_The Fight on the Tower Balcony_
The sensations swept me again. The room faded. Whether the watchmen came
in to see a ghost of me lying there on the floor I did not know, nor did
I care. I whirled into the shadows. And came in a moment out of the
black silence. The office room was gone. I seemed to have fallen or
floated down--how far I do not know. A triumph swept me. I was lying on
another floor. I could see a doorway materializing. I was not upon the
balcony as I had calculated, but within the tower room. New walls sprang
around me.
I did not heed it, this time, the sensation, of the transition. I was
too alert to what new situation might come upon me. The tower room. I
could see it. I could see its oval windows close at hand. The doorway to
its balcony. Sounds flooded me, mingled with the humming within me.
Familiar sounds. The crowd shouting. And a single voice--the voice of
Rohbar. Vague and blurred, but as I materialized it became clearer.
I was suddenly aware that there was a man beside me. One of the palace
soldiers. He saw me materialize. He leaped backward in horror. I flung
my switch. I was on my feet, swaying, and then I leaped upon him. My
dirk plunged downward into his chest.
The thing made me shudder. I reeled with the sickness of it, but as he
fell I clung to the dirk and ripped it out of him. It was dripping with
his blood.
I stood trembling. The small tower room had no other occupants. I turned
toward the door. I could see a patch of stars, paling with the coming
dawn. I crouched in the small doorway which gave onto the balcony,
staring, swiftly calculating. The scene had scarcely changed. But, some
of the soldiers had left the entrance platform, gone, no doubt, into the
castle on their way upstairs to seize Derek.
On this upper balcony, no more than ten feet before me, Rohbar still
stood gripping Hope. She was in front of him. His back was to me. A
sudden jump, and I could plunge my dagger into his back.
Rohbar was shouting, "King Leonto is dead. If you should want me to
succeed him, I will take this girl Hope for my queen. You all love
her...."
I was tense to spring. Then out in the balcony, to one side, I saw
Sensua crouching. Her crimson robe fell away to bare her white limbs.
Her hand fumbled in her robe. She had been Rohbar's dupe, and now she
knew it. Her knife was in her hand. Frenzied with jealousy and rage she
sprang upon Rohbar's back, trying to stab at Hope.
Perhaps he sensed her coming, heard her; or perhaps she was unskilful.
Her knife only grazed Hope's shoulder. He released Hope. He roared. He
turned and gripped his murderous assailant. A second or two while I
stood watching. He caught Sensua's wrist, twisted the knife from it and
plunged the knife into her breast. She sank with a scream at his feet,
and as he straightened he saw me.
But I had leaped. I was upon him. His own knife had remained in Sensua's
breast. As I raised mine in my leap, he caught at my wrist; twisted it,
but I flung the knife away before he could get it. The knife fell over
the balcony rail. The weight of my hurtling body flung him backward, but
the rail caught him. His arms went around me. Powerful arms, crushing
me. I gripped at his throat.
There was an instant when I thought that we would both topple over the
railing. I felt Hope beside us. I heard her scream. We did not go over
the rail, for Rohbar lurched and flung us back. We dropped to the
balcony floor, rolling, locked together. He was far stronger and
heavier than I. He came uppermost. He lunged and broke my hold upon his
throat, but I was agile: I squirmed from under him. I almost regained my
feet. He got up on one knee. He was trying to draw his sword. Then again
I bore into him, kicking and tearing. He roared like a bull. And
ignoring my plucking fingers, my flailing fists, he lunged to his feet
with me gripping again at his throat.
His huge height swung me off the ground. I was aware that he had drawn
his sword, but I was too close for him to use it. He swayed drunkenly
with my weight; he was confused. I felt the rail behind us. We lunged
again into it. Again I heard Hope scream in terror, and saw her leap at
us. Rohbar stooped, trying to clutch the low rail. His bending down
brought my feet to the balcony floor. With a last despairing effort I
shoved him backward. And as he toppled at the rail, I fought to break
his hold upon me. I felt us going and then I felt Hope reach me. Her
arms flung about my waist. Her hold tore me loose. Rohbar's huge body
fell away....
For an instant Rohbar seemed balanced upon the rail; then he went over.
He gave a last long, agonized scream as he fell. I did not look down. I
crouched by the rail. The crowd in the garden; Derek standing on the
other balcony; the soldiers who now had appeared behind him--all were
silent, and in the silence I heard the horrible thud of Rohbar's body as
it struck....
I clung to Hope for an instant, and she shuddered against me. The scene
broke again into chaos. I cast Hope away and leaped up. I stood at the
balcony rail. My arms went up and gestured to Derek. Amazement was on
his face, but he answered my gesture. Behind him the soldiers who had
come to seize him were standing in a group, stricken at this new
tragedy.
Derek swung on them. He was not powerless now! "Away with you!"
His cylinder menaced them, and they fell back in terror before him.
He darted past them and disappeared into the castle.
I felt Hope plucking at me. "I want to talk to the people."
She stood beside me, leaning over the rail. Gentle little figure.
Familiar figure to them all. Their beloved Hope. Her voice rang out
clearly through the hush.
"My people, we all want our beloved Alexandre--he has come back to us.
He is our rightful king."
"King Alexandre! Long live King Alexandre!"
Derek in a moment appeared behind us. "My God, Charlie, I can't
understand--"
I told him how I had done it. He gripped me. "I'll never be able to
repay you for this!"
I pushed him forward and he joined Hope at the rail. Held her, and her
arms went around his neck as she returned his kisses. The crowd gaped,
then cheered.
I shouted, "Hope will be your queen--The reign of the crimson nobles is
at an end!"
The wild cheering of the people, in which now the castle guards were
joining, surged up to mingle with my words.