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14 - Moon Maid by Edgar Rice Burroughs · Moon Maid

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Speaker 1: Chapter thirteen, Death within and without. As rapidly as I could,
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Speaker 1: I made my way from the palace of Kotah and
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Speaker 1: upward terrace by terrace, toward the palace of the Jemadarh.
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Speaker 1: I had never presented myself at Sagroff's palace, since Naarillah
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Speaker 1: had so grievously offended me. I did not even know
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Speaker 1: the customary procedure to follow to gain an audience with
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Speaker 1: the Emperor, But nevertheless I came boldly to the carbon
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Speaker 1: gates and demanded to speak with the officer in command
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Speaker 1: of the guards. When he came, I told him that
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Speaker 1: I desired to speak either with Sagrath or the Princess
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Speaker 1: Nailah at once upon a matter of the most urgent importance. Wait,
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Speaker 1: he said, and I will take your message to the Jemadarh.
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Speaker 1: He was gone for what seemed to me a very
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Speaker 1: long time, but at last he returned, saying that Sagrath
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Speaker 1: would see me at once, and I was conducted through
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Speaker 1: the gates and into the palace toward the small audience
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Speaker 1: chamber in which Sagrof had once received me. So graciously
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Speaker 1: as I was ushered into the room, I found myself
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Speaker 1: facing both Sagroth and Namila. The attitude of the Jamadar
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Speaker 1: seemed apparently judicial, but that of the princess miscopenly hostile.
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Speaker 1: What are you doing here, traitor, she demanded, without waiting
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Speaker 1: for Sagrath to speak, And at the same instant a
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Speaker 1: door upon the opposite side of the room burst open,
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Speaker 1: and three warriors leaped into the apartment with bared swords.
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Speaker 1: They wore the livery of Kotank, and I knew instantly
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Speaker 1: the purpose for which they had come. Drawing my own sword,
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Speaker 1: I leaped forward. I have come to defend the life
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Speaker 1: of the Jemadar and his princess, I cried, as I
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Speaker 1: sprang between them and the advancing three. What means this,
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Speaker 1: demanded Sagroth. How dare you enter the presence of your
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Speaker 1: Jamadar withdrawn sword? They are the assassins of Kotah come
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Speaker 1: to slay you, I cried, defend yourself, Sagroth of Lathe,
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Speaker 1: and with that I tried to engage the three until
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Speaker 1: help arrived. I am no novice with the sword. The
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Speaker 1: art of fencing has been one of my chief diversions
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Speaker 1: since my cadet days in the air school. And I
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Speaker 1: did not fear the Lathians, though I knew that even
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Speaker 1: were they but mediocre swordsmen, I could not for long
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Speaker 1: withstand the assaults of three at once. But upon this
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Speaker 1: point I need not have concerned myself, for no sooner
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Speaker 1: had I spoken than Sagrath's sword leaped from its scabbard, and,
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Speaker 1: placing himself at my side, he fought nobly and well
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Speaker 1: in defense of his life and his honor. One of
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Speaker 1: our antagonists merely tried to engage me while the other
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Speaker 1: two assassinated the Jemadar, And so, seeing that he was
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Speaker 1: playing me, and that I could do with him about
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Speaker 1: as I pleased if I did not push him too hard,
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Speaker 1: I drove him back a few steps until I was
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Speaker 1: close at the sight of one of those who engaged Sadrov. Then,
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Speaker 1: before any could know my intention, I wheeled and lunged
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Speaker 1: my sword through the heart of one of those who
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Speaker 1: opposed the father of Nailah. So quickly had I disengaged
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Speaker 1: my former antagonist, so swift my lunge that I had
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Speaker 1: recovered and was ready to meet the renewed assaults of
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Speaker 1: the first who had engaged me, almost before he realized
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Speaker 1: what had happened. It was man against man now, and
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Speaker 1: the odds were even. I had no opportunity to watch Sagroth,
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Speaker 1: but from the ring of steel on steel, I knew
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Speaker 1: that the two were bitterly engaged. My own man kept
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Speaker 1: me well occupied. He was a magnificent swordsman, but he
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Speaker 1: was only fighting for his life. I was fighting for more,
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Speaker 1: for my life and for my honor too, since after
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Speaker 1: the word traitor that Nayla had hurled at me, I
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Speaker 1: had felt that I must redeem myself in her eyes.
