After the royal party left the temple Maluma came out and paused
again to gossip with Phobeg. For some time they talked before she bid
him goodbye and started back toward the palace. They spoke of many
things--of the man in the secret prison behind a heavy golden door
beneath the temple floor, of Erot and Tomos, of Nemone and Tarzan, of
Gemnon and Doria, and of themselves. Being human, they talked mostly
of themselves. It was late when Maluma returned to the palace. It was
already the evening meal hour.
In the home of his father, Gemnon paced the floor of the patio as he
awaited the summons to the evening meal. Tarzan half sat, half reclined
upon a stone bench. He saw that his friend was worried; and it troubled
him, troubled him most perhaps because he knew that there were grave
causes for apprehension; and he was not certain that he could avert the
disaster that threatened.
Seeking to divert Gemnon's mind from his troubles, Tarzan spoke of the
ceremony at the temple, but principally of the temple itself, praising
its beauty, commenting upon its magnificence. "It is splendid," he
commented; "too splendid for the cruel rites we witnessed there today."
"The girl was only a slave," replied Gemnon, "and god must eat. It is
no wrong to make offerings to Thoos; but the temple _does_ hide a real
wrong. Somewhere within it is hidden Alextar, the brother of Nemone;
and while he rots there the corrupt Tomos and the cruel M'duze rule
Cathne through the mad Nemone.
"There are many who would have a change and place Alextar on the
throne, but they fear the wrath of the terrible triumvirate. So we go
on, and nothing is done. Victim after victim succumbs to the malignant
jealousy and fear that constantly animate the throne.
"We have little hope today; we shall have no hope if the Queen carries
out the plan she is believed to be contemplating and destroys Alextar.
There are reasons why it would be to her advantage to do so, the most
important being the right of Alextar to proclaim himself king should he
ever succeed in reaching the palace.
"If Nemone should die Alextar would become king, and the populace
would insist that he take his rightful place. For this reason Tomos
and M'duze are anxious to destroy him. It is to Nemone's credit that
she has withstood their importunities for all these years, steadfastly
refusing to destroy Alextar; but if ever he seriously threatens her
power, he is lost; and rumors that have reached her ears that a plot
has been perfected to place him on the throne may already have sealed
his doom."
During the meal that evening Tarzan considered plans for visiting
Phobeg at the temple. He wished to go alone but knew that he would
place Gemnon in an embarrassing position should he suggest such a plan,
while to permit the noble to accompany him might not only seal Phobeg's
lips but jeopardize his safety as well; therefore he decided to go
secretly.
Following the stratagem he had adopted, he remained in conversation
with Gemnon and his parents until almost two hours after the sun had
set; then he excused himself, saying that he was tired, and went to the
room that had been assigned him. But he did not tarry there. Instead,
he merely crossed the room from the door to the window and stepped out
into the patio upon which it faced. Here, as throughout the gardens
and avenues of the section of the city occupied by the nobility,
grew large, old trees; and a moment later the lord of the jungle was
swinging through his native element toward the golden temple of Thoos.
He stopped at last in a tree near the rear of the temple where he
saw the huge and familiar figure of Phobeg waiting in the shadows
below. Soundlessly, the ape-man dropped to the ground in front of the
astonished warrior.
"By the great fangs of Thoos!" ejaculated Phobeg, "but you gave me a
start."
"You expected me," was Tarzan's only comment.
"But not from the skies," retorted Phobeg. "However, you are here and
it is well; I have much more to tell you than when I asked you to come.
I have learned more since."
"I am listening," said Tarzan.
"A girl in the service of the Queen overheard a conversation between
Nemone and Tomos," commenced Phobeg. "Tomos accused you and Gemnon and
Thudos of conspiring against her. Erot spied upon you and knew of your
long visit at the home of Thudos a few nights since; he also managed to
enter the house on some pretext the following night and saw Doria, the
daughter of Thudos. Tomos told Nemone that Doria was very beautiful and
that you were in love with her.
