The Great White Queen: A Tale of Treasure and Treason

by William Le Queux

  CHAPTER XXIV.

  THE FLAMING MOUTH.

  WE stood rooted to the spot. The hideous colossus, the intensely whitelight streaming from its gigantic eyes, seemed to tower above us to anenormous height, its outstretched wings threatening to enclose the greatswaying crowd of fanatical worshippers. With monotonous regularity thelong jaws, worked by hidden levers, fell apart, disclosing the terriblepointed teeth against a roaring background of smoke and flame, and sofrenzied had the people now become, that each time the mouth of themonster idol opened, numbers of wild-haired men and women rushed up theincline that led to the blazing furnace, and with loud cries of adorationof their deity, lifted their arms above their heads and cast themselvesinto the flames. Some fell clear of the double row of pointed teeth intothe furnace, while others not leaping sufficiently far were impaled uponthe great spikes of steel, and in full view of their companions writhedin frightful agonies, as slowly they were consumed by the tongue of firelapping about them.

  The scene was awful, yet the Naya, surrounded by priestly dwarfs, stoodregarding it with satisfaction. Such voluntary sacrifices to Zomara,were, to them, gratifying in the highest degree.

  Suddenly the light in the eyes of the giant figure changed from white toa deep blood-red, illuminating the strange place with a ruddy glow thatincreased its weirdness, and was a signal for a large number ofsacrifices. Indeed, the worshippers now lost their self-controlabsolutely, and when the horrible mouth, dripping with blood, againunclosed, there was such a press of those anxious to immolate themselves,that many could not struggle forward to cast their bodies into the flamesbefore the teeth again snapped together.

  It was horrible. Nauseated by the sickening sight of men impaled andabsolutely crushed to a pulp by the ascending jaw which must have weighedmany tons, and the sharp teeth of which cut the unfortunate wretch topieces, we turned away. We had emerged from the shadow that had concealedus and stood in the full white light shed by one of the monster's eyes,hesitating how to seek some means of escape, when two of the dwarfs,suddenly turning a corner, came full upon me. In an instant I rememberedthat on account of the suffocating atmosphere I had unwrapped my haickfrom about my mouth, thus allowing my features to remain uncovered. Butere this thought flashed across my mind the uncanny-looking imps haddetected my features as those of a stranger.

  For a second they paused, starting and glancing keenly at me, then theyturned and gazed earnestly at my companions. There was, I knew, nomistaking Kona's sable yet good-humoured face.

  "Lo!" they cried, shouting to the group of their priestly tribe standingrigid and silent around the bejewelled Naya. "See! There are strangerspresent! One is a black savage like those thou hast given unto Zomara,and the other white, like the people dwelling beyond the great blackwater."

  Their announcement produced an effect almost electrical. In an instant asilence fell, and at the same moment the voice of the Naya was heardcommanding:

  "If they are strangers who have dared to descend to this our Temple ofZomara, bring them forth, and let them be given unto the great god whosemaw still remaineth unsatisfied. Hasten, ye priests, do my biddingquickly; let them not escape, or the curse of the King of the Crocodilesbe upon you."

  The two dwarfs sprang forward to seize us, while the group of priests,fleet of foot, accompanied by the great mob of worshippers, sped in ourdirection. The people, having worked themselves up to such a pitch ofexcitement, were eager to assist in the immolation of any intruders. Theywere bent upon obeying the law of their queen.

  But in an instant Kona felled both the dwarfs with two well-directedblows with his huge black fist, and without hesitation we all threeturned and fled in the direction we had come. My companions hadapparently forgotten where the steps descended, but fortunately I hadfixed the spot in case any untoward incident occurred. They were overagainst a great pillar of rock, rudely fashioned to represent a womanwith an eagle's head.

  "This way," I shouted. "Follow me!" and with a bound sped in itsdirection as fast as my legs could carry me.

  We had nearly gained the spot when to my dismay I saw a dozen of theworshippers, divining our intention, approaching from the oppositedirection in order to cut off our retreat.

  It was an exciting moment. Behind, was a mad, fanatical mob of fivehundred men and women led by the dwarfs shrieking vengeance against us;before us were a dozen determined men ready to seize us and convey us toa horrible death in the throat of the gigantic representation of theirsacred reptile. Even if we safely descended the steps, we knew not thesecret means by which we might reach the earth's surface, nor did eitherof us remember the exact point where the long dark tunnel joined thewonderful cavern.

  None, however, knew that Omar himself was one of my fellow fugitives, forthe dwarfs, being consigned to a subterranean life perpetually, had neverset eyes upon him, and therefore he had been unrecognized. Anothermoment, and I knew he must be detected by some of the devotees. If so,the hostile feeling against us would be intensified, and we shouldprobably be torn limb from limb.

