? ? ? ? We were then led up to the door, where we were directed to get down on our hands and knees with our backs toward the room we were to enter. The doors were swung open and after being cautioned not to turn our heads under penalty of instant death we were commanded to back into the presence of Issus.
? ? ? ? Never have I been in so humiliating a position in my life, and only my love for Dejah Thoris and the hope which still clung to me that I might again see her kept me from rising to face the goddess of the First Born and go down to my death like a gentleman, facing my foes and with their blood mingling with mine.
? ? ? ? After we had crawled in this disgusting fashion for a matter of a couple of hundred feet we were halted by our escort.
? ? ? ? "Let them rise," said a voice behind us; a thin, wavering voice, yet one that had evidently been accustomed to command for many years.
? ? ? ? "Rise," said our escort, "but do not face toward Issus."
? ? ? ? "The woman pleases me," said the thin, wavering voice again after a few moments of silence. "She shall serve me the allotted time. The man you may return to the Isle of Shador which lies against the northern shore of the Sea of Omean.
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