[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
‘Yes, of course,’ the Doctor replied.’ Surely he devised a
way of opening it.’
Cameca admitted that her knowledge of the pyramid
was insufficient to answer his query, but she was sure
Chapal’s grandson would know the answer.
The Doctor stopped and sniffed an exotic flower. ‘Such
fragrance,’ he murmured and added that he didn’t want to
pry into what might be a family secret.
‘No one could think that of you,’ she replied. ‘When
shall the meeting be?’
‘Oh, any time.’ The Doctor was nonchalant. ‘Today?’
Cameca observed that an interested mind brooked no
delay.
The Doctor looked at her and smiled. ‘I’m sure that’s
true of you, Cameca.’
She blushed. ‘It was once. Now I’m content to pass the
time of day here like the others.’
‘Their minds are old, dear lady, something yours will
never be,’ the Doctor protested.
Cameca smiled. ‘Your heart too is young, Doctor.’ She
touched his hand and said she would go and see the
builder’s grandson at once.
As she hurried away the Doctor sighed. He had a sense
of guilt because, much as he liked Cameca, he knew he was
using her. And does the end justify the means, he asked
himself. In this instance, definitely, yes; the thought was
resolute, but the guilt still niggled.
Barbara received the High Priest of Sacrifice in the temple.
Seated on the throne, she was determined to draw on all
the divinity she could muster. She looked down at Tlotoxl
and waited for him to speak.
‘The High Priest of Knowledge will question you.’
‘And if he finds I am the Spirit of Yetaxa returned, what
then?’
‘I shall beg forgiveness of the Gods for my unworthy
doubts.’
‘I will remember the words of the High Priest of
Sacrifice.’
Tlotoxl leant towards the throne, his impenetrable eyes
glistening. ‘Remember this also.’ His voice was a menace.
‘Whilst your divinity is in dispute, only those who serve
the temple may approach you.’
‘My servant also,’ Barbara protested.
‘No!’ Tlotoxl spat out the word. ‘You are to remain
alone.’
‘For what reason?’ Barbara enquired calmly.
‘A false God’s servants would conspire against us,’
Tlotoxl said accusingly. ‘Such a danger we are not prepared
to tolerate.’
‘Then let my servants be told they may not enter here,’
Barbara replied evenly.
‘It will be done,’ Tlotoxl replied and limped out of the
temple leaving a very disquieted Barbara behind him.
Cameca was walking along the broad avenue on her way to
the barracks when a messenger approached her. He bowed
respectfully and said that Ixta, the Chosen Warrior, sought
her counsel. Cameca smiled and replied that she would go
directly to his quarters.
She came into the courtyard and went over to Ixta’s
door, which was open. She called his name and Ixta invited
her in.
The quarters consisted of three small rooms. On one
side of the central living area was the bathroom, essential
to most dwellings, as the Aztecs, with the exception of
High Priests of Sacrifice, bathed two or three times a day.
On the other side was the bedroom with a woven straw
mattress on the floor and two wicker-work trunks for Ixta’s
loin-cloths and cloaks. His head-dresses were kept on a
shelf, his sandals underneath it. The main room had a
legless square wooden table with a cushion at each side.
Ixta pointed to a cushion and Cameca sat down. Ixta sat
facing her.
‘I was told you wish to see me, Ixta.’
‘I would seek your advice, Cameca.’
‘If I can give it, I shall,’ she replied.
Ixta rubbed behind his left ear with his thumb and
asked what she knew of magic.
‘Nothing,’ Cameca admitted, ‘though it is my belief I
know one who does.’
Ixta leaned forward. ‘What name has this person?’
‘He is known as the Doctor and is the aged servant of
Yetaxa.’
Ixta dismissed the suggestion with a wave of his hand.
‘He is of no use to me.’
‘You may be of service to him,’ Cameca said. ‘He seeks
an interview with you.’
Iota was curious. ‘To what end?’
‘He is interested in your lamented father’s father’s work.
In particular the temple,’ she added.
Ixta ran his hand across his face. ‘Does he know my
name?’ he asked abruptly.
‘Do not reveal it, but say that I shall meet him.’ His
voice was casual.
‘Where?’
‘Does he not spend his day in the temple garden?’
Cameca nodded.
‘Then there, I shall pass by after the sun is over the
zenith and my food has been brought to me.’ He stood up
and helped Cameca to her feet.
‘I shall deliver those words, Ixta.’ She felt pleased to
have been of service to the Doctor, as she liked his
company.
‘Be mindful not to reveal my name,’ Ixta called to her
from the doorway as Cameca crossed the courtyard. Then
he went back into the room chuckling. There was no better
way to destroy one’s enemies than to let them destroy
themselves.
6
Thorn of Doom
The cell Susan occupied at the seminary was one of several
which opened onto a cloister. It was a small room with
only a woven straw mattress, a wicker-work trunk and a [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl szkicerysunki.xlx.pl
‘Yes, of course,’ the Doctor replied.’ Surely he devised a
way of opening it.’
