The Golden Age of Science Fiction Novels Vol 02

by Anthology

  "Why?"

  "Because he was your husband."

  "You think I ought to show grief--when I feel none?"

  "Don't pretend, woman!"

  Oceaxe smiled. "From your manner one would think you were accusing me of some crime."

  Maskull literally snorted at her words. "What, you live with filth--you live in the arms of a morbid monstrosity and then--"

  "Oh, now I grasp it," she said, in a tone of perfect detachment.

  "I'm glad."

  "Well, Maskull," she proceeded, after a pause, "and who gave you the right to rule my conduct? Am I not mistress of my own person?"

  He looked at her with disgust, but said nothing. There was another long interval of silence.

  "I never loved him," said Oceaxe at last, looking at the ground.

  "That makes it all the worse."

  "What does all this mean--what do you want?"

  "Nothing from you--absolutely nothing--thank heaven!"

  She gave a hard laugh. "You come here with your foreign preconceptions and expect us all to bow down to them."

  "What preconceptions?"

  "Just because Crimtyphon's sports are strange to you, you murder him--and you would like to murder me."

  "Sports! That diabolical cruelty."

  "Oh, you're sentimental!" said Oceaxe contemptuously. "Why do you need to make such a fuss over that man? Life is life, all the world over, and one form is as good as another. He was only to be made a tree, like a million other trees. If they can endure the life, why can't he?"

  "And this is Ifdawn morality!"

  Oceaxe began to grow angry. "It's you who have peculiar ideas. You rave about the beauty of flowers and trees--you think them divine. But when it's a question of taking on this divine, fresh, pure, enchanting loveliness yourself, in your own person, it immediately becomes a cruel and wicked degradation. Here we have a strange riddle, in my opinion."

  "Oceaxe, you're a beautiful, heartless wild beast--nothing more. If you weren't a woman--"

  "Well"--curling her lip--"let us hear what would happen if I weren't a woman?"

  Maskull bit his nails.

  "It doesn't matter. I can't touch you--though there's certainly not the difference of a hair between you and your boy-husband. For this you may thank my 'foreign preconceptions.'... Farewell!"

  He turned to go. Oceaxe's eyes slanted at him through their long lashes.

  "Where are you off to, Maskull?"

  "That's a matter of no importance, for wherever I go it must be a change for the better. You walking whirlpools of crime!"

  "Wait a minute. I only want to say this. Blodsombre is just starting, and you had better stay here till the afternoon. We can quickly put that body out of sight, and, as you seem to detest me so much, the place is big enough--we needn't talk, or even see each other."

  "I don't wish to breathe the same air."

  "Singular man!" She was sitting erect and motionless, like a beautiful statue. "And what of your wonderful interview with Surtur, and all the undone things which you set out to do?"

  "You aren't the one I shall speak to about that. But"--he eyed her meditatively--"while I'm still here you can tell me this. What's the meaning of the expression on that corpse's face?"

  "Is that another crime, Maskull? All dead people look like that. Ought they not to?"

  "I once heard it called 'Crystalman's face.'"

  "Why not? We are all daughters and sons of Crystalman. It is doubtless the family resemblance."

  "It has also been told me that Surtur and Crystalman are one and the same."

  "You have wise and truthful acquaintances."

  "Then how could it have been Surtur whom I saw?" said Maskull, more to himself than to her. "That apparition was something quite different."

  She dropped her mocking manner and, sliding imperceptibly toward him, gently pulled his arm.

  "You see--we have to talk. Sit down beside me, and ask me your questions. I'm not excessively smart, but I'll try to be of assistance."

  Maskull permitted himself to be dragged down with soft violence. She bent toward him, as if confidentially, and contrived that her sweet, cool, feminine breath should fan his cheek.

  "Aren't you here to alter the evil to the good, Maskull? Then what does it matter who sent you?"

  "What can you possibly know of good and evil?"

  "Are you only instructing the initiated?"

  "Who am I, to instruct anybody? However, you're quite right. I wish to do what I can--not because I am qualified, but because I am here."

  Oceaxe's voice dropped to a whisper. "You're a giant, both in body and soul. What you want to do, you can do."

