[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
neighbor she didn't know well but with whom she was on good terms.
"Yes, thank you." Lofosa dropped her eyes when she concluded she couldn't use her abundantly
displayed charms to bait Toglo.
"I'm glad to hear it," Toglo said, still sweetly. "I wouldn't want you to catch cold on holiday."
Lofosa took half a step, then jerked as if poked by a pin. Toglo had already turned to greet the others in
the common room. For a heartbeat, maybe two, Lofosa's teeth showed in a snarl like a cave cat's. Then
she went back into her cubicle to finish getting ready for the day.
"I hope I didn't offend her too much," Toglo said to Radnal.
"I think you handled yourself like a diplomat," he answered.
"Hmm," she said. "Given the state of the world, I wonder whether that's a compliment." Radnal didn't
answer. Given what he'd heard the night before, the state of the world might be worse than Toglo
imagined.
His own diplomatic skills got a workout after breakfast, when he explained to the group that they'd be
going east rather than west. Golobol said, "I find the change from the itinerary most distressing, yes." His
round brown face bore a doleful expression.
Benter vez Maprab found any change distressing. "This is an outrage," he blustered. "The herbaceous
cover approaching the Barrier Mountains is far richer than that to the east."
"I'm sorry," Radnal said, an interesting mixture of truth and lie: he didn't mind annoying Benter, but would
sooner not have had such a compelling reason.
Generated by ABC Amber LIT Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abclit.html
"I don't mind going east rather than west today," Toglo zev Pamdal said. "As far as I'm concerned, there
are plenty of interesting things to see either way. But I would like to knowwhy the schedule has been
changed."
"So would I," Moblay Sopsirk's son said. "Toglo is right what are you trying to hide, anyhow?"
All the tourists started talking the Martoisi started shouting at once. Radnal's own reaction to the
Lissonese man was a wish that a trench in Trench Park went down a lot deeper, say, to the red-hot
center of the earth. He would have shoved Moblay into it. Not only was he a boor, to use a woman's
name without the polite particle (using it uninvited even with the particle would have been an undue
liberty), he was a snoop and a rabble-rouser.
Peggol vez Menk slammed his open hand down on the table beside which Dokhnor of Kellef had died.
The boom cut through the chatter. Into sudden silence, Peggol said, "Freeman vez Krobir changed your
itinerary at my suggestion. Aspects of the murder case suggest that course would in the best interests of
Tartesh."
"This tells us nothing, not a thing." Now Golobol sounded really angry, not just upset at breaking routine.
"You say these fine-sounding words, but where is the meaning behind them?"
"If I told you everything you wished to know, freeman, I would also be telling those who should not
hear," Peggol said.
"Pfui!" Golobol stuck out his tongue.
Eltsac vez Martois said, "I think you Eyes and Ears think you're little tin demigods."
But Peggol's pronouncement quieted most of the tourists. Ever since starbombs came along, nations had
grown more anxious about keeping secrets from one another. That struck Radnal as worrying about the
cave cat after he'd carried off the goat, but who could tell? There might be worse things than starbombs.
He said, "As soon as I can, I promise I will tell all of you everything I can about what's going on." Peggol
vez Menk gave him a hard look; Peggol wouldn't have told anyone his own name if he could help it.
"Whatis going on?" Toglo echoed.
Since Radnal was none too certain himself, he met that comment with dignified silence. He did say, "The
longer we quarrel here, the less we'll have the chance to see, no matter which direction we end up
choosing."
"That makes sense, freeman vez Krobir," Evillia said. Neither she nor Lofosa had argued about going
east as opposed to west.
Radnal looked around the group, saw more resignation than outrage. He said, "Come now, freemen,
freeladies, let's head for the stables. There are many fascinating things to see east of the lodge and to
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
