Sword Woman and Other Historical Adventures (92 page)

The Blood of Belshazzar

Text taken from
Oriental Stories,
Fall 1931. 198.30.4–5: commas after “center” and “lay”; 198.30.10: comma after “helmet”; 200.2.10: simitars; 201.23.1: simitar; 203.22.2: Truks; 207.30.10: his; 207.41.5: Cromac’s; 209.3.6: some one; 210.7.7: simitar; 210.36.2: Zenor; 211.30.11: simitar; 211.38.5: exclamation point rather than question mark; 211.41.4: simitar; 212.26.5: comma rather than period after “angrily”; 212.26.6: where; 212.40.8: simitar; 213.7.4: comma rather than period after “howled”; 213.7.5: the; 213.40.10: simitar; 215.14.4: comma rather than period after “mind”; 215.14.5: it; 215.15.1: no comma after “Skol”; 215.17.1: simitar; 215.34.11: simitar; 219.3.10: Yusseff; 219.13.6: simitar; 219.37.1: simitar; 220.32.9: Cormac’s; 220.36.1: your’s; 223.7.8: simitar; 223.10.12: simitar

Red Blades of Black Cathay

Text taken from
Oriental Stories,
February–March 1931. 226.22.9: simitar; 226.31.8: simitars; 227.11.13: lapis-lazuli; 229.36.6: comma rather than period after “glory”; 229.36.7: here; 232.1.1: line begins with opening double quotation marks; 232.5.5: line ends with closing double quotation marks; 232.6.1: period after “Chesterton”; 232.9.14: lapis-lazuli; 232.28.11: any one; 233.32.11: simitar; 234.10.4: lapis-lazuli; 236.35.5: near-by; 237.6.1: line begins with opening double quotation marks; 237.11.5: line ends with closing double quotation marks; 237.12.1: period after “Chesterton”; 237.34.2: old; 238.17.10: simitars; 239.22.1: simitars; 244.11.2: simitar; 244.17.13: simitar; 245.1.9: simitars; 245.14.5: simitars; 246.34.10: simitar; 247.24.4: vizors; 247.39.1: comma after “He”; 248.4.2: reigned; 248.16.3: reigned

The Sowers of the Thunder

Text taken from
Oriental Stories,
Winter 1932. 253.9.1–4: no indication title is to be italicized; 253.9.4: period after “Baibars”; 253.11.4: bazars; 256.11.12: he; 259.23.2: bazars; 260.33.10: simitar; 261.12.3: traveller; 261.30.5: mullahs; 261.30.8: muezzin; 267.7.7: comma rather than period after “prince”; 270.40.3: simitar; 274.24.1: simitar; 274.40.1: simitar; 275.40.4: no comma after “Akbar”; 279.4.6: simitars; 280.15.1: no hyphen; 280.15.4: simitars; 280.19.9: line ends with closing double quotation marks; 281.34.5: simitar; 282.19.8: for ever; 284.23.10: simitars; 284.35.5: simitar; 285.2.16: mêlée; 285.40.8: mêlée; 287.11.10: for ever; 288.10.13: simitar; 289.1.9: semicolon rather than period after “Baibars”

The Skull in the Clouds

Text taken from
The Howard Collector,
Spring 1962. Howard began each line of dialogue with double quotation marks. We have retained only those that begin a character’s dialogue (291.3.1, 291.18.1, and 292.10.1) and those at the beginning of stanzas.

A Thousand Years Ago

Text taken from
Night Images
(The Morning Star Press, 1976). No changes have been made for this edition.

