farmer, philip jose - riverworld 1 - to your scattered bodies go

8/11/2019 Farmer, Philip Jose - Riverworld 1 - To Your Scattered Bodies Go

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To YourTo Your

ScatteredScattered

Bodies GoBodies Goby Philip Jose Farmer

"

His ife had held him in her arms as if she co&ld %eep death aay from

him.

He had cried o&t2 3My God2 4 am a dead man6 7he door to the room

had opened2 and he had seen a giant2 blac%2 one8h&mped camel o&tside

and had heard the tin%le of the bells on its harness as the hot desert ind

to&ched them. 7hen a h&ge blac% face topped by a great blac%8t&rban had

appeared in the dooray. 7he blac% e&n&ch had come in thro&gh the door2

mo9ing li%e a clo&d2 ith a gigantic scimitar in his hand. :eath2 the

:estroyer of :elights and the S&nderer of Society2 had arri9ed at last.

;lac%ness. &al intensity as e9eryhere. He co&ld see2 yet

he did not &nderstand hat he as seeing. What ere these things abo9e2

beside2 belo him? Where as he? He tried to sit &p and felt2 n&mbly2 a

panic. 7here as nothing to sit &p &pon beca&se he as hanging in

nothingness. 7he attempt sent him forard and o9er2 9ery sloly2 as if he

ere in a bath of thin treacle. = foot from his fingertips as a rod of bright

red metal. 7he rod came from abo9e2 from infinity2#and ent on don to
http://www.geocities.com/rtgraphicswebmailto:[email protected]://www.geocities.com/rtgraphicswebmailto:[email protected]


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infinity. He tried to grasp it beca&se it as the nearest solid ob@ect2 b&t

something in9isible as resisting him. 4t as as if lines of some force ere

p&shing against him2 repelling him.

Sloly2 he t&rned o9er in a somersa&lt. 7hen the resistance halted

him ith his fingertips abo&t six inches from the rod. He straightened his

body o&t and mo9ed forard a fraction of an inch. =t the same time2 his

body began to rotate on its longit&dinal axis. He s&c%ed in sir ith alo&d

saing noise. 7ho&gh he %ne no hold existed for him2 he co&ld not help

flailing his arms in panic to try to seiAe onto something.

He as face 6don62 (or as it &p?) Whate9er the direction2 it as

opposite to that toard hich he had been loo%ing hen he had aa%ened.


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Where as this place? $ertainly2 it as not the city of 7rieste of the

=&stro8H&ngarian Bmpire of "DE.

4t as li%e no hell or hea9en of hich he had e9er heard or read2

and he had tho&ght that he as ac>&ainted ith e9ery theory of the

afterlife.

He had died.


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to let himself don2 and then he loo%ed &pard and he forgot abo&t the

bodies h&rtling by him. Somehere o9erhead2 a h&mming as o9erriding

the hooshing so&nd of the falling bodies.

= narro craft2 of some bright green s&bstance and shad li%e a

canoe2 as sin%ing beteen the col&mn of the fallers and the neighboring

col&mn of s&spended. 7he aerial canoe had no 9isible means of s&pport2

he tho&ght2 and it as a meas&re of his terror that he did not e9en thin%

abo&t his p&n.


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conscio&sness that he as aare that he had been dreaming. ight as

replacing the night.

7hen his eyes did open. =nd he did not %no here he as. . =

bl&e s%y as abo9e. = gentle breeAe floed o9er his na%ed body His

hairless head and his bac% and legs and the palms of his hands ets

against grass. He t&rned his head to the right#end sa a plain co9ered

ith 9ery short2 9ery green2 9ery thic% grass. 7he plain sloped gently

&pard for a mile. ;eyond the plain as a range of hills that started o&t

mildly2 then became steeper and higher and 9ery irreg&lar in shape as they

climbed toard the mo&ntains. 7he hills seemed to r&n for abo&t to and a

half miles. =ll ere co9ered ith trees2 some of hich blaAed ith starlets2

aA&res2 bright greens2 flaming yellos2 and deep pin%s. 7he mo&ntains

beyond the hills rose s&ddenly2 perperpendic&larly2 and &nbelie9ably high.

7hey ere blac% and bl&ish8green2 loo%ing li%e a glassy igneo&s roc% ith

h&ge splotches of lichen co9ering at least a >&arter of the s&rface.

;eteen him and the hills ere many h&man bodies. 7he closest

one2 only a fe feet aay2 as that of the hite oman ho had been

belo him in that 9ertical ro.

He anted to rise &p2 b&t he as sl&ggish and n&mb. =ll he co&ld

do for the moment2 and that re>&ired a strong effort2 as to t&rn his head to

the left. 7here ere more na%ed bodies there on a plain that sloped don

to a ri9er perhaps " yards aay. 7he ri9er as abo&t a mile ide2 and on

its other side as another plain2 probably abo&t a mile broad and sloping

&pard to foothills co9ered ith more of the trees and then the toering

precipito&s blac% and bl&ish8green mo&ntains. 7hat as the east2 he

tho&ght froAenly. 7he s&n had @&st risen o9er the top of the mo&ntain there.

=lmost by the ri9er6s edge as a strange str&ct&re. 4t as a gray

red8flec%ed granite and as shaped li%e a m&shroom. 4ts broad base co&ld

not be more than fi9e feet high2 and the m&shroom top had a diameter of

abo&t fifty feet.

He managed to rise far eno&gh to s&pport himself on one elbo.

7here ere more m&shroom8shaped granites along both sides2 of

the ri9er.

B9eryhere on the plain ere &nclothed bald8headed h&man

beings2 spaced abo&t six feet apart. Most ere still on their bac%s and

gaAing into the s%y. Cthers ere beginning to stir2 to loo% aro&nd2 or e9en

sitting &p.

He sat &p also and felt his head and face ith both hands. 7hey

ere smooth.His body2 as not that rin%led2 ridged2 b&mpy2 ithered body of the

sixty8nine8year8old hich had lain on his deathbed. 4t as the smooth8

s%inned and poerf&lly m&scled body he had hen he as tenty8fi9e

years old. 7he same body he had hen he as floating beteen those

rods in that dream. :ream? 4t had seemed too 9i9id to be a dream. 4t as

not a dream.

=ro&nd his rist as a thin band of transparent material. 4t as

connected to a six8inch8long strap of the same material. 7he other end asclenched abo&t a metallic arc2 the handle of a grayish metal cylinder ith a

closed co9er.

4dly2 not concentrating beca&se his mind as too sl&ggish2 he lifted

the cylinder. 4t eighed less than a po&nd2 so it co&ld not be of iron e9en if

it as hollo. 4ts diameter as a foot and a half and it as o9er to and a

half feet tall.

B9eryone had a similar ob@ect strapped to his rist.

nsteadily2 his heart beginning to pic% &p speed as his sensesbecame &nn&mbered2 he got to his feet.

Cthers ere rising2 too. Many had faces hich ere slac% or

congealed ith an icy onder. Some loo%ed fearf&l. 7heir eyes ere ide

and rolling their chests rose and fell siftly their breaths hissed o&t. Some

ere sha%ing as if an icy ind had sept o9er them2 tho&gh the air as

pleasantly arm.

7he strange thing2 the really alien and frightening thing2 as the

almost complete silence.


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a lo histling from a oman.

7heir mo&ths h&ng open2 as if they ere abo&t to say something.

7hey began mo9ing abo&t2 loo%ing into each other6s faces2

sometimes reaching o&t to lightly to&ch another. 7hey sh&ffled their bare

feet2 t&rned this ay2 t&rned bac% the other ay2 gaAed at the hills2 the trees

co9ered ith the h&ge 9i9idly colored blooms2 the licheno&s and soaring

mo&ntains2 the spar%ling and green ri9er2 the m&shroom8shaped stones2

the straps and the gray metallic containers.

Some felt their na%ed s%&lls and their faces.

B9erybody as encased in a mindless motion and in silence.

S&ddenly2 a oman began moaning. She san% to her %nees2 thre

her head and her sho&lders bac%2 and she holed. =t the same time2 far

don the ri9erban%2 somebody else holed.

4t as as if these to cries ere signals. Cr as if the to ere

do&ble %eys to the h&man 9oice and had &nloc%ed it.

7he men and omen and children began screaming or sobbing or

tearing at their faces ith their nails or beating themsel9es on their breasts

or falling on their %nees and lifting their hands in prayer or throing

themsel9es don and trying to b&ry their faces in the grass as if2 ostrich8

li%e2 to a9oid being seen2 or rolling bac% and forth2 bar%ing li%e dogs or

holing li%e ol9es.

7he terror and the hysteria gripped ;&rton. He anted to go to his

%nees and pray for sal9ation from @&dgment. He anted mercy. He did not

ant to see the blinding face of God appear o9er the mo&ntains2 a face

brighter than the s&n. He as not as bra9e and as g&iltless as he had

tho&ght. N&dgment o&ld be so terrifying2 so &tterly final2 that he co&ld not

bear to thin% abo&t it.

Cnce2 he had had a fantasy abo&t standing before God after he had

died. He had been little and na%ed and in the middle of a 9ast plain2 li%e

this2 b&t he had been all alone. 7hen God2 great as a mo&ntain2 had strode

toard him =nd he2 ;&rton2 had stood his gro&nd and defied God.

7here as no God here2 b&t he fled anyay. He ran across the

plain2 p&shing men and omen o&t of the ay2 r&nning aro&nd some2

leaping o9er others as they rolled on the gro&nd. =s he ran2 he holed2

3


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loo%ed aro&nd for a stic% or a cl&b. He did not ha9e the slightest idea hat

as on the agenda for h&manity2 b&t if it as left &ns&per9ised or

&ncontrolled it o&ld soon be re9erting to its normal state. Cnce the shoc%

as o9er2 the people o&ld be loo%ing o&t for themsel9es2 and that meant

that some o&ld be b&llying others.

He fo&nd nothing &sef&l as a eapon. 7hen it occ&rred to him that

the metal cylinder co&ld be &sed as a eapon. He banged it against a tree.

7ho&gh it had little eight2 it as extremely hard.

