Chapter XXVII: The Sacred Manuscript and the Price Paid for It

Both the Professor and the engineer, although they were hardy men--the latter especially--were completely knocked up by the physical ordeal through which they had passed. They regretted that they had not adopted the native dress, for that would have helped them not a little. In fact, they had a very narrow escape of a serious illness. Several of the Atalantans themselves were stricken. Radcliffe and Melanitis had each to nurse the other. Abercromby went about much as usual, owing to his being so brimful of dash and energy. He was followed by rather amused smiles from many, who were quite strangers to such un-Atalantan activities.

One day he broke in, somewhat unceremoniously, upon the Queen and the Princess Mayana, who were sitting, or rather reclining, propped up upon their couches, talking over state affairs at considerable intervals and pauses.

“I want your royal leave to land on the priest’s island,” he said, “and to explore the Temple and its treasures. Radcliffe is most anxious to know if any documents of a religious character are hidden away there.”

“What does he expect to find?” asked Mayana.

Abercromby felt some difficulty in stating the case; then he said, “He thinks it possible that the late King’s information which he gave to him may have been based upon an actual writing of those who were disciples of Christ or even of Christ Himself.”

“This is incredible,” answered the Queen. “I am aware my father thought that so it might be, but I think he was grossly deceived by those who are now proved to have been traitors and rebels.”

“Lydon paid a visit to our house and repeated a story to that effect,” replied Abercromby.

“Well, do you believe he spoke the truth?” answered the Queen. “If he did, it was probably on the only occasion in his life.”

Mayana laughed. “It was a mere bait held out to kidnap you.”

“My own opinion entirely,” replied the Queen. “Now as to your wish, I am ready to grant it, but I would urge you to be wise. Whatever you discover you must bring to me that I may see it first, as is but just, and you must take great care that you go with a force to protect you. There has been no sign of life upon the island, but some survivors of the rebels may be in lurking.”

“Smoke has been seen rising from the Temple,” put in Minola, who was reading on a low seat by the Queen’s side in close attendance upon her.

“All the more reason to put it out at once,” said Abercromby.

“Well, you may try,” said the Queen, smiling, “but be very cautious for your own sake as well as for ours. Radcliffe and Melanitis may go too, but you must take several of the palace guards, well armed. Cleophon will see to this.”

“I pray of you to allow _me_ to go,” put in Minola.

“If you wish to, dear,” replied the Queen; “but be careful all of you. It will be one of the queerest enterprises you ever sought to carry out.”

The Professor and Carysfort were almost equally interested in the adventure, and they obtained permission to take part in it.

The next day the whole party left the palace after the noontide meal. They were carried in palanquins down the Avenue of Ascent to the Lake side, where they found six guards told off to accompany them under the command of Cleophon. The guards carried their swords, but Melanitis and Minola had each the tube of green metal. They had to proceed a short distance to the landing-stage, where a sort of pier projected out several hundreds of yards into the Lake. At the end of this embanked causeway a large punt-shaped boat was in readiness sufficient to embark the entire party.

In the sky, just over the island, hovered two airships sent by the Queen, whose pilots were ordered to keep close in touch with them, so as to be able to intervene in case of any emergency.

They were more than an hour reaching the island, though the rowers were experts at the oar. The island was about a mile in circumference, planted with groves of noble trees of pale pink foliage for the most part, here and there variegated with patches of light green. In the centre rose the Temple--massive, square-shaped, with its four minaret towers at the corners, and a shrine of rich decorative art and brilliant colouring in the centre.

Minola, as the Queen’s personal representative, was bidden to land first; the others followed. The guards ranged up on the pebbly shore. The rowers were directed to remain by the boat, which was firmly secured to a metallic pillar fixed in the ground.

They saw no trace of life; all seemed perfectly still. The heat was great, but not overpowering, as a light mist somewhat draped the face of the sun.

Melanitis counselled that before approaching the Temple they should explore the wood. She and Clarence entered the shady grove and went across the island by a well-defined beaten track till they reached the opposite shore, from whence a fine view could be obtained of the Keraunian hills. He told her of how he had first seen through the mist the outlines of the Temple and the towers of the city, and how the anxious consultation had been held which had led to the signalling by the rockets. She remarked that, under the actual circumstances, it was the best thing they could have done, for, had they come direct to the city, certain and swift death would have awaited them.

“Where are all the others?” said she, turning round. “They will think we have accidentally run away.”

“No; we have run away by design, not by accident,” replied Clarence. “We can tell the truth, as they are not here to listen.”

“Well, that is nice. I see you are the same naughty boy that you were on the earth.”

Clarence had no time to rebut the accusation, for a sudden cry was heard, and Abercromby was seen running towards them, white as a ghost.

“What is the matter?” said Radcliffe, alarmed.

“I have just roused up some inmates of old Lydon’s menagerie. There is a cave of huge serpents hard by here, and they have made me run for my life.”

