United States or Denmark ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
They found that although Oteo spoke only a few words of English, he understood nearly everything they said, and waiting only a moment more, they started up into the city towards Reoh's home. In the living-room of the house, the Chemist sat Lylda gently down on a cushion in front of the hearth. Sitting beside her, he laid his hand on hers that rested on her knee.
Only now she wore also two circular metal discs strapped over her breasts. Her hair was unbound and fell in masses forward over her shoulders. Around her waist was a broad girdle of golden cloth with small pouches for holding the chemicals. She took her place among the men quietly. "See, I am ready," she said with a smile. "Oteo, you have sent him?" The Chemist nodded. Lylda turned to the Doctor.
Perhaps a hundred people crowded through the doorway into the palace; the others stood outside on the steps and on the terrace below waiting. Hardly more than five minutes went by when a man appeared on the palace roof. He advanced to the parapet with several others standing respectfully behind him. "Targo!" murmured Oteo.
"What is it, Oteo?" asked the Chemist quickly. The boy answered him with a flood of words in his native tongue. The Chemist listened quietly. Then he turned to his companions. "Targo has escaped," he said briefly. "They sent word to me at home, and Oteo ran here to tell me. A crowd broke into the court-house and released him. Oteo says they went away by water, and that no one is following them."
Oteo pushed the door and led them within. The house was deserted, and following Oteo, they went to the roof. Here they could see perfectly what was going on around the palace, and in the park below them. This park was nearly triangular in shape a thousand feet possibly on each side. At the base of the triangle, on a bluff with the lake behind it, stood the palace.
They listened quietly; Oteo with an almost expressionless stolidity of face, but with his soft, dog-like eyes fixed upon his mistress; Eena with heaving breast and trembling limbs. When Lylda paused they both fell upon their knees before her. She put her hands upon their heads and smiling wistfully, said in English: "So it shall be; with me you shall go, because that is what you wish."
I know the power we have; I know we can do almost anything. That little boy of mine they've got him. Let me think just a moment." He sat motionless. The Doctor continued talking in a lower tone to the Big Business Man by the window. In the doorway Oteo stood like a statue, motionless, except for his big, soft eyes that roved unceasingly over the scene before him.
Oteo led the two men swiftly through the city towards Reoh's house. There were few pedestrians about and no one seemed particularly to notice them. Yet somehow, the Big Business Man thought, there hung about the city an ominous air of unrest.
The Doctor and Oteo followed him out into the street, and they mingled with the hastening crowd. In their excitement they walked freely among the people. No one appeared to notice them, for the crowd was as excited as they, hurrying along, heedless of its immediate surroundings. As they advanced, the street became more congested.
The Doctor and the Big Business Man were in front, and Oteo, wide-eyed and solemn, was close behind them. The Doctor was pointing down at the ground a few feet ahead. There, at a height just above their ankles, stood the Chemist's house a little building whose roof did not reach more than half-way to their knees, even though it stood on higher ground than the beach upon which they were walking.
Word Of The Day