He raised the lid2 hich as hinged inside at one end. 7he hollo

interior had six snapdon rings of metal2 three on each side and spaced so

that each co&ld hold a deep c&p or dish or2 rectang&lar container of gray

metal. =ll the containers ere empty. He closed the lid. :o&btless he o&ld

find o&t in time the f&nction of the cylinder as.

Whate9er else had happened2 res&rrection had not res&lted in

bodies of fragile misty ectoplasm. He as all bone and blood and flesh.

7ho&gh he still felt somehat detached from reality2 as if he had

been disengaged from the gears of the orld2 he as emerging from his

shoc%.

He as thirsty. He o&ld ha9e to go don and drin% from the ri9er

and hope that it o&ld not be poisoned. =t this tho&ght2 he grinned ryly2

and stro%ed his &pper lip. His finger felt disappointed. 7hat as a c&rio&s

reaction2 he tho&ght2 and then he remembered that his thic% mo&stache

as gone. Ch2 yes2 he had hoped that the ri9erater o&ld not be

poisoned. What a strange tho&ght Why sho&ld the dead be bro&ght bac%

to life only to be %illed again? ;&t he stood for a long hile &nder the tree.

He hated to go bac% thro&gh that madly tal%ing2 hysterically sobbing crod

to reach the ri9er. Here2 aay from the mob2 he as free from m&ch of the

terror and the panic and the shoc% that co9ered them li%e a sea. 4f he

9ent&red bac%2 he o&ld be ca&ght &p in their emotions again.

Iresently2 he sa a fig&re detach itself from the na%ed throng and

al% toard him. He sa that it as not h&man.

4t as then that ;&rton as s&re that this es&rrection :ay as not

the one hich any religion had stated o&ld occ&r. ;&rton had not belie9ed

in the God portrayed by the $hristians2 Moslems2 Hind&s2 or any faith. 4n

fact2 he as not s&re that he belie9ed in any $reator hatsoe9er. He had

belie9ed in ichard Francis ;&rton and a fe friends. He as s&re that

hen he died2 the orld o&ld cease to exist.

1

Wa%ing &p after death2 in this 9alley by this ri9er2 he had beenpoerless to defend himself against the do&bts that existed is e9ery man

exposed to as early religio&s conditioning and to as ad&lt society hich

preached its con9ictions at e9ery chance.

&ite

h&man teeth. He said2 34 hope yo& spea% Bnglish. Hoe9er2 4 can spea%

ith same fl&ency in &ssian2 Mandarin $hinese2 or Hind&stani.6 ;&rton felt

a slight shoc%2 as if a dog or an ape had spo%en to him.3Jo& spea% Midestern =merican Bnglish26 he replied. 3L&ite ell2


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too. =ltho&gh too precisely.6 64 than% yo& the creat&re said. 34 folloed yo&

beca&se yo& seemed the only person ith eno&gh sense to get aay from

that chaos. Ierhaps yo& ha9e some explanation for this ... hat do yo& call

it? . . . res&rrection?6 3


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the point indicated. He sa a faintly gloing body hich seemed to be an

eighth of the siAe of a f&ll moon. When he p&t his hands don2 he said2 3=

star?6

Monat said2 34 belie9e so. 4 tho&ght 4 sa se9eral other 9ery faint

bodies elsehere in the s%y2 b&t 46m not s&re. We ill %no hen night

comes.6

3Where do yo& thin% e are?6

34 o&ld not %no.6 Monat gest&red at the s&n.

34t is rising and so it ill descend2 and then night sho&ld come. 4

thin% that it o&ld be best to prepare for the night. =nd for other e9ents. 4t is

arm and getting armer2 b&t the night may be cold and it might rain. We

sho&ld b&ild a shelter of some sort. =nd e sho&ld also thin% abo&t finding

food. 7ho&gh 4 imagine that this de9ice6#he indicated the cylinder#3ill

feed &s.6

;&rton said2 3What ma%es yo& thin% that?6

34 loo%ed inside mine. 4t contains dishes and c&ps2 all empty no2

b&t ob9io&sly made to be filled.6 ;&rton felt less &nreal. 7he being#the 7a&

$etan#tal%ed so pragmatically2 so sensibly2 that he pro9ided an anchor to

hich ;&rton co&ld tie his senses before they drifted aay again. =nd2

despite the rep&lsi9e alien8ness of the creat&re he ex&ded a friendliness

and an openness that armed ;&rton. Moreo9er2 any creat&re that came

from a ci9iliAation hich co&ld span many trillions of miles of interstellar

space m&st ha9e 9ery 9al&able %noledge and reso&rces.

Cthers ere beginning to separate themsel9es from the crod. =

gro&p of abo&t ten men and omen al%ed sloly toard him. Some ere

tal%ing2 b&t others ere silent and ide8eyed. 7hey did not seem to ha9e a

definite goal in mind they @&st floated along li%e a clo&d dri9en by a ind.

When they got near ;&rton and Monat2 they stopped al%ing.

= man trailing the gro&p especially attracted ;&rton6s scr&tiny.

Monat as ob9io&sly non8h&man2 b&t this fello as s&bh&man or pre8

h&man. He stood abo&t fi9e feet tall. He as s>&at and poerf&lly m&scled.

His head as thr&st forard on a boed and 9ery thic% nec%. 7he forehead

as lo and slanting. 7he s%&ll as long and narro. Bnormo&s

s&praorbital ridges shadoed dar% bron eyes. 7he nose as a smear of

flesh ith arching nostrils2 and the b&lging bones of his @as p&shed his

thin lips o&t. He may ha9e been co9ered ith as m&ch hair as an ape at

one time2 b&t no2 li%e e9erybody else2 he as stripped of hair.

7he h&ge hands loo%ed as if they co&ld s>&eeAe ater from a

stone.He %ept loo%ing behind him as if he feared that someone as

snea%ing &p on him. 7he h&man beings mo9ed aay from him hen he

approached them.

;&t then another man al%ed &p to him and said something to the

s&bh&man in Bnglish. 4t as e9ident that the man did not expect to be

&nderstood b&t that he as trying to be friendly. His 9oice2 hoe9er2 as

almost hoarse. 7he necomer as a m&sc&lar yo&th abo&t six feet tall. He

had a face that loo%ed handsome hen he faced ;&rton b&t as comicallycraggy in profile. His eyes ere green.

7he s&bh&man @&mped a little hen he as addressed. He peered

at the grinning yo&th from &nder the bars of bone. 7hen he smiled2

re9ealing large thic% teeth2 and spo%e in a lang&age ;&rg did not

recogniAe. He pointed to himself and said something that so&nded li%e

KaxAint&itr&&abemss. ater2 ;&rton o&ld find o&t that it as his name and

it meant Man8Who8Sle87he8ong8White87ooth.

7he others consisted of fi9e men and fo&r omen. 7o of the menhad %non each other in Barthlife2 and one of them had been married to

one of the omen. =ll ere 4talians or Slo9enes ho had died in 7rieste2

apparently abo&t "DE2 tho&gh he %ne none of them.

3Jo& there26 ;&rton said2 pointing to the man ho had spo%en in

Bnglish. 3Step forard. What is yo&r name?6 7he man approached him

hesitantly. He said2 3Jo&6re Bnglish2 right?6 7he man spo%e ith an

=merican Midest flatness.

;&rton held o&t his hand and said2 3Jaas. ;&rton here.6 7he felloraised hairless eyebros and said2 3;&rton?6 He leaned forard and


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peered at ;&rton6s face. 34t6s hard to say ... it co&ldn6t be...6.

He straightened &p. 3


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mile. 4 onder hat their p&rpose is?6

Monat said2 34f yo& had ta%en a close loo% at that one2 yo& o&ld

ha9e seen that its s&rface contains abo&t P ro&nd indentations. 7hese

are @&st the right siAe for the base of a cylinder to fit in. 4n fact2 there is a

cylinder in the center of the top s&rface. 4 thin% that if e examine that

cylinder e may be able to determine their p&rpose. 4 s&spect that it as

placed there so e6d do @&st that.6

5

= oman approached them. She as of medi&m height2 had a

s&perb shape2 and a face that o&ld ha9e been bea&tif&l if it had been

framed by hair. Her eyes ere large and dar%. She made no attempt to

co9er herself ith her hands. ;&rton as not the least bit aro&sed loo%ing

at her or any of the omen. He as too deeply n&mbed.

7he oman spo%e in a ell8mod&lated 9oice and an Cxford accent.

34 beg yo&r pardon2 gentlemen. 4 co&ldn6t help o9erhearing yo&. Jo&6re the

only Bnglish 9oices 469e heard since 4 o%e &p . . . here2 here9er here is. 4

am an Bnglishoman2 and 4 am loo%ing for protection. 4 thro myself on

yo&r mercy.6 3Fort&nately for yo&2 Madame26 ;&rton said2 3yo& come to the

right men. =t least2 spea%ing for myself2 4 can ass&re yo& that yo& ill get

all the protection 4 can afford. 7ho&gh2 if 4 ere li%e some of the Bnglish

gentlemen 469e %non2 yo& might not ha9e fared so ell. ;y the ay2 this

gentleman is not Bnglish. He6s Jan%ee.6 4t seemed strange to be spea%ing

so formally this day of all days2 ith all the ailing and sho&ting &p and

don the 9alley and e9erybody birth8na%ed and as hairless as eels.

7he oman held o&t her hand to ;&rton. 346m Mrs. Hargrea9es26 she

said.

;&rton too% the hand2 and2 boing %issed it lightly. He felt foolish2

b&t2 at the same time2 the gest&re strengthened his held on sanity. 4f the

fortes of polite society co&ld be preser9ed perhaps the 6rightness6 of things

might also be restored.

67he late $aptain Sir ichard Francis ;&rton26 he said2 grinning

slightly at the late. 3Ierhaps yo&69e heard of me?6 She snatched her hand

aay and then extended it again.

3Jes2 469e heard of yo&2 Sir ichard6

Somebody said2 34t can6t be6

;&rton loo%ed at Frigate2 ho had spo%en in s&ch a lo tone. 3=nd

hy not?6 he said.

