CHAPTER XL - ZHAN SCORES A POINT

Two whole moons had passed, and the third was rapidly waning, since the disappearance of Glarces. So long as he had been with them, and his influence and example were stamped upon everything associated with the life and welfare of the people, they had idolised him; in the misfortune which crushed and robbed him of his reason they sorrowed with him; in their loyalty they were ready to go as far as to be suspicious of their new Queen concerning him; but human nature in its most favourable aspect cannot bear a prolonged tension. Excitement enervates. Interest in the absent soon reduces itself to normal proportions. Complacency speedily knits up a broken heart, and shortly we jest as we plant flowers upon the grave where we thought the joy of life was buried. The strangers we loathed in the loss of a loved one, but a month ago, are now our friends, and presently we shall wonder at our old aversion.

It is strange how easily the idols in the niches of our hearts may be replaced. The tramp of life is ever hastening death into forgetfulness. The love of yesterday easily gives place to the suitor to-day. This is no new decree. It has been, and will continue until we realise the one great fact that there is no death.

It was so in Velia - in Sahama. With the vast majority of the people the memory of Glarces and Vedrona was already nothing more than a pleasant dream. In the sunlight of the reign of Lais, so admirably assisted by the Lady Zillah, they had discovered what golden opportunities had been missed in the past - what possibilities were within the reach of a truly energetic Queen. Unheard-of changes were already taking place. Sahama was no longer to remain unknown. The gates of the valley were to be thrown open. Life was to widen its horizon, and the great treasures of the land were to be displayed before a wondering world. This forward policy had created a new enthusiasm, and the rising fortunes consequent upon the reign of Lais had already overshadowed the simple affection of her predecessor. Now all men began to see that of which the new Queen had primarily been assured - the stars in their courses were fighting for the new order of things. The constellation of Sahama was in the ascendant, and the old life was fast sinking into oblivion.

And yet it is scarcely true to say that ‘all men’ shared these ideas. There were at least three who remained true in their allegiance to Glarces. To Teresh, Zachra, and Maphir the change and fickleness of public opinion made no difference. In their loyalty and devotion they were still unchanged. In their hopes to solve the mystery of his fate they still confided.

Lais had not ventured as yet to gratify her desire to rid herself of the two councillors. She was far too cautious to run needless and unnecessary risks, and her success was sufficiently satisfactory to prevent any injury to her cause from their personal influence. Besides, so long as they remained near to her she was able to ascertain their movements if desirable. She had not forgotten their friendship for the Prince, and when the time came would reward it in her own way. Meanwhile an enemy in sight is robbed of half his strength.

As for the two friends they steadily kept one goal in view, and never varied from their first-formed conclusion, that Lais had carried her final point by a ruse which had deceived the whole nation by its dramatic audacity.

Night after night did they keep their secret tryst in the lodgings of the hunter, with whom they compared notes and devised schemes, and though the one proved to be as fruitless as the other, they did not lose courage or dream of giving up the quest. It is true the hope of finding Glarces alive was declining in the two, but Maphir was the better in that respect, and often cheered them on by his confidence in ultimate success.

This loyalty to the cause of the missing Prince had naturally produced a lack of confidence in their former friends, who had chosen to follow the multitude, and the twain gradually drew apart from their fellows in their desire to pursue the one theme which claimed their first attention. In this they had contracted a habit of strolling through the gardens of the palace for purposes of conference, where at first they were subjected to an unknown espionage in the interests of the Queen. But the information which came to hand was so very meagre and the eavesdropping so unproductive of result, that it was presently abandoned, and the friends were allowed to follow their harmless course with impunity. It was at night, however, after the usually early habits of the people had lured them to their slumbers, that the two councillors quietly found their way to the home of the hunter, and pursued their more serious work. Here, where the lions watched and would give alarm against intrusion, they were perfectly safe, and could speak with a freedom no other place afforded.

