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Tarnsman of Gor :: Норман Джон
Страница: 62 из 145With an animal movement, contradicting the formality of her garments, she lay backward on the clover, looking up at the sky, undoubtedly as exhausted as I was. Moreover, she was only a girl. I felt tender toward her. "I ask your favor," she said.
"What do you want?" I asked.
"I'm hungry," she said.
"I am, too," I laughed, suddenly aware that I had not eaten anything since the night before. I was ravenous. "Over there," I said, "are some Ka-la-na trees. Wait here and I'll gather some fruit."
"No, I'll come with you — if you permit me," she said.
I was surprised at this deference on the part of the daughter of the Ubar, but recalled that she had submitted herself.
"Surely," I said. "I would be pleased with your company."
I took her arm, but she drew back. "Having submitted myself," she said, "it is my part to follow."
"That's silly," I said. "Walk with me."
But she dropped her head shyly, shaking it. "I may not," she said.
"Do as you please," I laughed, and set out for the Ka-la-na trees. She followed, meekly, I thought.
We were near the Ka-la-na trees when I heard a slight rustle of brocade behind me. I turned, just in time to seize the wrist of the daughter of the Ubar as she struck savagely down at my back with a long, slender dagger. She howled with rage as I twisted the weapon from her hand.
"You animal!" I yelled, blind with fury. "You dirty, filthy, stinking, ungrateful animal!"
Wild with anger, I picked up the dagger and for an instant felt tempted to plunge it into the heart of the treacherous girl. Angrily I shoved it in my belt.
"You submitted," I said to her.
In spite of my hold on her wrist, which must have been tight and painful, the daughter of Marlenus straightened herself before me and said arrogantly, "You tharlarion! Do you think that the daughter of the Ubar of all Gor would submit to such as you?"
Cruelly I forced her to her knees before me, the filthy, proud wench.
"You submitted," I said.
She cursed me, her greenish eyes blazing with hatred. "Is this how you treat the daughter of a Ubar?" she cried.
"I will show you how I treat the most treacherous wench on all Gor," I exclaimed, releasing her wrist. With both hands I wrenched the veil back from her face, thrusting my hand under it to fasten my fist in her hair, and then, as if she were a common tavern girl or a camp slut, I dragged the daughter of the Ubar of all Gor to the shelter of the Ka-la-na trees. Among the trees, on the clover, I threw her to my feet.
"What do you want?" I asked.
"I'm hungry," she said.
"I am, too," I laughed, suddenly aware that I had not eaten anything since the night before. I was ravenous. "Over there," I said, "are some Ka-la-na trees. Wait here and I'll gather some fruit."
"No, I'll come with you — if you permit me," she said.
I was surprised at this deference on the part of the daughter of the Ubar, but recalled that she had submitted herself.
"Surely," I said. "I would be pleased with your company."
I took her arm, but she drew back. "Having submitted myself," she said, "it is my part to follow."
"That's silly," I said. "Walk with me."
But she dropped her head shyly, shaking it. "I may not," she said.
"Do as you please," I laughed, and set out for the Ka-la-na trees. She followed, meekly, I thought.
We were near the Ka-la-na trees when I heard a slight rustle of brocade behind me. I turned, just in time to seize the wrist of the daughter of the Ubar as she struck savagely down at my back with a long, slender dagger. She howled with rage as I twisted the weapon from her hand.
"You animal!" I yelled, blind with fury. "You dirty, filthy, stinking, ungrateful animal!"
Wild with anger, I picked up the dagger and for an instant felt tempted to plunge it into the heart of the treacherous girl. Angrily I shoved it in my belt.
"You submitted," I said to her.
In spite of my hold on her wrist, which must have been tight and painful, the daughter of Marlenus straightened herself before me and said arrogantly, "You tharlarion! Do you think that the daughter of the Ubar of all Gor would submit to such as you?"
Cruelly I forced her to her knees before me, the filthy, proud wench.
"You submitted," I said.
She cursed me, her greenish eyes blazing with hatred. "Is this how you treat the daughter of a Ubar?" she cried.
"I will show you how I treat the most treacherous wench on all Gor," I exclaimed, releasing her wrist. With both hands I wrenched the veil back from her face, thrusting my hand under it to fasten my fist in her hair, and then, as if she were a common tavern girl or a camp slut, I dragged the daughter of the Ubar of all Gor to the shelter of the Ka-la-na trees. Among the trees, on the clover, I threw her to my feet.