The public official was over. The had been read, the name of Phorenice, the Empress, adored, and the new Viceroy with all that and which had its and from the ages. Formally, I had delivered up the of my government; formally, Tatho had seated himself on the snake-throne, and had put over his the of which the office; and then, the and the their of clamour, he had to his feet, for his progress that as Viceroy of the Province of Yucatan.
With arms and head, I him the lines of soldiers, and the of courtiers, and chiefs, and statesmen. The roof-beams to the of “Long Live Tatho!” “Flourish the Empress!” which came as in bound, and the new ruler the welcome with of the head. In turn he to the three of the governors—in the East, the North, and the South, and from each as the was; and I, the man his had deposed, with the in his train.
It was a hard task, but we who the higher offices learn to the people a face. Once, twenty years before, these same had been to me; now the Gods had fit to make change. But as I walked and on the of Tatho, though noisy to myself, it not glances, and these came from every soldier, every courtier, and every who there in that hall, and they upon me very gratefully. It is not often the meet such looks.
The goes, from custom, that on these great days of a ruler, those of the people being present may and requests; may make against their retiring with sure from his vengeance; or may their own private for the government of the State in the future. I think it may be to my if I record that not a voice was against me, or against any of the of my twenty years of rule. Nor did any speak out for in the future. Yes, though we the for the three times, all present their in silence.
Then, one the other, the new Viceroy and the old, we with step over tiles of that the pyramid, and the great officers of left their and joined in our train; and at the we came to the door of those private which an hour ago had been mine own.
Ah, well! I had no home now in any of those of Yucatan, and I not help a bitterness, though in I should have been to return to the Continent of Atlantis with my still in its proper station.
Tatho gave his of “Open ye to the Viceroy,” which the commands, and the sent the of the door wide. Tatho entered, I at his heels; the others halted, sending from the threshold; and the of the door on the lock us. We passed on to the beyond, and then, when for the time we were alone together, and the of was us, the new Viceroy with arms, and low me.
“Deucalion,” he said, “believe me that I have not this office. It was upon me. Had I not accepted, my would have paid forfeit, and another man—your enemy—would have been sent out as in your place. The Empress not permit that her will shall be questioned.”
“My friend,” I answer, “my in all but blood, there is no man in all Atlantis or her to I had hand over my government. For twenty years now have I this country of Yucatan, and Mexico beyond, under the old King, and then as minister to this new Empress. I know my like a book. I am with all her cities, with their palaces, their pyramids, and their people. I have the and the in the forests. I have roads, and the so that they will shipping. I have the and like a merchant; I have discoursed, three times each day, the of the Gods with mine own lips. Through years and through good have I here, only for the of the land and the of Atlantis, and I have to love the like a father. To you I them, Tatho, with for their interests.”
“It is not I that can on Deucalion’s work with Deucalion’s power, but content, my friend, that I shall do my best to on in your footsteps. Believe me, I came out to this government with a thousand regrets, but I would have died sooner than take your place had I how the would trouble you.”
“We are alone here,” I said, “away from the of assemblies, and a man may give to his natural self without of a ceremony. Your was something of the suddenest. Till an hour ago, when you audience, I had to on longer; and now I do not know for what I am deposed.”
“The said: ‘We our well-beloved Deucalion of his present service, we have great need of his powers at home in our of Atlantis.’”
“A formality.”
Tatho looked the of the chamber, and me with him to its centre, and his voice.
“I do not think so,” he whispered. “I she has need of you. There are times on hand, and Phorenice wants the men in the to her call.”
“You may speak openly,” I said, “and without of eavesdroppers. We are in the of the here, in every way by a man’s length of solid stone. Myself, I the of every course. And besides, here in Yucatan, we have not the of your old world diplomacy, and do not listen, we count it to do so.”
Tatho his shoulders. “I only according to mine education. At home, a makes a head, and there are those it is to tales. Still, what I say is this: The shakes, and Phorenice sees the need of props. So she has sent this proclamation.”
“But why come to me? It is twenty years since I to this colony, and from that day I have not returned to Atlantis once. I know little of the old country’s politics. What small parcel of news out to us across the ocean, reads with here. Yucatan is another world, my dear Tatho, as you in the of your government will learn, with new interests, new people, new everything. To us here, Atlantis is only a figment, a shadow, away across the waters. It is for this new world of Yucatan that I have through all these years.”
“If Deucalion has small time to from his government for over his fatherland, Atlantis, at least, has to the of her son. Why, sir, over at home, your name magic with it. When you and I were together, it was the in the to teach that the men of the past were the this world has seen; but to-day this teaching is changed. It is Deucalion who is up as the model and example. Mothers name their sons Deucalion, as the most valuable birth-gift they can make. Deucalion is a word. Indeed, there is only one name that is near to it in familiarity.”
