"
Through a number of corridors and apartments lighted by stone
cressets the eunuch led Lady Greystoke halting at last before a
doorway concealed by hangings of jato skin, where the guide beat
with his staff upon the wall beside the door.
"O-lo-a, Princess of Pal-ul-don," he called, "here is the stranger
woman, the prisoner from the temple."
"Bid her enter," Jane heard a sweet voice from within command.
The eunuch drew aside the hangings and Lady Greystoke stepped within.
Before her was a low-ceiled room of moderate size. In each of the
four corners a kneeling figure of stone seemed to be bearing its
portion of the weight of the ceiling upon its shoulders. These
figures were evidently intended to represent Waz-don slaves and were
not without bold artistic beauty. The ceiling itself was slightly
arched to a central dome which was pierced to admit light by day,
and air. Upon one side of the room were many windows, the other
three walls being blank except for a doorway in each. The princess
lay upon a pile of furs which were arranged over a low stone dais
in one corner of the apartment and was alone except for a single
Waz-don slave girl who sat upon the edge of the dais near her feet.
As Jane entered O-lo-a beckoned her to approach and when she stood
beside the couch the girl half rose upon an elbow and surveyed her
critically.
Pages:
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243