Read Online The Virgin of Zesh & the Tower of Zanid by L. Sprague de Camp - Free Book Online

of which she had received a smattering. But she did not think it wise to argue with the man who controlled the food supply.
    The procession wound up a steep trail from the beach to the plateau. It continued along a level, through the trees, for a half-kilometer and came out upon a large cleared area. Amid the fields, Althea saw a clump of shade trees, which had been left standing when the area was cleared. Among the bases of these trees rose a cluster of huts.
    People were visible. As Kirwan had said, they were naked, but they were not dancing. On the contrary, they were busily hoeing, raking, and otherwise tilling the soil of Zesh. As Althea came closer, she saw that they were all dark brown of skin, either naturally or from long exposure to the sun. They glanced up as the procession, the piper still tootling, marched in among the huts, but returned to their work with furtive haste.
    One structure was larger than the rest. As they passed its open door, Althea saw the backs of a number of children. This, she thought, must be the school and meeting house.
    “Here,” said Diogo Kuroki, indicating a hut. “This one is empty. You newcomers may occupy it for the nonce.”
    Althea looked at Kuroki in alarm. Such a living arrangement would complete the ruin of whatever reputation she still bore among the missionaries of Ecumenical Monotheism. She asked. “Couldn’t you put me in with one of the women?”
    “Why?”
    “I’m not married to either of these gentlemen.”
    “Married? We don’t bother with such artificial formalities, senhorita. This is the best that we can do. If you prefer to sleep in a tree, you are welcome to do so. As soon as we get some more houses finished and Senhor Orpheus chooses a mate, he will no doubt move out. Then you and Senhor Bahr can decide what you wish to do. In any case, we do not encourage the celibate life here—”
    Kuroki’s speech was interrupted by a shout. Two running cultists rounded the corner of one of the huts. The second was chasing the first with a hoe.
    Kuroki shouted “Stop!” but the pair kept on without heeding, the second swinging his implement at the head of the first. As they passed out of sight around another hut, Kuroki said, “What are they fighting about this time?”
    One of the girls spoke up, “They are rivals for the love of Senhora Psyche.”
    “I thought Psyche was Aristotle’s mate?” said Kuroki.
    “She is, but they hope to persuade her to leave him for one of them.”
    “I’ll fine them a week’s leisure for behaving in such a civilized manner! He might break a good hoe. All right, you newcomers, you shall have a quarter-hour to move in. Then report to Senhor Diomedes here for work. Remember the rules: no shirking, no irregularities or non-cooperation, no unauthorized contact with Záva or other outsiders. That is all.”
    The procession broke up, the participants trailing off about their various concerns. Althea, followed by Bahr and Kirwan, entered the designated hut. This was a one-room affair with a dirt floor and four crude beds. Kirwan, setting down his bag, said, “Bedad, the triumphal welcome didn’t last long.”
    “It seems to me,” said Bahr, “that you will be compelled to work harder and longer here than you ever were on Earth.”
    “Oh, that’s because they don’t appreciate my genius yet. Just wait.”
    A quarter-hour later, the three were out in the central plaza again. Presently Senhor Diomedes, a stout, bald, and uncommonly muscular man, with a great mass of curly graying beard sweeping his hairy chest, appeared without his ceremonial cloak. Two others came with him. He said, “Senhor Orpheus, our irrigation-water supply is low, so you shall spend the afternoon filling the tank from the well bucket. Senhor Achilles will show you how.” (Kirwan groaned.) “Senhor Gottfried, your help is required by Senhor Thales, our carpenter. Senhorita Althea, the badr field needs weeding. Come along, please.”
    Althea followed the