The Land of the Changing Sun [15]
himself on the throne. The music sank lower; so soft did it become that the tinkling bells of the great fountain outside could be heard throughout the room.
The king bowed to the throng on the dais and spoke a few words to a courtier who advanced as he sat down. The courtier must have spoken of them, for the king at once looked down at Johnston and Thorn-dyke and nodded his head. The courtier spoke to a page, and the youth left the dais and came toward the captives.
"We are in for it," cautioned Thorndyke, "now don't be afraid of your shadow; we'll come out all right."
"The king has sent for you," said the page, the next instant. "Go to the throne."
They were the cynosure of the entire room as they went up the carpeted steps of the dais and knelt before the king.
Chapter VI.
"Rise!" commanded the king, in a deep, well-modulated voice, and when they had arisen he inspected them critically, his eyes lingering on Thorndyke.
"You look as if you take life easily; you have a jovial countenance," he said cordially.
Thorndyke returned his smile and at once felt at ease.
"There is no use in taking it any other way," he said; "it doesn't amount to much at best."
"You are wrong," returned the king, playing with the jewels on his robe, "that is because you have been reared as you have--in your unsystematic world. Here we make life a serious study. It is our object to assist nature in all things. The efforts of your people amount to nothing because they are not carried far enough. Your scientists are dreaming idiots. They are continually groping after the ideal and doing nothing with the positive. It was for us to carry out everything to perfection. Show me where we can make a single improvement and you shall become a prince."
"If my life depended on that, my head would be off this instant," was the quick-witted reply of the Englishman.
This so pleased the king that he laughed till he shook. "Well said," he smiled; "so you like our country?"
"Absolutely charmed; my friend (Thorndyke was determined to bring his companion into favor, if possible) and I have been in raptures ever since we rose this morning."
A flush of pleasure crossed the face of the king. "You have not seen half of our wonders yet. I confess that I am pleased with you, sir. The majority of people who are brought here are so frightened that they grow morbid and desirous to return to their own countries as soon as they learn that such a thing is out of the question."
Thorndyke's stout heart suffered a sudden pang at the words, but he did not change countenance in the slightest, for the king was closely watching the effect of his announcement.
"Of course," went on the ruler, gratified by the indifference of the Englishman, "of course, it could not be done. No one, outside of a few of the royal family and our trusted agents, has ever left us."
"I can't see how any one could be so unappreciative as to want to go," answered Thorndyke, with a coolness that surprised even Johnston. "I have travelled in all countries under the sun--the sun I was born under--and got so bored with them that my friend and myself took to ballooning for diversion; but here, there is a delightful surprise at every turn."
"I was told you were aeronauts," returned the ruler, deigning to cast a glance at the silent Johnston, who stood with eyes downcast, "and I confess that it interested me in you."
At that juncture a most beautiful girl glided through the curtains at the back of the throne and came impulsively toward the king. Her brown hair fell in rich masses on her bare shoulders; her eyes were large, deep and brown, and her skin was exquisitely fine in texture and color; her dress was artistic and well suited to her lithe figure. She held an instrument resembling a lute in her hands, and stopped suddenly when she noticed that the king was engaged,
"It is my daughter, the Princess Bernardino," explained the king, as he heard her light step and turned toward her; "she shall sing for you, and, yes (nodding to her) you shall dance also."
The king bowed to the throng on the dais and spoke a few words to a courtier who advanced as he sat down. The courtier must have spoken of them, for the king at once looked down at Johnston and Thorn-dyke and nodded his head. The courtier spoke to a page, and the youth left the dais and came toward the captives.
"We are in for it," cautioned Thorndyke, "now don't be afraid of your shadow; we'll come out all right."
"The king has sent for you," said the page, the next instant. "Go to the throne."
They were the cynosure of the entire room as they went up the carpeted steps of the dais and knelt before the king.
Chapter VI.
"Rise!" commanded the king, in a deep, well-modulated voice, and when they had arisen he inspected them critically, his eyes lingering on Thorndyke.
"You look as if you take life easily; you have a jovial countenance," he said cordially.
Thorndyke returned his smile and at once felt at ease.
"There is no use in taking it any other way," he said; "it doesn't amount to much at best."
"You are wrong," returned the king, playing with the jewels on his robe, "that is because you have been reared as you have--in your unsystematic world. Here we make life a serious study. It is our object to assist nature in all things. The efforts of your people amount to nothing because they are not carried far enough. Your scientists are dreaming idiots. They are continually groping after the ideal and doing nothing with the positive. It was for us to carry out everything to perfection. Show me where we can make a single improvement and you shall become a prince."
"If my life depended on that, my head would be off this instant," was the quick-witted reply of the Englishman.
This so pleased the king that he laughed till he shook. "Well said," he smiled; "so you like our country?"
"Absolutely charmed; my friend (Thorndyke was determined to bring his companion into favor, if possible) and I have been in raptures ever since we rose this morning."
A flush of pleasure crossed the face of the king. "You have not seen half of our wonders yet. I confess that I am pleased with you, sir. The majority of people who are brought here are so frightened that they grow morbid and desirous to return to their own countries as soon as they learn that such a thing is out of the question."
Thorndyke's stout heart suffered a sudden pang at the words, but he did not change countenance in the slightest, for the king was closely watching the effect of his announcement.
"Of course," went on the ruler, gratified by the indifference of the Englishman, "of course, it could not be done. No one, outside of a few of the royal family and our trusted agents, has ever left us."
"I can't see how any one could be so unappreciative as to want to go," answered Thorndyke, with a coolness that surprised even Johnston. "I have travelled in all countries under the sun--the sun I was born under--and got so bored with them that my friend and myself took to ballooning for diversion; but here, there is a delightful surprise at every turn."
"I was told you were aeronauts," returned the ruler, deigning to cast a glance at the silent Johnston, who stood with eyes downcast, "and I confess that it interested me in you."
At that juncture a most beautiful girl glided through the curtains at the back of the throne and came impulsively toward the king. Her brown hair fell in rich masses on her bare shoulders; her eyes were large, deep and brown, and her skin was exquisitely fine in texture and color; her dress was artistic and well suited to her lithe figure. She held an instrument resembling a lute in her hands, and stopped suddenly when she noticed that the king was engaged,
"It is my daughter, the Princess Bernardino," explained the king, as he heard her light step and turned toward her; "she shall sing for you, and, yes (nodding to her) you shall dance also."