The Lost Continent | Page 9

at all
from what she was, was remarkable. Not one woman out of a thousand,
placed as she was, would have grown to be aught higher than a mere
wife of some sturdy countryman, who was sufficiently simple to care
nothing for pedigree. But look at Phorenice: it was her whim to take
exercise as a man-at-arms and practise with all the utensils of war; and
then, before any one quite knows how or why it happened, a rebellion
had broken out in the province, and here was she, a slip of a girl,
leading Zaemon's troops."
"Zaemon, when I knew him, was a mere derision in the field."
"Hear me on. Phorenice put down the rebellion in masterly fashion, and
gave the conquered a choice between sword and service. They fell into
her ranks at once, and were faithful to her from that moment. I tell you,
Deucalion, there is a marvellous fascination about the woman."
"Her present historian seems to have felt it."
"Of course I have. Every one who sees her comes under her spell. And
frankly, I am in love with her also, and look upon my coming here as
detestable exile. Every one near to Phorenice, high and low, loves her
just the same, even though they know it may be her whim to send them
to execution next minute."
Perhaps I let my scorn of this appear.
"You feel contempt for our weakness? You were always a strong man,
Deucalion."
"At any rate you see me still unmarried. I have found no time to palter
with the fripperies of women."
"Ah, but these colonists here are crude and unfascinating. Wait till you
see the ladies of the court, my ascetic."
"It comes to my mind," I said dryly, "that I lived in Atlantis before I
came out here, and at that time I used to see as much of court life as

most men. Yet then, also, I felt no inducement to marry."
Tatho chuckled. "Atlantis has changed so that you would hardly know
the country to-day. A new era has come over everything, especially
over the other sex. Well do I remember the women of the old King's
time, how monstrous uncomely they were, how little they knew how to
walk or carry themselves, how painfully barbaric was their notion of
dress. I dare swear that your ladies here in Yucatan are not so
provincial to-day as ours were then. But you should see them now at
home. They are delicious. And above all in charm is the Empress. Oh,
Deucalion, you shall see Phorenice in all her glorious beauty and her
magnificence one of these fine days soon, and believe me you will go
down on your knees and repent."
"I may see, and (because you say so) I may alter my life's ways. The
Gods make all things possible. But for the present I remain as I am,
celibate, and not wishful to be otherwise; and so in the meantime I
would hear the continuance of your history."
"It is one long story of success. She deposed 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 neighbouring governors
were bidden join forces, take her captive, and bring her for execution.
Poor men! They tried to obey their orders; they attacked her surely
enough, but in battle she could laugh at them. She killed both, and
made some slaughter amongst their troops; and to those that remained
alive and became her prisoners, she made her usual offer--the sword 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 bodies of soldiery sent against her, and three times
was she victorious. The last was a final effort. Before, it had been
customary to despise this adventuress who had sprung up so suddenly.
But then the priests began to realise their peril; to see that the throne
itself was in danger; and to know that if she were to be crushed, they
would have to put forth their utmost. Every man who could carry arms
was pressed into the service. Every known art of war was ordered to be

put into employment. It was the largest army, and the best equipped
army that Atlantis then had ever raised, and the Priestly Clan saw fit to
put in supreme command their general, Tatho."
"You!" I cried.
"Even myself, Deucalion. And mark you, I fought my utmost. I was not
her creature then; and when I set out (because they wanted to spur me
to the uttermost) the High Council of the priests pointed out my
prospects. The