13
The Masquerader
As Tarzan dropped to the ground beyond the temple wall there was in hismind no intention to escape from the City of A-lur until he hadsatisfied himself that his mate was not a prisoner there, but how, inthis strange city in which every man's hand must be now against him, hewas to live and prosecute his search was far from clear to him.
There was only one place of which he knew that he might find eventemporary sanctuary and that was the Forbidden Garden of the king.There was thick shrubbery in which a man might hide, and water andfruits. A cunning jungle creature, if he could reach the spotunsuspected, might remain concealed there for a considerable time, buthow he was to traverse the distance between the temple grounds and thegarden unseen was a question the seriousness of which he fullyappreciated.
"Mighty is Tarzan," he soliloquized, "in his native jungle, but in thecities of man he is little better than they."
Depending upon his keen observation and sense of location he felt safein assuming that he could reach the palace grounds by means of thesubterranean corridors and chambers of the temple through which he hadbeen conducted the day before, nor any slightest detail of which hadescaped his keen eyes. That would be better, he reasoned, than crossingthe open grounds above where his pursuers would naturally immediatelyfollow him from the temple and quickly discover him.
And so a dozen paces from the temple wall he disappeared from sight ofany chance observer above, down one of the stone stairways that led tothe apartments beneath. The way that he had been conducted the previousday had followed the windings and turnings of numerous corridors andapartments, but Tarzan, sure of himself in such matters, retraced theroute accurately without hesitation.
He had little fear of immediate apprehension here since he believedthat all the priests of the temple had assembled in the court above towitness his trial and his humiliation and his death, and with this ideafirmly implanted in his mind he rounded the turn of the corridor andcame face to face with an under priest, his grotesque headdressconcealing whatever emotion the sight of Tarzan may have aroused.
However, Tarzan had one advantage over the masked votary ofJad-ben-Otho in that the moment he saw the priest he knew his intentionconcerning him, and therefore was not compelled to delay action. And soit was that before the priest could determine on any suitable line ofconduct in the premises a long, keen knife had been slipped into hisheart.
As the body lunged toward the floor Tarzan caught it and snatched theheaddress from its shoulders, for the first sight of the creature hadsuggested to his ever-alert mind a bold scheme for deceiving hisenemies.
The headdress saved from such possible damage as it must have sustainedhad it fallen to the floor with the body of its owner, Tarzanrelinquished his hold upon the corpse, set the headdress carefully uponthe floor and stooping down severed the tail of the Ho-don close to itsroot. Near by at his right was a small chamber from which the priesthad evidently just emerged and into this Tarzan dragged the corpse, theheaddress, and the tail.
Quickly cutting a thin strip of hide from the loin cloth of the priest,Tarzan tied it securely about the upper end of the severed member andthen tucking the tail under his loin cloth behind him, secured it inplace as best he could. Then he fitted the headdress over his shouldersand stepped from the apartment, to all appearances a priest of thetemple of Jad-ben-Otho unless one examined too closely his thumbs andhis great toes.
He had noticed that among both the Ho-don and the Waz-don it was not atall unusual that the end of the tail be carried in one hand, and so hecaught his own tail up thus lest the lifeless appearance of it draggingalong behind him should arouse suspicion.
Passing along the corridor and through the various chambers he emergedat last into the palace grounds beyond the temple. The pursuit had notyet reached this point though he was conscious of a commotion not farbehind him. He met now both warriors and slaves but none gave him morethan a passing glance, a priest being too common a sight about thepalace.
And so, passing the guards unchallenged, he came at last to the innerentrance to the Forbidden Garden and there he paused and scannedquickly that portion of the beautiful spot that lay before his eyes. Tohis relief it seemed unoccupied and congratulating himself upon theease with which he had so far outwitted the high powers of A-lur hemoved rapidly to the opposite end of the enclosure. Here he found apatch of flowering shrubbery that might safely have concealed a dozenmen.
