Part 37 (1/2)

Blood considered. ”Let's say well enough to run fast. How long for that?”

”It's difficult to say. It depends a good deal on his heredity-I doubt that he knows anything useful about that- and on his physical condition. He's young at least, so it could be worse.” Doctor Crane turned to Silk. ”Sit up straight for a moment, young man. I want to listen to you again, now that you've had a chance to calm down.”

He lifted Silk's torn tunic, put his ear against Silk's chest, and thumped his back. With the third thump, Silk felt something hard and cold slide into his waistband beneath the horsehair rope.

”Should've brought my instruments. Cough, please.”

Already frantic with curiosity, Silk coughed and was rewarded with another thump.

”Good. Again, please, and deeper this time. Make it go deep.”

Silk coughed as deeply as he could.

”Excellent.” Doctor Crane straightened up, letting Silk's tunic fall back into place. ”Truly excellent. You're a fine specimen, young man, a credit to Viron.” The timbre of his voice altered almost imperceptibly. ”Somebody up there likes you.” He pointed jocularly toward the elaborately figured ceiling, where a painted Molpe vied with Phaea at bagatelle. ”Some infatuated G.o.ddess, I should imagine.”

Silk leaned back in his chair, although the hard object behind his spine made actual comfort impossible. ”If that means I get less time from your employer, I would hardly call it evidence of favor, my son.”

Doctor Crane smiled. ”In that case, perhaps not.”

”How long?” Blood banged his tumbler down on the stand beside his chair. ”How long before it's as good as it was before he broke it?”

”Five to seven weeks, I'd say. He could run a litde sooner

184 Gene Wolfe

than that, with his ankle correctly taped. All this a.s.sumes proper rest and medical treatment in the interim-sonic stimulation of the broken bone and so forth.”

Silk cleared his throat. ”I cannot afford elaborate treatment, Doctor. All I'll be able to do is hobble about and pray that it heals.”

”Well, you can't come here,” Blood told him angrily. ”Was that what you were hinting at?”

Doctor Crane began, ”Possibly, sir, you might retain a specialist in the city-”

Blood sniffed. ”We should've shot him and gotten it over with. By Phaea's sow, I wish the fall had killed him. No specialist. You'll see himself whenever you're in that part of the city. When is it? Sphigxday and Hieraxday?”

”That's right, and tomorrow's Sphigxday.” Doctor Crane glanced toward an ornate clock on the opposite side of the room. ”I should be in bed already.”

”You'll see him then,” Blood said. ”Now get out of

here.”

Silk told Crane, ”I sincerely regret the inconvenience, Doctor. If your employer will only give me a bit more time, it wouldn't be necessary,”

At the door Crane turned and appeared, almost, to wink.

Blood said, ”We'll compromise, Patera. Pay attention, because it's as far as I'm willing to go. Aren't you going to drink that?”

Feeling Musk's knuckles behind his ears, Silk took a

dutiful sip.