As Tarzan and Gemnon turned away from Belthar's cage a slave approached
the ape-man and addressed him. "Nemone, the Queen, commands your
presence immediately," he said; "you are to come to the ivory room;
the noble Gemnon will wait in the anteroom. These are the commands of
Nemone, the Queen."
"What now? I wonder," remarked Tarzan as they walked through the royal
grounds toward the palace.
"No one ever knows why he is summoned to an audience with Nemone until
he gets there," commented Gemnon; "one may be going to receive an
honor or hear his death sentence. Nemone is capricious. She is always
bored and always seeking relief from her boredom. Oftentimes she finds
strange avenues of escape that makes one wonder if her mind--but no!
such thoughts may not even be whispered among friends."
When Tarzan presented himself he was immediately admitted to the
ivory room, where he found Nemone and Erot much as he had found them
the preceding night. Nemone greeted him with a smile that was almost
pathetically eager; but Erot only scowled darkly, making no effort to
conceal his hatred.
"We are having a diversion this morning," Nemone explained, "and we
summoned you and Gemnon to enjoy it with us. A party raiding in Thenar
a day or so ago captured an Athnean noble; we are going to have some
sport with him this morning."
Tarzan nodded. He did not understand what she meant, and he was not
particularly interested. He was thinking of M'duze and the night
before; wondering what was in the mind of the strange, fascinating
woman before him.
Nemone turned to Erot. "Go and tell them we are ready," she directed,
"and ascertain if all is in readiness for us."
Erot flushed and backed toward the door, still scowling. "And you need
not hurry," added the Queen; "we are not impatient to witness the
entertainment. Let them take their time, and be sure to see that all is
well ordered."
"It shall be as the Queen commands," replied Erot in a surly tone.
When the door had closed behind him, Nemone motioned Tarzan to a seat
upon the couch. "I am afraid that Erot does not like you," she said,
smiling. "He is furious that you do not kneel to me, and that I do not
compel you to do so. I really do not know, myself, why I do not; but I
guess why. Have you not, perhaps, guessed why, too?"
"There might be two reasons, either of which would be sufficient,"
replied the ape-man.
"And what are they? I have been curious to know how you explained it."
"Consideration of the customs of a stranger and courtesy to a guest,"
suggested Tarzan.
Nemone considered for a moment. "Yes," she admitted, "either is a
fairly good reason, but neither is really in keeping with the customs
of the court of Nemone. And then they are practically the same thing;
so they constitute only one reason. Is there not another?"
"Yes," replied Tarzan; "there is an even better one; the one which
probably influences you to overlook my dereliction."
"And what is it?"
"The fact that you cannot make me kneel."
A hard look flashed in the Queen's eyes; it was not the answer she had
been hoping for. Tarzan's eyes did not leave hers; she saw amusement in
them. "Oh, why do I endure it!" she cried, and with the query her anger
melted. "You should not try to make it so hard for me to be nice to
you," she said almost appealingly. "Why do you not meet me halfway? Why
are you not nice to me, Tarzan?"
"I wish to be nice to you, Nemone," he replied; "but not at the price
of my self-respect; but that is not the only reason why I shall never
kneel to you."
"What is the other reason?" she demanded.
"That I wish you to like me; you would not like me if I cringed to you."
"Perhaps you are right," she admitted musingly. "Everyone cringes,
until the sight of it disgusts me; yet I am angry when they do not
cringe. Why is that?"
"You will be offended if I tell you," warned the ape-man.
"In the past two days I have become accustomed to being offended," she
replied with a grimace of resignation; "so you might as well tell me."
"You are angry if they do not cringe, because you are not quite sure of
yourself. You wish this outward evidence of their subservience that you
may be constantly reassured that you are Queen of Cathne."
"Who says that I am not Queen of Cathne?" she demanded, instantly on
the defensive. "Who says that will find that I am and that I have the
power of life and death. If I chose, I could have you destroyed in an
instant."
"You do not impress me," said Tarzan. "I have not said that you are
not Queen of Cathne, only that your manner may often suggest your own
doubts. A queen should be so sure of herself that she can always afford
to be gracious and merciful."
For a while Nemone sat in silence, evidently pondering the thought that
Tarzan had suggested. "They would not understand," she said at last;
"if I were gracious and merciful they would think me weak; then they
would take advantage of me; and eventually they would destroy me. You
do not know them. But you are different; I can be gracious and merciful
to you and you will never try to take advantage of my kindness; you
will not misunderstand it.
"Oh, Tarzan, I wish that you would promise to remain in Cathne. If
you will, there is nothing that you may not have from Nemone. I would
build you a palace second only to my own. I would be very good to you;
we--you could be very happy here."