Read Online The Eyes of the Overworld by Jack Vance - Free Book Online

with maledictions,” Cugel said for the second time. “Am I known as Cugel the Clever for nothing?” No stratagem came to mind, and he proceeded along the beach pondering the matter in all its aspects.
    The headland to the east grew distinct. Cugel saw it to be cloaked in tall dark trees, through which appeared glimpses of white buildings. Slaye showed himself once more, running back and forth across the beach like one departed of his senses. He approached Cugel and fell on his knees. “The amulet, I beg of you! It belongs to the House of Slaye; it conferred upon us the rule of Cil! Give it to me and I will fulfill your heart’s-desire!”
    Cugel stopped short. Here was a pretty paradox! If he surrendered the amulet, Slaye evidently would betray him, or at the very least fail to make good his promise — assuming the potency of the curse. On the other hand, if Cugel retained the amulet, he would lose his heart’s-desire to no less a degree — assuming the potency of the curse — but the amulet would yet be his.
    Slaye misinterpreted the hesitation as a sign of pliancy. “I will make you grandee of the realm!” he cried in a fervent voice. “You shall have a barge of carved ivory, two hundred maidens shall serve your wants; your enemies shall be clamped into a rotating cauldron — only give me the amulet!”
    â€œThe amulet confers so much power?” inquired Cugel. “It is possible to achieve all this?”
    â€œIndeed, indeed!” cried Slaye, “when one can read the runes!”
    â€œWell then,” said Cugel, “what is their import?”
    Slaye gazed at him in woeful injury. “That I can not say; I must have the amulet!”
    Cugel flourished his hand in a contemptuous gesture. “You refuse to gratify my curiosity; in my turn I denounce your arrogant ambitions!”
    Slaye turned to look toward the headland, where white walls gleamed among the trees. “I understand all. You intend to rule Cil in your own right!”
    There were less desirable prospects, thought Cugel, and Firx, appreciating something of this, performed a small monitory constriction. Regretfully Cugel put aside the scheme; nevertheless, it suggested a means to nullify the shell-creature’s curse. “If I am to be deprived of my heart’s-desire,” Cugel told himself, “I would be wise to fix upon a new goal, a fervent new enthusiasm, for at least the space of a day. I shall therefore aspire to the rule of Cil, which now becomes my heart’s-desire.” So as not to arouse the vigilance of Firx, he said aloud, “I intend to use this amulet to achieve highly important ends. Among them may well be the lordship of Cil, to which I believe I am entitled by virtue of my amulet.”
    Slaye gave a wild sardonic laugh. “First you must convince Derwe Coreme of your authority. She is of the House of Domber, gloomy and fitful; she looks little more than a girl, but she manifests the brooding carelessness of a forest grue. Beware of Derwe Coreme; she will order you and my amulet plunged into the ocean’s deep!”
    â€œIf you fear to this extent,” said Cugel with asperity, “instruct me in the use of the amulet, and I will prevent that calamity.”
    But Slaye mulishly shook his head. “The deficiencies of Derwe Coreme are known; why exchange them for the outlandish excesses of a vagabond?”
    For his outspokenness Slaye received a buffet which sent him staggering. Cugel then proceeded along the shore. The sun wallowed low upon the sea; he hastened his steps, anxious to find shelter before dark.
    He came at last to the end of the beach. The headland loomed above, with the tall dark trees standing still higher. A balustrade surrounding the gardens showed intermittently through the foliage; somewhat below, a colonnaded rotunda overlooked the ocean to the south. Grandeur indeed! thought Cugel, and he examined the amulet