3ichard ;&rton6 Frigate said. 3Jes. 4 ondered2 b&t itho&t any

hair? . . .6 3Jeas?6 ;&rton draled.6Jaas6 Frigate said. 3N&st as the boo%s said6

3What are yo& tal%ing abo&t?6 Frigate breathed in deeply and then

said2


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aay. 7he ife loo%ed &nbelie9ingly at him and then ran after him. He

thr&st her aay so 9iolently that she fell on the grass. He >&ic%ly lost

himself in the crod2 b&t the oman andered aro&nd2 calling his name

and threatening to ma%e a scandal if he did not come o&t hiding.

;&rton tho&ght briefly of his on ife2 4sabel. He had not seen her

in this crod2 tho&gh that did not mean that she as not in it. ;&t she

o&ld ha9e been loo%ing for him. She o&ld not stop &ntil she fo&nd him.

He p&shed thro&gh the crod to the ri9er6s edge and then got don

on his %nees and scooped &p ater ith his hands. 4t as cool and clear

and refreshing. His stomach felt as if it ere absol&tely empty. =fter he had

satisfied his thirst2 he became h&ngry.

37he aters of the i9er of ife26 ;&rton said. 67he Styx? ethe? &es2 a man co&ld li9e fore9er. ;&t the %noledge as not &sed on

his planet it as forbidden. 7he inter9ieer as%ed him if these techni>&es

co&ld be applied to 7errestrials. Monat replied that there as no reason

hy not. ;&t re@&9enation as denied to his on %ind for a 9ery good

reason2 and this also applied to 7errestrials. ;y then the go9ernment

censor realiAed hat as happening and c&t off the a&dio. ;&t it as too

late.6

3ater26 e9 &ach said2 3the =merican go9ernment reported thatMonat had mis&nderstood the >&estion2 that his %noledge of Bnglish had

led him to ma%e a misstatement. ;&t it as too late. 7he people of

=merica2 and of the orld2 demanded that! Monat re9eal the secret of

eternal yo&th.6

3Which 4 did not ha9e26 said Monat. 3


13/103

eason 3;&t 4 did hat 4 did2 not for re9enge2 b&t for a 9ery differed moti9e.

4 %ne that2 after e ere %illed2 or e9en if e eren6t2 the .S. go9ernment

o&ld restore order. =nd it o&ld ha9e the ship in its possession. 4t o&ldn6t

be long before 7errestrial scientists o&ld %no ho to d&plicate it.

4ne9itably2 the 7errestrials o&ld la&nch an in9asion fleet against o&r orld.

So2 to ma%e s&re that Barth o&ld be set bac% many cent&ries maybe

tho&sands of years2 %noing that 4 m&st do the dreadf&l thing to sa9e my

on orld2 4 sent the signal to the scanner to orbit. 4 o&ld not ha9e had to

do that if 4 co&ld ha9e gotten to the destr&ct b&tton and blon &p the ship.

;&t 4 co&ld not get to the control room. So2 4 pressed the scanner8acti9ation

b&tton. = short time later2 the mob ble off the door of the room in hich 4

had ta%en ref&ge. 4 remember nothing after that.6

Frigate said2 34 as in a hospital in Western Samoa2 dying of cancer2

ondering if 4 o&ld be b&ried nest to obert o&is Ste9enson.


14/103

rose in a sheer cliff8face of some bl&e8blac% igneo&s roc% on hich gre

h&ge patches of a bl&e8green lichen. 7here as no ay of determining ho

high it as2 b&t ;&rton did not thin% that he as rong in estimating it as at

least +2 feet high. =s far as they co&ld see &p and don the 9alley2 it

presented a solid front.

3Ha9e yo& noticed the complete absence of animal life?6 Frigate

said.

3&atting bac% to bac% and or%ing on the chert. ;oth had %noc%ed o&t

ro&gh handaxes. While the others atched2 they prod&ced six more. 7hen

each too% a large chert nod&le and bro%e it into to ith a hammerstone.

sing one piece of the nod&le2 they began to %noc% long thin fla%es from

the o&tside rim of the nod&le. 7hey rotated the nod&le and banged aay

&ntil each had abo&t a doAen blades.

7hey contin&ed to or%2 one a type of man ho had li9ed a h&ndredtho&sand years or more before $hrist2 the other the refined end of h&man

e9ol&tion2 a prod&ct of the highest ci9iliAation (technologically spea%ing) of

Barth2 and2 indeed2 one of the last men on Barth#if he as to be belie9ed.

S&ddenly2 Frigate holed2 @&mped &p2 and hopped aro&nd holding

his left th&mb. Cne of his stro%es had missed its target. KaAA grinned2

exposing h&ge teeth li%e tombstones. He got &p2 too2 and al%ed into the

grass ith his c&rio&s rolling gait. He ret&rned a fe min&tes later ith six

bamboo stic%s ith sharpened ends and se9eral ith straight ends. He satdon and or%ed on one stic% &ntil he had split the end and inserted the

triang&lar chipped8don point of an axehead into the split end. 7his he

bo&nd ith some long grasses.

Within half an ho&r2 the gro&p as armed ith handaxes2 spears

ith bamboo hafts2 daggers2 and spears ith ooden points and ith stone

tips.

;y then Frigate6s hand had >&it h&rting so m&ch and the bleeding

had stopped. ;&rton as%ed him ho he happened to be so proficient instone or%ing.


15/103

34 as an amate&r anthropologist26 he said. 3= lot of people#a lot

relati9ely spea%ing#learned ho to ma%e tools and eapons from stone

as a hobby. Some of &s got pretty good at it2 tho&gh 4 don6t thin% any

modern e9er got as s%illf&l and as sift as a


16/103

o&t and rapped him inside them and there as a noise li%e a bomb

exploding2 and he as dead2 b&rned to death 4t as horrible2 horrible.6

;&rton mo9ed north of the corpse to get the ind behind him2 b&t

e9en here the stench as sic%ening. 4t as not the odor as m&ch as the

idea of death that &pset him. 7he first day of the es&rrection as only half

o9er and a man as dead. :id this mean that the res&rrected ere @&st as

9&lnerable to death as to Barthlife? "f so2 hat sense as there to it?

Frigate had >&it trying to hea9e on an empty stomach. Iie and sha%ing2 he

got to his feet and approached ;&rton. He %ept his bac% t&rned to the dead

man.

3Hadn6t e better get rid of that?6 he said2 @er%ing his th&mb o9er his

sho&lder.

64 s&ppose so26 ;&rton said coolly. 34t6s too bad his s%in is r&ined2

tho&gh.6 He grinned at the =merican. Frigate loo%ed e9en more shoc%ed.

3Here26 ;&rton said. 3Grab hold of his feet2 46ll ta%e the other end

We6ll toss him into the ri9er.6 37he ri9er?6 Frigate said.

3Jas. nless yo& ant to carry him into the hills and chop o&t a

hole for him there.6

34 can6t26 Frigate said2 and al%ed aay. ;&rton loo%ed disg&stedly

after him and then signaled to the s&bh&man. KaAA gr&nted and sh&ffled

forard to the body ith that pec&liar al%ing8on8the8side8of8his8feet gait.

He stooped o9er and2 before ;&rton co&ld get hold of the blac%ened

st&mps of the feet2 KaAA had lifted the body abo9e his head2 al%ed a fe

steps to the edge of the ri9er2 and tossed the corpse into the ater. 4t san%

immediately and as mo9ed by the c&rrent along the shore. KaAA decided

that this as not good eno&gh. He aded o&t after it &p to his aist and

stooped don2 s&bmerging himself gar a min&te. B9idently he as sho9ing

the body o&t into the deeper part.

=lice Hargrea9es had atched ith horror.


17/103

discharge. He to&ched the stone. 4t as no armer than might ha9e been

expected from its expos&re to the s&n.

e9 oach said2 3:on6t to&ch it 7here might be another..6 and he

stopped hen he sa his arning as too late.

6=nother discharge?6 ;&rton said. 34 don6t thin% so.


18/103

7he roc%s to the north and so&th2 on both sides of the ri9er2 ere

croded ith str&ggling h&mans.

;&rton al%ed &ntil he as free of the crod and sat don. His

gro&p s>&atted by him or stood &p and atched the rithing and noisy

mass. 7he grailstone loo%ed li%e a toadstool eng&lfed in pale maggots.

ery noisy maggots. Some of them ere no also red2 beca&se blood had

been spilled.

7he most depressing aspect of the scene as the reaction of the

children. 7he yo&nger ones had stayed bac% from the roc%2 b&t they %ne

that there as food in the grail. 7hey ere crying from h&nger and from

terror ca&sed by the screaming and fighting of the ad&lts on the stone. 7he

little girl ith ;&rton as dry8eyed2 b&t she as sha%ing. She stood by

;&rton and p&t her arms aro&nd his nec%. He patted her on the bac% and

m&rm&red enco&raging ords2 hich she co&ld not &nderstand2 b&t the

tone of hich helped to >&iet her.

7he s&n as on its descent. Within abo&t to ho&rs it o&ld be

hidden by the toering estern mo&ntain2 tho&gh a gen&ine d&s%

pres&mably o&ld not happen for many ho&rs. 7here as no ay to

determine ho long the day as here. 7he temperat&re had gone &p2 b&t

sitting in the s&n as not by any means &nbearable2 and the steady breeAe

helped cool them off.

KaAA made signs indicating that he o&ld li%e a fire and also

pointed at the tip of a bamboo spear. &ired m&ch 9oltage. Ho many

charges o&ld the battery or the radioacti9e pile that m&st be in it gi9e?

Ho co&ld the lighter6s poer pac% be reneed? 7here ere many>&estions that co&ld not be immediately ansered or2 perhaps2 ne9er. 7he

greatest as ho they co&ld ha9e been bro&ght bac% to life in re@&9enated

bodies. Whoe9er had done it possessed a science that as godli%e. ;&t

spec&lation abo&t it2 tho&gh it o&ld gi9e them something to tal% abo&t2

o&ld sol9e nothing.

=fter a hile2 the crod dispersed. 7he cylinder as left on its side

on top of the grailstone. Se9eral bodies ere spraled there2 and a n&mber

of men and omen ho got off the roc% ere h&rt. ;&rton ent thro&gh thecrod. Cne oman6s face had been claed2 especially aro&nd her right

eye! She as sobbing ith no one to pay attention to her. =nother man as

sitting on the gro&nd and holding his groin2 hich had been ra%ed ith

sharp fingernails.