Melanitis drew her green tube and held it in readiness. A minute later voices were heard, and Carysfort and the Professor came in sight. They stopped aghast, for a sinuous and silvery form, with huge convolutions, detached itself from a large tree and confronted them, uttering piercing hissings that more resembled sobbing cries. Melanitis and Minola, who had hastened to rejoin her, discharged the lightning fluid full in the face of the monster, which collapsed in a heap upon the ground.

“This is the first serpent we have seen in Venus,” said the Professor. “I wonder if it be poisonous.”

“They are very rare,” replied Minola, “only dwelling in the wildest parts of the continent to the north and the east of the city. This has been brought here for a purpose.”

“Something ghastly, I expect,” said the Professor.

“I think so,” answered Minola.

Cleophon and the guards now came up. They had seen two other similar reptiles, but of smaller size, and their weapons and numbers had soon scared them into the thicket.

Under these circumstances they decided to leave the woods and to ascend the steps of the Temple. This they did, and found the gilded door which gave entrance to the great courtyard. No sooner had they entered than they stopped in astonished surprise.

A priest of the Sun, in his gaudy robes, was standing in front of the altar, from whence the smoke of a recent sacrifice was ascending. His tall, gaunt form exhibited no sign of fear. Slowly his gaze travelled round the whole group, but the result was only a flush of deepening hatred upon his face.

“In the Queen’s name, I bid you surrender and throw yourself upon the royal clemency,” said Radcliffe, stepping forward.

“Be careful, Clarence, be careful,” said Melanitis appealingly.

Another step she was by his side, her arm outstretched with levelled weapon towards the foe, who broke into a taunting laugh.

“Asti shall yet be avenged on you and yours,” he cried. “You have slain the high priest by entrapping him, and after a pretended trial, which you dared not hold in the light of day, you have murdered him in cold blood, because he accidentally slew the incapable monarch who was the slave of his own children.”

“This is Talmon, he who put my father to the torture,” cried Minola. “Your day has come, as it came just now to your chief.”

She pointed her green tube.

“A moment,” interposed Cleophon, arresting Minola’s hand. “Do you admit or deny the charge, fellow? Was it through you that the brave Marcon perished?”

Not a word did the priest say. The sudden accusation of Minola paralysed him.

In an instant the deed was done.

All opposition seemed to have ended with the fate of Asti’s solitary worshipper. The party, entering the inner shrine, found it quite empty and deserted. There was a circular aperture in the roof to let the sacrificial fumes ascend, and a huge silver-coloured altar beneath.

“Have animal sacrifices ever been offered here?” asked Carmichael.

“They have,” said Minola.

“Anything worse?”

“God knows; there was nothing that Lydon might not do,” she answered.

Melanitis had been examining some mural paintings upon the northern wall, when she all at once stopped and stood perfectly rigid.

“Come here, all of you,” she said in both English and Atalantan.

They hastened towards her. “Put your ear to the wall, Clarence; do you not hear somebody calling?”

Radcliffe did so. “Good heavens! it is an English voice,” he cried. “It is saying, ‘Help me! help me! for Christ’s sake!’”

“So it is,” Abercromby almost shouted, “and I know whose it is, by George! It’s Tom, as I’m a living man!”

Carmichael began to shout, “Tom! Tom! steady, Tom; we are coming to save you!”

“Buck up, old man! Where are you?” sang out Abercromby.

Melanitis pointed out to them that their best chance was to go outside the shrine of the Temple and search for some underground passage.

“My lady,” said Minola, “I must best know the secret ways of these reptiles. I have been dragged here and almost done to death.”

“We put ourselves in your hands, dear,” said Melanitis.

Minola struck one of the panels of the walls after taking a careful note of it. The panel flew back and disclosed a winding stairway.

“Be very careful, my lords, all of you,” said Minola. “Follow me--I will descend first.”

The brave girl went in front, the others followed. About twenty steps revealed a dark passage with a glimmering of light at the end. Entering this they heard the cries much plainer.

“Christ save me! Let me see a face of man before I die.”

Carmichael dashed forward; he turned a corner, the passage opened into a little room, with a slit for window and for ventilation, and a stone floor.

On the floor, his hands and feet closely fettered, his face emaciated from hunger and thirst, lay a prisoner. It was Jackson.

The moment he saw them he made a violent effort to rise, but it proved hopeless; his head and limbs fell back. But a smile was upon his honest though tortured face as he turned towards his master.

“Well, Tom, old fellow, what have these devils been doing to you? We never imagined you were here. The last of them has been killed; you will be free in a few minutes.”

“Aye, I shall be free, sir, but not as you think,” said Tom. “I’m going home, I am. The priests--they tried to make me give my Saviour up and worship their pagan idols instead--told them I’d die first. Then they played all their conjuring tricks on me, and they have done it by now.”

Melanitis knelt down by his side and laid his poor head upon her arm. “We hope to save you yet, Tom; but if not, you know the way home, don’t you, my poor fellow?”

