[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
dislodge their fang-guards and electric gyves against the rocks. Elvo Glissam
sat staring at the blood flowing from his forearm. Schaine uttered an
exclamation and went to help him. Kelse produced a flask of all-purpose
medicament and sprayed the wounds, which almost instantly stopped bleeding.
When the protective membrane had formed, Schaine poured water over Elvo s arms
and washed away the blood. In a shaky voice he said:
Sorry to be so bemused; I m afraid I ve led a sheltered life.
Shock has nothing to do with a sheltered life, said Schaine. It can happen
to anyone. You re very brave.
Jemasze went back for his pack; the party once more set out toward the north,
leaving behind the dry watercourse and the Blue corpses.
Methuen sank behind the far Lucimers; the four made camp on the slope of a
butte. To avoid attracting the attention of such Uldras as might still be
near, they built no fire, and supped on emergency rations and water. The sky
faded through phases of vermilion, scarlet, ruby and purple; dusk fell across
the landscape. Schaine went to sit by Elvo Glissam. How is your arm?
Elvo looked down at the gash. It aches a bit, but it could be far worse. I
also resent that erjin kicking me in the ribs.
Schaine said gloomily: I wonder if you ll ever forgive me for inviting you to
Morningswake.
Elvo Glissam replied and in so doing initiated a conversation which, when
later he consulted his recollections, seemed more unreal and incongruous than
any other aspect of the adventure.
I forgive you right now, said Elvo Glissam. If nothing else, the trip is an
education. I see myself from a new perspective.
Schaine objected vigorously. Not at all. The surroundings have changed.
You re the same!
It amounts to the same thing. Delicate sensibilities are of small assistance
when a person is fighting for his life.
file:///C|/3278%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%2...ack%20Vance%20-%20The%20Gray%20Pr
ince.html (37 of 132) [1/11/2005 11:52:19 PM]
THEGRAYPRINCE
Schaine glanced from Kelse, propped against a tree trunk with what she
Page 27
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
suspected to be a half-smile on his face, to Gerd Jemasze who sat on a flat
rock, arms around knees brooding across the twilight; and she felt impelled to
put Elvo Glissam s self-deprecation into proper perspective. In civilized
surroundings it s not necessary to fight for your life.
Kelse chuckled mirthlessly. Schaine looked at him coldly. Did I say something
foolish?
A fire department isn t necessary except when there s a fire.
Civilization is a very normal ordinary condition, said Schaine. Civilized
people don t need to fight for their lives.
Not often, said Kelse laconically. But you can t kill a Blue by invoking an
abstraction.
Did I suggest as much?
In a manner of speaking.
I agree that I must be confused, since I have no such recollection.
Kelse shrugged and raised his eyes to the sky, as if to indicate that he did
not care to pursue the topic any further. But he said, You used the word
civilization , which means a set of abstractions, symbols, conventions.
Experience tends to be vicarious; emotions are predigested and electrical;
ideas become more real than things.
Schaine was taken somewhat aback. She said: That s rather all-inclusive.
I don t think so, said Kelse mildly.
Elvo Glissam said, I can t understand your objection to ideas.
I can t either, said Schaine. I think Kelse is indulging in whimsey.
Not altogether, said Kelse. Urban folk, dealing as they do in ideas and
abstractions, become conditioned to unreality. Then, wherever the fabric of
civilization breaks, these people are as helpless as fish out of water.
Elvo Glissam heaved a sigh. What could be more unreal than sitting out here
in the wilderness discussing civilization? I can t believe it. In passing, I
might point out that Kelse s remarks indicate considerable skill in urbane and
civilized abstraction.
file:///C|/3278%20Sci-Fi%20and%20Fantasy%2...ack%20Vance%20-%20The%20Gray%20Pr
ince.html (38 of 132) [1/11/2005 11:52:19 PM]
THEGRAYPRINCE
Kelse laughed. Also in passing, I might mention that urbane folk make up the
membership of the
Redemptionist Alliance, the Vitatis Cult, the Cosmic Peace Movement,
Panortheism, a dozen more: all motivated by abstractions four or five or six
times removed from reality.
Reality, so-called, is itself an abstraction, Elvo Glissam remarked.
It s an abstraction with a difference, because it can hurt, as when your
sky-car comes down in the wilderness with a hundred miles to walk. That s
real. Aunt Val s chamber of winds at Villa Mirasol isn t real.
Schaine said: You re simply beating a horse to death. Because a person can
deal with ideas doesn t signify that, ergo, he s helpless.
In an urban environment he s quite safe; in fact, he prospers. But such
environments are fragile as cobwebs, and when they break chaos!
Gerd Jemasze joined the conversation. Reflect on human history.
I ve done so, said Kelse. History describes the destruction of a long
series of urban civilizations because the citizens preferred intellectualism
and abstraction to competence in basic skills, such as self-
defense. Or attack, for that matter.
Schaine said in disgust: You ve become awfully crabbed and illiberal, Kelse.
Father certainly stamped his opinions upon you.
Your theory has its obverse, said Elvo Glissam. From this viewpoint,
history becomes a succession of cases in which barbarians, renouncing
crassness, develop a brilliant civilization.
Usually destroying older civilizations in the process, remarked Kelse.
Or exploiting other less capable barbarians. Uaia is a case in point. Here a
Page 28
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
group of civilized men attacked and plundered the barbarians. The barbarians
were helpless in the face of energy weapons and sky-cars all contrived through
the use of abstractions, and, incidentally, built by urbanites.
Gerd Jemasze chuckled, a sound which annoyed Schaine. She said: These are
merely facts.
But not all the facts. The barbarians weren t plundered; they use their lands
as freely as before. I must concede that torture and slavery have been
discouraged.
Very well then, said Elvo Glissam. Imagine yourself an Uldra:
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]