Crawling well within he removed the uncomfortable headdress and satdown to await whatever eventualities fate might have in store for himthe while he formulated plans for the future. The one night that he hadspent in A-lur had kept him up to a late hour, apprising him of thefact that while there were few abroad in the temple grounds at night,there were yet enough to make it possible for him to fare forth undercover of his disguise without attracting the unpleasant attention ofthe guards, and, too, he had noticed that the priesthood constituted aprivileged class that seemed to come and go at will and unchallengedthroughout the palace as well as the temple. Altogether then, hedecided, night furnished the most propitious hours for hisinvestigation--by day he could lie up in the shrubbery of the ForbiddenGarden, reasonably free from detection. From beyond the garden he heardthe voices of men calling to one another both far and near, and heguessed that diligent was the search that was being prosecuted for him.
The idle moments afforded him an opportunity to evolve a moresatisfactory scheme for attaching his stolen caudal appendage. Hearranged it in such a way that it might be quickly assumed ordiscarded, and this done he fell to examining the weird mask that hadso effectively hidden his features.
The thing had been very cunningly wrought from a single block of wood,very probably a section of a tree, upon which the features had beencarved and afterward the interior hollowed out until only acomparatively thin shell remained. Two-semicircular notches had beenrounded out from opposite sides of the lower edge. These fitted snuglyover his shoulders, aprons of wood extending downward a few inches uponhis chest and back. From these aprons hung long tassels or switches ofhair tapering from the outer edges toward the center which reachedbelow the bottom of his torso. It required but the most cursoryexamination to indicate to the ape-man that these ornaments consistedof human scalps, taken, doubtless, from the heads of the sacrificesupon the eastern altars. The headdress itself had been carved to depictin formal design a hideous face that suggested both man and GRYF. Therewere the three white horns, the yellow face with the blue bandsencircling the eyes and the red hood which took the form of theposterior and anterior aprons.
As Tarzan sat within the concealing foliage of the shrubbery meditatingupon the hideous priest-mask which he held in his hands he became awarethat he was not alone in the garden. He sensed another presence andpresently his trained ears detected the slow approach of naked feetacross the sward. At first he suspected that it might be one stealthilysearching the Forbidden Garden for him but a little later the figurecame within the limited area of his vision which was circumscribed bystems and foliage and flowers. He saw then that it was the princessO-lo-a and that she was alone and walking with bowed head as though inmeditation--sorrowful meditation for there were traces of tears uponher lids.
Shortly after his ears warned him that others had entered thegarden--men they were and their footsteps proclaimed that they walkedneither slowly nor meditatively. They came directly toward the princessand when Tarzan could see them he discovered that both were priests.
"O-lo-a, Princess of Pal-ul-don," said one, addressing her, "thestranger who told us that he was the son of Jad-ben-Otho has but justfled from the wrath of Lu-don, the high priest, who exposed him and allhis wicked blasphemy. The temple, and the palace, and the city arebeing searched and we have been sent to search the Forbidden Garden,since Ko-tan, the king, said that only this morning he found him here,though how he passed the guards he could not guess."
"He is not here," said O-lo-a. "I have been in the garden for some timeand have seen no
r heard no other than myself. However, search it if youwill."
"No," said the priest who had before spoken, "it is not necessary sincehe could not have entered without your knowledge and the connivance ofthe guards, and even had he, the priest who preceded us must have seenhim."
"What priest?" asked O-lo-a.
"One passed the guards shortly before us," explained the man.
"I did not see him," said O-lo-a.
"Doubtless he left by another exit," remarked the second priest.
"Yes, doubtless," acquiesced O-lo-a, "but it is strange that I did notsee him." The two priests made their obeisance and turned to depart.
"Stupid as Buto, the rhinoceros," soliloquized Tarzan, who consideredButo a very stupid creature indeed. "It should be easy to outwit suchas these."
The priests had scarce departed when there came the sound of feetrunning rapidly across the garden in the direction of the princess toan accompaniment of rapid breathing as of one almost spent, either fromfatigue or excitement.
"Pan-at-lee," exclaimed O-lo-a, "what has happened? You look asterrified as the doe for which you were named!"
"O Princess of Pal-ul-don," cried Pan-at-lee, "they would have killedhim in the temple. They would have killed the wondrous stranger whoclaimed to be the Dor-ul-Otho."
"But he escaped," said O-lo-a. "You were there. Tell me about it."
"The head priest would have had him seized and slain, but when theyrushed upon him he hurled one in the face of Lu-don with the same easethat you might cast your breastplates at me, and then he leaped uponthe altar and from there to the top of the temple wall and disappearedbelow. They are searching for him, but, O Princess, I pray that they donot find him."
