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.When he paid full attention to his imagination,he was chilled by the all-too-convincing prospects conjured up.The Count'sillness was withdrawing one psychological prop from the minds of the people ofthe valley; it was certain that when he died some of his old rivals from Forb,or their descendants, would come to squabble over his legacy--that was,naturally, if they weren't caught by the plague already.Hunger and sicknessmight withdraw the others, and then.Jing trembled at the threat the future held.Yet his companions declined to worry, even about a means of gettingtheir knowledge spread abroad.If this barq's crew refused to return toForb, they said, another steersman could be found more susceptible to ahandsome payment, more prepared to run risks.It was with some reluctance thatthey agreed to make extra copies of the parchments Jing had already drafted;Keepfire, of course, could not write, and Twig was constantly on call toadminister medicine to the Count.Shine and Rainbow, however, did their best,and by the time the next barq arrived there were six copies of the report atleast in summary outlinewenough, with luck, for learned folk elsewhere torepeat their studies.Page 42ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.htmlfile:///G|/rah/John%20Brunner%20-%20The%20Crucible%20of%20Time.txt (67 of 557)[2/14/2004 12:25:07 AM]file:///G|/rah/John%20Brunner%20-%20The%20Crucible%20of%20Time.txtBut they, and Jing too, would far rather have continued investigatingthe dark spots on the sun, and the bright nearby sparks which so far Shinealone had actually seen.Only their sworn pledge, Jing sometimes thought, madethem obey his orders.How quickly they were defecting from theirbrief period of professed admiration!Could it be because--?He roused one morning from reverie with a firm and fixed dream-imageTHE FIRE IS LIT37in his mind, and it was shocking in its import.At once he rushed in search ofTwig, and found him coming away from the Count's chamber with a graveexpression.Not waiting for an exchange of greetings, he said in a rush, "Twig, Ibelieve the plague is at work among us!"Twig gazed soberly at him.He said at length, "How did you know? Ithought you said the disease was new to you, and you were unacquainted withits preliminary symptoms."Jing tensed in horror.He said, "But I guessed it from a dream!""Then your weather-sense is far sharper than mine! Did you know theCount attempted to mate with the girl your friend brought here?"file:///G|/rah/John%20Brunner%20-%20The%20Crucible%20of%20Time.txt (68 of 557)[2/14/2004 12:25:07 AM]file:///G|/rah/John%20Brunner%20-%20The%20Crucible%20of%20Time.txt"I'm not surprised, but--No, I didn't know!""It was futile, of course, but.Well, today he exhibits all the signsQat said we should watch out for.I'm on my way to check out the otherpartners she and her brother have engaged with.Have you--? No, forgive me.I'm sure neither you nor Rainbow would consider the idea.But I must ask you aphysician's question.Is the Lady Rainbow successfully in bud?"Jing nodded."We realized yesterday.Last night we went to the observatory,but there was a bright aurora, so we talked about the future.We're both afraid.""Internally she's as sound as any woman," Twig assured him."All the normalpressures are there; only her stance is distorted.But given that theCount, already weakened.Your weather-sense informs you of what Imean?"Page 43ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html"Even more.Even worse.""Very likely." Twig hesitated."Tell me: how did you decide the plague had gota grip here?""Because you in particular--forgive my bluntness--seemed to forget yourenthusiasm for my leadership so quickly.A pledge is given with fullrationality; dreams erode the recollection of it.I don't speak now of yourduty to the Count, of course, but it was never my intention to prevent youserving him.It's a matter of priorities.""You're right," Twig said after reflection."In my present mood of calm, I seewhat you mean.Service to the whole world, which can be performed by spreadingour knowledge, is more important than service to an old man whose life I can'tprolong with all my skills.We must get those reports away at once, in allpossible directions.I'd have realizedfile:///G|/rah/John%20Brunner%20-%20The%20Crucible%20of%20Time [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]