Maia Page 13

  The inn at Khasik, called "The Bow and Quiver," stood on a little rise at the western end of the village, where the road from Hirdo came out onto the Beklan plain. Here, a bare twenty-two miles from the capital, there was more traffic, for lesser roads ran into the highway both from north and south. During the last mile or two of the day's journey the girls found themselves walking through (and breathing) clouds of the white, powdery dust of summer, stirred up by all manner of other travelers-a detachment of soldiers marching down to Thettit, three or four uniformed pedlars plodding together for company; a lean, threadbare minstrel, his cased hinnari slung on his back; a gang of Urtan drovers, shouting to one another in their own dialect across the backs of their brown-woolled sheep; a priest of Cran, traveling alone and doubtless trusting for safety to his robe and the other signs of his sacred calling; and six Belishban slaves carrying a curtained litter, in which, as it passed, Maia glimpsed a portly, half-naked occupant sleeping-or affecting to sleep-through all the heat and commotion.

  Outside "The Bow and Quiver" a fair crowd-perhaps thirty or forty people-were scattered on the grassy slope. Most were busy drinking, and among them a potman was hurrying to and fro: others were simply lounging and talking as they waited for supper, a few of them checking over oxharness, pack straps and such-like gear. Away to one side a group of ten or twelve were listening to a gray-haired story-teller-one who evidently knew his job, for when he paused to pass round his cup the quarter- and half-melds fairly rattled in to make him go on. The setting sun, shining full in the girls' faces, lit up the whole tranquil scene and threw long shadows across the grass.

  The Deelguy slaves helped Zuno down and handed him the basket containing the cat. After brushing off his clothes and telling them to see to stabling the jekzha, he nodded to Occula to follow him and proceeded up the slope towards the smarter-looking of the two entrances.

  There were several women among the crowd, and as they passed one of these called out a friendly greeting. Maia, who was carrying Occula's box, acknowledged this

  with a quick nod and smile but, mindful of Zuno's dignity, made no other response.

  It soon became clear, however, that Zuno was in an expansive mood-partly, no doubt, at the thought that he was now nearer to Bekla than to Thettit, and also, perhaps, on account of being not altogether displeased with his handling of the situation that morning. Having reminded the innkeeper of who he was and who his employer was, he insisted on a secure room for the two girls. Occula thanked him very properly for his solicitude, whereupon he went so far as to tell her that he was not dissatisfied with their conduct and behavior during the day. They seemed, he thought, obedient and reliable girls, who might do well in Bekla once they had learned their business. Occula, giving no indication that she had been learning her business for the past six or seven years, replied that she felt his good opinion to be most encouraging. "From someone so knowledgeable as yourself, sir-one, I mean, who is familiar with good society at first hand-such kind words are very welcome."

  "Well-" Zuno paused. "Well-you may both take supper with me this evening."

  Occula drew in her breath and looked at Maia round-eyed, as though scarcely able to credit such an honor.

  "When you have washed," went on Zuno emphatically, "and made yourselves as tidy as you can, I will meet you in the refectory: the upper refectory; that is to say, the better one. It's through there, do you see? Don't be long. What is your name?" he added to Maia.

  "Maia, sir. From Lake Serrelind."

  Zuno, nodding rather curtly by way of implying that she had presumed to tell him more than he had asked, motioned them to be off to their room.

  Once there, Occula, having looked through her box, selected a half-sleeved, dark-red pellard, its tubular skirt pleated in the Lapanese style, with a low bodice which left her neck and shoulders bare. To this she added a broad, black belt, intensifying the dusky, smoldering effect and strikingly offsetting her necklace of teeth. Maia watched her with wistful envy but without resentment.

  "Like me to rub your back, banzi?" asked the black girl, at length looking up front her mirror. A few minutes later, as Maia lay sighing pleasurably under her hands, she said, "I wish you'd do me a favor: put on that powder-blue

  robe-thing I've left out over there. Some bastin' idiot gave it to me in Thettit. I ask you-can you see me in soft blue? But then he was the sort of man who'd put his own zard down somewhere and forget it: probably has by now. Anyone pinch it be doin' him a favor-save him a lot of money, too."

  As she brushed Maia's hair and helped her to dress, her ribaldry continued, until both of them were tittering and giggling together about everything and nothing.

