"Avram Davidson - Bumberboom" - читать интересную книгу автора (Davidson Avram)

trade with you."
"Nor do I," Mallian said, well enough pleased. He reached his hand for the map, but it was not
forthcoming. "Come, come, Elver senior," he said, reproachfully; "surely you do not think that even my
own keen mind can have committed the carto to memory? Why, unless you relinquish it, neither I nor my
newly-gained companions can be sure of finding our way out of Elver State as expeditiously as all of us
might wish."
Naccanath rolled the map up and thrust it into a tube of worked leather. "You may be well sure of it,"
he said, "for guard Durraneth and I will accompany you as far as the Rift. We would think it but ill
hospitality," he said, "to do other."
Mallian cleared his throat and avoided eyes. "I am like to be overwhelmed by such high courtesy. But
so be it... Captain Mog! On!"
He took his seat, with some sullenness, upon the cases fixed by the gun-carriage, and, the procession
underway, diverted himself by picking the locks. He found in one nothing but some handsful of a
mouldy-powdery substance, and in the other nothing but an ill-made book. With a shrug of his shoulders,
he began to turn the dusty pages and to read. Presently he cast a glance, swiftly and suspiciously, at the
Elver pair. But they, absorbed in moody thought, spared him no look but rode silently along on their lean
horses. He grunted and turned a leaf.
***


The pothecary in the first town wherein they paused threw up his hands as Mallian entered. "I have no
victualty at all to supply you with," he cried, in a trembling and petulant voice. "By reason of lacking either
a wife or servant-woman, I eat in the cookshops. Moreover, such treacles and comfits as my shelves
afford are of a highly bitter and aperient sort, though a measured quantity may never harm you if you are
of a costive disposition.... But what can these terms mean to him," he added, in a lower tone, as though
to himself; "is it not known to me, if to none other, that all these cannoneers are as dull of wits as dogs, by
virtue of having neither bred nor gendered outside their number for generations? Still, they have the
medicine of the deadly noise, and it behooves me to speak dulcetly," he sighed. "What would you,
senior?"
"Sixteen and one-half measures of crushed charcoal," said Mallian, "to begin with... large measures,
the largest you have."
The pothecary's lower lip drooped. "Hem, hem, this would suffice to rid of wind the stomachs of a
small army, though to be sure it is a small army which..." The apple of his throat bobbed in sudden
perceptive terror. "Pay no heed to my previous comments, Master!" he pleaded. "I perceive with utter
conviction the falsity of my conjectures. Charcoal-- sixteen and one-half measures. Immediately, Master!
Immediately!"
He scurried about from keg to ladle to scales, darting looks of bewilderment at Mallian. Presently he
inquired, "And what next is your design, lordling? You say fourteen and a half large measures of sulphur?
It will be my delight-- nonetheless, may I not point out that sulphur is not in current favor for fumations?
Asafeodita is much preferred nowadays as an ingredient to banish the daemons and miasmas, as well--
hem! Observe how I fawn contritely for having made the suggestion! Sulphur it shall be..."
The third substance caused him no little concern; he nibbled his mouth and frowned and snuvvled.
"Snowy nitrum, Master? Forgive both the poverty of my mind and shop alike, but-- Hold! I adjure but
myself, Master-Lord! Is not 'snowy nitrum' another name for what is also termed the saline stone, or
saltpeter? In one moment I shall have looked into my lexicon. Thus, thus. And my conjecture was
correct! Sixty-nine large measures of saltpeter, more correctly denominated 'snowy nitrum'... it may well
exhaust my supply, but of that, nothing. The drysalters must wait their pickled meats upon a fresh supply,
whenever.
"I know not the use nor preparation of this triune of charcoal, sulphur, and saltpeter. Shall I triturate it
for you with a mortar and pestle?"