Cf the fo&r lying on top of the stone2 three ere &nconscio&s. 7hese

reco9ered ith ater dashed into their faces from the ri9er. 7he fo&rth2 a

short slender man2 as dead. Someone had tisted his head &ntil his nec%

had bro%en.;&rton loo%ed &p at the s&n again and said2 34 don6t %no exactly

hen s&ppertime ill occ&r. 4 s&ggest e ret&rn not too long after the s&n

goes don behind the mo&ntain. We ill set o&r grails2 or glory b&c%ets2 or

l&nchpails2 or hate9er yo& ish to call them2 in these depressions. =nd

then e6ll ait. 4n the meantime. .

He co&ld ha9e tossed this body into the ri9er2 too2 b&t he had

tho&ght of a &se2 perhaps &ses2 for it. He told the others hat he anted2

and they got the corpse don off the stone and started to carry it acrossthe plain. Frigate and GaleaAAi2 a farmer importer of 7rieste2 too% the first


19/103


20/103

yo& so boorishly interr&pted me2 4 thin% yo& had better go. Crdinarily2 4

o&ld be at yo&r throat by no. = man ho tal%s to me li%e that has to

defend his ords ith deeds. ;&t this is a strange sit&ation2 and perhaps

yo& are o9erro&ght. 4 do not %no. ;&t if yo& do not apologiAe no2 or

al% off2 4 am going to ma%e another corpse.6

&ach clenched his fists and glared at ;&rton then he sp&n aro&nd

and stal%ed off.

3What is a


21/103

e9er dreamed of. Jo& can6t thin% and beha9e as yo& did on Barth. For one

thing2 yo& come from a society here omen co9ered themsel9es from

nec% to foot in hea9y garments2 and the sight of a oman6s %nee as a

stirring sex&al e9ent. Jet2 yo& seem to s&ffer no embarrassment beca&se

yo&6re n&de. Jo& are as poised and dignified as if yo& ore a n&n6s habit6

=lice said2 34 don6t li%e it. ;&t hy sho&ld 4 be embarrassed? Where

all are n&de2 none are n&de. 4t6s the thing to do2 in fact2 the only thing that

can be done. 4f some angel ere to gi9e me a complete o&tfit2 4 o&ldn6t

ear it. 46d be o&t of style. =nd my fig&re is good. 4f it eren6t 4 might be

s&ffering more.6

7he to men la&ghed2 and Frigate said2 3Jo&6re fab&lo&s2 =lice.

=bsol&tely. 4 may call yo& =lice? Mrs. Hargrea9es seems so formal hen

yo&6re n&de.6 She did not reply b&t al%ed aay and disappeared behind a

large tree.

;&rton said2 3Something ill ha9e to be done abo&t sanitation in the

near f&t&re. Which means that somebody ill ha9e to decide the health

policies and ha9e the poer to ma%e reg&lations and enforce them. Ho

does one form legislati9e2 @&dicial2 and exec&ti9e bodies from the present

state of anarchy?6

37o get to more immediate problems26 Frigate said2 3hat do e do

abo&t the dead man?6 He as only a little less pale than a moment ago

hen KaAA had made his incisions ith his chert %nife.

;&rton said2 346m s&re that h&man s%in2 properly tanned2 or h&man

g&t2 properly treated2 ill be far s&perior to grass for ma%ing ropes or

bindings. 4 intend to c&t off some strips. :o yo& ant to help me?6 Cnly the

ind r&stling the lea9es and the tops of the grass bro%e the silence. 7he

s&n beat don and bro&ght o&t seat2 hich dried rapidly in the ind. &iet =lice6s 9oice ansered her2 and the little girl ran to her

behind the tree.

346ll try26 the =merican said. 3;&t 4 don6t %no. 469e gone thro&gh more

than eno&gh for one day.6

6Jo& 6do as yo& please then2 ;&rton said. 3;&t anybody ho helps

me gets first call on the &se of the s%in. Jo& may ish yo& co&ld ha9e

some in order to bind an axehead to a haft.6

Frigate g&lped a&dibly and then said2 346ll come.6

KaAA as still s>&atting in the grass by the body2 holding the bloody

li9er ith one hand and the bloody stone %nife ith the other. Seeing

;&rton2 he grinned ith stained lips and c&t off a pieces of li9er. ;&rtonshoo% his head. 7he others2 GaleaAAi2 ;rontich2 Maria 7&cci2 Filipo occo2

osa &atted don by the body and applied the paint of B%e

%nife beginning @&st abo9e the right %nee and contin&ing to the collarbone.

Frigate stood by him and stared. He became e9en more pale2 and his

trembling increased. ;&t he stood firm &ntil to long strips had been liftedfrom the body.

3$are to try yo&r hand at it?6 ;&rton said. He rolled the body o9er on

its side so that other2 e9en longer2 strips co&ld be ta%en. Frigate too% the

bloody8tipped %nife and set to or%2 his teeth gritted.

6


22/103

go in9estigate the stone? 4f there is one here2 e can sa9e o&rsel9es a trip

bac% to the ri9er.6

He handed Frigate his grail. 3I&t this in a hole on the stone2

remember exactly hich hole yo& p&t it in. Ha9e the others do that2 too.

Ma%e s&re that they %no here they p&t their grails. Wo&ldn6t ant to

ha9e any >&arrels abo&t that2 yo& %no.6

Strangely2 Frigate as rel&ctant to go. He seemed to feel that he

had disgraced himself by his ea%ness. He stood a there for a moment2

shifting his eight from one leg to another and sighing se9eral times. 7hen2

as ;&rton contin&ed to scrape aay at the &nderside of the s%in8strips2 he

al%ed aay. He carried the to grails in one hand and his stone axehead

in the other.

;&rton stopped or%ing after the =merican as o&t of sight. He had

been interested in finding o&t ho to c&t off strips2 and he might dissect the

body6s tr&n% to remo9e the entrails. ;&t he co&ld do nothing at this time

abo&t preser9ing the s%in or g&ts. 4t as possible that the bar% of the oa%8

li%e trees might contain tannin2 hich co&ld be &sed ith other materials to

con9ert h&man s%in into leather. ;y the time that as done2 hoe9er2 these

strips o&ld ha9e rotted. Still2 he had not asted his time. 7he efficiency of

the stone %ni9es as pro9en2 and he had reinforced his ea% memory of

h&man anatomy. When they ere @&9eniles in Iisa2 ichard ;&rton and his

brother Bdard had associated ith the 4talian medical st&dents of the

&ni9ersity. ;oth of the ;&rton yo&ths had learned m&ch from the st&dents

and neither had abandoned their interest in anatomy. Bdard became a

s&rgeon2 and ichard had attended a n&mber of lect&res and p&blic and

pri9ate dissections in ondon. ;&t he had forgotten m&ch of hat he had

learned.

=br&ptly2 the s&n ent past the sho&lder of the mo&ntain. = pale

shado fell o9er him2 and2 ithin a fe min&tes2 the entire 9alley as in the

d&s%. ;&t the s%y as a bright bl&e for a long time. 7he breeAe contin&ed

to flo at the same rate. 7he moist&re8laden air became a little cooler.

;&rton and the &iet 9oices and the r&stle of lea9es

cond&ced to sleep. 7he hollo in hich the gro&p aited as formed by a

le9el space at the @&nction of fo&r hills and as s&rro&nded by trees.

7ho&gh it as dar%er than on top of the hills2 it also seemed to be a little

armer. =fter a hile2 as the d&s% and the chill increased2 ;&rton organiAeda fireood8collecting party. sing the %ni9es and bandages2 they c&t don

many mat&re bamboo pleats and gathered piles of grass. With the hite8

hot ire oR the lighter2 ;&rt started a fire of lea9es and grass. 7hese ere

green2 and so the fire as smo%y and &nsatisfactory &ntil the bamboo as

p&t on.

S&ddenly2 an explosion made them @&mp. Some of the omen

screamed. 7hey had forgotten abo&t atching the grailstone. ;&rton t&rned

@&st in time to see the bl&e flames soar &p abo&t tenty feet. 7he heat fromthe discharge co&ld be felt by ;rontich2 ho as abo&t tenty feet from it.


23/103

7hen the noise as gone2 and they stared at the grails. ;&rton as

the first &pon the stone again most of them did not care to 9ent&re on the

stone too soon after the flames. He lifted the lid of his grail2 loo%ed ithin2

and hooped ith delight. 7he others climbed &p and opened their on

grails. Within a min&te2 they ere seated near the fire eating rapidly2

exclaiming ith ecstasy2 pointing o&t to each other hat they6d fo&nd2

la&ghing2 and @o%ing. 7hings ere not so bad after all. Whoe9er as

responsible for this as ta%ing care of them.

7here as food in plenty2 e9en after fasting all day2 or2 as Frigate

p&t it2 3probably fasting for half of8eternity.6 He meant by this as he

explained to Monat2 that there as no telling ho9e m&ch time had elapsed

beteen =: +D and today. 7his orld asn6t b&ilt in a day2 and preparing

h&manity for res&rrection ta%e more than se9en days. 7hat is2 if all of this

been bro&ght abo&t by scientific means2 not by s&pernat&ral. ;&rton6s grail

had yielded a fo&r8inch c&be of stea% a small ball of dar% bread b&tter

potatoes and gra9y lett&ce ith salad dressing of an &nfamiliar b&t

delicio&s taste. 4n addition2 there as a fi9e8o&nce c&p containing an

excellent bo&rbon and another small c&p ith fo&r ice c&bes in it.

7here as more2 all the better beca&se &nexpected. = small briar

pipe2 = sac% of pipe tobacco. 7hree cigars. = plastic pac%age ith ten

cigarettes.

3nfiltered6 Frigate said.

7here as also one small bron cigarette hich ;&rton and Frigate

smelled and said2 at the same time2 3Marih&ana6

=lice2 holding &p a small metallic scissors and a blac% comb2 said2

3B9idently e6re going to get o&r hair bac%. Ctherise2 there6d be no need

for these. 46m so glad ;&t do ... 7hey really expect me to &se this?6 She

held o&t a t&be of bright red lipstic%.

3Cr me?6 Frigate said2 also loo%ing at a similar t&be.

37hey6re eminently practical26 Monat said2 t&rning o9er a pac%et of

hat as ob9io&sly toilet paper. 7hen he p&lled o&t sphere of green soap.

