Many such nights did we spend thus in the palace of
the city of Kaloon where, in fact, we were close prisoners.
But oh! the days hung heavy on our hands. If
we went into the courtyard or reception rooms of the
palace, the lords and their followers gathered round
us and pestered us with questions, for, being very
idle, they were also very curious.
Also the women, some of whom were fair enough, began
to talk to us on this pretext or on that, and did
their best to make love to Leo; for, in contrast with
their slim, delicate-looking men, they found this
deep-chested, yellow-haired stranger to their taste.
Indeed they troubled him much with gifts of flowers
and messages sent by servants or soldiers, making
assignations with him, which of course he did not keep.
If we went out into the streets, matters were as bad,
for then the people ceased from their business, such
as it was, and followed us about, staring at us till
we took refuge again in the palace gardens.
There remained, therefore, only our rides in the country
with the Khania, but after three or four of them,
these came to an end owing to the jealousy of the
Khan, who vowed that if we went out together any more
he would follow with the death-hounds. So we must
ride alone, if at all, in the centre of a large guard
of soldiers sent to see that we did not attempt to
escape, and accompanied very often by a mob of peasants,
who with threats and entreaties demanded that we should
give back the rain which they said we had taken from
them. For now the great drought had begun in
earnest.
Thus it came about that at length our only resource
was making pretence to fish in the river, where the
water was so clear and low that we could catch nothing,
watching the while the Fire-mountain, that loomed in
the distance mysterious and unreachable, and vainly
racking our brains for plans to escape thither, or
at least to communicate with its priestess, of whom
we could learn no more.
For two great burdens lay upon our souls. The
burden of desire to continue our search and to meet
with its reward which we were sure that we should
pluck amid the snows of yonder peak, if we could but
come there; and the burden of approaching catastrophe
at the hands of the Khania Atene. She had made
no love to Leo since that night in the Gateway, and,
indeed, even if she had wished to, this would have
been difficult, since I took care that he was never
left for one hour alone. No duenna could have
clung to a Spanish princess more closely than I did
to Leo. Yet I could see well that her passion
was no whit abated; that it grew day by day, indeed,
as the fire swells in the heart of a volcano, and
that soon it must break loose and spread its ruin round.
The omen of it was to be read in her words, her gestures,
and her tragic eyes.
IN THE SHAMAN’S CHAMBER
One night Simbri asked us to dine with him in his
own apartments in the highest tower of the palace—had
we but known it, for us a fateful place indeed, for
here the last act of the mighty drama was destined
to be fulfilled. So we went, glad enough of any
change. When we had eaten Leo grew very thoughtful,
then said suddenly—“Friend Simbri,
I wish to ask a favour of you—that you
will beg the Khania to let us go our ways.”