  "Is that your honest opinion, or are you flattering me for your own ends?"

  She sighed. "Don't you see how difficult you are making the conversation? Let's talk about your work, not about ourselves."

  Maskull suddenly noticed a strange blue light glowing in the northern sky. It was from Alppain, but Alppain itself was behind the hills. While he was observing it, a peculiar wave of self-denial, of a disquieting nature, passed through him. He looked at Oceaxe, and it struck him for the first time that he was being unnecessarily brutal to her. He had forgotten that she was a woman, and defenceless.

  "Won't you stay?" she asked all of a sudden, quite openly and frankly.

  "Yes, I think I'll stay," he replied slowly. "And another thing, Oceaxe--if I've misjudged your character, pray forgive me. I'm a hasty, passionate man."

  "There are enough easygoing men. Hard knocks are a good medicine for vicious hearts. And you didn't misjudge my character, as far as you went--only, every woman has more than one character. Don't you know that?"

  During the pause that followed, a snapping of twigs was heard, and both looked around, startled. They saw a woman stepping slowly across the neck that separated them from the mainland.

  "Tydomin," muttered Oceaxe, in a vexed, frightened voice. She immediately moved away from Maskull and stood up.

  The newcomer was of middle height, very slight and graceful. She was no longer quite young. Her face wore the composure of a woman who knows her way about the world. It was intensely pale, and under its quiescence there just was a glimpse of something strange and dangerous. It was curiously alluring, though not exactly beautiful. Her hair was clustering and boyish, reaching only to the neck. It was of a strange indigo colour. She was quaintly attired in a tunic and breeches, pieced together from the square, blue-green plates of some reptile. Her small, ivory-white breasts were exposed. Her sorb was black and sad--rather contemplative.

  Without once glancing up at Oceaxe and Maskull, she quietly glided straight toward Crimtyphon's corpse. When she arrived within a few feet of it, she stopped and looked down, with arms folded.

  Oceaxe drew Maskull a little away, and whispered, "It's Crimtyphon's other wife, who lives under Disscourn. She's a most dangerous woman. Be careful what you say. If she asks you to do anything, refuse it outright."

  "The poor soul looks harmless enough."

  "Yes, she does--but the poor soul is quite capable of swallowing up Krag himself.... Now, play the man."

  The murmur of their voices seemed to attract Tydomin's notice, for she now slowly turned her eyes toward them.

  "Who killed him?" she demanded.

  Her voice was so soft, low, and refined, that Maskull hardly was able to catch the words. The sounds, however, lingered in his ears, and curiously enough seemed to grow stronger, instead of fainter.

  Oceaxe whispered, "Don't say a word, leave it all to me." Then she swung her body around to face Tydomin squarely, and said aloud, "I killed him."

  Tydomin's words by this time were ringing in Maskull's head like an actual physical sound. There was no question of being able to ignore them; he had to make an open confession of his act, whatever the consequences might be. Quietly taking Oceaxe by the shoulder and putting her behind him, he said in a low, but perfectly distinct voice, "It was I that killed Crimtyphon."
<
br />   Oceaxe looked both haughty and frightened. "Maskull says that so as to shield me, as he thinks. I require no shield, Maskull. I killed him, Tydomin."

  "I believe you, Oceaxe. You did murder him. Not with your own strength, for you brought this man along for the purpose."

  Maskull took a couple of steps toward Tydomin. "It's of little consequence who killed him, for he's better dead than alive, in my opinion. Still, I did it. Oceaxe had no hand in the affair."

  Tydomin appeared not to hear him--she looked beyond him at Oceaxe musingly. "When you murdered him, didn't it occur to you that I would come here, to find out?"

  "I never once thought of you," replied Oceaxe, with an angry laugh. "Do you really imagine that I carry your image with me wherever I go?"

  "If someone were to murder your lover here, what would you do?"

  "Lying hypocrite!" Oceaxe spat out. "You never were in love with Crimtyphon. You always hated me, and now you think it an excellent opportunity to make it good... now that Crimtyphon's gone.... For we both know he would have made a footstool of you, if I had asked him. He worshiped me, but he laughed at you. He thought you ugly."

