"John Norman - Gor 26 - Witness Of Gor" - читать интересную книгу автора (Norman John)

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ONE

I looked about. No one was looking.

I crossed the perimeter of small, sharpened stones, a foot or so deep, about ten feet wide, which lined
the interior wall of the garden. This hurt my feet, which were small, and soft, and bare. Even the soles of
our feet must be soft, and this is seen to, by creams and lotions, and the nature of the surfaces upon
which we are permitted to walk, such things.

It was during the heat of the day.

The bangles on my left ankle made a tiny sound, and I stopped, looking about. I was frightened. But no
one saw. How pleased I was that I had not been belled! Normally it is a new girl, or even a free woman,
who is belled. To be sure, we may be belled at any time, and, naturally, if it is wished, kept that way. But
usually one is belled, if at all, in serving, or in the dance. To be sure, it is sometimes required of us in the
furs. Bells have many purposes, as might be supposed. Only one of these is security, making it easy, for
example, to detect the presence, the movements, of a girl. This is particularly useful at night. One of the
reasons too, why new girls, and sometimes free women, may be belled is that they may begin to
understand what they are, or are likely to become. This is not hard to understand when one has bells
locked on one's limbs. What sort of girl or woman would be belled? Later, of course, bells are
unnecessary for such a purpose. Later, obviously, there will be no doubt as to what one is, either in the
minds of others or in one's own mind.

I crept to the wall and put my fingers to the smooth, marbled surface.

I looked upward. The wall was some forty feet high. There are trees in the garden, of course, but they
are not placed in proximity to the wall. One could not use them, thus, even if they were tall enough, to
obtain access to its height. The wall, I had been told, was some ten feet in thickness. I did not know,
considering the fashion in which I had been brought here, but presumably only the interior side was
marbled. I had been told that the foundation of the wall extended several feet below the surface of the
ground. The height of the wall, now that I backed from it, I could see was surmounted by incurved
blades. I shuddered. Presumably some similar arrangement, perhaps outcurved blades, characterized its
exterior side.

I moved the armlet on my left arm a bit higher on my arm. It was warm to the touch. Many of the others
were resting. I looked about. I did not want anyone to see me near the wall. We were not to approach
the wall. The sun was reflecting against the wall.

The glare hurt my eyes.

We were forbidden to cross the perimeter of sharpened stones.

I wore a brief wisp of yellow silk, fastened at the left shoulder, my only garment. Two bracelets were on
my right wrist. I did not mind the silk. Indeed, I was grateful for it. It had only been permitted to me a few
days ago. Too, of course, as I have indicated, the weather was warm. I brushed back my hair. I have