by Robert Reed
versal conquest might dazzle the most ambitious . All that we pro-
pose is war, on a scale and in a manner hitherto not attempted .”
“Thy words,” she said, “throw a new light on the matter . Truly
war and conquest are glorious, and the more thorough the more glo-
rious . Greeks have before this warred on Grreeks; and ye are, in
your origin, Greek . My former disgust seems to me most unreason-
able . Trust me, I will aid thee to the best of my power .”
“Next,” he said, “thou must express thy ardent desire to leave the
real government with the men, as before, and allow that women are
by nature inferior, and that they may be loved and honoured to the
utmost without fear . Thou must say that other Greek maidens would
be more submissive than thou .”
THOTH, by Joseph Shield Nicholson | 645
“This also,” she said, “seems to me most reasonable . The arts and
sciences practised in this city seem to me wondrous mysteries that
no woman could ever penetrate . Women are born to admire power
in others, not to exercise it themselves . Consider how soon I have
yielded my whole will to thine .”
Thoth was rejoiced beyond measure with these words, and the
wisest of men believed with all the simplicity of a child that Daphne
spoke the truth .
But in her heart she had devised a cunning plan by which, un-
aided, she contemplated the greatest deed .
Chapter XVIII
THE ASSEMBLY OF ANCESTORS
They entered the building by steps descending into the earth,
through a massive iron gate, which Thoth carefully closed after
them . The clang of the iron sounded horribly, and the dim light made
everything appear weird and sombre .
They passed through many devious passages, and every one, af-
ter they entered, was closed by a similar massive door .
At length they reached a spacious vault . In the centre was a kind
of platform, and in the midst a curiously carved chair . Upon this
chair sat a man with closed eyes and pallid face . To Daphne he
seemed the image of Thoth .
She glanced round the immense chamber, and it seemed almost
filled with similar stone chairs, and in each of them sat a pallid
motionless figure. They were arranged in circles round the central
throne, but for a radius of a score of paces there were none of the
sleeping figures. In this open space, however, immediately before
the central figure, stood about fifty men in the same garments as
Thoth, but not masked .
Thoth, accompanied by Daphne, advanced to the front, and as
they did so they were saluted by a profound obeisance, in perfect
silence .
THOTH, by Joseph Shield Nicholson | 646
Thoth took up his position beside the central throne, and placed
Daphne on his right hand .
“Are all the fitting preparations made? Have all our ancestors
been brought to the light and set upon their thrones?”
A murmur of assent arose .
Then he spoke to the cloaked figures in a low clear voice—
“At length the day of our triumph has arrived, but in the very
hour of victory a most difficult problem has arisen. In every respect
save one the wisdom of our revered ancestor”—and he turned to the
sleeping figure—“has proved faultless. But the continuous degrada-
tion of the women of our race has failed in both its objects . For, in
the first place, I have proved beyond doubt that our ruling race has
degenerated . With the single exception of myself, we are all inferior
to our predecessors, and in the last generation, which should take
your place, there is not one worthy successor .
“And, furthermore, this treatment has failed to eradicate love,
for,” he continued, drawing away from Daphne her mask and dis-
guise, “I, your vice-regent, love this maiden most passionately .”
A look of dismay overspread the faces of his audience . They
started back, as if some monster, and not a most beautiful woman,
had been revealed to them . Amazed and confounded, they gazed on
one another like men suddenly stricken with hopeless foolishness .
Thoth eyed them for a time with curious contempt, and then
continued—
“Degenerate ye are in very deed, but it is not you whom I must
consult . Recover your senses, and prepare to rouse the sleepers .”
Thoth then gave certain directions, and his comrades dispersed .
In a short time they returned to their former position, and Daphne
observed a peculiar pungent odour, gradually increasing in intensity,
pervade the air .
Thoth took her hand and whispered to her words of encourage-
ment . She knew that the eventful moment had arrived . Like a bird
fascinated by a snake, she kept her eyes on the pale face of the sleep-
ing tyrant .
THOTH, by Joseph Shield Nicholson | 647
In a few moments his eyelids began to tremble, and a faint flush
appeared in his cheeks . Then he seemed to begin to breathe again .
His lips parted, and slowly his eyes opened .
Daphne glanced round the chamber, and saw that all the sleepers
had been similarly affected .
In a low voice Thoth said to her—
“Fear not . They will regain speech and reason long before they
can move their limbs .”
She roused her courage, for though she could not doubt that the
mysterious beings were living, their eyes looked dull and vacant,
and she hoped that nature had become her ally .
The silence was profound, and moments seemed years in dura-
tion . Surely, she thought, this is but a momentary awakening of the
dead .
