[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
Morningswake appeared ahead.
Smoke arose from a field of dry grain across Wild
Crake Pond; also ablaze was the little clapboard school-
house where those Ao children who so desired were
educated. Morningswake Manor appeared undamaged;
but looking through binoculars Kelse saw a sky-blue
Hermes Cloudswift on the lawn before the house.
Kelse dropped the sky-car to the lawn. Eleven men
jumped to the ground and with weapons ready ran to
the house. In the Great Hall they found five Uldra nobles
drinking the finest wines Morningswake cellars afforded.
Jorjol sat in the place of the land-baron, his feet on the
table. The appearance of Kelse took him by surprise; he
gasped in wonder. Kelse loped across the room and struck
him sprawling to the floor. The four other Uldras vented
oaths and jumped to their feet to stand petrified at the
sight of the drawn weapons.
Where is Schaine? demanded Kelse.
Jorjol picked himself up from the floor and mustered
what dignity he was able. He jerked his thumb toward
the study. His voice was blurred by wine. She chose to
lock herself away. She would have come forth when we
fired the manor. He lurched a step closer to Kelse and
stood looking down his long drooping nose. How I hate
you, he said softly. If hate were stone I could build a
tower into the clouds. I have always hated you. The joy
206
THE GRAY PRINCE
I felt when the erjin tore you apart was like rain on the
hot desert and caused me as much pleasure as the
attention I gave your sister. My life has not been good,
except for those two moments and now I will add a third,
for I mean to kill you. If I do nothing else, I will take the
life from your wicked Outker body.
A long blade appeared in his hand, thrust forward
from his sleeve by a spring. He lunged; Kelse jerked away
from the stroke and caught Jorjol s wrist with his right
hand; with his steel left hand he caught Jorjol s throat;
with his steel arm he lifted him into the air and stagger-
ing to the door threw him out into the yard. He moved
forward, and as Jorjol rose to his feet, seized him again
and shook him like a rag. Jorjol s eyes bulged; his tongue
lolled from his mouth. In Kelse s ears came a screaming:
the voice of Schaine. Kelse, Kelse, please don t! Don t,
Kelse! We are land-barons; he is an Uldra!
Kelse relaxed his grip; Jorjol sagged gasping to the
ground.
Jorjol and his henchmen were locked in a cattle-shed
and a pair of guards placed over them. During the night
they dug under the back wall, garrotted the guards and
escaped.
207
Chapter 16
The world Koryphon was at peace: a surly, roiling
peace of unresolved hatreds and unpleasant insights. In
Olanje the physical damage done by the erjins had been
repaired; the city seemed as gay and insouciant as ever.
Valtrina Darabesq opened Villa Mirasol to three parties
in rapid succession to demonstrate that the erjin uprising
had left her undaunted. Across the Persimmon Sea the
tribes of the Retent sullenly sat in their camps nursing
grievances and planning murders, raids and tortures for
the future, though without any great zest. On the Palga
the Wind-runners eyed the empty slave pens and
wondered how they would buy wheels, bearings and
hardware for their sail-wagons. Meanwhile, under the
Volwode peaks in the gorge of the river Mellorus, groups
of marveling scholars had already begun to examine the
rose-quartz and gold fane. The Old Erjin and his associ-
ates had departed into regions even more remote than
the Volwodes. Jorjol the Gray Prince, however, had not
been rendered apathetic by his reverses. The fervor of
his emotions had no upper limit; rather than waning
with time they had condensed and thickened and become
more pungent.
209
JACK VANCE
About a month after the expulsion of the erjins from
Olanje the Mull sat in formal session at Holrude House.
Tuning in the broadcast of the proceedings, Kelse Madduc
heard a familiar voice and saw the splendid figure of
Jorjol the Gray Prince standing at that rostrum provided
for petitioners, claimants and witnesses. Kelse summoned
Schaine and Gerd Jemasze: Listen to this.
this opinion I hold to be defeatist, vague and
unprincipled, Jorjol was saying. Certain conditions
have changed, as agreed but not those conditions under
discussion, by no whit! Do ethical principles fluctuate
overnight? Does good become bad? Does a wise decision
become a trifle merely because a set of unrelated events
have occurred? Certainly not!
In its wisdom the Mull issued a manifesto terminating
the control of the land-barons over domains illegally
seized and maintained. The land-barons have defied the
lawful commands of the Mull. I speak with the voice of
public opinion when I call for enforcement of the Mull s
edict. What then is your response?
Erris Sammatzen, the current chairman, said: Your
remarks, on their face, are reasonable. The Mull indeed
issued an edict which the land-barons have ignored, and
intervening circumstances are not germane to the affair.
In that case, stated Jorjol, the Mull must compel
obedience!
There, said Sammatzen, is the difficulty, and it
illustrates the fallacy of issuing large commands which
we can t enforce.
Let us examine the matter as reasonable men, said
Jorjol. The edict is just; we are agreed as to this. Very
well! If you cannot enforce this edict, then obviously an
210
THE GRAY PRINCE
organ of enforcement is needed; otherwise, your role in
the world becomes no more than advisory.
Sammatzen gave a dubious shrug. What you say may
be true; still, I don t feel that we are ready to make such
large readjustments.
The process is not all that difficult, said Jorjol. In
fact I will now volunteer to organize this compulsive
force! I will work diligently to strengthen the Mull! Give
me authority; give me funds. I will recruit able men; I
will procure powerful weapons; I will ensure that the law
of the Mull is no longer ignored.
Sammatzen frowned and leaned back in his chair.
This is obviously a very large decision, and at first
glance it seems over-responsive.
Perhaps because you are reconciled to a Mull weak
and toothless.
No, not necessarily. But Sammatzen hesitated.
Do you or do you not intend to enforce your edicts
upon all the folk of Koryphon, high and low, without
fear or favoritism? asked Jorjol.
Sammatzen spoke in an easy voice: We certainly
intend justice and equity. Before we decide how to
achieve these fugitive ideals, we must decide what kind
of an agency we are, how powerful a mandate our people
have given us, and whether we really want to expand
our responsibilities.
Agreed in all respects! Jorjol declared. The Mull
must come to grips with reality and establish once and
for all the nature of its role.
We ll hardly achieve this task tonight, said Sam-
matzen dryly, and in fact it s time to adjourn until
tomorrow.
Kelse, Schaine and Gerd Jemasze watched while the
211
JACK VANCE
members of the Mull slowly made their way to the retir-
ing chambers. Schaine said in a voice half-amused, half-
horrified: In addition to his other talents, Muffin turns
out to be a demagogue.
Muffin is a dangerous man, said Kelse somberly.
I think, said Gerd Jemasze, that I would like to be
on hand for tomorrow s session of the Mull.
I want to be there too, said Kelse. I think it s time
to amuse the Mull with Father s wonderful joke.
I ll come too, said Schaine. Why should I miss the
fun?
The Mull convened at its appointed time in a chamber
crowded to capacity by folk who scented momentous,
or at least stimulating, events. Erris Sammatzen per-
formed the usual convocation ceremonies and indicated
that the business of the day might proceed.
Jorjol the Gray Prince immediately stepped forward.
He bowed to the Mull: Honorable persons! To reintro-
duce my proposals of yesterday, I call the attention of
the Mull to the fact that, in defiance of the Mull s edict,
the land-barons of Uaia retain control over lands seized
by violence from my people. I request that the Mull
implement their edict by coercion, if necessary.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]