"Nemone is not yet convinced that you love Doria, but to be on the safe
side she has ordered Tomos to have the girl abducted and brought to
the temple where she will be imprisoned until Nemone decides upon her
fate. She may destroy her, or she may be content to have her beauty
disfigured.
"But what you must know is this: If you give Nemone the slightest
reason to believe that you are conspiring against her or that you are
fond of Doria she will have you killed. All that I can do is warn you."
"You warned me once before, did you not?" asked Tarzan, "the night that
Gemnon and I went to the house of Thudos."
"Yes, that was I," replied Phobeg.
"Why have you done these things?" asked the ape-man.
"Because I owe my life to you," replied the warrior, "and because I
know a man when I see one. If a man can pick Phobeg up and toss him
around as though he were a baby, Phobeg is willing to be his slave."
"I can only thank you for what you have told me, Phobeg," said Tarzan.
"Now tell me more. If Doria is brought to the temple where will she be
imprisoned?"
"That is hard to say. Alextar is kept in rooms beneath the floor of the
temple, but there are rooms upon the second and third floors where a
prisoner might be safely confined, especially a woman."
"Could you get word to me if she is arrested?"
"I could try," replied Phobeg.
"Good! Is there anything further?"
"No."
"Then I shall return to Gemnon and warn him. Perhaps we shall find a
way to pacify Nemone or outwit her."
"Either would be difficult," commented Phobeg, "but goodbye and good
luck!"
Tarzan swung into the tree above the warrior's head and disappeared
among the shadows of the night, while Phobeg shook his head in
wonderment and returned to his quarters in the temple.
The ape-man made his way to his room by the same avenue he had left
it and went immediately to the common living room where the family
ordinarily congregated for the evenings. Here he found Gemnon's father
and mother, but Gemnon was not there.
"You could not sleep?" inquired the mother.
"No," replied the ape-man. "Where is Gemnon?"
"He was summoned to the palace a short time after you went to your
room," explained Gemnon's father.
Announcing that he would wait up until the son returned, Tarzan
remained in the living room in conversation with the parents. He
wondered a little that Gemnon should have been summoned to the palace
at such an hour; and the things that Phobeg had told him made him a
little apprehensive, but he kept his own counsel rather than frighten
his host and hostess.
Scarcely an hour had passed when they heard a summons at the outer
gate, and presently a slave came to announce that a warrior wished to
speak to Tarzan upon a matter of urgent necessity.
The ape-man arose. "I will go outside and see him," he said.
"Be careful," cautioned Gemnon's father. "You have bitter enemies who
would be glad to see you destroyed."
"I shall be careful," Tarzan assured him as he left the room behind the
slave.
At the gate two warriors connected with the house were detaining a huge
man whom Tarzan recognized even from a distance as Phobeg. "I must
speak with you at once and alone," said the latter.
"This man is all right," Tarzan told the guards. "Let him enter and I
will talk with him in the garden."
When they had walked a short distance from the guards Tarzan paused and
faced his visitor. "What is it?" he asked. "You have brought me bad
news?"
"Very bad," replied Phobeg. "Gemnon, Thudos, and many of their friends
have been arrested and are now in the palace dungeons. Doria has been
taken and is imprisoned in the temple. I did not expect to find you at
liberty, but took the chance that Nemone's interest in you might have
saved you temporarily. If you can escape from Cathne, do so at once;
her mood may change at any moment; she is as mad as a monkey."
"Thank you, Phobeg," said the ape-man. "Now get back to your quarters
before you become embroiled in this affair."
"And you will escape?" asked the warrior.
"I owe something to Gemnon," replied Tarzan, "for his kindness and his
friendship; so I shall not go until I have done what I can to help him."
"No one can help him," stated Phobeg emphatically. "All that you will
do is get yourself in trouble."
"I shall have to chance it, and now goodbye, my friend; but before you
go tell me where Doria is imprisoned."
"On the third floor of the temple at the rear of the building just
above the doorway where I awaited you this evening."
Tarzan accompanied Phobeg to the gate and out into the avenue. "Where
are you going?" demanded the latter.
"To the palace."
