Maia полностью

Elvair-ka-Virrion, no less courteously, was responding to this with some talk of the value of experience and the exhilarating and polishing effect upon girls of mixing in the highest company and becoming friendly with such outstanding practitioners as the lady Nennaunir, when the High Counselor broke in once more. Having regard to his friendship with Elvair-ka-Virrion's father, he was ready to oblige him. Obviously-and here Sencho's half-buried eyes flickered sharply up at the young man-this party was not an affair of state policy, or his father would have advanced him public funds for it. But-and here he checked Elvair-ka-Virrion, who was about to protest-no matter. The girls might go, and he would expect them to receive whatever generous lygol Elvair-ka-Virrion thought appropriate: less, no doubt, than the four hundred meld apiece which would normally be required for lending such girls for an entire night; but let that pass. In return, Nennaunir should remain with him for the next hour.

At this the shearna started for a moment, but instantly recovered her self-possession. Occula, catching Maia's eye, quickly glanced away. Elvair-ka-Virrion, plainly disconcerted, replied that he greatly appreciated the High Counselor's generosity. Nennaunir, however, was a free woman and, like any other shearna, was accustomed to be well paid for her time and accomplishments. He really could not say-embarrassed, he glanced hesitantly towards her.

Sencho said no more, but Terebinthia (and here Maia began to perceive that one of the skills of a competent saiyett was to preserve the dignity of her master, carried away by a compulsion to gratify some depraved impulse, and to intervene on his behalf) suggested that since Nennaunir was today spending time in Elvair-ka-Virrion's company, no doubt it was in his power to compensate the High Counselor for his generosity by letting her bestow a little of that time on him. Otherwise-she shrugged!-perhaps it would be better to forget the whole business-after all, it was not important-the young lord might prefer to look for girls elsewhere-

Nennaunir, having now had time, as it seemed, to deliberate with herself, put down her goblet and walked over to the couch. As she sat down her perfume, a light, fresh drift of planella, reached Maia's nostrils. She would be

delighted, she said, provided her friend was agreeable, to render the High Counselor any service in her power. Indeed, she was only sorry that the opportunity should not have come her way before.

Terebinthia, turning to Elvair-ka-Virrion, said that she would be happy to discuss with him, in the garden-room, the necessary arrangements for the girls' attendance at his party. If he wished, she would show him the clothes which she had in mind for them to wear; of course, if he should have other ideas, she would be only too happy-

Still talking quietly, she conducted the young nobleman from the hall.

An hour later, in the women's quarters, Occula stood oiling and soaping Nennaunir in the bath, while Maia, having carefully selected some matching thread, was mending the hem of her robe where the gold border had been torn. Elvair-ka-Virrion had already left. The shearna, shuddering, buried her face in her wet hands, then bit on one finger, shaking her head from side to side.

"Steady!" said Occula, putting one arm round her shoulders. "Time to go home now. All finished!"

"Oh, the filthy brute!" burst out the girl. "How dis-gusting! Oh, I never imagined-"

"Oh, this is the real world here," replied Occula. "We handle anythin', you know-"

"You think it's funnyl" cried Nennaunir, with blazing anger. "You think-"

"Well, I'll be frank," answered the black girl, putting down the oil-flask and looking her soberly in the eye. "I do find it a bit surprisin' to see an experienced girl like you thrown off her balance by such things. After all, you must have-"

"Me?" cried Nennaunir, stamping her foot in the water. "To do-that, to mei Do you know that when U-Falderon took me to Ikat Yeldashay last year I was mistaken for the Lord Durakkon's own daughter? D'you know who gave me that robe there, and what it cost? Do you-"

"That's just why he did it, dear," said Occula patiently. "Much more fun to do it to someone like you than to trollops like us."

"But-but what possible pleasure can there be in-in thatT

"Why, simply to see you revolted and trying not to be

sick," said Occula. "You must have come across this sort of thing before, surely?"

"We evidently live in different worlds," said Nennaunir, with a wretched attempt at superiority.

"Oh, by all means, if it makes you feel better-" answered Occula, shrugging her shoulders.

Nennaunir, stepping out of the water, was silent while Occula rubbed her down. At length she said, "I'm sorry! I didn't really mean to be spiteful." She turned to Maia. "Is he always like that, or only sometimes?"

Maia felt embarrassed. "Dunno, really."