  "So then this man said-"

  "Oh, he never!"

  "-so then, you see, I said all right, I'd cut his toe-nails for him. And Cran knows they needed it! They'd have taken a baboon's balls off. So he went and fetched a stool and said he'd be all ready when I came back with the file and the knife. But when I came back I said 'That's not a foot!' and he said, 'Well, maybe not, but it's a good eight inches-' "

  "Oh, Occula! You are awful! Hee-hee! Hee-hee!"

  "Feelin' better?" said the black girl. "Come on, we'd best be gettin' downstairs now, or Pussy'll be havin' kittens."

  When they came into the refectory, however, Zuno was nowhere to be seen. The room was not crowded, for supper was not yet ready, though a pleasant smell of cooking suggested that it would not be much longer.

  The two girls, having hesitated a few moments, decided-or at all events Occula decided-that they had better wait for Zuno where they were.

  "Lucky he likes to do himself well, isn' it?" said Occula. "We might have found ourselves havin' to hang around in the monkey-house down the other end. All the same, we mustn' stand about here lookin' as if we were up for offers. Let's sit down somewhere out of the way and hope he woan' be much longer."

  Well-scrubbed tables with benches took up most of the length of the room. Occula led the way to the nearest corner and they sat down side by side, facing the wall and continuing to talk quietly together.

  In the corner furthest from them a group of four or five middle-aged men were also waiting, and at intervals from their direction came a raised voice or a burst of laughter.

  "What's that talk they're on with, then?" whispered Maia. "That's never Beklan."

  "No, they're Ortelgans," said Occula, "Teltheama frogs, like that damned Megdon. I was beginnin' to think he'd baste like a frog if he could-you know, hang on for two or three days."

  "There's one of them keeps looking this way," said Maia. "Oh, Occula, he's getting up, look!"

  "I thought the wasps'd be round the blasted jam-pot soon," answered Occula. "Leave this to me, banzi, and for goodness' sake remember Zuno's comin' in any moment. If he were to tell Lalloc he'd found us chattin' up a bunch of Ortelgans-well, anyway, just you sit still, that's all."

  A moment later the man, about forty, stocky and dark-bearded, edged his way between the benches and sat down next to Occula. His clothes were of good quality and he had the self-confident air of a prosperous man.

  "Good evening, young ladies," he said, speaking Beklan with a marked Ortelgan accent. "Are you dining by yourselves? Will you let me buy you some wine, you and your pretty friend?"

  "No, sir," answered Occula, looking fixedly at the table in front of her. "We're expectin' our patron at any moment. I must beg you to leave us. We're respectable girls and our patron will-"

  "Well, I'm respectable myself," returned the man. "My friends here and I, we're dealers in rope, from Ortelga. Just been to Bekla, you know." He settled himself more comfortably, putting his elbows on the table and leaning forward to smile past Occula at Maia-"arid now we're going back by way of Thettit and Kabin. I've done pretty well this trip and I enjoy spending money on nice girls. In fact, you could call me a generous man."

  Occula said nothing.

  "I've never seen a girl like you in my life," went on the man, quite unperturbed. "Now I'd
say the chief advantage of such a striking appearance as yours is that you can't blush. Your friend's blushing, though. It suits her very well, too."

  At this, poor Maia colored still more deeply: and she was on the point of bursting into nervous giggling when Occula, no doubt anticipating the danger, trod painfully on her toe.

  "I saw you arrive this evening," said the man, laying a plump forefinger in the bend of Occula's elbow, "and I saw the fellow you call your patron riding and you walking. Your patron-he keeps pussy-cats, doesn't he? Does he ever sell them? Do you ever sell pussy-cats, eh?"

  A voice from the far end of the room called out, "How you getting on, Tephil? Want any help?"

  The man, ignoring the interruption, pulled a leather scrip out of his pocket, drew the strings and dropped it on the table. Some of the contents spilled out; several twenty-and fifty-meld pieces, a sparkling pupil-diamond, a heavy silver ring and a little figure, rather smaller than a man's thumb, in the likeness of a bear, modelled in gold, with dark-red garnets for eyes.

