Part 36 (1/2)
Good humor instantly restored, Roupe Jhiv-Huze pocketed his knife. Turning to encounter Luzelle's alarmed gaze, he advised with an air of whimsy, ”Do not trouble yourself, Madame. Jhiv-Huze has educated his subordinate, that is all. Sometimes a small touch of kindly firmness is indicated.”
EARLY THAT EVENING, not long before sunset, the Blind Cripple Blind Cripple entered the narrow, convoluted Ta'ahri Capillaries. The Forests of Oorex, hitherto distanced by the broad expanse of the Ygah, now crowded close, almost ominously immediate. entered the narrow, convoluted Ta'ahri Capillaries. The Forests of Oorex, hitherto distanced by the broad expanse of the Ygah, now crowded close, almost ominously immediate.
Luzelle and Girays were on deck. She had already described the second confrontation between Jhiv-Huze and Oonuvu, and he had p.r.o.nounced the captain a sodden swine and the stoker a perverted urchin. Thereafter conversation paused while they stood watching the jungle flow by.
The forests were different when viewed at such intimate range. Bigger. Darker. More powerful. The channel just barely accommodating the Blind Cripple Blind Cripple was so constricted that the arching branches of the tall trees that lined the banks met above the water to roof a shadowy tunnel. The dim air was very still, very dank, and unpleasantly redolent of fungus. Luzelle could imagine drawing a.s.sorted airborne spores down into her lungs and, in the rampant fertility of the jungle, picture them taking hold there, spreading and expanding throughout her body to cram every organ with triumphant mold. She shuddered. was so constricted that the arching branches of the tall trees that lined the banks met above the water to roof a shadowy tunnel. The dim air was very still, very dank, and unpleasantly redolent of fungus. Luzelle could imagine drawing a.s.sorted airborne spores down into her lungs and, in the rampant fertility of the jungle, picture them taking hold there, spreading and expanding throughout her body to cram every organ with triumphant mold. She shuddered.
”What's wrong?” asked Girays.
”Nothing beyond an overactive imagination. I don't like this place, that's all,” she confided. ”It may be exotic and wonderful in its own way, but I just don't like it. I feel as if I'm being watched.”
”You very probably are,” he concurred unnervingly. ”Here in the Ta'ahri Capillaries the Grewzian presence is almost negligible. Here the Blessed Tribesmen reign yet, and it's more than likely that they keep close watch over the strangers in their midst.”
”They're really out there, then?” Her searching gaze strained to pierce shadows, but the dark forest kept its secrets. Another thought struck her. ”Do those Blessed Tribesmen ever attack travelers? Are they dangerous?”
”Partial to blowguns and poisoned darts, I'm told,” returned Girays, and very soon thereafter the two of them sought sanctuary belowdecks.
THE BLIND CRIPPLE BLIND CRIPPLE DROPPED ANCHOR DROPPED ANCHOR as the surrounding grey atmosphere deepened to the black of the darkest imaginable night. No straying beam of moonlight, nor the faintest glimmer of starlight, filtered down through the branches overhead. The waters of the Capillaries lapping against the hull could be heard but not seen. as the surrounding grey atmosphere deepened to the black of the darkest imaginable night. No straying beam of moonlight, nor the faintest glimmer of starlight, filtered down through the branches overhead. The waters of the Capillaries lapping against the hull could be heard but not seen.
They made a late dinner of stew that evening, and Oonuvu was not present to share it. Luzelle a.s.sumed that the stoker must be either exiled or sulking. She did not care enough to ask which. Roupe Jhiv-Huze partook hugely of xussi, regaled his audience with repet.i.tive reminiscences, and presently fell asleep at the table. His snores filled the tiny galley, all but excluding the incessant hum of insects, the amphibious croaks, the avian hoots and b.e.s.t.i.a.l roars from the depths of the forest, the elusive trilling of flutes- Flutes?
Thin, high notes tripping along the edge of her consciousness; audible for some time before she had quite noticed them, and now impossible to ignore. The music, if such it was, struck her as intensely alien, the fruit of unknowable minds presumably belonging to the Blessed Tribesmen. She glanced across the table at Girays and saw that he heard it too. Their eyes met and he shrugged, minutely but with eloquence.
Leaving Captain Jhiv-Huze unconscious in his chair, they made their way back to the main cabin, where Luzelle composed herself for slumber in utter darkness. At length she climbed into her hammock and heard the ropes creak on the opposite side of the room as Girays did the same.
