CHAPTER XXV.
LIOLA.
AFTER brief consultation it was deemed insecure for us to return toGoliba's house, as search would undoubtedly be made for us there if anyhad detected his presence with us in the great chasm. Therefore, ourguide, taking one of the lamps, led us along a number of narrow unlightedpassages, threading the maze with perfect knowledge of its intricaciesuntil, opening a door, we found ourselves in a small stoneprison-chamber. Here we remained while he went to another part of thevaults and obtained for us some food, urging us to remain there untilsuch time as we might come forth in safety.
Kona extracted from him a promise that he would place hisfellow-tribesmen in a place of security, and Goliba also assured us thatif we remained in that chamber and did not attempt to wander in thepassages, where we must inevitably lose our way, we might ere long ascendto the city and commence the campaign against the cruel command of themerciless Naya.
Through eleven long and dreary days we remained in the narrow cell,drawing our water from a spring that gushed forth from a rock close tothe door, existing on the smallest quantity of food, and scarce daring tospeak aloud lest any of the gaolers should overhear. By day a faint lightcame through a narrow chink above, and from the fact that the steadytramp of soldiers sounded overhead at intervals we concluded that thechamber must be situated immediately below one of the courtyards of thepalace. At night, however, we remained in perfect darkness, our oilhaving been exhausted during the first few hours. Thus we could onlyremain sitting on the stone bench like prisoners, inactive, discussingthe probabilities of the serious movement that had been started in favourof a change of rule.
"The people apparently look to me as their rescuer from this oppression,"Omar observed one day when we were laying plans for the future. "I will,if Zomara favours me, do my best."
"It is but right; nay, it is your duty towards your subjects to preservethe traditions of the Sanoms," I said. "Goliba was right when he promisedhe would show us the horrors introduced into Mo, or resuscitated by thepresent Naya. We have witnessed with our own eyes expressions of pleasurecross her countenance as each batch of her subjects cast themselves intothose yawning jaws. Such a monarch, capable of any cruelty, mustnecessarily rule unjustly, and should be overthrown or killed."
"I do not desire her death," he said quickly. "All I intend to do is tofree our people from this hateful reign of terror, and at the same timepreserve my mother's life."
"But the time she gave us to quit the country has elapsed," I observed."If we are now discovered we shall either be held as slaves, or treatedwithout mercy--offered as sacrifices to the Crocodile-god, perhaps."
"Not while the people are in our favour," he said. "Once their adherenceto my cause has been tested then we have nought further to fear, for theopinion of the populace will be found even of greater power than themilitary, and in the end it must prevail."
"In the fight that must ensue thou wilt find thy servant Kona at thyside," the head-man said. "Through fire or across water the Dagombas willfollow thee, for their fetish is good, and they have faith in thee asleader."
"Yea, O friend," the young prince answered. "Without thee and thyfollowers I could never have returned hither. I owe everything to thee,and to the stout heart of our companion Scarsmere."
"No, old fellow," I protested. "It is your own dogged courage that haspulled us through so far, not mine. Up to the present all has gone wellwith us except the deplorable loss of some of our dark companions,therefore let us retain our light hearts and meet all obstacles withsmiles."
"I am ready to lead the people against the forces of malice andoppression at any moment Goliba commands," Omar answered. "No thought offear shall arrest my footsteps or stay my hand."
Times without number we discussed the situation in similar strain, until,on the eleventh day of our voluntary confinement we were startled by alow tapping on the door.
Each held his breath. Had it been Goliba he would have entered withoutany such formality. In silence, we remained listening.
Again the tapping was repeated, louder than before. Drawing our knivesready to defend ourselves, believing it to be one of the Naya's gaolers,Kona went forward, unbolted the door and opening it a few inches, weaponin hand, peered out.
Instantly an exclamation of surprise escaped him, and as he threw wideopen the door, a young girl of about seventeen, with a face morebeautiful than I had ever before seen, entered our cell. This vision offeminine loveliness entranced us. We all three stood staring at heropen-mouthed.
Dressed in a robe of rich blue silk heavily embroidered with gold, herwaist was confined by a golden girdle wherein were set some magnificentrubies, and her feet were encased in tiny slippers of pale green leatherembroidered with seed pearls. Her face, slightly flushed in confusion atfinding herself in the presence of the Prince, was pale of complexion asmy own, her clear eyes a deep blue, her cheeks dimpled, her chin justsufficiently pointed to give a touch of piquancy to a decidedly handsomecountenance. Her hair, of almost flaxen fairness, fell in profusion abouther shoulders and breast, almost hiding the necklets of gold and gemsencircling her slim throat.
