The Lost Continent, Page 2

  1. MY RECALL

  The public official reception was over. The sentence had been read, thename of Phorenice, the Empress, adored, and the new Viceroy installedwith all that vast and ponderous ceremonial which had gained its pompand majesty from the ages. Formally, I had delivered up the reins of mygovernment; formally, Tatho had seated himself on the snake-throne, andhad put over his neck the chain of gems which symbolised the supremeoffice; and then, whilst the drums and the trumpets made theirproclamation of clamour, he had risen to his feet, for his first stateprogress round that gilded council chamber as Viceroy of the Province ofYucatan.

  With folded arms and bended head, I followed him between the glitteringlines of soldiers, and the brilliant throng of courtiers, and chiefs,and statesmen. The roof-beams quivered to the cries of "Long LiveTatho!" "Flourish the Empress!" which came forth as in duty bound, andthe new ruler acknowledged the welcome with stately inclinations ofthe head. In turn he went to the three lesser thrones of the lessergovernors--in the East, the North, and the South, and received homagefrom each as the ritual was; and I, the man whom his coming had deposed,followed with the prescribed meekness in his train.

  It was a hard task, but we who hold the higher offices learn to carrybefore the people a passionless face. Once, twenty years before, thesesame fine obeisances had been made to me; now the Gods had seen fit tomake fortune change. But as I walked bent and humbly on behind the heelsof Tatho, though etiquette forbade noisy salutations to myself, it couldnot inhibit kindly glances, and these came from every soldier, everycourtier, and every chief who stood there in that gilded hall, andthey fell upon me very gratefully. It is not often the fallen meet suchtender looks.

  The form goes, handed down from immemorial custom, that on these greatceremonial days of changing a ruler, those of the people being presentmay bring forward petitions and requests; may make accusations againsttheir retiring head with sure immunity from his vengeance; or may statetheir own private theories for the better government of the State in thefuture. I think it may be pardoned to my vanity if I record that not avoice was raised against me, or against any of the items of my twentyyears of rule. Nor did any speak out for alterations in the future.Yes, even though we made the circuit for the three prescribed times, allpresent showed their approval in generous silence.

  Then, one behind the other, the new Viceroy and the old, we marched withformal step over golden tiles of that council hall beneath the pyramid,and the great officers of state left their stations and joined in ourtrain; and at the farther wall we came to the door of those privatechambers which an hour ago had been mine own.

  Ah, well! I had no home now in any of those wondrous cities of Yucatan,and I could not help feeling a bitterness, though in sooth I should havebeen thankful enough to return to the Continent of Atlantis with my headstill in its proper station.

  Tatho gave his formal summons of "Open ye to the Viceroy," which theritual commands, and the slaves within sent the massive stone valves ofthe door gaping wide. Tatho entered, I at his heels; the others halted,sending valedictions from the threshold; and the valves of the doorclanged on the lock behind us. We passed on to the chamber beyond, andthen, when for the first time we were alone together, and the forcedetiquette of courts was behind us, the new Viceroy turned with meeklyfolded arms, and bowed low before me.

  "Deucalion," he said, "believe me that I have not sought this office. Itwas thrust upon me. Had I not accepted, my head would have paid forfeit,and another man--your enemy--would have been sent out as viceroy inyour place. The Empress does not permit that her will shall ever bequestioned."

  "My friend," I made answer, "my brother in all but blood, there is noman living in all Atlantis or her territories to whom I had liefer handover my government. For twenty years now have I ruled this countryof Yucatan, and Mexico beyond, first under the old King, and thenas minister to this new Empress. I know my colony like a book. I amintimate with all her wonderful cities, with their palaces, theirpyramids, and their people. I have hunted the beasts and the savages inthe forests. I have built roads, and made the rivers so that they willcarry shipping. I have fostered the arts and crafts like a merchant; Ihave discoursed, three times each day, the cult of the Gods withmine own lips. Through evil years and through good have I ruled here,striving only for the prosperity of the land and the strengthening ofAtlantis, and I have grown to love the peoples like a father. To you Ibequeath them, Tatho, with tender supplications for their interests."

  "It is not I that can carry on Deucalion's work with Deucalion's power,but rest content, my friend, that I shall do my humble best to followexactly on in your footsteps. Believe me, I came out to this governmentwith a thousand regrets, but I would have died sooner than take yourplace had I known how vigorously the supplanting would trouble you."

  "We are alone here," I said, "away from the formalities of formalassemblies, and a man may give vent to his natural self without fear oftarnishing a ceremony. Your coming was something of the suddenest.Till an hour ago, when you demanded audience, I had thought to rule onlonger; and even now I do not know for what cause I am deposed."

