[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
slashes. A long cloak swirled behind him. I had expected it to be Samos.
Page 102
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
I am Lysias, he said. Bosk, you remember me.
I smiled to myself. He, with a handful of men, had managed to escape from the
holding of Henrius Sevarius. It had occurred the night following my rescue of
the boy from the canal. The guard had since been increased. I did not think
more would escape.
Yes, I said, I remember you perhaps better than you know.
What do you mean? he asked.
Are you not the one who, in the delta of the Vosk, was overcome by vast
numbers of rencers, and forced to abandon your barges, and a treasure of rence
paper and slaves?
This man is dangerous, said Lysias to Chenbar. I recommend that he be
slain.
No, no, said Chenbar. We will sell him and make a profit on him.
The girl, Lady Vivina, threw back her head and laughed merrily.
He is dangerous, said Lysias.
Chenbar looked at me. The money that we obtain from your sale, he said,
will be applied to the outfitting of our fleets. It will not be a great deal,
but that way you can feel that you have not been left out, that you have done
your small bit to augment the glories of Cos and Tyros.
I said nothing.
I trust, too, said Chenbar, that you will not be the last of the captains
of Port Kar to pull an oar on the round ships of Cos and Tyros.
Apparently I have business to attend to, I said. If I may, I request your
permission to withdraw.
One thing more, said Chenbar.
What is that? I asked.
Have you not forgotten, he asked, to bid the Lady Vivina farewell?
I looked at Chenbar.
Doubtless, said he, you will not see her again.
I turned to face her.
I do not frequent the rowing holds of round ships, she said.
There was laughter in the room.
Have you ever been in the hold of a round ship? I asked.
Of course not, she said.
High born ladies commonly sailed in cabins, located in the stern castle of the
galleys.
Perhaps someday, I said, you shall have the opportunity.
What do you mean by that? said she.
It is a joke, said Chenbar.
When, I asked, High Lady, will you drink the wine of the Free
Companionship with Lurius, noble Ubar of Cos?
I shall return first to Tyros, she said, where I shall be made ready.
Then, with treasure ships, we shall return in festive voyage to the harbor of
Telnus, where I shall take the arm of Lurius and with him drink the cup of the
Free Companionship.
May I wish you, Lady, said I, a safe and pleasant voyage, and much future
happiness.
She nodded her head, and smiled.
You spoke of treasure ships, I said.
Of course, said she.
It seems then, said I, that your body alone is not enough for noble
Lurius.
Tarsk! she said.
Chenbar laughed.
Take him away, cried Lurius, leaning forward in the throne, fists clenched
upon its arms.
I felt the chains at my wrists.
Farewell, Lady, said I.
Page 103
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Farewell, said she, Slave.
I was spun about and dragged stumbling from the high throne room of
Cos.
When, early the next morning, chained and under guard, I was taken from the
palace of Lurius of Jad, Ubar of Cos, the streets were mostly deserted.
It had rained the night before and, here and there, there were puddles among
the stones of the street. The shops were shuttered with wood, and the wood was
still stained dark from the night s rain. There were few lights in the
windows.
I recall seeing, crouched against the wall of a building near the postern gate
of the palace of Lurius, a coarse-robed figure, foolishly come too early to
sell his vegetables, suls and tur-pah, near the palace. He seemed asleep, and
doubtless scarcely noticed us. He was a large man in the rough rain robes of
the peasant.
Near him, leaning against the wall behind him, wrapped in leather to protect
it from the dampness, was a yellow bow, the long bow of the peasants. He had
shaggy yellow hair. I smiled as I passed him. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl aikidobyd.xlx.pl
slashes. A long cloak swirled behind him. I had expected it to be Samos.
Page 102
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
I am Lysias, he said. Bosk, you remember me.
I smiled to myself. He, with a handful of men, had managed to escape from the
holding of Henrius Sevarius. It had occurred the night following my rescue of
the boy from the canal. The guard had since been increased. I did not think
more would escape.
Yes, I said, I remember you perhaps better than you know.
What do you mean? he asked.
Are you not the one who, in the delta of the Vosk, was overcome by vast
numbers of rencers, and forced to abandon your barges, and a treasure of rence
paper and slaves?
This man is dangerous, said Lysias to Chenbar. I recommend that he be
slain.
No, no, said Chenbar. We will sell him and make a profit on him.
The girl, Lady Vivina, threw back her head and laughed merrily.
He is dangerous, said Lysias.
Chenbar looked at me. The money that we obtain from your sale, he said,
will be applied to the outfitting of our fleets. It will not be a great deal,
but that way you can feel that you have not been left out, that you have done
your small bit to augment the glories of Cos and Tyros.
I said nothing.
I trust, too, said Chenbar, that you will not be the last of the captains
of Port Kar to pull an oar on the round ships of Cos and Tyros.
Apparently I have business to attend to, I said. If I may, I request your
permission to withdraw.
One thing more, said Chenbar.
What is that? I asked.
Have you not forgotten, he asked, to bid the Lady Vivina farewell?
I looked at Chenbar.
Doubtless, said he, you will not see her again.
I turned to face her.
I do not frequent the rowing holds of round ships, she said.
There was laughter in the room.
Have you ever been in the hold of a round ship? I asked.
Of course not, she said.
High born ladies commonly sailed in cabins, located in the stern castle of the
galleys.
Perhaps someday, I said, you shall have the opportunity.
What do you mean by that? said she.
It is a joke, said Chenbar.
When, I asked, High Lady, will you drink the wine of the Free
Companionship with Lurius, noble Ubar of Cos?
I shall return first to Tyros, she said, where I shall be made ready.
Then, with treasure ships, we shall return in festive voyage to the harbor of
Telnus, where I shall take the arm of Lurius and with him drink the cup of the
Free Companionship.
May I wish you, Lady, said I, a safe and pleasant voyage, and much future
happiness.
She nodded her head, and smiled.
You spoke of treasure ships, I said.
Of course, said she.
It seems then, said I, that your body alone is not enough for noble
Lurius.
Tarsk! she said.
Chenbar laughed.
Take him away, cried Lurius, leaning forward in the throne, fists clenched
upon its arms.
I felt the chains at my wrists.
Farewell, Lady, said I.
Page 103
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Farewell, said she, Slave.
I was spun about and dragged stumbling from the high throne room of
Cos.
When, early the next morning, chained and under guard, I was taken from the
palace of Lurius of Jad, Ubar of Cos, the streets were mostly deserted.
It had rained the night before and, here and there, there were puddles among
the stones of the street. The shops were shuttered with wood, and the wood was
still stained dark from the night s rain. There were few lights in the
windows.
I recall seeing, crouched against the wall of a building near the postern gate
of the palace of Lurius, a coarse-robed figure, foolishly come too early to
sell his vegetables, suls and tur-pah, near the palace. He seemed asleep, and
doubtless scarcely noticed us. He was a large man in the rough rain robes of
the peasant.
Near him, leaning against the wall behind him, wrapped in leather to protect
it from the dampness, was a yellow bow, the long bow of the peasants. He had
shaggy yellow hair. I smiled as I passed him. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]