Thoth: A Romance/Chapter 5
CHAPTER V.
THE MIGHT OF CHANCE.
Thoth disappeared, and on his return said to Daphne, "It is necessary to encourage thy companions, and to show them that they have nothing to fear. They seem to dread my people, but I will make every man give them an undoubted sign of respect."
Daphne informed her companions, and according to the request of Thoth, they stood in a line leaning on the side of the vessel. He then summoned his men, and they awaited his orders in an attitude of the most obsequious deference. Then Thoth advanced to Daphne, and taking her hand, said—
"Permit me to show thee honour."
He bowed and lightly kissed her fingers. Then he turned to his companions, and choosing out the man whom he had struck in Athens, he said—
"Kneel down and kiss the foot of this maiden."
The man's face showed a strange conflict of emotions. Amazement struggled with obedience, and the strongest efforts at composure failed to suppress his loathing at the indignity put upon him. At length, however, he advanced and knelt down, and did as he was commanded. He rose immediately, with his face pale with displeasure.
Then Thoth turned to another, and pointing to one of the maidens, said, "Ask thou permission to kiss her hand."
Next to Daphne, she was the most beautiful of all the maidens, and the most courageous and to kiss her hand was an honour worthy of the noblest. But, to the surprise of the maidens, this seemed to be a most difficult and disagreeable duty. The man obeyed his leader, but he asked for the favour as willingly as a coward might ask for death. The maiden laughed at the obvious dislike, and thinking it was due to the seeming dishonour, and being in her nature kind and generous, she said, "Nay, it is not so terrible. See, I will kiss thy hand first." But the man drew back with signs of abhorrence much more strongly marked, and the maiden was indignant.
The leader seemed for the moment surprised at the failure of his plan, and then his determination became stronger than ever. He commanded the men to kneel before the maidens, and to say in the most distinct and emphatic manner, "We will honour all these maidens as we honour thee, O Thoth." He then dismissed them, but instead of having been encouraged, the maidens were more alarmed than before.
Thoth took Daphne aside, and said to her—
"How comes it that thy courage is so much stronger than that of thy companions? We must make another attempt to gain their confidence."
He then gave an order to his men, and they brought up on deck a strange mechanical contrivance. In shape it was something like the body of a bird, and was composed principally of a kind of wicker-work made from some shining metal. The lower part was apparently solid. In a few words Thoth explained to Daphne that by means of this brazen bird, as he termed it, a man could be carried with the greatest swiftness through the air. He commanded one of the men to enter the machine, and, to the astonishment of the maidens, in a few moments the bird rose in the air. It sailed round and round the vessel like a sea-bird in search of food, and then at a sign from Thoth returned to the deck.
Then he said to Daphne, "This aërial boat will bear with safety two persons. Wilt thou venture to ascend with me? Perchance that will give confidence to thy companions."
Daphne at once assented, but the rest implored her not to leave them, and said especially that they were afraid to be left alone in the vessel with Thoth's hateful men.
The leader smiled with hardly veiled contempt, and said, "That is soon provided for. See, I have but to draw this bolt, and the men are imprisoned below."
At a word the men disappeared, and the bolt was drawn.
"Now," said he, "enter, and in a few moments we will return."
Daphne and Thoth then entered the car, and again it flew round and round the ship. The maidens lost their fear in admiration, and one said, "To what height can the bird fly?"
Thoth replied, "To such a height that thou couldst hardly see it. It will mount the air like a lark." And to Daphne he said, "Shall we make a trial?" and she at once assented.
Under Thoth's guidance the car rose straight upwards to a great height. Daphne looked down with wonder at the vessel beneath, so far off that the maidens through the distance could no longer be distinguished.
••••••••
Then suddenly she cried out in alarm to her guide. The vessel had disappeared beneath the waves, and there was nothing to be seen but a few of the maidens struggling and shrieking in the water.
Daphne looked at Thoth. His face showed most unfeigned surprise and vexation. For the moment he seemed to lose his self-command, but it was only for the moment.
Apparently without an effort he became as calm and unimpassioned as before.
"Hasten!" cried Daphne; "descend to the rescue!"
"It is impossible," he said. "All will be drowned before we can reach them; and besides this, the car can sustain no more."
Daphne looked with horror at the composure of this man, and began to suspect treachery. "Didst thou expect this catastrophe?" she said, trembling.
"Nay," said he; "nothing was further from my thoughts. I can ill spare my men, and my scheme has broken down at the outset. It will be troublesome to replace the maidens."
The coldness of his manner seemed to Daphne unnatural and inhuman. "At least," she said, "make an effort to save their lives."
"It is useless," he replied calmly; "but as thou wilt."
They descended, but long before they reached the spot, the sea had swallowed up every trace except a few remnants of floating wreckage.
"There is no time to lose," said Thoth. "We must go direct to my city. The strength of my bird will just suffice to reach it."
Daphne sank down helpless and dismayed.
Thoth applied to her lips a small phial, and she was powerless to resist. Again she tasted the strange flavour of the nepenthe, and again care and sorrow were dispelled from her mind. She heard Thoth say, as if to himself—
"It is not possible that they would have dared to disobey and become traitors. . . . Yet they hated the women. . . . But what flaw was possible. . . . Truly chance is great."