  "The proclamation said: 'We relieve our well-beloved Deucalion of hispresent service, because we have great need of his powers at home in ourkingdom of Atlantis.'"

  "A mere formality."

  Tatho looked uneasily round the hangings of the chamber, and drew mewith him to its centre, and lowered his voice.

  "I do not think so," he whispered. "I believe she has need of you. Thereare troublous times on hand, and Phorenice wants the ablest men in thekingdom ready to her call."

  "You may speak openly," I said, "and without fear of eavesdroppers.We are in the heart of the pyramid here, built in every way by a man'slength of solid stone. Myself, I oversaw the laying of every course.And besides, here in Yucatan, we have not the niceties of your old worlddiplomacy, and do not listen, because we count it shame to do so."

  Tatho shrugged his shoulders. "I acted only according to mine education.At home, a loose tongue makes a loose head, and there are those whosetrade it is to carry tales. Still, what I say is this: The throneshakes, and Phorenice sees the need of sturdy props. So she has sentthis proclamation."

  "But why come to me? It is twenty years since I sailed to this colony,and from that day I have not returned to Atlantis once. I know little ofthe old country's politics. What small parcel of news drifts out to usacross the ocean, reads with slender interest here. Yucatan is anotherworld, my dear Tatho, as you in the course of your government willlearn, with new interests, new people, new everything. To us here,Atlantis is only a figment, a shadow, far away across the waters. Itis for this new world of Yucatan that I have striven through all theseyears."

  "If Deucalion has small time to spare from his government for broodingover his fatherland, Atlantis, at least, has found leisure to admirethe deeds of her brilliant son. Why, sir, over yonder at home, your namecarries magic with it. When you and I were lads together, it was thecustom in the colleges to teach that the men of the past were thegreatest this world has ever seen; but to-day this teaching is changed.It is Deucalion who is held up as the model and example. Mothers nametheir sons Deucalion, as the most valuable birth-gift they can make.Deucalion is a household word. Indeed, there is only one name that isnear to it in familiarity."

  "You trouble me," I said, frowning. "I have tried to do my duty for itsown sake, and for the country's sake, not for the pattings and fondlingsof the vulgar. And besides, if there are names to be in every one'smouth, they should be the names of the Gods."

  Tatho shrugged his shoulders. "The Gods? They occupy us very littlethese latter years. With our modern science, we have grown past thetether of the older Gods, and no new one has appeared. No, my LordDeucalion, if it were merely the Gods who were your competitors on men'slips, your name would be a thousand times the better known."

  "Of mere human names," I said, "the name of this new Empress should comefirst in Atlantis, our lord the old King being now dead."
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  "She certainly would have it so," replied Tatho, and there was somethingin his tone which made me see that more was meant behind the words. Idrew him to one of the marble seats, and bent myself familiarly towardshim. "I am speaking," I said, "not to the new Viceroy of Yucatan, butto my old friend Tatho, a member of the Priests' Clan, like myself, withwhom I worked side by side in a score of the smaller home governments,in hamlets, in villages, in smaller towns, in greater towns, as wegained experience in war and knowledge in the art of ruling people, andso tediously won our promotion. I am speaking in Tatho's private abode,that was mine own not two hours since, and I would have an answer withthat plainness which we always then used to one another."

  The new Viceroy sighed whimsically. "I almost forget how to speak inplain words now," he said. "We have grown so polished in these latterdays, that mere bald truth would be hissed as indelicate. But for thememory of those early years, when we expended as much law and thoughtover the ownership of a hay-byre as we should now over the fate of arebellious city, I will try and speak plain to you even now, Deucalion.Tell me, old friend, what is it?"

  "What of this new Empress?"

  He frowned. "I might have guessed your subject," he said.

  "Then speak upon it. Tell me of all the changes that have been made.What has this Phorenice done to make her throne unstable in Atlantis?"

  Tatho frowned still. "If I did not know you to be as honest as our Lordthe Sun, your questions would carry mischief with them. Phorenice has ashort way with those who are daring enough to discuss her policies forother purpose than politely to praise them."

  "You can leave me ignorant if you wish," I said with a touch of chill.This Tatho seemed to be different from the Tatho I had known at home,Tatho my workmate, Tatho who had read with me in the College of Priests,who had run with me in many a furious charge, who had laboured with meso heavily that the peoples under us might prosper. But he was quickenough to see my change of tone.

  "You force me back to my old self," he said with a half smile, "thoughit is hard enough to forget the caution one has learned during the lasttwenty years, even when speaking with you. Still, whatever may havehappened to the rest of us, it is clear to see that you at least havenot changed, and, old friend, I am ready to trust you with my life ifyou ask it. In fact, you do ask me that very thing when you tell me tospeak all I know of Phorenice."

