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Without a word, he took the towel van Zoveel proffered and focused his
attention on drying himself from his dash through the storm. Again, he told
himself that GalLing , being an artificial language coined for trade, had none
of the reliability of Jenji. Again, he found it difficult to believe.
It wasn t until van Zoveel addressed him in Jenji that he was able to answer
at all. Hearing the Jenji forms calmed him slowly. He chimed his bracelets in
polite response, mildly surprised when van Zoveel did not follow suit. Of
course, he thought, Zoveelians wear no status bracelets, but it
disturbed him nonetheless. Even the youngest child makes the arm motion&
Their conversation continued in Jenji. The sound of it was enormously welcome
but swift-Kalat found himself more and more discomforted. Something in
Ruurd van Zoveel s manner disturbed him enormously; it never bothered him
when he spoke to van Zoveel over the comunit but, here, in his
presence& If only the man would sit down! swift-Kalat thought. For all his
courtesy, van Zoveel seemed always to back away, and swift-Kalat felt obliged
to follow.
Instead of sitting, however, van Zoveel paced nervously, his beribboned tunic
fluttering. He offered a glass of dOrnano wine, as if the occasion were one
for celebration; and swift-Kalat accepted, knowing it was not, but grateful
because the acceptance took van Zoveel to the far side of the room.
Van Zoveel s furniture was plush and as gaudy as his clothing. Swift-Kalat
chose a plump red and blue pillow near a low table and sat, piling smaller red
and yellow pillows to support his elbow, as he d seen van Zoveel do. It was
far from comfortable, but it was better than following van Zoveel around the
room.
Van Zoveel returned with the wine and handed him a sheaf of hard-copy as well.
 That s my report,
he said.  That is what I will have to give the captain. I thought perhaps you
should read it.
 I need only read your conclusion. Swift-Kalat sat up to take the report. He
leafed through to the final page. It read as he d expected: 
The sprookjes have no language as far as I am able to determine
. He slapped the report closed and dropped it onto the table with more
force than he d intended.
Van Zoveel, pouring the wine, jumped; wine splashed. He finished the pouring
carefully and wiped away the droplets.  I m sorry, swift-Kalat, he said, not
looking up,  I am unable to say otherwise.
This time the absence of van Zoveel s status bracelets or at least the
movement that would have set them ringing struck swift-Kalat more forcefully.
 Something on this world is sentient. Swift-Kalat snapped his forearm
sharply; his own bracelets rang emphasis of his words.
 Something has your reliability in its favor. I explained that to Captain
Kejesli but the captain hasn t the ear to hear the distinction. And I am
unable to match your certainty. am unable to say otherwise,
I
he repeated.
 I made a formal application for a second polyglot, but Kejesli denied my
request. My record is too good, he said
too good
! and he did not wish to go the additional expense of sending an automated
message capsule. He spat, startling swift-Kalat (who had only read of and
never seen the Zoveelian expression of utter disgust) with his vehemence, and
finished.  There is nothing further I can do.
A peal of thunder rattled the wine glasses. Swift-Kalat put out a hand to
steady his but did not drink.
 I thank you for your trouble, he said.  I did not know you had gone so far 
 Ruurd? From the comunit, Buntec s deep voice broke in.
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Van Zoveel excused himself and activated the screen.  Could this wait,
Buntec? he said.  I have company.
 No, it can t. You gotta come sweet-talk the captain in his native
croak, Buntec said.  You remember Tinling Alfvaen? She s here 
Swift-Kalat came instantly to his feet. Unable to restrain himself, he clapped
his hands sharply above his head, bracelets clashing triumph. He strode to
join van Zoveel.
Buntec acknowledged him with a wave.  She s here with a Hellspark, she said,
repeating the words that had been lost to swift-Kalat s joy. Then she went on,
her indignation rising in proportion to their enthusiasm,  Old Rattlebrain
tried to keep  em from landing. Now he wants  em off planet just as soon as
they ve delivered their mail. But we need  em we need something after the
trouble we ve been through! and native croak always makes a difference,
Ruurd. You know that!
Van Zoveel began a polite refusal, but swift-Kalat said,  We ll come. He
turned to van Zoveel and said, in Jenji,  Would you accept the assistance of a
Hellspark polyglot?
 Yes, of course! Of course, we ll come! There was no need to translate for
Buntec. The screen was already dark.
Hellsparks made Rav Kejesli uncomfortable.
As a young man on Sheveschke, Kejesli had haunted the streets at
festival time looking for the traders to the thousand worlds. He d [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]