  "You see?" said the man complacently. "I'm well setup. In fact, in my own country, I may tell you, I'm personally acquainted with the young High Baron, Bel-ka-Trazet-the famous hunter, you know. I'll be perfectly honest with you. I've taken a great fancy to your pretty friend, and I'm in a position to put a lot of money in both your pockets-"

  At this moment Zuno walked hurriedly into the room, looked round, saw the girls and stood weighing the situation with obvious distaste. Occula at once rose, turned towards him and, putting her head on one side and slightly opening her mouth, spread out her hands in a gesture implying "What could I do?"

  Zuno, approaching to within ten paces-which he evidently thought close enougli-said quietly, "A word with you, sir, if you please."

  After a moment's hesitation the man stood up and went across to him, while two of the other Ortelgans, scenting trouble, left their corner and joined their friend. Occula also took a few steps in their direction, but remained a little apart, letting it be seen that she was ready to speak if Zuno should call upon her. Maia remained where she was.

  At first the conversation reached her only in fragments. "Quite out of the question, my good man-" "-no, no; certainly not; not molesting at all, sir. Perfectly civil, I assure you." "-entirely inappropriate. You must see for yourself-"

  "But, sir," said the Ortelgan, raising his voice, which now reached Maia clearly, "these girls are slaves, surely?

  I saw them arrive this evening at your cart-tail. Aren't you a man of business? I'll pay you three hundred meld to spend the night with the younger girl. Upon my word, I never saw such a-"

  "The matter is not within my power," answered Zuno firmly. "The girls are the property of the noted dealer U-Lalloc, in Bekla. For all I know they have already been promised to some important client in the upper city. If you were taking a consignment of rope to Bekla for which you already had a customer, I would not-would I?- expect you to let me hire it or make use of it."

  At length the man, shrugging, turned away and picked up his scrip from the table, quickly and carelessly shovelling in the spilled contents with his free hand; after which he and his friends strolled away up the length of the room. Zuno sat down.

  "That was no fault of yours," he said to Occula. "I should have been here before you. Er-" he hesitated slightly-"it might perhaps be better not to mention this matter to Lalloc. Ah! Here's supper at last. I expect we should all enjoy some wine with it."

  An hour later Maia, slightly tipsy, was helping Occula to undress and fold her clothes.

  "See what I mean, banzi?" said the black girl.

  "About authority? Oh, yes, Occula, you were wonderful! I couldn't never have-"

  "No, you dimwit; I meant youl That Ortelgan bastard offered-great gods!-he offered three hundred meld to spend the night with you! That's more than old Domris used to charge for a night with any girl in the place, d'you realize that? You've got a great future, my lass, so cheer up. Better than wearin' sackin' and herdin' cattle on the Tonildan Waste, believe you me."

  "I believe you. Oh, Occula, I feel real safe with you, that I do!"

  "Safe? You're never safe, banzi, in this game."

  "Well, I reckon I've made at least three hundred meld, anyway, and no more work to it than's needed to shut the door." Maia held out her closed fist. "Kiss and don't tell goes halves."

  "Three hundred meld? What d'you-oh-Maia!"

  Maia, smiling broadly, was displaying on her palm the golden bear with garnet eyes.

  Occula stared at it speechlessly. Then she sat down on her box, looking up at Maia in bewilderment.

  "I doan' understand, banzi. Why on earth did he give you that?"

  "He didn't," answered Maia complacently. "He opened his purse-on the table-remember? Then when Zuno came in he went over to talk to him, and so did you. That was when I took it, when no one was looking."

  Occula, without replying, sat staring fixedly at the floor. After a few moments Maia realized that her silence was due to fear. Her hands were trembling and beads of sweat were standing on her forehead. At last she whispered, "Banzi, do you realize we can both hang upside-down for this? O gods, what's to be done? You blasted little fool-"

  "But-but why?" stammered Maia. "You said we was to be tough-stand on our own feet. What's wrong?"

  "Every damn' thing's wrong!" cried the black girl desperately. "Can' you see? You're not a banzi stealin' apples now! This is the real world, where slaves are thieves and thieves are hanged! O Cran and Airtha, why did I ever get mixed up with a little goat like you! That's an Ortelgan, Maia, for pity's sake! They worship a bear; didn' you know? They believe the sun shines out of its damn' venda! They believe it's goin' to return from God-knows-where and lead them all to Buggery-in-the-Sky or somewhere. That man probably prays to this! Once he's missed it he's liable to raise the damn' roof! And the first people he'll suspect is us-that's for sure. He'll go to Zuno; he's bound to. And if they find it-"

  She bit her lip, breathing hard and beating her fist into her palm.

