"Vance, Jack - Gaean Reach - Demon Princes 03 - The Palace of Love" - читать интересную книгу автора (Vance Jack)

for instance. Who would have ever suspected the virtue to be de-
rived from its perfume, until Grand Master Strubal turned it upside
down and left it in the dark for a month, whereupon it became tox
meratis? One waft will kill; the venefice need merely walk past his
subject."

Alusz Iphigema stooped to pick up a small rounded pebble of
quartz. "WTiat horrible substance do you produce from this stone3"

Edelrod looked away, half embarrassed. "None whatever. At
least none to my knowledge. Though we use such pebbles in ball
mills to crush photis seed to flour. Never fear; your pebble is not
so useless as it seems."

Alusz Iphigema tossed it away in disgust. "Unbelievable," she
muttered, "that people should dedicate themselves to such activity."

Edelrod shrugged. "We serve a useful purpose, everyone oc-
casionally needs poison. We are capable of this excellence and we
feel duty-bound to pursue it." He inspected Alusz Iphigema with
curiosity. "Have you no skills of your own3"

"No."

"At the hotel you may buy a booklet entitled Primer to the An
of Preparing and Using Poisons, and I believe it includes a small kit
of some basic alkaloids. If you are interested m developing a skill-"

"Thank you. I have no such inclination."

Edelrod made a polite gesture, as if to acknowledge that each
must steer his own course through life.

They continued; in due course the forest thinned, the path

IW DKMON PRINCES

turned out upon the steppe. At the edge of town stood a long eight-
coned structure of iron-bound timber with ten iron doors facing to
the steppe Across an area of packed clay were hundreds of small
booths and shops. "The caravanserai," explained Edelrod. "This is
the seat of the Comenance, from which the )udgmencs come." He
pointed to a platform at the top of the caravanserai, where four
caged men gazed disconsolately down into the square. "To the t-ar
right stands Kakarsis Asm."

"Can I speak to him now3" Gersen asked.

"I will go to inquire. Wait, if you please, at this booth, where
my grandmother will prepare you a fine tea."