"I don't trust that wall-eyed mercenary, I don't trust him for one second," he muttered.
"Were you talking to me?" Mikah asked.
"I wasn't but I might as well now. Have you noticed anything interesting about the country we have been passing through, anything different?"
"Nothing. It is a wilderness5, untouched by the hand of man."
"Then you must be blind, because I have been seeing things the last two days, and I know just as little about woodcraft as you do. Ijale," he called, and she looked up from the boiler6 over which she was heating a thin stew7 of their last krenoj. "Leave that stuff, it tastes just as bad whatever is done to it, and if Snarbi has any luck we'll be having roast in any case. Tell me, have you seen anything strange or different about the land we passed through today."
"Nothing strange, just signs of people. Twice we passed places where the grass was flat and branches broken as if a caroj passed two or three days ago, maybe more. And once there was a place where someone had built a cooking fire, but that was very old."
"Nothing to be seen, Mikah?" Jason asked with raised eyebrows8. "See what a lifetime of krenoj hunting can do for the sense of observation and terrain9."
"I am no savage10. You cannot expect me to look out for that sort of thing."
"I don't. I have learned to expect very little from you beside trouble. Only now I am going to need your help. This is Snarbi's last night of freedom whether he knows it or not, and I don't want him standing11 guard tonight, so you and I will split the shift."
Mikah was astonished. "I do not understand. What do you mean this is his last night of freedom?"
"It should be obvious by now—even to you—after seeing how the social ethic12 works on this planet. What did you think we were going to do when we came to Appsala—follow Snarbi like sheep to the slaughter13? I have no idea what he is planning. I just know he must be planning something. When I ask him about the city he only answers in generalities. Of course he is a hired mercenary who wouldn't know too much of the details, but he must know a lot more than he is telling us. He says we are still four days away from the city. My guess is that we are no more than one or two. In the morning I intend to grab him and tie him up, then swing over to those hills there and find a place to hole up. I'll fix some chains for Snarbi so he can't get away, then I'll do a scout14 of the city...."
"You are going to chain this poor man, make a slave of him for no reason!"
"I'm not going to make a slave of him, just chain him to make sure he doesn't lead us into some trap that will benefit him. This souped-up caroj is valuable enough to tempt15 any of the locals, and if he can sell me as an engine-mechanic slave his fortune is made."
"I will not hear this!" Mikah stormed. "You condemn16 the man on no evidence at all, just because of your nasty minded suspicions. Judge not lest ye be judged yourself! And you play the hypocrite as well, because I well remember your telling me that a man is innocent until proven guilty."
"Well this man is guilty, if you want to put it that way, guilty of being a member of this broken down society, which means that he will always act in certain ways at certain times. Haven't you learned anything about these people yet? Ijale!" She looked up from contented17 munching18 on a krenoj, obviously not listening to the argument. "Tell me, what is your opinion? We are coming soon to a place where Snarbi has friends, or people who will help him. What do you think he will do?"
"Say hello to the people he knows? Maybe they will give him a krenoj." She smiled in satisfaction at her answer and took another bite.
"That's not quite what I had in mind," Jason said patiently. "What if we three are with him when we come to the people, and the people see us and the caroj...."
She sat up, alarmed. "We can't go with him! If he has people there they will fight us, make us slaves, take the caroj. You must kill Snarbi at once."
"Bloodthirsty heathen...." Mikah began in his best denunciatory voice, but quit when he saw Jason pick up a heavy hammer.
"Do you understand yet?" Jason asked. "By tying up Snarbi I'm only conforming to a local code of ethic, like saluting19 in the army or not eating with your fingers in polite society. In fact I'm being a little slipshod, since by local custom I should kill him before he can make us trouble."
"It cannot be, I cannot believe it. You cannot judge and condemn a man upon such flimsy evidence."
"I'm not condemning20 him," Jason said with growing irritation21, "Just making sure that he can't cause me any trouble. You don't have to agree with me to help me, just don't get in my way. And split the guard with me tonight. Whatever I do in the morning will be on my shoulders and no concern of yours."
"He is returning," Ijale hissed22, and a moment later Snarbi came up through the high grass.
"Got a cervo," he announced proudly, and dropped the animal down before them. "Cut him up, makes good chops and roast. We eat tonight."