“You trouble me,” I said, frowning. “I have to do my for its own sake, and for the country’s sake, not for the and of the vulgar. And besides, if there are names to be in every one’s mouth, they should be the names of the Gods.”
Tatho his shoulders. “The Gods? They us very little these years. With our modern science, we have past the of the older Gods, and no new one has appeared. No, my Lord Deucalion, if it were the Gods who were your on men’s lips, your name would be a thousand times the known.”
“Of names,” I said, “the name of this new Empress should come in Atlantis, our lord the old King being now dead.”
“She would have it so,” Tatho, and there was something in his which me see that more was meant the words. I him to one of the marble seats, and myself him. “I am speaking,” I said, “not to the new Viceroy of Yucatan, but to my old friend Tatho, a of the Priests’ Clan, like myself, with I by in a score of the smaller home governments, in hamlets, in villages, in smaller towns, in towns, as we in and knowledge in the art of people, and so our promotion. I am speaking in Tatho’s private abode, that was mine own not two hours since, and I would have an answer with that which we always then used to one another.”
The new Viceroy whimsically. “I almost how to speak in plain now,” he said. “We have so in these days, that truth would be as indelicate. But for the memory of those early years, when we as much law and over the of a hay-byre as we should now over the of a city, I will try and speak plain to you now, Deucalion. Tell me, old friend, what is it?”
“What of this new Empress?”
He frowned. “I might have your subject,” he said.
“Then speak upon it. Tell me of all the that have been made. What has this Phorenice done to make her in Atlantis?”
Tatho still. “If I did not know you to be as as our Lord the Sun, your questions would with them. Phorenice has a way with those who are to discuss her for other purpose than to them.”
“You can me if you wish,” I said with a touch of chill. This Tatho to be different from the Tatho I had at home, Tatho my workmate, Tatho who had read with me in the College of Priests, who had with me in many a charge, who had with me so that the under us might prosper. But he was quick to see my of tone.
“You me to my old self,” he said with a smile, “though it is hard to the one has learned the last twenty years, when speaking with you. Still, may have to the of us, it is clear to see that you at least have not changed, and, old friend, I am to trust you with my life if you ask it. In fact, you do ask me that very thing when you tell me to speak all I know of Phorenice.”
I nodded. This was more like the old times, when there was full us. “The Gods will it now that I return to Atlantis,” I said, “and what after that the Gods alone know. But it would be of service to me if I land on her with some knowledge of this Phorenice, for at present I am as her as some from Europe or mid-Africa.”
“What would you have me tell?”
“Tell all. I know only that she, a woman, reigns, the law of the land, a man should rule; that she is not of the Priestly Clan from which the law says all must be drawn; and that, from what you say, she has the to totter. The was as as the in the old King’s day, Tatho.”
“History has moved with since then, and Phorenice has it. You know her origin?”
“I know only the exact little I have told you.”
“She was a swineherd’s from the mountains, though this is now, as she has herself to be a of the Gods, with a birth and upbringing. As she has it a to question this parentage, and has ordered to be all those that to her more origin, the for truth. You see the I put in you, Deucalion, by telling you what you wish to learn.”
“There has always been trust us.”
“I know; but this of is hard to off, with you. However, let me put your good me and the further. Zaemon, you remember, was of the swineherd’s province, and Zaemon’s wife saw Phorenice and took her away to and up as her own. It is said that the and his woman objected; they did; anyway, I know they died; and Phorenice was the and graces, and up as a of the Priestly Clan.”
“But still she was an only,” I objected.
“The of the ‘adopted’ was her will at an early age,” said Tatho dryly, “and she learnt early to have her into fact. It was that she had to fifteen years she not only the of the household, but Zaemon also, and the that was Zaemon.”
“Zaemon was learned,” I said, “and a of the Gods, and into the higher mysteries; but, as a ruler, he was always a fellow.”
“I do not say that opportunities have not come in Phorenice’s way, but she has as well. For her to have herself at all from what she was, was remarkable. Not one woman out of a thousand, as she was, would have to be higher than a wife of some countryman, who was to nothing for pedigree. But look at Phorenice: it was her to take as a man-at-arms and with all the of war; and then, any one how or why it happened, a had out in the province, and here was she, a of a girl, leading Zaemon’s troops.”
“Zaemon, when I him, was a in the field.”
“Hear me on. Phorenice put the in fashion, and gave the a choice and service. They into her ranks at once, and were to her from that moment. I tell you, Deucalion, there is a about the woman.”
“Her present to have it.”
“Of I have. Every one who sees her comes under her spell. And frankly, I am in love with her also, and look upon my here as exile. Every one near to Phorenice, high and low, loves her just the same, though they know it may be her to send them to next minute.”
Perhaps I let my of this appear.
“You for our weakness? You were always a man, Deucalion.”
