Read Online Wyst: Alastor 1716 by Jack Vance - Free Book Online Page B

immediately set to work making, real the
images which haunted his imagination. Skorlet occasionally watched him, making
no comments and asking no. questions; Jantiff did not trouble to ask her
opinion.
    In the refectory one day, the girl whom Jantiff previously
had admired plumped herself down opposite him. With her lips twitching against
a grin of sheer exuberance, she pointed a finger toward Jantiff. “Explain something:
do! Every time I come, to the wumper you stare at me first from one side of
your face and them the other. Why should this be? Am I so outrageously
attractive and extraordinarily beautiful.”
    Jantiff grinned sheepishly. “I find you outrageously attractive
and extraordinarily beautiful.”
    “Sh!” The girl glanced mischievously right and left. “Already
I’m considered a sexivationist. You’ll absolutely confirm the general
suspicion!”
    ‘Well, be that as it may, I can’t keep my eyes off of you,
and that’s the truth of it.”
    “And all you do is look? How odd! But then, you’re an immigrant.”
    “Just a visitor. I hope that my coarse behavior hasn’t disturbed
you.”
    “Not in the slightest. I’ve always thought you rather pleasant.
We’ll copulate if you like; you can show me some new and amusing antics. No,
not now; low drudge awaits me, curse all of it. Another time, if you’re of a
mind.”
    “Well, yes,” said Jantiff. “I suppose it boils down to that.
Your name, I believe, is Kedidah.”
    “How did you know?”
    “Skorlet told me.”
    Kedidah made a wry face. “Skorlet doesn’t like me. She says I’m
flippant, and an arrant sexivator, as I mentioned.”
    “I’m bewildered. Why?”
    “Oh—I don’t really know. I like to tease and play. I arrange
my hair to suit my mood. I like men to like me and I’m not concerned about women.” [18]
    “These aren’t flagrant crimes.”
    “Ma! Ask Skorlet!”
    “I’m not concerned for Skorlet’s opinions. In fact, I find
her overly intense. My name, incidentally, is Jantiff Ravensroke.”
    “What an odd name! No doubt you’re an ingrained elitist. How
are you adapting to egalism?”
    “Quite well: Although I’m still perplexed by certain of the
Arrabin customs.”
    “Understandably. We’re a most complicated people, maybe to
compensate for our egalism.”
    “I suppose that’s possible. Would you like to visit other
worlds?”
    “Of course, unless I had to toil constantly, in which case I’ll
stay here where life is gay. I have friends and clubs and games; I never gloom
because I think only of pleasure. In fact, some of us are going out on forage
in a day or so; you’re welcome to come along if you like.”
    “What’s a ‘forage’?”
    “An expedition into the primitive! We ride up into the
hills, then maraud south into the Weirdlands. This time it’s to be Parnatra
Valley, where we know secret places. Well hope to find some very good boater;
but even if not, it’s always a lark.”
    “I’d like to go, if I’m not on drudge.”
    “We’ll start Twisday morning, right after wump and return
Fyrday night, or even Dwanday morning.”
    “That suits me very well.”
    “Good. We’ll meet here. Bring some sort of robe, since we’ll
probably sleep in the open. With luck we’ll find all kinds of tasty things.”
    Early Twisday morning, as soon as the refectory opened its
doors, Jantiff went to take his breakfast. On Skorlet’s advice he carried a
knapsack containing, a blanket, a towel and two days advance ration of gruff.
Skorlet had spoken brusquely of the expedition, with something of a sneer: “You’ll
get wet in the fog and scratch yourself on brambles and run through the night
until you’re exhausted and if you’re lucky you’ll build a fire if someone
thinks to bring along matches. Still, by all means, go out and flounder through
the forest and dodge the man-traps and who knows? Maybe you’ll find a berry or
two or a bit of toasted meat. Where are you going?”
    “Kedidah spoke of secret