Read Online The Secular Wizard - Wis in Rhyme - 4 by Christopher Stasheff - Free Book Online
Authors: Christopher Stasheff
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, Fantasy fiction, Fiction - Fantasy, Fantasy, Epic, Fantasy - General, Science Fiction & Fantasy, Fantasy - Series, Wizards
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your Roman gods and goddesses were being a bit more forthright in their play," the chancellor suggested, "or if your tapestries showed them in all the various stages of the game.
"No, I wish them to inspire my courtiers with the urge to cultivate their aesthetic senses," the king replied. "I will have the tapestries show nothing obscene-my lords and ladies do well enough at that as it is."
"Wherefore?" Rebozo spread his hands. "I had thought your Majesty's aim was to have them occupy their time with pleasure, to keep them from objecting to your plans for government." King Boncorro looked up at the chancellor with pleased surprise.
"You delight me with your insight-or am I so transparent as that?"
"Only to me, and I am used to the ways of intrigue," Rebozo assured him. "But why seek to stimulate their appreciation of the arts, Majesty? Why not merely encourage them to wallow in the pleasures of the flesh, as your grandfather did?"
"Because those pleasures pall, Rebozo," the king told him.
"The proof of it is the increasing decadence of my grandfather's amusements, as he strove harder and harder to pique his interest in the flesh. His courtiers, too, found that sexual pleasure required greater and greater excesses to stimulate them, when it was pleasure of the flesh alone."
The words sent a thrill of alarm through Rebozo-new ways, al-ways new ways!-so he tried to make light of it. "Greater excesses, and greater expenditures to buy living bodies for them to degrade and torture. " " 'Living bodies,' yes-not 'people,' " Boncorro said with irony. "Well, there is some truth to your claim, Rebozo-my courtiers are far less expensive than grandfather's depraved coterie. My lords and ladies provide one another's amusement and pleasure. Still, the cost of these nightly revels is substantial."
"What cost? The tapestries, which you bought once, and once only, whereas your grandfather had need to procure new toys every week, sometimes every night? The acrobats and jesters, the musicians who fill this room with lush strains and a sensuous rhythm? They are
serfs, and glad indeed to have such light work, with better lodging and food than ever they might have had in their villages!
The nightly banquets and the barrels of wine, all provided by your own farms and vineyards? The occasional troupe of strolling players, who are glad of a few ducats for a week's work? These cost only a fraction of your grandfather's expenditures on performers of decadent amusements and providers of perverse pleasures." The king smiled. "Come, Rebozo! The cost is still considerable."
"Aye, but it yields a handsome profit, though it will never show on the ledgers you so assiduously scrutinize!"
King Boncorro laughed aloud, and the nearer aristocrats looked up, alert for a joke they should share. He only smiled indulgently and waved his cup at them. They raised their own in salute, then went back to their badinage.
"That must be half the reason I keep you by me, good Chancellor," Boncorro said, "to have one about who can appreciate my scheming."
"Your genius, you mean." Rebozo's smile fairly glowed with pride.
"I rejoice that my risk in preserving your Majesty's life was so richly merited. But tell me-" A shadow of concern crossed his face.
"-why do you not join in your courtiers' games? Why do you hold yourself aloof, and not disport yourself among them?
You, too, must have your lighter moments, Majesty!"
"I must, and you know that, as you suggested, I maintain a dozen beautiful serving maids who have no work but to wait upon me in my private chambers," Boncorro answered. "As to the behavior of my aristocrats, I do not think it politic to impose my own morality on them-or my lack of morality; I have no objection to fornication, though I do not share their delight in adultery."
"Do you not?" The old chancellor cackled. "I think you long for it as much as any man, your Majesty! I have seen the way you look at Lord Amerhe's daughter!"
"Yes, and so has
"No, I wish them to inspire my courtiers with the urge to cultivate their aesthetic senses," the king replied. "I will have the tapestries show nothing obscene-my lords and ladies do well enough at that as it is."
"Wherefore?" Rebozo spread his hands. "I had thought your Majesty's aim was to have them occupy their time with pleasure, to keep them from objecting to your plans for government." King Boncorro looked up at the chancellor with pleased surprise.
"You delight me with your insight-or am I so transparent as that?"
"Only to me, and I am used to the ways of intrigue," Rebozo assured him. "But why seek to stimulate their appreciation of the arts, Majesty? Why not merely encourage them to wallow in the pleasures of the flesh, as your grandfather did?"
"Because those pleasures pall, Rebozo," the king told him.
"The proof of it is the increasing decadence of my grandfather's amusements, as he strove harder and harder to pique his interest in the flesh. His courtiers, too, found that sexual pleasure required greater and greater excesses to stimulate them, when it was pleasure of the flesh alone."
The words sent a thrill of alarm through Rebozo-new ways, al-ways new ways!-so he tried to make light of it. "Greater excesses, and greater expenditures to buy living bodies for them to degrade and torture. " " 'Living bodies,' yes-not 'people,' " Boncorro said with irony. "Well, there is some truth to your claim, Rebozo-my courtiers are far less expensive than grandfather's depraved coterie. My lords and ladies provide one another's amusement and pleasure. Still, the cost of these nightly revels is substantial."
"What cost? The tapestries, which you bought once, and once only, whereas your grandfather had need to procure new toys every week, sometimes every night? The acrobats and jesters, the musicians who fill this room with lush strains and a sensuous rhythm? They are
serfs, and glad indeed to have such light work, with better lodging and food than ever they might have had in their villages!
The nightly banquets and the barrels of wine, all provided by your own farms and vineyards? The occasional troupe of strolling players, who are glad of a few ducats for a week's work? These cost only a fraction of your grandfather's expenditures on performers of decadent amusements and providers of perverse pleasures." The king smiled. "Come, Rebozo! The cost is still considerable."
"Aye, but it yields a handsome profit, though it will never show on the ledgers you so assiduously scrutinize!"
King Boncorro laughed aloud, and the nearer aristocrats looked up, alert for a joke they should share. He only smiled indulgently and waved his cup at them. They raised their own in salute, then went back to their badinage.
"That must be half the reason I keep you by me, good Chancellor," Boncorro said, "to have one about who can appreciate my scheming."
"Your genius, you mean." Rebozo's smile fairly glowed with pride.
"I rejoice that my risk in preserving your Majesty's life was so richly merited. But tell me-" A shadow of concern crossed his face.
"-why do you not join in your courtiers' games? Why do you hold yourself aloof, and not disport yourself among them?
You, too, must have your lighter moments, Majesty!"
"I must, and you know that, as you suggested, I maintain a dozen beautiful serving maids who have no work but to wait upon me in my private chambers," Boncorro answered. "As to the behavior of my aristocrats, I do not think it politic to impose my own morality on them-or my lack of morality; I have no objection to fornication, though I do not share their delight in adultery."
"Do you not?" The old chancellor cackled. "I think you long for it as much as any man, your Majesty! I have seen the way you look at Lord Amerhe's daughter!"
"Yes, and so has
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