"And why do you pray that?" asked O-lo-a. "Has not one who has soblasphemed earned death?"
"Ah, but you do not know him," replied Pan-at-lee.
"And you do, then?" retorted O-lo-a quickly. "This morning you betrayedyourself and then attempted to deceive me. The slaves of O-lo-a do notsuch things with impunity. He is then the same Tarzan-jad-guru of whomyou told me? Speak woman and speak only the truth."
Pan-at-lee drew herself up very erect, her little chin held high, forwas not she too among her own people already as good as a princess?"Pan-at-lee, the Kor-ul-JA does not lie," she said, "to protectherself."
"Then tell me what you know of this Tarzan-jad-guru," insisted O-lo-a.
"I know that he is a wondrous man and very brave," said Pan-at-lee,"and that he saved me from the Tor-o-don and the GRYF as I told you,and that he is indeed the same who came into the garden this morning;and even now I do not know that he is not the son of Jad-ben-Otho forhis courage and his strength are more than those of mortal man, as arealso his kindness and his honor: for when he might have harmed me heprotected me, and when he might have saved himself he thought only ofme. And all this he did because of his friendship for Om-at, who isgund of Kor-ul-JA and with whom I should have mated had the Ho-don notcaptured me."
"He was indeed a wonderful man to look upon," mused O-lo-a, "and he wasnot as are other men, not alone in the conformation of his hands andfeet or the fact that he was tailless, but there was that about himwhich made him seem different in ways more important than these."
"And," supplemented Pan-at-lee, her savage little heart loyal to theman who had befriended her and hoping to win for him the considerationof the princess even though it might not avail him; "and," she said,"did he not know all about Ta-den and even his whereabouts. Tell me, OPrincess, could mortal know such things as these?"
"Perhaps he saw Ta-den," suggested O-lo-a.
"But how would he know that you loved Ta-den," parried Pan-at-lee. "Itell you, my Princess, that if he is not a god he is at least more thanHo-don or Waz-don. He followed me from the cave of Es-sat in Kor-ul-JAacross Kor-ul-lul and two wide ridges to the very cave in Kor-ul-GRYFwhere I hid, though many hours had passed since I had come that way andmy bare feet left no impress upon the ground. What mortal man could dosuch things as these? And where in all Pal-ul-don would virgin maidfind friend and protector in a strange male other than he?"
"Perhaps Lu-don may be mistaken--perhaps he is a god," said O-lo-a,influenced by her slave's enthusiastic championing of the stranger.
"But whether god or man he is too wonderful to die," cried Pan-at-lee."Would that I might save him. If he lived he might even find a way togive you your Ta-den, Princess."
"Ah, if he only could," sighed O-lo-a, "but alas it is too late fortomorrow I am to be given to Bu-lot."
"He who came to your quarters yesterday with your father?" askedPan-at-lee.
"Yes; the one with the awful round face and the big belly," exclaimedthe Princess disgustedly. "He is so lazy he will neither hunt norfight. To eat and to drink is all that Bu-lot is fit for, and he thinksof naught else except these things and his slave women. But come,Pan-at-lee, gather for me some of these beautiful blossoms. I wouldhave them spread around my couch tonight that I may carry away with mein the morning the memory of the fragrance that I love best and which Iknow that I shall not find in the village of Mo-sar, the father ofBu-lot. I will help you, Pan-at-lee, and we will gather armfuls ofthem, for I love to gather them as I love nothing else--they wereTa-den's favorite flowers."
The two approached the flowering shrubbery where Tarzan hid, but as theblooms grew plentifully upon every bush the ape-man guessed there wouldbe no necessity for them to enter the patch far enough to discover him.With little exclamations of pleasure as they found particularly largeor perfect blooms the two moved from place to place upon the outskirtsof Tarzan's retreat.
"Oh, look, Pan-at-lee," cried O-lo-a presently; "there is the king ofthem all. Never did I see so wonderful a flower--No! I will get itmyself--it is so large and wonderful no other hand shall touch it," andthe princess wound in among the bushes toward the point where the greatflower bloomed upon a bush above the ape-man's head.
