11
The Sentence of Death
But it was an hour before the king re-entered the apartment and in themeantime the ape-man had occupied himself in examining the carvingsupon the walls and the numerous specimens of the handicraft ofPal-ul-donian artisans which combined to impart an atmosphere ofrichness and luxury to the apartment.
The limestone of the country, close-grained and of marble whiteness yetworked with comparative ease with crude implements, had been wrought bycunning craftsmen into bowls and urns and vases of considerable graceand beauty. Into the carved designs of many of these virgin gold hadbeen hammered, presenting the effect of a rich and magnificentcloisonne. A barbarian himself the art of barbarians had alwaysappealed to the ape-man to whom they represented a natural expressionof man's love of the beautiful to even a greater extent than thestudied and artificial efforts of civilization. Here was the real artof old masters, the other the cheap imitation of the chromo.
It was while he was thus pleasurably engaged that Ko-tan returned. AsTarzan, attracted by the movement of the hangings through which theking entered, turned and faced him he was almost shocked by theremarkable alteration of the king's appearance. His face was livid; hishands trembled as with palsy, and his eyes were wide as with fright.His appearance was one apparently of a combination of consuming angerand withering fear. Tarzan looked at him questioningly.
"You have had bad news, Ko-tan?" he asked.
The king mumbled an unintelligible reply. Behind there thronged intothe apartment so great a number of warriors that they choked theentrance-way. The king looked apprehensively to right and left. He castterrified glances at the ape-man and then raising his face and turninghis eyes upward he cried: "Jad-ben-Otho be my witness that I do notthis thing of my own accord." There was a moment's silence which wasagain broken by Ko-tan. "Seize him," he cried to the warriors abouthim, "for Lu-don, the high priest, swears that he is an impostor."
To have offered armed resistance to this great concourse of warriors inthe very heart of the palace of their king would have been worse thanfatal. Already Tarzan had come far by his wits and now that within afew hours he had had his hopes and his suspicions partially verified bythe vague admissions of O-lo-a he was impressed with the necessity ofinviting no mortal risk that he could avoid.
"Stop!" he cried, raising his palm against them. "What is the meaningof this?"
"Lu-don claims he has proof that you are not the son of Jad-ben-Otho,"replied Ko-tan. "He demands that you be brought to the throneroom toface your accusers. If you are what you claim to be none knows betterthan you that you need have no fear in acquiescing to his demands, butremember always that in such matters the high priest commands the kingand that I am only the bearer of these commands, not their author."
Tarzan saw that Ko-tan was not entirely convinced of his duplicity aswas evidenced by his palpable design to play safe.
"Let not your warriors seize me," he said to Ko-tan, "lestJad-ben-Otho, mistaking their intention, strike them dead." The effectof his words was immediate upon the men in the front rank of those whofaced him, each seeming suddenly to acquire a new modesty thatcompelled him to self-effacement behind those directly in his rear--amodesty that became rapidly contagious.
The ape-man smiled. "Fear not," he said, "I will go willingly to theaudience chamber to face the blasphemers who accuse me."
Arrived at the great throneroom a new complication arose. Ko-tan wouldnot acknowledge the right of Lu-don to occupy the apex of the pyramidand Lu-don would not consent to occupying an inferior position whileTarzan, to remain consistent with his high claims, insisted that no oneshould stand above him, but only to the ape-man was the humor of thesituation apparent.
To relieve the situation Ja-don suggested that all three of them occupythe throne, but this suggestion was repudiated by Ko-tan who arguedthat no mortal other than a king of Pal-ul-don had ever sat upon thehigh eminence, and that furthermore there was not room for three there.
"But who," said Tarzan, "is my accuser and who is my judge?"
"Lu-don is your accuser," explained Ko-tan.
"And Lu-don is your judge," cried the high priest.
"I am to be judged by him who accuses me then," said Tarzan. "It werebetter to dispense then with any formalities and ask Lu-don to sentenceme." His tone was ironical and his sneering face, looking straight intothat of the high priest, but caused the latter's hatred to rise tostill greater proportions.
It was evident that Ko-tan and his warriors saw the justice of Tarzan'simplied objection to this unfair method of dispensing justice. "OnlyKo-tan can judge in the throneroom of his palace," said Ja-don, "lethim hear Lu-don's charges and the testimony of his witnesses, and thenlet Ko-tan's judgment be final."
