Read Online Mister Slaughter by Robert McCammon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Robert McCammon
Tags: Fantasy
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intelligent, as a matter of fact. He quickly understands instructions, as you yourself found out last night. I have to say, I don't know to what extent he can be taught, but simple tasks are no problem for him."
"Does he know very much English?" Berry asked, watching Zed work.
"He knows enough to carry out his job. I think he had some knowledge of English before he arrived at the auction block. It's somewhat difficult to know precisely, as of course he can't speak." McCaggers looked at Greathouse and narrowed his eyes behind his spectacles. "Before we go any further, sir, I should tell you that there is a problem. As I do appreciate and respect your offer, I'm afraid it's not possible."
"Not possible? Why? I'd be willing to pay—"
"Not enough," McCaggers interrupted. "Simply because I don't own Zed outright."
Greathouse was taken aback, and glanced at Matthew for support.
"You mean . . . someone else owns him?" Matthew asked.
"When Zed came up for auction, you can be sure I wasn't the only bidder, and that I quickly came to the bottom of my pocket. One of the predominant bidders was Gerritt van Kowenhoven."
A wealthy shipbuilder, Matthew knew, who owned one of the mansions atop Golden Hill. The man was in his seventies, had been through three wives and had the reputation of being both a skinflint and a backbreaking taskmaster. But, for all that, his ships were majesties of grace and speed. "He wanted Zed for his shipyard," McCaggers went on. "I happened to know that van Kowenhoven has not been able to buy something he devoutly desires. Due to the fact that he's wrangled famously with every mayor we've had, and proclaimed his shipyard to still be part of the States of Holland."
"That would tend to annoy," Matthew observed.
"Exactly. Well, as I knew what van Kowenhoven desired and I have sufficient influence to make it happen, I concluded an agreement with him before the gavel's last fall. Thus I have possession of Zed for four years—and we are currently in the fifth month of the third year—after which he becomes the sole property of van Kowenhoven and I presume will do the work of a half-dozen men for the remainder of his life."
"And just what was it he wanted?" Matthew asked.
"It has taken awhile, but the next street laid down by our good Mayor French will be christened van Kowenhoven . It's already on the new map."
Greathouse said with a sneer, "Son of a—"
"Sir!" Berry told him sharply. "None of that!"
He glowered at her, but his storm ebbed and he scratched the back of his neck so hard Matthew thought he was going to draw blood.
"I presume that tears it," Matthew said, with a quick glance at Zed. The slave was now arranging the instruments into his master's toolbox, which had served many of the best deceased of New York's society as well as the lowest ex-lifes. It was a shame, really, that a man of Zed's abilities should spend his life hauling timbers and tar barrels, but this particular path had come to its end.
"Wait a moment!" said Greathouse, as if reading Matthew's mind. "How much money are we talking about? To buy him from van Kowenhoven?"
"Zed went from the block for thirty-two pounds and six shillings. More than half my salary for one year. Plus, knowing van Kowenhoven, he'd want a profit on his investment, if he could be induced to sell."
Greathouse's mouth was still hanging open. " Thirty-two pounds?" It was a tremendous sum to be paid in one offering.
"As I said, I certainly wasn't the only bidder and neither was van Kowenhoven. When men like Cornelius Rambouts and John Addison entered the fray, it became more of a personal competition than a business purchase."
Matthew was thinking what he could do with thirty-two pounds. Pay off all his debts, buy some new suits, and have a small fireplace built in his dairyhouse, since it appeared that Marmaduke wasn't going to spring for it before the first cold blow. Plus there'd be enough left for a few months of meals and ale at the Trot. How
"Does he know very much English?" Berry asked, watching Zed work.
"He knows enough to carry out his job. I think he had some knowledge of English before he arrived at the auction block. It's somewhat difficult to know precisely, as of course he can't speak." McCaggers looked at Greathouse and narrowed his eyes behind his spectacles. "Before we go any further, sir, I should tell you that there is a problem. As I do appreciate and respect your offer, I'm afraid it's not possible."
"Not possible? Why? I'd be willing to pay—"
"Not enough," McCaggers interrupted. "Simply because I don't own Zed outright."
Greathouse was taken aback, and glanced at Matthew for support.
"You mean . . . someone else owns him?" Matthew asked.
"When Zed came up for auction, you can be sure I wasn't the only bidder, and that I quickly came to the bottom of my pocket. One of the predominant bidders was Gerritt van Kowenhoven."
A wealthy shipbuilder, Matthew knew, who owned one of the mansions atop Golden Hill. The man was in his seventies, had been through three wives and had the reputation of being both a skinflint and a backbreaking taskmaster. But, for all that, his ships were majesties of grace and speed. "He wanted Zed for his shipyard," McCaggers went on. "I happened to know that van Kowenhoven has not been able to buy something he devoutly desires. Due to the fact that he's wrangled famously with every mayor we've had, and proclaimed his shipyard to still be part of the States of Holland."
"That would tend to annoy," Matthew observed.
"Exactly. Well, as I knew what van Kowenhoven desired and I have sufficient influence to make it happen, I concluded an agreement with him before the gavel's last fall. Thus I have possession of Zed for four years—and we are currently in the fifth month of the third year—after which he becomes the sole property of van Kowenhoven and I presume will do the work of a half-dozen men for the remainder of his life."
"And just what was it he wanted?" Matthew asked.
"It has taken awhile, but the next street laid down by our good Mayor French will be christened van Kowenhoven . It's already on the new map."
Greathouse said with a sneer, "Son of a—"
"Sir!" Berry told him sharply. "None of that!"
He glowered at her, but his storm ebbed and he scratched the back of his neck so hard Matthew thought he was going to draw blood.
"I presume that tears it," Matthew said, with a quick glance at Zed. The slave was now arranging the instruments into his master's toolbox, which had served many of the best deceased of New York's society as well as the lowest ex-lifes. It was a shame, really, that a man of Zed's abilities should spend his life hauling timbers and tar barrels, but this particular path had come to its end.
"Wait a moment!" said Greathouse, as if reading Matthew's mind. "How much money are we talking about? To buy him from van Kowenhoven?"
"Zed went from the block for thirty-two pounds and six shillings. More than half my salary for one year. Plus, knowing van Kowenhoven, he'd want a profit on his investment, if he could be induced to sell."
Greathouse's mouth was still hanging open. " Thirty-two pounds?" It was a tremendous sum to be paid in one offering.
"As I said, I certainly wasn't the only bidder and neither was van Kowenhoven. When men like Cornelius Rambouts and John Addison entered the fray, it became more of a personal competition than a business purchase."
Matthew was thinking what he could do with thirty-two pounds. Pay off all his debts, buy some new suits, and have a small fireplace built in his dairyhouse, since it appeared that Marmaduke wasn't going to spring for it before the first cold blow. Plus there'd be enough left for a few months of meals and ale at the Trot. How
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