CHAPTER XXV
THE ESCAPE OF TARGO
"I am very much afraid it was a wrong move," said the Chemist gravely.
They were sitting in a corner of the roof, talking over the situation.Lylda had left the city; the last they had seen of her, she was stridingrapidly away, over the country towards Orlog. The street and fieldbefore the house now was nearly deserted.
"She had to do it, of course," the Chemist continued, "but to killTargo's brother----"
"I wonder," began the Big Business Man thoughtfully. "It seems to methis disturbance is becoming far more serious than we think. It isn't somuch a political issue now between your government and the followers ofTargo, as it is a struggle against those of us who have this magic, asthey call it."
"That's just the point," put in the Doctor quickly. "They are making thepeople believe that our power of changing size is a menace that----"
"If I had only realized," said the Chemist. "I thought your coming wouldhelp. Apparently it was the very worst thing that could have happened."
"Not for you personally," interjected the Very Young Man. "We'reperfectly safe--and Lylda, and Loto." He put his arm affectionatelyaround the boy who sat close beside him. "You are not afraid, are you,Loto?"
"Now I am not," answered the boy seriously. "But this morning, when Ileft my grandfather, coming home----"
"You were afraid for your mother. That was it, wasn't it?" finished theVery Young Man. "Does your grandfather teach you?"
"Yes--he, and father, and mother."
"I want you to see Lylda's father," said the Chemist. "There is nothingwe can do now until Lylda returns. Shall we walk up there?" They allagreed readily.
"I may go, too?" Loto asked, looking at his father.
"You have your lessons," said the Chemist.
"But, my father, it is so very lonely without mother," protested theboy.
The Chemist smiled gently. "Afraid, little son, to stay with Oteo?"
"He's not afraid," said the Very Young Man stoutly.
The little boy looked from one to the other of them a moment silently.Then, calling Oteo's name, he ran across the roof and down into thehouse.
"Five years ago," said the Chemist, as the child disappeared, "there washardly such an emotion in this world as fear or hate or anger. Now thependulum is swinging to the other extreme. I suppose that's natural,but----" He ended with a sigh, and, breaking his train of thought, roseto his feet. "Shall we start?"
Lylda's father greeted them gravely, with a dignity, and yet obviouscordiality that was quite in accord with his appearance. He was a manover sixty. His still luxuriant white hair fell to his shoulders. Hisface was hairless, for in this land all men's faces were as devoid ofhair as those of the women. He was dressed in a long, flowing robesimilar to those his visitors were wearing.
"Because--you come--I am glad," he said with a smile, as he shook handsin their own manner. He spoke slowly, with frequent pauses, as thoughcarefully picking his words. "But--an old man--I know not the languageof you."
He led them into a room that evidently was his study, for in it they sawmany strange instruments, and on a table a number of loosely boundsheets of parchment that were his books. They took the seats he offeredand looked around them curiously.
"There is the clock we spoke of," said the Chemist, indicating one ofthe larger instruments that stood on a pedestal in a corner of the room."Reoh will explain it to you."
Their host addressed the Chemist. "From Oteo I hear--the news to-day isbad?" he asked with evident concern.
"I am afraid it is," the Chemist answered seriously.
"And Lylda?"
The Chemist recounted briefly the events of the day. "We can only waituntil Lylda returns," he finished. "To-morrow we will talk with theking."
"Bad it is," said the old man slowly; "very bad. But--we shall see----"
The Very Young Man had risen to his feet and was standing beside theclock.
"How does it work?" he asked. "What time is it now?"
Reoh appealed to his son-in-law. "To tell of it--the words I know not."
The Chemist smiled. "You are too modest, my father. But I will help youout, if you insist." He turned to the others, who were gathered aroundhim, looking at the clock.
"Our measurement of our time here," he began, "like yours, is basedon----"
"Excuse me," interrupted the Very Young Man. "I just want to know firstwhat time it is now?"
"It is in the fourth eclipse," said the Chemist with a twinkle.
The Very Young Man was too surprised by this unexpected answer toquestion further, and the Chemist went on.
"We measure time by the astronomical movements, just as you do in yourworld. One of the larger stars has a satellite which revolves around itwith extreme rapidity. Here at Arite, this satellite passes nearlyalways directly behind its controlling star. In other words, it iseclipsed. Ten of these eclipses measure the passage of our day. We risegenerally at the first eclipse or about that time. It is now the fourtheclipse; you would call it late afternoon. Do you see?"
