Caravans By Night Part 53

"He's been unconscious since noon to-day," Kerth explained. "This morning I attended a ceremony in the audience-hall. While I was saying a _mantra_, the idea occurred to me.... I crept into one of the corridors off the hall and hid there. When the lamas had gone, Sakya-muni went behind the curtains in the rear of the throne, with two attendants. Soon the attendants reappeared ... and I went up. Unfortunately, in the tussle he struck his head. I'm afraid he's done up rather badly. Take a look, major. Meanwhile, Transparency"--his eyes fastened upon the Mongol--"be seated--here."

He indicated an armchair and Hsien Sgam sat down. Trent bent over Sakya-muni.... After several minutes he straightened up.

"It's a bad cut, but I can't tell much without a closer examination. He has fever--pulse running up, too."

Hsien Sgam rose. "Is it quite serious, Major Trent? Do you think--"

"You will resume your seat, Transparency," ordered Kerth. The Mongol obeyed. "Now, major, tell me just what has happened to-day--and if you've learned anything about Miss Charteris."

Trent briefly summarized the situation. Kerth nodded absently when he had finished; fingered his revolver.

"We're a bit scattered," he commented. Then, after a pause: "Transparency, you will be good enough to say where you've hidden Miss Charteris."

Hsien Sgam sat like a carved Buddha; even his fingers ceased their restless playing upon the arms of the chair.

"If I refuse?"

Kerth thrust forward the blue muzzle of the revolver. "There's to be no parleying," he declared sternly, the smile gone from his face. "You've lost. Now come through."

After a moment Hsien Sgam said:

"She is at my residence."

"Good"--this from Kerth. "Before we leave you will write an order to have her taken to whatever place we specify." Then, as though dismissing that point as settled, he went on: "Hmm.... Quite scattered, I'd say: She at his house; we here; Trent's men with Na-chung; Sarojini Nanjee getting ready to leave; his Transparency's soldiers hidden at the ruined gate,"--a pause--"with orders to shoot Sarojini Nanjee.... Hmm...."

Suddenly he smiled. "Excellent!... What's the hour, major?"

Trent pulled back his long sleeve. "Five to ten."

Kerth spoke to Hsien Sgam. "You will also send a guard to your men at the ruins, withdrawing them--but, no--no--won't do. Ends must meet....

We can't trust a messenger. And we must let Sarojini Nanjee leave the city, as she's planned; for she has the jewels--yet--d.a.m.n!" His forehead crinkled into a frown. "d.a.m.n!" he repeated. "Ends _must_ meet!"

Silence followed. Hsien Sgam did not stir. Once a faint sound, a shuddering sigh, came from the alcove-like s.p.a.ce. Kerth was the first to speak, and his smile hinted that he had discovered a solution.

"You may not wholly approve, major," he began, "yet I see no other way.

Why not go ahead and meet Sarojini Nanjee? Meanwhile, I'll have Miss Charteris freed, and she, in company with myself and his Transparency, can leave the city by the main gate and Amber Bridge. We'll reach the ruined gateway before you and Sarojini pa.s.s the Great Magician's Gate, which will give his Transparency time to forestall the soldiers and send them back to the city. Then we can wait, there at the gateway, for you.

Sarojini may not be particularly pleased when she learns of my presence; but if she acts up, we have his Transparency to testify that she intended to do away with an officer of the empire. That ought to simplify her case."

"What of my muleteers?" Trent queried. "And Na-chung?"

"Na-chung isn't to be considered. As for your men--I can get word to them to meet us at the main gate. If there's trouble we can make good use of them. Of course, there's a risk--more for you than for me.

Something might prevent us from reaching the soldiers in time, and--"

Hsien Sgam interrupted.

"You forget his Holiness. Will you leave him to die?"

"Hardly," Kerth answered. "After all that's happened, I fancy the Viceroy will be pleased to--to _entertain_ his Holiness.... No, we sha'n't leave him to die. If all goes well, Major Trent and I can arrange to return to Lhakang-gompa."

"You think," said Hsien Sgam, "it will be easy to leave the city?"

