It was the Palace of Peace in which were housed the representatives of the foreign powers, or rather in which were located their embassies for the ministers themselves dwelt in gorgeous palaces within the district occupied by the nobles.
Here he sought a pretentious building that rose spire-like toward the heavens, its outer walls elaborately wrought with delicate carvings and intricate mosaics. Along one broad avenue and then another he strode briskly until he had passed beyond the district of the nobles and had come to the place of shops. It was late in the morning of the next day that a giant serving man in the harness of the house of a great Ptarth noble passed out into the city from the palace gates. To whose retinue he had been attached none had thought to inquire, for the followers of a Martian noble are many, coming and going at the whim of their master, so that a new face is scarcely ever questioned, as the fact that a man has passed within the palace walls is considered proof positive that his loyalty to the jeddak is beyond question, so rigid is the examination of each who seeks service with the nobles of the court.Ī good rule that, and only relaxed by courtesy in favour of the retinue of visiting royalty from a friendly foreign power. When the party had come to the lower levels, and the jeddak had dispersed them by a sign, none noticed that the forward fellow who had drawn so much attention to himself before the Prince of Helium departed, was no longer among the other servants. Then quickly stooping he snatched the sandal from his right foot, slipping it into his pocket-pouch.
Previous Chapter Next Chapter Chapter II: SlaveryĪs the ruler of Ptarth, followed by his courtiers, descended from the landing-stage above the palace, the servants dropped into their places in the rear of their royal or noble masters, and behind the others one lingered to the last.
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