DANGER
Ras Thavas awakened from the anaesthetic a new and gorgeous creature—a
youth of such wondrous beauty that he seemed of heavenly rather than
worldly origin; but in that beautiful head was the hard, cold,
thousand-year-old brain of the master surgeon. As he opened his eyes he
looked upon me coldly.
“You have done well,” he said.
“What I have done, I have done for friendship—perhaps for love,” I
said, “so you can thank the sentimentalism you decry for the success of
the transfer.”
He made no reply.
“And now,” I continued, “I shall look to you for the fulfilment of the
promise you have made me.”
“When you bring Xaxa’s body I shall transfer to it the brain of any of
my subjects you may select,” he said, “but were I you, I would not risk
my life in such an impossible venture—you cannot succeed. Select
another body—there are many beautiful ones—and I will give it the
brain of 4296-E-2631-H.”
“None other than the body now owned by the Jeddara Xaxa will fulfill
your promise to me,” I said.
He shrugged and there was a cold smile upon his handsome lips. “Very
well,” he said, “fetch Xaxa. When do you start?”
“I am not yet ready. I will let you know when I am.”
“Good and now begone—but wait! First go to the office and see what
cases await us and if there be any that do not require my personal
attention, and they fall within your skill and knowledge, attend to them
yourself.”
As I left him I noticed a crafty smile of satisfaction upon his lips.
What had aroused that? I did not like it and as I walked away I tried to
conjure what could possibly have passed through that wondrous brain to
call forth at that particular instant so unpleasant a smile. As I passed
through the doorway and into the corridor beyond I heard him summon his
personal slave and body servant, Yamdor, a huge fellow whose loyalty he
kept through the bestowal of lavish gifts and countless favors. So great
was the fellow’s power that all feared him, as a word to the master from
the lips of Yamdor might easily send any of the numerous slaves or
attendants to an ersite slab for eternity. It was rumored that he was
the result of an unnatural experiment which had combined the brain of a
woman with the body of a man, and there was much in his actions and
mannerisms to justify this general belief. His touch, when he worked
about his master, was soft and light, his movements graceful, his ways
gentle, but his mind was jealous, vindictive and unforgiving.
I believe that he did not like me, through jealousy of the authority I
had attained in the establishment of Ras Thavas; for there was no
questioning the fact that I was a lieutenant, while he was but a slave;
yet he always accorded me the utmost respect. He was, however, merely a
minor cog in the machinery of the great institution presided over by the
sovereign mind of Ras Thavas, and as such I had given him little
consideration; nor did I now as I bent my steps towards the office.
I had gone but a short distance when I recalled a matter of importance
upon which it was necessary for me to obtain instructions from Ras
Thavas immediately; and so I wheeled about and retraced my way towards
his apartments, through the open doorway of which, as I approached, I
heard the new voice of the master surgeon. Ras Thavas had always spoken
in rather loud tones, whether as a vocal reflection of his naturally
domineering and authoritative character, or because of his deafness, I
do not know; and now, with the fresh young vocal chords of his new body,
his words rang out clearly and distinctly in the corridor leading to his
room.
“You will, therefore, Yamdor,” he was saying, “go at once and, selecting
two slaves in whose silence and discretion you may trust, take the
subject from the apartments of Vad Varo and destroy it—let no vestige
of body or brain remain. Immediately after, you will bring the two
slaves to the laboratory F-30-L, permitting them to speak to no one, and
I will consign them to silence and forgetfulness for eternity.
“Vad Varo will discover the absence of the subject and report the matter
to me. During my investigation you will confess that you aided
4296-E-2631-H to escape, but that you have no idea where it intended
going. I will sentence you to death as punishment, but at last,
explaining how urgently I need your services and upon your solemn
promise never to transgress again, I will defer punishment for the term
of your continued good behaviour. Do you thoroughly understand the
entire plan?”
“Yes, master,” replied Yamdor.
“Then depart at once and select the slaves who are to assist you.”
Quickly and silently I sped along the corridor until the first
intersection permitted me to place myself out of sight of anyone coming
from Ras Thavas’ apartment; then I went directly to the chamber occupied
by Valla Dia. Unlocking the door I threw it open and beckoned her to
come out. “Quick! Valla Dia!” I cried. “No time is to be lost. In
attempting to save you I have but brought destruction upon you. First we
must find a hiding place for you, and that at once—afterwards we can
plan for the future.”