Cameca admitted that her knowledge of the pyramid
was insufficient to answer his query, but she was sure
Chapal’s grandson would know the answer.
The Doctor stopped and sniffed an exotic flower. ‘Such
fragrance,’ he murmured and added that he didn’t want to
pry into what might be a family secret.
‘No one could think that of you,’ she replied. ‘When
shall the meeting be?’
‘Oh, any time.’ The Doctor was nonchalant. ‘Today?’
Cameca observed that an interested mind brooked no
delay.
The Doctor looked at her and smiled. ‘I’m sure that’s
true of you, Cameca.’
She blushed. ‘It was once. Now I’m content to pass the
time of day here like the others.’
‘Their minds are old, dear lady, something yours will
never be,’ the Doctor protested.
Cameca smiled. ‘Your heart too is young, Doctor.’ She
touched his hand and said she would go and see the
builder’s grandson at once.
As she hurried away the Doctor sighed. He had a sense
of guilt because, much as he liked Cameca, he knew he was
using her. And does the end justify the means, he asked
himself. In this instance, definitely, yes; the thought was
resolute, but the guilt still niggled.
Barbara received the High Priest of Sacrifice in the temple.
Seated on the throne, she was determined to draw on all
the divinity she could muster. She looked down at Tlotoxl
and waited for him to speak.
‘The High Priest of Knowledge will question you.’
‘And if he finds I am the Spirit of Yetaxa returned, what
then?’
‘I shall beg forgiveness of the Gods for my unworthy
doubts.’
‘I will remember the words of the High Priest of
Sacrifice.’
Tlotoxl leant towards the throne, his impenetrable eyes
glistening. ‘Remember this also.’ His voice was a menace.
‘Whilst your divinity is in dispute, only those who serve
the temple may approach you.’
‘My servant also,’ Barbara protested.
‘No!’ Tlotoxl spat out the word. ‘You are to remain
alone.’
‘For what reason?’ Barbara enquired calmly.
‘A false God’s servants would conspire against us,’
Tlotoxl said accusingly. ‘Such a danger we are not prepared
to tolerate.’
‘Then let my servants be told they may not enter here,’
Barbara replied evenly.
‘It will be done,’ Tlotoxl replied and limped out of the
temple leaving a very disquieted Barbara behind him.
Cameca was walking along the broad avenue on her way to
the barracks when a messenger approached her. He bowed
respectfully and said that Ixta, the Chosen Warrior, sought
her counsel. Cameca smiled and replied that she would go
directly to his quarters.
She came into the courtyard and went over to Ixta’s
door, which was open. She called his name and Ixta invited
her in.
The quarters consisted of three small rooms. On one
side of the central living area was the bathroom, essential
to most dwellings, as the Aztecs, with the exception of
High Priests of Sacrifice, bathed two or three times a day.
On the other side was the bedroom with a woven straw
mattress on the floor and two wicker-work trunks for Ixta’s
loin-cloths and cloaks. His head-dresses were kept on a
shelf, his sandals underneath it. The main room had a
legless square wooden table with a cushion at each side.
Ixta pointed to a cushion and Cameca sat down. Ixta sat
facing her.
‘I was told you wish to see me, Ixta.’
‘I would seek your advice, Cameca.’
‘If I can give it, I shall,’ she replied.
Ixta rubbed behind his left ear with his thumb and
asked what she knew of magic.
‘Nothing,’ Cameca admitted, ‘though it is my belief I
know one who does.’
Ixta leaned forward. ‘What name has this person?’
‘He is known as the Doctor and is the aged servant of
Yetaxa.’
Ixta dismissed the suggestion with a wave of his hand.
‘He is of no use to me.’
‘You may be of service to him,’ Cameca said. ‘He seeks
an interview with you.’
Iota was curious. ‘To what end?’
‘He is interested in your lamented father’s father’s work.
In particular the temple,’ she added.
Ixta ran his hand across his face. ‘Does he know my
name?’ he asked abruptly.
‘Do not reveal it, but say that I shall meet him.’ His
voice was casual.
‘Where?’
‘Does he not spend his day in the temple garden?’
Cameca nodded.
‘Then there, I shall pass by after the sun is over the
zenith and my food has been brought to me.’ He stood up
and helped Cameca to her feet.
‘I shall deliver those words, Ixta.’ She felt pleased to
have been of service to the Doctor, as she liked his
company.
‘Be mindful not to reveal my name,’ Ixta called to her
from the doorway as Cameca crossed the courtyard. Then
he went back into the room chuckling. There was no better
way to destroy one’s enemies than to let them destroy
themselves.
6
Thorn of Doom
The cell Susan occupied at the seminary was one of several
which opened onto a cloister. It was a small room with
only a woven straw mattress, a wicker-work trunk and a [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]