[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

way. My situation is unusual and severe. Within a matter of days
I'm going to have to fight and beat a man as skilled as the average
Swordsmaster."
Brodth looked at him.
Page 24
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"And who," he inquired, still dryly, "might this man
"I don't know," said Jase. "But hell probably be a Champion of one of the
Heads of Family."
Brodth stared at him for a second longer. Then the tightening about his nose
relaxed, and his eyes relaxed to let humor enter them.
"At least," he said, "you're not some young puppy who thinks he can buy the
right to boast that he has Brodth Youngerbrother for his personal fencing
instructor."
"Sir," said Jase humbly, "I would even be glad to keep it a secret if you want
it so."
Brodth chortled. Like most Swordsmasters, Jase saw, he had long ago got over
being touchy about his personal Honor- which no ordinary layman was liable to
challenge in any case. Jase's hopes lifted. He had hoped for much, but he had
not dared hope that Brodth would be possessed of a sense of humor.
"Well, well," said the Swordsmaster. "Come here." He led Jase across to a rack
of the long, twin-bladed, basket-hilted duelling foils- identical in all save
edge and point with the actual weapons used in an affair of
Honor. "Choose one," he told Jase, "and run through the first twenty-six beats
of the primary drill. I can tell all I need to know by watching you."
file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/G...n%20R%20Dickson%20-%20The%20Alie
n%20Way.txt (27 of 118) [11/1/2004 12:02:39 AM]
file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Gordon%20R%20Dickson%20-%20The%20Ali
en%20Way.txt
The fur matting a little with perspiration under his chin, Jase scanned the
rack of swords. There were weights and lengths there for all sizes of man. As
Swordsmaster, let alone the man who had won the supreme
Championship in the interworld competitions of the best of the Rural race,
Brodth would have unhesitatingly chosen the heaviest and longest for himself.
But Jase, only two seasons adult, was barely average height for a Ruml and no
more than average weight.
He reached out and chose a sword that he judged to be even a few ounces
lighter and shorter than the one he exercised with back at the Brutogasi
Castle. He balanced it in his fist, point up, then swung it a few times to get
the feel of the particular suppleness of its long, narrow twin blades. Then-he
stamped once on the floor to give himself the beat and lunged into the first
of the primary drill movements.
He attacked in five movements, retreated in four, attacked in six, retreated
in two, attacked in two, retreated in two, attacked in four .
. . and was suddenly overwhelmed by self-consciousness. His fifth attack
movement, the concluding" lunge, saw him stumble and almost lose his feet.
He pulled himself erect, his neck-fur soaked with the sweat of self-hatred and
misery. He replaced the sword in its rack and turned to face the expected cold
invitation by Brodth to leave the establishment.
But it did not come. Brodth was looking at him curiously.
"I don't know what . . ." Jase was beginning to stammer, when Brodth cut him
short with a negligent wave of one hand.
"That fault?" said the Swordsmaster. "Nothing. You suddenly remembered I
was watching. In an actual duel you'd have had no emotion left over to make a
fool of yourself. No ..." He considered Jase, rubbing his chin.
"You're not bad. You didn't choose a sword too heavy for you to show off in
front of me. Your reflexes are really excellent. And when you faulted just
now, you didn't try to blame it on an unfamiliar weapon or the polish on the
floor."
He fell silent, rubbing his chin and studying Jase.
"Then . . . ?" asked Jase. "You think it's possible? I could be trained to
win--"
Brodth dropped his hand from his chin.
"Against Family Head's Champion?" he said, frankly. "Never in a thousand
Page 25
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
years. As I say, your reflexes are excellent. If that were all-" he twitched
his head, shruggingly, "but you're too small, my young friend."
He looked at Jase almost with sympathy. "A Family Champion will have half an
arm's length reach on you, and a third again the weight-to say nothing of
experience, and possibly reflexes as fast as yours."
He shook his head.
"No," he said. "Take my advice-and I won't even charge you for it. Just don't
challenge this man."
"I'm afraid . . . ," said Jase, "there's no choice."
"No choice?" Brodth stared down at him "What do you mean? He can't have
challenged you-that wouldn't be possible. And he can't crowd you into
challenging him. Look here," said Brodth, "if somebody's been taking
file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/G...n%20R%20Dickson%20-%20The%20Alie
n%20Way.txt (28 of 118) [11/1/2004 12:02:39 AM]
file:///G|/Program%20Files/eMule/Incoming/Gordon%20R%20Dickson%20-%20The%20Ali
en%20Way.txt advantage of you on the strength of his position or ability as
Champion to the Head of a Family-"
"No. Nothing like that," said Jase. "As I told you, I don't even know who I
must challenge. But I will be challenging someone like that before long." He
hesitated. "Sir, I repeat the last desire I have is to offend you, but if you
could give me a little help with the sword, even though you know it's hopeless
. . ." He reached and got the list of worths from his harness pouch and handed
it to the Swordsmaster. "I have an adequate drawing account, and even the
instruction of one of your assistants-*
"Sword and my Honor!" exploded Brodth, staring at the list. "You've pledged
your Family coffer-rights? --To pay for fencing lessons?"
Jase's neck trembled. He caught himself just in time from reaching out to
pluck the list back from the Swordsmaster's grasp. He had only intended to
show the other man the total. His eyes burned with embarrassment. The fencing
room seemed to rock around him. He looked right and left, expecting to see the
assistants and pupils all having ceased fencing and staring at him. But, he
saw suddenly, except for himself and Brodth, the room was empty. The others
had concluded their efforts and gone.
"I plan . . ." Jase's voice was husky. "I plan a great effort. .
"But you young idiot!" said Brodth, with a Master Swordsman's indifference to
the need for respecting other men's touchiness about name-calling. "Don't you
realize you could be disavowed if you can't pay the pledge in time? And
where's someone your age to get a sum like that?
What are you counting on-Founding a Kingdom?"
"Yes," admitted Jase, miserably. "I--"
He broke off, seeing Brodth staring at him, and became belatedly aware that
the other man had not meant his question seriously.
"You . . . are!" said the Swordsmaster, finally. "You actually think . .
. Do you know what the odds are against one man . . . ?"
Jase nodded grimly.
"That's why I didn't intend to mention it to anyone," he said, stiffly.
"May I depend on you as an honorable man to keep my inadvertent admission to
yourself---
"Yes, yes, of course . . ." muttered Brodth, still staring at him.
"What's your name?"
Jase told him. Brodth stared for a second longer, then his eyes lit with
recognition.
"You're the scout that encountered that artifact in space some weeks back!"
said the Swordsmaster.
"Yes," said Jase, shortly. He turned toward the entrance. "Well, sir, if none
of your assistants are able to take me--"
"Wait!" said Brodth.
Jason turned about. The Swordsmaster was looking at him strangely.
Page 26
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]