She called it out cynically, quoting it from the King’s last sentence. She was directly across the water from me; I saw her plainly—a girl who was considered one of the beauties of Rax. A half-breed man was passing near her, and obviously she was aiming the taunt at him.
“Loyal subjects!”
And then she added: “That does not mean you—Marinog!”
It roused the half-breed to frenzy. He dashed at the girl, struck her in the breast with his arm.
Instantly there was confusion. A dozen swimming figures cut off my view. Out of the melee the Marinog came diving. I saw him escape in the crowd.
The King was trying to cover up the incident by going on with his speech. But they would not listen to him. From everywhere came shouts.
“Down with the Marinogs!”
“Half-breeds! Tainted blood of the Maagogs!”
The King’s speech had precipitated the very thing he had been trying to avoid! In a sudden fervor of patriotism against the Maagogs, the people were openly taunting all of Maagog blood among them.
There were many half-breeds in the crowd—lurking in secluded spots, eying the King with their huge, solemn eyes. They began slinking away; and most of the crowd let them go. Except the Marinoid girls. Perversely feminine, the girls swam around them—taunting, laughing, jeering.