CHAPTER XIV
HOW PHARAOH MET SHADRACH
When the ambassadors had gone, at first there was silence, a very heavysilence, since even the frivolous Abati felt that the hour was big withfate. Of a sudden, however, the members of the Council began to chatterlike so many monkeys, each talking without listening to what hisneighbour said, till at length a gorgeously dressed person, I understoodthat he was a priest, stepped forward, and shouted down the others.
Then he spoke in an excited and venomous fashion. He pointed out that weGentiles had brought all this trouble upon Mur, since before we came theAbati, although threatened, had lived in peace and glory--he actuallyused the word glory!--for generations. But now we had stung the Fung, asa hornet stings a bull, and made them mad, so that they wished to tossthe Abati. He proposed, therefore, that we should at once be ejectedfrom Mur.
At this point I saw Joshua whisper into the ear of a man, who calledout:--
"No, no, for then they would go to their friend, Barung, a savage likethemselves, and having learned our secrets, would doubtless use themagainst us. I say that they must be killed instantly," and he drew asword, and waved it.
Quick walked up to the fellow and clapped a pistol to his head.
"Drop that sword," he said, "or _you_'ll never hear the end of thestory," and he obeyed, whereupon Quick came back.
Now Maqueda began to speak, quietly enough, although I could see thatshe was quaking with passion.
"These men are our guests," she said, "come hither to serve us. Do youdesire to murder our guests? Moreover, of what use would that be? Onething alone can save us, the destruction of the god of the Fung,since, according to the ancient saying of that people, when the idol isdestroyed the Fung will leave their city of Harmac. Moreover, as to thisnew prophecy of the priests of the idol, that before the gathering inof the harvest his head shall sleep above the plain of Mur, how canthat happen if it is destroyed, unless indeed it means that Harmac shallsleep in the heavens. Therefore what have you to fear from threats builtupon that which cannot happen?
"But can _you_ destroy this false god Harmac, or dare _you_ fight theFung? You know that it is not so, for had it been so what need was therefor me to send for these Westerns? And if you murder them, will Barungthereby be appeased? Nay, I tell you that being a brave and honourableman, although our enemy, he will become ten times more wroth with youthan he was before, and exact a vengeance even more terrible. I tell youalso, that then you must find another Walda Nagasta to rule over you,since I, Maqueda, will do so no more."
"That is impossible," said some one, "you are the last woman of the trueblood."
"Then you can choose one of blood that is not true, or elect a king,as the Jews elected Saul, for if my guests are butchered I shall die ofvery shame."
These words of hers seemed to cow the Council, one of whom asked whatwould she have them do?
"Do?" she replied, throwing back her veil, "why, be men, raise an armyof every male who can carry a sword; help the foreigners, and they willlead you to victory. People of the Abati, would you be slaughtered,would you see your women slaves, and your ancient name blotted out fromthe list of peoples?"
Now some of them cried, "No."
"Then save yourselves. You are still many, the strangers here have skillin war, they can lead if you will follow. Be brave a while, and I swearto you that by harvest the Abati shall sit in the city of Harmac and notthe Fung in Mur. I have spoken, now do what you will," and rising fromher chair of state Maqueda left the chamber, motioning to us to dolikewise.