cacb.thefarkingdoms-第52部分

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s　notice。　So　it　seems　to　me；　all　we　have　to　do　is　find　a　way　to　quietly　assist　that　change。〃　I　had　no　quarrel　with　her　reasoning。　It　was　only　the　how　that　escaped　me。　My　head　whirled；　seeking　openings　we　could　exploit。　〃One　other　thing；〃　my　sister　said。　〃There　seems　to　be　one　very　small　group　that　is　ahead　of　the　others。　Our　spy　says　there　has　been　much　mysterious　ings　and　goings　in　the　basement　of　the　hall。　Much　spell　casting　and　odd　noises　and　smells　for　even　a　wizard's　lair。　It　is　a　very　secretive　group；　and　others　don't　seem　to　know　what　they　are　about。〃
　〃What　does　our　friend　the　floor　scrubber　think？〃
　Rali　shrugged。　〃She　doesn't　know。　She　doesn't　even　have　a　guess。　She　told　me　if　she　did　have　one；　and　it　was　close；　then　Gamelan　and　the　others　would　have　figured　it　out　as　well。〃
　Despite　the　fact　that　all　things　now　suggested　a　swift　resolution；　the　matter　stalled　for　some　weeks。　Janos　took　in　Rali's　information　and　continued　picking　away　at　his　opponents　bit　by　bit。
　As　for　myself；　I　had　my　family　and　business　to　see　to。　An　idea　had　e　shortly　after　our　return　to　Orissa。　It　was　an　idea　whose　seed　had　begun　to　germinate　after　Eanes'　death。　I　thought　I　was　a　fool　to　harbor　such　a　plan　at　first；　but　the　more　I　saw　how　the　folk　of　the　streets　reacted　to　the　Far　Kingdoms；　considering　it　a　possession；　a　birthright；　the　more　the　notion　took　root。　I　first　broached　the　subject　with　Deoce。
　〃We　have　been　together　for　only　a　short　time；　my　love；〃　I　began。　〃But　in　that　time　I　have　found　you　to　be　not　only　a　loving　wife；　a　solid　friend；　but　the　best　counsel　among　all　my　advisers。〃
　〃Thank　you　for　saying　that；　my　husband；〃　she　replied。　〃But　your　preamble　is　entirely　unnecessary。　For　the　day　you　cease　asking；　and　accepting；　my　advice；　is　the　day　I　book　passage　for　Salcae；　where　there　is　no　need　for　a　sweet　balsam　before　a　woman　is　asked　her　opinion。〃
　I　blushed；　and　Deoce　laughed　and　gave　me　a　hug。　〃Never　fear；　dear　Amalric。　If　it　were　even　possible　for　you　to　treat　me　as　other　Orissan　men　treat　their　wives；　I　would　have　seen　it　long　before。　And　I　would　never　have　slept　with　you　in　the　first　place。〃
　She　shifted　in　her　pillows；　seeking　fort；　then　patted　her　belly；　swollen　large　now　with　our　daughter；　Emilie；　whom　the　midwives　said　would　be　with　us　very　soon。　〃Listen　well；　little　one；〃　Deoce　said　to　the　swelling。　〃Your　father　is　about　to　speak。〃
　I　smiled　and　then　said；　〃I　believe　I　have　found　the　cause　for　the　unease　that　afflicts　Orissa。　And　it　is　also　the　reason　why　the　Far　Kingdoms　have　so　captured　everyone's　imagination。　You；　yourself；　have　touched　on　this　ailment；　and　disease　I　think　it　is；　many　times。〃
　〃The　status；　or　lack　of　it　of　women；　you　mean？〃　she　asked。
　〃That's　very　much　part　of　it。　Women　are　only　one　factor；　however。　In　Orissa；　everyone　is　frozen　in　their　roles　at　birth。　A　woman　can　only　attempt　a　few；　approved　things。　The　same　is　true　of　all　the　classes　in　this　city。　With　rare　exception；　once　a　craftsman；　always　a　craftsman；　a　stall　keeper　will　remain　a　stall　keeper；　a　laborer　will　continue　to　toil；　and　so　on。　Halab　encountered　the　ultimate　barrier　when　he　tried　to　bee　an　Evocator。〃
　〃It　is　a　very　difficult　city　for　someone　with　dreams；〃　Deoce　agreed。
　〃You　hit　it　square；〃　I　said。　〃Dreams　are　not　forbidden　in　Orissa；　but　they　are　certainly　not　encouraged。　Oh；　we　fool　ourselves。　We　delight　in　the　saucy　talk　and　sassing　the　mon　folk　give　us　lords　and　ladies。　But　let　that　sass　bee　more　than　a　charming　eccentricity；　and　that　man　or　woman　is　done。〃
