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"Depends on whether someone prefers quality to quantity."
172
Alan Dean Foster
" 'Ere now, wot's all this?" Mudge stepped between the ladies. "Not that I
mind if you two want to 'ave a go at each other. Just give me a ten-minute
'ead start before the fireworks commence, yes?" He gestured to his right. "I
don't think now's the time for private digressions, though."
At least a dozen black-clad adult shapes had appeared near the main entrance.
Jon-Tom couldn't see if Chokas was among them, but he had no intention of
hanging around to find out.
They headed off in the opposite direction, and Jon-Tom saw they needn't worry
about pursuit. The black-clad gestapo maintained by the Friends of the Street
wasn't after them. They were fanning out toward the alleys and
side streets in search of their escaped flock.
Jon-Tom considered intercepting them. It was difficult
, not to, but he had to tell himself that they'd done every-
thing possible for the children. Most, if not all, of them ought to make it to
the safety of the crowded city below, and he suspected they were wise enough
to discard their incriminating b!ack-and-Iace night clothes at the first
opportunity.
One of their own was faced with the same dilemma.
"You've got to get out of that nightdress, Folly," he told her. Obediently,
she started to pull it over her head, and he hastened to restrain her. "No,
no, not yet!"
They were racing down a steep street that led back toward the harbor area. It
had begun to drizzle. He was grateful for the rain. It should aid the fleeing
children in their escape.
"Why not yet?" Folly eyed him curiously. Curiosity gave way rapidly to a coy
smile. "When you first saw me on Corroboc's boat I wasn't wearing anything but
an iron collar. Why should my nakedness bother you now?"
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"It doesn't bother me," he lied. "It's raining and I
don't want you contracting pneumonia.'' Citizens of Snarken out for an evening
stroll watched the flight with interest.
THE DAY OF THE DISSONANCE
173
"I don't mind if you see me naked," she said innocently.
"You like me a little, don't you, Jon-Tom?"
"Of course I like you."
"No, I mean you like me."
"Don't be silly. You're still a child, Folly."
"You don't look at me the way you'd look at a child."
"She ain't built like no cub, mate."
Jon-Tom glared over at the otter. "Stay out of this, Mudge,"
"Excuse me, guv'nor. None o' me business, right?" He skittered along next to
Roseroar, running fluidly on his stubby legs and trying to hide a grin.
"I'm concerned for your welfare, Folly." Jon-Tom strug-
gled to explain. "I don't like to see anyone taken advan-
tage of. You noticed that we freed everyone from the orphanage and not just
you."
"I know, but you didn't come to free everyone. You came because I was there."
"Of course. You're a friend, Folly. A good friend."
"Is that all?" As she ran there was a lot of movement beneath the damp
nightdress. Jon-Tom was having a diffi-
cult time concentrating on the street ahead. "Just a good friend?"
Roseroar listened with one ear to the infantile dialogue while trying her best
to ignore it. Idiot humans! She made certain to inspect every side street they
passed. Surely, as soon as the Friends of the Street finished rounding up as
many escapees as they could, they'd contact the police about the break-in.
Besides worrying about that new problem, she had to endure the banalities
mouthed by the adolescent human female who was flirting shamelessly with
Jon-Tom.
So what? She considered her discomfiture carefully.
Why, she asked herself, should she find such harmless chatter so aggravating?
Admirable the spellsinger might be, but he wasn't even a member of a related
species. Any relationship besides mutual respect and strong friendship
174
Alan Dean Poster was clearly out of the question. The very thought was absurd!
The man was a skinny, furless thing less than half her size. It made no sense
for her to concern herself with his personal business.
She assured herself her interest was only natural. Jon-
Tom was a friend, a companion now. It was just as he'd said to the girl: it
hurt to see anyone taken advantage of.
Roseroar wasn't about to let this scheming adolescent take advantage of him.
And take advantage of him Folly would, if given half a chance. Roseroar was
sure of that much. She shook her head as Jon-Tom allowed himself to be
smothered with verbal pap, astonished at the naivete displayed during
courtship by the human species. She'd thought better of him.
She ignored it for as long as she could, until she was unable to stand the
veiled remarks and coy queries any longer.
"Ah think we can slow down some now." Jon-Tom and
Mudge agreed with her. Everyone slowed to a fast walk.
Roseroar moved close to the girl. "And ah also think it would be a good ideah
if we all kept quiet foah a while.
We don't want to attract any undue attention. In addition
to which, if ah'm forced to listen to any moan o' yoah simperin', girl, ah may
vomit."
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ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Folly eyed the tigress. "Something bothering you?"
"Nothin' much, little female. It's just that ah have a great respect foah the
language. Hearin' it used so foolishly always upsets mah digestion."
Folly turned to Jon-Tom. She flashed blue eyes and blonde hair in the
reflected light from storefronts and street lamps. Her skin, wet with drizzle,
sparkled.