Lord of Samarcand

Text taken from
Oriental Stories,
Spring 1932. 295.22.6: mêlée; 298.25.1: simitar; 299.7.2: Ballad; 299.7.4: period after “Otterbourne”; 300.19.11: bazars; 301.7.10: simitars; 301.34.9: mêlée; 303.29.11: mêlée; 304.25.1: “The” not in original; 304.25.4: period after “Otterbourne”; 308.24.1: “The” not in original; 308.24.4: period after “Otterbourne”; 311.5.1: “Kipling” in italics, period following; 312.24.2: simitars; 313.6.5: simitar; 313.9.8: simitars; 313.16.8: simitars; 313.24.12: simitars; 313.27.3: mêlée; 313.35.1: POE; 313.35.2: period after “Tamerlane”; 318.9.1: POE; 318.9.2: period after “Tamerlane”; 320.32.7: “to” not in original; 321.30.3: simitar; 323.35.1: “The” not in original; 323.35.4: period after “Otterbourne”; 326.5.1: POE; 326.5.2: period after “Tamerlane”

Timur-Lang

Text taken from
The Howard Collector,
Summer 1964. No changes have been made for this edition.

Sword Woman

Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, a copy of which was provided by Glenn Lord. Howard’s names have been rendered into correct French forms (insofar as possible) with guidance from Patrice Louinet. Throughout this story, as well as
Blades for France,
Howard’s “Agnes” has been rendered “Agnès”; “de La Fere” is “de la Fère”; “Francois” is “François”; “Etienne” is “Étienne”; “Alencon” is “Alençon”; “d’Valence” is “de Valence.” These changes will not be noted in each place they appear. 331.5.10: no hyphen; 331.16.10: practise; 332.10.5: semicolon rather than comma after “muttered”; 333.5.6: some one; 333.22.12: no comma after “tall”; 335.9.9: semicolon rather than comma after “retorted”; 337.5.3: Ives; 337.24.3: no comma after “besides”; 338.30.10: T’is; 339.30.11: Gerard; 340.7.13: no hyphen; 340.17.3: Michele; 340.37.6: no hyphen; 341.27.15: some one; 341.33.4: inn keeper; 342.10.2: no hyphen; 342.20.2: semicolon rather than comma after “voice”; 342.27.15: inn keeper; 342.29.12–13: the Duc; 343.9.13–15: the Duke of Alencon; 343.24.12: Orleans; 343.30.6: no comma after “knell”; 343.34.10: semicolon rather than comma after “say”; 344.27.4: semicolon rather than comma after “whimpered”; 344.28.6: laugh; 344.37.4: sombrely; 345.9.5: inn-keeper; 345.15.9: inn keeper; 345.35.1: no comma after “Then”; 346.19.7: semicolon rather than comma after “cap”; 346.23.2: inn keeper; 347.6.7: semicolon rather than comma after “host”; 347.11.5: to night; 347.30.14: semicolon rather than comma after “men”; 347.37.11: Etienne’s; 348.17.9–11: the Duc d’Alencon; 348.33.16: “their” not in original; 349.10.1–4: title not italicized, period follows; 349.33.5: comma after “women”; 350.38.9: semicolon rather than comma after “morosely”; 351.3.7: ee’n; 352.2.9–11: the Duc d’Alencon; 353.27.12: no hyphen; 354.21.1–5: title not italicized, period follows; 354.31.1: Cans’t; 355.9.12: on to; 357.34.4: for ever; 358.37.4: futiley; 361.6.5: semicolon rather than comma after “covert”; 362.30.1: inn keeper; 363.7.1: Orleans