  I had retained the lead in this race for life, and seeing retreat cut offby the group of men gaining the top of the steps before us I turnedquickly, and, although fearing the worst, made a long detour. Determinedto sell my life dearly, I drew my long knife from its velvet sheath, andgripped it, ready to strike a deadly blow in self-defence. Luckily Iarmed myself in time, for almost next moment a man of huge stature sprangforward from behind one of the columns of rock where he had been secretedand threw himself upon me, clutching me by the throat.

  Scarce had his sinewy fingers gripped me, when, by dint of franticeffort, I freed my right arm, and with a movement quick as lightningflash, I buried my knife full in his breast. One short, despairing cryescaped him, and as he staggered back I dashed forward again, withoutturning to look at the result of the swift blow I had delivered. But Iwas desperate, and being compelled to defend my life, I do not doubt thatmy blow was unerring, and that my blade penetrated his heart.

  Hindered thus in my flight my two companions had reached the edge of theprecipice ahead of me, and were skirting it, when suddenly I saw a bodyof our pursuers approaching, and cried to them in warning. In dismay Inoticed they took no heed of my words, but continued their swift flightright in the direction of those who sought our destruction.

  "Take care, Omar!" I shouted, in English. "Can't you see those devils infront?"

  But he answered not, and I was about to halt and give up all thought ofescape, when I saw them both suddenly throw themselves on their knees onthe edge of the abyss, and almost instantly disappear over theprecipice.

  They had found another flight of steps!

  Eagerly I sprang forward, and in a few seconds found myself descendingthe rough face of the rock, scrambling desperately down into the yawningchasm with a wild horde of excited fanatics shrieking and yelling above.

  Half a dozen of the more adventurous swung themselves over and commencedto follow us, but those above, determined that we should not escape,fetched huge stones and lumps of rock, which they hurled upon us. Buttheir excess of zeal only wrought destruction upon their companions, who,being above us, received blows from the great stones which sent themflying one after another to the base of the rock, killed or stunned erethey reached it. Twice we had narrow escapes on account of theunconscious bodies of our pursuers or their companions' missiles fallingagainst us, but while all those who had followed us, save one, fellvictims to the merciless frenzy of their companions, we were fortunateenough to be enabled to descend to the base of the rock, where once againthe impenetrable darkness hid, although at the same time it hampered, ourmovements.

  For a few moments at least we were safe, and paused to recover breath. Myarm was bleeding profusely where it had been severely grazed by a sharpedge of rock in our headlong flight, and the white garments of all threeof us were soiled and torn. But our halt was not of long duration, forsuddenly we heard whispers and the sound of stealthy footsteps in thedarkness.

  We listened
breathlessly.

  "Hark!" cried Omar. "Our pursuers are here also, and are looking forus!"

  "Let us hide behind yonder rock," Kona suggested, in a half-whisper.

  "No, let us creep forward," answered the son of the Great White Queen."They will search every crevice and hiding-place now the hue-and-cry hasbeen raised," and glancing up I saw a black stream of excitedworshippers, many with torches that in the distance shone like movingstars, already pouring down over the rock in our direction like a line ofants descending a wall.

  Every moment brought them nearer upon us; every instant increased ourperil. Even though we were in the great chasm, the true extent of whichwe could not distinguish, we knew not by what means we could escapeupward to the blessed light of day.

  Forward we crept cautiously, in obedience to Omar's instructions, but erea couple of minutes had elapsed it was evident that the watchful ones whohad heard the shouting from above and noticed the pursuit had discoveredour whereabouts, for just as we had noiselessly passed a huge boulder, aman in white robe and turban sprang upon us from behind.

  "Look out, Kona!" cried Omar, his quick eyes discerning the man's cloakin the darkness ere I noticed his presence.

  Next second, however, the head-man of the Dagombas and the stranger werelocked in deadly embrace, notwithstanding that the man who had approachedcried aloud to us for mercy.

  Kona with drawn sword had gripped the man's throat with his long blackfingers, when suddenly we heard a gasping cry: "Stay thine hand! Dostthou not recognize thy benefactor?"

  "Hold!" shouted Omar, the words causing him to turn and run back towhere the pair were struggling. "Knowest thou not the voice? Why, it isGoliba!"

  And it was Goliba! Instantly the black giant released the man who hebelieved intended to arrest our progress, and with a word of apology weall four sped forward. How our aged host had escaped after being thrownfrom the frame in which we had made the descent from the city we knew notuntil later, when he explained that on recovering consciousness andfinding himself on his back in the tunnel with a slight injury to hisshoulder, he had scrambled down the perilous descent, fearing each momentthat he might slip in the impenetrable darkness and be dashed to piecesere he gained the bottom. Intensely anxious as to our fate, he had atlast descended in safety, but on emerging from the tunnel foundproceeding above all the commotion the discovery of our presence hadcaused. He watched our descent into the chasm and stood below awaitingus, but we had rushed past ere he could make himself known, and he hadtherefore dashed across to a corner and thus come up with us.