"How is the time gauged here?" asked the Big Business Man, indicatingthe clock.
The instrument stood upon a low stone pedestal. It consisted of atransparent cylinder about twelve inches in diameter and some four feethigh, surmounted by a large circular bowl. The cylinder was separatedfrom the bowl by a broad disc of porous stone; a similar stone sectiondivided the cylinder horizontally into halves. From the bowl a fluid wasdropping in a tiny stream through the top stone segment into the uppercompartment, which was now about half full. This in turn filteredthrough the second stone into the lower compartment. This lower sectionwas marked in front with a large number of fine horizontal lines, anequal distance apart, but of unequal length. In it the fluid stood nowjust above one of the longer lines-the fourth from the bottom. On thetop of this fluid floated a circular disc almost the size of the insidediameter of the cylinder.
The Chemist explained. "It really is very much like the old hour-glasswe used to have in your world. This filters liquid instead of sand. Youwill notice the water filters twice." He indicated the two compartments."That is because it is necessary to have a liquid that is absolutelypure in order that the rate at which it filters through this other stonemay remain constant. The clock is carefully tested, so that for eacheclipse the water will rise in this lower part of the cylinder, just thedistance from here to here."
The Chemist put his fingers on two of the longer marks.
"Very ingenious," remarked the Doctor. "Is it accurate?"
"Not so accurate as your watches, of course," the Chemist answered. "Butstill, it serves the purpose. These ten longer lines, you see, mark theten eclipses that constitute one of our days. The shorter lines betweenindicate halves and quarter intervals."
"Then it is only good for one day?" asked the Very Young Man. "How doyou set it?"
"It resets automatically each day, at the beginning of the firsteclipse. This disc," the Chemist pointed to the disc floating on thewater in the lower compartment. "This disc rises with the water on whichit is floating. When it reaches the top of it, it comes in contact witha simple mechanism--you'll see it up there--which opens a gate below anddrains out the water in a moment. So that every morning it is emptiedand starts filling up again. All that is needed is to keep this bowlfull of water."
"It certainly seems very practical," observed the Big Business Man. "Arethere many in use?"
"Quite a number, yes. This clock was invented by Reoh, some thirty yearsago. He is the greatest scientist and scholar we have." The old mansmiled deprecatingly at this compliment.
"Are these books?" asked the Very Young Man; he had wandered over to thetable and was fingering one of the bound sheets of parchment.
"They are Reoh's chronicles," the Chemist answered. "The only ones oftheir kind in Arite."
"What's this?" The Very Young Man pointed to another instrument.
"That is an astronomical instrument, something like a sextant
--also aninvention of Reoh's. Here is a small telescope and----" The Chemistpaused and went over to another table standing at the side of the room.
"That reminds me, gentlemen," he continued; "I have something here inwhich you will be greatly interested."
"What you--will see," said Reoh softly, as they gathered around theChemist, "you only, of all people, can understand. Each day I look, andI wonder; but never can I quite believe."
"I made this myself, nearly ten years ago," said the Chemist, lifting upthe instrument; "a microscope. It is not very large, you see; nor is itvery powerful. But I want you to look through it." With hiscigar-lighter he ignited a short length of wire that burned slowly witha brilliant blue spot of light. In his hand he held a small piece ofstone.
"I made this microscope hoping that I might prove with it still moreconclusively my original theory of the infinite smallness of human life.For many months I searched into various objects, but without success.Finally I came upon this bit of rock." The Chemist adjusted it carefullyunder the microscope with the light shining brilliantly upon it.
"You see I have marked one place; I am going to let you look into itthere."
The Doctor stepped forward. As he looked they heard his quick intake ofbreath. After a moment he raised his head. On his face was an expressionof awe too deep for words. He made place for the others, and stoodsilent.
When the Very Young Man's turn came he looked into the eyepieceawkwardly. His heart was beating fast; for some reason he feltfrightened.
At first he saw nothing. "Keep the other eye open," said the Chemist.
The Very Young Man did as he was directed. After a moment there appearedbefore him a vast stretch of open country. As from a great height hestared down at the scene spread out below him. Gradually it becameclearer. He saw water, with the sunlight--his own kind of sunlight itseemed--shining upon it. He stared for a moment more, dazzled by thelight. Then, nearer to him, he saw a grassy slope, that seemed to be ona mountain-side above the water. On this slope he saw animals grazing,and beside them a man, formed like himself.