Maphir, either when exercising the brutes or in his own unattended journeys, had always been accustomed to visit the solitary and uninviting spots of the valley, therefore his systematic exploration of every available nook and cranny in a determination to find the Prince attracted no attention. Teresh and Zachra heard, watched, thought, and pieced together every possible - ah, and many impossible - scraps of information or suspicions, and these were discussed with Maphir, who on the morrow made surprising journeys upon the most crude chance of gaining some shred of evidence. Teresh would often chide himself for the labour expended in order to satisfy some trivial uncertainty, but the hunter always contended that the key to success would be found in some such slender connection, and he would rather make a thousand useless visits than miss the one that would reward their labours.

Such an investigation had just been prosecuted, with the same unvarying result, and Maphir, who had returned, waited with signs of impatience for the coming of his visitors, having made a discovery at home which seemed to point towards a new trouble.

Fortunately his suspense was not of long duration. Interest is always punctual, and almost before Maphir had time to assure himself of what had occurred Teresh and Zachra were with him.

“Well, Maphir, any news?” enquired the former.

“Not of the Prince, but I have too much of another kind.” “What is the matter?”

“I have lost Zhan while I have been away.” “Lost Zhan-how?”

“That's what I want to find out. He's gone as mysteriously as the Prince went.”

“When did you miss him?”

“He was here when I went away. He was gone when I came back.”

“Perhaps Casca has made friends with him, and taken him for a foot-stool in place of a slave,” facetiously suggested Zachra.

“He values his skin too much to come anyway near here,” replied Maphir. “Zhan is playing with you, and hiding in the inner cave.” “I wish he were; but I went in to find him when he didn't answer me.” “Were all the fastenings secure?”

“Everything just as I left them.”

“Have they been fighting?”

“No, they would never do that. But even though they had Zhade would be the sufferer. He is as quiet as a sheep, but Zhan has been restless and excitable since yesterday.”

“Are you sure it is Zhan that has gone - for I can never understand how you know one from the other?”

“Perhaps not, but I wonder why you don't. They are as unlike as black and white.”

“I have an idea,” volunteered Zachra, who could always see a vein of humour in a tragedy; “Meshrac has wafted him away by magic to relieve Casca!”

“Pshaw!” answered Maphir, contemptuously. “Meshrac's magic may amuse eunuchs and children, but Zhan would make both he and his magic waff.”

“But where is he? If he has neither been eaten nor stolen, nor magically dissolved, where is he?”

“I believe,” said Teresh, “that he is playing the fox with Maphir. That inner cave is large enough for him to keep out of sight with only one light. Let us all go and search, and I'll warrant you we find him.”

Maphir was too anxious about the result to resist the offer, and each taking a lamp they set out to make assurance doubly sure.

The inner cave was a most commodious chamber, not only being liberally furnished with such bedding and comforts as the animals delighted in, but also abounding in huge rocks which had been dislodged during the mining operations, behind several of which the sagacious cat might easily take such advantage as Teresh suggested.

The three lamps were only sufficient to illuminate the darkness of the retreat, but patiently and cautiously they went to work with a view of driving their quarry into the further corner, where presently they came together face to face with the rock, but no Zhan was found. It was now certain that he was nowhere within the caves.

Where was he?

The councillors looked at each other in mute bewilderment. Zhade had kept one or the other company during the search, and his usual quiet demeanour forbade the thought that there had been anything in the nature of a feud between himself and Zhan, nor was there the slightest indication of it in the appearance of the place.