;&rton6s stea% as 9ery tender2 altho&gh he o&ld ha9e preferred it

rare. Cn the other hand2 Frigate complained beca&se it as not coo%ed

eno&gh.

3B9idently2 these grails do not contain men&s tailored for the

indi9id&al oner26 Frigate said. 3Which may be hy e men also get lipstic%

and the omen got pipes. 4t6s a mass prod&ction.

37o miracles in one day26 ;&rton said. 37hat is2 if they are s&ch. 4

prefer a rational explanation and intend to get it. 4 don6t thin% anyone can2as yet2 tell me ho e ere res&rrected. ;&t perhaps yo& tentieth8

cent&rians ha9e a reasonable theory for the seemingly magical appearance

of these articles in a pre9io&sly empty container?6

64f yo& compare the exterior and interior of the grail26 Monat said2

6yo& ill obser9e an approximate fi9e8centimeter difference in depth. 7he

false bottom m&st conceal a molar circ&itry2 hich is able to con9ert energy

to matter. 7he energy ob9io&sly comes d&ring the discharge from the

roc%s. 4n addition to the con9erter2 the grail m&st hold molar templates? ..molds? .. hich form the matter into 9ario&s combinations of and

compo&nds.6

346m safe in my spec&lations2 for e had a similar con9erter on my

acti9e planet. ;&t nothing as miniat&re as this2 4 ass&re yo&.6

3Same on Barth26 Frigate said. 37hey ere ma%ing iron o&t of p&re

energy before =.:. ++2 b&t it as a 9ery c&mbersome and expensi9e

process ith an almost microscopic yield.6

3Good26 ;&rton said. 3=ll this has cost &s nothing. So far...He fell silent for a hile2 thin%ing of the dream he had hen

aa%ening.

3Iay &p26 God had said. 3Jo& oe for the flesh.6

6What had that meant? Cn Barth2 at 7rieste2 in "DE2 he had been

dying2 in his ife6s arms and as%ing for . . . hat? $hloroform? Something.

He co&ld not remember. 7hen2 obli9ion. =nd he had aa%ened in that

nightmare place and had seen things that ere not on Barth nor2 as far as

he %ne2 on this planet. ;&t that experience had been no dream.D


24/103


25/103

ith the poer to res&rrect yo& o&ld ha9e 9&lgar tastes?6

=lice smiled slightly2 said2 34 really o&ldn6t %no26 and placed the

stic% in her mo&th. For a moment2 they cheed idly2 loo%ing across the fire

at each other. She as &nable to loo% him f&ll in the eyes for more than a

fe seconds at a time.

;&rton said2 3Frigate mentioned that he %ne yo&. Cf yo&2 rather.

N&st ho are yo&2 if yo& ill pardon my &nseemly c&riosity?6

67here are no secrets among the dead26 she replied lightly. 3Cr

among the ex8dead2 either.6 She had bees born =lice Ileasance iddell on

=pril +52 "D5+. (;&rton as thirty then.) She as the direct descendant of

King Bdard 444 and his son2 Nohn of Ga&nt. Her father as dean of $hrist

$h&rch $ollege of Cxford and co8a&thor of a famo&s Gree%8Bnglish

lexicon. (iddell and Scott ;&rton tho&ght.) She had had a happy

childhood2 an excellent ed&cation2 and had met many famo&s people of her

times! Gladstone2 Mattheca =rnold2 the Irince of Wales2 ho as placed

&nder her father6s care hile he as at Cxford. Her h&sband had been

eginald Ger9is Hargrea9es2 and she had lo9ed him 9ery m&ch. He had

been a 3co&ntry gentleman26 li%ed to h&nt2 fish2 play cric%et2 raise trees2 and

read French literat&re. She had three sons2 all captains2 to of hom died

in the Great War of "E"18"E"D. (7his as the second time that day that

;&rton had heard of the Great War.) She tal%ed on and on as if drin% had

loosened her tong&e. Cr as if she anted to place a barrier of con9ersation

beteen her and ;&rton.

She tal%ed of :inah2 the tabby %itten she had lo9ed hen she as a

child2 the great trees of her h&sband6s arboret&m2 ho her father2 hen

or%ing on his lexicon2 o&ld alays sneeAe at tel9e o6cloc% in the

afternoon2 no one %ne hy... at the age of eighty2 she as gi9en an

honorary :octor of etters by the =merican &ni9ersity2 $ol&mbia2 beca&se

of the 9ital part she had played in the genesis of Mr. :odgson6s famo&s

boo%. (She neglected to mention the title and ;&rton2 tho&gh a 9oracio&s

reader2 did not recall any or%s by a Mr. :odgson.)

67hat as a golden afternoon indeed26 she said2 3despite the official

meteorological report. Cn N&ly 12 "DQ+2 4 as ten . . . my sisters and 4 ere

earing blac% shoes2 hite openor% soc%s2 hite cotton dresses2 and

hats ith large brims.6 Her eyes ere ide2 and she shoo% no and then as

if she ere str&ggling inside herself2 and she began to tal% e9en faster.

3Mr. :odgson and Mr. :&c%orth carried the picnic bas%ets .. e

set off in o&r boat from Folly ;ridge &p the 4sis2 &pstream for a change. Mr.

:&c%orth roed stro%e the drops fell off his paddle li%e tears of glass onthe smooth mirror of the 4sis2 and...6

;&rton heard the last ords as if they had been roared at him.

=stonished2 he gaAed at =lice2 hose lips seemed to be mo9ing as if she

ere con9ersing at a normal speech le9el. Her eyes ere no fixed on

him2 b&t they seemed to be boring thro&gh him into a space and a time

beyond. Her hands ere half8raised as if she ere s&rprised at something

and co&ld not e9e them.

B9ery so&nd as magnified. He co&ld hear the breathing of the littlegirl2 the po&nding of her heart and =lice6s2 the g&rgle of the or%ings of

=lice6s intestines and of the breeAe as it slipped across the branches of the

trees. From far aay2 a cry came.

He rose and listened. What as happening? Why the heightening

of senses? Why co&ld he hear their hearts b&t not his? He as also aare

of the shape and text&re of the grass &nder his feet. =lmost2 he co&ld feel

the indi9id&al molec&les of the air as they b&mped into his body.

=lice2 too2 had risen. She said2 3What is happening?6 and her 9oicefell against him li%e a hea9y g&st of ind.

He did not reply2 for he as staring at her.


26/103

he lo9ed as he had ne9er lo9ed anybody2 co&ld not lo9e him bac%.

She m&st be teasing him. 7hat as it. He ran after her2 and called

her name o9er and o9er.

4t m&st ha9e been ho&rs later hen the rain fell against them. Bither

the effect of the dr&g had orn off or the cold ater helped dispel it2 for

both seemed to emerge from the ecstasy and the dreamli%e State at the

same time. She loo%ed &p at him as lightning lit their feat&res2 and she

screamed and p&shed him 9iolently.

He fell on the grass2 b&t reached o&t a hand and grabbed her an%le

as she scrambled aay from him on all fo&rs.

3What6s the matter ith yo&?6 he sho&ted.

=lice >&it str&ggling. She sat don2 hid her face against her %nees2

and her body shoo% ith sobs. ;&rton rose and placed his hands &nder her

chin and forced her to loo% &pard. ightning hit nearby again and shoed

him her tort&red face. 3Jo& promised to protect me6 she cried o&t.

3Jo& didn6t act as if yo& anted to be protected26 he said. 34 didn6t

promise to protect yo& against a nat&ral h&man imp&lse.6

64mp&lse6 she said.

64mp&lse My God2 469e ne9er done anything li%e this in my life 469e

alays been good 4 as a 9irgin hen 4 married2 and 4 stayed faithf&l to my

h&sband all my life =nd no ... a total stranger N&st li%e that 4 don6t %no

hat got into me6

37hen 469e been a fail&re26 ;&rton said2 and la&ghed. ;&t he as

beginning to feel regret and sorro. 4f only it had been her on ill2 her

on ish2 then he o&ld not no be ha9ing the slightest bite of

conscience. ;&t that g&m had contained some poerf&l dr&g2 and it had

made them beha9e as lo9ers hose passion %ne no limits. She had

certainly cooperated as enth&siastically as any experienced oman in a

7&r%ish harem.

Jo& needn6t feel the least bit contrite or self8reproachf&l26 he said

gently. 3Jo& ere possessed. ;lame the dr&g.6

34 did it6 she said. 34 . . . 4 4 anted to Ch2 hat a 9ile lo hore 4

am6 64 don6t remember offering yo& any money.6 He did not mean to be

heartless. He anted to ma%e her so angry that she o&ld forget her self8

abasement. =nd he s&cceeded. She @&mped &p and attac%ed his chest and

face ith her nails. She called him names that a high8bred and gentle lady

of ictoria6s day sho&ld ne9er ha9e %non.

;&rton ca&ght her rists to pre9ent f&rther damage and held her

hile she speed more filth at him. Finally2 hen she had fallen silent andhad beg&n eeping again2 he led her toard the camp site. 7he fire as

et ashes. He scraped off the top layer and dropped a handf&l of grass2

hich had been protected from the rain by the tree2 onto the embers. ;y its

light2 he sa the little girl sleeping h&ddled beteen KaAA and Monat &dder

a pile of grass beneath the irontree. He ret&rned to =lice2 ho as sitting

&nder another tree.

3Stay aay26 she said. 34 ne9er ant to see yo& again Jo& ha9e

dishonored me2 dirtied me =nd after yo& ga9e yo&r ord to protect me66Jo& can freeAe if yo& ish26 he said. 34 as merely going to s&ggest

that e h&ddle together to %eep arm. ;&t2 if yo& ish discomfort2 so be it.

46ll tell yo& again that hat e did as generated by the dr&g.


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28/103

don li%e the rath of God. 4 tho&ght that maybe2 don6t la&gh2 that it as

@&dgment :ay2 that God had gi9en &s free rein for a day so He co&ld let &s

@&dge o&rsel9es. =nd no e ere going to be cast into the pit.6 He

la&ghed tightly and said2 3469e been an agnostic since 4 as fo&rteen years

old2 and 4 died one at the age of ninety2 altho&gh 4 as thin%ing abo&t

calling in a priest then. ;&t the little child that6s scared of the Cld Father

God and Hellfire and :amnation2 he6s still don there2 e9en in the old man.

