Edgar Rice Burroughs

Thuvia Edgar Rice Burroughs

As the ruler of Ptarth, followed by his courtiers, descended from the landing-stage above thepalace, the servants dropped into their places in the rear of their royal or noble masters, and behindthe others one lingered to the last. Then quickly stooping he snatched the sandal from his right foot, slipping it into his pocket-pouch. When the party had come to the lower levels, and the jeddak had dispersed them by a sign, nonenoticed that the forward fellow who had drawn so much attention to himself before the Prince ofHelium departed, was no longer among the other servants. To whose retinue he had been attached none had thought to inquire, for the followers of aMartian noble are many, coming and going at the whim of their master, so that a new face is scarcelyever questioned, as the fact that a man has passed within the palace walls is considered proofpositive that his loyalty to the jeddak is beyond question, so rigid is the examination of each whoseeks service with the nobles of the court. A good rule that, and only relaxed by courtesy in favour of the retinue of visiting royalty from afriendly foreign power. It was late in the morning of the next day that a giant serving man in the harness of the house ofa great Ptarth noble passed out into the city from the palace gates. Along one broad avenue and thenanother he strode briskly until he had passed beyond the district of the nobles and had come to theplace of shops. Here he sought a pretentious building that rose spire-like toward the heavens, itsouter walls elaborately wrought with delicate carvings and intricate mosaics. It was the Palace of Peace in which were housed the representatives of the foreign powers, orrather in which were located their embassies; for the ministers themselves dwelt in gorgeous palaceswithin the district occupied by the nobles