  Tydomin flashed a quick, gentle smile at Maskull. "Is it necessary for you to listen to all this?"

  Without question, and feeling it the right thing to do, he walked away out of earshot.

  Tydomin approached Oceaxe. "Perhaps because my beauty fades and I'm no longer young, I needed him all the more."

  Oceaxe gave a kind of snarl. "Well, he's dead, and that's the end of it. What are you going to do now, Tydomin?"

  The other woman smiled faintly and rather pathetically. "There's nothing left to do, except mourn the dead. You won't grudge me that last office?"

  "Do you want to stay here?" demanded Oceaxe suspiciously.

  "Yes, Oceaxe dear, I wish to be alone."

  "Then what is to become of us?"

  "I thought that you and your lover--what is his name?"

  "Maskull."

  "I thought that perhaps you two would go to Disscourn, and spend Blodsombre at my home."

  Oceaxe called out aloud to Maskull, "Will you come with me now to Disscourn?"

  "If you wish," returned Maskull.

  "Go first, Oceaxe. I must question your friend about Crimtyphon's death. I won't keep him."

  "Why don't you question me, rather?" demanded Oceaxe, looking up sharply.

  Tydomin gave the shadow of a smile. "We know each other too well."

  "Play no tricks!" said Oceaxe, and she turned to go.

  "Surely you must be dreaming," said Tydomin. "That's the way--unless you want to walk over the cliffside."

  The path Oceaxe had chosen led across the isthmus. The direction which Tydomin proposed for her was over the edge of the precipice, into empty space.

  "Shaping! I must be mad," cried Oceaxe, with a laugh. And she obediently followed the other's finger.

  She walked straight on toward the edge of the abyss, twenty paces away. Maskull pulled his beard around, and wondered what she was doing. Tydomin remained standing with outstretched finger, watching her. Without hesitation, without slackening her step once, Oceaxe strolled on--and when she had reached the extreme end of the land she still took one more step.

  Maskull saw her limbs wrench as she stumbled over the edge. Her body disappeared, and as it did so an awful shriek sounded.

  Disillusionment had come to her an instant too late. He tore himself out of his stupor, rushed to the edge of the cliff, threw himself on the ground recklessly, and looked over.... Oceaxe had vanished.

  He continued staring wildly down for several minutes, and then began to sob. Tydomin came up to him, and he got to his feet.

  The blood kept rushing to his face and leaving it again. It was some time before he could speak at all. Then he brought out the words with difficulty. "You shall pay for this, Tydomin. But first I want to hear why you did it."

  "Hadn't I cause?" she asked, standing with downcast eyes.

  "Was it pure fiendishness?"

  "It was for Crimtyphon's sake."

  "She had nothing to do with that death. I told you so."

  "You are loyal to her, and I'm loyal to him."

  "Loyal? You've made a terrible blunder. She wasn't my mistress. I killed Crimtyphon for quite another reason. She had absolutely no part in it."

  "Wasn't she your lover?" asked Tydomin slowly.

  "You've made a terrible mistake," repeated Maskull. "I killed him because he was a wild beast. She was as innocent of his death as you are."

  Tydomin's face took on a hard look. "So you are guilty of two deaths."

  There was a dreadful silence.

  "Why couldn't you believe me?" asked Maskull, who was pale and sweating painfully.

  "Who gave you the right to kill him?" demanded Tydomin sternly.

  He said nothing, and perhaps did not hear her question.

  She sighed two or three times and began to stir restlessly. "Since you murdered him, you must help me bury him."

  "What's to be done? This is a most fearful crime."

  "You art a most fearful man. Why did you come here, to do all this? What are we to you?"

  "Unfortunately you are right."

  Another pause ensued.

  "It's no use standing here," said Tydomin. "Nothing can be done. You must come with me."

  "Come with you? Where to?"

  "To Disscourn. There's a burning lake on the far side of it. He always wished to be cast there after death. We can do that after Blodsombre--in the meantime we must take him home."

  "You're a callous, heartless woman. Why should he be buried when that poor girl must remain unburied?"

