The Reluctant Shaman and Other Fantastic Tales
- Автор: Де Камп Лайон Спрэг
- Год: 1970
- Язык: английский
- Год: Pyramid Books
- Жанр: Научная фантастика
Электронная книга - «The Reluctant Shaman and Other Fantastic Tales». Краткое содержание книги:
And plunge headlong into the always wild, constantly weird, and frequently whimsical realm of fantasy as invoked by that master magician L. SPRAGUE DE CAMP!
* A social protestor who just happens to be a ghost...
* A mail-order magic business that conjures up a universe of trouble...
* A fledgling wizard who doesn't know the strength of his own power...
And these are only a sprinkling of the outrageous and amazing creatures and things you'll encounter as you whir through a world where everything is probable--
THE RELUCTANT SHAMAN
THE HARDWOOD PILE
NOTHING IN THE RULES
THE GHOST OF MELVIN PYE
THE WISDOM OF THE EAST
MR. ARSON
KA THE APPALLING
"You mean you would go through with that scheme and not merely talk about it?"
"Surely, surely. I have already seen Sentiu the building contractor and visited the artist Heqatari. He shall design our temple and the statue of the god."
"Then give me my half, and stay here with yours."
"No! We shall need it all. And think not to take your share by stealth. Remember, it was not I who slew the sacred cat."
Gezun glared but subsided. Ugaph might be right at that: he had more experience at this sort of thing.
Soon, the site of the temple sounded with hammering. Walls rose, floors were laid, and in the midst of it all, the great Heqatari worked with his apprentices on the statue. It was to be an imposing affair of gilded bronze, showing a vulture-headed Ka with multiple wings and arms, hurling thunderbolts and brandishing weapons.
When the workmen stopped for their noon meal, Gezun went around to where Heqatari and his apprentices gnawed bread and cheese in the shade of a wall.
"Greetings, great artist," said Gezun. "Can you explain something?"
"What?"
"What's that walled section in the rear, with the deep embayment? It was not in the original plan." Gezun pointed.
"You must mean the stable."
"Stable?"
"Aye. Ugaph has bought a chariot and pair and wishes room to store them on the temple grounds."
"Why, the foul—" began Gezun, when the clopping of hooves made him turn. There came Ugaph, standing in a gold-trimmed chariot drawn by a pair of whites. He reined up, cursing as the horses skittered and bucked and the workmen grinned at his lack of skill. Gezun strode over and began:
"What's this folly? And what mean you by commanding an enlargement of the temple without my knowledge?"
Ugaph's face darkened. "Keep your voice down, stripling, or I shall raise mine too. I might even speak of cats."
Gezun almost sprang upon Ugaph, but he mastered his rage and said: "We shall speak of this again." He walked off.
They had a furious quarrel in the underground chambers that night, Gezun pounding the table and shouting: "You profligate old fool! We're in debt far enough now to put us into debt slavery for our lives."
"And who told you how to run a cult? You think a babe like you, a third my age and a barbarian to boot, can teach me the art?"
"I can tell when an enterprise is being run to death! Instead of getting out with your paint and ashes and digging more gold out of the Typhonians, you swank around in embroidered robes and drive your gaudy toy."
"That shows your ignorance. By showing the mob how successful we are, we prove our god is truly mighty."
"Said the drunken yokel who fell down the well, how clever I am, for I shall never be thirsty! I want my share of our property, now!"
"You cannot have it. It is tied up in the temple."
"Sell my interest in it, or borrow it. But I want that trade metal."
"Impossible, you dog. When we have made our fortunes, you may ask."
"I'll go to law to force a division."
"See how far you get when the magistrate hears you are a felicide!"
Gezun started to rise, murder in his eyes, when Ro seized his arm, crying: "Gezun! Calm yourself! He has powers!"
A squeak from the corner made them turn. There sat Tety the demon in fennec-form.
"O master!" whined the fox. "It is long since you have fed me. Can I do nought for you?"
"No," said Ugaph. "Begone and bother me not."
"Pray, master! I must have bats' blood! I perish for want of the mystic ingredients."