The place that first occurred to me as affording adequate concealment
was the half forgotten vaults in the pits beneath the laboratories, and
towards these I hastened Valla Dia. As we proceeded I narrated all that
had transpired, nor did she once reproach me; but, instead, expressed
naught but gratitude for what she was pleased to designate as my
unselfish friendship. That it had miscarried, she assured me, was no
reflection upon me and she insisted that she would rather die in the
knowledge that she possessed one such friend than to live on
indefinitely, friendless.
We came at last to the chamber I sought—vault L-42-X, in building
4-J-21, where reposed the bodies of the ape and the man, each of which
possessed half the brain of the other. Here I was forced to leave Valla
Dia for the time, that I might hasten to the office and perform the
duties imposed upon me by Ras Thavas, lest his suspicions be aroused
when Yamdor reported that he had found her apartment vacant.
I reached the office without it being discovered by anyone who might
report the fact to Ras Thavas that I had been a long time coming from
his apartment. To my relief, I found there were no cases. Without
appearing in any undue haste, I nevertheless soon found an excuse to
depart and at once made my way towards my own quarters, moving in a
leisurely and unconcerned manner and humming as was my wont (a habit
which greatly irritated Ras Thavas), snatches from some song that had
been popular at the time that I quit Earth. In this instance it was “Oh,
Frenchy.”
I was thus engaged when I met Yamdor moving hurriedly along the corridor
leading from my apartment, in company with two male slaves. I greeted
him pleasantly, as was my custom, and he returned my greeting; but there
was an expression of fear and suspicion in his eyes. I went at once to
my quarters, opened the door leading to the chamber formerly occupied by
Valla Dia and then hastened immediately to the apartment of Ras Thavas,
where I found him conversing with Yamdor. I rushed in apparently
breathless and simulating great excitement.
“Ras Thavas,” I demanded, “what have you done with 4296-E-2631-H? She
has disappeared; her apartment is empty; and as I was approaching it I
met Yamdor and two other slaves coming from that direction.” I turned
then upon Yamdor and pointed an accusing finger at him. “Yamdor!” I
cried. “What have you done with this woman?”
Both Ras Thavas and Yamdor seemed genuinely puzzled and I congratulated
myself that I had thus readily thrown them off the track. The master
surgeon declared that he would make an immediate investigation; and he
at once ordered a thorough search of the ground and of the island
outside the enclosure. Yamdor denied any knowledge of the woman and I,
at least, was aware of the sincerity of his protestations, but not so
Ras Thavas. I could see a hint of suspicion in his eyes as he questioned
his body servant; but evidently he could conjure no motive for any such
treasonable action on the part of Yamdor as would have been represented
by the abduction of the woman and the consequent gross disobedience of
orders.
Ras Thavas’ investigation revealed nothing. I think as it progressed
that he became gradually more and more imbued with a growing suspicion
that I might know more about the disappearance of Valla Dia than my
attitude indicated, for I presently became aware of a delicately
concealed espionage. Up to this time I had been able to smuggle food to
Valla Dia every night, after Ras Thavas had retired to his quarters.
Then, on one occasion, I suddenly became subconsciously aware that I was
being followed, and instead of going to the vaults I went to the office,
where I added some observations to my report upon a case I had handled
that day. Returning to my room I hummed a few bars from “Over There,”
that the suggestion of my unconcern might be accentuated. From the
moment that I quit my quarters until I returned to them I was sure that
eyes had been watching my every move. What was I to do? Valla Dia must
have food, without it she would die; and were I to be followed to her
hiding place while taking it to her, she would die; Ras Thavas would see
to that.
Half the night I lay awake, racking my brains for some solution to the
problem. There seemed only one way—I must elude the spies. If I could
do this but one single time I could carry out the balance of a plan that
had occurred to me, and which was, I thought, the only one feasible that
might eventually lead to the resurrection of Valla Dia in her own body.
The way was long, the risks great; but I was young, in love and utterly
reckless of consequences in so far as they concerned me; it was Valla
Dia’s happiness alone that I could not risk too greatly, other than
under dire stress. Well, the stress existed and I must risk that, even
as I risked my life.