Little wonder then was it that Kona's black visage should broaden into awide grin in manner habitual when his eyes fell upon anything thatpleased him, or that I should regard her as a most perfect type offeminine loveliness.
"I seek Omar, the Prince," she said in a silvery voice, not, however,without some trepidation.
"I am Omar," answered my friend. "Who, pray, art thou, that thou shouldstknow of my hiding-place?"
"Thy servant," she said with a graceful bow, "is called Liola, daughterof Goliba, councillor of the great Naya. My father sendeth thee greetingand a message."
"Goliba's daughter!" Omar cried laughing. "And we had drawn knives uponthee!"
"Sheathe them," she answered smiling upon us. "Keep them in your beltsuntil ye meet your enemies, for ere long ye will, of a verity, wantthem."
"What then hath transpired?" asked the son of the Great White Queen."What message sendeth our friend Goliba?"
"My father directed me to come hither, for knowing the wife of the Keeperof the Prison I was enabled to pass the sentries where my father wouldhave been remarked," she said. "He sendeth thee word to be of goodcourage, for all goeth well, and thy cause prospereth. The savages whoaccompanied thee into our land are all in safety, although the horsemenof the Naya are scouring the country in search of thee and thycompanions. In secret, word of thy consent to lead the populardemonstration against oppression and ill-government hath been conveyed tothe people even to our land's furthermost limits, and the reports fromall sides show that thou art regarded with favour."
"And thou art also one of my partisans--eh?" asked Omar, smiling.
"I am, O Master," she answered blushing deeply. "I will make fetish forthe success of thine arms."
"I thank thee, Liola," he answered. "Thou hast indeed brought us goodtidings."
"But my father sendeth thee a further message," she continued. "He toldme to tell thee that at sundown to-day he will come and conduct theehence. Rest and sleep until then, for the way may be long and greatvigilance may be demanded."
"Whither does he intend to take us?" our companion asked.
"I know not, O Master," she replied. "Already the people have armed, andare assembling. I heard my father, in conversation last night with one ofthe provincial governors who hath lately joined us, declare that thestruggle could not be much longer delayed."
"Then thou meanest that a fight is imminent?" he asked.
"I fear so. Word of thine intention hath been conveyed by some spy untothe Naya, and the city now swarmeth with her soldiers and janissaries,who have orders to suppress the first sign of any insurrection. But inthe fight thou shalt assuredly win, for the opinion of the people is inthy favour. May Zomara's jaws close upon thine enemies, and may they bedevoured like sacrifices."
"The people are assembling, thou hast said," Omar observed. "Are they ingreat numbers?"
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"It is impossible to tell. The news of thine opposition to the Nayaspread like wildfire through the land, and secret agents soon ascertainedthat the balance of opinion was in thy favour. For eight days past I havebeen at work secretly in thy cause, and from my own observations in thecity I know that among the palace officials we have many adherents, andeven here and there the soldiers will turn against their own comrades. Inour own house arms and ammunition are stored, and we have been fortunateenough in obtaining from the arsenal through the governor, who is on ourside, ten of those wonderful guns of the English that fire bullets likestreams of water."
"Maxims, I suppose," I interrupted.
"I know not their name," she replied. "I heard my father say that theyare most deadly, and with them we might hold an army at bay."
"Truly thy father hath neglected nothing on my behalf," Omar said withsincerity. "Dost thou return unto him?"
"I go at once."
"Then tell him we are anxious to accompany him, and will be ready atsundown."
"Thy words will I convey to him, O Master. Liola shall make great fetishfor thine ascent to the Emerald Throne."
Then, wishing us adieu, the slim handsome girl with the deep blueexpressive eyes slipped out of the door, and noiselessly crept away downthe long stone corridor.
"Of a truth, O Master, there can be no fairer daughter on earth thanLiola," Kona observed, addressing Omar when the pretty messenger hadgone.
"Yea, she is beautiful. Her face is like the lily, and her eyes asmysterious as the depths of the sea. I have never encountered one sofair," Omar answered.
"Nor I," I said. "Her beauty is incomparable."
"I had no idea old Goliba had a daughter," Omar exclaimed. "He is indeedfortunate to have one so amazingly lovely."
"She is one of your partisans," I observed smiling.
And he laughed, while Kona, grinning with glee, declared chaffingly thatthe Prince had fallen in love with her.
The subject, however, was not further pursued, but now and then Omarwould express a hope that she had returned in safety to her father, orwonder why she had been working in his cause, his words showing plainlythat his head was still filled with thoughts of our pretty visitor.
Soon after the light had faded from the tiny chink above, Goliba's voicewas heard calling outside, and we at once opened the door to him.