Cr in the yo&ng man raised from the dead.6

3What happened?6 ;&rton said. 3:id the orld end in a crac% of

th&nder and a stro%e of lightning? Jo&6re still here2 4 see2 and yo&69e not

reno&nced the delights of sin in the person of this oman.6

3We fo&nd a grailstone near the mo&ntains. =bo&t a mile est of

here. We got lost2 andered8aro&nd2 cold2 et2 @&mping e9ery time the

lightning str&c% nearby. 7hen e fo&nd the grailstone. 4t as @ammed ith

people2 b&t they ere exceptionally friendly2 end there ere so many

bodies it as 9ery arm2 e9en if some rain did lea% don thro&gh the

grass. We finally ent to sleep2 long after the rain >&it. When 4 o%e &p2 4

searched thro&gh the grass &ntil 4 fo&nd ogh&. She got lost d&ring the

night2 someho. She seemed pleased to see me2 tho&gh2 add 4 li%e her.

7here6s an affinity beteen &s. Maybe 46ll find o&t hy hen she learns to

spea% Bnglish. 4 tried that and French and German and tags of &ssian2

ith&anian2 Gaelic2 all the Scandina9ian tong&es2 incl&ding Finnish2

classical &ois2 Cb@ibay2 4talian2

Spanish2 atin2 modem and Homeric Gree%2 and a doAen others. es&lt! a

blan% loo%.6

3Jo& m&st be >&ite a ling&ist26 ;&rton said.

646m not fl&ent in any of those26 Frigate said. 34 can read most of them

b&t can spea% only e9eryday phrases. nli%e yo&2 4 am not master of thirty8

nine lang&ages#incl&ding pornography.6

67he fello seemed to %no m&ch abo&t himself2 ;&rton tho&ght.

He o&ld find o&t @&st ho m&ch at a later time.

346ll be fran% ith yo&2 Ieter26 ;&rton said. 3Jo&r acco&nt of yo&r

aggressi9eness amaAed me. 4 had not tho&ght yo& capable of attac%ing

and beating that many men. Jo&r >&easiness...6

34t as the g&m2 of co&rse. 4t opened the door of the cage.6 Frigate

s>&atted don by ogh& and r&bbed his sho&lder against hers. She loo%ed

at him o&t of slightly slanted eyes. 7he oman o&ld be bea&tif&l once her

hair gre o&t.

Frigate contin&ed2 346m so timoro&s and >&easy beca&se 4 am afraidof the anger2 the desire to do 9iolence2 that lies not too deeply ithin me. 4

fear 9iolence beca&se 4 am 9iolent. 4 fear hat ill happen if 4 am not afraid.

Hell2 469e %non that for forty years. M&ch good the %noledge has done

me6 He loo%ed at =lice and said2 3Good morning6 =lice replied cheerily

eno&gh2 and she e9en smiled at ogh& hen she as introd&ced. She

o&ld loo% at ;&rton2 and she o&ld anser his direct >&estions. ;&t she

o&ld not chat ith him or gi9e him anything b&t a stern face.

Monat2 KaAA2 and the little girl2 all yaning2 came to the preside.;&rton proled aro&nd the edges of the camp and fo&nd that the 7riestans

ere gone. Some had left their grails behind. He c&rsed them for their

carelessness and tho&ght abo&t lea9ing the grails in the grass to teach

them a lesson. ;&t he e9ent&ally placed the cylinders in depressions on the

grailstone.

4f their oners did not ret&rn2 they o&ld go h&ngry &nless someone

shared their food ith them. 4n the meant time the food in their grails o&ld

ha9e to be &nto&ched. He o&ld be &nable to open them. 7hey haddisco9ered yesterday that only the oner of a grail co&ld open it.

Bxperimentation ith a long stic% had determined also that the oner had

to to&ch the grail ith his fingers or some part of his body before the lid

o&ld open. 4t as Frigate6s theory that a mechanism in the grail as

%eyed to the pec&liar config&ration of s%in 9oltage of the oner.

Cr perhaps the grail contained a 9ery sensiti9e detector of the

indi9id&al6s brain a9es.

7he s%y had become bright by then. 7he s&n as still an the otherside of the +28foot high eastern mo&ntain. =pproximately a half8ho&r


29/103

later2 the grailroc% sp&rted bl&e flame ith a roll of th&nder. 7h&nder from

the stones along the ri9er echoed against the mo&ntain.

7he grails yielded bacon and eggs2 ham2 toast2 b&tter2 @am2 mil%2 a

>&arter of a cantalo&pe2 cigarettes2 and a c&pf&l of dar% bron crystals

hich Frigate said as instant coffee. He dran% the mil% in one c&p2 rinsed

it o&t in ater in a bamboo container filled the c&p ith ater2 and set it by

the fire. When the ater as boiling2 he p&t a teaspoonf&l of the crystals

into the ater and stirred it. 7he coffee as delicio&s2 and there ere

eno&gh crystals to pro9ide six c&ps. 7hen =lice p&t the crystals into the

ater before heating it o9er the fire and fo&nd that it as not necessary to

&se the fire. 7he afer boiled ithin three seconds after the crystals ere

placed into the cold ater.

=fter eating2 they ashed o&t the containers and replaced them in

the grails. ;&rton strapped his grail onto his rist. He intended to explore2

and he certainly as not going to lea9e the grail on the stone. 7ho&gh it

co&ld do no one b&t himself any good2 9icio&s people might ta%e it @&st for

the pleas&re of seeing him star9e.

;&rton started his lang&age lessons ith the little girl and KaAA2 and

Frigate got ogh& to sit in on them. Frigate s&ggested that a &ni9ersal

lang&age sho&ld be adopted beca&se of the many many lang&ages and

dialects2 perhaps fifty to sixty tho&sand2 that man%ind had &sed in his

se9eral million years of existence and hich he as &sing along the ri9er.

7hat is2 pro9ided that all of man%ind had been res&rrected. =fter all2 all he

%ne abo&t as the fe s>&are miles he had seen. ;&t it o&ld be a good

idea to start propagating Bsperanto2 the synthetic lang&age in9ented by the

Iolish oc&list2 :octor ,amenhof2 in "DDP. 4ts grammar as 9ery simple and

absol&tely reg&lar2 and its so&nd combinations2 tho&gh not as easy for

e9erybody to prono&nce as claimed2 ere still relati9ely easy. =nd the basis

o" the 9ocab&lary as atin ith many ords from Bnglish and German

and other West B&ropean lang&ages.

34 had heard abo&t it before 4 died26 ;&rton said. 3;&t 4 ne9er sa

any samples of it. Ierhaps it may become &sef&l. ;&t2 in the meantime2 46ll

teach these to Bnglish.6

6;&t most of the people here spea% 4talian or Slo9enian6 Frigate

said.

37hat may be tr&e2 tho&gh e ha9en6t any s&r9ey as yet. Hoe9er2 4

don6t intend to stay here2 yo& can be s&re of that.6

34 co&ld ha9e predicted that26 Frigate m&ttered. 3Jo& alays did get

restless yo& had to mo9e on.6;&rton glared at Frigate and then started the lessons. For abo&t

fifteen min&tes2 he drilled them in the identification and pron&nciation of

nineteen no&ns and a fe 9erbs! fire2 bamboo2 gr&el2 man2 oman2 girl2

hand2 feet2 eye2 teeth2 eat2 al%2 r&n2 tal%2 dagger2 42 yo&2 they2 &s. He

intended that he sho&ld learn as m&ch from them as they from him. 4n time2

he o&ld be able to spea% their tong&es2 hate9er they ere.

7he s&n cleared the top of the eastern range. 7he air became

armer2 and they let the fire die. 7hey ere ell into the second day 8ofres&rrection. =nd they %ne almost nothing abo&t this orld or hat their

e9ent&al fate as s&pposed to be or Who as determining their fate.

e9 &ach st&c% his big8nosed face thro&gh the grass and said2

3May 4 @oin yo&?6 ;&rton nodded2 and Frigate said2 3S&re2 hy not?6 &ach

stepped o&t of the grass. = short pale8s%inned oman ith great bron

eyes and lo9ely delicate feat&res folloed him. &ach introd&ced her as

7anya Ka&itA. He had met her last night2 and they had stayed together2

since they had a n&mber of things in common. She as of &ssian8Neishdescent2 as born in "E5D in the ;ronx2


30/103

yesterday2 Mr. ;&rton. 4 thin% that my obser9ations ere 9alid2 b&t the

attit&des 4 as spea%ing of sho&ld be considered in the context of yo&r

other attit&des6

6We6ll go into that some other time26 ;&rton said. 3=t the time 4 rote

that boo%2 4 as s&ffering from the 9ile and malicio&s lies of the money

lenders of :amasc&s2 and they...6

3$ertainly2 Mr. ;&rton26 &ach said. 3=s8yo& say2 later. 4 @&st anted

to ma%e the point that 4 consider yo& to be a 9ery capable and strong

person2 and 4 o&ld li%e to @oin yo&r gro&p. We6re in a state of anarchy2 if

yo& can call anarchy a state2 and many of &s need protection.6

;&rton did not li%e to be interr&pted. He scoled and said2 3Ilease

permit me to explain myself. 4 . .6

6Frigate stood &p and said2 3here come the others. Wonder here

they69e been?6 Cnly fo&r of the original nine had come bac%2 hoe9er.

Maria 7&cci explained that they had andered aay together after cheing

the g&m2 and e9ent&ally ended &p by one of the big bonfires on the plains.

7hen many things had happened there had been fights and attac%s by

men on omen2 men on men2 omen on men2 omen on omen2 and

e9en attac%s on children. 7he gro&p had split &p in the chaos2 she had met

the other three only an ho&r ago hile she as searching in the hills for the

grailstone.

e9 added some details. 7he res&lts of cheing the narcotic g&m

had been tragic2 am&sing2 or gratifying2 depending2 apparently2 &pon

indi9id&al reaction. 7he g&m had had an aphrodisiac effect &pon many2 b&t

it also had many other effects. $onsider the h&sband and ife2 ho had

died in Cpcina2 a s&b&rb of 7rieste2 in "DEE. 7hey had been res&rrected

ithin six feet of each other. 7hey had ept ith @oy at being re&nited hen

so many co&ples had not been. 7hey than%ed God for their good l&c%2

tho&gh they also had made some lo&d comments that this orld as not

hat they had been promised. ;&t they had had fifty years of married bliss

and no loo%ed forard to being together for eternity.