"You, too, are mad," protested Phobeg, but already the ape-man had left
him and was walking rapidly along the avenue in the direction of the
palace.
It was late; but Tarzan was now a familiar figure to the palace guards;
and when he told them that Nemone had summoned him they let him enter,
nor was he stopped until he had reached the anteroom outside the
Queen's apartments. Here a noble on guard protested that the hour was
late and that the Queen had retired, but Tarzan insisted upon seeing
her.
"Tell her it is Tarzan," he said.
"I do not dare disturb her," explained the noble nervously, fearful of
Nemone's wrath should she be disturbed and almost equally fearful of it
should he refuse to announce this new favorite who had replaced Erot.
"I dare," said Tarzan and stepped to the door leading to the ivory room
where Nemone had been accustomed to receive him. The noble sought to
interfere but the ape-man pushed him aside and attempted to open the
door only to find it securely bolted upon the opposite side; then with
his clenched fist he pounded loudly upon its carved surface.
Instantly from beyond it came the savage growls of Belthar and a moment
later the frightened voice of a woman. "Who is there?" she demanded.
"The Queen sleeps. Who dares disturb her?"
"Go and awaken her," shouted Tarzan through the door. "Tell her that
Tarzan is here and wishes to see her at once."
"I am afraid," replied the girl. "The Queen will be angry. Go away, and
come in the morning."
Then Tarzan heard another voice beyond the door demanding, "Who is it
comes pounding on Nemone's door at such an hour?" and recognized it as
the Queen's.
"It is the noble Tarzan," replied the slave girl.
"Draw the bolts and admit him," commanded Nemone, and as the door swung
open Tarzan stepped into the ivory room, now so familiar to him.
The Queen stood halfway across the apartment, facing him. Her hair was
dishevelled, her face slightly flushed. She had evidently arisen from
her bed in an adjoining room and thrown a light scarf about her before
stepping into the ivory room. She was very beautiful. There was an
eager, questioning light in her eyes. She directed the slave to rebolt
the door and leave the apartment; then she turned and, walking to the
couch, motioned Tarzan to approach. As she sank among the soft cushions
she motioned Tarzan to her side.
"I am glad you came," she said. "I could not sleep. I have been
thinking of you. But tell me! why did you come? Had you been thinking
of me?"
"I have been thinking of you, Nemone," replied the ape-man; "I have
been thinking that perhaps you will help me; that you can help me, I
know."
"You have only to ask," replied the Queen softly. "There is no favor
that you may not have from Nemone for the asking."
A single cresset shed a soft, flickering light that scarcely dispelled
the darkness of the room, at the far end of which the yellow-green eyes
of Belthar blazed like twin lamps of Hell. Mingling with the acrid
scent of the carnivore and the languorous fumes of incense was the
seductive aura of the scented body of the woman. Her warm breath was on
Tarzan's cheek as she drew him down beside her.
"At last you have come to me of your own volition," she whispered. "Ah,
Thoos! how I have hungered for this moment!"
Her soft, bare arms slipped quickly about his neck and drew him close.
"Tarzan! My Tarzan!" she almost sobbed, and then that same fatal door
at the far end of the apartment opened and the tapping of a metal-shod
staff upon the stone floor brought them both erect to gaze into the
snarling face of M'duze.
"You fool!" cried the old hag in a shrill falsetto. "Send the man away!
unless you would see him killed here before your eyes. Send him away at
once!"
Nemone sprang to her feet and faced the old woman who was now trembling
with rage. "You have gone too far, M'duze," she said in a cold and
level voice. "Go to your room, and remember that I am Queen."
"Queen! Queen!" cackled the hideous creature with a sharp, sarcastic
laugh. "Send your lover away, or I'll tell him who and what you are."
Nemone glided quickly toward her, and as she passed a low stand she
stooped and seized something that lay there. Suddenly the slave woman
shrieked and shrank away, but before she could turn and flee Nemone was
upon her and had seized her by the hair. M'duze raised her staff and
struck at the Queen, but the blow only aroused the frenzied woman to
still greater fury.
