CLOSE WORK
GHEK, in his happier days third foreman of the fields of Luud, sat nursing his anger and his humiliation.Recently something had awakened within him the existence of which he had never before even dreamed.Had the influence of the strange captive woman aught to do with this unrest and dissatisfaction? He did not know.He missed the soothing influence of the noise she called singing.Could it be that there were other things more desirable than cold logic and undefiled brain power? Was well balanced imperfection more to be sought after then, than the high development of a single characteristic? He thought of the great, ultimate brain toward which all kaldanes were striving.It would be deaf, and dumb, and blind.A thousand beautiful strangers might sing and dance about it, but it could derive no pleasure from the singing or the dancing since it would possess no perceptive faculties.Already had the kaldanes shut themselves off from most of the gratifications of the senses.Ghek wondered if much was to be gained by denying themselves still further, and with the thought came a question as to the whole fabric of their theory.After all perhaps the girl was right; what purpose could a great brain serve sealed in the bowels of the earth?
And he, Ghek, was to die for this theory.Luud had decreed it.
The injustice of it overwhelmed him with rage.But he was helpless.There was no escape.Beyond the enclosure the banths awaited him; within, his own kind, equally as merciless and ferocious.Among them there was no such thing as love, or loyalty, or friendship--they were just brains.He might kill Luud; but what would that profit him? Another king would be loosed from his sealed chamber and Ghek would be killed.He did not know it but he would not even have the poor satisfaction of satisfied revenge, since he was not capable of feeling so abstruse a sentiment.
Ghek, mounted upon his rykor, paced the floor of the tower chamber in which he had been ordered to remain.Ordinarily he would have accepted the sentence of Luud with perfect equanimity, since it was but the logical result of reason; but now it seemed different.The stranger woman had bewitched him.Life appeared a pleasant thing--there were great possibilities in it.The dream of the ultimate brain had receded into a tenuous haze far in the background of his thoughts.
At that moment there appeared in the doorway of the chamber a red warrior with naked sword.He was a male counterpart of the prisoner whose sweet voice had undermined the cold, calculating reason of the kaldane.
"Silence!" admonished the newcomer, his straight brows gathered in an ominous frown and the point of his longsword playing menacingly before the eyes of the kaldane."I seek the woman, Tara of Helium.Where is she? If you value your life speak quickly and speak the truth."If he valued his life! It was a truth that Ghek had but just learned.He thought quickly.After all, a great brain is not without its uses.Perhaps here lay escape from the sentence of Luud.
"You are of her kind?" he asked."You come to rescue her?""Yes."
"Listen, then.I have befriended her, and because of this I am to die.If I help you to liberate her, will you take me with you?"Gahan of Gathol eyed the weird creature from crown to foot--the perfect body, the grotesque head, the expressionless face.Among such as these had the beautiful daughter of Helium been held captive for days and weeks.
"If she lives and is unharmed," he said, "I will take you with us.""When they took her from me she was alive and unharmed," replied Ghek."I cannot say what has befallen her since.Luud sent for her.""Who is Luud? Where is he? Lead me to him." Gahan spoke quickly in tones vibrant with authority.
"Come, then," said Ghek, leading the way from the apartment and down a stairway toward the underground burrows of the kaldanes.
"Luud is my king.I will take you to his chambers.""Hasten!" urged Gahan.
"Sheathe your sword," warned Ghek, "so that should we pass others of my kind I may say to them that you are a new prisoner with some likelihood of winning their belief."Gahan did as he was bid, but warning the kaldane that his hand was ever ready at his dagger's hilt.
"You need have no fear of treachery," said Ghek "My only hope of life lies in you.""And if you fail me," Gahan admonished him, "I can promise you as sure a death as even your king might guarantee you."Ghek made no reply, but moved rapidly through the winding subterranean corridors until Gahan began to realize how truly was he in the hands of this strange monster.If the fellow should prove false it would profit Gahan nothing to slay him, since without his guidance the red man might never hope to retrace his way to the tower and freedom.
Twice they met and were accosted by other kaldanes; but in both instances Ghek's simple statement that he was taking a new prisoner to Luud appeared to allay all suspicion, and then at last they came to the ante-chamber of the king.
"Here, now, red man, thou must fight, if ever," whispered Ghek.
"Enter there!" and he pointed to a doorway before them.
"And you?" asked Gahan, still fearful of treachery.
"My rykor is powerful," replied the kaldane."I shall accompany you and fight at your side.As well die thus as in torture later at the will of Luud.Come!"But Gahan had already crossed the room and entered the chamber beyond.Upon the opposite side of the room was a circular opening guarded by two warriors.Beyond this opening he could see two figures struggling upon the floor, and the fleeting glimpse he had of one of the faces suddenly endowed him with the strength of ten warriors and the ferocity of a wounded banth.It was Tara of Helium, fighting for her honor or her life.
The warriors, startled by the unexpected appearance of a red man, stood for a moment in dumb amazement, and in that moment Gahan of Gathol was upon them, and one was down, a sword-thrust through its heart.