  I nodded. This was more like the old times, when there was fullconfidence between us. "The Gods will it now that I return to Atlantis,"I said, "and what happens after that the Gods alone know. But it wouldbe of service to me if I could land on her shores with some knowledge ofthis Phorenice, for at present I am as ignorant concerning her as somesavage from Europe or mid-Africa."

  "What would you have me tell?"

  "Tell all. I know only that she, a woman, reigns, whereby the ancientlaw of the land, a man should rule; that she is not even of the PriestlyClan from which the law says all rulers must be drawn; and that, fromwhat you say, she has caused the throne to totter. The throne was asfirm as the everlasting hills in the old King's day, Tatho."

  "History has moved with pace since then, and Phorenice has spurred it.You know her origin?"

  "I know only the exact little I have told you."

  "She was a swineherd's daughter from the mountains, though this is nevereven whispered now, as she has declared herself to be a daughter of theGods, with a miraculous birth and upbringing. As she has decreed it asacrilege to question this parentage, and has ordered to be burnt allthose that seem to recollect her more earthly origin, the fable passescurrent for truth. You see the faith I put in you, Deucalion, by tellingyou what you wish to learn."

  "There has always been trust between us."

  "I know; but this habit of suspicion is hard to cast off, even with you.However, let me put your good faith between me and the torture further.Zaemon, you remember, was governor of the swineherd's province, andZaemon's wife saw Phorenice and took her away to adopt and bring up asher own. It is said that the swineherd and his woman objected; perhapsthey did; anyway, I know they died; and Phorenice was taught the artsand graces, and brought up as a daughter of the Priestly Clan."

  "But still she was an adopted daughter only," I objected.

  "The omission of the 'adopted' was her will at an early age," said Tathodryly, "and she learnt early to have her wishes carried into fact. Itwas notorious that before she had grown to fifteen years she ruled notonly the women of the household, but Zaemon also, and the province thatwas beyond Zaemon."

  "Zaemon was learned," I said, "and a devout follower of the Gods, andsearcher into the higher mysteries; but, as a ruler, he was always aflabby fellow."

  "I do not say that opportunities have not come usefully in Phorenice'sway, but she has genius as well. For her to have raised herself at allfrom what she was, was remarkable. Not one woman out of a thousand,placed as she was, would have grown to be aught higher than a mere wifeof some sturdy countryman, who was sufficiently simple to care nothingfor pedigree. But look at Phorenice: it was her whim to take exerciseas a man-at-arms and practise with all the utensils of war; and then,before any one quite knows how or why it happened, a rebellion hadbroken out in the province, and here was she, a slip of a girl, leadingZaemon's troops."

  "Zaemon, when I knew him, was a mere derision in the field."

  "Hear me on. Phorenice put down the rebellion in masterly fashion, andgave the conquered a choice between sword and service. They fell intoher ranks at once, and were faithful to her from that moment. I tellyou, Deucalion, there is a marvellous fascination about the woman."

  "Her present historian seems to have felt it."

  "Of course I have. Every one who sees her comes under her spell. Andfrankly, I am in love with her also, and look upon my coming here asdetestable exile. Every one near to Phorenice, high and low, loves herjust the same, even though they know it may be her whim to send them toexecution next minute."

  Perhaps I let my scorn of this appear.

  "You feel contempt for our weakness? You were always a strong man,Deucalion."

  "At any rate you see me still unmarried. I have found no time to palterwith the fripperies of women."

  "Ah, but these colonists here are crude and unfascinating. Wait till yousee the ladies of the court, my ascetic."

  "It comes to my mind," I said dryly, "that I lived in Atlantis before Icame out here, and at that time I used to see as much of court life asmost men. Yet then, also, I felt no inducement to marry."

  Tatho chuckled. "Atlantis has changed so that you would hardly know thecountry to-day. A new era has come over everything, especially overthe other sex. Well do I remember the women of the old King's time, howmonstrous uncomely they were, how little they knew how to walk or carrythemselves, how painfully barbaric was their notion of dress. I dareswear that your ladies here in Yucatan are not so provincial to-day asours were then. But you should see them now at home. They are delicious.And above all in charm is the Empress. Oh, Deucalion, you shall seePhorenice in all her glorious beauty and her magnificence one of thesefine days soon, and believe me you will go down on your knees andrepent."

  "I may see, and (because you say so) I may alter my life's ways. TheGods make all things possible. But for the present I remain as I am,celibate, and not wishful to be otherwise; and so in the meantime Iwould hear the continuance of your history."

  "It is one long story of success. She deposed Zaemon from his governmentin name as well as in fact, and the news was spread, and the PriestlyClan rose in its wrath. The two neighbouring governors were bidden joinforces, take her captive, and bring her for execution. Poor men! Theytried to obey their orders; they attacked her surely enough, but inbattle she could laugh at them. She killed both, and made some slaughteramongst their troops; and to those that remained alive and became herprisoners, she made her usual offer--the sword or service. Naturallythey were not long over making their choice: to these common people oneruler is much the same as another: and so again her army was
reinforced.