The mystery grew more serious to Teresh. His vigorous and well-balanced mind had no sympathy with the superstitious and easy-going credulity of his race, but here was a problem too deep for his philosophy and penetration to fathom, and it was set before him in such a limited area as to keep every feature in view at the same time. The cave was hewn out of the solid rock, walls and roof and floor all parts of the undisturbed mountain; the opening safely guarded by a stout iron trellis work, of which the gate was most securely fastened. Within this enclosure two lions had been left, of which one had disappeared and his mate remained as quiet and complacent as if nothing had happened. The probabilities of the case narrowed the mystery still further. Had Zhan escaped into the grounds he must have been seen since his first destination would no doubt be the palace. This reflection shut up the problem to the cave, and Teresh was confronted by the question - how was it possible for a lion to escape from such surroundings? The enquiry recalled to him the thoughts which passed through his mind when the Queen appeared before the Council with the declaration that the Prince was missing. At that moment a conviction seized him which had never yet been disturbed, that she was simply playing a part in order to cover her final move in a criminal scheme. Here, however, an identical difficulty was presented under such circumstances as to preclude the Queen's connection. In some of its aspects the disappearance of the lion was even more astounding than that of the Prince. Yet here it was, and he had all the ascertainable facts before him almost at the moment of discovery.

“This is a riddle too hard for me to read,” Teresh said after a long reflection. “In a case like this I can understand what a comfort it is to be superstitious. It would be an easy way out of our difficulty to say that Meshrac had destroyed the lion by enchantments, and follow that up by adding - so also he made away with the Prince. And if this, why not with Vedrona and the Queen? It is clear, therefore, that the magicians are at the root of all our trouble, and the gods have permitted me, the Queen's chief councillor, to prove this by the destruction of Zhan. This being so, we have but to punish Meshrac and his friends, and justice will be done.”

“Why not do so?” asked Zachra.

“Because that would be the process of superstition and ignorance. It is swift and easy, but neither reasonable nor just. In such a case as this I would rather err by waiting than by haste. Let us search the cave again. It is possible we may have missed our cue.”

With more minute caution than before they began to retrace their steps, noting every rock and boulder, probing every crevice, and overturning the litter, to discover if there existed any outlet through which Zhan could make his escape.

It was no use. No place was found where an animal half the size of the missing beast could hide, and it was certain Maphir would be called upon to report the loss to Shamer in the morning.

Still, it was not so much the lion as the mystery surrounding it that troubled Teresh. His judicial mind refused to accept the idea that no explanation was possible. Experience had taught him that appearances are only the vesture of facts, and are often used to veil the identity of truth. It is by guarded intimacy with the ‘things that seem’ that we learn the secret of the ‘things that are.’

In reflective consultation with himself Teresh stood in the outer cave reviewing the situation preparatory to a continuance of the quest. Zachra was of opinion that the lion had detected some way of escaping into the grounds, and was busily examining the trellis work in the confidence of success. Maphir, who was more a man of instinct or intuition than philosophical, took his familiar seat with Zhade at his side, hoping thereby to find by his own way a solution to his new-found trouble. Each had grown silently engrossed in his own pursuit, but whatever progress the others made the cistern of inspiration was broken for Maphir, and one of his familiar sources had been cut off. He sighed wearily at the strangeness of his position. His left arm caressed naturally and his fingers mechanically twisted through the mane of Zhade, but his right hungered and ached for the absent Zhan; nor with all the power of his concentration could he persuade himself to be satisfied.

Suddenly an unguarded exclamation escaped him, and he leaped to his feet like a man bereft of his senses. Teresh and Zachra were both alarmed, but all rejoiced, for there, with the old composure and signs of affection, was Zhan, rubbing his great shaggy head against the hunter in his peculiarly familiar welcome.

“Why, Zhan, my beautiful boy, wherever have you been? Where did you come from?” cried Maphir, in a voice broken by emotion, and he fell upon his knees, embracing and kissing the lion as if he had been a brother.

Neither Teresh nor Zachra could speak from astonishment. “What is this?” asked Maphir an instant later.

“Blood!” His hand was covered from a newly-made wound on the top of the lion's head. “What is this, my beauty - have you been in the wars? But where is your hiding-place, my boy - come, will you show it me?” Then, in the faint light, he caught sight of something attached to the mane - tied to it, and a more astonished exclamation escaped him.