Ko-tan, however, was not particularly enthusiastic over the prospect ofsitting in trial upon one who might after all very possibly be the sonof his god, and so he temporized, seeking for an avenue of escape. "Itis purely a religious matter," he said, "and it is traditional that thekings of Pal-ul-don interfere not in questions of the church."
"Then let the trial be held in the temple," cried one of the chiefs,for the warriors were as anxious as their king to be relieved of allresponsibility in the matter. This suggestion was more thansatisfactory to the high priest who inwardly condemned himself for nothaving thought of it before.
"It is true," he said, "this man's sin is against the temple. Let himbe dragged thither then for trial."
"The son of Jad-ben-Otho will be dragged nowhere," cried Tarzan. "Butwhen this trial is over it is possible that the corpse of Lu-don, thehigh priest, will be dragged from the temple of the god he woulddesecrate. Think well, then, Lu-don before you commit this folly."
His words, intended to frighten the high priest from his positionfailed utterly in consummating their purpose. Lu-don showed no terrorat the suggestion the ape-man's words implied.
"Here is one," thought Tarzan, "who, knowing more of his religion thanany of his fellows, realizes fully the falsity of my claims as he doesthe falsity of the faith he preaches."
He realized, however, that his only hope lay in seeming indifference tothe charges. Ko-tan and the warriors were still under the spell oftheir belief in him and upon this fact must he depend in the final actof the drama that Lu-don was staging for his rescue from the jealouspriest whom he knew had already passed sentence upon him in his ownheart.
With a shrug he descended the steps of the pyramid. "It matters not toDor-ul-Otho," he said, "where Lu-don enrages his god, for Jad-ben-Othocan reach as easily into the chambers of the temple as into thethroneroom of Ko-tan."
Immeasurably relieved by this easy solution of their problem the kingand the warriors thronged from the throneroom toward the templegrounds, their faith in Tarzan increased by his apparent indifferenceto the charges against him. Lu-don led them to the largest of the altarcourts.
Taking his place behind the western altar he motioned Ko-tan to a placeupon the platform at the left hand of the altar and directed Tarzan toa similar place at the right.
As Tarzan ascended the platform his eyes narrowed angrily at the sightwhich met them. The basin hollowed in the top of the altar was filledwith water in which floated the naked corpse of a new-born babe. "Whatmeans this?" he cried angrily, turning upon Lu-don.
The latter smiled malevolently. "That you do not know," he replied, "isbut added evidence of the falsity of your claim. He who poses as theson of god did not know that as the last rays of the setting sun floodthe eastern altar of the temple the lifeblood of an adult reddens thewhite stone for the edification of Jad-ben-Otho, and that when the sunrises again from the body of its maker it looks first upon this westernaltar and rejoices in the death of a new-born babe each day, the ghostof which accompanies it across the heavens by day as the ghost of theadult returns with it to Jad-ben-Otho at night.
"Even the little children of the Ho-don know these things, while he whoclaims to be the son of Jad-ben-Otho knows them not; and if this proofbe not e
nough, there is more. Come, Waz-don," he cried, pointing to atall slave who stood with a group of other blacks and priests on thetemple floor at the left of the altar.
The fellow came forward fearfully. "Tell us what you know of thiscreature," cried Lu-don, pointing to Tarzan.
"I have seen him before," said the Waz-don. "I am of the tribe ofKor-ul-lul, and one day recently a party of which I was one encountereda few of the warriors of the Kor-ul-JA upon the ridge which separatesour villages. Among the enemy was this strange creature whom theycalled Tarzan-jad-guru; and terrible indeed was he for he fought withthe strength of many men so that it required twenty of us to subduehim. But he did not fight as a god fights, and when a club struck himupon the head he sank unconscious as might an ordinary mortal.
"We carried him with us to our village as a prisoner but he escapedafter cutting off the head of the warrior we left to guard him andcarrying it down into the gorge and tying it to the branch of a treeupon the opposite side."
"The word of a slave against that of a god!" cried Ja-don, who hadshown previously a friendly interest in the pseudo godling.
"It is only a step in the progress toward truth," interjected Lu-don."Possibly the evidence of the only princess of the house of Ko-tan willhave greater weight with the great chief from the north, though thefather of a son who fled the holy offer of the priesthood may notreceive with willing ears any testimony against another blasphemer."