Kerth made a deprecatory gesture. "That is not difficult. I shall ride in the sedan-chair of His Holiness Sakya-muni, and until we pa.s.s Amber Bridge your Transparency will sit beside me to prevent any interference with our plans. There you may change to a pony and ride between two of the major's muleteers. Your own palanquin will be put to good use, as Miss Charteris can occupy that. And after we leave s.h.i.+ng-tse-lunpo, then to the South--Gyangtse--and into India."

Hsien Sgam smiled--that smile of inscrutable irony.

"You are only crawling deeper into the web," he a.s.serted quietly. "It will fall upon you and you will go--like that--" The lithe hands spread out expressively.

Kerth coolly returned his smile. "If we're caught, you'll perish with us, in the same web. Threats are useless, Transparency. The scales have tilted. And your att.i.tude doesn't become a prisoner. We can carry out our plans with you or without you, although much smoother with you.

Accept my ultimatum--_unconditional surrender_--or reject it."

Hsien Sgam's lips twisted into that ineffaceable smile. His quiescence was absolute.

"You understand, if I thought my--my demise would prevent you from executing your plans, I would not hesitate to--er--clog the machinery.

But it would be suicide without a purpose. Therefore, I can only accept."

"Unconditionally?"

"Unconditionally."

Hsien Sgam's chin sank into his breast.

"Now, major, do you approve of my plan?" asked Kerth. "If so, we'll go to the audience hall and I'll order the men to take you to your residence, and his Transparency and I will despatch messengers for Miss Charteris and your muleteers."

Trent nodded.

Kerth placed the mitre upon his head and let the veil fall over his features. A blue steel eye glittered in the folds of his robes--an eye that was focussed upon Hsien Sgam.

"Come, Transparency!"

Kerth leading, they left Falcon's Nest; left it with its silence and its brooding secrets.

5

A few minutes later Kerth was seated on the throne of Sakya-muni (Trent and Hsien Sgam stood on the red carpets before the das) and reaching toward a gong that hung from one of the carved lions of the chair.

Following the mellow ring, the curtains in the other end of the chamber parted to admit the _Donyer-chenpo_, who bowed and stood waiting.

The thin voice sounded from under the yellow veil--a stream of Tibetan words. Trent wondered, irrelevantly, if it was really Kerth who spoke--Kerth of the satanic smile.

And now he saw the yellow-robed figure motioning him to leave, and backed slowly to where the _Donyer-chenpo_ stood; backed between the parted draperies; and the curtains dropped, and he was in darkness.

In the first ante-chamber the _Donyer-chenpo_ resumed his seat at the nacre-inlaid desk, among the other cardinals, and Trent continued with the soldiers. Back through the courts and corridors they went (each glimpse of the stars brought to Trent a sweet recollection of another l.u.s.trous pallor), and down the innumerable staircases. They emerged at length into the courtyard where the horses were waiting; mounted; rode out of Lhakang-gompa and down the causeway.

Afterward, Trent could remember no single incident of that brief ride from the lamasery; it was a panorama of moon and white walls and darkness. The bewildering events of the past few hours had left him in a state of mental confusion. The soldiers wheeled about at his gate, and he rode into the deserted quadrangle alone.

He was about to dismount when a shadow detached itself from the gloom of the garden--the garden, with its flaming hollyhocks. (Odd that he should think of flowers now!) It was the long-haired guide of the previous night. He grunted what Trent supposed was a greeting, and caught the bridle, guiding the pony back to the gate. Trent turned for a last look at the dark dwelling--the house where he first partook of the lover's eucharist. Then the Tibetan swung himself upon the pony, behind him, clamping his knees upon the beast's flanks, and Trent inhaled the reek of soiled clothing.

Through familiar streets they clattered, and over a stone bridge toward the city's ramparts. Few people were astir; dogs prowled in the lurking shadows. The temple of the Great Magician had a ghostly semblance as they approached it; its dome was spattered with moonlight, like a huge anthill flecked with drippings of glow-paint. Something in the sight of the bulk of masonry brought to Trent's mind what Sarojini Nanjee had said....

They pa.s.sed the temple. A narrow foot-path took them to the Great Magician's Gate. As on the preceding night, there was no guard. When Trent's pony was brought to a halt, the Tibetan made a gesture which Trent interpreted to mean that he should stay there and slunk away along the path to the temple. Trent glanced at his watch as the man left.