“Come here, Zhan! Inside, my lords, what mystery is this?” and as he disappeared into the inner cave, his fingers were busy untying a shred of cloth from the hair of his pet. Then, holding it up to the light of the lamp, he cried, “By all the spirits of the hunters, it is a piece of the Prince's tunic. I know it in spite of its filthy condition. Zhan, my boy, where have you found him? Come, show us the way.”

“Don't deceive yourself, Maphir. Let us make sure, and proceed with caution.”

“Yes; how are we to know - even though this is part of a tunic of the Prince, that he wore this when he went away?” asked Zachra.

“What I want to know,” replied Maphir, “is, who tied the rag to Zhan's mane - and why ? This is the first enquiry we have to make; the rest will answer itself. To my mind Zhan's absence has solved our trouble, if we are careful how we proceed. One thing is pretty certain to begin with - wherever the Prince is he is alone.”

“How do you know?”

“By the lion being allowed to come away with a strip of cloth. But let me get some better lights - these lamps will be of no use. I am well prepared with everything we are likely to want.”

Without more ceremony he hurried to his rooms and returned with flambeaux better suited to his new purpose, for each of them had accepted the only tenable explanation of the facts, that - in spite of their endeavours to discover it there existed, somewhere in the inner cave, a passage or outlet known to Zhan, through which he had been in communication with some one, even though that some one was not the Prince.

On his part the lion appeared to understand and appreciate all that took place; in the brief absence of Maphir he transferred his signs of affectionate pleasure to Teresh and Zachra alternately, and the instant the hunter returned, with a purr of satisfaction, he moved into the deeper part of the chamber.

“Follow me, my lords,” said Maphir, “we have no time to waste. Pick your way carefully for the present - too much light might attract the attention of some one. Where are you, Zhan?”

The sharp, pleasurable panting of the lion could be distinctly heard in the distance, where Maphir presently caught sight of his head above a great rock.

He now lit one of the torches, and handing the rest to Zachra, advanced to find the lion squeezing his body between two boulders, above which he had to keep his head for the time. These rocks Maphir had previously examined, but failed to see an opening into which the litheness of the animal enabled him to struggle with great difficulty. This explained the wound upon his head, and at the same time convinced the hunter that the stones would need to be moved before Zhan could be followed.

Feeling that the lion was safe, though now out of sight, he found two levers, and by a united effort they moved one of the rocks sufficiently to enable them to pass into an unsuspected adit of the old workings, where Zhan was impatiently waiting for them.

It was now safe for each to bear his own torch, and thus equipped they followed Zhan down the narrow gallery. At a short distance the passage opened into a natural and commodious chamber, which was repeated again and again, both in and on either side of their path, until the mountain appeared to be honeycombed, as in the case of the golden caves, the connecting passages forming a perfect labyrinth requiring an education to thread intelligently. Zhan, however, went forward, turning now to the right, then to the left, without the slightest hesitation, until Maphir had become bewildered with his effort to remember the way, but he could trust to the guidance of the lion when he wished to return, therefore proceeded in confidence.

Presently the brute paused before the entrance to a cave on the left, and with a soft purr of satisfaction the hunter well understood, indicated that he had reached the end of the journey.

Other places by and through which they had passed were comparatively well-ventilated, dry and sweet, but having caught one breath from this dank and foul chamber they all turned away with nauseating disgust.

Maphir was the first to recover himself. “What is it, Zhan?” he enquired.

In answer the lion entered the apartment, then turned as if to invite him to follow.

“Wait here, my lords,” said the hunter. “This is no place for you.”

Then bidding Zhan go forward, he entered, and made his way through the horrible stench and foul filth upon the floor to the further side of the chamber, where his guide stood still above a heap of something which the hunter lowered his torch to examine.

He could make out nothing from its shape.