Ja-don's hand leaped to his knife, but the warriors next him laiddetaining fingers upon his arms. "You are in the temple ofJad-ben-Otho, Ja-don," they cautioned and the great chief was forced toswallow Lu-don's affront though it left in his heart bitter hatred ofthe high priest.
And now Ko-tan turned toward Lu-don. "What knoweth my daughter of thismatter?" he asked. "You would not bring a princess of my house totestify thus publicly?"
"No," replied Lu-don, "not in person, but I have here one who willtestify for her." He beckoned to an under priest. "Fetch the slave ofthe princess," he said.
His grotesque headdress adding a touch of the hideous to the scene, thepriest stepped forward dragging the reluctant Pan-at-lee by the wrist.
"The Princess O-lo-a was alone in the Forbidden Garden with but thisone slave," explained the priest, "when there suddenly appeared fromthe foliage nearby this creature who claims to be the Dor-ul-Otho. Whenthe slave saw him the princess says that she cried aloud in startledrecognition and called the creature by name--Tarzan-jad-guru--the samename that the slave from Kor-ul-lul gave him. This woman is not fromKor-ul-lul but from Kor-ul-JA, the very tribe with which the Kor-ul-lulsays the creature was associating when he first saw him. And furtherthe princess said that when this woman, whose name is Pan-at-lee, wasbrought to her yesterday she told a strange story of having beenrescued from a Tor-o-don in the Kor-ul-GRYF by a creature such as this,whom she spoke of then as Tarzan-jad-guru; and of how the two werepursued in the bottom of the gorge by two monster gryfs, and of how theman led them away while Pan-at-lee escaped, only to be taken prisonerin the Kor-ul-lul as she was seeking to return to her own tribe.
"Is it not plain now," cried Lu-don, "that this creature is no god. Didhe tell you that he was the son of god?" he almost shouted, turningsuddenly upon Pan-at-lee.
The girl shrank back terrified. "Answer me, slave!" cried the highpriest.
"He seemed more than mortal," parried Pan-at-lee.
"Did he tell you that he was the son of god? Answer my question,"insisted Lu-don.
"No," she admitted in a low voice, casting an appealing look offorgiveness at Tarzan who returned a smile of encouragement andfriendship.
"That is no proof that he is not the son of god," cried Ja-don. "Dostthink Jad-ben-Otho goes about crying 'I am god! I am god!' Hast everheard him Lu-don? No, you have not. Why should his son do that whichthe father does not do?"
"Enough," cried Lu-don. "The evidence is clear. The creature is animpostor and I, the head priest of Jad-ben-Otho in the city of A-lur,do condemn him to die." There was a moment's silence during whichLu-don evidently paused for the dramatic effect of his climax. "And ifI am wrong may Jad-ben-Otho pierce my heart with his lightnings as Istand here before you all."
The lapping of the wavelets of the lake against the foot of the palacewall was distinctly audible in the utter and almost breathless silencewhich ensued. Lu-don stood with his face turned toward the heavens andhis arms outstretched in the attitude of one who bares his breast tothe dagger of an executioner. The warriors and the priests and theslaves gathered in the sacred court awaited the consuming vengeance oftheir god.
It was Tarzan who broke the silence. "Your god ignores you Lu-don," hetaunted, with a sneer that he meant to still further anger the highpriest, "he ignores you and I can prove it before the eyes of yourpriests and your people."
"Prove it, blasphemer! How can you prove it?"
"You have called me a blasphemer," replied Tarzan, "you have proved toyour own satisfaction that I am an impostor, that I, an ordinarymortal, have posed as the son of god. Demand then that Jad-ben-Othouphold his godship and the dignity of his priesthood by directing hisconsuming fires through my own bosom."
Again there ensued a brief silence while the onlookers waited forLu-don to thus consummate the destruction of this presumptuous impostor.
"You dare not," taunted Tarzan, "for you know that I would be struckdead no quicker than were you."
"You lie," cried Lu-don, "and I would do it had I not but just receiveda message from Jad-ben-Otho directing that your fate be different."
A chorus of admiring and reverential "Ahs" arose from the priesthood.Ko-tan and his warriors were in a state of mental confusion. Secretlythey hated and feared Lu-don, but so ingrained was their sense ofreverence for the office of the high priest that none dared raise avoice against him.