"Do you think I'm talking foolish, Jon-Tom?"
"Maybe just a little, yes."
She responded with a much practiced and perfectly formed pout. Roseroar sighed
and turned away, wondering why she went to the trouble. The spellsinger had
shown himself to be a man of intelligence and insight. It dis-
THE DAY OF THE DISSONANCE
175
tressed her to see him so blatantly manipulated. She increased her stride so
she wouldn't have to listen to any more of it.
"You don't like me," Folly murmured to Jon-Tom.
"Of course I like you.
"I knew you did!" She turned and threw her arms around him, making him
stagger. "I knew you liked me!"
"Please, Folly." Jon-Tom reluctantly worked to disen-
gage himself. Roseroar would have been happy to help, though she might have
broken both of the girl's arms in the process. "Folly, I already have a
woman." Her expres-
sion fell abruptly. She moved away from him, once more concentrating on the
street ahead.
"You never told me that."
"It was never necessary to tell you. Her name's Talea.
She lives near a town called Lynchbany, which lies far across the
Glittergeist."
Otter ears overheard and Mudge fell back to join them.
"O' course, she ain't really 'is woman," he said con-
versationally, thoroughly delighting in Jon-Tom's discom-
fort. "They're just friends is all."
Folly's delight returned upon hearing this disclosure.
"Oh, that's all right, then!"
"Besides, you're much too young for what you're thinking," Jon-Tom told her,
impaling Mudge with a stare
promising slow death.
"Too young for what?"
"Just too young." Strange. The right words had been there on his lips just a
moment earlier. Odd how they vanished the instant you needed them.
"Bet I could convince you otherwise," she said coquettishly.
"Here's the right cross street," he said hastily, lengthening his stride.
"We'll be back at the inn in a couple of minutes."
A short furry shape jumped from an alcove ahead of
176
Alan Dean Foster him. Roseroar reached for her swords. Folly hid behind
Jon-Tom as Mudge put a hand to his bow.
They relaxed when the shape identified itself.
"Jalwar!" Jon-Tom couldn't conceal his surprise. "What are you doing out
here?" He tried to see past the ferret.
The oldster put a finger to his lips and beckoned for them to follow. They
crept along behind him, turned down a long narrow alley. It was ripe with
moldering garbage.
Jalwar pointed to the main street beyond. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pl doc.pisz.pl pdf.pisz.pl exclamation.htw.pl
"Depends on whether someone prefers quality to quantity."
172
Alan Dean Foster
" 'Ere now, wot's all this?" Mudge stepped between the ladies. "Not that I
mind if you two want to 'ave a go at each other. Just give me a ten-minute
'ead start before the fireworks commence, yes?" He gestured to his right. "I
don't think now's the time for private digressions, though."
At least a dozen black-clad adult shapes had appeared near the main entrance.
Jon-Tom couldn't see if Chokas was among them, but he had no intention of
hanging around to find out.
They headed off in the opposite direction, and Jon-Tom saw they needn't worry
about pursuit. The black-clad gestapo maintained by the Friends of the Street
wasn't after them. They were fanning out toward the alleys and
side streets in search of their escaped flock.
Jon-Tom considered intercepting them. It was difficult
, not to, but he had to tell himself that they'd done every-
thing possible for the children. Most, if not all, of them ought to make it to
the safety of the crowded city below, and he suspected they were wise enough
to discard their incriminating b!ack-and-Iace night clothes at the first
opportunity.
One of their own was faced with the same dilemma.
"You've got to get out of that nightdress, Folly," he told her. Obediently,
she started to pull it over her head, and he hastened to restrain her. "No,
no, not yet!"
They were racing down a steep street that led back toward the harbor area. It
had begun to drizzle. He was grateful for the rain. It should aid the fleeing
children in their escape.
"Why not yet?" Folly eyed him curiously. Curiosity gave way rapidly to a coy
smile. "When you first saw me on Corroboc's boat I wasn't wearing anything but
an iron collar. Why should my nakedness bother you now?"
Page 95
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
"It doesn't bother me," he lied. "It's raining and I
don't want you contracting pneumonia.'' Citizens of Snarken out for an evening
stroll watched the flight with interest.
THE DAY OF THE DISSONANCE
173
"I don't mind if you see me naked," she said innocently.
"You like me a little, don't you, Jon-Tom?"
"Of course I like you."
"No, I mean you like me."
"Don't be silly. You're still a child, Folly."
"You don't look at me the way you'd look at a child."
"She ain't built like no cub, mate."
Jon-Tom glared over at the otter. "Stay out of this, Mudge,"
"Excuse me, guv'nor. None o' me business, right?" He skittered along next to
Roseroar, running fluidly on his stubby legs and trying to hide a grin.
