You must give me one or the other before you may pass."
"The only order I require, my friend, to enter where I will, hangs
at my side," I answered, tapping my long-sword; "will you let me
pass in peace or no?"
For reply he whipped out his own sword, calling to the others to
join him, and thus the four stood, with drawn weapons, barring my
further progress.
"You are not here by the order of Than Kosis," cried the one who had
first addressed me, "and not only shall you not enter the apartments
of the Princess of Helium but you shall go back to Than Kosis under
guard to explain this unwarranted temerity. Throw down your sword;
you cannot hope to overcome four of us," he added with a grim smile.
My reply was a quick thrust which left me but three antagonists and
I can assure you that they were worthy of my metal. They had me
backed against the wall in no time, fighting for my life. Slowly I
worked my way to a corner of the room where I could force them to
come at me only one at a time, and thus we fought upward of twenty
minutes; the clanging of steel on steel producing a veritable bedlam
in the little room.
The noise had brought Dejah Thoris to the door of her apartment,
and there she stood throughout the conflict with Sola at her back
peering over her shoulder.
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