Tarzan stepped quickly back as though from a profaning hand, a
feigned expression of horror and disgust upon his face.
"Stop!" he cried, "who would dare touch the sacred person of the
messenger of Jad-ben-Otho? Only as a special mark of favor from
Jad-ben-Otho may even Ko-tan himself receive this honor from me.
Hasten! Already now have I waited too long! What manner of reception
the Ho-don of A-lur would extend to the son of my father!"
At first Tarzan had been inclined to adopt the role of Jad-ben-Otho
himself but it occurred to him that it might prove embarrassing
and considerable of a bore to be compelled constantly to portray
the character of a god, but with the growing success of his scheme
it had suddenly occurred to him that the authority of the son of
Jad-ben-Otho would be far greater than that of an ordinary messenger
of a god, while at the same time giving him some leeway in the
matter of his acts and demeanor, the ape-man reasoning that a young
god would not be held so strictly accountable in the matter of his
dignity and bearing as an older and greater god.
This time the effect of his words was immediately and painfully
noticeable upon all those near him. With one accord they shrank back,
the spokesman almost collapsing in evident terror. His apologies,
when finally the paralysis of his fear would permit him to voice
them, were so abject that the ape-man could scarce repress a smile
of amused contempt.
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