  "What's to be done? What's to be done? I suppose there's just a chance he may not have missed it yet. We might have given it back to him and told him some damn' nonsense or other. But we're locked in! And they may be here any moment!"

  She stood up. "Give it to me, banzi!"

  In the very moment that she took the bear out of Maia's hand they heard footsteps outside, followed by the rattling of the chain and the turning of the key in the lock.

  The door opened and Zuno came in alone. Maia, who was wearing nothing but her shift, threw a blanket round

  her shoulders. This, though she did not know it, was impertinence on her part, for she had neither right nor business to be covering her nakedness from Zuno. As a slave, she had no privacy and it was of no importance whether he saw her clothed or naked. Occula, naked to the waist and knowing better, merely faced him with lowered eyes.

  Zuno, perceiving at once that both the girls seemed tense and frightened, looked at them for a moment in some surprise. Then, shrugging his shoulders, he said, "I have been giving some further thought to the offer made by this Ortelgan rope-dealer. The man and his friends are leaving tomorrow. I have decided that as long as the matter is not mentioned anywhere else-you follow me?-perhaps I need not stand in your way if one or other of you wishes to take the opportunity of making this rather large sum of money by giving the man what he wants."

  He paused, but as neither girl replied asked abruptly, "Well?"

  "I'm greatly obliged to you, sir," replied Occula. "It's most kind and generous-it is indeed. Speakin' for myself, I'd have been glad to gratify the man, but unfortunately it happens to be the wrong time of the month. As for Maia-"

  "Can't she speak for herself?" asked Zuno rather sharply.

  "She's extremely young, sir," went on Occula, "and knows nothin' whatever of this work as yet. Speakin' from my own experience, I think it would be better for her not to take this offer, invitin' as it appears."

  "A
nd you? What do you think, young woman?" asked Zuno, turning to Maia where she stood beside the bed.

  "It jus' seemed to me, sir," continued Occula, in her low, smooth voice, "that Maia is well above the ordinary run, and will command a high price in Bekla. This Ortelgan-we know nothin' about him, after all; and for so young a girl, first experiences are very important-"

  "What is that to do with you?" replied Zuno.

  For the briefest of moments Occula raised her head and looked him in the eye.

  "I am U-Lalloc's property, sir. His wish is my wish. I'm only tryin' to guess, as I'm sure you are, what that wish might be."

  It took Zuno no more than a few seconds to grasp her meaning and also there was no getting round it. "I thought," he said coldly, "that you would have been glad of the

  opportunity to make so much money. You and the girl might have kept it for yourselves."

  "You are so good-hearted, sir," murmured Occula. "What a great pity that it's not possible!"

  Zuno had already turned on his heel when she added quickly, "But I'm very glad you came here, sir. Indeed, it's providential. This trinket-after the Ortelgan had left us this evenin' I found it lyin' on the floor. It can only be his: I meant to return it at once, of course, but I'm afraid it slipped my mind."

  Zuno glanced at the bear and took it from her.

  "Well," he said, "he evidently hasn't missed it as yet. The men are still drinking downstairs; so I'll return it to him myself." He paused. "I don't pretend to understand your attitude in this business, Occula, but it's ended now. You understand me, don't you?"

  "Yes, sir."

  As soon as the sound of Zuno's footsteps had died away, Occula took Maia in her arms, kissed her and then pushed her back until her shoulders were pressed against the wall.

  "And that's that!" she said. "Now you listen to me, banzi. I've jus' saved your bastin' life-I should think. Whether you realize it or not, that was the silliest damn' thing you've ever done. When Pussy came in I was just goin' to throw the blasted bear out of the window, but even that probably wouldn' have saved us. Just look out there; see? A flat, bare yard. They'd have found it all right, and they'd have guessed how it got there. Slaves can be tortured on mere suspicion of crime, you know. Still, that doan' matter now. But what I'm goin' to say does.