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select a slave.
"Yes, he told me," replied the major-domo. "See Phystal about it; he is in
charge of the slaves."
"But does he know that Fal Sivas gave me permission to select anyone that I
chose?"
"I will tell him."
A moment later he finished his breakfast; and as he was leaving the dining room,
he paused and spoke to Phystal.
Seeing that Phystal also was about ready to leave the table, I went to him and
told him that I would like to select a slave.
"Which one do you want?" he asked.
I glanced around the table, apparently examining each of the slaves carefully
until at last my eyes rested upon Zanda.
"I will take this one," I said.
Phystal's brows contracted, and he hesitated.
"Fal Sivas said that I might select whomever I wished," I reminded him.
"But why do you want this one?" he demanded.
"She seems intelligent, and she is good-looking," I replied. "She will do as
well as another until I am better acquainted here." And so it was that Zanda was
appointed to serve me. Her duties would consist of keeping my apartments clean,
running errands for me, cleaning my harness, shining my metal, sharpening my
swords and daggers, and otherwise making herself useful.
I would much rather have had a man slave, but events had so ordered themselves
that I had been forced into the rôle of the girl's protector, and this seemed
the only plan by which I could accomplish anything along that line; but whether
or not Fal Sivas would permit me to keep her, I did not know. That was a
contingency which remained for future solution when, and if, it eventuated.
I took Zanda back to my quarters; and while she was busying herself with her
duties there, I received a call summoning me to Fal Sivas.
A slave led me to the same room in which Fal Sivas had received Rapas and me
the
night before, and as I entered the old inventor greeted me with a nod. I
expected him to immediately question me concerning Zanda, for both Hamas and
Phystal were with him; and I had no doubt but that they had reported all that
had occurred at the breakfast table.
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r r
However, I was agreeably disappointed, for he did not mention the incident at
all, but merely gave me instructions as to my duties.
I was to remain on duty in the corridor outside his door and accompany him
when
he left the room. I was to permit no one to enter the room, other than Hamas or
Phystal, without obtaining permission from Fal Sivas. When he left the room, I
was to accompany him. Under no circumstances was I ever to go to the level
above, except with his permission or by his express command. He was very
insistent in impressing this point upon my mind; and though I am not overly
curious, I must admit that now that I had been forbidden to go to any of the
levels above, I wanted to do so.
"When you have been in my service longer and I know you better," explained Fal
Sivas, "I hope to be able to trust you; but for the present you are on
probation."
That was the longest day I have ever spent, just standing around outside that
door, doing nothing; but at last it drew to a close, and when I had the
opportunity, I reminded Fal Sivas that he had promised to direct me to Ur Jan's
headquarters, so that I might try to gain entrance to them that night.
He gave me very accurate directions to a building in another quarter of the
city.
"You are free to start whenever you wish," he said, in conclusion; "I have given
Hamas instructions that you may come and go as you please. He will furnish you
with a pass signal whereby you may gain admission to the house. I wish you
luck," he said, "but I think that the best you will get will be a sword through
your heart. You are pitting yourself against the fiercest and most unscrupulous
gang of men in Zodanga."
"It is a chance that I shall have to take," I said. "Good night."
I went to my quarters and told Zanda to lock herself in after I had left and to
open the door only in answer to a certain signal which I imparted to her. She
was only too glad to obey my injunction.
When I was ready to leave the building, Hamas conducted me to the outer
doorway.
Here he showed me a hidden button set in the masonry and explained to me how
I
might use it to announce my return.
I had gone but a short distance from the house of Fal Sivas when I met Rapas the
Ulsio. He seemed to have forgotten his anger toward me, or else he was
dissimulating, for he greeted me cordially.
"Where to?" he asked.
"Off for the evening," I replied. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]