Suddenly, however, she saw the eyes of the ancient king gleam
with intelligence, and she knew that both will and reason were
awake .
Thoth took his place in front of the king, and when he saw that
his long sleep was broken, he bowed to the ground, and stood still,
as if awaiting his commands . Daphne remained at the side of the
throne, still unseen by the monarch, though in full sight of all the
others .
At last the lips of the awakened sleeper began to move, and Thoth
presented him very gently with a curiously shaped cup . He sipped at
first with difficulty, but after a time took a full draught.
Then his face became animated, and in a moment he looked like
a man in the full vigour of life . Still, however, he did not move,
though apparently he made an effort to rise. He gazed fixedly at
Thoth, and then spoke . The voice and accent of ancestor and descen-
dant were the same .
“Thou art my present vice-regent?”
“I am .”
“I see,” he said, “for the first time a multitude of my race aroused
from sleep . Is, then, our task complete?”
“It is complete .”
THOTH, by Joseph Shield Nicholson | 648
A smile of majestic triumph passed over the face of the mighty
ruler .
“The cars are prepared?”
“They are perfect .”
“And the arrows of death?”
“Nothing living can escape, such is their abundance an
d variety .”
Again the king smiled with gratified vengeance.
Then he said, “A few days will suffice to regain the full strength
of life in our limbs—already my mind is as vigorous as of old . At
last, then, I become the ruler of the earth, and the races of men shall
for evermore be such as my will has planned .”
For a time he seemed lost in an ecstatic vision, as if the present
had faded from his sight .
Then he said, “This moment is worth all the toil and waiting .”
He raised his voice, which every moment became more vigorous,
and, speaking to the assembly, said—
“Rejoice, my sons, with me .”
He looked at the faces of Thoth’s companions, and suddenly his
face darkened .
“Why look ye so amazed, weaklings? Feeble and childish ye seem
compared with your fathers .” He turned to Thoth . “Thou seemest in-
deed my son . Surely it is not possible that my strict commands as to
life and death have not been obeyed? Speak,” he hissed—“are these
the best of thy generation?” for they trembled and looked foolish .
Then Thoth knew that the moment of trial had come, and he said
with courage and simplicity, and speaking as if to an equal—
“These, oh king, are the best of thy race of my generation, and
all are born of unions such as thou didst ordain . Know, also, that
their children, are still more weak and feeble, and that thy royal race
appears to be threatened with destruction .”
The monarch grew pale with anger, and said—
“My rules have not been followed . Some traitor has been a victim
to the guile of woman .”
Then Thoth replied, “Hear me, oh king, with attention, and know
that in one thing thy policy has utterly failed . The rest of thy people
THOTH, by Joseph Shield Nicholson | 649
have become, from age, more vigorous and skilful, because their
women have been treated with affection and honour . But thy royal
race has dwindled . I am the son of a stranger woman, though my
father was deceived and knew it not . That miserable being trembling
there is thy true successor, according to thy laws of descent . Know
that the degradation of women has failed, and thou must choose
between love and death . My counsel is, that ye who have returned to
life take for wives the best maidens of the ancient cities of Greece,
and make honour to women the foundation of our new world .”
Then he took Daphne by the hand, and placing her before the
king, said—
“This is the maiden whom I myself have chosen, and, in spite of
generations of oppression, I love her as passionately as thou didst
once love the mother of our race .”
The monarch shook with anger and loathing, and in vain strug-
gled to rise . “Traitor!” he cried, “darest thou thus to speak to me?
Strike this woman dead on the instant .”
But Thoth stood motionless, and said, “Thy whole power has
grown out of wisdom—listen for a moment to reason .”
“Dost thou speak of reason to me, son of an outcast? Ah, that my
strength had returned, that I might kill thee with my own hand .”
“Revered king,” said Thoth, “I only ask for delay . Thou shalt
examine the case thyself . Without thy consent I will do nothing . I
have been faithful to all thy commands . The arrows of death and the
aerial cars are at thy disposal . Had I been a traitor and a victim to the
guile of love, thy sleep would have passed into death .”
“Hold thy peace!” cried the monarch . “In a short time I and my
true sons will be as strong as thou, and then thy doom will be swift
and terrible .”
A hoarse murmur of approval arose from the parched throats of
the motionless figures.
Then the king spoke to his latest descendants—
“Are ye all traitors, weaklings? Seize them both, and tear them
limb from limb . Ha! I feel my strength,” and he half rose from his
seat .
THOTH, by Joseph Shield Nicholson | 650
Urged by him, they began to advance, but Thoth eyed them with
scorn, and, accustomed to obedience from their childhood, they
paused .
