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.It would probably be dark in an Ahn.I wondered where might be the army of Ar.I looked at the riders.Doubtless they would have preferred, indeed, that we were females.Men such as these, of course, who have lived with hard-ship and danger, whenthey return to camp, know well how to handle women.In their presence theslaves do not dally.They hurry quickly, frightened, to their chains.I, too, wanted a woman.The shadows were growing long now.Page 47ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlA sting fly hummed by.Chained, it would be difficult to defend oneself fromsuch a creature.It was the second I had seen this day.They generally hatcharound rivers and marshes, though usually somewhat later in the season.Atcertain times, in certain areas, they hatch in great numbers.The dust rose like clouds, stirred by the heavy, clawed paws of thetharlarion.Marcus had assured me that there was nothing to fear, that we were being takento Saphronicus.The chain was on my neck.I trusted that Marcus was correct, that there was nothing to fear.I moved my hands in the close-fitting steel circlets which held my handspinioned so perfectly behind my back.Yes, there would be nothing to fear.I hoped, at least, there was nothing to fear.In any event, we were helpless prisoners.We were totally at the mercy of ourcaptors.Chapter 4 - The Delta Through the eye, I screamed, struggling in the ropes, naked, they tightabout my upper body, my hands crossed and bound behind me, fastened closely tomy ankles, kneel-ing in the bow ofthe small craft, of bound rence. Through the eye!Men screamed about me, and cried out with fear, rage.The fellow had been taken from the rence craft before me, the comparativelysmall, less than a foot in breadth at its thickest point, triangular-jawedhead, on the long, muscular, sinuous neck, lifting suddenly, glistening,dripping water, from the marsh, turning sideways, and seizing the fellow, thenlifting him a dozen feet, on that long neck, screaming, writhing into the air. Through the eyes! I begged him. He cannot reach the eyes! cried a man.A fellow smote at the side of the creature with his paddle.It backed away,propelled by its heavy, diamondshape, paddlelike appendages, its tail snappingbehind it, splashing water.There was much screaming.Within a hundred yards there was a flotilla of smallcraft, rence craft, flatboats, barges, scows, fishing boats and rafts, perhapsfour or five hundred men.We heard the snapping of the backbone of the fellow in the air.If he had been able to get his thumbs to the creature´s eyes, he might havebeen able to utilize those avenues, to reach the brain.But he had been unableto do so. He is dead, said a man.The body hung limp, save for tremors, contractions, the wild stare in theeyes. He is not dead! cried another fellow. Kill him! begged another. I cannot reach him! cried a fellow with a sword, stand-ing unsteadily,almost falling, in one of the light rence craft. No, he is dead, said another.The man was dead.The creature then submerged, and turning, struck against one of the barges,lifting it up a yard, from the water, then was under it, the barge sliding offits back, half turned, and was moving away, under water, through the reeds.A fellow cried out near me.The narrow snout of a fishlike tharlarion thrustup from the water, inches away.Another fellow pushed at it with his paddle.It disappeared under the bound rence. Unbind me! I begged.I was utterly helpless. Be silent, spy! snarled a man.My knees were wet, from water come up between the bound, shaped bundles oftubular rence. Reform! called an officer, a few yards away. Reform! Forward! He was inPage 48ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlthe bow of a small fishing craft.Men moved it with poles. Turn back! I called to him. Can you not understand what has been done toyou?He paid me no attention. Forward! he cried. Pursue the sleen of Cos! They shall not escape! Help! we heard, from our left.One of the scows was settling in the water,foundering. Break the wood! cried a fellow. Form a raft! Men were in the water, someswimming, Some wading, chest deep. Take us aboard! called men.Some were assisted to other craft, some of these now dangerously low in thewater. Forward! called the officer. Hurry! They cannot be far ahead now. The reeds are broken in two places, said a man. We shall divide our forces, said the officer.Another contingent of men wasbehind us.He could hear their shouts, now.I squirmed in my bonds.Saphronicus and Seremides had now had their revenge, I thought.Once, longago, they had beenlieutenants of Cernus of Ar, my enemy, whose machinations, and political andeconomic manipulations, had been successful in bringing down Minus TentiusHinrabius from the throne ofAr.Later Cernus himself, though only of the Merchants, ascended the throne.He was later deposed by the popular Marlenus of Ar who, having returned to thecity, was backed by the populace.Cernus had been killed by a kur, a beast notnative to Gor.Saphronicus and Seremides, as traitors, had been put in chainsand sold to the galleys whence, I gathered, they had been rescued by some whoperhaps might find use for men such as they.Saphronicus had been the formercaptain of the Taurentians, the palace guard in Ar.Seremides had been leaderof the forces of Ar.I had heard, of course, that a man named Seremides wasnow high general in Ar, butI had not supposed that this might be the Seremides of the time of Cernus.OnGor, as elsewhere, there are many common names.Many are named  Tarl, forexample, particularly inTorvaldsland, and, generally, in the northern latitudes of Gor.The Seremidesof the time ofCernus had even been by birth of Tyros.It seemed incredible, then, that sucha fellow could have risen again in the services of Ar, except in the absenceof Marlenus, and abetted by conspirators.That this was indeed the same Seremides had been made clear to me, however, byan amusedSaphronicus himself, in a midnight interview in his tent.I had been kneltnaked and bound before him.This also explained, of course, the matter of thebetraying message which I had unwittingly carried at great risk to Ar´sStation on behalf of Gnieus Lelius, regent in An, that message which hadidentified me as a Cosian spy.I had not seen Saphronicus in Ar, of course.Idid not know ifGnieus Lelius was involved in the treason now rampant in Ar or not.I didknow, from deciphered documents seized in Brundisium, the name of at least oneof the traitors.It was a female.Her name was Talena, and she had once been,until disowned, the daughter of Marlenus of Ar.Her fortunes, I gathered, werenow on the rise in Ar.She had been restored to citizenship and some spoke ofher, though in hushed voices, as a possi-ble Ubara. Are you going to kill me now? I had asked Saphronicus. No, he had laughed. I am going to send you to the delta.Chapter 5 - The UI I would speak with your officer, I said to the soldier. I have again conveyed your request to him, said the fellow. Now be silent.Page 49ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlI lay back in the ropes, on the sand.I gritted my teeth against the insects crawling on my body.I turned, 1shifted my position.I could not much use my hands to protect myself.1 wantedto cry out in misery.1 wondered if such torment could drive a man insane.Iwas silent.I lay then again on my back, looking up.I could see stars, two ofthe three moons.I heard a fellow a few feet away cry out in pain, and slap athis body.There were many men about [ Pobierz caÅ‚ość w formacie PDF ]