The Palace of Romance
"He must have broken loose!" cried Chick. "Let us run, John Dough,before he can eat you."
At once John turned to fly, with Chick grasping his hand to urge himon. Ali Dubh had indeed succeeded in breaking through the iron gratingof his prison, and had even managed to untie his hands. But his legswere still firmly bound together from his ankles to his knees, so thathe could only move toward them by hopping.
Nevertheless, at sight of the gingerbread man, who was mixed with hisprecious Elixir, the Arab began bounding toward his victim with longhops, and had John and Chick not run so fast as they did it is certainthe Arab would soon have overtaken them. Through the throne-room theyfled, with Ali Dubh just behind them, and then they began mounting themarble stairways to the upper stories of the castle.
Their pursuer, nothing daunted by his bound legs, hopped up the stairsafter them with remarkable swiftness.
"Hurry!" cried Chick; "hurry, John Dough, or you'll be eaten."
They came to the second flight of stairs, and still the Arab followed.
"We are lost," said John, in despair. "He'll surely get me this time."
But Chick tugged at his puffy brown hand and hurried him on, for theIncubator Baby at that very moment thought of a clever way to save thegingerbread man. Still holding John's hand, the child ran through theupper passages to the foot of the tower of Imar, and began climbingup the steep stairs as fast as possible. Luckily for the fugitives,these stairs to the tower were very difficult for Ali Dubh to climb byhopping. When he was half-way up he lost his balance and tumbled downagain, and this accident gave John and Chick time to enter the body ofthe bird flying-machine, which still lay stretched upon the roof of thetower.
"Quick!" shouted the child, shutting and fastening the silver doorbehind them. "Pull over that lever, and away we go!"
"Is it safe?" asked John, hesitating.
"Is it safe to be eaten?" inquired Chick.
John quickly grabbed the lever, pulled it over, and the huge birdfluttered its wings once or twice and rose slowly into the air. Itsailed away from the roof just as the Arab appeared at the top of thestairs.
"Stop!" screamed Ali Dubh. "You're mine, John Dough. Come back and beeaten."
"Don't mind him," said the Cherub, peeping at the Arab through a littlewindow in the bottom of the bird's body. "And don't worry about thisflying-machine, either. Imar has told me how to run it, and it willcarry us somewhere, never fear. This button that I pushed is to startit, and there's another button somewhere to stop it."
"HURRY, JOHN DOUGH, OR YOU'LL BE EATEN!"]
"Where?" asked John.
"I don't remember. But never mind that; we don't want to stop just yet,anyhow."
John stooped to look through the little window, and saw spread outbeneath him the Isle of Phreex. The Brotherhood of Failings stood uponthe shore watching the flight of the machine, and the kinglet wasriding along calmly upon his two-legged horse without any idea that theIncubator Baby and the gingerbread man were leaving his kingdom forgood and all and he would probably never see them again.
The great bird flew steadily westward, and Chick laughed and chatted,and seemed to enjoy the journey immensely. They were flying over theocean now, and before long the Isle they had left became a mere speckupon the water.
"Where are we going?" John asked.
"I don't know," answered Chick.
"What land lies in this direction?"
"I haven't the faintest idea," said the Baby.
John became thoughtful.
"How long will this machine fly?" he inquired.
"Who knows?" said Chick. "Imar was always afraid to go very far fromthe island with it. We'll just have to wait and find out."
This was not very encouraging, but it was too late to return now, theIsle of Phreex being lost in the vastness of the great sea. Moreover,John reflected that he would be in greater danger there from Ali Dubhthan in riding in an untried flying-machine. The only thing to do wasto continue the flight through the air until they sighted some otherland--provided the machine did not suddenly break down. It seemed to beall right just at present, and John's admiration of Imar's genius inconstructing it grew steadily as the bird flopped on and on without asign of giving out.
Chick wasn't frightened, that was certain. The Baby laughed and sanglittle songs, and seemed as happy and contented as when upon firmland; so John gradually forgot his fears. The sun had sank low uponthe horizon, and was looking for a good place to dive into the sea,when the voyagers discovered something far ahead of them that glitteredbrightly upon the water. Neither could determine what the glittermeant, until they drew nearer and saw a small, rocky islet, upon whichwas perched an enormous palace that seemed to be made of pure gold,having many crystal windows set in its domes and sides.
