Trullion: Alastor 2262 (19 page)

Two days after the catastrophic game with the Kanchedos, Glinnes rode the ferry into Welgen to find a buyer for twenty sacks of his excellent Rabendary musk-apples, a matter soon arranged. With an hour to wait for the return trip, Glinnes stopped for a bite of lunch at a small restaurant half indoors, half out under the shade of a fulgeria arbor. He drank a pot of beer and gnawed at bread and cheese, and watched the folk of Welgen move about their affairs … Here passed a group of true Fanschers sober young folk, erect and alert, ; frowning into the distance as if absorbed in concepts of great portent … And here came Akadie, walking quickly, with his head lowered, his Fanscher style jacket flapping out to the sides. Glinnes called out as he passed, “Akadie! Drop yourself in a chair; take a pot of beer!”

Akadie halted as if he had struck an invisible obstruction. He peered into the shade to isolate the source of the voice, I glanced over his shoulder, and ducked hastily into a chair beside Glinnes. His face was pinched; his voice when he spoke was sharp and nervous. “I think I’ve put them aside, or Iat least I hope so.”

“Oh?” Glinnes looked along the way Akadie had come,! “Who have you put aside?” Akadie’s response was typically oblique. “I should have refused the commission; it has brought me only anxiety. Five thousand ozols! When I am dogged by avaricious Trevany awaiting only a moment of carelessness. What a farce. They can take their thirty million ozols, together with my paltry five thousand, and fabricate the most expensive bumstopper in the marveling memory of the human universe.”

“In other words,” said Glinnes, “you have collected the thirty million ozols ransom?” Akadie gave a peevish nod. “I assure you, it is not real money; that is to say, the five thousand ozols which becomes my fee represents five thousand spendable ozols. I carry thirty million ozols in this case here he nudged a small black case with a silver clasp — but it seems like so much wadded paper.:

“To you.”

“Precisely.” Akadie peered over his shoulder once again. “Other folk are less adept in abstract symbology, or more accurately, they use different symbols. These tokens to me are fire and smoke, pain and fear. Others perceive an entirely different set of referrents: palaces, space-yachts, perfumes and pleasures.”

“In short, you fear that the money will be stolen from you?” Akadie’s nimble mind had far outdistanced a categorical response.

“Can you imagine the vicissitudes liable to the man who withheld thirty million ozols from Sagmondo Bandolio? The conversation might go in this fashion: Bandolio: “I now require of you, Janno Akadie, the thirty million ozols entrusted to your care.“ Akadie: “You must be brave and forebearing, since I no longer have the money. “Bandolio: … Alas. My imagination falters. I can conceive no further. Would he be cold? Would he rave? Would he utter a negligent laugh?”

“If indeed you are robbed,” said Glinnes, “one small benefit will be the gratification of your curiosity.”

Akadie acknowledged the remark with only a sour side-glance. “If I could surely identify someone, or something; if I knew precisely whom or what to avoid… ” He left the sentence unfinished.

“Have you noticed any specific threat? Or are you just nervous?”

“I am nervous, to be sure, but this is my usual state. I loathe discomfort, I dread pain, I refuse even to acknowledge the possibility of death. All these circumstances now seem to hover close.”

“Thirty million ozols is an impressive sum,” said Glinnes wistfully. “Personally, I need only twelve thousand of them.”

Akadie pushed the case toward Glinnes. “Here you are; take whatever you require and explain the lack to Bandolio. But no.” He jerked the case back once more. “I am not allowed this option.”

“I am puzzled on one account,” said Glinnes. “Since you are so anxious, why do you not simply place the money in a bank? Yonder, for instance, is the Bank of Welgen, twenty one seconds from where we sit.”

Akadie sighed. “If onlv it were that easv … Mv instructions are to keep the money ready at hand, for delivery to Bandolio’s messenger.”

“And when does he come?”

Akadie rolled his eyes up toward the Fulgeria. “Five minutes? Five days? Five weeks? I wish I knew.”

“It seems somewhat unreasonable,” said Glinnes. “Still, the starmenters work by the systems they find most useful. And think! A year from today the episode will provide you many a merry anecdote.”

“I can think only of this moment,” grumbled Akadie. “This case sits in my lap like a red-hot anvil.”

“Who exactly do you fear?”