  "You know that's out of the question," replied Tydomin quietly.

  Maskull's eyes roamed about agitatedly, apparently seeing nothing.

  "We must do something," she continued. "I shall go. You can't wish to stay here alone?"

  "No, I couldn't stay here--and why should I want to? You want me to carry the corpse?"

  "He can't carry himself, and you murdered him. Perhaps it will ease your mind to carry it."

  "Ease my mind?" said Maskull, rather stupidly.

  "There's only one relief for remorse, and that's voluntary pain."

  "And have you no remorse?" he asked, fixing her with a heavy eye.

  "These crimes are yours, Maskull," she said in a low but incisive voice.

  They walked over to Crimtyphon's body, and Maskull hoisted it on to his shoulders. It weighed heavier than he had thought. Tydomin did not offer to assist him to adjust the ghastly burden.

  She crossed the isthmus, followed by Maskull. Their path lay through sunshine and shadow. Branchspell was blazing in a cloudless sky, the heat was insufferable--streams of sweat coursed down his face, and the corpse seemed to grow heavier and heavier. Tydomin always walked in front of him. His eyes were fastened in an unseeing stare on her white, womanish calves; he looked neither to right nor left. His features grew sullen. At the end of ten minutes he suddenly allowed his burden to slip off his shoulders on to the ground, where it lay sprawled every which way. He called out to Tydomin.

  She quickly looked around.

  "Come here. It has just occurred to me"--he laughed--"why should I be carrying this corpse--and why should I be following you at all? What surprises me is, why this has never struck me before."

  She at once came back to him. "I suppose you're tired, Maskull. Let us sit down. Perhaps you have come a long way this morning?"

  "Oh, it's not tiredness, but a sudden gleam of sense. Do you know of any reason why I should be acting as your porter?" He laughed again, but nevertheless sat down on the ground beside her.

  Tydomin neither looked at him nor answered. Her head was half bent, so as to face the northern sky, where the Alppain light was still glowing. Maskull followed her gaze, and also watched the glow for a moment or two in silence.

  "Why don't you speak?" he asked at last.

  "What does that light suggest to yo
u, Maskull?"

  "I'm not speaking of that light."

  "Doesn't it suggest anything at all?"

  "Perhaps it doesn't. What does it matter?"

  "Not sacrifice?"

  Maskull grew sullen again. "Sacrifice of what? What do you mean?"

  "Hasn't it entered your head yet," said Tydomin, looking straight in front of her, and speaking in her delicate, hard manner, "that this adventure of yours will scarcely come to an end until you have made some sort of sacrifice?"

  He returned no answer, and she said nothing more. In a few minutes' time Maskull got up of his own accord, and irreverently, and almost angrily, threw Crimtyphon's corpse over his shoulder again.

  "How far do we have to go?" he asked in a surly tone.

  "An hour's walk."

  "Lead on."

  "Still, this isn't the sacrifice I mean," said Tydomin quietly, as she went on in front.

  Almost immediately they reached more difficult ground. They had to pass from peak to peak, as from island to island. In some cases they were able to stride or jump across, but in others they had to make use of rude bridges of fallen timber. It appeared to be a frequented path. Underneath were the black, impenetrable abysses--on the surface were the glaring sunshine, the gay, painted rocks, the chaotic tangle of strange plants. There were countless reptiles and insects. The latter were thicker built than those of Earth--consequently still more disgusting, and some of them were of enormous size. One monstrous insect, as large as a horse, stood right in the centre of their path without budging. It was armour-plated, had jaws like scimitars, and underneath its body was a forest of legs. Tydomin gave one malignant look at it, and sent it crashing into the gulf.

  "What have I to offer, except my life?" Maskull suddenly broke out. "And what good is that? It won't bring that poor girl back into the world."

  "Sacrifice is not for utility. It's a penalty which we pay."

  "I know that."

  "The point is whether you can go on enjoying life, after what has happened."

  She waited for Maskull to come even with her.

  "Perhaps you imagine I'm not man enough--you imagine that because I allowed poor Oceaxe to die for me--"

  "She did die for you," said Tydomin, in a quiet, emphatic voice.