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

Mal pondered. Then he raised his eyes. "You say, 'For the most part'-- "
"A true relation of my statement, Master-Lord. There was an exception, a tiresome and philosophizing
man who keeps an hostelry for the distribution of liquor of malt"-- here Zembac Pix wet his lips very
slightly and made a small smile-- "and his comment was to the effect that Land Nor is non-governanced
by definition and it thus follows that Land Nor cannot be governanced inasmuch as according to the laws
of logic, a thing is not what it is not but is what it is, and to speak of the governancing of Land Nor is to
speak of the moving of the immovable which is to speak nonsense. And much other words he spoke, but
only to recapitulate what he had already spoken."
Mal said nothing, but after a moment he shook his head. Then he rose from the threshing-floor.
"Captain Mog! On!"
Captain Mog rose from the threshing-floor. "Forehead-- harsh!"
The crew rose from the threshing-floor and fell to in its sundry posts and places. "Bumberboom! Bum
berboom! Bumberboom!
"Bumberboom!"
 The great wheels trembled.
"Bumberboom!"
The great wheels moved.
"Bumberboom!"
The great wheels turned.
Along the dusty roads it trundled and rumbled. Not in one day did it reach the base of the hill, nor in
two, nor three. But by the time it reached it, most of the marshy stream had vanished away, leaving a
foundation of good hard, sun-baked mud. Fallen trees were selected and trimmed to act as brakes and
props. And when the now-dwindled stream had dwindled to a mere trickle, they began the ascent. They
shouted, they chanted, they grunted rhythmically, they howled. They pushed, they pulled, they levered.
Now and then they turned a rope around a stout tree; now and then they rested the gun upon the logs
and panted and drew breath, then fell to once again. "Bumberboom! Bumberboom! Bumberboom!"
And at last they dragged it up upon the very crown and summit of the hill, wheeled it into the best
place of vantage, and unlimbered it. "Now," said Mal, "to compose and distribute a proclamation."
Zembac Pix assisted him in the wording of it, which was to the effect that the Free Company of
Cannoneers had now commenced the arduous duty of defending Land Nor against alien and hostile
forces intent upon establishing a governance over the Land aforesaid. And that in order to compensate
the previously denominated Free Company and in order to sustain it subsequently and to guarantee its
defensive postures, voluntary contributions according to the schedule subappended would be received.
Each town was held responsible for collecting the donatives of its citizens and should any town fail to
collect and transport the voluntaries assessed it, this would reveal that it was secretly supporting the
tyrannical alien pro-governance plan. Whereat, it would be necessary for the Free Company to bombard
the town aforesaid. And herein fail not.
"How shall we sign it?" asked Mal, mightily pleased by the several crisp turns of phrase.
"Might I suggest, Master-lord, a succinct: Mallian, General-Commandating?"
"Hem a hum... Very good. But... do you not recollect how the Elver Guard referred to me as 'Prince'?
I do not wish to appear high-flown or much-given to elaborate titles. What think you, then, of a simple,
Mallian, Prince; what?"
Zembac Pix nibbled the end of his quill. "Beautifully suggested, Lordling. Subsequently. When they are
ready. One must not seem over-humble to commence with."
A breeze wafted up from the terrain below and it conveyed in it a hint of hogs, hides, horses, and
others of the rich usufructs of the land. A faint smile played upon Mallian's features. "I allow myself to be
persuaded," he said. "So be it. Go now, have copies made, post them in the public places and proclaim it
at the cross-roads. You may accompany the first train of tribute, a hum hum, of donative... if you wish."
Zembac Pix declared it would be his pleasure. He descended. He ascended. Time had elapsed.
"Canting and poxy pothecary!" Mal cried, raging. "Where have you been? And why so long? Where are