Two soldiers seized Ligurious by the arms,
'We have to inquire into these matters,' said Claudius to Ligurious, 'and resolutions to be made. It is possible we may have need of you for further testimony, asseverations germane to our proceedings. In any event, your presence will be retained for our pleasure until our deliberations have been concluded. Then, and then only, will the pledge of Argentum be honored.'
'Such a reservation is fully in accord with our original arrangements,' said Ligurious loftily.
'I abide by your decision as willingly as I must also abide by it, perforce.' 'Postpone the deliberations a thousand years!' cried a man.
'That is not the way of Argentum,' smiled Claudius.
At a gesture from Claudius Ligurious was conducted from the room.
'Do you object, Menicius, my friend?' asked Claudius.
'I had not realized the guarantees extended by Argentum,' said Menicius. 'You have, of course, under the circumstances, no choice.'
'I feel sorry for him in a way,' said Claudius, looking after Ligurious. 'He is a strong man, ruthless and powerful, proud and strong, but he permitted himself to be the dupe of a female, to be wound about the finger of a woman.'
Claudius then pointed to Sheila. 'Bring that slave forward,' he said. With a whimper Sheila was dragged to her feet, pulled forward and, with' a rattle of chain, thrown to her knees before Claudius.
'This woman,' said Claudius, pointing to Sheila, 'has been proved by evidence and testimony, both written and oral, to be the former Tatrix of Corcyrus. Indeed, this fact has been acknowledged, ultimately, even in her own admission.' He looked down at Sheila. 'Who captured you and brought you here, Slave?' he asked.
'Hassan, of Kasra, Master,' she said.
'The reward, then,' said Claudius, 'clearly belongs to Hassan, of Kasra. let it be brought!'
An officer left the room. Hassan came' forward, about the tables, to stand near the kneeling slave. In a few moments the officer had returned. He carried a heavy, bulging sack over his shoulder which he lowered gently, heavily, to the floor before the table. It must have weighed between ninety and one hundred pounds.
'In this sack,' said Claudius, 'carefully counted, but assure yourself of the matter, are fifteen hundred pieces of gold, stamped staters of Argentum, certified by the mint of the Ubar.'
Hassan looked down at Sheila.
'Shall scales be brought?' asked Claudius. 'We will take no offense. If any discrepancy be found, perhaps the result of some inadvertence, we shall see that it is made good.'
'No,' said Hassan. 'Weights and balances, the chains and pans, need not be fetched forth.'
'Accept then the reward,' said Claudius. 'You have well earned it.' 'What fate do you intend for this woman?' asked Hassan.
'Claudius shrugged. 'The mounting for the impaling spear has already been prepared,' he said.
'The spear itself has been sharpened and polished.'
'Fifteen hundred gold pieces,' said Hassan, 'seems a great deal of' money for a mere slave.'
'It was you yourself, as I understand it,' smiled Claudius, 'who 'neck-ringed her and, shortly thereafter, with a blazing iron, marked her slave.'
Hassan smiled. 'I seem to recall something to that effect,' he said, He looked down at Sheila.
'Are you a slave?' he asked.
'Yes, my master,' she said, 'and only you know how much a slave.' I was thrilled to hear her say this. Every woman, in her deepest heart, wants to find a man whom she must serve perfectly, a man who will bring out the fundamental and profound slave in her, a man who will bend her uncompromisingly and helplessly to his will. In Hassan Sheila, obviously, had found such a man. 'Are you prepared, now,' asked Hassan, 'to be turned over to Claudius and the high council?'
'Yes, Master,' she said. 'I ask only, first, to be permitted one last time to kiss your feet in respect and reverence, and, in doing so, to express, too, my gratitude for the joy you have given me in these few days you have owned me. They have been the most precious of my life.' She then, tenderly, kissed his feet, extending obeisance and love to the man who had made her a slave. There were tears in my eyes.
Hassan laughed, a roar of a laugh. She looked up, startled.
'Do you truly think I brought you here,' he laughed, 'to turn you over to Claudius and the high council?'
'Of course, Master,' she said. 'No!' he laughed.
There were cries of astonishment from those about.
'Kiss my feet fifteen hundred times, you luscious baggage,' he laughed, 'at least once for every gold piece you are costing me!'' 'Yes, Master,' she cried, startled, putting down her head.
'This woman was the Tatrix of Corcyrus, was she not?' laughed Hassan. 'Yes,' said Claudius, startled. 'That has been established, even by her own admissions.'
'And I have, thus, earned the reward, fully and clearly, if I should wish it?' asked Hassan.
'Certainly,' said Claudius, puzzled.
'That is all I wanted,' said Hassan. 'Indeed, it is all I ever wanted.' 'I do not understand,' said Claudius.
'For years,' said Hassan, 'I have heard of the Tatrix of Corcyrus, of her tyranny, of her fabled pride and beauty. I found such a woman intriguing. Then, wonder of wonders, she fell. None could find her. I was curious to know what it would be like to have such a woman in my collar, a fair skinned, golden-haired Tatrix of the north, to make her crawl, and cry and serve, to make her a man's woman.'
I looked at Sheila. She was weeping with joy at his feet, kissing them, and his ankles and legs. 'I love you, Master,' she wept.
'So I captured her and made her a slave, mine,' said Hassan.
'It was never your intention, then, to deliver her to us?' asked a member of the high council.
'No,' said Hassan. 'Had that been my intention I would not have removed her virginity from her and enslaved her.'
'Had you never any doubts on this matter?' asked a man.
'Had I any,' smiled Hassan, 'they disappeared the instant I saw her. I knew then I would keep her for my own slave.'
'But why did you bring her here?' asked a man.
'That you might see her humbled and helpless, and for my own glory,' said Hassan.
'It is pleasing to see the former Tatrix of Corcyrus as a humbled slave,' said a man.
'Yes' said Hassan.
'What if we take her from you?' asked a man.
'You will not do so,' said Hassan. 'That would be theft'
'But what of her crimes?' asked a man.
'Those were the crimes of a free woman,' said Hassan. 'She is no longer a free woman. She is now only a slave.'
'I love you, my master,' whispered the slave, her head at his feet.
'Sheila,' said Hassan.
'Yes, Master,' she said, lifting her bead.
'You may continue your obeisances and services in the privacy of my chambers,' he said.
'Yes, Master,' she said. She rose to her feet, her head humbly lowered. 'Conduct her to my quarters,' said Hassan to a soldier, he who held the key to her chains, 'and chain her to the slave ring at the foot of my couch.' The soldier glanced to Claudius, and then nodded. 'Come, Slave,' he said. 'Yes, Master,' she said, and was conducted from the room.
It has been an interesting evening,' said Hassan, lifting his hand to the assemblage. 'I wish you all well!'
We, too, wish you well, Hunter,' said Claudius.
'Hail, Hassan!' called a man.
'Hail, Hassan!' called others.
The men rose from about the tables, saluting and applauding Hassan. He, lifting his hands, and turning, waving to them, took his leave from the hall. I think he was eager to begin the instructions of a slave.
Men, then, in twos and threes, began to take their leave. Menicius stood before me. He put out his hands
