The Devil-Tree of El Dorado: A Novel

by Frank Aubrey

  CHAPTER XXIV.

  TRAPPED!

  One day the king announced his intention to fix a day for Leonard'sformal betrothal to Ulama according to the usage of the country.Immediately the people began preparations to do honour to the event;and congratulations and marks of friendship and goodwill were showeredupon the young couple by all those who were well affected towards theking.

  In the opposite camp, however, as might be expected, the announcementwas differently received; and, indeed, the crafty Coryon took advantageof it to sow dissension among some of the people, and to suggestopposition to the proposal. His adherents had certain supporters in theland; people who bought their own security by aiding Coryon secretlyagainst their neighbours. This was why the king had shrunk frompushing matters to the extreme against the priest. He knew that thesehalf-hearted or doubtful ones were quite as likely to side with Coryon,at the last moment, as with himself, and that thus a civil war would beinaugurated.

  Monella, since he had come into the country and espoused the king'sside, had thrown more energy and method into the cause than had beenpreviously bestowed upon it. Through the Fraternity of the WhitePriests, and their covert friends and sympathisers, and throughErgalon, who had secretly gained over some of Coryon's people,an active work had been carried on amongst all classes, and withsatisfactory results. But Coryon, on his side, had been busy too;though hitherto with less success. Now, however, he found a useful aidin the objection many felt to seeing the king's only daughter weddedto one who--as it was cunningly suggested to them--was a stranger,an adventurer, come from no one knew where, and unable to show suchevidence of descent and other qualifications as should entitle him toseek alliance with the daughter of their king.

  But Coryon's emissaries worked silently and unseen; and there wasnothing outwardly to show that two undercurrents were gradually gainingstrength and approaching that point whence the slightest accident mightbring them into active opposition.

  Indeed, in announcing the proposed betrothal, the king had, for once,acted directly against Monella's advice. The latter had counselled thatthe matter should be kept secret until the contest with Coryon--now inabeyance--had been finally decided; for he foresaw the use to whichCoryon would put it.

  Leonard and Ulama were too much taken up with each other and with theirown happiness to trouble themselves about the 'pros and cons' that hadweighed in the minds of Monella and those who thought with him. Thatthe effect of the proclamation would be to hasten his marriage was, ofcourse, sufficient to commend it to Leonard; and he left all the restto others.

  Templemore knew not sufficient of what was going on around him tohave any opinion upon the subject. Since the night when the real useto which the great devil-tree was put had been revealed to him, hehad been very unhappy. He felt as might one who had been slumberingpeacefully in sight of a terrible peril, to whose existence he hadsuddenly been awakened. Not that he had any fear for his own safety;yet he was filled with a nameless dread, a vague sense of horror anddistrust, of unreality, in the life about him. He could not but realisethat there would be no real peace, no security for life or property,until an absolute end had been put to Coryon and his atrocious crew,and their abominable fetish-tree destroyed. But when would that be?he wondered. His sense of disquiet was increased by having to keepfrom Leonard the knowledge he had gained, and being thus debarredfrom discussing matters with him. Not, however (as he acknowledged tohimself), that that would have been of much advantage; for Leonard wastoo much absorbed in 'love's young dream' to be likely to discuss suchthings coolly and critically.

  Three days before that fixed for the ceremony of betrothal, whichwas to be marked by a still grander entertainment, the king gave apreliminary _fete_. There was much feasting for all and sundry; boats,gaily decorated with flowers and banners and coloured streamers, glidedto and fro upon the lake; the young people skilled in diving from greatheights into the water with their parachute aids, contended for prizes,and there were many other forms of gaiety and festivity.

  Leonard and Ulama, seated upon a terrace, looked upon the scene, andwaved their hands in frequent recognition of friendly faces and signalshere and there amongst the crowd. Ulama's lovely face was radiant,and the soft light in her gentle eyes, her pleased acknowledgment ofthe tokens of affection and the good wishes she received on everyside, and her grateful smiles for all, were charming to behold. Herwondrous grace and beauty seemed, if possible, enhanced by herhalf-shy, half-proud glances, and the flush that mounted to her cheekswhen she turned her eyes with love on Leonard. Never before, even inthat country where the charms of the daughters of the land exceed theaverage, had such a vision of lovely maidenhood and such rare beautybeen beheld. And yet all those who knew her, loved her as much for theinnocence and sweetness that beamed ever in her face and guided all herthoughts and words and actions, as for the physical perfection thatcompelled their admiration.

