stonishment, staring with open-mouthed horror at the splendid
figure of the barbarian king as he stood aglitter in the ruddy light,
scowling defiance at the throng around him. So silently had he come on
his errand of vengeance it was difficult to believe he was a reality,
and not some clever piece of stageplay, some vision conjured up by
Martian necromancy.

But he was good reality. In a minute comedy turned to tragedy. Ar-hap
gave a sign with his hand, whereon all his men set up a terrible
warcry, the like of which Seth had not heard for very long, and as far
as I could make out in the half light began hacking and hewing my
luckless friends with all their might. Meanwhile the king made at
Heru, feeling sure of her this time, and doubtless intending to make
her taste his vengeance to the dregs; and seeing her handled like that,
and hearing her plaintive cries, wrath took the place of stupid
surprise in me. I was on my feet in a second, across the intervening
space, and with all my force gave the king a blow upon the jaw which
sent even him staggering backwards. Before I could close again, so
swift was the sequence of events in those flying minutes, a wild mob of
people, victims and executioners in one disordered throng, was between
us. How the king fared I know not, nor stopped to ask, but half
dragging, half carrying Heru through the shrieking mob, got her up the
palace steps and in at the great doors, which a couple of yellow-clad
slaves, more frightened of the barbarians than thoughtful of the crowd
without, promptly clapped to, and shot the bolts. Thus we were safe
for a moment, and putting the princess on a couch, I ran up a short
flight of stairs and looked out of a front window to see if there were
a chance of succouring those in the palace square. But it was all
hopeless chaos with the town already beginning to burn and not a show
of fight anywhere which I could join.

I glared out on that infernal tumult for a moment or two in an agony of
impotent rage, then turned towards the harbour and saw in the shine of
the burning town below the ancient battlements and towers of Seth begin
to gleam out, like a splendid frost work of living metal clear-cut
against the smooth, black night behind, and never a show of resistance
there either. Ay, and by this time Ar-hap's men were battering in our
gates with a big beam, and somehow, I do not know how it happened, the
palace itself away on the right, where the dry-as-