human
Tell me, Zog; why have you trapped us and brought us here?
gpt
To destroy you, was the quick answer, and the magician turned for an instant to flash his eyes upon the beautiful mermaid.
human
For two hundred years I have been awaiting a chance to get within my power some friend of Anko the Sea Serpent--of Anko, whom I hate! he added, smiling sweetly.
gpt
When you left your palace to-day my swift spies warned me, and so I sent the sea devils to capture you. Often have they tried to do this before, but always failed. To-day, acting by my command, they tricked you, and by surrounding you, forced you to the entrance of my enchanted castle. The result is a fine capture of important personages. I have now in my power the queen and princess of the fairy mermaids, as well as two wandering earth people, and I assure you I shall take great enjoyment in destroying you utterly.
human
You are a coward, declared the Queen, proudly.
gpt
You dared not meet us in the open sea.
human
No; I dare not leave this castle, Zog admitted, still smiling.
gpt
But here, in my own domain, my power is supreme. Nothing can interfere with my vengeance.
human
That remains to be seen,
gpt
Of course, he answered, nodding his head with a graceful movement.
human
You will try to thwart me and escape. You will pit your fairy power against my powers of magic. This will give me great pleasure, for the more you struggle the greater will be my revenge.
gpt
But why should you seek revenge upon us? asked Clia.
human
We have never harmed you.
gpt
That is true, replied Zog.
human
I bear you no personal ill will. But you are friends of my great enemy, King Anko, and it will annoy him very much when he finds that you have been destroyed by me. I cannot hurt the rascally old sea serpent himself, but through you I can make him feel my vengeance.
gpt
The mermaids have existed thousands of years, said the Queen, in a tone of pride.
human
Do you imagine the despised and conquered Zog has power to destroy them?
gpt
I do not know, was the quiet answer.
human
It will be interesting to discover which is the more powerful.
gpt
I challenge you to begin the test at once, vile magician!
human
There is no hurry, fair Queen, answered Zog, in his softest tones.
gpt
I have been so many years in accomplishing your capture that it is foolish to act hastily now. Besides, I am lonely. Here, in my forced retirement, I see only those uninteresting earth mortals whom I have made my slaves, for all sea dwellers are forbidden to serve me save the sea devils, and they dare not enter my castle. I have saved many mortals from drowning and brought them here to people my castle, but I do not love mortals. Two lovely mermaids are much more interesting, and before I allow you to perish I shall have much amusement in witnessing your despair, and your struggles to escape. You are now my prisoners. By slow degrees I shall wear out your fairy powers and break your hearts, as well as the hearts of these earth dwellers who have no magic powers, and I think it will be a long time before I finally permit you to die.
human
That's all right, said Trot, cheerfully.
gpt
The longer I live the better I'll be satisfied.
human
That's how I feel about it, added Cap'n Bill.
gpt
Don't get in a hurry to kill us, Zog; it'll be such a wear an' tear on your nerves. Jes' take it easy an' let us live as long as we can.
human
Don't you care to die?
gpt
It's a thing I never longed for, the sailor replied.
human
You see, we had no business to go on a trip with the mermaids, to begin with. I've allus heard tell that mermaids is dangerous, an' no one as met 'em ever lived to tell the tale. Eh, Trot?
gpt
That's what you said, Cap'n Bill.
human
So, I guess we're done for, one way 'r 'nother; an' it don't matter much which. But Trot's a good child, an' mighty young an' tender. It don't seem like her time has come to die. I'd like to have her sent safe home to her mother. So I've got this 'ere propersition to make, Zog: If your magic could make _me_ die twice, or even _three_ times fer good measure, why you go ahead an' do it an' I won't complain. All I ask is fer you to send this little girl safe back to dry land again.
gpt
Don't you do it, Zog! cried Trot, indignantly, and turning to Cap'n Bill she added:
human
I'm not goin' to leave you down here in all this mess, Cap'n, and don't you think it. If one of us gets out of the muddle we're in, we'll both get out; so don't you make any bargains with Zog to die twice.
gpt
The dying does not amount to much, he said;
human
I'm not worrying,
gpt
Ner me, said Cap'n Bill.
human
You'll find we can take what comes jes' as easy as anybody.
gpt
I do not expect to get much fun from you poor mortals, said Zog, carelessly.
human
You are merely a side show to my circus--a sort of dessert to my feast of vengeance. When the time comes I can find a hundred ways to kill you. My most interesting prisoners are these pretty mermaids, who claim that none of their race has ever yet died, or been destroyed. The first mermaid ever created is living yet--and I am told she is none other than Queen Aquareine. So I have a pretty problem before me, to invent some way to destroy the mermaids, or put them out of existence. And it will require some thought.
gpt
Also, it will require some power you do not possess,
human
That may be, replied Zog, softly;
gpt
You are a monster and a wicked magician,
human
I am, agreed Zog;
gpt
Why don't you kill yourself?
human
I've tried that, and failed, he answered.
gpt
Only one being in the world has power to destroy me, and that is King Anko, the sea serpent.
human
Then you'd better let him do it,
gpt
No; much as I long to die, I cannot allow King Anko the pleasure of killing me. He has always been my worst enemy, and it would be such a joy to him to kill me that I really cannot allow him. Indeed, I have always hoped to kill Anko. I have now been three thousand six hundred and forty-two years, eleven months and nine days figuring out a plan to destroy old Anko, and as yet I have not discovered a way.
human
I'd give it up, if I were you, advised Trot.
gpt
Don't you think you could get some fun out of trying to be good?
human
No! cried Zog, and his voice was not so soft as before.
gpt
Listen, Aquareine: You and your attendants shall be prisoners in this castle until I can manage to stop you from living. Rooms will be placed at your disposal, and I wish you to go to them at once, as I am tired of looking at you.
human
You're no more tired than we are, remarked Trot.
gpt
It's lucky you can't see yourself, Zog.
human
The worst of my queer body I keep concealed, he said.
gpt
If ever you see it, you will scream with terror.