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Speaker 1: I did not give any thought at all to the
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Speaker 1: question as to just why I should care what nigh
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Speaker 1: lother moon maid thought of me. But something within me
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Speaker 1: reacted mightily to the contempt that she had put into
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Speaker 1: that single word. I could catch an occasional glimpse of
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Speaker 1: her standing there behind the massive desk at which her
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Speaker 1: father had sat upon the first occasion of my coming
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Speaker 1: to dis chamber. She stood there, very tense, her wide
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Speaker 1: eyes fixed upon the inevident incredulity. I had almost worn
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Speaker 1: my man down, and we were fighting now, so that
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Speaker 1: I was facing nigh Lah with my back toward the
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Speaker 1: doorway through which the three assassins had entered. Sagrov must
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Speaker 1: have been more than hope of his own, too, for
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Speaker 1: I could see his opponent slowly falling back before the
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Speaker 1: older man's assaults. Then there broke, above the clang of steel,
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Speaker 1: a girl's voice, nigh laws raised in accents of fear, Julian, beware,
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Speaker 1: behind you, behind you. At the instant of her warning,
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Speaker 1: the eyes of my antagonist left mine, which for his
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Speaker 1: own good they never should have done, and passed in
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Speaker 1: a quick glance over my shoulder at something or some
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Speaker 1: one behind me. His lack of concentration cost him his life.
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Speaker 1: I saw my opening the instant that it was made,
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Speaker 1: and with a quick lunge, I passed my blade through
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Speaker 1: his heart, whipping it out again. I wheeled to face
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Speaker 1: a dozen men springing into the the chamber. They paid
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Speaker 1: no attention to me, but leaped towards Sagrath, and before
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Speaker 1: I could prevent, he went down with half a dozen
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Speaker 1: blades through his body. Upon the opposite side of the
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Speaker 1: desk from us was another doorway directly behind Nihillah, and
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Speaker 1: in the instant that she saw Sagrath fall, she called
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Speaker 1: to me in a low voice, Come Julie, quick, But
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Speaker 1: we too were lost. Realizing that the Jemedar was dead
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Speaker 1: and that it would be folly to remain and attempt
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Speaker 1: to fight this whole room full of warriors, I leaped
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Speaker 1: the desk and followed Nailah through the doorway beyond. There
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Speaker 1: was a cry then from some one within the room
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Speaker 1: to stop us, but nigh Llah wheeled and slammed the
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Speaker 1: door in their faces as they rushed forward, fastened it
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Speaker 1: upon our side, and then turned.
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Speaker 2: To me, Julia, She said, how can you ever forgive me,
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Speaker 2: you who have risked your life for the Jemadar, my father,
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Speaker 2: in spite of the contemptible treatment that, in my ignorance
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Speaker 2: I have accorded you.
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Speaker 1: I could have explained, as said, but you would not
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Speaker 1: let me. Appearances were against me, and so I cannot
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Speaker 1: blame you for thinking as you did. It was wicked
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Speaker 1: of me not to listen to you, Julia, but I
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Speaker 1: thought that Kotah had won you over, as he has
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Speaker 1: won over even some of the staunchest friends of Sakroff.
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Speaker 1: You might have known, Nailah, that even could I have
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Speaker 1: been disloyal to your father. I never could have been
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Speaker 1: disloyal to his daughter. I did not know, she said,
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Speaker 1: how could I there suddenly came over me a great
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Speaker 1: desire to take her in my arms and cover those
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Speaker 1: lovely lips with kisses. I could not tell why this
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Speaker 1: ridiculous obsession had seized upon me, nor why I was
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Speaker 1: sudden I became afraid of little Nailah, the you maid.
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Speaker 1: I must have looked very foolish indeed, standing there looking
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Speaker 1: at her, And suddenly I realized how fatuous I must appear,
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Speaker 1: and so I shook myself and laughed. Come, Nailah, I said,
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Speaker 1: we must not remain here. Where can I take you?
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Speaker 1: You will be safe upon the outer terrace. There may
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Speaker 1: be some of the royal guard, she replied, But if
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Speaker 1: Goda has already taken the palace, flight will be useless.
