第22章

Ghek turned and led Tara of Helium from the apartment.The girl was horrified by contemplation of the fate that awaited her--a fate from which it seemed, there was no escape.It was only too evident that these creatures possessed no gentle or chivalric sentiments to which she could appeal, and that she might escape from the labyrinthine mazes of their underground burrows appeared impossible.

Outside the audience chamber Sept overtook them and conversed with Ghek for a brief period, then her keeper led her through a confusing web of winding tunnels until they came to a small apartment.

"We are to remain here for a while.It may be that Luud will send for you again.If he does you will probably not be fattened--he will use you for another purpose." It was fortunate for the girl's peace of mind that she did not realize what he meant.

"Sing for me," said Ghek, presently.

Tara of Helium did not feel at all like singing, but she sang, nevertheless, for there was always the hope that she might escape if given the opportuntiy and if she could win the friendship of one of the creatures, her chances would be increased proportionately.All during the ordeal, for such it was to the overwrought girl, Ghek stood with his eyes fixed upon her.

"It is wonderful," he said, when she had finished; "but I did not tell Luud--you noticed that I did not tell Luud about it.Had he known, he would have had you sing to him and that would have resulted in your being kept with him that he might hear you sing whenever he wished; but now I can have you all the time.""How do you know he would like my singing?" she asked.

"He would have to," replied Ghek."If I like a thing he has to like it, for are we not identical--all of us?""The people of my race do not all like the same things," said the girl.

"How strange!" commented Ghek."All kaldanes like the same things and dislike the same things.If I discover something new and like it I know that all kaldanes will like it.That is how I know that Luud would like your singing.You see we are all exactly alike.""But you do not look like Luud," said the girl.

"Luud is king.He is larger and more gorgeously marked; but otherwise he and I are identical, and why not? Did not Luud produce the egg from which I hatched?""What?" queried the girl; "I do not understand you.""Yes," explained Ghek, "all of us are from Luud's eggs, just as all the swarm of Moak are from Moak's eggs.""Oh!" exclaimed Tara of Helium understandingly; "you mean that Luud has many wives and that you are the offspring of one of them.""No, not that at all," replied Ghek."Luud has no wife.He lays the eggs himself.You do not understand."Tara of Helium admitted that she did not.

"I will try to explain, then," said Ghek, "if you will promise to sing to me later.""I promise," she said.

"We are not like the rykors," he began."They are creatures of a low order, like yourself and the banths and such things.We have no sex--not one of us except our king, who is bi-sexual.He produces many eggs from which we, the workers and the warriors, are hatched; and one in every thousand eggs is another king egg, from which a king is hatched.Did you notice the sealed openings in the room where you saw Luud? Sealed in each of those is another king.If one of them escaped he would fall upon Luud and try to kill him and if he succeeded we should have a new king;but there would be no difference.His name would be Luud and all would go on as before, for are we not all alike? Luud has lived a long time and has produced many kings, so he lets only a few live that there may be a successor to him when he dies.The others he kills.""Why does he keep more than one?" queried the girl.

"Sometimes accidents occur," replied Ghek, "and all the kings that a swarm has saved are killed.When this happens the swarm comes and obtains another king from a neighboring swarm.""Are all of you the children of Luud?" she asked.

"All but a few, who are from the eggs of the preceding king, as was Luud; but Luud has lived a long time and not many of the others are left.""You live a long time, or short?" Tara asked.

"A very long time."