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Page 20
8. The Fool-Killer
The room was round, with a dome at the top. The bare walls were of
gray stone, with square, open windows set full twenty feet from the
floor. Rough gray stone also composed the floor, and in the center of
the room stood one great rock with a seat hollowed in its middle.
This was the throne, and round about it stood a swarm of men and women
dressed in rich satins, velvets and brocades, brilliantly ornamented
with gold and precious stones. The men were of many shapes and
sizes--giants and dwarfs being among them. The women all seemed young
and beautiful.
Prince Marvel cast but a passing glance at this assemblage, for his
eye quickly sought the rude throne on which was seated King Terribus.
The personal appearance of this monster was doubtless the most hideous
known in that age of the world. His head was large and shaped like an
egg; it was bright scarlet in color and no hair whatever grew upon it.
It had three eyes--one in the center of his face, one on the top of
his head and one in the back. Thus he was always able to see in every
direction at the same time. His nose was shaped like an elephant's
trunk, and swayed constantly from side to side. His mouth was very
wide and had no lips at all, two rows of sharp and white teeth being
always plainly visible beneath the swaying nose.
King Terribus, although surrounded by so splendid a court, wore a
simple robe of gray cloth, with no ornament or other finery, and his
strange and fearful appearance was strongly contrasted with the glittering
raiment of his courtiers and the beauty of his ladies in waiting.
When Prince Marvel, with Nerle marching close behind, entered the
great room, Terribus looked at him sharply a moment, and then bowed.
And when he bowed the eye upon the top of his head also looked sharply
at the intruders.
Then the king spoke, his voice sounding so sweet and agreeable that it
almost shocked Nerle, who had expected to hear a roar like that from a
wild beast.
"Why are you here?" asked Terribus.
"Partly by chance and partly from curiosity," answered Prince Marvel.
"No one in this island, except your own people, had ever seen the king
of Spor; so, finding myself in your country, I decided to come here
and have a look at you."
The faces of the people who stood about the throne wore frightened
looks at the unheard of boldness of this speech to their terrible
monarch. But the king merely nodded and inquired:
"Since you have seen me, what do you think of me?"
"I am sorry you asked that question," returned the prince; "for I must
confess you are a very frightful-looking creature, and not at all
agreeable to gaze upon."
"Ha! you are honest, as well as frank," exclaimed the king. "But
that is the reason I do not leave my kingdom, as you will readily
understand. And that is the reason I never permit strangers to come
here, under penalty of death. So long as no one knows the King of
Spor is a monster people will not gossip about my looks, and I am very
sensitive regarding my personal appearance. You will perhaps
understand that if I could have chosen I should have been born
beautiful instead of ugly."
"I certainly understand that. And permit me to say I wish you
were beautiful. I shall probably dream of you for many nights,"
added the prince.
"Not for many," said King Terribus, quietly. "By coming here you have
chosen death, and the dead do not dream."
"Why should I die?" inquired Prince Marvel, curiously.
"Because you have seen me. Should I allow you to go away you would
tell the world about my ugly face. I do not like to kill you, believe
me; but you must pay the penalty of your rashness--you and the man
behind you."
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