Read Online We the Underpeople by Cordwainer Smith, selected by Hank Davis - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Cordwainer Smith, selected by Hank Davis
Tags: Science-Fiction
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to do things which could never be done. The wrong me, the wrong time, the wrong place—and I'm alone, I'm alone, I'm alone, her mind screamed. The room was back again; so too were the hands of the Hunter and the little girl.
Mist began rising—
Another dream? thought Elaine. Aren't we done?
But there was another voice somewhere, a voice which grated like the rasp of a saw cutting through bone, like the grind of a broken machine still working at ruinous top speed. It was an evil voice, a terror-filling voice.
Perhaps this really was the "death" which the tunnel underpeople had mistaken her for.
The Hunter's hand released hers. She let go of D'joan.
There was a strange woman in the room. She wore the baldric of authority and the leotards of a traveler.
Elaine stared at her.
"You'll be punished," said the terrible voice, which now was coming out of the woman.
"Wh—wh—what?" stammered Elaine.
"You're conditioning an underperson without authority. I don't know who you are, but the Hunter should know better. The animal will have to die, of course," said the woman, looking at little D'joan.
Hunter muttered, half in greeting to the stranger, half in explanation to Elaine, as though he did not know what else to say:
"Lady Arabella Underwood."
Elaine could not bow to her, though she wanted to.
The surprise came from the little dog girl.
I am your sister Joan, she said, and no animal to you.
The Lady Arabella seemed to have trouble hearing. (Elaine herself could not tell whether she was hearing spoken words or taking the message with her mind.)
I am Joan and I love you.
The Lady Arabella shook herself as though water had splashed on her. "Of course you're Joan. You love me. And I love you."
People and underpeople meet on the terms of love.
"Love. Love, of course. You're a good little girl. And so right." You will forget me, said Joan, until we meet and love again.
"Yes, darling. Good-by for now."
At last D'joan did use words. She spoke to the Hunter and Elaine, saying, "It is finished. I know who I am and what I must do. Elaine had better come with me. We will see you soon, Hunter—if we live."
Elaine looked at the Lady Arabella, who stood stock still, staring like a blind woman. The Hunter nodded at Elaine with his wise, kind, rueful smile.
The little girl led Elaine down, down, down to the door which led back to the tunnel of Englok. Just as they went through the brass door, Elaine heard the voice of the Lady Arabella say to the Hunter:
"What are you doing here all by yourself? The room smells funny. Have you had animals here? Have you killed something?"
"Yes, Ma'am," said the Hunter as D'joan and Elaine stepped through the door.
"What?" cried the Lady Arabella.
Hunter must have raised his voice to a point of penetrating emphasis because he wanted the other two to hear him, too:
"I have killed, Ma'am," he said, "as always—with love. This time it was a system."
They slipped through the door while the Lady Arabella's protesting voice, heavy with authority and inquiry, was still sweeping against the Hunter.
Joan led. Her body was the body of a pretty child, but her personality was the full awakening of all the underpeople who had been imprinted on her. Elaine could not understand it, because Joan was still the little dog-girl, but Joan was now also Elaine, also Hunter. There was no doubt about their movement; the child, no longer an undergirl, led the way and Elaine, human or not, followed.
The door closed behind them. They were back in the Brown and Yellow Corridor. Most of the underpeople were awaiting them. Dozens stared at them. The heavy animal-human smells of the old tunnel rolled against them like thick, slow waves. Elaine felt the beginning of a headache at her temples, but she was much too alert to care.
For a moment, D'joan and Elaine confronted the underpeople.
Most of you have seen paintings or theatricals based upon this scene. The most famous of all
Mist began rising—
Another dream? thought Elaine. Aren't we done?
But there was another voice somewhere, a voice which grated like the rasp of a saw cutting through bone, like the grind of a broken machine still working at ruinous top speed. It was an evil voice, a terror-filling voice.
Perhaps this really was the "death" which the tunnel underpeople had mistaken her for.
The Hunter's hand released hers. She let go of D'joan.
There was a strange woman in the room. She wore the baldric of authority and the leotards of a traveler.
Elaine stared at her.
"You'll be punished," said the terrible voice, which now was coming out of the woman.
"Wh—wh—what?" stammered Elaine.
"You're conditioning an underperson without authority. I don't know who you are, but the Hunter should know better. The animal will have to die, of course," said the woman, looking at little D'joan.
Hunter muttered, half in greeting to the stranger, half in explanation to Elaine, as though he did not know what else to say:
"Lady Arabella Underwood."
Elaine could not bow to her, though she wanted to.
The surprise came from the little dog girl.
I am your sister Joan, she said, and no animal to you.
The Lady Arabella seemed to have trouble hearing. (Elaine herself could not tell whether she was hearing spoken words or taking the message with her mind.)
I am Joan and I love you.
The Lady Arabella shook herself as though water had splashed on her. "Of course you're Joan. You love me. And I love you."
People and underpeople meet on the terms of love.
"Love. Love, of course. You're a good little girl. And so right." You will forget me, said Joan, until we meet and love again.
"Yes, darling. Good-by for now."
At last D'joan did use words. She spoke to the Hunter and Elaine, saying, "It is finished. I know who I am and what I must do. Elaine had better come with me. We will see you soon, Hunter—if we live."
Elaine looked at the Lady Arabella, who stood stock still, staring like a blind woman. The Hunter nodded at Elaine with his wise, kind, rueful smile.
The little girl led Elaine down, down, down to the door which led back to the tunnel of Englok. Just as they went through the brass door, Elaine heard the voice of the Lady Arabella say to the Hunter:
"What are you doing here all by yourself? The room smells funny. Have you had animals here? Have you killed something?"
"Yes, Ma'am," said the Hunter as D'joan and Elaine stepped through the door.
"What?" cried the Lady Arabella.
Hunter must have raised his voice to a point of penetrating emphasis because he wanted the other two to hear him, too:
"I have killed, Ma'am," he said, "as always—with love. This time it was a system."
They slipped through the door while the Lady Arabella's protesting voice, heavy with authority and inquiry, was still sweeping against the Hunter.
Joan led. Her body was the body of a pretty child, but her personality was the full awakening of all the underpeople who had been imprinted on her. Elaine could not understand it, because Joan was still the little dog-girl, but Joan was now also Elaine, also Hunter. There was no doubt about their movement; the child, no longer an undergirl, led the way and Elaine, human or not, followed.
The door closed behind them. They were back in the Brown and Yellow Corridor. Most of the underpeople were awaiting them. Dozens stared at them. The heavy animal-human smells of the old tunnel rolled against them like thick, slow waves. Elaine felt the beginning of a headache at her temples, but she was much too alert to care.
For a moment, D'joan and Elaine confronted the underpeople.
Most of you have seen paintings or theatricals based upon this scene. The most famous of all
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