  "Three times were bodies of soldiery sent against her, and three timeswas she victorious. The last was a final effort. Before, it had beencustomary to despise this adventuress who had sprung up so suddenly. Butthen the priests began to realise their peril; to see that the throneitself was in danger; and to know that if she were to be crushed, theywould have to put forth their utmost. Every man who could carry arms waspressed into the service. Every known art of war was ordered to be putinto employment. It was the largest army, and the best equipped armythat Atlantis then had ever raised, and the Priestly Clan saw fit to putin supreme command their general, Tatho."

  "You!" I cried.

  "Even myself, Deucalion. And mark you, I fought my utmost. I was not hercreature then; and when I set out (because they wanted to spur me to theuttermost) the High Council of the priests pointed out my prospects. TheKing we had known so long, was ailing and wearily old; he was so wrappedup in the study of the mysteries, and the joy of closely knowing them,that earthly matters had grown nauseous to him; and at any time he mightdecide to die. The Priestly Clan uses its own discretion in the electionof a new king, but it takes note of popular sentiment; and a general whoat the critical time could come home victorious from a great campaign,which moreover would release a harassed people from the constantapplication of arms, would be the idol of the moment. These things werepointed out to me solemnly and in the full council."

  "What! They promised you the throne?"

  "Even that. So you see I set out with a high stake before me. PhoreniceI had never seen, and I swore to take her alive, and give her to be thesport of my soldiery. I had a fine confidence in my own strategy then,Deucalion. But the old Gods, in whom I trusted then, remained old,taught me no new thing. I drilled and exercised my army according to theforms you and I learnt together, old comrade, and in many a tough fightfound to serve well; I armed them with the choicest weapons we knew ofthen, with sling and mace, with bow and spear, with axe and knife, withsword and the throwing fire; their bodies I covered with metal plates;even their bellies I cared for, with droves of cattle driven in the rearof the fighting troops.

  "But when the encounter came, they might have been men of straw for allthe harm they did. Out of her own brain Phorenice had made fire-tubesthat cast a dart which would kill beyond two bowshots, and the fashionin which she handled her troops dazzled me. They threatened us on oneflank, they harassed us on the other. It was not war as we had beenaccustomed to. It was a newer and more deadly game, and I had to watchmy splendid army eaten away as waves eat a sandhill. Never once did Iget a chance of forcing close action. These new tactics that had comefrom Phorenice's invention, were beyond my art to meet or understand. Wewere eight to her one, and our close-packed numbers only made us so muchthe more easy for slaughter. A panic came, and those who could fled.Myself, I had no wish to go back and earn the axe that waits for theunsuccessful general. I tried to die there fighting where I stood. Butdeath would not come. It was a fine melee, Deucalion, that last one."

  "And so she took you?"

  "I stood with three others back to back, with a ring of dead round us,and a ring of the enemy hemming us in. We taunted them to come on. Butat hand-to-hand courtesies we had shown we could hold our own, and sothey were calling for fire-tubes with which they could strike us downin safety from a distance. Then up came Phorenice. 'What is this to-do?'says she. 'We seek to kill Lord Tatho, who led against you,' say they.'So that is Tatho?' says she. 'A fine figure of a man indeed, and apretty fighter seemingly, after the old manner. Doubtless he is onewho would acquire the newer method. See now Tatho,' says she, 'it is mycustom to offer those I vanquish either the sword (which, believe me,was never nearer your neck than now) or service under my banner. Willyou make a choice?'

  "'Woman,' I said, 'fairest that ever I saw, finest general the worldhas ever borne, you tempt me sorely by your qualities, but there is atradition in our Clan, that we should be true to the salt we eat. I amthe King's man still, and so I can take no service from you.'

  "'The King is dead,' says she. 'A runner has just brought the tidings,meaning them to have fallen into your hands. And I am the Empress.'

  "'Who made you Empress?' I asked.

  "'The same most capable hand that has given me this battle,' says she.'It is a capable hand, as you have seen: it can be a kind hand also, asyou may learn if you choose. With the King dead, Tatho is a masterlessman now. Is Tatho in want of a mistress?'

  "'Such a glorious mistress as you,' I said, 'Yes.' And from that moment,Deucalion, I have been her slave. Oh, you may frown; you may get up fromthis seat and walk away if you will. But I ask you this: keep back yourworst judgment of me, old friend, till after you have seen Phoreniceherself in the warm and lovely flesh. Then your own ears and your ownsenses will be my advocates, to win me back your old esteem."