Blades for France

Text taken from Howard’s original typescripts, copies of which were provided by Glenn Lord. There exist two incomplete drafts for this story. One consists of pages 1–11 of what seems to have been a second draft, with chapter titles given: This draft ends shortly after the beginning of the second chapter. The other draft consists of pages 2–25 and has no chapter titles: this, and other internal evidence, suggests that it was a first draft. We have used what we have identified as the second draft for our text until it ended, and from that point have used the first draft text. See the note for
Sword Woman
regarding names. In addition to those mentioned there, in this story “Francoise” has been rendered “Françoise”; “Francis” is “François”; “Louise of Savoy” is “Louise de Savoie.” 365.14.3: near-by; 366.1.4: oggled; 366.8.14: garment; 366.9.3: garbs; 366.19.5–9: text has been erased and retyped over, this is probable reading; 367.1.8: wind-pipe; 367.4.13: “was” not in original; 367.5.1: “disappointe” (ends at extreme right edge of page); 367.17.9: swash-buckler; 367.20.10: bravoes; 367.20.13–21.1: the Duc d’Alencon; 367.26.14: bravoes; 367. 29.5: bravoes; 367.31.9: doged; 367.38.10: for ever; 367.38.13: bloodhouns; 368.7.5–6: text has been erased and retyped over, this is probable reading; 368.21.7: inn-keeper; 368.25.10: comma after “man”; 368.36.3: not; 369.2.11: La; 369.14.6: La; 369.27.1: lanthon; 369.35.3: subtle; 370.2.4: Speaks; 370.11.12: villians; 370.14.13: “unconsciou” ends one line, next begins “-ly”; 370.25.7: every one; 370.33.9–11: text has been erased and retyped over, this is probable reading; 370.34.12–14: the Duc d’Alencon; 371.5.6: colon rather than comma after “him”; 371.9.11: semicolon rather than comma after “saddle”; 371.23.11: La; 371.38.1: bravoes; 371.41.5: comma after “roadside”; 372.1.13: “crouche” typed to extreme right edge of page; 372.9.12: second draft ends at this point, from here text follows first draft; 372.22.12: can not; 372.31.7–9: “The Resolute Friend”; 375.10.10: new comers; 375.17.5–7: “The Resolute Friend”; 375.22.6: dies; 375.24.12–25.1: “The Resolute Friend”; 375.26.13: can not; 375.27.2: comma after “rank”; 375.30.3: T’is; 375.36.4: some one; 376.5.5: Tis; 376.31.7: semicolon rather than comma after “answered”; 376.34.4: brake; 377.9.9–10.1: “as if reminded of her mission” is added by typing above the line, with no indication of insertion point; 378.40.12: no comma after “de Valence”; 379.5.10: no comma after “moonlight”; 379.10.9: comma rather than semicolon after “Agnes”; 379.28.6: re-charging; 379.33.11: Hawks; 380.5.6: comma after “moan”; 380.38.1: inn keeper; 381.10.14: comma rather than dash after “bow”; 381.13.7: comma after “in”; 381.13.13: can not; 381.20.5: sea-ward; 381.23.10–24.1: “and Francoise with them” is added by typing above the line, no indicated insertion point; 381.32.2–4: “The Resolute Friend” (in single rather than double quotation marks); 382.2.6: “the” not in original; 382.4.3: can not; 382.6.6–8: “The Resolute Friend” (in single rather than double quotation marks); 382.15.6–8: “The Resolute Friend” (in single rather than double quotation marks); 382.18.10: can not; 383.15.13: oar-locks; 383.36.8: mêlée; 384.10.6: “a” not in original; 384.24.10: no comma after “desperation”; 384.40.2: lord Duke of Bourbon

The Shadow of the Vulture

Text taken from
The Magic Carpet Magazine,
January 1934. 389.14.5: the; 390.4.13: comma after “departed”; 390.34.8: mêlée; 393.4.3: simitar; 394.16.10: comma after “it”; 396.26.13: some one; 397.18.4: no comma after “dark”; 397.35.8: comma after “supplies”; 398.16.3: say; 398.30.6: digged; 398.37.7: comma after “women”; 400.3.4: no comma after “square”; 401.10.2: simitars; 401.24.7: a; 402.7.1: no comma after “colorful”; 402.17.10: no comma after “it”; 404.1.10: no comma after “snarling”; 404.16.2: simitars; 404.19.5: some one; 404.32.3: simitar; 405.37.11: comma after “mines”; 405.38.1: no comma after “accordingly”; 406.7.5: some one; 406.37.7: Am-Hof; 409.12.6: some one; 411.36.8: simitars; 412.8.6: no comma after “narrow”; 412.12.13: some one; 412.13.4: some one; 413.16.1: simitar; 413.21.9: simitar; 413.25.1: some one; 417.15.7: she; 420.6.6: then; 420.23.8: Cæsars; 420.27.3: fête