"I'm concerned for your welfare, Folly." Jon-Tom strug-
gled to explain. "I don't like to see anyone taken advan-
tage of. You noticed that we freed everyone from the orphanage and not just
you."
"I know, but you didn't come to free everyone. You came because I was there."
"Of course. You're a friend, Folly. A good friend."
"Is that all?" As she ran there was a lot of movement beneath the damp
nightdress. Jon-Tom was having a diffi-
cult time concentrating on the street ahead. "Just a good friend?"
Roseroar listened with one ear to the infantile dialogue while trying her best
to ignore it. Idiot humans! She made certain to inspect every side street they
passed. Surely, as soon as the Friends of the Street finished rounding up as
many escapees as they could, they'd contact the police about the break-in.
Besides worrying about that new problem, she had to endure the banalities
mouthed by the adolescent human female who was flirting shamelessly with
Jon-Tom.
So what? She considered her discomfiture carefully.
Why, she asked herself, should she find such harmless chatter so aggravating?
Admirable the spellsinger might be, but he wasn't even a member of a related
species. Any relationship besides mutual respect and strong friendship
174
Alan Dean Poster was clearly out of the question. The very thought was absurd!
The man was a skinny, furless thing less than half her size. It made no sense
for her to concern herself with his personal business.
She assured herself her interest was only natural. Jon-
Tom was a friend, a companion now. It was just as he'd said to the girl: it
hurt to see anyone taken advantage of.
Roseroar wasn't about to let this scheming adolescent take advantage of him.
And take advantage of him Folly would, if given half a chance. Roseroar was
sure of that much. She shook her head as Jon-Tom allowed himself to be
smothered with verbal pap, astonished at the naivete displayed during
courtship by the human species. She'd thought better of him.
She ignored it for as long as she could, until she was unable to stand the
veiled remarks and coy queries any longer.
"Ah think we can slow down some now." Jon-Tom and
Mudge agreed with her. Everyone slowed to a fast walk.
Roseroar moved close to the girl. "And ah also think it would be a good ideah
if we all kept quiet foah a while.
We don't want to attract any undue attention. In addition
to which, if ah'm forced to listen to any moan o' yoah simperin', girl, ah may
vomit."
Page 96
ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html
Folly eyed the tigress. "Something bothering you?"
"Nothin' much, little female. It's just that ah have a great respect foah the
language. Hearin' it used so foolishly always upsets mah digestion."
Folly turned to Jon-Tom. She flashed blue eyes and blonde hair in the
reflected light from storefronts and street lamps. Her skin, wet with drizzle,
sparkled.
"Do you think I'm talking foolish, Jon-Tom?"
"Maybe just a little, yes."
She responded with a much practiced and perfectly formed pout. Roseroar sighed
and turned away, wondering why she went to the trouble. The spellsinger had
shown himself to be a man of intelligence and insight. It dis-
THE DAY OF THE DISSONANCE
175
tressed her to see him so blatantly manipulated. She increased her stride so
she wouldn't have to listen to any more of it.
"You don't like me," Folly murmured to Jon-Tom.
"Of course I like you.
"I knew you did!" She turned and threw her arms around him, making him
stagger. "I knew you liked me!"
"Please, Folly." Jon-Tom reluctantly worked to disen-
gage himself. Roseroar would have been happy to help, though she might have
broken both of the girl's arms in the process. "Folly, I already have a
woman." Her expres-
sion fell abruptly. She moved away from him, once more concentrating on the
street ahead.
"You never told me that."
"It was never necessary to tell you. Her name's Talea.
She lives near a town called Lynchbany, which lies far across the
Glittergeist."
Otter ears overheard and Mudge fell back to join them.
"O' course, she ain't really 'is woman," he said con-
versationally, thoroughly delighting in Jon-Tom's discom-
fort. "They're just friends is all."
Folly's delight returned upon hearing this disclosure.
"Oh, that's all right, then!"
"Besides, you're much too young for what you're thinking," Jon-Tom told her,
impaling Mudge with a stare
promising slow death.
"Too young for what?"
"Just too young." Strange. The right words had been there on his lips just a
moment earlier. Odd how they vanished the instant you needed them.
"Bet I could convince you otherwise," she said coquettishly.
"Here's the right cross street," he said hastily, lengthening his stride.
"We'll be back at the inn in a couple of minutes."
A short furry shape jumped from an alcove ahead of
176
Alan Dean Foster him. Roseroar reached for her swords. Folly hid behind
Jon-Tom as Mudge put a hand to his bow.
They relaxed when the shape identified itself.
"Jalwar!" Jon-Tom couldn't conceal his surprise. "What are you doing out
here?" He tried to see past the ferret.
The oldster put a finger to his lips and beckoned for them to follow. They
crept along behind him, turned down a long narrow alley. It was ripe with
moldering garbage.
Jalwar pointed to the main street beyond. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]