"Begone!" yelled Ugaph, and ripped out an exorcism. The familiar vanished.
Gezun's temper had cooled, so the quarrel was dropped. For several days Ugaph worked at his evangelism, crying doom about the agora while Gezun collected. Gezun noted that the collections were dwindling.
"By Neb's toenails, it will soon not be worth while," grumbled Ugaph one evening. "All the Typhonians have heard our message and await something new. We must hurry the temple."
"How long will it take?" said Gezun. "By Sentiu's original promises it should be done, but the roof is not yet up."
"That is the way with builders. I see where we made several mistakes, but when we build our big temple those shall be corrected."
"What big temple?"
"Oh, this is only a small affair. As our cult grows, this building will not hold our congregation. We shall build a magnificent structure, like the temple of Shekhemet."
"Hmp. You mean, after you've paid off my share." "Why so eager to withdraw?"
"I tire of Typhon. They hate foreigners as one would expect of some backward Atlantean village, but not of a great city. Besides, it is too hot, and the fleas and flies give one no peace."
Ugaph shrugged. "Each to his taste. Tomorrow I will oversee the putting up of the roof."
Next morning, after Ugaph left, Gezun was loafing and watching Ro clean up their breakfast, when Tety appeared, whining: "Good foreign devil, my master neglects and spurns me. I starve for bats' blood."
"That's sad, little one," said Gezun.
"Can you do nought for me?"
Gezun started to say no, then grinned and said to Ro: "Beautiful, those bat hunts were fun. Let's make another."
"But that long walk? In this heat?"
"We'll use the chariot. It's half mine. And the tombs are cool."
"Oh, bless you, dear mortal!" said Tety.
Hours later they were deep in the bowels of King Khephru's pyramid. When their game bag was full they went to the entrance and ate. Then Gezun pulled Ro to him and kissed her. She resisted, but not enough, so that what started as a youthful game turned into a real love tussle.
A little later, Gezun slept in the tunnel entrance, snoring thunderously, while Ro wept for her lost maidenhood and covered his face with damp kisses.
Ugaph hung around the temple until Heqatari flew into a tantrum. He cursed Ugaph and all his ancestors, because, he said, Ugaph got in his way, distracted him by idiotic suggestions, and did not understand that the artistic soul was purer and finer than the souls of common men.
Ugaph, disgruntled, went to the stable where he kept his chariot. He was even more vexed to learn that his partner had taken the vehicle. Scowling, he walked to the palace and gained admittance to the office of the Registrar of Licenses. He asked for a license for human sacrifice.
"You know the rules?" said the Registrar.
"Surely, surely, my lord. Pusadians are not among the protected groups of foreigners, are they?"
"What are Pusadians?"
"Far-western barbarians. Is everything in order, then?"
"The priests of Neb and Shekhemet and the others are up in arms over your competition, but we cannot afford to offend any god. So here is your license."
"I abase myself in humble gratitude, my lord. Come to one of our services."
Ugaph backed out, bowing. Next he went to the thieves' quarter, a tumbledown part of the city where people were either too poor to escape or sought refuge there from King Zeremab's soldiers and officials. He sought out a brawny cutthroat named Eha, whom he had known in his thieving days. He said:
"Are you looking for work, old comrade?"
Eha grinned and flexed a muscle. "I might, if it meant enough metal and not too much work."
"I need a couple of stout fellows to help me with the temple: to sweep the floor, guard the loot, and the like. Have you a friend I could trust?"
"What about that foreign devil, your partner?"
"I think we shall not long be troubled with him. Are you up to desperate deeds?"
"You know me, Ugaph."
Eha got his friend, a silent hulk named Maatab. Ugaph took them to the temple and put them to work on small tasks, such as moving the gear from the hideaway to the temple when the dwelling rooms were finished. Gezun made only a mild objection to hiring this pair, as Ugaph explained that three could not do all the work of the cult. Gezun was going about starry-eyed, as he had decided he was in love again. Ugaph, who might have been expected to notice the signs that Gezun and Ro gave of their attachment, seemed to pay no attention.