"Before you enter our presence," she said coldly, "see to it that you are properly announced and that we have expressed a desire to receive you."
"But your majesty," objected Erot, "have I not been in the habit of—"
"You have gotten into bad habits," she interrupted; "see that you mend them. Is the diversion arranged?"
"All is in readiness, your majesty," replied the crestfallen Erot.
"Come, then!" directed Nemone, motioning Tarzan to follow her.
In the anteroom they found Gemnon waiting, and the Queen bid him accompany them. Preceded and followed by armed guards, the three passed along several corridors and through a number of rooms, then up a stairway to the second floor of the palace. Here they were conducted to a balcony overlooking a small enclosed court. The windows opening onto this court from the first story of the building were heavily barred; and from just below the top of the parapet, behind which the Queen and her party sat, sharpened stakes protruded, giving the court the appearance of a miniature arena for wild animals.
As Tarzan looked down into the courtyard, wondering a little what the nature of the diversion was to be, a door at one end swung open and a young lion stepped out into the sunlight, blinking his eyes and looking about. When he saw those on the balcony looking down at him, he growled.
"He is going to make a good lion," remarked Nemone. "From a cub, he has always been vicious."
"What is he doing in here?" asked Tarzan, "or what is he going to do?"
"He is going to entertain us," replied Nemone. "Presently an enemy of Cathne will be turned into the pit with him, the Athnean who was captured in Thenar."