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Speaker 1: From what I know of the conspiracy, it will be useless,
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Speaker 1: I replied, for the service of Sagrath at his palace
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Speaker 1: is rotten with the spies and retainers of the Javadar.
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Speaker 1: I feared as much. She said. The very men who
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Speaker 1: came to assassinate Sagrath were the imperial livery less than
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Speaker 1: an Olah. Since are there none then loyal toy you,
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Speaker 1: I asked her. The Jemadar's guard is always loyal, she said,
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Speaker 1: But they numbers guess a thousand men. How may we
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Speaker 1: summon them? I asked, Let us go to the outer terraces,
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Speaker 1: and if there are any of them there, we can
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Speaker 1: congregate the balance, or as many of them as Kota
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Speaker 1: has left alive. Come, then, I said, let us hasten,
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Speaker 1: and together, hand in hand, we ran along the corridors
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Speaker 1: of the Jemedar's palace to the outer terraces of the
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Speaker 1: highest tier of Lathe. There we found a hundred men,
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Speaker 1: and when we had told of what had happened within
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Speaker 1: the palace, they drew their swords and surrounding Nailah, they
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Speaker 1: shouted to the death for Nailah Jemenov of lath They
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Speaker 1: wanted to remain there and protect her, but I told
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Speaker 1: them that there would be nothing gained by that, that
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Speaker 1: sooner or later they would be overwhelmed by far greater numbers,
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Speaker 1: and the cause of Nailah lost. Send a dozen men,
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Speaker 1: I said to their commander, to rally all of the
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Speaker 1: loyal guards that remain alive. Tell them to come to
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Speaker 1: the throne room, ready to lay down their lives for
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Speaker 1: the new Jemadav and then let the dozen continue on
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Speaker 1: out into the city, rallying the people to the protection
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Speaker 1: of Nailah. As for us, we will accompany her immediately
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Speaker 1: to the Throne room and there place her upon the
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Speaker 1: throne and proclaim her ruler of Lathe. A hundred men
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Speaker 1: may hold the throne room for a long time if
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Speaker 1: we reach it before Kotar reaches it with his forces.
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Speaker 1: The officer looked at Nailah questioningly, Your command, Jemedav, he inquired,
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Speaker 1: w follow the plan of Julan the Jabadar, She replied. Immediately,
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Speaker 1: A dozen warriors were dispatched to rally the imperial guard
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Speaker 1: and arouse the loyal citizens of the city to the
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Speaker 1: protection of their new Gemadav, while the balance of us
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Speaker 1: conducted Nillah by a short course toward the throne room.
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Speaker 1: As we entered the great chamber at one end, Kota
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Speaker 1: and a handful of warriors came in at the other.
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Speaker 1: But we had the advantage in that we entered through
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Speaker 1: a doorway directly behind the throne and upon the dais.
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Speaker 1: Draw your men upon the main entrance, I called to
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Speaker 1: the officer of the Guard, and hold it until reenforcements come. Then,
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Speaker 1: as the hundred raced the length of the throne room
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Speaker 1: toward the surprised and enraged Kota. I led Naillah to
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Speaker 1: the central throne and seated her upon it. Then, stepping forward,
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Speaker 1: I raised my hand for silence. The jemadarh Sagrath is dead,
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Speaker 1: I cried, Behold Nahillah, the jemadav of Lathe stop, cried Kotok.
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Speaker 1: She may share the throne with me, but she may
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Speaker 1: not possess it alone. Take that traitor. I called to
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Speaker 1: the royal guard, and they rushed forward, evidently glad to
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Speaker 1: do my bidding. But Koto did not wait to be taken.