  But our meeting, too hurried and full of peril to admit of explanation atthat moment, was at any rate gratifying--for we all three had believedhim dead. Our pursuers were now behind us in full cry. A number of themhad gained the base of the rock and, yelling furiously, were fast gainingupon us.

  "Come, let us hasten," cried the old sage, speeding along with afleetness of foot equal to our own, skirting the base of the great rockfor a short distance until we came to a portion that jutted out over theuneven ground, then suddenly turning aside, we crossed a great open spacewhere mud and water splashed beneath our feet at every step. The furtherwe went the deeper sank our feet into the quagmire, until our progresswas so far arrested that we could not run, but only wade slowly throughthe chill black slime.

  Even across here our progress was traced, for the lights in the eyes ofthe giant god were turned upon us, and our path lit by a stream of whitelight which guided the footsteps of those who sought our death.

  At last, when we had crossed the boggy patch, the ground became quite dryagain, but after running some distance further, which showed me that thenatural chamber must have been of huge proportions, Goliba shouted to usto halt and remain there. We obeyed him, puzzled and wondering, but wesaw him dashing hither and thither as if in search of something. At firstit was apparent that he could not discover what he sought, but in a fewminutes when our pursuers had crossed the quagmire and were quite closeupon us he shouted to us to come forward. Together we obeyed instantly,speeding as fast as our legs could carry us to where Goliba was standingbefore a small fissure in the side of the cavern on a level with theground, and so narrow that it did not appear as if Kona would be able tosqueeze his big body through.

  "Follow me," the old sage said in a low tone as, throwing himself downbefore the mysterious hole, he crept forward, being compelled to liealmost flat on his stomach, so small was the fissure.

  His example we all quietly followed, finding ourselves groping forward inthe darkness, but discovering to our satisfaction that the further weproceeded the wider the crack in the rock became, so that before long wewere enabled to walk upright, although we deemed it best to hold ourhands above our heads lest we should strike them against any projectingstones.

  Without light, and in air that was decidedly close and oppressive, weproceeded. At least we were safe from the howling mob, for since leavingthe great cavern all was silence, and it was now evident from theconfident manner in which Goliba went forward that he was assured of theway. Soon we negotiated a steep ascent, now and then so difficult that wewere compelled to clamber up on all fours, and for a long time thiscontinued until our hands and feet were sore with scrambling upward. Aspring shed its icy drippings upon us for some little distance, soakingus to the skin and rendering us chilly and uncomfortable, but at lengthwe reached what seemed to be a ponderous door that barred our passage.

  Goliba groped about for a few minutes without speaking, when quickly itopened to his touch and we found ourselves in a long stone passage lithere and there by evil-smelling oil lamps that flickered in the rush ofair from the great fissure through which we had ascended.

  "This is amazing," cried Omar dumbfounded, as the old sage struggled toclose the heavy iron door behind us. "Why, we are in the vaults beneaththe palace!"

  "True, O Master," Goliba answered, breathless after his exertions. "Thereis but one entrance and one exit to this labyrinth of vaults and foulchambers wherein the Naya confineth her prisoners. The entrance is, asthou knowest, immediately beneath the Emerald Throne; the exit is thisdoor, which can only be opened by those possessed of the secret. Thirtyyears ago, when Keeper of the Prison, this door puzzled me considerably,for all attempts to open it on the part of the men I employed failed. Itis of such construction and mechanism that nothing short of explosivescould make it yield, and these I feared to use. But years afterwards agaoler who had obtained the secret from his father, also a gaoler, butwho was dead, imparted it to me on his death-bed in return for somegood-will I had shown him. I believe therefore that I am the only personwho has knowledge of the means by which to open it."

  "The knowledge hath, in any case, saved our lives, Goliba," Omaranswered. "But the great cavern and all those horrible rites introducedinto the worship of Zomara, are not they new?"

  "No," replied the sage. "They are as old as the foundation of the Kingdomof Mo. Strangely enough, however, the great cave with its colossus andits race of sacred dwarfs who live away in a small dark forest that canonly be gained from the opposite side of the cave, were for centuriesforgotten. The way to the Temple of Zomara was unknown and the dwarfsremained in undisputed possession of the place until three years ago, onemore adventurous than the rest, succeeded in ascending to Mo, when hiscapture resulted in the cavern with its great wonderful image beingre-discovered. Since that time the place has never been devoid ofvotaries, and the great fire has constantly been fed by those anxious toimmolate themselves to appease the Crocodile-god."

  "Ah! he is a great god," Omar observed earnestly.

  "Yea, O Master, he is indeed all-powerful," answered the aged councillor."He giveth us life, preserveth us from death, and shieldeth us fromevil."

  And as they uttered these words both fingered their amulets piously.