Adventure Magazine Cover — page 69: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

The Eyes of Youth in the heart of them by the river’s edge stood a great hall of brick, still raw from ~ the builders. Aimery sat erect on his weary horse with the hum of an outlandish host about him, himself very weary and very sick at heart. For the utter folly of it all had come on him like the waking from a dream. ‘These men were no allies of the West. They were children of the Blue Wolf, as the constable had said—a monstrous brood, swarming from the unknown to blight the gardens of the world. A Saracen compared to such ‘was a courteous knight. He thought of Kublai, the greater Khakan. Perhaps in his court might dwell gentlehood and rea- son. But here was but a wolf-pack in the faraway guise of man. They gave the strangers food and drink —half-cooked flesh and a porridge of rye and sour spiced milk—and left them to sleep till sundown. them to the presence. The hall was immense, dim and shape- less like the inside of a hill, not built ac- cording to the proportions of mankind. Flambeaux and wicks floating in great basins of mutton-fat showed a dense con- course of warriors, and through an aisle in the middle of them Aimery approached the throne. In front stood a tree of silver, Springing from a pedestal of four lions, whose mouths poured streams of wine, sirup and mead into basins, which were emptied by a host of slaves, the cup-bearers of the assembly. There were two thrones side by side, on one of which sat a figure so motionless that it might have been wrought of jasper. Weighted with a massive head-dress of pearls and a robe of gold brocade, the little grandchild of Prester John seemed like a doll on which some princess had lavished wealth and fancy. The black eyelashes lay quiet on her live cheeks, and her breathing did not stir her stiff jeweled bodice. “T have seen death in life,” thought Aim- ery as he shivered and looked aside. Houlagou, her husband, was a tall man compared with the others. His face was hairless and his mouth fine and cruel. His eyes were hard like agates, with no light in them. A passionless power lurked in the low, broad forehead, and the mighty head _ sank deep between the shoulders; but the power not of a man but of some abortion of nature, like storm or earthquake. Again _kan. Then the palace-guards led o9 Aimery shivered. Had not the prophets foretold that one day Antichrist would be reborn in Babylon? Among the Ilkhan’s sibs was a Greek who spoke a bastard French and acted as interpreter. King Louis’ letter was read, and in that hall its devout phrases seemed a mockery. The royal gifts were produced, the tent-chapel with its woven pictures and the sacred utensils. The half-drunk cap- tains fingered them curiously, but the eyes from the throne scarcely regarded them. “These are your priests,”’ said the Kha- “Let them talk with my priests and then go their way. I have little concern with priestcraft.” Then Aimery spoke, and the Greek with many haltings translated. He reminded Houlagou of the Tatar convoys who had sought from his king instruction in the Christian faith and had proclaimed his baptism. “Of that I know nothing,” was the an- swer. “Maybe ’twas some whim of my brother Kublai. I have all the gods I need.” With a heavy heart Aimery touched on the proposed alliance, the advance on Bag- dad and the pinning of the Saracens be- tween two fires. He spoke as he had been ordered but with a bitter sense of futility, for what kind of ally could be looked for in this proud pagan? The impassive face showed no flicker of interest. “I am eating up the caliphs,” he said, “but that food is for my own table. As for allies, I have need of none. The children of the Blue Wolf do not make treaties.” Then he spoke aside to his captain and fixed Aimery with his agate eyes. It was like listening to a voice from a stone. “The King of France has sent vou to ask for peace. Peace, no doubt, is good, and I will grant it of mv favor. A tribute will be fixed in gold and silver; and while it is duly paid, your king’s lands will be safe from my warriors. - Should the tribute fail, France will be ours. I have heard that it is a pleasant place.” THE Ilkhan signed that the au- dience was over. The fountains of liquor ceased to play, and the aeakch gathering stood up with a howling like wild beasts to acclaim their king. Aimery went back to his hut and sat deep in thought far into the night. BS ‘ Eomichbook - (E@)