"Brunner,.John.-.Traveler.In.Black.V1 (2)" - читать интересную книгу автора (Brunner John)

"Well, then, let us proceed to a decision," said the Margrave. He shifted in his chair; his night in the open, although the weather was warm, had left him feeling bruised all over.
"The first point to establish," said Gostala sensibly, "is whether this Bernard Brown is indeed a god. If not-well!"
"Agreed!" came a chorus in reply.
Ruman snorted and thumped the table with a ham-like fist. "And how, pray, do we set about that?" he demanded with honey-sweet sarcasm. "For we have all previously confessed that we do not know what a god is. Was that not the reason why we never had gods in the old days?"
"I fear very much," said the Margrave heavily, "that the days of rational procedure in Ryovora may be finished. It would appear that the populace are already treating Bernard Brown as a god; unless, then, we arrive at disproofs adequate to disabuse them, life in Ryovora is doomed to become insufferable."
"Hah!" said Gostala without mirth.
"I have a suggestion," ventured Eadwil. "A god is reputed to have knowledge and power beyond what men may command. Let us therefore interrogate Bernard Brown on the most recondite and esoteric of our arts. If he fails to answer well, let us challenge him before the people, so that it may be seen his talents are small compared to ours."
"The proposal is rational," admitted the Margrave. "As I said, however, the days of rational thought here may be numbered. . . . However, if there is no better idea-.?"
None was forthcoming. Accordingly, the company betook themselves to the newly converted temple, that had formerly been the palace of the Margrave.
They found Bernard Brown-much worried, to judge by his expression-seated on a large silver and ebony throne above an enormous improvised altar. Before this throne the townsfolk were coming and going with gifts. Their most prized possessions were heaped about his feet, from their inherited table-plate to their newest garments. On the altar were piled luscious fruits and choice cuts of meat, together with bottles of delicious wine. Bernard Brown was sucking at one of the fruits and attempting to question the people. But they would not answer him; they merely listened respectfully, then went and wrote down what he said, with a view to creating a canon of mystical precepts.
The newcomers paused in the great hall to examine what had been done, and Eadwil spoke privily to the Margrave.
"Has not Tyllwin been here?" he said under his breath.
"You are right!" confirmed the Margrave. "I can scent his power in the air. Now what snare has that devious personage laid in our path?"
He advanced towards the altar. Taking his stand some ten feet away-because of the heaped-up gifts- he raised his voice and addressed the putative god.
"Sir! We are the nobility of Ryovora, come to determine whether or no you are a god, as the populace maintain!"
Bernard Brown gave a cautious nod. "I was advised about your intention," he confided. "And I have been warned not to deny the possibility. Since meeting with Jorkas on my way here, I have acquired a healthy respect for the advice I am given hereabouts, no matter how lunatic it may seem. Contrariwise, however, being honest, I must state that prior to my arrival in your city the notion that I might be a god had never crossed my mind."
The Margrave exchanged frustrated glances first with Eadwil and then with Ruman, who snorted characteristically and called to Bernard Brown.
"Are we to take it, then, that you believe it possible you're a god?"
"I don't know what to believe," said Bernard unhappily. "Until yesterday I had always pictured myself as a perfectly ordinary man. But certainly I am not ordinary in this world, wherever and whatever it may be."
"Come now!" said Ruman, bridling. "This is a reputable and well-regarded city! Or was, until you chose to intrude on its traditional sober existence."
"I chose nothing of the sort, if you will forgive my contradicting you," Bernard sighed. "All I want is to be allowed to go home!"
"This does not sound like the utterance of a god," the Margrave muttered to Eadwil, who nodded.
"Sir," he said to Bernard, "we wish to determine your powers. Are you acquainted with the Book of Universal Shame, and can you conjure from it?"
By now, the townspeople had ceased their going and coming before the altar, and were gathering in silence to listen to this discussion. It was plain that a few of them were unconvinced, propitiating Bernard only by way of insurance, as it were.