　〃What　do　you　propose　to　do　about　it？〃　she　asked。
　〃I　would　start　with　the　lowest　of　the　low；〃　I　said。　〃I　would　free　the　slaves。　Remove　that　barrier　and　the　flood　will　start。　Then　all　the　dams　will　give　way　as　each　class　thunders　downriver　to　e　against　the　next；　until　。。。　Well；　who　knows。　Perhaps　someday　even　a　slave　could　bee　a　lord　or　lady。〃
　Deoce　delighted　me　with　a　glowing　smile　of　approval　that　gave　me　as　much　pleasure　as　any　feeling　I　have　had　in　my　life。　She　said；　〃Speaking　as　a　woman　who　was　almost　a　slave；　and　as　a　woman　in　Orissa　I　am　all　but　a　slave　in　every　place　except　this　house；　I　heartily　agree。　Our　bold　friend；　Janos　Greycloak；　is　an　example　of　what　a　slave　can　achieve。〃
　〃Freeing　our　own　would　be　a　small　start；〃　I　said。　〃We　would　have　to　be　quiet　about　it　at　the　start；　for　I　fear　a　loud　public　announcement　would　raise　so　many　passions　that　it　would　jeopardize　the　plan。〃
　〃That　is　wise；〃　she　said。　〃If　we　let　it　be　known　to　a　few　at　a　time；　and　let　that　news　go　from　trickle　to　torrent；　it　will　have　a　greater　effect。〃
　〃The　only　trouble　is　my　brothers；〃　I　said。　〃For　the　Anteros　must　free　all　their　slaves　to　make　the　point。　There　will　be　a　great　family　fight。〃
　〃Good。　It　will　get　their　blood　going。　Your　brothers　need　a　shaking　up。　They've　lived　off　your　father's　and　now　your　boldness　far　too　long。〃
　My　brothers　did　not　take　it　well。　The　Antero　family　owned　perhaps　one　hundred　and　fifty　souls；　most　of　whom　were　either　very　expensive　household　slaves；　skilled　dockside　or　farm　laborers；　or　educated　clerks　and　managers。　By　freeing　them　we　would　reduce　the　value　of　our　family's　wealth　by　one　fifth。　My　oldest　brother；　Porcemus；　was　the　most　opposed。　He　was　twice　my　age　and　of　all　of　us　most　closely　resembled　my　father；　but　with　weaker　features。　〃Your　plan　is　insane；〃　he　said。　〃You　will　beggar　us。　Who　will　take　the　slaves'　places？　Think　of　the　wages；　man！　We　simply　cannot　afford　it。〃
　I　said；　〃Money　is　not　the　question　here。　If　a　thing　is　right；　then　it　should　be　done　whatever　the　expense。　However；　if　you　insist　。。。〃　I　took　a　ledger　from　the　stack　before　me。　〃Review　the　figures　I　have　collected　and　you　will　see　it　is　cheaper　to　employ　a　man　than　to　enslave　him。　A　free　man　pays　for　his　own　keep。And　he　works　harder；　because　he　can　improve　his　lot；　whereas　a　slave　will　always　be　a　slave；　so　why　should　he　trouble　himself？〃　I　opened　the　document　and　tapped　a　column　of　figures。　〃See；　here；　Porcemus。　Your　orchard　production　has　remained　at　nearly　the　same　level　for　fifteen　years。　Only　once　did　it　change；　and　that　season　showed　an　increase。〃　He　looked　at　the　figures；　frowning。　〃This　was　the　year　when　the　fever　laid　all　your　slaves　low；〃　I　continued。　〃We　had　to　hire　free　men　and　women　to　do　their　work。　And　the　harvest　was　greater；　wasn't　it？　There　was　also　less　spoil；　because　they　worked　faster　and　harder　to　earn　more　money。〃
　There　were　murmurs　of　surprise　among　my　brothers。　Porcemus；　however；　was　stubborn　as　only　a　small…minded　man　can　be。　〃You　can't　make　such　a　judgment　examining　only　one　season；〃　he　said。
