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I have found no time to palter with the fripperies of women." "Ah, but these colonists here are crude and unfascinating. Wait till you see the ladies of the court, my ascetic." "It comes to my mind," I said dryly, "that I lived in Atlantis before I came out here, and at that time I used to see as much of court life as most men. Yet then, also, I felt no inducement to marry." Tatho chuckled.
Tatho, to give him credit, was anxious to further my interests to the utmost in his power. He was by my side again before the dawn, putting all his resources at my disposal. I had little enough to ask him. "A ship to take me home," I said, "and I shall be your debtor." The request seemed to surprise him. "That you may certainly have if you wish it.
Through evil years and through good have I ruled here, striving only for the prosperity of the land and the strengthening of Atlantis, and I have grown to love the peoples like a father. To you I bequeath them, Tatho, with tender supplications for their interests."
For my maintenance during my years of service, here, I have bled the State of a soldier's ration and nothing beyond; and if in my name any man has mulcted a creature in Yucatan of so much as an ounce of bronze, I request you as a last service to have that man hanged for me as a liar and a thief." Tatho looked at me curiously. "I do not know whether I admire you most or whether I pity.
Yucatan is another world, my dear Tatho, as you in the course of your government will learn, with new interests, new people, new everything. To us here, Atlantis is only a figment, a shadow, far away across the waters. It is for this new world of Yucatan that I have striven through all these years."
"You cannot scare us back now by words," said Tatho doggedly. "And as for magic, it will be met by magic. Phorenice has found by her own cleverness as many powers as were ever stored up in the Ark of the Mysteries." "Yet she looked on helplessly enough last night, when her royal pyramid was trundled into a rubbish heap.
And besides, here in Yucatan, we have not the niceties of your old world diplomacy, and do not listen, because we count it shame to do so." Tatho shrugged his shoulders. "I acted only according to mine education. At home, a loose tongue makes a loose head, and there are those whose trade it is to carry tales.
'It is a capable hand, as you have seen: it can be a kind hand also, as you may learn if you choose. With the King dead, Tatho is a masterless man now. Is Tatho in want of a mistress? "'Such a glorious mistress as you, I said, 'Yes. And from that moment, Deucalion, I have been her slave. Oh, you may frown; you may get up from this seat and walk away if you will.
Dawn cannot be far off now, and it is not decent that the man who has ruled here so long, should walk in daylight through the streets on the morning after his dismissal." "So be it," said Tatho. "You shall have my poor navy. I could have wished that you had asked me something greater." "Not the navy, Tatho; one small ship. Believe me, more is wasted."
You see, my lord, I detected your quality by your speech, and knowing you are not one of those that come to me for spells, and potions, I have no fear in speaking to you plainly." "Tell me then: Phorenice still reigns?" "Most vilely." "As a maiden?" "As the mother of twin sons. Tatho's her husband now, and has been these three years." "Tatho! Who followed him as viceroy of Yucatan?"
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