So sudden and unexpected her approach that there was no opportunity toescape and Tarzan sat silently trusting that fate might be kind to himand lead Ko-tan's daughter away before her eyes dropped from thehigh-growing bloom to him. But as the girl cut the long stem with herknife she looked down straight into the smiling face of Tarzan-jad-guru.
With a stifled scream she drew back and the ape-man rose and faced her.
"Have no fear, Princess," he assured her. "It is the friend of Ta-denwho salutes you," raising her fingers to his lips.
Pan-at-lee came now excitedly forward. "O Jad-ben-Otho, it is he!"
"And now that you have found me," queried Tarzan, "will you give me upto Lu-don, the high priest?"
Pan-at-lee threw herself upon her knees at O-lo-a's feet. "Princess!Princess!" she beseeched, "do not discover him to his enemies."
"But Ko-tan, my father," whispered O-lo-a fearfully, "if he knew of myperfidy his rage would be beyond naming. Even though I am a princessLu-don might demand that I be sacrificed to appease the wrath ofJad-ben-Otho, and between the two of them I should be lost."
"But they need never know," cried Pan-at-lee, "that you have seen himunless you tell them yourself for as Jad-ben-Otho is my witness I willnever betray you."
"Oh, tell me, stranger," implored O-lo-a, "are you indeed a god?"
"Jad-ben-Otho is not more so," replied Tarzan truthfully.
"But why do you seek to escape then from the hands of mortals if youare a god?" she asked.
"When gods mingle with mortals," replied Tarzan, "they are no lessvulnerable than mortals. Even Jad-ben-Otho, should he appear before youin the flesh, might be slain."
"You have seen Ta-den and spoken with him?" she asked with apparentirrelevancy.
"Yes, I have seen him and spoken with him," replied the ape-man. "Forthe duration of a moon I was with him constantly."
"And--" she hesitated--"he--" she cast her eyes toward the ground and aflush mantled her cheek--"he still loves me?" and Tarzan knew that shehad been won over.
"Yes," he said, "Ta-den speaks only of O-lo-a and he
waits and hopesfor the day when he can claim her."
"But tomorrow they give me to Bu-lot," she said sadly.
"May it be always tomorrow," replied Tarzan, "for tomorrow never comes."
"Ah, but this unhappiness will come, and for all the tomorrows of mylife I must pine in misery for the Ta-den who will never be mine."
"But for Lu-don I might have helped you," said the ape-man. "And whoknows that I may not help you yet?"
"Ah, if you only could, Dor-ul-Otho," cried the girl, "and I know thatyou would if it were possible for Pan-at-lee has told me how brave youare, and at the same time how kind."
"Only Jad-ben-Otho knows what the future may bring," said Tarzan. "Andnow you two go your way lest someone should discover you and becomesuspicious."
"We will go," said O-lo-a, "but Pan-at-lee will return with food. Ihope that you escape and that Jad-ben-Otho is pleased with what I havedone." She turned and walked away and Pan-at-lee followed while theape-man again resumed his hiding.
At dusk Pan-at-lee came with food and having her alone Tarzan put thequestion that he had been anxious to put since his conversation earlierin the day with O-lo-a.
"Tell me," he said, "what you know of the rumors of which O-lo-a spokeof the mysterious stranger which is supposed to be hidden in A-lur.Have you too heard of this during the short time that you have beenhere?"
"Yes," said Pan-at-lee, "I have heard it spoken of among the otherslaves. It is something of which all whisper among themselves but ofwhich none dares to speak aloud. They say that there is a strange shehidden in the temple and that Lu-don wants her for a priestess and thatKo-tan wants her for a wife and that neither as yet dares take her forfear of the other."
"Do you know where she is hidden in the temple?" asked Tarzan.
"No," said Pan-at-lee. "How should I know? I do not even know that itis more than a story and I but tell you that which I have heard otherssay."
"There was only one," asked Tarzan, "whom they spoke of?"
"No, they speak of another who came with her but none seems to knowwhat became of this one."
Tarzan nodded. "Thank you Pan-at-lee," he said. "You may have helped memore than either of us guess."
"I hope that I have helped you," said the girl as she turned backtoward the palace.
"And I hope so too," exclaimed Tarzan emphatically.