None? Well, there was Ja-don, fearless old Lion-man of the north. "Theproposition was a fair one," he cried. "Invoke the lightnings ofJad-ben-Otho upon this man if you would ever convince us of his guilt."
"Enough of this," snapped Lu-don. "Since when was Ja-don created highpriest? Seize the prisoner," he cried to the priests and warriors, "andon the morrow he shall die in the manner that Jad-ben-Otho has willed."
There was no immediate movement on the part of any of the warriors toobey the high priest's command, but the lesser priests on the otherhand, imbued with the courage of fanaticism leaped eagerly forward likea flock of hideous harpies to seize upon their prey.
The game was up. That Tarzan knew. No longer could cunning anddiplomacy usurp the functions of the weapons of defense he best loved.And so the first hideous priest who leaped to the platform wasconfronted by no suave ambassador from heaven, but rather a grim andferocious beast whose temper savored more of hell.
The altar stood close to the western wall of the enclosure. There wasjust room between the two for the high priest to stand during theperformance of the sacrificial ceremonies and only Lu-don stood therenow behind Tarzan, while before him were perhaps two hundred warriorsand priests.
The presumptuous one who would have had the glory of first layingarresting hands upon the blasphemous impersonator rushed forward withoutstretched hand to seize the ape-man. Instead it was he who wasseized; seized by steel fingers that snapped him up as though he hadbeen a dummy of straw, grasped him by one leg and the harness at hisback and raised him with giant arms high above the altar. Close at hisheels were others ready to seize the ape-man and drag him down, andbeyond the altar was Lu-don with drawn knife advancing toward him.
There was no instant to waste, nor was it the way of the ape-man tofritter away precious moments in the uncertainty of belated decision.Before Lu-don or any other could guess what was in the mind of thecondemned, Tarzan with all the force of his great muscles dashed thescreaming hierophant in the face of the high priest, and, as though thetwo actions were one, so quickly did he move, he had leaped to the topof the altar and from there to a handhold upon the summit of the templewall. As he gained a footing there he t
urned and looked down upon thosebeneath. For a moment he stood in silence and then he spoke.
"Who dare believe," he cried, "that Jad-ben-Otho would forsake hisson?" and then he dropped from their sight upon the other side.
There were two at least left within the enclosure whose hearts leapedwith involuntary elation at the success of the ape-man's maneuver, andone of them smiled openly. This was Ja-don, and the other, Pan-at-lee.
The brains of the priest that Tarzan had thrown at the head of Lu-donhad been dashed out against the temple wall while the high priesthimself had escaped with only a few bruises, sustained in his fall tothe hard pavement. Quickly scrambling to his feet he looked around infear, in terror and finally in bewilderment, for he had not been awitness to the ape-man's escape. "Seize him," he cried; "seize theblasphemer," and he continued to look around in search of his victimwith such a ridiculous expression of bewilderment that more than asingle warrior was compelled to hide his smiles beneath his palm.
The priests were rushing around wildly, exhorting the warriors topursue the fugitive but these awaited now stolidly the command of theirking or high priest. Ko-tan, more or less secretly pleased by thediscomfiture of Lu-don, waited for that worthy to give the necessarydirections which he presently did when one of his acolytes excitedlyexplained to him the manner of Tarzan's escape.
Instantly the necessary orders were issued and priests and warriorssought the temple exit in pursuit of the ape-man. His departing words,hurled at them from the summit of the temple wall, had had littleeffect in impressing the majority that his claims had not beendisproven by Lu-don, but in the hearts of the warriors was admirationfor a brave man and in many the same unholy gratification that hadrisen in that of their ruler at the discomfiture of Lu-don.
A careful search of the temple grounds revealed no trace of the quarry.The secret recesses of the subterranean chambers, familiar only to thepriesthood, were examined by these while the warriors scattered throughthe palace and the palace grounds without the temple. Swift runnerswere dispatched to the city to arouse the people there that all mightbe upon the lookout for Tarzan the Terrible. The story of his impostureand of his escape, and the tales that the Waz-don slaves had broughtinto the city concerning him were soon spread throughout A-lur, nor didthey lose aught in the spreading, so that before an hour had passed thewomen and children were hiding behind barred doorways while thewarriors crept apprehensively through the streets expecting momentarilyto be pounced upon by a ferocious demon who, bare-handed, didvictorious battle with huge gryfs and whose lightest pastime consistedin tearing strong men limb from limb.