  She stole her little hand into her lover's and sighed quietly.

  "I am so happy, and yet my eyes are full of tears. And I feel halffrightened too; frightened lest my happiness should be too great tolast. Is it wrong, then, to be happy, think you? It almost seems so,when I know so many others are unhappy."

  Leonard fondly pressed her hand, and gazed deep down into her eyes.

  "If you feel happy in your love, dear heart," he answered, "it isbecause you love so much; and surely to love cannot be wrong, or totake pleasure in it. Besides, in that you think so much of others youbut show your sweet unselfishness. Therefore, trouble not yourselfabout the regrets for others that accompany your love. For, if to-daythey sorrow, they have had their times of happiness in the past, or mayhave them in the future."

  "It may be so," replied Ulama. "I doubt whether in all the world thereis another maiden who loves as I do, and therefore who could know thedread that weighs me down. But as for me--ah, I tremble at my own greatjoy, and fear it is too great to last. And every one is so kind to meand seems so rejoiced to see me happy--that--that I can hardly keepfrom crying."

  And for a brief minute the gentle-hearted girl placed her hands beforeher face to hide her tears--tears that were born of the great gladnessof her love and her tender sympathy for others.

  And so for these two the day passed, like many that had gone before it,in a blissful dream; but it was a dream from which they were soon to beroughly awakened to the dark knowledge of what wickedness can achieve.

  For, amid the feasting and among the revellers, were evil beingswho had plotted in their black hearts to kill the joy of thegentlest-hearted maiden that ever with her sweetness brightened thissorrow-laden earth; wretches that even then were spinning around herthe treacherous web designed by the fell Coryon to end her dream ofhappiness for ever.

  * * * * *

  When Templemore woke up the next morning he gazed about him insurprise. He was not in his usual sleeping apartment; but, instead, insome room that was strange to him. It was small, dingy and ill-lighted,and the couch upon which he found himself was not that on which hehad lately slept. He sprang up and, in vague alarm, looked round forhis clothes and his arms; the clothes were there, but there was norevolver, and his rifle was nowhere to be seen. Even his sword anddagger, that formed part of his usual dress, had been removed. Dressinghimself hastily, he rushed to the door, but it was fastened.

  "Great heavens!" he exclaimed, "I am a prisoner; my rifle and pistolhave been taken away in my sleep. Oh, what, what has happened toLeonard? What can it all mean?"

  He hammered at the door, but no answer came. Then he tried to look outof the window, but it was too high for him to be able to see anythingthrough it but the sky. There was nothing to be done but wait; sohe sat down upon the bed, a picture of misery and bewilderment, andforthwith began to formulate all sorts of theories and ideas to accountfor what had happened to him.

  When, after a long interval, the door was opened, a man entered whosedress showed him to be one of Coryon's black-tunicked soldiers. Hebrought in some foo
d, and a pitcher and a mug, which he deposited upona small table, and was turning to go, when Templemore sprang up andaddressed him. He felt so incensed at the sight of this emissary ofCoryon's that he could indeed scarcely refrain from hurling himselfupon him, despite the fact that the man was armed. But just outside thedoor, as he could see, were other soldiers; he could hear, too, theclank of their arms, so he knew that to attack the one before him wouldbe worse than useless.

  "What is the meaning of this?" he demanded.

  The man, who was just on the point of going out, turned back for a stepor two, and then said in a low tone,

  "You are the prisoner of the High Priest Coryon."

  "But how, and why, and where?"

  The man shook his head quietly. He was not an ill-favoured fellow, andregarded his prisoner in a half-friendly manner, Templemore thought.

  "You are still in the king's palace," he continued, "but your friendand the princess have been taken away to Coryon's abode."

  "Taken away to his place? Great God help them and help us all,then!" Jack moaned, as the picture of what he had seen there thatwell-remembered night rose up before his mind. "And how has all thiscome about? and where is Monella, and where is the king?"