"It is certainly a beautiful place," said John. "Let us land upon theislet."
"All right," returned Chick. "I'll see if I can find out which buttonstops the thing."
The Baby pushed one of the buttons, and at once the bird shot up higherinto the air.
"That isn't it!" cried John, in sudden alarm.
Chick pushed another button, and the machine began whirling around inshort circles.
"Dear me!" said John; "what's going to happen to us?"
Chick laughed and pushed another button.
"One of 'em _must_ be to stop," declared Chick, cheerfully; "andthere's only two more left."
The bird paused, with a quick trembling of its wings, and slowlyfluttered downward.
"Oh, now we're all right," gayly announced the queer child, "forthere's only one button left; and when I push it, John Dough, you mustpull back the silver lever and steer straight for the golden palace."
Down, down they sank, and fortunately the descent was made to the flatroof of a wing of the palace. When they had almost reached it, Chick,who was watching the roof through the little window, pushed the lastbutton, while John threw over the lever.
Immediately the flying-machine fell with a thump that made thegingerbread man's candy teeth knock together.
"Wow!" said Chick. "That was a jolt and a half! I hope nothing'sbroken."
"I don't believe I will ever ride in it again," said John, smoothingthe wrinkles out of his frosted shirt-front and pulling the baker'shat off his eyes, where it had become jammed. "These air-ships are toodangerous to suit me."
"Why, the bird has saved your life, and it may save it again," saidChick. "For my part, I rather like flying through the air. You neverknow what's going to happen next. And see how lucky we are! This isthe only part of the palace roof that is flat, and we struck it to adot. If we'd fallen upon one of those spikes"--pointing to the numerousspires and minarets--"our clocks would have stopped by this time."
"You have a queer way of expressing yourself, my friend," said John,looking upon the child gravely. "The vast knowledge I gained by meansof the Elixir taught me nothing of your methods of twisting language."
"That's too bad," answered Chick. "I can't always figure out what youmean to say; but you always know what I mean, don't you?"
"Almost always," John acknowledged.
"Then don't complain," said the Baby, sweetly; and the gingerbread manlooked at his feet with a puzzled expression, and then back into thechild's smiling face, and sighed.
CHICK DISCOVERS A TRAP DOOR]
By this time they had climbed out of the bird's body and stood upon theroof. It was so high above the rocks that it made John dizzy to lookdown; but Chick soon discovered a trap-door that led downward into thepalace by means of a tiny staircase. They descended the stairs, and,having pushed aside a heavy drapery that hung across a doorway, cameupon a broad passage running through the upper story of the palace.This led to still another passage, and still another; but although theyturned this way and that in the maze of passages, no living person didthey meet with. The tiled floors and paneled walls were very beautifuland splendid; but they were so much alike that o
ur adventurerscompletely lost their way before they came by accident to a broadstaircase leading downward to the next story. These stairs were coveredwith soft carpeting and the balusters were of filigree gold. Still noone was to be seen either on the stairs or in the passages, and thepalace was silent as could be.
They found another staircase, by and by, and descended to the mainfloor of the palace, passing through magnificent parlors and galleries,until finally a hum of pleasant voices reached their ears.
"I feel much relieved," said John, "for I had begun to think the placewas uninhabited."
"Let us go on," replied Chick, "and see who these people are."
Turning first to the right and then to left, and now following ahigh-arched marble passage, the adventurers suddenly found themselvesbefore heavy draperies of crimson velvet, from beyond which cameclearly the sounds of laughter and the merry chattering of many people.
They pushed aside the draperies and entered a splendid domed chamberof such exquisite beauty that the sight made even Chick pause inastonishment.
All around the sides and in the ceiling were set handsome windows madeof bits of colored glass, so arranged that they formed very pleasingpictures. Between the windows were panels of wrought gold having manybrilliant gems set in the metal. The floor was covered with pricelessrugs of quaint patterns, and the furniture consisted of many setteesand easy-chairs designed to afford the highest degree of comfort.
Fountains of perfumed waters sparkled here and there, falling intogolden basins; and little tables scattered about the room bore trays ofdainty refreshments.
Seated within the room were groups of ladies and gentlemen, allclothed in gorgeous apparel, soft of speech, graceful and courteous indemeanor, and with kindly faces.