He was completely innocent and without guile23 and the only thing guilty about him was his shifty gaze which could be blamed completely on his crossed eyes. Jason wondered for a second if his assessment24 of the danger was correct, then remembered where he was and lost his doubts. Snarbi would be committing no crime if he tried to kill or enslave them, just doing what any ordinary, decent slave-holding barbarian25 would do in his place. Jason searched through his tool box for some rivets26 that could be used to fasten the leg irons on the man.
They had a filling dinner and the others turned in at dusk and were quickly asleep. Jason, tired from the labors27 of the trip and heavy with food, forced himself to remain awake, trying to keep alert for trouble both from within and from without. When he became too sleepy he paced around the camp until the cold drove him back to the shelter of the still-warm boiler. Above him the stars wheeled slowly and when a prominent one reached the zenith he estimated it was midnight, or a bit after. He shook Mikah awake.
"You're on now. Keep your eyes and ears open for anything stirring and don't forget a careful watch there," he jerked his thumb at Snarbi's silent form. "Wake me up at once if there's anything suspicious."
Sleep dropped like a heavy curtain and Jason barely stirred until the first light of dawn touched the sky. Only the brighter stars were visible on the eastern horizon and he could see a ground fog rising from the grass around them. Near him were the huddled28 forms of the two sleepers29 and the farthest one shifted in his sleep and he realized it was Mikah.
Sleep fell away instantly and he bounded out of his skin covers and grabbed the other man by the shoulders. "What are you doing asleep?" he raged. "You were supposed to be on guard."
Mikah opened his eyes and blinked. "I was on guard, but towards morning Snarbi awoke and offered to take his turn. I could not refuse him...."
"You couldn't WHAT? After what I said—"
"That was why. I could not judge an innocent man guilty and be a party to your unfair action. Therefore, I left him on guard."
"You did, did you?" Jason grated with rage and pulled an unfelt handful of hair from his newgrown beard. "Then where is he? Do you see anyone on guard?"
Mikah looked in a careful circle and saw only the two of them and the wakening Ijale. "He seems to have gone. He has proven his untrustworthiness and in the future we will not allow him to stand guard."
Jason raged, drew his foot back for a kick in the local reflex then realized he had no time for such indulgences and dived for the steamobile. The firelighter worked at the first shot, for a rare change, and he lit the boiler. It roared merrily but when he tapped the indicator30 he saw the fuel was almost gone. There would be enough left in the last jug31 to take them to safety before whatever trouble Snarbi was planning arrived. But the jug was gone.
"That tears it," Jason said resignedly after a hectic32 search of the caroj and the surrounding plain. The water-of-power had vanished with Snarbi who, afraid as he was of the steam engine, apparently33 knew enough from observing Jason fueling the thing that it could not move without the vital liquid. An empty feeling of resignation had replaced Jason's first rage: he should have known better than to trust Mikah with anything, particularly when it involved an ethical34 point. He stared at the man, now calmly eating a bit of cold roast and marveled at the unruffled calm. "This doesn't bother you, the fact that you have condemned35 us all to slavery again?"
"I did what was right, I had no other choice. We must live as moral creatures or sink to the level of the animals."
"But when you live with people who behave like animals—how do you survive?
"You live as they do—as you do, Jason," he said with majestic36 judgment37, "twisting and turning with fear and unable to avoid your fate no matter how you squirm. Or you live as I have done, as a man of conviction, knowing what is right and not letting your head be turned by the petty needs of the day. And if one lives this way one can die happy."
"Then die happy!" Jason snarled38 and reached for his sword, but settled back again glumly39 before he picked it up. "To think that I ever thought I could teach you anything about the reality of existence here when you have never experienced reality before nor ever will until the day you die. You carry your own attitudes, which are your reality, around with you all the time, and they are more solid to you than this ground we are sitting upon."
"For once we are in agreement, Jason. I have tried to open your eyes to the true light, but you turn away and will not see. You ignore the Eternal Law for the exigencies40 of the moment and are, therefore, damned."
The pressure indicator on the boiler hissed and popped out, but the fuel level was at the absolute bottom.
"Grab some food for breakfast, Ijale," Jason said, "and get away from this machine. The fuel is gone and it's finished."