  "I may not talk to you," the soldier answered. "I have disobeyed ordersin telling you thus much. But Ergalon was a friend of mine and I knowthat he is a friend of yours." And he went out, closing and fasteningthe door behind him.

  Here was terrible news! Leonard and Ulama prisoners of Coryon; perhapsimmured in one of those awful dungeons within reach of the terribletree, where the very sight of what went on beyond those barred andgrated doors was enough to drive the bravest mad; and where, at anymoment, that whistle--a door run back--and then----!

  "It's too dreadful--too horrible to think of!" Templemore exclaimed.He sprang up and began pacing restlessly up and down. "I shall go madmyself, if I dwell upon such thoughts."

  The hours dragged slowly by till evening, when, just when it wasgrowing dark, the door was once more opened and the same man came inand, looking at Templemore, made a sign to be silent. Then he returnedto the door and led in a muffled figure, and, without a word, retired.The figure threw back a hood that covered the head, and Templemore,with glad surprise, saw that it was Zonella.

  He ran forward and took her hand in his.

  "Zonella!" he exclaimed. "This is surprising, and gladdening too. Itdoes one good to see your face after all that I have been imagining.Tell me--what does it all mean?"

  She laid her finger on her lips and said in a hushed voice,

  "It means that the cunning, treacherous Coryon has played a trick uponus all, and made you prisoners. Your friend and our beloved princesshave been carried off, the king himself is kept a prisoner in hisroom, and so are many of his ministers."

  "And Monella and Ergalon?"

  "Monella was away in Myrlanda, as you know, and so has escaped; andErgalon--who is free too, but in hiding--has sent a trusty messenger towarn him."

  "And you?"

  "I am virtually a prisoner too. That is, I am forbidden to leave thepalace. But I am free to go about within it. The whole place is full ofCoryon's soldiers."

  "Can you tell me how it was managed?"

  "The 'loving cup' was drugged. All who partook of it fell into anunnaturally heavy sleep. You remember almost every one throughout thepalace drank some, in honour of your friend and our poor princess.Alas! alas! My dear, my loved Ulama!"

  She sobbed bitterly, while Jack marched excitedly up and down the place.

  "Is there no hope--nothing to be done?" he exclaimed despairingly.

  "There is only one thing," was answered in a low, hesitating tone.

  "What is that?" he asked eagerly.

  "I have come to try to aid you. If you wrap up in this cloak and go outquietly now, while it is half dark, you may get clear out of the palaceunobserved. One of my maids is waiting for me without, and will showyou the way. I warned her of my plan, and she is to be trusted."

  "What! And leave you here in my place to suffer Coryon's vengeance?Why, Zonella--dear, kind friend--what must you think of me?"

  "I can think of nothing else," she answered simply. "And for me--I carenot. Whatever may befall me, _you_ will be able to get away; perhapseven to serve your friend."

  Jack took her hand in his, not noticing that she seemed to shiver underthe touch.

  "Such an offer is too kind, too much, my dear, good friend," he said."It cannot be; we must try----"

  "For _my_ sake, then," she exclaimed impulsively. "I would ratherdie myself than see you carried off to yonder dens. Or"--she pausedconfusedly, and then went on--"for your friend's sake. Think! Consider!Do you refuse merely from any thought about me? Think what you might beable to do for others--for your friend, for Ulama!"

  Templemore passed his hand over his face; the tears were coming intohis eyes. When he tried to speak again, he felt half choking.

  "You are a noble girl, Zonella," he answered with emotion; "and whenyou appeal to me on _their_ behalf you cannot know how hard it is to meto stay on here, knowing that I have the chance--just the chance--ofsaving them. But it cannot be, dear friend, it cannot be; but--I thankyou. My whole heart thanks you." He pressed her hand, and turnedsorrowfully away.

  Presently, she spoke again, this time in a different tone; indeed, hervoice sounded hard and strained.

  "Then Ergalon shall risk his life for you," she said. "I know thatwhich will induce him to attempt what to-day he said could not be done.I will seek him at once. For now, good-bye; do not go to bed, but beready, if you hear some one at the window. You can reach it, if youstand up on the table." And, without further explanation, she left him.