These looked up with joyous surprise as the gingerbread man andChick entered, and the gentlemen all arose and bowed politely to thestrangers.
"Welcome!" cried the ladies, in a soft chorus; and then two of theirnumber came forward and led their unexpected guests to seats in thevery center of the room. Others offered them refreshment, of whichChick eagerly partook, for the child was hungry. John Dough was obligedto explain that he did not eat, and they accepted his speech verygraciously and did not remark at all upon his unusual personality.
When the child had finished eating, John said:
"May I ask what palace this is, and who rules upon this island?"
The ladies and gentlemen exchanged significant looks, and smiled; butone made answer, in a deferential voice:
"Good sir, this is the Palace of Romance; and we have no ruler atall, each one of our number having equal power and authority with theothers."
"We pass our time," said another, "in telling of tales of romance andadventure; and, whenever a stranger comes to our palace, we require himto amuse us by telling all the stories he may know."
"That is a fair requirement," replied John. "I think I shall like thisPalace of Romance, although I do not know many tales."
"The more tales you know the longer you may enjoy our palace," one ofthe ladies remarked, earnestly.
"How is that?" asked John, surprised.
They were silent for a time, and ceased laughing. But finally one ofthe gentlemen said:
"Our laws oblige us to destroy every stranger, after he has relatedto us all the stories he knows. It grieves us very much to tell youthis; but the laws cannot be changed, and the death is very simple andwithout much pain. For you will be dropped through a trap into a longslide leading to the bottom of the sea; and it is said there is littlediscomfort in drowning."
Now, at this John looked pale and worried, and even the laughing Chickbecame thoughtful. Several of the ladies wiped their eyes with delicatehandkerchiefs, as if in sorrow for their fate, and the men all sighedsympathetically.
"Why can we not live, and join your pleasant party?" asked John. "Whyare your laws so severe regarding strangers?"
"We number exactly one hundred--fifty ladies and fifty gentlemen,"was the reply. "And, as the island is small, a large number of peoplewould crowd the palace and render it uncomfortable. We do not enticestrangers here; but neither dare we permit them to escape and tell theworld of our pleasant home; for then the ocean would be white with theships of curious people coming to visit us. So, long ago, the laws wereenacted obliging us to destroy whatever strangers chanced upon ourretreat. But you are in no immediate danger. As long as your storieslast you will live; and while you live you shall enjoy every pleasureour palace affords."
John tried to think how many stories he knew through the virtue of themagic Elixir; but the startling news he had just heard so confused hismind that it drove all recollection of romance out of his head.
"Never mind," whispered Chick. "All stories except the true ones haveto be made up; so I'll make up some. And don't you worry, John Dough.I've been in worse boxes than this, I can tell you."
The gingerbread man didn't know exactly what Chick meant, but thetone of confidence relieved his embarrassment and inspired him withhope. The ladies and gentlemen set Chick and John in the center oftheir group and drew their chairs around them and prepared to listenattentively to the child's story.
One might suppose the Incubator Baby's lifetime had been so brief thatit knew no stories at all; but Chick was full of imagination and gladof the chance to invent wonderful tales for others to listen to. Andthe child had resolved to make the stories so long and so interestingthat a chance of escape from death might finally be discovered. Theflying-machine still rested upon the roof, and if they could manageto regain it there would be no need of their being dumped through thetrap-door into the sea.
So Chick began to tell the company a story about an astonishing SilverPig that once lived in Dagupan (wherever that may be), and was the kingof all the pigs of that vast country. His squeal could be heard forseven miles, the child solemnly declared, and the pig's feet were soswift and tireless that he could have run around the world in a singleday had there been no oceans to stop him.
The ladies and gentlemen were much interested in the story, andlistened very attentively while Chick related a host of wonderfuladventures that befell the Silver Pig. Daylight faded away and thegolden lamps were lighted, but still the Incubator Baby kept the storygoing.
Finally one of the company interrupted the tale to say that it wasbedtime and they must all retire, but that Chick should continue thestory on the following day.
That was exactly what the Cherub wanted, and presently John and hiscomrade were escorted to beautiful rooms, and the company of ladies andgentlemen had bidden them a gracious and kindly good-night.
John Dough and the Cherub Page 8