Read Online Elder Isles 2: The Green Pearl by Jack Vance - Free Book Online
Authors: Jack Vance
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disapproval of Sir Kreim.
“Gax in his prime must have been a most impressive man. Even now he overlooks me by two inches. He is lean and spare, and talks in a voice like the north wind. His sons and daughters are dead; he does not know his own age but reckons it to exceed seventy years. No one brings him news; he thought that Oriante still reigned in South Ulfland. I assured him that Aillas, the new king of South Ulfland, was a sworn enemy of the Ska, and already had sunk their ships and barred them from South Ulfland.
“At this news King Gax clapped his hands in joy. Sir Kreim, who stood at Gax’s elbow, declared that Aillas’ rule was transitory, and why? The reason, according to Sir Kreim, was well-known: Aillas’ sexual perversions had made him sickly and limp. This caused Gax to spit on the floor. I declared this ‘well-known fact’ to be a slanderous lie, untrue in every detail. I stated that whoever had imparted such news to Sir Kreim was a debased and dastardly liar, and I advised Kreim never to repeat the allegation lest he be accused of perpetuating the lie.
“I pointed out that Sir Kreim was otherwise mistaken: that Aillas even now energetically worked to curb the highland barons, and would soon rebuff the Ska.”
Aillas gave a sour chuckle. “Why did you not also promise that I would reverse the course of the rivers and cause the sun to rise in the west?”
Sir Tristano shrugged. “You have not previously so much as hinted of these ambitions.”
“All in good time,” said Aillas. “First I have fleas of my own to scratch. But tell me more of King Gax and the sinister Sir Kreim.”
“Kreim is somewhat older than myself, with a purple mouth and a black beard. He is surly and suspicious, and almost certainly a creature of the Ska.
“I mentioned other events of the last year and King Gax had known none of them. The old rascal seems well aware of Kreim’s ambitions, and apparently from sheer mischief kept turning to him and crying out: ‘Kreim, fancy that!’ And: ‘Kreim, these are the men we must count on if ever we are to escape the toils of the Ska!’ And: ‘Kreim, were I once again young, I would do as Aillas does!’
“Finally King Gax sent Sir Kreim away on one pretext or another. Sir Kreim went reluctantly, looking back over his shoulder all the way. King Gax then told me: ‘As you see, my life and my reign together are dwindling into oblivion.’
“Here King Gax looked all around, as if to assure himself against eavesdroppers. ‘I have made many mistakes in my life. There is one last mistake I wish not to make.’
“And that is”
“Gax only waved a finger at me. ‘You are a subtle young man, despite your easy mask. Can you not guess?’
“I can guess of a dozen mistakes you might make. You hope to avoid dying before your time, and so perhaps you walk a narrow line.”
“That is one of the right guesses. I am dying, but only in the sense that every man of my age is dying. The Ska are patient; they will wait. But I must be prudent, because I fear poison or a knife in the dark, and it would be a cold death here in Jehaundel, with no son to avenge my murder.’
“Let me ask this, from simple curiosity. How do the laws of North Ulfland regulate the succession of kings?”
“By the ordinary lines of descent, if I die and am dead, which means Kreim. But see this circlet on my head? Were you fool enough to accept it, I could transfer the kingship to you at this moment, and then, like mine, your life would be in pawn to the Ska and you would wonder at every mouthful of food.”
“Keep your kingship,” I told him. “My ambitions fly much lower.”
“At thus moment Sir Kreim returned, and I took my leave of King Gax.”
Aillas went to look out the window, across the harbour where the wind blew up white-caps. “How do you judge his health?”
“For a man of seventy, he seems sound, though his eyes are not so keen as before. His mind is agile and his voice is
“Gax in his prime must have been a most impressive man. Even now he overlooks me by two inches. He is lean and spare, and talks in a voice like the north wind. His sons and daughters are dead; he does not know his own age but reckons it to exceed seventy years. No one brings him news; he thought that Oriante still reigned in South Ulfland. I assured him that Aillas, the new king of South Ulfland, was a sworn enemy of the Ska, and already had sunk their ships and barred them from South Ulfland.
“At this news King Gax clapped his hands in joy. Sir Kreim, who stood at Gax’s elbow, declared that Aillas’ rule was transitory, and why? The reason, according to Sir Kreim, was well-known: Aillas’ sexual perversions had made him sickly and limp. This caused Gax to spit on the floor. I declared this ‘well-known fact’ to be a slanderous lie, untrue in every detail. I stated that whoever had imparted such news to Sir Kreim was a debased and dastardly liar, and I advised Kreim never to repeat the allegation lest he be accused of perpetuating the lie.
“I pointed out that Sir Kreim was otherwise mistaken: that Aillas even now energetically worked to curb the highland barons, and would soon rebuff the Ska.”
Aillas gave a sour chuckle. “Why did you not also promise that I would reverse the course of the rivers and cause the sun to rise in the west?”
Sir Tristano shrugged. “You have not previously so much as hinted of these ambitions.”
“All in good time,” said Aillas. “First I have fleas of my own to scratch. But tell me more of King Gax and the sinister Sir Kreim.”
“Kreim is somewhat older than myself, with a purple mouth and a black beard. He is surly and suspicious, and almost certainly a creature of the Ska.
“I mentioned other events of the last year and King Gax had known none of them. The old rascal seems well aware of Kreim’s ambitions, and apparently from sheer mischief kept turning to him and crying out: ‘Kreim, fancy that!’ And: ‘Kreim, these are the men we must count on if ever we are to escape the toils of the Ska!’ And: ‘Kreim, were I once again young, I would do as Aillas does!’
“Finally King Gax sent Sir Kreim away on one pretext or another. Sir Kreim went reluctantly, looking back over his shoulder all the way. King Gax then told me: ‘As you see, my life and my reign together are dwindling into oblivion.’
“Here King Gax looked all around, as if to assure himself against eavesdroppers. ‘I have made many mistakes in my life. There is one last mistake I wish not to make.’
“And that is”
“Gax only waved a finger at me. ‘You are a subtle young man, despite your easy mask. Can you not guess?’
“I can guess of a dozen mistakes you might make. You hope to avoid dying before your time, and so perhaps you walk a narrow line.”
“That is one of the right guesses. I am dying, but only in the sense that every man of my age is dying. The Ska are patient; they will wait. But I must be prudent, because I fear poison or a knife in the dark, and it would be a cold death here in Jehaundel, with no son to avenge my murder.’
“Let me ask this, from simple curiosity. How do the laws of North Ulfland regulate the succession of kings?”
“By the ordinary lines of descent, if I die and am dead, which means Kreim. But see this circlet on my head? Were you fool enough to accept it, I could transfer the kingship to you at this moment, and then, like mine, your life would be in pawn to the Ska and you would wonder at every mouthful of food.”
“Keep your kingship,” I told him. “My ambitions fly much lower.”
“At thus moment Sir Kreim returned, and I took my leave of King Gax.”
Aillas went to look out the window, across the harbour where the wind blew up white-caps. “How do you judge his health?”
“For a man of seventy, he seems sound, though his eyes are not so keen as before. His mind is agile and his voice is
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