Cnly a fe min&tes after both had cheed the g&m2 the man

strangled his ife2 hea9ed her body into the ri9er2 pic%ed &p another

oman in his arms2 and r&n off into the dar%ness of the oods ith her.

=nother man had leaped &pon a grailstone and deli9ered a speech

that lasted all night2 e9en thro&gh the rain. 7o the fe ho co&ld hear2 and

the e9en feer ho listened2 he had demonstrated the principles of a

perfect society and ho these co&ld be carried o&t in practice. ;y dan2 he

as so hoarse he co&ld only croa% a fe ords. Cn Barth2 he had seldombothered to 9ote.

= man and a oman2 o&traged at the p&blic display of carnality2 had

forcef&lly tried to separate co&ples. 7he res&lts br&ises2 bloody noses2 split

lips2 and to conc&ssions2 all theirs2 Some men and omen had spent the

night on their %nees praying and confessing their sins.

Some children had been badly beaten2 raped2 or m&rdered2 or all

three. ;&t not e9erybody had s&cc&mbed to the madness. = n&mber of

ad&lts had protected the children2 or tried to.&ach described the despair and disg&st of a $roat Moslem and an

=&strian Ne beca&se their grails contained por%. = Hind& screamed

obscenities beca&se his grail offered him meat.

= fo&rth man2 crying o&t that they ere in the hands of de9ils2 had

h&rled his cigarettes into the ri9er.

Se9eral had said to him2 3Why didn6t yo& gi9e &s the cigarettes if

yo& didn6t ant them?6

37obacco is the in9ention of the de9il it as the eed created bySatan in the Garden of Bden6

= man said2 3=t least yo& co&ld ha9e shared the cigarettes ith &s.

4t o&ldn6t h&rt yo&.6

34 o&ld li%e to thro all the e9il st&ff into the ri9er6 he had sho&ted.

3Jo&6re an ins&fferable bigot and craAy to boot26 another had replied2

and str&c% him in the mo&th. ;efore the tobacco8hater co&ld get &p off the

gro&nd2 he as hit and %ic%ed by fo&r others.

ater2 the tobacco8hater had staggered &p and2 eeping ith rage2cried2 3What ha9e 4 done to deser9e this2 C ord2 my God 4 ha9e alays


31/103

been a good man. 4 ga9e tho&sands of Io&nds to charities2 4 orshipped in

7hy temple three times a ee%2 4 aged a lifelong ar against sin and

corr&ption2 4 . .

34 %no yo&6 a oman had sho&ted. She as a tall bl&e8eyed Q+

girl ith a handsome face and ell8c&r9ed fig&re. 34 %no yo& Sir obert

Smithson6

He had stopped tal%ing and had blin%ed at her. 34 don6t %no yo&6

3Jo& o&ldn6t ;&t yo& sho&ld 46m one of the tho&sands of girls ho

had to or% sixteen ho&rs a day2 six and a half days a ee%2 so yo& co&ld

li9e in yo&r big ho&se on the hill and dress in fine clothes and so yo&r

horses and dogs co&ld eat far better than 4 co&ld 4 as one of yo&r factory

girls My father sla9ed for yo&2 my mother sla9ed for yo&2 my brothers and

sisters2 those ho eren6t too sic% or ho didn6t die beca&se of too little or

too bad food2 dirty beds2 drafty indos2 and rat bites2 sla9ed for yo&. My

father lost a hand in one of yo&r machines2 and yo& %ic%ed him o&t itho&t

a penny. My mother died of the hite plag&e. 4 as co&ghing o&t my life2

too2 my fine baronet2 hile yo& st&ffed yo&rself ith rich foods and sat in

easy chairs and doAed off in yo&r big expensi9e ch&rch pe and ga9e

tho&sands to feed the poor &nfort&nates in =sia and to send missionaries

to con9ert the poor heathens in =frica. 4 co&ghed o&t my l&ngs2 and 4 had to

go a8horing to ma%e eno&gh money to feed my %id sisters and brothers.

=nd 4 ca&ght syphilis2 yo& bloody pio&s bastard2 beca&se yo& anted to

ring o&t e9ery drop of seat and blood 4 had and those poor de9ils li%e

me had 4 died in prison beca&se yo& told the police they sho&ld deal

harshly ith prostit&tion. Jo& . . . yo& . . .6

Smithson had gone red at first2 then pale. 7hen he had dran

himself &p straight2 scoling at the oman2 and said2 3Jo& hores alays

ha9e somebody to blame for yo&r &nbridled l&sts2 yo&r e9il ays. God

%nos that 4 folloed His ays.6 He had t&rned and had al%ed off2 b&t the

oman ran after him and s&ng her grail at him. 4t came aro&nd siftly

somebody sho&ted he sp&n and d&c%ed. 7he grail almost graAed the top

of his head.

Smithson ran past the oman before she co&ld reco9er and >&ic%ly

lost himself in the crod. nfort&nately2 &ach said2 9ery fe &nderstood

hat as going on beca&se they co&ldn6t spea% Bnglish.

3Sir obert Smithson26 ;&rton said 34f 4 remember correctly2 he

oned cotton mills and steelor%s in Manchester. He as noted for his

philanthropies and his good or%s among the heathens. :ied in "DP or

thereabo&ts at the age of eighty.63=nd probably con9inced that he o&ld be rearded in Hea9en26

e9 &ach said. 3Cf co&rse2 it o&ld ne9er ha9e occ&rred to him that he

as a m&rderer many times o9er.6

34f he hadn6t exploited the poor2 someone else o&ld ha9e done so.6

67hat is an exc&se &sed by many thro&gho&t men6s history26 e9

said 3;esides2 there ere ind&strialists in yo&r co&ntry ho sa to it that

ages and conditions in their factories ere impro9ed. obert Cen as

one2 4 belie9e.6"

34 don6t see m&ch sense in arg&ing abo&t hat ent on in the past26

Frigate said. 34 thin% e sho&ld do something abo&t o&r present sit&ation.6

;&rton stood &p. 3Jo&6re right2 Jan% We need roofs o9er o&r heads2

tools2 God %nos hat else ;&t first2 4 thin% e sho&ld ta%e a loo% at the

cities of the plains and see hat the citiAens are doing there.6 =t that

moment2 =lice came thro&gh the trees on the hill abo9e them. Frigate sa

her first. He b&rst o&t la&ghing. 37he latest in ladies6 ear6 She had c&tlengths of the grass ith her scissors and plaited them into a to8piece

garment. Cne as a sort of poncho hich co9ered her breasts and the

other a s%irt hich fell to her cal9es.

7he effect as strange2 tho&gh one that she sho&ld ha9e expected.

When she as na%ed2 the hairless head still did not detract too m&ch from

her femaleness and her bea&ty. ;&t ith the green2 b&l%y2 and shapeless

garments2 her face s&ddenly became masc&line and &gly.

7he other omen croded aro&nd her and examined the ea9ingof the grass lengths and the grass belt that sec&red the s%irt.


32/103

34t6s 9ery itchy2 9ery &ncomfortable26 =lice said. 3;&t it6s decent.

7hat6s all 4 can say for it6

3=pparently yo& did not mean hat yo& said abo&t yo&r &nconcern

ith n&dity in a land here all are n&de26 ;&rton said.

=lice stared coolly and said2 34 expect that e9erybody ill be

earing these. B9ery decent man and oman2 that is.6 34 s&pposed that

Mrs. Gr&ndy o&ld rear her &gly head here26 ;&rton replied.

34t as a shoc% to be among so many na%ed people26 Frigate said.

3B9en tho&gh n&dity on the beach and in the pri9ate home became

commonplace in the late 6D6s. ;&t it didn6t ta%e long for e9eryone to get

&sed to it. B9eryone except the hopelessly ne&rotic2 4 s&ppose.6

;&rton s&ng aro&nd and spo%e to the other omen. 6What abo&t

yo& ladies? =re yo& going to ear these &gly and scratchy haycoc%s

beca&se one of yo&r sex s&ddenly decides that she has pri9ate parts

again? $an something that has bean so p&blic become pri9ate?6 ogh&2

7anya2 and =lice did not &nderstand him beca&se he spo%e in 4talian. He

repeated in Bnglish for the benefit of the last to.

=lice fl&shed and said2 3What 4 ear is my b&siness. 4f anybody else

cares to go na%ed hen 46m decently co9ered2 ell . . .6 ogh& had not

&nderstood a ord2 b&t she &nderstood hat as going on. She la&ghed

and t&rned aay. 7he other omen seemed to be trying to g&ess hat

each one intended to do. 7he &gliness and the &ncomfortable8ness of the

clothing ere not the iss&es.

3While yo& females are trying to ma%e &p yo&r minds26 ;&rton said2

3it o&ld be nice if yo& o&ld ta%e a bamboo pail and go ith &s to the

ri9er. We can bathe2 fill the pails ith ater2 find o&t the sit&ation in the

plains2 and then ret&rn here. We may be able to b&ild se9eral ho&ses#or

temporary shelters before nightfall.6 7hey started don the hills2 p&shing

thro&gh the grass and carrying their grails2 chert eapons2 bamboo spears

and b&c%ets. 7hey had not gone far before they enco&ntered a n&mber of

people. =pparently2 many plains dellers had decided to mo9e o&t. &e of or%ing ith stone from somebody2

possibly from other primiti9es in the area. So far2 ;&rton had seen only to

specimens of non8Homo sapiens2 and these ere ith him. ;&t here9er

the techni>&es had been learned2 they had been p&t to good &se. 7hey

passed to half8completed bamboo h&ts. 7hese ere ro&nd2 one8roomed2

and o&ld ha9e conical roofs thatched ith the h&ge triang&lar lea9es from

the irontrees and ith the long hill grass. Cne man2 &sing a chert adAe andaxe2 as b&ilding a short8legged bamboo bed.