The Chemist's voice came to him from far away. "We are all of us here ina world that only occupies a portion of one little atom of the gold of awedding-ring. Yet what you see there in that stone----"
The Very Young Man raised his head. Before him stood the microscope,with its fragment of stone gleaming in the blue light of the burningwire. He wanted to say something to show them how he felt, but no wordscame. He looked up into the Chemist's smiling face, and smiled back alittle foolishly.
"Every day I look," said Reoh, breaking the silence. "And Isee--wonderful things. But never really--can I believe."
At this moment there came a violent rapping upon the outer door. As Reohleft the room to open it, the Very Young Man picked up the bit of stonethat the Chemist had just taken from the microscope.
"I wish--may I keep it?" he asked impulsively.
The Chemist smiled and nodded, and the Very Young Man was about to slipit into the pocket of his robe when Reoh hastily reentered the room,followed by Oteo. The youth was breathing heavily, as though he had beenrunning, and on his face was a frightened look.
"Bad; very bad," said the old man, in a tone of deep concern, as theycame through the doorway.
"What is it, Oteo?" asked the Chemist quickly. The boy answered him witha flood of words in his native tongue.
The Chemist listened quietly. Then he turned to his companions.
"Targo has escaped," he said briefly. "They sent word to me at home, andOteo ran here to tell me. A crowd broke into the court-house andreleased him. Oteo says they went away by water, and that no one isfollowing them."
The youth, who evidently understood English, added something else in hisown language.
"He says Targo vowed death to all who have the magic power. He spoke inthe city just now, and promised them deliverance from the giants."
"Good Lord," murmured the Very Young Man.
"He has gone to Orlog probably," the Chemist continued. "We have nothingto fear for the moment. But that he could speak, in the centre of Arite,after this morning, and that the people would listen--"
"It seems to me things are getting worse every minute," said the BigBusiness Man.
Oteo spoke again. The Chemist translated. "The police did nothing. Theysimply stood and listened, but took no part."
"Bad; very bad," repeated the old man, shaking his head.
"What we should do I confess I cannot tell," said the Chemist soberly."But that we should do something drastic is obvious."
"We can't do anything until Lylda gets back," declared the Very YoungMan. "We'll see what she has done. We might have had to let Targo goanyway."
The Chemist started towards the door. "To-night, by the time of sleep,Reoh," he said to the old man, "I expect Lylda will have returned. Youhad better come to us then with Aura. I do not think you should stayhere alone to sleep to-night."
"In a moment--Aura comes," Reoh answered. "We shall be with you--verysoon."
The Chemist motioned to his companions, and with obvious reluctance onthe part of the Very Young Man they left, followed by Oteo.
On the way back the city seemed quiet--abnormally so. The streets werenearly deserted; what few pedestrians they met avoided them, or passedthem sullenly. They were perhaps half-way back to the Chemist's housewhen the Very Young Man stopped short.
"I forgot that piece of stone," he explained, looking at them queerly."Go on. I'll be there by the time you are," and disregarding theChemist's admonition that he might get lost he left them abruptly andwalked swiftly back over the way they had come.
Without difficulty, for they had made few turns, the Very Young Manlocated Reoh's house. As he approached he noticed the figure of a manlounging against a further corner of the building; the figuredisappeared almost as soon as he saw it.
It was a trivial incident, but, somehow, to the Very Young Man, it heldsomething in it of impending danger. He did not knock on the outer door,but finding it partly open, he slowly pushed it wider and steppedquietly into the hallway beyond. He was hardly inside when there camefrom within the house a girl's scream--a cry of horror, abruptlystifled.
For an instant, the Very Young Man stood hesitating. Then he dashedforward through an open doorway in the direction from which the cry hadseemed to come.
The room into which he burst was Reoh's study; the room he had left onlya few moments before. On the floor, almost across his path, lay the oldman, with the short blade of a sword buried to the hilt in his breast.In a corner of the room a young Oroid girl stood with her back againstthe wall. Her hands were pressed against her mouth; her eyes were widewith terror. Bending over the body on the floor with a hand at itsarmpit, knelt the huge, gray figure of a man. At the sound of theintruder's entrance he looked up quickly and sprang to his feet.
The Very Young Man saw it was Targo!