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solitary communion with the dead behind closed doors in The Hall of Chiefs. It
was the custom.
The guests had all filed through The Hall of Chiefs; the doors at both ends had
been closed. Presently those at the lower end of the hall opened and O-Tar
entered. His black harness was ornamented with rubies and gold; his face was
covered by a grotesque mask of the precious metal in which two enormous rubies
were set for eyes, though below them were narrow slits through which the wearer
could see. His crown was a fillet supporting carved feathers of the same metal as
the mask. To the least detail his regalia was that demanded of a royal bridegroom
by the customs of Manator, and now in accordance with that same custom he
came alone to The Hall of Chiefs to receive the blessings and the council of the
great ones of Manator who had preceded him.
As the doors at the lower end of the Hall closed behind him O-Tar the Jeddak
stood alone with the great dead. By the dictates of ages no mortal eye might look
upon the scene enacted within that sacred chamber. As the mighty of Manator
respected the traditions of Manator, let us, too, respect those traditions of a
proud and sensitive people. Of what concern to us the happenings in that solemn
chamber of the dead?
Five minutes passed. The bride stood silently at the foot of the throne. The guests
spoke together in low whispers until the room was filled with the hum of many
voices. At length the doors leading into The Hall of Chiefs swung open, and the
resplendent bridegroom stood framed for a moment in the massive opening. A
hush fell upon the wedding guests. With measured and impressive step the
groom approached the bride. Tara felt the muscles of her heart contract with the
apprehension that had been growing upon her as the coils of Fate settled more
closely about her and no sign came from Turan. Where was he? What, indeed,
could he accomplish now to save her? Surrounded by the power of O-Tar with
never a friend among them, her position seemed at last without vestige of hope.
"I still live!" she whispered inwardly in a last brave attempt to combat the terrible
hopelessness that was overwhelming her, but her fingers stole for reassurance to
the slim blade that she had managed to transfer, undetected, from her old
harness to the new. And now the groom was at her side and taking her hand was
leading her up the steps to the throne, before which they halted and stood facing
the gathering below. Came then, from the back of the room a procession headed
by the high dignitary whose office it was to make these two man and wife, and
directly behind him a richly-clad youth bearing a silken pillow on which lay the
golden handcuffs connected by a short length of chain-of-gold with which the
ceremony would be concluded when the dignitary clasped a handcuff about the
wrist of each symbolizing their indissoluble union in the holy bonds of wedlock.
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