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Speaker 1: He was accompanied by only a handful of men, and
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Speaker 1: when he saw that the guard really intended to seize him,
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Speaker 1: and realized that he would be given short shrift at
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Speaker 1: the hands of Naila myself, he turned and fled. But
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Speaker 1: I knew he would come back, and come back he did,
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Speaker 1: though not until after the majority of the Jermadogh's guard
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Speaker 1: had gathered within the throne room. He came with a
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Speaker 1: great concourse of warriors, and the fighting was furious. But
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Speaker 1: he might have brought a million men against our thousand,
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Speaker 1: and not immediately of overcomas, since only a limited number
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Speaker 1: could fight at one time. In the entrance way to
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Speaker 1: the throne room, already the corpses lay stacked as high
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Speaker 1: as a man's head, Yet no single member of Kotah's
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Speaker 1: forces had crossed the threshold. How long the fight was waged, Darduna,
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Speaker 1: But it must have been for a considerable time, since
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Speaker 1: I know that our men fought in relays and rested
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Speaker 1: many times, and that food was brought from other parts
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Speaker 1: of the palace to the doorway behind the throne. And
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Speaker 1: there were times when Kota's forces withdrew and rested and incuperated,
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Speaker 1: but always they came back in greater number, And eventually
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Speaker 1: I realized we must be worn down by the persistence
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Speaker 1: of their repeated attacks. And then there arose, slowly a
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Speaker 1: deep toned sound. At first we could not interpret it
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Speaker 1: rose and fell in increasing volume, until finally we knew
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Speaker 1: that it was the sound of human voices, the voices
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Speaker 1: of a great mob, of a mighty concourse of people,
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Speaker 1: and that it was sweeping toward us, slowly and resistlessly.
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Speaker 1: Closer and closer it approached the palace. As it rose
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Speaker 1: terrace upon terrace, toward the lofty pinnacle of Lathe. The
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Speaker 1: fighting at the entrance of the throne room had almost ceased.
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Speaker 1: Both sides were worn down almost to utter exhaustion. And
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Speaker 1: now we but stood upon our arms upon either side
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Speaker 1: of the wall of corpses that lay between us. Our
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Speaker 1: attention centered upon the sound of the growling multitude that
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Speaker 1: was sweeping slowly upward toward us. They come, cried one
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Speaker 1: of Nailah's nobles, to acclaim the new Jamadov and to
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Speaker 1: tear the minions of Kota, the traitor to pieces. He
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Speaker 1: spoke in a loud voice that was easily audible to
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Speaker 1: Kotar As retainers in the corridor without. They come to
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Speaker 1: drag the spawn of Sagrath from the throne, cried one
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Speaker 1: of Kotar's followers. And then from the throne came the sweet,
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Speaker 1: clear voice of Nai lah Let. The people's will be done,
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Speaker 1: she said, And thus we stood awaiting the verdict of
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Speaker 1: the populace. Nor had we longed to wait for Presently
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Speaker 1: we realized that they had reached the palace terrace and
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Speaker 1: entered the building itself. We could hear the shouting horde
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Speaker 1: moving through the corridors and chambers, and finally the bellowing
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Speaker 1: resolved itself into articulate words. Sagroth is no more rue
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Speaker 1: kotad Jemadar of Lathe. I turned in consternation toward Nailah.
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Speaker 1: What does it mean? I cried? Have the people turned
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Speaker 1: against you? Koto's minions have done their work well during
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Speaker 1: these many celts, said the commander of the Jemedov's guard,
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Speaker 1: who stood upon the upper steps of the dais. Just
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Speaker 1: beitow the throne. There spread lies and sedition among the people,
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Speaker 1: which not even Sagrath's just and kindly reign could overcome.
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Speaker 1: Let the will of the people be done, repeated Nailah,
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Speaker 1: it is the will of fools betrayed by a scoundrel,
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Speaker 1: cried the commander of the guard. While there beats a
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Speaker 1: single heart beneath the tunic of a guardsman of the Jamaedov.
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Speaker 1: We shall fight for Nailah, Empress of Lathe. Koto's forces,
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Speaker 1: now augmented by the rabble, were pushing their way over
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Speaker 1: the corpses and into the throne room, so that we
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Speaker 1: were forced to join the defenders, that we might pull
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Speaker 1: them off while life remained to any of us. When
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Speaker 1: the commander of the guard saw me fighting at his side.
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Speaker 1: He asked me to return to Narillah. We must not
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Speaker 1: leave the Jemadov alone, he said, Return and remain at
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Speaker 1: her side, Jula the Davadar, and when the last of
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Speaker 1: us has fallen, drive your dagger into her heart. I
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Speaker 1: shuddered and turned back toward Narillah. The very thought of
14:27
Speaker 1: plunging my dagger into that tender bosom fairly nauseated me.
