more especially if the woman is a queen and a Sorais, and indeed I feared the very worst, including imminent danger to ourselves.
“Nyleptha had better be told of this at once,” I said, “and perhaps I had better tell her; she might receive your account with suspicion.”
“Who is captain of her guard tonight?” I went on.
“Good.”
“Very well then, there will be no chance of her being got at. Don’t look surprised. I don’t think that her sister would stick at that. I suppose one must tell Good of what has happened.”
“Oh, I don’t know,” said Sir Henry. “It would hurt his feelings, poor fellow! You see, he takes a lively personal interest in Sorais.”
“That’s true; and after all, perhaps there is no need to tell him. He will find out the truth soon enough. Now, you mark my words, Sorais will throw in her lot with Nasta, who is sulking up in the North there, and there will be such a war as has not been known in Zu-Vendis for centuries. Look there!” and I pointed to two Court messengers, who were speeding away from the door of Sorais’ private apartments. “Now follow me,” and I ran up a stairway into an outlook tower that rose from the roof of our quarters, taking the spyglass with me, and looked out over the palace wall. The first thing we saw was one of the messengers speeding towards the Temple, bearing, without any doubt, the Queen’s word to the High Priest Agon, but for the other I searched in vain. Presently, however, I spied a horseman riding furiously through the northern gate of the city, and in him I recognized the other messenger.
“Ah!” I said, “Sorais is a woman of spirit. She is acting at once, and will strike quick and hard. You have insulted her, my boy, and the blood will flow in rivers before the stain is washed away, and yours with it, if she can get hold of you. Well, I’m off to Nyleptha. Just you stop where you are, old fellow, and try to get your nerves straight again. You’ll need them all, I can tell you, unless I have observed human nature in the rough for fifty years for nothing.” And off I went accordingly.
I gained audience of the Queen without trouble. She was expecting Curtis, and was not best pleased to see my mahogany-coloured face instead.
“Is there aught wrong with my Lord, Macumazahn, that he waits not upon me? Say, is he sick?”