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regard to the betrothal. This must proceed! Madouc gave a poignant little cry of protest. Your Highness, have I not just explained that this cannot be? Casmir s torso seemed to swell. Madouc moved a slow step around the table, to put its maximum diameter between her and King Casmir. She cried out: Nothing has changed, Your Highness! I will search everywhere for my pedigree, but even should I discover the King of Byzantium for my sire, Prince Brezante remains as obnoxious as ever. If he speaks a single word to me, I shall declare myself an orphan bastard whom King Casmir wishes to foist off on him. If he is not deterred I will show him the Tinkle-toe Imp-spring , so that he leaps six feet into the air. King Casmir s cheeks had become pink and his eyes bulged blue from his face. He took three strides around the table, in order that he might seize Madouc and beat her well. Madouc warily darted off an equal distance around the table. Casmir lumbered in pursuit, but Madouc ran nimbly to keep the table always between them. Casmir at last halted, breathing hard both from passion and exertion. Madouc said breathlessly: You must excuse me for evading you, Your Highness, but I do not care to be beaten again. I will call the footmen, said Casmir. They will take you to a dark room, and I will beat you at my leisure and perhaps do else to you. No one defies me and escapes unscathed. He took a slow step around the table, staring fixedly at Madouc as if trying to fascinate her into immobility. Madouc sidled aside, and spoke tremulously: I beg you not to do such things, Your Highness! You will notice that I have not used my fairy magic upon you, which would be disrespectful. I command not only the Sissle-way and the Tinkle-toe but also- Madouc groped for inspiration, which was not slow in coming -an irksome spell called Insect s Arrayance , to be used only on persons who threaten me! Oh? asked King Casmir in a gentle voice. Tell me of this spell! And he took a slow step around the table. Madouc hurriedly skipped aside. When I am compelled to afflict some vile cur of a villain, insects swarm upon him from all directions! By day and by night they come, high and low, down from the sky, up from the soil! That is an unnerving prospect. True, Your Highness! Please do not creep around the table, as you frighten me and I might blurt out the Arrayance by mistake! Indeed? Tell me more of this marvellous spell. First come the fleas! They jump through the vile cur s golden beard, also his hair; they swarm in his rich garments till he tears his skin for scratching! Irksome! Stand quietly, and tell me more! King Casmir made a sudden movement; Madouc jumped around the table and spoke in desperate haste: When he sleeps large spiders crawl across his face! Weevils burrow into his skin and drop from his nose! He finds beetles in his soup and roaches in his porridge! Blowflies crawl into his mouth and lay eggs in his ears; when he Page 115 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html walks out he is beleaguered by gnats and moths and darting grasshoppers; wasps and bumblebees sting him at random! King Casmir stood scowling. And you control this awful spell? file:///F|/rah/Jack%20Vance/Vance,%20Jack%20-%20Elder%20Isles%203%20-%20Madouc .txt (110 of 256) [1/17/03 8:02:28 PM] file:///F|/rah/Jack%20Vance/Vance,%20Jack%20-%20Elder%20Isles%203%20-%20Madouc .txt Oh yes indeed! There is worse to come! Should the villain fall to the ground, he is instantly overcome by a seethe of ants. Naturally, I would use this spell only to protect myself! Of course! King Casmir smiled a small hard smile. But do you truly command a spell of such power? I suspect not. In all candour, I have forgotten one or two of the syllables, said Madouc bravely. However they come readily enough from my mother s tongue. I can call her at need, and she will transform my enemies into toads, moles or [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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