"I never heard of it," said Bernard, swallowing.
"Then of the Book of Three Red Elephants? Perhaps of the Casket of Disbelief?"
To each name Bernard shook his head.
Eadwil turned smiling to the Margrave. "It is most unlikely that he is a god!"
Then in their turn Petrovic, Gostala and Ruman questioned Bernard about the most esoteric wisdom known to them-which implied the most esoteric wisdom known to anyone. Some few individuals surpassed the enchanters of Ryovora, such as Manuus, but those persons were far beyond the commerce of everyday life and chose to exist alone with their powers, not intruding on mundane affairs.
To each inquiry Bernard was constrained to reply in the negative, and in the watching crowd some began to stare significantly at Brim. The locksmith grew more and more flustered and annoyed, until at last, when Ruman had completed his questioning, he strode forward and faced the altar challengingly, hands on hips.
"Let's have it straight!" he bellowed. "Are you a god, or is this false pretenses?"
"I-I was advised not to deny it," said Bernard tentatively, and the Margrave clapped his hand to his forehead.
"Fool that I am!" he exclaimed, and thrust Brim to one side, ignoring the fellow's complaint. "It was Tyllwin who advised you thus, was it not?"
"I don't suppose it can do much harm to say who it was," Bernard decided reflectively. "Uh-whether it was Tyllwin or not, I'm unsure, for he gave me no name. But I can describe him: a very charming elderly gentleman, with a wisp of white beard clinging at his chin."
"Manuus!" exclaimed several persons together, and the Margrave whirled to face his colleagues.
"How many of you had seen Tyllwin before yesterday?" he demanded.
"Why-" began three or four speakers, and as one fell silent with expressions of amazement.
"You have it!" snapped the Margrave. "He was there, and some enchantment persuaded us he was seated by right and custom. But I for one now realize that I have no other knowledge of Tyllwin. Well, then! So Manuus is behind all this! We must go to him and tell him that he is not permitted to meddle in Ryovora's affairs. If he chose to live among us as a responsible citizen, that would be a different cauldron of spells. But as things are, we can only respect his privacy so long as he respects ours."
There was much shuffling of feet. With juvenile dignity Eadwil spoke up. "Margrave, I regret that I dare not face Manuus in this connection. My powers are inadequate as yet. I hate to shelter behind my youth- but."
And he took his leave.
One by one, shamefacedly, the others of the council followed his example, until the Margrave was left by himself, and the townsfolk, having garnered from these events only that the nobles had failed to disprove Bernard's divinity, hastily resumed their self-imposed tasks.
"A fine lot we breed in Ryovora!" exclaimed the Margrave scornfully. The scorn was a mask for his own forebodings; he was less of an enchanter than many who served under him, having achieved his eminence on administrative skills. But nonetheless he was a resolute man, and accordingly he summoned his train and set forth to beard Manuus in his castle.

The mists parted in such fashion as to imply that this call was not unexpected, and having left his attendants huddled together in the great yard he ascended to Manuus's sanctum with determined steps. There the enchanter greeted him with warm expressions of respect.
But the Margrave was ill at ease in this place of discomfortable forces, and came to the point as quickly as manners would permit. He said firmly, when he had the chance, "Sir, since you are Tyllwin's master you know my errand."
"Correction," the enchanter parried blandly. "I am Tyllwin. I have certain other natures beside my own-a trait which I share with all persons save one alone."
The Margrave made an appropriate sign at the mention of him who has many names but one nature, and pressed on with what he had to say.
"We will not tolerate interference, sir," he declared. "Since time immemorial we in Ryovora have striven to create a tradition of calm rationality, and to rely upon hard sense. This petty trick of intruding a so-called god like a gaming-piece into our affairs is hardly worthy of a gentleman of your distinction."
"I agree," said Manuus. "And you may therefrom deduce it is not of my choosing."
"What?"