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Speaker 1: There must be some other way. And yet what other
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Speaker 1: means of escape could there be for Naillah, who preferred
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Speaker 1: death to the dishonor of surrender to Kota, the murderer
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Speaker 1: of her father. As I reached Naila's side and turned
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Speaker 1: again to face the entrance to the throne room, I
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Speaker 1: saw that the warriors of Kota were being pushed into
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Speaker 1: the chamber by the mob behind them, and that our
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Speaker 1: defenders were being overwhelmed by the great number of their antagonists. Kotah,
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Speaker 1: with a half dozen wor warriors, had been carried forward
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Speaker 1: practically without volition, by the press of numbers in their rear,
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Speaker 1: and even now with none would decept him, was running
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Speaker 1: rapidly up the broad center aisle toward the throne. Some
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Speaker 1: of those in the entranceway saw him, and as he
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Speaker 1: reached the foot of the steps leading to the dais,
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Speaker 1: a snarling cry arose Kotar, the Jamadar with bared sword.
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Speaker 1: The fellow leaped toward me where I stood alone between
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Speaker 1: Nilah and her enemies. Sir, render Julian, she cried, It
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Speaker 1: is futile to oppose them. You are not of Lathe.
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Speaker 1: Neither duty nor honor impose upon you the necessity of
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Speaker 1: offering your life for one of us. Spare him, Quota,
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Speaker 1: she cried to the advancing Jamadar, and I will bow
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Speaker 1: to the will of the people and relinquish the throne
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Speaker 1: to you. Quota, the traitor shall never sit upon the
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Speaker 1: throne of Naillah, I exclaimed, and leaping forward, I engaged
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Speaker 1: the Prince of Lath. His warriors were close behind him,
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Speaker 1: and hooved me to work fast. And so I fought,
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Speaker 1: as I had never guessed that it lay within me
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Speaker 1: to fight. And at the instant that the rabble broke
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Speaker 1: through the remaining defenders and poured into the throne room
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Speaker 1: of the Jemadars of Lathe, I slipped my point into
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Speaker 1: the heart of Kotar with a single piercing shriek. He
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Speaker 1: threw his hands above his head and toppled backward down
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Speaker 1: the steps, till I dead at the foot of the
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Speaker 1: throne he had betrayed. For an instant, the silence of
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Speaker 1: death reigned in the great chamber. Friend and foe stood
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Speaker 1: alike in the momentary paralysis of shot surprise. That tense,
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Speaker 1: breathless silence had endured for but a moment, when it
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Speaker 1: was shattered by a terrific detonation. We felt the palace
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Speaker 1: tremble rock The assembled mob looked wildly about, their eyes
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Speaker 1: filled with fear and questioning. But before they could voice
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Speaker 1: a question, another thunderous report burst upon our startled ears.
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Speaker 1: And then from the city below the palace there arose
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Speaker 1: the shrieks and screams of terrified people. Again, the palace trembled,
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Speaker 1: and a great crack opened in one of the walls
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Speaker 1: of the throne room. The people sawhed, and in an
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Speaker 1: instant their anger against the dynasty of Sagrath was swallowed
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Speaker 1: in the moral terror which they felt for their own safety.
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Speaker 1: With shrieks and screams, they turned and bolted for the doorway.
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Speaker 1: The weaker were knocked down and trembled upon they fought
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Speaker 1: with fists and swords and daggers. In their mad efforts
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Speaker 1: to escape the crumbling building. They tore the clothing from
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Speaker 1: one another as each sought to drag back his fellow
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Speaker 1: that he might gain further in the race for the
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Speaker 1: outer world. And as the rabble fought, Nilai and I
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Speaker 1: stood before the throne of lay, watching them, while below us,
17:46
Speaker 1: the few remaining members of the Jemadar's guard stood, viewing
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Speaker 1: in silent contempt the terror of the people. Explosion after
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Speaker 1: explosion followed one another in rapid succession. The people had fled.