Bxcept for a n&mber erecting rather cr&de h&ts or lean8tos itho&t

stone tools at the edge of the plains2 and for a n&mber simming in the

ri9er2 the plain as deserted. 7he bodies from last night6s madness had

been remo9ed. So far2 no one had p&t on a grass s%irt2 and many stared at

=lice or e9en la&ghed and made ra&co&s comments. =lice t&rned red2 b&t

she made no mo9e to get rid of her clothes. 7he s&n as getting hot2

hoe9er2 and she as scratching &nder her breast garment and &nder hers%irt. 4t as a meas&re of the intensity of the irritation that the2 raised by

strict ictorian &pper8class standards2 o&ld scratch in p&blic.

Hoe9er2 hen they got to the ri9er2 they sa a doAen heaps2 of

st&ff that t&rned o&t to be grass dresses. 7hese had been left on the edge

of the ri9er by the men and omen no la&ghing2 splashing2 and simming

in the ri9er.

4t as certainly a contrast to the beaches he %ne. 7hese ere the

same people ho had accepted the bathing machines2 the s&its thatco9ered them from an%le to nec%2 and all the other modest de9ices2 as

absol&tely moral and 9ital to the contin&ation of the proper society#theirs.

Jet2 only one day after finding themsel9es here2 they ere simming in the

n&de. =nd en@oying it.

Iart of the acceptance of their &nclothed state came from the shoc%

of the res&rrection. 4n addition2 there as not m&ch they co&ld do abo&t it

that first day. =nd there had been a lea9ening of the ci9iliAed ith sa9age

peoples2 or tropical ci9iliAed peoples2 ho ere not partic&larly shoc%ed byn&dity.


33/103

He called o&t to a oman ho as standing to her aist in the

ater. She had a coarsely pretty face and spar%ling bl&e eyes.

37hat is the oman ho attac%ed Sir obert Smithson26 e9 &ach

said. 34 belie9e her name is Wilfreda =llport.6

;&rton loo%ed at her c&rio&sly and ith appreciation of her splendid

b&st. He called o&t2 3Ho6s the ater?6

3ery nice6 she said2 smiling.

He &n8strapped his grail2 p&t don the container2 hich held his

chert %nife and handaxe2 and aded in ith his ca%e of green soap. 7he

ater felt as if it as abo&t ten degrees belo his body temperat&re. He

soaped himself hile he str&c% &p a con9ersation ith Wilfreda. 4f she still

harbored any resentment abo&t Smithson2 she did not sho it. Her accent

as hea9ily


34/103

hich had been disting&ished by efficiency or strong management. Jet2

d&ring the $rimean War2 hen he as head of ;eatson6s 4rreg&lars2

training the ild 7&r%ish ca9alry2 the ;ashi8;aAo&%s2 he had done >&ite

ell2 far better than most. So he sho&ld not be reprimanding himself...

e9 &ach climbed o&t of the ater and ran his hands o9er his

s%inny body to ta%e off the drops. ;&rton got o&t2 too2 and sat don beside

him. =lice t&rned her bac% on him2 hether on p&rpose or not he had no

ay of %noing2 of co&rse.

34t6s not @&st being yo&ng again that delights me26 e9 said in his

hea9ily accented Bnglish. 34t6s ha9ing this leg bac%.6 He tapped his right

%nee.

34 lost it in a traffic accident on the


35/103

e9erybody a fresh yo&ng and &ndiseased body2 and hat a person had

been on Barth sho&ld not infl&ence another6s attit&de toard them.

Sho&ld not as not2 hoe9er2 o&ld not.

He co&ld not really blame =lice Hargrea9es. She as the prod&ct of

her society#li%e all omen2 she as hat men had made her and she had

strength of character and flexibility of mind to lift herself abo9e some of the

pre@&dices of her time and her class. She had adapted to the n&dity ell

eno&gh2 and she as not openly hostile or contempt&o&s of the girl. She

had performed an act ith ;&rton that ent against a lifetime of o9ert and

co9ert indoctrination. =nd that as on the night of the first day of her life

after death2 hen she sho&ld ha9e been on her %nees singing hosannas

beca&se she had 3sinned6 and promising that she o&ld ne9er 3sin6 again

as long as she as not p&t in hellfire.

=s they al%ed across the plain2 he tho&ght abo&t her2 t&rning his

head no and then to loo% bac% at her. 7hat hairless head made her face

loo% so m&ch older b&t the hairlessness made her loo% so childli%e belo

the na9el. 7hey all bore this contradiction2 old man2 or oman abo9e the

nec%2 yo&ng child belo the bellyb&tton.

He dropped bac% &ntil he as by her side. 7his p&t him behind

Frigate and ogh&. 7he 9ie of ogh& o&ld yield some profit e9en if his

attempt to tal% to =lice res&lted in nothing. ogh& had a bea&tif&lly ro&nded

posterior her b&ttoc%s ere li%e to eggs. =nd she sayed as

enchantingly as =lice.

He spo%e in a lo 9oice2 34f last night distressed yo& so m&ch hy

do yo& stay ith me?6 Her bea&tif&l face became tisted and &gly.

34 am not staying ith yo& 4 am staying ith the gro&p Moreo9er2

469e been thin%ing abo&t last night2 tho&gh it pains me to do so. 4 m&st be

fair. 4t as the narcotic in that hideo&s g&m that made both of &s beha9e

the . . . ay e did. =t least2 4 %no it as responsible for my beha9ior. =nd

46m gi9ing yo& the benefit of the do&bt.6

37hen there6s no hope of repetition?6

3Ho can yo& as% that $ertainly not Ho dare yo&?6

64 did not force yo&26 he said. 3=s 4 ha9e pointed o&t2 yo& did hat

yo& o&ld do if yo& ere not restrained by yo&r inhibitions. 7hose

inhibitions are good things#&nder certain circ&mstances2 s&ch as being

the laf&l edded ife of a man yo& lo9e in the Bngland of Barth. ;&t

Barth no longer exists2 not as e %ne it.


36/103

forming. 4 &sed to smo%e a pipe of opi&m no and then2 yo& %no2 and 4

did not become addicted to it2 so 4 don6t s&ppose 4 ha9e a psychological

ea%ness for dr&gs.6 34 &nderstood that yo& ere 9ery often deep in yo&r

c&ps2 Mister ;&rton. Jo& and that na&seating creat&re2 Mr. Sinb&rne...6

She stopped tal%ing. = man had called o&t to her2 and2 tho&gh she did not

&nderstand 4talian2 she &nderstood his obscene gest&re. She bl&shed all

o9er b&t al%ed bris%ly on.

;&rton glared at the man2 He as a ell8b&ilt brons yo&th ith a

big nose2 a ea% chin2 and close set eyes His s%inned speech as that of

the criminal class of the city of ;ologna2 here ;&rton had spent m&ch time

hile in9estigating Btr&scan relics and gra9es! ;ehind him ere ten men2

most of them as &nprepossessing and as ic%ed8loo%ing as their leader2

and fi9e omen. 4t8 as e9ident that the men anted to add more omen

to the gro&p. 4t as also e9ident that they o&ld li%e to get their hands on

the stone eapons of ;&rton6s gro&p. 7hey ere armed only ith their

grails or ith bamboo stic%s.

""

;&rton spo%e sharply2 and his people closed &p. KaAA did not

&nderstand his ords2 b&t he sensed at once hat as happening. He

dropped bac% to form the rearg&ard ith ;&rton. His br&tish appearance

and the handaxe in his h&ge fist cho%ed the ;olognese somehat. 7hey

folloed the gro&p2 ma%ing lo&d comments and threats2 b&t they did not get

m&ch closer. Why they reached the hills2 hoe9er2 the leader of the gang

sho&ted a command2 and it attac%ed.

7he yo&th ith the close8set eyes2 yelling2 singing his grail at the

end of the strap ran at ;&rton. ;&rton ga&ged the sing of the cylinder and

then la&nched his bamboo spear @&st as the grail as arcing o&tard. 7he

stone tip ent into the man6s solar plex&s2 and he fell on his side ith the

spear stic%ing in him. 7he s&bh&man str&c% a singing grail ith a stic%2

hich as %noc%ed o&t of his hand. He leaped inard and bro&ght the

edge of the handaxe against the top of the head of his attac%er2 and that

man ent don ith a bloody s%&ll.

ittle e9 &ach thre his grail into the chest of a man and ran &p

and @&mped on him. His feet dro9e into the face of the man2 ho as

getting &p again. 7he man ent bac%ard &ach bo&nded &p and gashed

the man6s sho&lder ith his chert %nife. 7he man2 screaming2 got to his feet

and raced aay.

Frigate did better than ;&rton had expected him to2 since he had

t&rned pale and beg&n sha%ing hen the gang had first challenged them.His grail as strapped to his left rist hile his right held a handaxe. He

charged into the gro&p2 as hit on the sho&lder ith a grail2 the impact of

hich as lessened hen he partially bloc%ed it ith his grail2 and he fell

on his side. = man lifted a bamboo stic% ith both hands to bring it don on

Frigate2 b&t he rolled aay2 bringing his grail &p and bloc%ing the stic% as it

came don. 7hen he as &p2 his head b&tting into the man and carrying

him bac%. ;oth ent don2 Frigate on top2 and his stone axe str&c% the

man tice on the temple.=lice had thron her grail into the face of a man and then stabbed

at him ith the fire8sharpened end of her bamboo spear. ogh& ran aro&nd

to the side of the man and hit him across the head ith her stic% so hard

that he dropped to his %nees. 7he fight as o9er in sixty seconds. 7he

other men fled ith their omen behind them ;&rton t&rned the screaming

leader onto his bac% and p&lled his spear o&t of the pit of his stomach. 7he

tip had not gone in more than half an inch.

7he man got to his feet and2 cl&tching the streaming o&nd2staggered off across the plains. 7o of the gang ere &nconscio&s b&t

o&ld probably s&r9i9e. 7he man Frigate had attac%ed as dead.

7he =merican had t&rned from pale to red and then bac% to pale.

;&t he did not loo% contrite or sic%ened. 4f his expression held anything2 it

as elation. =nd relief.

He said2 37hat as the first man 469e e9er %illed 7he first6

34 do&bt that it6ll be the last26

farmer, philip jose - riverworld 1 - to your scattered bodies go

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