Even at his most fretful, Akadie could not resist a didactic analysis. “Three groups hotly yearn for ozols: the Fanschers, that they may buy land, tools, information and energy; the noble folk, in order to refurbish their flaccid fortunes; and the Trevanvi, who are naturally avaricious. Only moments ago I discovered two Trevanyi walking unobtrusively behind me.”

“This may or may not be significant,” said Glinnes.

“All very well to deprecate.” Akadie rose to his feet. “Are you returning to Rabendary? Why not ride out with me?”

They walked to the dock and in Akadie’s white runabout set off eastward along the Inner Broad. Between the Lace Islands, across Ripil Broad they sped, past Saurkash, then along narrow Athenry Water and out upon Fleharish Broad, where they observed a rakish black and purple craft darting back and forth at great speed.

“Speaking of Trevanyi,” said Glinnes, “notice who joyrdes with Lord Gensifer.”

“I noticed her.” Akadie thoughtfully stowed his black case under the stern seat. Lord Gensifer drove his boat through a sportive caracole, projecting a long feather of spume into the air, then rushed hissing forward to overtake Akadie and Glinnes. Akadie, murmuring an objurgation, allowed his boat to coast to a standstill; Lord Gensifer drew up alongside. Duissane, wearing a charming pale-blue gown, glanced sidewise with an expression of sulky boredom but made no other acknowledgment. Lord Gensifer was in one of his most expansive moods. “And where are you bound this lovely afternoon, with such a pair of hangdog looks about you? Off to rob Lord Milfred’s duck preserve, or so I’d wager.” Lord Gensifer here made waggish allusion to an ancient joke of the district. “What a pair of rogues, to be sure.”

Akadie replied in his most polished voice. “I fear we have more important concerns, beautiful day or not.”

Lord Gensifer made an easy gesture to signify that the course of his little joke was run. “How does your collection progress?”

“I took in the last moneys this morning,” said Akadie stiffly. The subject was clearly one he did not care to pursue, but Lord Gensifer tactlessly continued. “Just hand me over a million or two of those ozols. Bandolio would hardly feel the difference.”

“I’d be pleased to hand you over the whole thirty million,” said Akadie, “and you could settle accounts with Sagmondo Bandolio.”

“Thank you,” said Lord Gensifer, “but I think not.” He peered into Akadie’s boat. “You really carry the money about with you, then? Ah, there in the bilge, as casual as you please. Do you realize that boats sometimes sink? What would you say then to Sagmondo the Stern?”

Akadie’s voice cracked under the strain of his displeasure. “The contingency is most remote.”

“Undoubtedly true. But we’re boring Duissane, who cares nothing for such matters. She refuses to visit me at Gensifer Manor — think of it! I’ve tempted her with luxury and elegance; she’ll have none of it.Trevanyi through and through. Wild as a bird! You’re sure you can’t spare even a million ozols? What about half a million? A paltry hundred thousand?”

Akadie smiled with steely patience and shook his head. With a wave of his hand Lord Gensifer pulled back the throttle; the purple and silver boat lunged forward, swept around in a slashing arc and drove north toward the Prefecture Commons, the heel of which closed off the tip of Fleharish Broad. Akadie and Glinnes proceeded more sedately. At Rabendary Island, Akadie chose to stop ashore for a cup of tea, but sat on the edge of his chair peering first up Ilfish Way, then across Ambal Broad, then through the row of pomanders which Screened Farwan Water. These, with their tall waving blades, created a sense of furtive motion which made Akadie more nervous than ever.

Glinnes brought forth a flask of old wine to soothe Akadie’s apprehension, with such good effect that the afternoon waned into pale avness. At last Akadie felt obliged to go home. “If you like you can accompany me. Truth to tell, I’m a trifle on edge.”

Glinnes agreed to follow Akadie in his own boat, but Akadie stood rubbing his chin as if reluctant to depart. “Perhaps you should telephone Marucha and let her know that we are on the way. Inquire also if she has noticed unusual circumstances of any sort whatever.”

“Just as you like.” Glinnes went to make the call. Marucha was indeed relieved to learn that Akadie was on his way home. Unusual circumstances? None of consequence. Perhaps a few more boats in the vicinity, or it might have been the same boat passing back and forth. She had barely noticed.

Glinnes found Akadie on the end of the dock, frowning up Farwan Water. He set off in his white runabout and Glinnes followed close behind, all the way to Clinkhammer Broad, clear, calm and empty in the mauve gray light of evening. Glinnes saw Akadie safely to the dock, then swung about and returned to Rabendary. Hardly had he arrived home before the telephone gong sounded. Akadie’s face appeared on the screen with an expression of lugubrious triumph. “It went exactly as I had expected,” said Akadie.

