? ? ? ? In the outer gardens to which the guard now escorted me, I found Xodar surrounded by a crowd of noble blacks. They were reviling and cursing him. The men slapped his face. The woman spat upon him.
? ? ? ? When I appeared they turned their attentions toward me.
? ? ? ? "Ah," cried one, "so this is the creature who overcame the great Xodar bare-handed. Let us see how it was done."
? ? ? ? "Let him bind Thurid," suggested a beautiful woman, laughing. "Thurid is a noble Dator. Let Thurid show the dog what it means to face a real man."
? ? ? ? "Yes, Thurid! Thurid!" cried a dozen voices.
? ? ? ? "Here he is now," exclaimed another, and turning in the direction indicated I saw a huge black weighed down with resplendent ornaments and arms advancing with noble and gallant bearing toward us.
? ? ? ? "What now?" he cried. "What would you of Thurid?"
? ? ? ? Quickly a dozen voices explained.
? ? ? ? Thurid turned toward Xodar, his eyes narrowing to two nasty slits.
? ? ? ? "Calot!" he hissed.
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