Latest / Classic Adventure Books Collection / 29 - Baron Trump's Marvellous Underground Journey
Transcript
- Chapter twenty nine something concerning the many portals to the icy domain of King Galidas, and the difficult task of choosing the right one, how Bulgar solved it. Are farewell to the cold blooded Colti Corpse schnibules sorrow at losing us. As Boulbrain had once remarked, when there are many doors, its wise man who knows which is the right one to open. And this I found to be the case when I attempted to take my departure from the icy domain of his frigid majesty Galadas, king of the Colti Corps. For there was a baker's dozen of galleries, in each of which, upon exploring it, I came, after a tramp of half a mile or so, up against a lofty gate of solid ice, curiously carved and fitting the end of the gallery as a cork does a bottle. No doubt you are wondering why didn't make my way out of the Coltiquorpian kingdom by following the river, for the very good reason that it went no further than King Galadas's domain, emptying into a vast reservoir which apparently had a subterranean outlet for its thick covering of ice always remained at the same height. The king's quarrymen were ordered to hew an opening through whichever door I should point out as the one that I wished to pass through. But I was informed by Frosty Fez that according to the law of the land, but one door could be opened during any one year, so that if I found my way blocked and turned back again, it would mean a delay of twelve months. Bulbrain, with all his wisdom, was powerless to assist me, although I was half inclined to think that he might have done so had he been permitted to investigate the secret records of the kingdom, carved upon huge tablets of ice and stored away in the vaults of the palace. The fact of the matter is King Gilidus was so desirous of having me assist at the marriage feast of Princess Schnebule that he threw every obstacle in my way that he could without openly showing his hand. And Schneeboulay herself, by the dancing of her clear gray eyes, gave me to understand that she too, was hoping that I would make a mistake. When I came to point out the door which I wanted open. Bulgar saw that I was in trouble, but he couldn't comprehend clearly what the trouble was. He kept his eyes fastened upon me, however, watching my every movement, hoping no doubt to solve the mystery. While sitting one day lost in thought over the very serious problem which I found myself called upon to solve, an idea struck me. I had noticed that in the meat quarries the workmen often made use of sounding rods, which were long pieces of polished bone ending in flint tips. A Cultiqorpian quarryman, by dexterously twisting his rod, was able to bore a hole six feet deeper more into the solid bed of ice when desirous of ascertaining the position of a carcass in the meat quarry. And it occurred to me that by piercing the portals of ice which closed their various corridors I have spoken of, possibly Bulgar's keen scent might recognize that current affair, which would have in it the odor of earth and rock. In other words, make choice for me of the portal which opened on that corridor leading away from the icy domain of King Galidas, and not merely into some outlying chamber of his kingdom. His frigid majesty could not object to such experiments, for the law only forbade the hewing of openings large enough for the huer to pass through. King Gelidas and half a dozen of his courtiers, looking stern and frigid and conversing in freezing tones, were present to see the experiment tried, methought. Their icy lips clacked together with satisfaction when, at my request, one portal after another was pierced. But Bolger, after sniffing at the hole, turned away with a bewildered look in his eyes, as if he didn't half understand why I was ordering him to thrust his warm nose into such cold places. And so we tramped from corridor to corridor until the quarrymen began to show signs of fatigue, and the sounding rod turned slower and slower in their hands. Frosty Fizz blinked his cold gray eyes as much as to say, little Baron, thou must bide with us for another year. But I merely turned to the quarrymen and ordered them to pierce one more portal of ice. Ere we abandoned the task for the day. They went at the work of piercing the eleventh door with the pace of pack mules up a mountain side. But at last the sounding rod bored a way through, and at a wave of my hand, the quarryman fell back. In an instant. Bulgar had his nose at the hole and took three or four quick nervous sniffs, ending with a long, deep, drawn one, and then breaking out into a string of sharp, jerky, joyful barks. He began scratching furiously at the bottom of the portal. Your frigid Majesty, said I, with a low and stately bend of my body, such as only those born to the manor can make by this portal. At the coming of to morrow's sun, I shall pass from your Majesty's icy dominion. And when Frosty Fiz and glacier Boy heard these words of mine, uttered so loftily their eyes gleamed cold as steel. Then they followed the king in silence back to the Palace of Ice. Shinibu Ley met them in the grand hallway, and when she had looked upon their face as she began to weep, for she loved me, and she loved Bulgar too, and her cold little heart could not bear the thought of our going. King Gelidus, however, soon recovered his spirits and ordered a feast with song and dance in honor of Bulgar, who during the festivity sat on the highest of Anne with the softest pelt beneath him. And so many were the frozen tidbits which the Culti Corps presented to him during the progress of the feast that I grew alarmed lest he might overload his stomach and not be in a fit condition to make the early start on our journey, of which I had given notice to the Cultikorpian monarch. But his good sense saved him from doing so foolish a thing. In fact, I was greatly amused to see that while he accepted every tidbit handed to him, and solemnly went through the motions of chewing it, yet watching his chance, he slyly dropped it out of his mouth and flirted it aside with his paw. Thus was spent our last night at the icy court of his frigid majesty. And on the morrow the Colti Corps elected in gray crowds on the different terraces to say good bye. I pressed a kiss on the cheek of Princess Schnebouleet when it had turned to ice crystals, when of her men brushed it into an alabaster box. Prince Chilichops, the former lamp trimmer, was on hand with the rest of the Coltiqorpian nobles. But I flattered myself that Schneebulet loved me better than she did him. However, I wished him joy and gripped his cold palm with such warmth that he stood blowing it for a whole minute. When we reached the lofty portal, we found that the quarryman had already hewn a passage through it, and near by I observed a pile of massive blocks of ice crystal clear. These, when Bulgar and I should pass through the opening, were to be used in walling it up again. When I saw this pile of blocks and remembered the solid workmanship of the Coultiqorpian quarrymen, the thought flitted through my mind. Suppose Bulger hath not chosen wisely, what use would there be in turning back? For my own weak hands would be powerless against a wall built of such blocks, and knock I ever so loud. How could the sound ever traversed this long and winding corridor and reach the ear of a Colti corp, No, said I to myself, If Bulgar hath not chosen wisely, it will be good bye to both upper and under worlds. And then, burying an alabaster lamp in one hand and in the other holding the cord which I had tied to Bulgar's collar, I stepped through the narrow passage hewn by the quarryman and turned my back forever on the cold dominion of Galidus, king of the Colti Corpse. Once I halted and looked back, I could see nothing, but I could hear the sharp click of the flint axes as the quarryman closed up the door that shut me out from so many cold but loving hearts. And then I drew a long breath and went on my way again. And that was the last I ever saw of the Colti Corpse, save in a day dream or night vision. End of Chapter twenty nine,