"Jack Vance - The Last Castle" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

ity.
The new Hagedorn, the clan chiefs, and certain other
notables appointed by Hagedorn met in the formal council
chamber to consider the matter. They sat around a great table
covered with red velvet: Hagedorn at the head; Xanten and
Isseth at his left; Overwhele, Aure and Beaudry at his right;
then the others, including 0. Z. Garr, 1. K. Linus, A. G.
Bernal, a mathematical theoretician of great ability, B. F.
Wyas, an equally sagacious antiquarian who had identified the
sites of many ancient cities: Palmyra, Lubeck, Eridu, Zanes-
ville, Burton-on-Trent, Massilia among others. Certain family
elders filled out the council: Marune and Baudune of Aure;
Quay, Roseth and Idelsea of Xanten; Uegus of Isseth, Clag-
horn of Overwhele.
All sat silent for a period of ten minutes, arranging their
minds and performing the silent act of psychic accommoda-
tion known as 'intression'.
At last Hagedorn spoke. "The castle suddenly is bereft of
; fits Meks. Needless to say, this is an inconvenient condition to
be adjusted as swiftly as possible. Here, I am sure, we find
ourselves of one mind."
He looked around the table. All thrust forward ivory
tablets to signify assentall save Claghorn, who however did
not stand it on end to signify dissent.
Isseth, a stern white-haired gentleman magnificently hand-
some in spite of his seventy years, spoke in a grim voice, "I
see no point in cogitation or delay. What we must do is clear.
Admittedly the Peasants are poor material from which to
recruit an armed force. Nonetheless, we must assemble them,
equip them with sandals, smocks and weapons so that they do
not discredit us, and put them under good leadership: 0. Z.
Garr or Xanten. Birds can locate the vagrants, whereupon we
will track them down, order the Peasants to give them a good
drubbing and herd them home on the double."
Xanten, thirty-five years old, extraordinarily young to be a
clan chief, and a notorious firebrand, shook his head. "The
idea is appealing but impractical. Peasants simply could not
stand up to the Meks; no matter how we trained them."
The statement was manifestly accurate. The Peasants, small
andromorphs originally of Spica Ten, were not so much timid
as incapable of performing a vicious act.
A dour silence held the table. 0. Z. Garr finally spoke.
"The dogs have stolen our power-wagons, otherwise I'd be
tempted to ride out and chivvy the rascals home with a
whip."*
"A matter of perplexity," said Hagedorn, "is syrup. Natu-
rally they carried away what they could. When this is ex-
haustedwhat then? Will they starve? Impossible for them to
return to their original dietwhat was it, swamp mud? Eh,
Claghom, you're the expert in these matters. Can the Meks