“At any you see me still unmarried. I have no time to with the of women.”
“Ah, but these here are and unfascinating. Wait till you see the ladies of the court, my ascetic.”
“It comes to my mind,” I said dryly, “that I in Atlantis I came out here, and at that time I used to see as much of life as most men. Yet then, also, I no to marry.”
Tatho chuckled. “Atlantis has so that you would know the country to-day. A new has come over everything, over the other sex. Well do I the of the old King’s time, how they were, how little they how to walk or themselves, how was their of dress. I that your ladies here in Yucatan are not so to-day as ours were then. But you should see them now at home. They are delicious. And above all in is the Empress. Oh, Deucalion, you shall see Phorenice in all her and her one of these days soon, and me you will go on your and repent.”
“I may see, and (because you say so) I may my life’s ways. The Gods make all possible. But for the present I as I am, celibate, and not to be otherwise; and so in the meantime I would the of your history.”
“It is one long of success. She Zaemon from his government in name as well as in fact, and the news was spread, and the Priestly Clan rose in its wrath. The two were join forces, take her captive, and her for execution. Poor men! They to their orders; they her surely enough, but in she laugh at them. She killed both, and some their troops; and to those that alive and her prisoners, she her offer—the or service. Naturally they were not long over making their choice: to these common people one ruler is much the same as another: and so again her army was reinforced.
“Three times were of sent against her, and three times was she victorious. The last was a final effort. Before, it had been to this who had up so suddenly. But then the to their peril; to see that the itself was in danger; and to know that if she were to be crushed, they would have to put their utmost. Every man who arms was pressed into the service. Every art of was ordered to be put into employment. It was the largest army, and the best army that Atlantis then had raised, and the Priestly Clan saw fit to put in their general, Tatho.”
“You!” I cried.
“Even myself, Deucalion. And mark you, I my utmost. I was not her then; and when I set out (because they wanted to me to the uttermost) the High Council of the pointed out my prospects. The King we had so long, was and old; he was so up in the study of the mysteries, and the of closely them, that had to him; and at any time he might decide to die. The Priestly Clan its own in the election of a new king, but it takes note of popular sentiment; and a who at the time come home from a great campaign, which would a people from the of arms, would be the of the moment. These were pointed out to me and in the full council.”
“What! They promised you the throne?”
“Even that. So you see I set out with a high me. Phorenice I had seen, and I to take her alive, and give her to be the sport of my soldiery. I had a in my own strategy then, Deucalion. But the old Gods, in I then, old, me no new thing. I and my army according to the you and I learnt together, old comrade, and in many a to well; I them with the we of then, with and mace, with and spear, with and knife, with and the fire; their I with metal plates; their I for, with of in the of the troops.
“But when the came, they might have been men of for all the they did. Out of her own brain Phorenice had fire-tubes that a which would kill two bowshots, and the fashion in which she her me. They us on one flank, they us on the other. It was not as we had been to. It was a newer and more game, and I had to watch my army away as eat a sandhill. Never once did I a of close action. These new that had come from Phorenice’s invention, were my art to meet or understand. We were eight to her one, and our close-packed numbers only us so much the more easy for slaughter. A panic came, and those who fled. Myself, I had no wish to go and earn the that for the general. I to die there where I stood. But death would not come. It was a melee, Deucalion, that last one.”
“And so she took you?”
“I with three others to back, with a ring of us, and a ring of the enemy us in. We them to come on. But at hand-to-hand we had we our own, and so they were calling for fire-tubes with which they us in safety from a distance. Then up came Phorenice. ‘What is this to-do?’ says she. ‘We to kill Lord Tatho, who against you,’ say they. ‘So that is Tatho?’ says she. ‘A of a man indeed, and a seemingly, after the old manner. Doubtless he is one who would the newer method. See now Tatho,’ says she, ‘it is my to offer those I either the (which, me, was nearer your than now) or service under my banner. Will you make a choice?’
“‘Woman,’ I said, ‘fairest that I saw, the world has borne, you me by your qualities, but there is a in our Clan, that we should be true to the salt we eat. I am the King’s man still, and so I can take no service from you.’
“‘The King is dead,’ says she. ‘A has just the tidings, meaning them to have into your hands. And I am the Empress.’
“‘Who you Empress?’ I asked.
“‘The same most hand that has me this battle,’ says she. ‘It is a hand, as you have seen: it can be a hand also, as you may learn if you choose. With the King dead, Tatho is a man now. Is Tatho in want of a mistress?’
“‘Such a as you,’ I said, ‘Yes.’ And from that moment, Deucalion, I have been her slave. Oh, you may frown; you may up from this seat and walk away if you will. But I ask you this: keep your of me, old friend, till after you have Phorenice herself in the warm and flesh. Then your own ears and your own will be my advocates, to win me your old esteem.”