"I shall make a bundle to carry, we will escape on foot."
"No, that's out of the question. Snarbi knows this country and he knew we would find out that he was missing at dawn. Whatever kind of trouble he is bringing is already on the way and we wouldn't be able to escape on foot. So we might as well save our energy. But they aren't getting my handmade, super-charged steamobile!" he added with sudden vehemence41, grabbing up the crossbow. "Back both of you, far back. They'll make a slave of me for my talents, but no free samples go with it. If they want one of these hot-rod steam wagons42, they are going to have to pay for it!"
Jason lay down flat at the maximum range of the crossbow and his third quarrel hit the boiler. It went up with a most satisfactory bang and small pieces of metal and wood rained down all around. In the distance he heard shouting and the barking of dogs.
When he stood he could see a distant line of men advancing through the tall grass and when they were closer large dogs were also visible, tugging43 at their leashes44. Though they must have come far in a few hours they approached at a steady trot45, experienced runners, in thin leather garments each carrying a short, laminated bow and a full quiver of arrows. They swooped46 up in a semicircle, their great hounds slavering to be loosed, and stopped when the three strangers were within bow range. They notched47 their arrows and waited with alert patience, staying well clear of the smoking ruins of the caroj, until Snarbi finally staggered up half supported by two other runners.
"You now belong to ... the Hertug Persson ... and are his slaves.... What happened to the caroj?" He screamed this last when he spotted48 the smoking wreck49 and would have collapsed50 except for the sustaining arms. Evidently the new slaves decreased in value with the loss of the machine. He stumbled over to it and, when none of the soldiers would help him, gathered up what he could find of Jason's artifacts and tools. When he had bundled them up, and the foot cavalry51 had seen that he suffered no injury from the contact, they reluctantly agreed to carry them. One of the soldiers, identical in dress with the others, seemed to be in charge, and when he signaled a return they closed in on the three prisoners and nudged them to their feet with drawn52 bows.
"I'm coming, I'm coming," Jason said, gnawing53 on a bone, "but I'm going to finish my breakfast first. I see an endless vista54 of krenoj stretching out before me and intend to enjoy this last meal before entering servitude."
The lead soldiers looked confused and turned to their officer for orders. "Who is this?" he asked Snarbi, pointing at the still seated Jason. "Is there any reason why I should not kill him."
"You can't!" Snarbi choked, and turned a dirty shade of white. "He is the one who built the devil-wagon and knows all of its secrets. Hertug Persson will torture him to build another."
Jason wiped his fingers on the grass and reluctantly stood. "All right gentlemen, let's go. And on the way perhaps someone can tell me just who Hertug Persson is and what is going to happen next."
"I'll tell you," Snarbi bragged55 as they started the march. "He is Hertug of the Perssonoj. I have fought for the Perssonoj and they knew me and I saw the Hertug himself and he believed me. The Perssonoj are very powerful in Appsala and have many powerful secrets, but not as powerful as the Trozelligoj who have the secret of the caroj and the jetilo. I knew I could ask any price of the Perssonoj if I brought them the secret of the caroj. And I will." He trust his face close to Jason's with a fierce grimace56. "You will tell them the secret. I will help them torture you until you tell."
Jason put out his toe as they walked and Snarbi tripped over it and when the traitor57 fell he walked the length of his body. None of the soldiers paid any attention to this exchange and when they had passed Snarbi staggered to his feet and tottered58 after them shouting curses. Jason did not hear them, he had troubles enough as it was.
