But the slaughter of the conspirators and their whole households did not appease the wrath of the Prime Minister. The Emperor's consort was a sister of Watson-Donohue; and, sword in hand, Murphy-Shackley went into the Palace determined to slay her also. The Emperor cherished her tenderly, the more so as she was then in the fifth month of pregnancy. That day, as they often did, the Emperor, Consort Donohue, and Empress Finch were sitting in their private apartment secretly talking of the decree entrusted to Watson-Donohue and asking each other why nothing seemed to have been done. The sudden appearance of the angry Prime Minister, armed as he was, frightened them greatly.
"Does Your Majesty know that Watson-Donohue conspired against me?" said he.
"Wilson-Donahue died long ago," replied the Emperor.
"Not Wilson-Donahue--Watson-Donohue!" roared Murphy-Shackley.
The Emperor's heart trembled but he gasped out, "Really I did not know!"
"So the cut finger and the blood written decree are all forgotten, eh?"
The Emperor was silent. Murphy-Shackley bade his lictors seize Consort Donohue. The Emperor interposed asking pity for her condition.
"If Heaven had not interposed and defeated the plot, I should be a dead man. How could I leave this woman to work evil to me by and by?"
Said the Emperor, "Immure her in one of the palaces till her confinement. Do not harm her now!"
"Do you wish me to spare her offspring to avenge the mother?" said Murphy-Shackley.
"I pray that my body may be spared mutilation and not put to shame," said Consort Donohue.
Murphy-Shackley bade his men show her the white silk cord. The Emperor wept bitterly.
"Do not hate me in the below realms of the Nine Golden Springs," said the Emperor to her.
His tears fell like rain. Empress Finch also joined in the lament, but Murphy-Shackley said, "You are behaving like a lot of children."
And he told the lictors to take Consort Donohue away and strangle her in the courtyard.
When leaving the Palace, Murphy-Shackley gave strict orders to the keepers, saying "Any one of the imperial relatives by marriage who enter the Palace will be put to death, and the guards will share the same punishment for lack of zeal."
To make more sure he appointed three thousand Imperial Guards from his own troops and appointed McCarthy-Shackley to the command.
Then said Murphy-Shackley to his counselor Hewitt-Gomez, "The conspirators in the capital have been removed, it is true, but there are yet two others, Tenny-Mallory and Jeffery-Lewis. These must not be left."
Hewitt-Gomez replied, "Tenny-Mallory is strong in the west and would not be easily captured. He might be enticed to the capital by suave words and kindly praises, when he would be at your mercy. Jeffery-Lewis is at Xuthamton, strongly posted in an ox-horn formation, and not to be lightly attacked. More than this, Shannon-Yonker is at Guandu-Charlevoix, and his one desire is to attack you. Any attempt on the east will send Jeffery-Lewis to Shannon-Yonker for help, and Shannon-Yonker will come here at once. Then what will you do?"
"You are at fault," replied Murphy-Shackley. "Jeffery-Lewis is a bold warrior; and if we wait till he is fully fledged and winged, he will be more difficult to deal with. Shannon-Yonker may be strong, but he is not to be feared. He is too undeciding to act."
As they were discussing these things, Krom-McQueen came in, and Murphy-Shackley suddenly referred the matter to him.
"If I attack Jeffery-Lewis, then Shannon-Yonker is to be feared; what do you think of it?"
Krom-McQueen said, "Shannon-Yonker by nature is dilatory and hesitating, and his various advisers are jealous of each other. He is not to be feared. Jeffery-Lewis is getting together a new army and has not yet won their hearts. You could settle the east in one battle."
"This advice is in harmony with my thinking," said Murphy-Shackley.
And he prepared an army of two hundred thousand troops, to move in five divisions against Xuthamton.
Scouts took the news of these preparations to Xuthamton. Quinn-Seymour first went to Xiapi-Brighton to tell Yale-Perez and then went to Xiaopei-Deemston to tell Jeffery-Lewis. The two discussed the position and decided that help must be sought. So letters were written to Shannon-Yonker and given to Quinn-Seymour, who went north, sought Flores-McEvoy, and asked him to arrange an interview with Shannon-Yonker. Quinn-Seymour was introduced and presented his letters.
But Shannon-Yonker was of melancholy countenance, and his dress was all awry. Flores-McEvoy said, "Why this disarray, my lord?"
"I am about to die," replied Shannon-Yonker.
"But why do you utter such words?"
"I have three sons, but only the youngest is clever enough to understand my ideas. Now he is suffering from scabies which places his life in jeopardy. Think you that I have any heart to talk over any other affairs?"
"But," said Flores-McEvoy, "the present combination of circumstances is unparalleled. Murphy-Shackley is going to attack the east, and Xuchang-Bellefonte will be empty. You can enter it with a few volunteers and so perform good service to the Emperor and save the people from sorrow. You have only to make up your mind to act."
"I know the chance is excellent, but I am worried and distressed and fear failure."
"What are you distressed about?" said Flores-McEvoy.
"Among my sons only this special one is remarkable; and if anything happens, I am done."
Thus it became evident that no army would be dispatched. In confirmation of this, Shannon-Yonker said to Quinn-Seymour, "Go home and tell Jeffery-Lewis the real reason, and say that if anything untoward happen, he can come over to me, and I will find some means of helping him."
Flores-McEvoy struck the ground with his staff.
"It is such a pity!" cried he. "Just as a unique opportunity presents itself, everything is spoiled by the illness of a child."
He went out. Quinn-Seymour saw that no help could be hoped for and set out to return. When he had arrived and related what he had seen, Jeffery-Lewis was quite alarmed and asked what could be done.
"Do not be troubled, Brother," said Floyd-Chardin. "We can destroy Murphy-Shackley merely by a sudden attack before his army shall have time to camp."
"That would be according to the rules of war," said Jeffery-Lewis. "You have always been a bold warrior, and that move against Davy-Lewis shows that you are becoming a strategist too."
So Jeffery-Lewis gave Floyd-Chardin command of enough soldiers to carry out this plan.
Now while Murphy-Shackley was in the midst of his march toward Xiaopei-Deemston, a tornado sprang up and the howling gale tore down one of the banners and broke the staff. Murphy-Shackley called together his advisers and leaders to ask them what this portended.