"Philip Jose Farmer - The Green Odyssey" - читать интересную книгу автора (Farmer Phillip Jose)

his mouth in the outside mundane world could curse his master to his face and go unpunished by the
authorities. Of course, there was nothing to keep the master from retaliating in kind, for the slave also cast off
his legal rights when he entered. Violence was not unknown here, though it was infrequent. Blood shed
within these walls did not, theoretically, call for punishment. But any murderer would find that, though the
police paid no attention to him, he'd have to deal with the slain one's relatives. Many feuds had had their
origin and end here.

Green had excused himself after the evening meal, saying that he had to talk to Miran about getting some
spices from Estorya. Also the merchant had mentioned that on his last trip he'd heard that a band of Estoryan
hunters were going after the rare and beautiful getzlen bird and that he might find some for sale when he
returned there. Zuni's face lit up, because she desired a getzlen bird even more than a chance to annoy her
husband. Graciously she gave Green permission to leave.

Inwardly exultant, though outwardly pulling a long face that was supposed to suggest his sadness at having to
leave the Duchess, he backed out of the dining room. Not very gracefully, for Alzo chose that moment to
refuse to get out of Green's path. Green tumbled backward, sprawling over the huge mastiff, who snarled with
anger and trembled with hypocritical indignation and bared his fangs with the intention of tearing Green
apart. The Earthman did not try to rise, because he did not want to give Alzo an excuse for jumping him.
Instead he bared his own teeth and snarled back. The hall roared with laughter and the Duke, holding his
sides, tears running from his bulging eyes, rose and staggered over to where the two faced each other on all
fours. He clutched Alzo's spikeтИТstudded collar and dragged him away, meanwhile choking out a command to
Green to take off while the taking off was good.

Green swallowed his anger, thanked the Duke and left. Swearing that he'd rip the hound apart some day with
his bare hands, the Earthman left for the House of Equality. It took all the long rickshaw ride to the temple for
him to calm down.

The great central room with its threeтИТstory ceiling was full that night. Men in their long evening kilts and
women in masks crowded around the gambling tables, the bars and the grudgeтИТstages. There was a large
crowd around the platform on which two dealers in wheat were slugging it out to work off resentment arising
from business disputes. But by far the greatest number had gathered to watch a husbandтИТandтИТwife match.
His left hand had been tied to his side, and she had been armed with a club. Thus equalized, they'd been given
the word to go to it. So far the man had had the worst of the match, as bloody patches on his head and bruises
on his arm showed. If he could get the club away from her he had the right to do what he wanted to her. But if
she could break his free arm she had him at her complete mercy.

Green avoided the stage, because such barbarous doings made him sick. Looking for Miran, he finally found
him rolling a pair of sixтИТsided dice with another captain, This fellow wore the red turban and black robes of
the Clan Axucan. He had just lost to Miran and was paying him sixty iquogr, a goodly sum even for a
merchantтИТprince.

Miran took Green's arm, something he'd never have done outside the House, and led him off to a curtained
booth where they could get as much privacy as they wished. He matched Green for drinks; Green lost, and
Miran ordered a large pitcher of Chalousma.

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 The Green Odyssey


"Nothing but the best for yours trulyтИТтИТ whenever someone else is paying," Miran said jovially. "Now, I'm a