“There they were, waiting for me behind the boathouse four of them, and I’m sure Trevanyi, though they all wore masks.”

“What happened?” Glinnes demanded, for Akadie seemed intent on arranging his tale to the best dramatic effect.

“Just what I expected; that’s what happened,” snapped Akadie. “They overpowered me and took the black case; then they fled in their boats.”

“So. Thirty million ozols down the chute.”

“Ha hah! Nothing of the sort. Only a locked black case packed with grass and dirt. There will be some sorry Drossets when they force the lock. I say Drossets advisedly, for I recognized the peculiar stance of the older son, and Vang Drosset’s posture is also characteristic.”

“You mentioned four?”

Akadie managed a grim smile. “One of the thugs wag somewhat frail. This person stood aside and kept a lookout”

“Indeed. Then where is the money?”

“This is why I called. I left it in the bait-box on your dock, and my forethought was amply justified. What I want you to do is this. Go out on your dock and make sure there are no observers. Take the foil-wrapped packet from the box and carry it inside your house, and I will call for it tomorrow.”

Glinnes scowled at Akadie’s image. “So now I’m in charge of your confounded money. I don’t want my throat cut any more than you. I fear I must charge you a professional fee.”

Akadie instantly emerged from his preoccupation. “How absurd! You incur no risks. No one knows where the money is — ”

“Someone might make a thirty million ozol guess. Don’t forget who saw us together earlier today.”

Akadie laughed somewhat shakily. “Your agitation is excessive. Still, if it gives you comfort, station yourself with your handgun where you can watch for trespassers. In fact, this is perhaps the judicious course. We’ll both feel better for the vigilance.”

Glinnes stuttered in indignation. Before he could speak, Akadie made a reassuring gesture and dimmed the screen. Glinnes jumped to his feet and strode back and forth across the room. Then he brought forth his handgun, as Akadie had suggested, and went out on the dock. The waterways were empty. He made a circuit of his house, walking wide around the prickleberry bushes. So far as he could determine, there was no one on Rabendary Island but himself.

The bait-box exerted an intolerable fascination. He went back out on the dock and flipped up the lid. There indeed a packet wrapped in metal foil. Glinnes took it forth and after a moment of indecision carried it into the house. What did thirty million ozols look like? No harm in soothing his curiosity. He unfolded the covering to find a wad of folded periodicals. Glinnes stared down aghast. He started for the telephone, then stopped short. If Akadie knew of the situation, his manner would be intolerably dry and jocular. If, on the other hand, Akadie were ignorant of the substitution, the news would shatter him, and might well be postponed until the morning.

Glinnes rewrapped the packet and replaced it in the bait-box. Then he brewed himself a cup of tea and took it out on the verandah, where he sat brooding across the water. Night now fully encompassed the fens; the sky was paved with stars. Glinnes decided that Akadie himself had transferred the money, leaving the foil-wrapped parcel as a decoy. A typically subtle joke …Glinnes turned his head at the gurgle of water. A merling? No a boat approaching slowly and softly from the direction of Ilfish Water. He jumped down from the verandah and went to stand in the deep shade under the sombarilla tree. The air was absolutely quiet. The water lay like polished moonstone. Glinnes squinted through the starlight and presently perceived a nondescript skiff with a single, rather frail person aboard. Akadie returning for his ozols? No. Glinnes’ heart gave a queer quick throb. He started to step forward from the shade, then halted and drew back.

The boat drifted to the dock. The person aboard stepped ashore and dropped the mooring line over a bollard. Quietly through the starlight she came, and halted in front of the verandah. “Glinnes! Glinnes!” Her voice was hushed and secretive, like the call of a night bird. Glinnes watched. Duissane stood indecisive, shoulders drooping. Then she went up on the verandah and looked into the dark house. “Glinnes!”

Glinnes came slowly forward. “I’m over here.”

Duissane walked while he crossed the verandah. “Did you expect me?”

“No,” said Glinnes. “Not really.”

“Do you know why I came?”

Glinnes slowly shook his head. “But I am frightened.” Duissane laughed quietly. “Why should you be frightened?”

“Because once you gave me to the merlings.”

“Are you afraid of death?” Duissane moved a step closer. “What is there to fear? I have no fear. A soft-winged black bird carries our ghosts to the Vale of Xian, and there we wander, at peace.”