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Speaker 1: The palace was empty except for that handful of us
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Speaker 1: faithful ones who had remained within the throne room. Let
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Speaker 1: us go, I said to Nayelah, and discover the origin
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Speaker 1: of these sounds and the extent of the damage that
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Speaker 1: is being done. Come, she said, here is a short
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Speaker 1: corridor to the inner terrace, where we may look down
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Speaker 1: upon the entire city of Lathe. And then, turning to
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Speaker 1: the commander of the guard, she said, proceed please to
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Speaker 1: the palace gates and secure them against the return of
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Speaker 1: our enemies, if they have by this time all fled
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Speaker 1: from the palace ground. The officer bowed and followed by
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Speaker 1: the few heroic survivors of the Jemadar's guard. He left
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Speaker 1: by another corridor for the palace gates, while I followed
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Speaker 1: Naillah up a stairway that led to the roof of
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Speaker 1: the palace. Coming out upon the upper terrace, we made
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Speaker 1: our way quickly to the edge, overlooking the city. In
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Speaker 1: the crater below us, a shrieking multitude ran hither and
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Speaker 1: thither from terrace to terrace, while now here and now
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Speaker 1: the terrific explosions occurred that shattered age old structures and
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Speaker 1: carried debris high into the air. Many terraces showed great
19:08
Speaker 1: gaps and tumbled ruins where other explosions had occurred, and
19:12
Speaker 1: smoke and flames were rising from a dozen portions of
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Speaker 1: the city. But an instant it took me to realize
19:20
Speaker 1: that the explosions were caused by something that was being
19:23
Speaker 1: dropped into the city from above. And as I looked up,
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Speaker 1: I saw a missile describing an arc above the palace,
19:30
Speaker 1: past which it hurtled to a terrace far below, And
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Speaker 1: at once I realized that the missile had originated outside
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Speaker 1: the city. Turning quickly, I ran across the terrace to
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Speaker 1: the outer side, which overlooked the plateau upon which the
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Speaker 1: city stood. I could not repress an exclamation of astonishment
19:49
Speaker 1: at the sight that greeted my eyes, for the surface
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Speaker 1: of the plateau was alive with warders. Nillah had followed
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Speaker 1: me and was standing at my elbow the col cars.
20:00
Speaker 1: She said, they have come again to reduce Lathe. It
20:04
Speaker 1: has been long since they attempted it, many generations ago.
20:09
Speaker 1: But what is it, Julian, that causes the great noise
20:12
Speaker 1: and the destruction and the fires within lay? It is
20:16
Speaker 1: this which fills me with surprise, I said, and not
20:19
Speaker 1: the presence of the Kalkar warriors. Look, Naillah, and I
20:23
Speaker 1: pointed to a knoll lying at the verge of the plateau, where,
20:27
Speaker 1: unless my eyes deceived me badly, there was mounted a
20:31
Speaker 1: mortar which was hurling shells into the city of Lathe.
20:35
Speaker 1: And there and there, I continued, pointing to other similar
20:39
Speaker 1: engines of destruction mounted invoice. The city is surrounded with
20:43
Speaker 1: the Nailah. Have your people any knowledge of such engines
20:47
Speaker 1: of warfare or of high explosives? I demanded, Only in
20:51
Speaker 1: our legends are such things mentioned, she replied. It has
20:55
Speaker 1: been ages, since the inhabitants of Vana lost the art
20:59
Speaker 1: of manufacturing such things. As we stood there talking, one
21:03
Speaker 1: of the Jamadar's guards emerged from the palace and approached us.
21:08
Speaker 1: Nailah jamadav He cried, there is one here who craves
21:11
Speaker 1: audience with you, and who says that if you listen
21:14
Speaker 1: to him, you may save your city from destruction. Fetch him,
21:18
Speaker 1: replied Nailah, We will receive him here. We had but
21:22
Speaker 1: a moment to wait when the guardsmen returned with one
21:25
Speaker 1: of Kota's captains. Nailah jamadav He cried, when she had
21:31
Speaker 1: given him permission to speak, I come to you with
21:34
Speaker 1: a message from one who is Jemadar of Jemadar's, ruler
21:37
Speaker 1: of Alvanah, if you would save your city and your people.