  Templemore sat for long pondering upon this strange interview, andwondering too what she had planned; and the time seemed to dragwearily while he waited for some signal at the window.

  It was about midnight, as he judged, when there came a tap, tap fromthe outside. He sprang on to the table; then by the dim light that camethrough the window he could discern the upper part of a man's bodyswinging on a rope.

  "Is that Ergalon?" he whispered.

  "Yes," came back the answer. "If I send you in a short rope and youwait till I have gone down, you can then pull in the rope I am on, geton to it, and come down yourself. Do you dare try it?"

  "Yes."

  "Then here it is. Now wait till you find you can pull this one in."

  Templemore felt about and caught hold of a small cord that was hanginginside the window--which was open to the air--and he pulled lightlyat it till he felt the strain upon the rope to which it was attached,relaxed. Then he pulled harder, and a portion of a thicker rope cameinside. By its means he was able to climb up on to the sill. Withsome trouble and manoeuvring he got outside and was soon sliding downthe rope, which Ergalon steadied from below. It was very dark, and hedescended amidst some trees where it was darker still. When he touchedthe ground, at first, he could see nothing; but Ergalon turned on thelight of a bull's-eye lantern. It was one of those Monella had broughtwith him, and lent by him to Ergalon.

  A voice, that he knew to be Zonella's, whispered,

  "That has been well done. Now what do you propose to do?"

  "I must get down to the canyon by which we came into the mountain.There we have left spare weapons. But I can't get down in the dark;not even, I fear, with the lantern."

  "There will be a moon later; perhaps that will help. Let us go in thatdirection."

  "What! you, too?" Jack asked in surprise.

  "Yes, why not? I shall be as safe with you as in the midst of Coryon'shateful minions, and I may be of service."

  "You couldn't climb down that place and up again," Jack reminded her.

  "Then I can wait near the top, and Ergalon can go with you to help youcarry what you want."

  "But we shall be a long time, all day to-morrow."

  "No matter, I will manage."

  Then the three made their way with much difficulty, owing to the
darkness, to the top of the canyon. Here they sat and talked in guardedvoices till the moon had risen high enough to light the hazardousdescent.

  Templemore learned how Coryon's plans had been carried out; howErgalon's escape had been due to his absence from the palace, awaitingthe return of a messenger from Monella. At a late hour, on his way backto the palace, he had been warned by a friend amongst Coryon's people.On this he had sent on the messenger to Monella to inform him of allthat had occurred. The man had been only just in time to get throughthe subterranean road before Coryon's soldiers took possession of itand closed it.

  Templemore's escape had been planned by Zonella. She had smuggledErgalon into the palace and up to the roof disguised as one of her ownmaids; and in this she had been aided by one of his friends amongstthe soldiers of the priest. Ergalon had at first objected strongly,conceiving that the attempt was foolhardy and could not succeed; thathe would only lose his own liberty and, perhaps, his life, and thatMonella might be displeased. In short, he had considered himself boundto do nothing that was in any way risky until Monella had communicatedwith him. But Zonella had contrived, by some means, to persuade him;and had herself stolen out and steadied the rope for Ergalon in hisperilous descent.

  From his friend in the opposite camp Ergalon had learned one veryimportant thing--that nothing was likely to be done to Leonard or Ulamatill the day that had been named for their betrothal. That day Coryonhad fixed upon, with cruel irony, for the holding of a sort of trial,the result of which would be a foregone conclusion.

  "Therefore," said Ergalon, "if you can get back by the morning ofto-morrow" (it being then already morning) "you will be in time; thoughI fear you will find it difficult to effect much good alone, and Icannot yet tell when the lord Monella may be able to get through thesubterranean passage to come to your assistance."

  "We will try, anyhow," said Jack, setting his teeth with grimdetermination. "And, if I fail, we will die together. One can but dieonce. I think it is possible to get back with a couple of rifles andpistols and the necessary ammunition by the morning. If human effortcan do it, it shall be done; and I can then put a pistol into yourhands, too, my good friend."