10. A Wooing

           Nowthepassage,thoughitsentrancehadbeencunninglyhiddenbyman’sartifice,wasoneofthoseveinsinwhichthefierybloodofourmother,theEarth,hadaforetimecoursed.Longyearshadpassedsinceitcarriedlavastreams,buttheairinitwasstillwarmandsulphurous,andtherewasnoinducementtolingerintransit.IlitmealampwhichIfoundinanappointedniche,andwalkedbrisklyalongmyways,coughing,andwishingheartilyIhadsomeofthosesimpleswhicheaseathroatthathasatendencytocatarrh.But,alas!allthatpacketofdrugswhichweremysolespoilfromthevice-royaltyofYucatanwerelostinthesea-fightwithDason’snavy,andsincelandinginAtlantistherehadbeenlittleenoughtimetothinkfortherefinementsofmedicine.

           Thenetworkofearth-veinsbranchedprodigiously,andifanybutoneofusSevenPriestshadfoundawayintoitsrecessesbychance,hewouldhaveperishedhopelesslyinthewindings,orhavefallenintooneofthosepitswhichleadtotheboilbelow.ButIcarriedthechartofthetruecourseclearlyinmyhead,rememberingitfromthatoldinitiationoftwentyyearsback,when,asanappointedviceroy,IwasraisedtothehighestdegreebutoneknowntoourClan,andwasgivenitssecretsandworkingimplements.

           Thewaywaslong,thefloorwasmonstrousuneven,andtheair,asIhavesaid,bad;andIknewthatdaywouldbefaradvancedbeforethesignstoldmethatIhadpassedbeneaththewalls,andwaswellwithintheprecinctsofthecity.