"Let us hasten, O Master," the old sage cried breathlessly. "Everyinstant's delay meaneth peril, and peril is first cousin to disaster."
"Lead," I cried. "We will follow."
A moment later we all four were creeping softly along the corridor pastdoors of the foul reeking dungeons wherein those who for some cause oranother, often the most trivial, had fallen into disfavour with the Nayaand were rotting in their silent living tombs. Many were the grim andfearful stories of injustice and agony those black walls could tell; manywere the victims consigned there, although innocent of any offence, neveragain to see the light of day. As we walked huge grey rats, some the petsof the wretched prisoners, scurried from our path, and now and then as wepassed the small closed door of heavy sheet-iron the groans andlamentations of the unhappy captives reached our ears.
At last, after traversing many passages turning to right and left in sucha manner that the extent of the great place amazed us, we ascended aflight of well-worn steps.
"The sentries now on guard are loyal to us," the royal councillorwhispered, turning to Omar as we went up, and when we emerged into thechamber wherein stood the Emerald Throne, the three tall soldiers withdrawn swords, two standing mute and motionless as statues on either sideof the door, and the other pacing up and down, took no notice of ourappearance, but regarded us with stolid indifference. In the rosy eveninglight we sped across the beautiful court to a gate opposite, and passedout by a private way of which Goliba held the key until we foundourselves beyond the frowning walls.
Kona looked around longingly as we passed through the courts andchambers. He was anticipating with eagerness the time when he and his menwould re-enter the place as conquerors, and was probably reflecting uponthe amount of loot his men could obtain in the event of an order beinggiven to sack the palace of the dreaded Naya. But without pausing toglance behind, our guide hurried us forward along a number of windingback streets of the city, hot, dusty and close-smelling after thebroiling day, until he stopped before the door of a fine house, the wallsof which were of polished white marble, that reflected the last rays ofthe sun like burnished gold. Striking the door thrice, it opened, and ongoing in he conducted us to a spacious hall, where we found exposed toour view a great collection of arms and warlike accoutrements. All kindsof instruments of death, which the inventive malice of man had everdiscovered had been collected for the use of those determined toaccomplish the overthrow of the wicked rule of the Naya. First, therewere sticks, staves and knotty clubs. Next to these, spears, darts,javelins, armed with brass or iron, or their points hardened with fire,and innumerable bows with quivers and arrows, which Kona examinedcritically, giving low grunts of approbation as he scrutinized a specimenof each.
After these, instruments of dubious use originally designed for theassistance of man, but perverted through cruelty and malice to theservice of slaughter and death; such as knives, scythes, axes andhammers. On these were heaped arms, deliberately fashioned for theoffence of mankind, swords, daggers, poignards, scimitars, and rapiers,while on the opposite side of the spacious place were stored the morerefined and destructive instruments of European war, rifles, muskets,revolvers, bayonets, small field-pieces, machine-guns of variouspatterns, including four Maxims and their food, boxes of cartridges, kegsof powder, cakes of dynamite, bombs and shells.
"Behold!" exclaimed Goliba, halting before them. "Here is one of oursecret stores of arms."
"One of them!" said Omar. "How many, then, have we?"
"In the city there are sixteen, all similarly filled. Away in variousparts of the country there are depots in every populous centre," hereplied.
"But it must have taken a long time to obtain all these," the Princeobserved, puzzled.
"The munitions of war were swiftly obtained for a popular rising," theaged sage replied. "When the word went forth in secret to the people,they responded almost to a man. Arms were actually carried from the royalarsenal in great quantities, and even the spies of the Naya foundthemselves thwarted and powerless. We have obtained nearly all the Maximspurchased in England, by the Naya's agent, Makhana; some are here, othersat various depots, and each will be in charge of fighting-men, who knowtheir use. The few remaining in the arsenal and forts have all beendisabled by those of our sympathisers in government employ."
"Truly," I said, turning to Omar, "the Naya who gave an order for yourassassination is seated on the edge of a volcano."
"Yes," cried the white-bearded old councillor. "The country hathstruggled and groaned long and in vain under the Naya's tyrannical sway;the uprising will be swift and revengeful."
"When will it occur?" I asked, with eagerness.
"To-night," answered Goliba in a quiet tone.
"To-night?" we all three cried, amazed that the preparations were alreadycomplete.
"Yes," he said, in a low tone. "As the bell on the palace-gate chimeththe midnight hour a great mine will be fired that will proclaim with theearth's sudden upheaval the rising of the people of Mo against theirruler. Then the people, ready armed with these weapons, will strike sucha blow as will sweep away all oppression and tyranny from our land, andleave it free as it hath ever been, free to prosper and retain itsposition as the only unconquered nation on the face of earth."