“Ay, if I had to walk it! I’d be a sight of years over it, and miss the harbour lights at the last, but Christ will just send a chariot to fetch me. He has done it all. It’s not my love to Him, it’s His love to me--that’s what they used to tell me over at the Methodist chapel I had got to lean on. But,” he went on with a puzzled look, “how _do_ you come to speak English, Miss Melanitis?”

“I have learned it, Tom, a good long time.”

“Then you must have heard me a-cussin’ and a-swearin’ pretty often, miss--and at your people, too. I have been a bad dog, miss, and in two worlds; but I have asked the Lord to forgive me, and I know He will, because He says so. ‘Whosoever’ is a big word, and it takes in me, you, and anybody else, miss.”

Melanitis drew from her pocket a tiny phial and placed it to his lips. In a moment his vital powers flickered up.

“I’d be singing you all the Glory Song if I was strong enough,” he said. “I heard Torrey and Alexander do it when I was in Birmingham. It was my old mother who converted me though. She lived at Elton, and when I drove over Mr. Radcliffe to a meetin’ at the Rectory, I went to have a cup of tea at the cottage. ‘Tom,’ she used to say, ‘I’m soon going, my boy, but I’ll be there to meet you; promise me that you will be coming. You won’t disappoint me, Tom?’ Now I’m going to her, Miss Melanitis, and I wishes Mr. Radcliffe and you all the blessin’ the Lord can give you.”

Minola kneeled down and gently placed another Atalantan cordial to his lips. But this time there was no hopeful result.

“He is dying,” said Radcliffe. “You are a martyr, Tom, and you are going to be crowned.”

“It’s Christ and my old mother I want to see, sir. I’m not good enough for crowns.”

He stretched out his lacerated hands to Carmichael. “Good-bye, best master I ever had except Jesus. You must all come--I want to see you all up yonder. They told me--Methodist chapel--not my love to Him--but--but, His love to me, that will carry all the way. Mother! mother! your happy son!” And he yielded up his last breath like a child going to sleep.

Professor Carmichael, the tears trickling down his cheeks, rose up and said to Cleophon, “Will you intercede for me to Queen Mexitli, that the dead body of this my friend and comrade may be embalmed and lie beneath the Pass of Amalona?”

“It shall be honoured as though it were one of our own illustrious dead,” said Cleophon. “Mayana, my wife, will have more than enough influence to procure this.”

The guards were summoned, and the dead body was placed upon a hastily improvised litter and carried down the Temple steps to the boat. Just as they reached it, a piece of paper dropped from the pocket of poor Tom’s waistcoat.

Radcliffe snatched up the paper, and at once cried out, “I must return to the Temple; there _are_ documents after all.”

He handed the scrap (which was crumpled and very hard to decipher) to Carmichael, who read out these words: “If any of you come to find me, remove green flagstone under altar. Lydon has hidden papers there--the devil will do you some mischief there, be careful, go armed--Tom.”

Carmichael read this again very carefully, and explained it to the Atalantans as well as he could. All agreed that they must undertake the search in united force, except that the rowers must be left to guard Tom’s remains in the boat, lest any further outrage should be attempted.

Melanitis suggested that they should proceed at once to forcibly remove the altar, which work did not detain them as long to accomplish as they had expected.

The lifting up of the great stone, however, required the labours of nearly the whole party. Below was a cavernous recess. Minola lighted a small lamp, and held in her other hand her deadly weapon. There were about a dozen rough steps to the bottom, but they were protected by a small handrail.

Clarence, despite the warnings of Melanitis, went down first. No sooner had he reached the floor than they all uttered a cry, which was at once followed by a fierce roar and the sound of a desperate scuffle. Pinning him against the damp wall was a beast of large size, standing upright, tearing at his shoulders with its claws.

Minola dared not fire at such close quarters with the lightning fluid; it would have meant almost certain death to Radcliffe as well. Melanitis had one of the Asteroid pistols, and this she discharged. The bullet wounded the animal severely, but did not actually kill it. It rolled upon the floor, dragging Radcliffe down with it in its fall. All that she could do was to wait while the combatants wrestled, until the beast was uppermost, and could present a target. With a desperate effort Radcliffe succeeded, by grasping its neck, in beating the creature back from his face, and then Melanitis got in her second shot with the other undischarged barrel. This struck the creature in the head; it bounded back and fell lifeless.

The Professor and the engineer held their companion in their arms and assisted him to rise. His dress was torn almost to tatters, and he had been lacerated in both shoulders by the creature’s talons. He could only, with great pain and difficulty, make them understand that he had seen a small metallic case in a recess by the wall, in the attempt to reach which the beast had leaped upon him.

It was a sad party that made their way to the boat with the dead body of poor Jackson and the wounded form of Radcliffe. Minola carefully examined the wounds, and gave assurance that they were not dangerous; but they were troublesome, and would disable him for a little time.

Melanitis tended him with the most loving care. They were all glad to find themselves safe in the shelter and amid the comforts of the palace.