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.We'll see," he said, turning his back on the pyramid.chapter 8.THEY STOPPED AT THE STABLES WHERE THE cows SURROUNDING THE BARNSmade a terrible din as they trampled the earth to mud.An old man with ascraggly gray beard ran after them, calling frantically.That is Issa, who cares for the palace livestock," Athena said.He hasworked on the palace grounds since he was a child.My mother gave himhis freedom, but his citizenship was revoked after her banishment."She stared after the old man for a moment, her eyes full of sadness, thendirected Sam's attention to two younger men who stood examining somesort of metal scoop, oblivious to the chaos around them.Sam recognized one of them.He was the black man who had taken aparthis flashlight and compass.The other was young and huge, with the physiqueof a bodybuilder.This? How can I use this?" the big one was saying, shaking the metalscoop in his hand.There are two hundred other identical parts," the black man said.Theyall fit together in any configuration we need.I made them to build a flumeto carry rainwater into the third canal."Can you understand what they're saying?" Athena asked.Sam nodded.As long as you're touching me."Good.In time, you'll know our language on your own.Until then, I'llstay with you."Good morning, Athena," the black man said heartily, walking towardthem.He moved, Sam saw, with a pronounced limp.Hephaestus, brother, this is Sam Nowar.He is a guest of mine andFather's."The black man bowed deeply.I am honored, Excellency," he said.Sam'll be fine.You were in the throne room yesterday when my thingswere passed around."I'm afraid I've rendered them quite useless," Hephaestus said, embarrassed.I took them apart, then lacked the materials to put them backtogether again.But if you show me how, I'll try to make you new ones."Sam smiled.Sure, just whip up a flashlight and compass.Maybe a dieselengine too, while you're at it.Okay, thanks."Your easy ways are refreshing," the black man said, not without humor.Most visitors regard us with a begrudging sort of awe.What land are youfrom.Sam?" He looked as if he were suppressing a smile at the name.Athena broke in hurriedly.It's quite far," she said.Hephaestus, theking has ordered Sam to invent a device to stop the earthquakes and directsyou to help him.All your other duties are to be suspended."Hephaestus's eyebrows shot up.Stop the earthquakes?"Wait a minute," the burly young man with him interjected.What aboutme? Hephaestus was going to help me muck out these stinking stables."Be quiet, Hercules.This matter is more important than the stables."Athena said.That's easy for you to say.Hera's not having you shovel dung till youdrop."She would if she could," Athena said.Hercules?" Sam looked over the man's handsome features and glisteningmuscles.Did you say his name's Hercules?"Yes," Athena snapped.And I'm afraid he'll have to clean the stablesalone."Sister," Hephaestus said, I will be only a few minutes more.Have alittle pity on the lad."Athena sighed.It was no secret that her father's wife detested Herculeseven more than his other illegitimate children, perhaps because the boy'speasant-born mother had been more beautiful than Hera herself.The queenthought about things like that.It was one of the reasons Athena had notime for her.All right," she said.We'll wait until you're finished.But don't take toolong." She led Sam away from the stable toward a fence, beyond whichwas a moat and what appeared to be a large park.Inside the enclosureroamed a number of exotic animals, tigers and leopards, wolves and bears.This is my uncle Poseidon's collection of animals brought back fromhis journeys," she said.They're tame.Issa treats them like his children."She waved to the old slave, who had spotted them and was loping towardthem, a look of grim determination on his face.Are you in safety, Princess?"he panted as he approached, eyeing Sam suspiciously.Lord Poseidon saysI must never let harm come to you."I'm fine, Issa.Thank you."I'm a foreigner myself, and a slave, but your mother was good to me."I know."Sam extended his hand.I won't hurt the Princess, I promise," he said,forgetting that the old man could not understand him.Issa examined the stranger's clipped fingernails from a distance, thenreluctantly lay his own dirt-encrusted palm on top of it and looked away,wincing.He thinks you're going to punish him for insulting you," Athena whispered.Sam shook Issa's hand.Sam Nowar," he said as the zookeeper quicklywithdrew his hand.Nowar?"Right.Sam Nowar." He pointed to himself for emphasis.Nowar," the old man repeated. Sam" is rather an unusual name, even for a foreigner," Athena saiddelicately.An enormous clatter rose up behind a nearby hill, sending the cowsscurrying again.Issa bowed quickly in apology and ran off after them asthe source of the racket appeared over the rise.It was a cart drawn by twooxen, loaded with fat metal pipes that clanked with each bump.Accompanying itwas a score of men on foot.Those are workers from Hephaestus's forge," Athena explained.I can'timagine what he wants with them." They wandered back toward the stables.At a word from Hephaestus, the men unloaded the cart and began fittingthe pipes and elbows together.In surprisingly little time, all the pieces hadbeen joined in an elaborately looped and twisted line.Hephaestus barked some last orders at the men, then came to stand withAthena and Sam.Very impressive," Sam said.What is it?"The black man laughed.It's a flume.It will bring the water down fromthe mountain's river into the stables.In the front and out the back, and thedung will be gone with it.Hercules will never have to clean the stableagain."Pretty neat, if it works," Sam said [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]