"Jack Vance - The Moon Moth" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

The implication was clear. Thissell would receive no mount. He turned, set off at a run for the landing field.
Behind him sounded a clatter of the hostler's hymerkinтАФ whether directed toward the hostler's slaves or toward
him-self Thissell did not pause to learn.

* Kiv: five banks of resilient metal strips, fourteen to the bank, played by touching, twisting, twanging.
** Stimic: three flutelike tubes equipped with plungers. Thumb and fore-finger squeeze a bag to force air across the mouthpieces;
the second, third and fourth little fingers manipulate the slide. The stimic is an instrument well adapted to the sentiments of cool
withdrawal, or even disapproval.
тАаKrodatch: a small square sound-box strung with resined gut. The mu-sician scratches the strings with his fingernail, or strokes
them with his fingertips, to produce a variety of quietly formal sounds. The krodatch is also used as an instrument of insult.



The previous Consular Representative of the Home Planets on Sirene had been killed at Zundar. Masked as a
Tavern Bravo he had accosted a girl beribboned for the Equinoctial Attitudes, a solecism for which he had been
instantly beheaded by a Red Demiurge, a Sun Sprite and a Magic Hornet. Edwer Thissell, recently graduated from the
Institute, had been named his successor, and allowed three days to prepare himself. Normally of a contemplative, even
cautious disposition, Thissell had regarded the appointment as a challenge. He learned the Sirenese language by
sub-cerebral techniques, and found it uncomplicated. Then, in the Journal of Universal Anthropology, he read:

The population of the Titanic littoral is highly in-dividualistic, possibly in response to a bountiful
environ-ment which puts no premium upon group activity. The language, reflecting this trait, expresses the
individual's mood, his emotional attitude toward a given situation. Factual information is regarded as a secondary
con-comitant. Moreover, the language is sung, characteris-tically to the accompaniment of a small instrument. As a
result, there is great difficulty in ascertaining fact from a native of Fan, or the forbidden city Zundar. One will be
regaled with elegant arias and demonstrations of astonishing virtuosity upon one or another of the nu-merous
musical instruments. The visitor to this fasci-nating world, unless he cares to be treated with the most consummate
contempt, must therefore learn to express himself after the approved local fashion.

Thissell made a note in his memorandum book: Procure small musical instrument, together with directions as to
use. He read on.

There is everywhere and at all times a plenitude, not to say superfluity, of food, and the climate is benign. With a
fund of racial energy and a great deal of leisure time, the population occupies itself with intricacy. In-tricacy in all
things: intricate craftsmanship, such as the carved panels which adorn the houseboats; intricate symbolism, as
exemplified in the masks worn by every-one; the intricate half-musical language which admirably expresses subtle
moods and emotions; and above all the fantastic intricacy of interpersonal relationships. Pres-tige, face, mana, repute,
glory: the Sirenese word is strakh. Every man has his characteristic strakh, which determines whether, when he needs
a houseboat, he will be urged to avail himself of a floating palace, rich with gems, alabaster lanterns, peacock faience
and carved wood, or grudgingly permitted an abandoned shack on a raft. There is no medium of exchange on Sirene;
the single and sole currency is strakh. . . .

Thissell rubbed his chin and read further.
 Masks are worn at all times, in accordance with the philosophy that a man should not be compelled to use a
similitude foisted upon him by factors beyond his control; that he should be at liberty to choose that semblance
most consonant with his strakh. In the civi-lized areas of Sirene тАФ which is to say the Titanic littoral тАФ a man
literally never shows his face; it is his basic secret.
Gambling, by this token, is unknown on Sirene; it would be catastrophic to Sirenese self-respect to gain
advantage by means other than the exercise of strakh. The word "luck" has no counterpart in the Sirenese
language.