　〃I　didn't。〃　I　pushed　the　stack　of　ledgers　over　for　him　to　study　if　he　wished。　〃I　found　many　other　instances　where　similar　parisons　can　be　drawn。　Over　the　years　our　profits　are　always　greater　when　we　pay　a　fair　wage；　instead　of　using　a　slave。　To　be　fair；　I　did　not　include　the　trade　our　ships　carry；　although　that　is　the　bulk　of　our　earnings。　As　you　know；　we　rarely　use　slaves　in　the　trading　business　。。。　for　the　reasons　I　just　gave。　Even　the　least　skilled　trader　knows　there　is　no　greater　motive　than　profit。〃
　〃I　still　say　a　demon　has　invaded　you；〃　Porcemus　said。　〃Why；　if　everyone　freed　their　slaves；　we　would　immediately　double　the　number　of　citizens。　Most　of　our　people　are　already　an　ignorant　and　filthy　lot。　Now；　we　would　have　nearly　thirty　thousand　more。　Anarchy　would　reign。　It　would　be　the　end　of　Orissa　as　we　know　it。〃　He　angrily　shoved　the　books　back　at　me。　〃Hasn't　our　family　suffered　enough？　First；　Halab　。　。。　and　now　。。。　you。〃
　I　had　expected　an　attack　on　myself；　I　was　prepared　for　it　and　planned　to　be　calm　and　reasonable。　It　was　not　strange　that　my　brothers　would　be　jealous　that　one　so　young　as　myself　had　been　handed　over　the　leadership　of　our　family。　The　attack　on　Halab　caught　me　by　surprise；　and　I　acted　foolishly；　slamming　up　from　the　table；　the　chair　crashing　to　the　floor。　〃If　you　were　not　of　my　blood；〃　I　said；　〃I　would　kill　you　where　you　sit。〃
　Porcemus　turned　a　ghastly　white。　My　other　brothers　tried　to　calm　me。　But　it　was　not　their　words　that　soothed　me；　it　was　the　sight　of　Porcemus'　frightened　face。　I　was　strong　in　my　anger；　and　I　could　feel　the　easy　play　of　my　muscles；　which　had　been　tempered　and　tuned　for　violence　during　my　long　journey。　What　a　helpless　lot；　I　thought。　Then　my　anger　fled。　Ah；　well；　I　thought　again。　They　are　a　burden；　but　what　of　it？　They　were　a　burden　to　your　father　as　well；　and　he　trusted　you　to　shoulder　it　when　he　handed　over　responsibility。
　I　sighed；　picked　up　the　chair；　and　set　it　in　place。　〃I　am　sorry　for　my　anger；　brother；〃　I　said。　〃Now；　I　would　like　your　agreement　on　my　plan。　To　ease　your　pain；　I　propose　to　repay　you　the　value　of　your　slaves　from　my　own　pocket。〃　I　turned　to　the　others。　〃Will　that　suffice？〃　There　were　noises　of　acceptance　all　around。　Porcemus　became　very　friendly；　hugged　me；　and　apologized；　and　then　they　all　left。
　That　is　how　I；　Amalric　Emilie　Antero；　became　the　first　to　free　the　slaves　in　Orissa。　It　was　not　a　proud　moment；　for　it　all　still　was　measured　by　greed；　but　at　least　it　was　done。　I　settled　back　and　waited　for　the　reaction。　The　first　was　most　unexpected。　It　came　from　Tegry。
　〃What　have　you　done？〃　he　thundered。
　I　was　taken　aback；　slaves　do　not　speak　that　way　to　their　owners。　Then　I　remembered　he　was　a　slave　no　more。　This　would　take　much　getting　used　to；　especially　with　someone　I　disliked　as　much　as　Tegry；　whom　I　had　only　kept　on　because　of　my　father。
　〃Calm　yourself；　Tegry；〃　I　said。　〃Explain　my　error；　and　I　will　do　my　best　to　correct　it。〃
　〃You　。。。　you　。。。　freed　me！〃
　I　am　sure　my　expression　resembled　a　gaping　fish。　〃What　is　wrong　with　that？〃　I　sputtered。　〃I　freed　all　of　the　slaves。〃
　Tegry's　eyes　filled　with　hatred。　〃I　have　worked　all　my　life　to　reach　my　present　position；〃　he　gritted。　〃And　now　it　is　gone。　You　have　stolen　my　pride。〃
　〃How　did　I　do　this？　You　still　have　your　job；　but　at　a　salary。　And　you　are　still　master　of　the　affairs　that　were　in　your　domain　before。〃
　〃I　。。。　I　。。。　defecate　on　your　salary！　I've　stolen　more　in　a　day；　as　is　my　right；　then　you　pay　me　in　eight。　As　for　my　position；　I　now　have　no　authority　over　the　servants。　No　real　authority。　You　have　freed　them；　you　fool。　When　I　order　them　to　work；　they　laugh　in　my　face　if　they　do　not　like　my　manne