for that worthy to give the necessary
directions which he presently did when one of his acolytes excitedly
explained to him the manner of Tarzan's escape.
Instantly the necessary orders were issued and priests and warriors
sought the temple exit in pursuit of the ape-man. His departing words,
hurled at them from the summit of the temple wall, had had little
effect in impressing the majority that his claims had not been
disproven by Lu-don, but in the hearts of the warriors was admiration
for a brave man and in many the same unholy gratification that had
risen in that of their ruler at the discomfiture of Lu-don.
A careful search of the temple grounds revealed no trace of the quarry.
The secret recesses of the subterranean chambers, familiar only to the
priesthood, were examined by these while the warriors scattered through
the palace and the palace grounds without the temple. Swift runners
were dispatched to the city to arouse the people there that all might
be upon the lookout for Tarzan the Terrible. The story of his imposture
and of his escape, and the tales that the Waz-don slaves had brought
into the city concerning him were soon spread throughout A-lur, nor did
they lose aught in the spreading, so that before an hour had passed the
women and children were hiding behind barred doorways while the
warriors crept apprehensively through the streets expecting momentarily
to be pounced upon by a ferocious demon who, bare-handed, did
victorious battle with huge gryfs and whose lightest pastime consisted
in tearing strong men limb from limb.
12