21:41
Speaker 1: Listen well, the girl's eyes narrowed. You are speaking to
21:46
Speaker 1: your Jemadov fellow, She said, be careful not only of
21:50
Speaker 1: your words, but of your tone. I come but to
21:54
Speaker 1: save you, replied the man, solemnly, the Kalkars have discovered
21:59
Speaker 1: a great leader, and they have joined together from many
22:02
Speaker 1: cities to overthrow Laithe. My master does not wish to
22:06
Speaker 1: destroy this ancient city, and there is but one simple
22:09
Speaker 1: condition upon which he will spare it. Name your condition,
22:14
Speaker 1: said Nailah. If you will wed him, he will make
22:18
Speaker 1: Lathe the capital of than Nah, and you shall rule
22:21
Speaker 1: with him as Jamadav of Jemadar's. Nilah's lips curled in scorn.
22:27
Speaker 1: And who is the presumptuous kalkow that dares aspire to
22:31
Speaker 1: the hand of Nahillah, she demanded. He is no kalkot, Jamadav,
22:37
Speaker 1: replied the messenger. He is from another world who says
22:41
Speaker 1: that he knows you well and that he has loved
22:42
Speaker 1: you long. His name, snapped Nailah impatiently. He is called
22:49
Speaker 1: Ortis Jamadar of Jemadars. Nailah turned towards me with elevated
22:54
Speaker 1: brows and a smile of comprehension upon a face. Ortis repeated. Now,
23:01
Speaker 1: I understand my Jemadav, I said, And I am commencing
23:06
Speaker 1: to have some slight conception of the time that must
23:09
Speaker 1: have elapsed since I first landed within Varna. For even
23:13
Speaker 1: since our escape from the vagas, Orthus has had time
23:17
Speaker 1: to discover the calcars and ingratiate himself among them to
23:21
Speaker 1: conspire with them for the overthrow of Lathe, and to
23:25
Speaker 1: manufacture explosives and shells in the guns which are reducing
23:29
Speaker 1: Lathe this moment. Even had I not heard the name,
23:33
Speaker 1: I might have guessed that it was Orphus, for it
23:36
Speaker 1: is all so like him, ingrate traitor her. Go back
23:42
Speaker 1: to your master, she said to the messenger, and tell
23:45
Speaker 1: him that nigh Llah Jemaedav of Lathe would as leave
23:49
Speaker 1: mate with Gavabo the Vaga as with him, and that
23:53
Speaker 1: Lathe will be happier destroyed and her people wiped through
23:57
Speaker 1: the face of Varah than ruled by such a beast.
24:01
Speaker 1: I have spoken. Go. The fellow turned and left us,
24:06
Speaker 1: being accompanied from Nailah's presence by the guardsmen who had
24:09
Speaker 1: fetched him and whom Nailah commanded to return as soon
24:14
Speaker 1: as he had conducted the other outside the palace gates.
24:17
Speaker 1: Then the girl turned to me, Oh, Julian, what shall
24:21
Speaker 1: I do? How may I combat these terrible forces that
24:25
Speaker 1: you have brought to Havana from another world? And shook
24:28
Speaker 1: my head. We too could manufacture both guns and ammunition
24:33
Speaker 1: to combat him, but now we have not the time,
24:36
Speaker 1: since Lathe will be reduced to a mass of ruins
24:39
Speaker 1: before we could even make a start. There is but
24:42
Speaker 1: one way, Nailah, and that is to send your people
24:45
Speaker 1: every fighting man that you can gather, and the women too,
24:49
Speaker 1: if they can bear arms, out upon the plateau, in
24:52
Speaker 1: an effort to overwhelm the Kabars and destroy the guns.
24:57
Speaker 1: She stood and thought for a long time, and presently
25:01
Speaker 1: the officer of the guard returned and halted before her,
25:04
Speaker 1: awaiting at commands. Slowly she raised her head and looked
25:08
Speaker 1: at him. Go into the city, she said, and gather
25:12
Speaker 1: every Lathian who can carry a sword, a dagger, or
25:16
Speaker 1: a lance. Tell them to assemble on the inner terraces
25:19
Speaker 1: below the castle, and that I nigh Allah their Jemadov
25:23
Speaker 1: will address them. The fate of Lathe rests with you. Go.
25:30
Speaker 1: End of chapter thirteen, recording by Thomas cooklet