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1
exhausted
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| adj.极其疲惫的，精疲力尽的 | |
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herds
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| 兽群( herd的名词复数 )； 牧群； 人群； 群众 | |
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lessened
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| 减少的，减弱的 | |
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arrogantly
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| adv.傲慢地 | |
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wilderness
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| n.杳无人烟的一片陆地、水等，荒漠 | |
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boiler
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| n.锅炉；煮器(壶，锅等) | |
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stew
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| n.炖汤，焖，烦恼；v.炖汤，焖，忧虑 | |
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eyebrows
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| 眉毛( eyebrow的名词复数 ) | |
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terrain
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| n.地面，地形，地图 | |
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savage
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| adj.野蛮的；凶恶的，残暴的；n.未开化的人 | |
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standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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12
ethic
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| n.道德标准，行为准则 | |
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13
slaughter
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| n.屠杀，屠宰；vt.屠杀，宰杀 | |
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14
scout
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| n.童子军，侦察员；v.侦察，搜索 | |
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15
tempt
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| vt.引诱，勾引，吸引，引起…的兴趣 | |
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16
condemn
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| vt.谴责，指责；宣判(罪犯)，判刑 | |
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17
contented
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| adj.满意的，安心的，知足的 | |
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18
munching
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| v.用力咀嚼（某物），大嚼( munch的现在分词 ) | |
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19
saluting
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| v.欢迎，致敬( salute的现在分词 )；赞扬，赞颂 | |
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20
condemning
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| v.（通常因道义上的原因而）谴责( condemn的现在分词 )；宣判；宣布…不能使用；迫使…陷于不幸的境地 | |
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21
irritation
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| n.激怒，恼怒，生气 | |
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22
hissed
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| 发嘶嘶声( hiss的过去式和过去分词 )； 发嘘声表示反对 | |
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23
guile
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| n.诈术 | |
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assessment
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| n.评价；评估；对财产的估价，被估定的金额 | |
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25
barbarian
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| n.野蛮人；adj.野蛮(人)的；未开化的 | |
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rivets
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| 铆钉( rivet的名词复数 ) | |
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labors
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| v.努力争取(for)( labor的第三人称单数 )；苦干；详细分析；（指引擎）缓慢而困难地运转 | |
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huddled
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| 挤在一起（huddle的过去式与过去分词形式） | |
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sleepers
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| n.卧铺（通常以复数形式出现）；卧车( sleeper的名词复数 )；轨枕；睡觉（呈某种状态）的人；小耳环 | |
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indicator
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| n.指标；指示物，指示者；指示器 | |
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jug
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| n.(有柄，小口，可盛水等的)大壶，罐，盂 | |
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32
hectic
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| adj.肺病的；消耗热的；发热的；闹哄哄的 | |
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apparently
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| adv.显然地；表面上，似乎 | |
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34
ethical
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| adj.伦理的，道德的，合乎道德的 | |
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35
condemned
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| adj. 被责难的, 被宣告有罪的 动词condemn的过去式和过去分词 | |
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majestic
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| adj.雄伟的，壮丽的，庄严的，威严的，崇高的 | |
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judgment
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| n.审判；判断力，识别力，看法，意见 | |
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38
snarled
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| v.（指狗）吠，嗥叫， （人）咆哮( snarl的过去式和过去分词 )；咆哮着说，厉声地说 | |
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39
glumly
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| adv.忧郁地，闷闷不乐地；阴郁地 | |
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exigencies
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| n.急切需要 | |
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vehemence
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| n.热切；激烈；愤怒 | |
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42
wagons
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| n.四轮的运货马车( wagon的名词复数 )；铁路货车；小手推车 | |
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43
tugging
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| n.牵引感v.用力拉，使劲拉，猛扯( tug的现在分词 ) | |
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44
leashes
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| n.拴猎狗的皮带( leash的名词复数 ) | |
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45
trot
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| n.疾走，慢跑；n.老太婆；现成译本；(复数）trots:腹泻（与the 连用）；v.小跑，快步走，赶紧 | |
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46
swooped
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| 俯冲，猛冲( swoop的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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47
notched
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| a.有凹口的，有缺口的 | |
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48
spotted
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| adj.有斑点的，斑纹的，弄污了的 | |
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49
wreck
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| n.失事，遇难；沉船；vt.(船等)失事，遇难 | |
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50
collapsed
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| adj.倒塌的 | |
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51
cavalry
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| n.骑兵；轻装甲部队 | |
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52
drawn
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| v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的 | |
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53
gnawing
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| a.痛苦的，折磨人的 | |
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54
vista
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| n.远景，深景，展望，回想 | |
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55
bragged
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| v.自夸，吹嘘( brag的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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56
grimace
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| v.做鬼脸，面部歪扭 | |
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57
traitor
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| n.叛徒，卖国贼 | |
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58
tottered
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| v.走得或动得不稳( totter的过去式和过去分词 )；踉跄；蹒跚；摇摇欲坠 | |
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