"Philip Jose' Farmer. The Green Odyssey (англ.)" - читать интересную книгу автора

castle? I'll send a messenger to Miran telling him you're sick."

"No, this is something I just can't pass by."

"What is it?"

"It's of such a nature that telling you, or anybody, would spoil it."

"And just what could that be?" she demanded, angry again. "It concerns
some woman, I'll bet!"

"My problem is keeping away from you women, not getting into more trouble.
No, it's just that Miran has sworn me by all his gods to keep silent and
of course I couldn't think of breaking a vow."

"I know your opinion of our gods," she said. "Well, go along with you! But
I warn you, I'm an impatient woman; I'll give you a week to work on the
Duchess, then I'm launching an attack myself."

"That won't be necessary," he said. He kissed her and the children and
left. He congratulated himself on having delayed Amra that long. If he
couldn't carry out his scheme in a week he was lost, anyway. He'd have to
walk away from the city and out onto the Xurdimur, even if packs of wild
dogs and man-eating grass cats and cannibalistic men and God knew what
else did roam the grassy plains.

4

EVERY CITY AND VILLAGE of the Empire had its House of Equality, within
whose walls distinctions of every type were abandoned. Green did not know
the origin of the institution, but he recognized its value as a safety
valve to blow off the extreme social pressure put on every class. Here the
slave who did not dare open his mouth in the outside mundane world could
curse his master to his face and go unpunished by the authorities. Of
course, there was nothing to keep the master from retaliating in kind, for
the slave also cast off his legal rights when he entered. Violence was not
unknown here, though it was infrequent. Blood shed within these walls did
not, theoretically, call for punishment. But any murderer would find that,
though the police paid no attention to him, he'd have to deal with the
slain one's relatives. Many feuds had had their origin and end here.

Green had excused himself after the evening meal, saying that he had to
talk to Miran about getting some spices from Estorya. Also the merchant
had mentioned that on his last trip he'd heard that a band of Estoryan
hunters were going after the rare and beautiful getzlen bird and that he
might find some for sale when he returned there. Zuni's face lit up,
because she desired a getzlen bird even more than a chance to annoy her
husband. Graciously she gave Green permission to leave.

Inwardly exultant, though outwardly pulling a long face that was supposed