My plan was formulated and I lay awake upon my sleeping silks and furs
in the darkness of my room, awaiting the time when I might put it into
execution. My window, which was upon the third floor, overlooked the
walled enclosure, upon the scarlet sward of which I had made my first
bow to Barsoom. Across the open casement I had watched Cluros, the
farther moon, take his slow deliberate way. He had already set. Behind
him, Thuria, his elusive mistress, fled through the heavens. In five
xats (about 15 minutes) she would set; and then for about three and
three quarters Earth hours the heavens would be dark, except for the
stars.
In the corridor, perhaps, lurked those watchful eyes. I prayed God that
they might not be elsewhere as Thuria sank at last beneath the horizon
and I swung to my window ledge, in my hand a long rope fabricated from
braided strips torn from my sleeping silks while I had awaited the
setting of the moons. One end I had fastened to a heavy sorapus bench
which I had drawn close to the window. I dropped the free end of the
rope and started my descent. My Earthly muscles, untried in such
endeavours, I had not trusted to the task of carrying me to my window
ledge in a single leap, when I should be returning. I felt that they
would, but I did not know; and too much depended upon the success of my
venture to risk any unnecessary chance of failure. And so I had prepared
the rope.
Whether I was being observed I did not know. I must go on as though none
were spying upon me. In less than four hours Thuria would return (just
before the sudden Barsoomian dawn) and in the interval I must reach
Valla Dia, persuade her of the necessity of my plan and carry out its
details, returning to my chamber before Thuria could disclose me to any
accidental observer. I carried my weapons with me and in my heart was
unbending determination to slay whoever might cross my path and
recognize me during the course of my errand, however innocent of evil
intent against me he might be.
The night was quiet except for the usual distant sounds that I had heard
ever since I had been here—sounds that I had interpreted as the cries
of savage beasts. Once I had asked Ras Thavas about them, but he had
been in ill humor and had ignored my question. I reached the ground
quickly and without hesitation moved directly to the nearest entrance of
the building, having previously searched out and determined upon the
route I would follow to the vault. No one was visible and I was
confident, when at last I reached the doorway, that I had come through
undetected. Valla Dia was so happy to see me again that it almost
brought the tears to my eyes.
“I thought that something had happened to you,” she cried, “for I knew
that you would not remain away so long of your own volition.”
I told her of my conviction that I was being watched and that it would
not be possible for me longer to bring food to her without incurring
almost certain detection, which would spell immediate death for her.
“There is a single alternative,” I said, “and that I dread even to
suggest and would not were there any other way. You must be securely
hidden for a long time, until Ras Thavas’ suspicions have been allayed;
for as long as he has me watched I cannot possibly carry out the plans I
have formulated for your eventual release, the restoration of your own
body and your return to Duhor.”
“Your will shall be my law, Vad Varo.”
I shook my head. “It will be harder for you than you imagine.”
“What is the way?” she asked.
I pointed to the ersite topped table. “You must pass again through that
ordeal that I may hide you away in this vault until the time is ripe for
the carrying out of my plans. Can you endure it?”
She smiled. “Why not?” she asked. “It is only sleep—if it lasts for
ever I shall be no wiser.”
I was surprised that she did not shrink from the idea, but I was very
glad since I knew that it was the only way that we had a chance for
success. Without my help she disposed herself upon the ersite slab.
“I am ready, Vad Varo,” she said, bravely; “but first promise me that
you will take no risks in this mad venture. You cannot succeed. When I
close my eyes I know that it will be for the last time if my
resurrection depends upon the successful outcome of the maddest venture
that ever man conceived; yet I am happy, because I know that it is
inspired by the greatest friendship with which any mortal woman has ever
been blessed.”
As she talked I had been adjusting the tubes and now I stood beside her
with my finger upon the starting button of the motor.
“Good-bye, Vad Varo,” she whispered.
“Not good-bye, Valla Dia, but only a sweet sleep for what to you will be
the briefest instant. You will seem but to close your eyes and open them
again. As you see me now, I shall be standing here beside you as though
I never had departed from you. As I am the last that you look upon
to-night before you close your eyes, so shall I be the first that you
shall look upon as you open them on that new and beautiful morning; but
you shall not again look forth through the eyes of Xaxa, but from the
limpid depths of your own beautiful orbs.”
She smiled and shook her head. Two tears formed beneath her lids. I
pressed her hand in mine and touched the button.