For a while she lay with her eyes wide open and sightless, her ears alert to the uncanny chorus of the jungle flutes. The sound was intermittent, unpredictable, and oddly compelling. Each time it paused she found herself waiting, breath bated in comfortless suspense.
Ridiculous. A little night music was nothing to fear.
Blowguns and poisoned darts, Girays had said. Had he really needed to mention that? And having destroyed her repose, was he now comfortably sleeping? She lay there wondering. The flutes wailed and the darkness pressed with a weight all its own. At last she could bear it no longer, and whispered very softly, ”Girays?”
”Yes?” he answered at once.
”Did I wake you?”
”No. Are you all right?”
”Yes, of course. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have disturbed you.”
”You haven't. What's the matter?”
”Nothing. It's only that it's so dark in here, and I just wanted to check-wanted to be sure-”
”Of what?”
”That you're still here.”
”I'm here.”
She could not see a thing, but knew that he smiled. An answering smile curved her lips invisibly in the dark. After that she dropped off to sleep almost at once.
15.
THE BANG OF THE CABIN DOOR flinging wide woke her at the crack of dawn. Luzelle's eyes snapped open and she sat up. Anemic grey light trickled into the little room. She saw that Girays was already on his feet and facing Roupe Jhiv-Huze, who stood in the doorway. flinging wide woke her at the crack of dawn. Luzelle's eyes snapped open and she sat up. Anemic grey light trickled into the little room. She saw that Girays was already on his feet and facing Roupe Jhiv-Huze, who stood in the doorway.
Jhiv-Huze-blear eyed, puffy faced, and still reeking of xussi-radiated intense agitation. His hands were jerking and his bloodshot eyes darted everywhere as he announced without preamble, ”Pa.s.sengers, we are in a state of emergency! Your services are required!”
”What emergency?” Wide awake, Luzelle scrambled from her hammock. ”What services?”
”He is gone!” Jhiv-Huze declared. ”The ungrateful little deserter has jumped s.h.i.+p. In a less indulgent age his captain would order him hanged!”
”His captain would have to catch him first,” Girays suggested. ”You allude to the stoker, I presume.”
”Disappeared during the night, without a thought to spare for loyalty or duty. Over the side to join his fellow savages of the jungle, no doubt.”
”I cannot imagine what possessed him,” Girays murmured.
”Sir, your levity is misplaced,” the captain complained. ”Allow Jhiv-Huze to remind you that laughter hardly fuels the boiler. Oonuvu's desertion leaves us stranded here in the Capillaries perhaps for days to come. Laugh at that if you can.”
”Surely the Ygahri boy can be replaced,” Girays opined.
”But at what cost of time?” Jhiv-Huze gnawed his lower lip. ”How many hours, how many days, do we languish here, far from Jumo and all civilized amenities?”
The captain, Luzelle suspected, was starving for his marukinutu. marukinutu. Good. His desperation served her purposes admirably. Once again she was surprised and a little disturbed by the workings of her own mind, but there was no time to worry about it, for Jhiv-Huze was still talking. Good. His desperation served her purposes admirably. Once again she was surprised and a little disturbed by the workings of her own mind, but there was no time to worry about it, for Jhiv-Huze was still talking.
”We can't spare the time, we've no leisure to search the forests for a healthy and tractable native. At this juncture one remedy alone presents itself. It is you, my friend. You are our hope and our salvation. Master v'Alisante, you are the Blind Cripple Blind Cripple's new stoker. I trust you will serve well.”
Had the man lost his wits? Luzelle wondered. Did he not understand that he addressed a formerly-Exalted v'Alisante, master of Belfaireau, and possessor of several quarts of Vonahr's bluest blood? Did he actually imagine it possible that M. the Marquis could or would stoop to shoveling coal shoveling coal?
”Right,” Girays returned without the slightest flicker of affront and Luzelle stared at him in amazement. ”Fire survive the night?”
”Just barely,” the captain told him. ”A few small embers glow yet, and Jhiv-Huze has already fed them.”
”Good. Let's move, then.”
”Jhiv-Huze admires your spirit, sir.”
”Wait.” Luzelle found her voice, and both men turned to look at her. ”Girays shouldn't have to do all the work. I'll help.”
Girays and the captain traded brief glances of unendurable amus.e.m.e.nt.
”Thank you, Luzelle. That's kind, but I don't think I'll require a.s.sistance,” Girays replied with a courteous gravity that would have deceived anyone who did not know him well.
”Don't you think I'm capable of lifting a few shovelfuls of coal?” she inquired, carefully suppressing any note of belligerence.
”I'm sure that you are, but it's simply unnecessary.”