The monarch hissed with rage, and cried, “Advance! seize them!”
Again Thoth said, “Revered king, listen to the voice of reason .”
He was answered by a louder cry than before, as the multitude of
those who had slept rose at last from their seats, and painfully and
slowly began to advance . The king himself in a moment seemed to
recover, and tried to seize Thoth . But Thoth easily eluded his feeble
grasp, and saying—
“Once more, wilt thou hear reason? for I, as well as thou, have
will and wisdom . One step more, and I plunge all of you once more
in sleep .”
“Thou darest not—thou canst not,” cried the king; and, inspirited
by his example, all advanced against Thoth and Daphne .
“Thus,” said Thoth, “I dare and thus I do!”—and he dashed to the
ground a vessel that at once broke in a thousand fragments .
In an instant every one except Thoth and Daphne fell to the earth,
speechless, senseless, motionless .
Thoth seized Daphne by the hand . “All is over . Come .”
They passed again through the corridors, and the doors clanged
behind them . At last they reached the open air and sunlight .
CHAPTER XIX
THE VICTORY OF LOVE
They passed in silence into the palace in which Daphne had lived
since she came to the mysterious city .
The pigmies hailed their arrival with their usual satisfaction, but
Thoth dismissed them for the first time sternly. They entered the
garden, in which the means for their flight had been placed.
“We have no time to lose,” he said . “Very soon I must return and
restore my kinsmen . Before nightfall the great king will be in full
command of the resources of the city .”
THOTH, by Joseph Shield Nicholson | 651
“And then?” Daphne asked .
“And then,” he replied, “his vengeance will begin .”
“Dost thou not think he will be convinced as thou wert?”
“I have made an irreparable error,” said Thoth . “My ancestor is
swayed by all the natural passions of man . He has slept unaffected
by time. His first thought will be to give us over to the most cruel
destruction. If thou still desirest to live a little longer, we must flee
at once .”
“I regret,” she said, “the failure of thy plans .”
He looked at her passionately, and said, “Thou canst never now
be queen of the world, but a little love is sufficient recompense for
me .”
“Dost thou love me so much?” she said .
“Above everything,” he replied .
Then she went close to him, and twined her arms about him, and
kissed his eyes and lips, and said—
“Dearest heart, thou art greater and more godlike than all thy
dread ancestors. Why wilt thou sacrifice thyself and me to them?
Why should they ever awake?”
Thoth started back from her, and said, “It cannot be . I cannot de-
&nbs
p; stroy at one blow the men I have worshipped—and the generations
of my race, and their work of hundreds of years . Far easier is it for
me to perish alone .”
“Thou dost not love me,” said Daphne, “or thou wouldst prove
thyself greater than this ancient tyrant . He is unworthy of thee .”
Thoth only replied, “I cannot do this thing .”
“Then,” said Daphne, “choose between me and them . Unless
they perish, my love for thee shall be changed to hate and loathing .
Choose!”
He looked at her face, and felt his will quail before hers .
“What wouldst thou have?” he said . “I alone cannot carry out the
scheme of destruction, and without it thou canst not become queen
of the earth .”
“I would rather,” she replied, “tend sheep with thee on a lonely
islet of Greece, than be the shadowy queen of a desolate world .
THOTH, by Joseph Shield Nicholson | 652
Choose between my living love and this impious deed, which I am
certain can never be accomplished . Thou hast failed already,—thou
hast made serious errors; chance and nature have baffled thee in the
most unexpected manner . Awake! arise! and leave this city and all
its horrors, as thou wouldst throw off a horrible dream . Come with
me! Treasures thou hast beyond estimation, and wisdom and cour-
age . Thou shalt become a leader of living Greeks, and in a few short
years the last remnant of these dreadful scenes shall fade away .”
Again she approached him and kissed him .
“See,” she said, “I will not let thee go . The crime is not thine but
mine .”
He said, “Leave me,—it cannot be . I will break their trance, and
then we will flee away, as before thou didst agree. Time presses.
Thou seest this shadow slowly creeping along . Before it reaches the
spot on which we stand it will be too late .”
He pointed to the shadow of a huge column, covered with curious
signs and symbols .
Daphne clung to him and whispered, “Let it be to them who hate
me and thee the shadow of death!”
She looked into his eyes with eager passion, and saw signs of
yielding . She doubled her caresses, and whispered wild words of
love .
* * * *
The shadow came nearer and nearer .
She covered his eyes with her hands, and showered hot kisses on
his face .
The shadow was close to them .
“This,” she said, “is love such as the world has never seen . Let