"Always you have ruined my life," cried Nemone, "you and your foul
paramour, Tomos. You have robbed me of happiness, and for that,
_this_!" and she drove the gleaming blade of a knife into the withered
breast of the screaming woman, "and this, and this, and this!" and each
time the blade sank deep to emphasize the venom in the words and the
heart of Nemone, the Queen.
Presently M'duze ceased shrieking and sank to the floor. Some one was
pounding upon the door to the anteroom, and the terrified voices of
nobles and guardsmen could be heard demanding entrance. In his corner
Belthar tugged at his chains and roared. Nemone stood looking down
upon the death struggles of M'duze with blazing eyes and snarling
lip. "Curses upon your black soul!" she cried, and then she turned
slowly toward the door upon which the pounding of her retainers' fists
resounded. "Have done!" she called imperiously. "I, Nemone, the Queen,
am safe. The screams that you heard were those of an impudent slave
whom Nemone was correcting."
The voices beyond the door died away as the guardsmen returned to
their posts; then Nemone faced Tarzan. She looked suddenly worn and
very tired. "That favor," she said, "ask it another time; Nemone is
unstrung."
"I must ask it now," replied Tarzan; "tomorrow may be too late."
"Very well," she said; "I am listening. What is it?"
"There is a noble in your court who has been very kind to me since I
have been in Cathne," commenced Tarzan. "Now he is in trouble, and I
have come to ask you to save him."
Nemone's brow clouded. "Who is he?" she demanded.
"Gemnon," replied the ape-man. "He has been arrested with Thudos and
the daughter of Thudos and several of their friends. It is only a plot
to destroy me."
"You dare come to me to intercede for traitors!" cried the Queen,
blazing with sudden fury. "But I know the reason; you love Doria!"
"I do not love her; I have seen her but once. Gemnon loves her. Let
them be happy, Nemone."
"I am not happy," she replied; "why should they be happy? Tell me that
you love me, Tarzan, and I shall be happy!" Her voice was vibrant with
appeal. For a moment she forgot that she was queen.
"A flower does not bloom in the seed," he replied; "it grows gradually,
and thus love grows. The other, that bursts forth spontaneously from
its own heat, is not love, it is passion. I have not known you either
long or well, Nemone; that is my answer."
She turned away and buried her face in her arms as she sank to the
couch; he saw her shoulders shaken by sobs, and pity filled his heart.
He drew nearer to console her, but he had no chance to speak before she
wheeled upon him, her eyes flashing through tears. "The girl, Doria,
dies!" she cried. "Xarator shall have her tomorrow!"
Tarzan shook his head sadly. "You have asked me to love you," he said.
"Do you expect me to love one who ruthlessly destroys my friends?"
"If I save them will you love me?" demanded Nemone.
"That is a question that I cannot answer. The best that I may say is
that I may then respect and admire you; whereas, if you kill them
without reason there can be no chance that I shall ever love you."
She looked at him now out of dull, lowering eyes. "What difference
does it make?" she almost growled. "No one loves me. Tomos wanted to
be king, Erot wished riches and power, M'duze wished to exercise the
majesty that she could never possess; if one of them felt any affection
for me it was M'duze, and I have killed her." She paused, a wild light
flamed in her eyes. "I hate them!" she screamed. "I hate them all! I
shall kill them! I shall kill everyone! I shall kill you!" Then, as
swiftly, her mood changed. "Oh, what am I saying?" she cried. She put
her palms to her temples. "My head! it hurts."
"And my friends!" asked Tarzan; "you will not harm them?"
"Perhaps not," she replied indifferently, and then, as quickly changing
again, "The girl dies! If you intercede for her again her sufferings
shall be greater; Xarator is merciful--more merciful than Nemone."
"When will she die?" asked Tarzan.
"She will be sewn into hides tonight and carried to Xarator tomorrow.
You shall accompany us; do you understand?"
The ape-man nodded. "And my other friends?" he asked, "they will be
saved?"
"You shall come to me tomorrow night," replied Nemone. "We shall see
then how you have decided to treat Nemone; then she will know how to
treat your friends."