The Road of the Eagles

Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, a copy of which was provided by the Cross Plains Public Library. There are numerous editorial pencilings on the typescript; these have been disregarded in the preparation of this text. 424.41.10: shore-line; 425.2.9: water-line; 425.10.1: counter-part; 425.22.4: shore-line; 425.23.12: headlong (“o” and “g” have lines penciled through them and “a” and “d” penciled above, but the hand appears to be the same that made other editorial markings, not Howard’s); 425.30.13: comma after “Cossacks”; 426.32.10: was running; 427.23.7: “zhukk!” not underlined (i.e., not italicized); 428.2.3: beards; 428.11.9: buzzard’s; 428.16.2: corspe; 428.20.6: comma after “this”; 430.16.4: prince; 431.1.1: sentance; 431.21.3: comma after “craft”; 431.30.11: “of” not in original; 431.36.5: comma after “comment”; 431.40.4: disastrious; 432.1.7: prince; 432.4.7: Alexandria; 432.6.8: prince; 432.15.11: setting; 432.23.5: ardour; 432.29.9: independant; 435.1.8: “a” not in original; 436.7.4: period rather than comma after “least”; 436.18.6: comma after “creek”; 436.38.1: suddeness; 437.16.6: no comma after “Ekrem”; 439.23.4: Well-led; 439.38.5: portentiously; 440.11.6: nitch; 440.35.8: hyphen rather than comma after “Ayesha”; 441.7.1: prince; 441.15.12: proft; 442.3.14: “how” not in original; 443.40.13: nitched; 444.18.4: comma after “wall”; 444.40.16: “it” not in original; 446.34.12: “and” not in original; 447.28.4: ecstacy; 447.32.14: for ever; 447.39.2: warriors; 447.41.2: invulunerable; 448.1.14: that; 448.34.5: agiley; 449.21.1: court yard; 450.32.11: no comma after “Instantly”; 450.32.12: comma after “as”; 451.8.6: on; 452.2.12: for ever; 452.4.12: prince; 452.5.10: “the” not in original; 452.25.2: devined; 452.33.2: prince; 453.8.2: prince; 453.31.3: no hyphen; 453.35.13: new-comers; 453.38.4: prince; 455.32.11: T’is; 456.3.12: Phillip’s

Untitled Fragment (The Track of Bohemund)

Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, a copy of which was provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.

Untitled Synopsis (The Slave-Princess)

Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, a copy of which was provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.

Untitled Fragment (The Slave-Princess)

Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, a copy of which was provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.

Untitled Fragment (“He knew de Bracy …”)

Text taken from Howard’s original manuscript, a copy of which was provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.

Untitled Fragment (“The wind from the Mediterranean …”)

Text taken from
Amra,
November 1959. No changes have been made for this edition.

Recap of Harold Lamb’s “The Wolf Chaser”

Text taken from
Lord of Samarcand and Other Adventure Tales of the Old Orient,
2005. No changes have been made for this edition.

Untitled Fragment (“The Persians had all fled …”)

Text taken from Howard’s original typescript, a copy of which was provided by Glenn Lord. No changes have been made for this edition.

The Sign of the Sickle

Text taken from
A Rhyme of Salem Town and Other Poems
(Robert E. Howard Properties, LLC, 2002). No changes have been made for this edition.

Mistress of Death

Text taken from Howard’s original typescripts, copies of which were provided by Glenn Lord. There are two drafts of this story. One consists of seven pages, apparently a first draft, in which the final paragraphs seem to be a synopsis of the story’s conclusion. The other draft, apparently a second, consists of ten pages, and ends just as Agnes and John Stuart are setting off for the house of Françoise de Bretagny. We have followed the second draft until it ends (at 511.29.2), using the first draft for the remainder of the text.