We had traversed about two-thirds of the distance across the clearing toward the city before we saw any signs of life and then a few figures appeared at the top of the wall above the entrance. They carried long, thin scarfs, which they seemed to be waving in greeting to us and when we had come yet closer I saw that they were young women. They leaned over the parapet and smiled and beckoned to us.
As we came within speaking distance below the wall, I halted. "What city is this," I asked, "and who is jed here?"
"Enter, warriors," cried one of the girls, "and we will lead you to the jed." She was very pretty and she was smiling sweetly, as were her companions.
"This is not such a depressing place as you thought," I said in a low voice to Nur An.
"I was mistaken," said Nur An. "They seem to be a kindly, hospitable people. Shall we enter?"
"Come," called another of the girls; "behind these gloomy walls lie food and wine and love."
Food! I would have entered a far more forbidding place than this for food.
As Nur An and I strode toward the small door, it slowly withdrew to one side. Beyond, across a black paved avenue, rose buildings of black volcanic rock. The avenue seemed deserted as we stepped within. We heard the faint click of a lock as the door slid into place behind us and I had a sudden foreboding of ill that made my right hand seek the hilt of my long sword.
VIII