I glanced at the great clock on the
wall.
I was desperate, and when a man is desperate he
will resort toany means to win his point. Instead of adhering to this honorable
custom, Motus lunged for myheart.
We would both beinvisible, and together we could
make our way to your country. I heard her land on the roof with anything but an
invisible thud, and Ibreathed a sigh of relief.
He is a calot and I apologize to calots for the
comparison. Oh, that we could be always thus, sighed Rojas. It took you muchlonger
to dispose of Motus than I had anticipated, he continued. There was an immediate
answer from the vicinity of the flier.
The outlook appeared
brighterimmediately.
ThenI felt hands at my ankle and saw my shackle
fall open. Ishall set a guard to watch you two constantly hereafter.
The warrior shouted forme to halt, and broke into a
run. Everyone has told me how easily Motus is goingto kill me.
I do not wish to see you killed, she said, and
clung to me tightly. Could you get one of those invisibility spheres to her right
away? If Kandus didnt know why, I thought that I did.
I dont know how it could be done, said
Kandus.
He always kills his man, but heis tricky. He will
not only have lost a fighting man but all the money he haswagered on the
duel.
I shall return at midnight and you must be
here;then she was gone. Ptantus was glaring at me, and the audience was tense with
breathlessexpectancy.
Silence yourself, calot, I replied, and get out of
my way.
This evening, replied Rojas, before the whole Court
in the throneroom of the palace. I think the fellow is trying to make fools of us,
snapped one of themen.
For a moment pandemonium reigned in the throne
room. This was the crucial moment; I was almost afraid to whistle, but I
did.
That is to be feared, too, said Rojas, for Ptantus
will be furious. He will not only have lost a fighting man but all the money he
haswagered on the duel.
Tell them you are going to get some money to wager
on me, I said. One of my shoulders brushed a body, but I reachedthe tree in
safety.
I knew what he meant; because the same question had
been worrying me.
They say that overconfidence oftenleads to defeat,
but I do not think that I am ever overconfident.
But at last you are here; howstrange it is not to
be able to see you.