[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
.We spend a few more minutes examining the vanished glory of the Palace of theKings, then walk out the door and approach the next crumbling structure.It isthe Hall of the Thinkers, revered to this day by all Antareans, but I know theywill not understand why a race would create such an ediface to scholarship, andI haven't the energy to explain, so I tell them that it is the Palace of theConcubines, and of course they believe me.At one point the child, making no attempt to mask his disappointment, asks whythere are no statues or carvings showing the concubines, and I think veryquickly and explain that Lois Kiboko's religious beliefs were offended by thesexual frankness of the artifacts and she had them all destroyed.I feel guiltyabout this lie, for it is against the Code of Just Behavior to suggest that avisitor's race may have offended in any way.Ironically, while the child voiceshis disappointment, I notice that none of the three seems to have a problemaccepting that another human would destroy millennia-old artwork that upset hissensibilities.I decide that since they feel no guilt, this one time I shallfeel none either.(But I still do.Tradition is a difficult thing to transcend.)I see the man anxiously walking around, looking into corners and behindpedestals, and I ask him if something is wrong."Where's the can?" he says."I beg your pardon?""The can.The bathroom.The lavatory." He frowns."Didn't any of these goddamned concubines ever have to take a crap?" I finallydiscern what he wants and direct him to a human facility that has beenconstructed just beyond the Western Door.He returns a few minutes later, and I lead them all outside, past the toweringOnyx Obelisk that marked the beginning of the almost-forgotten 4th Dynasty.We stop briefly at the Temple of the River of Light, which was constructed_over_ the river, so that the sacred waters flow through the temple itself.We leave and turn a corner, and suddenly a single structure completely dominatesthe landscape."What's _that_?" asks the woman."That is the Spiral Ramp to Heaven," I answer."What a fabulous name!" she enthuses."I just know a fabulous story goes withit!" She turns to me expectantly."There was a time, before our scientists knew better, that people thought youcould reach heaven if you simply built a tall enough ramp."The child guffaws."It is true," I continue."Construction was begun during the 2nd Dyntasy, andcontinued for more than 700 years until midway through the 3rd.It looks as ifyou can see the top from here, but you actually are looking only at the bottomhalf of it.The rest is obscured by clouds.""How high does it go?" asked the woman."More than nine kilometers," I say."Three kilometers higher than our tallestmountain.""Amazing!" she exclaims."Perhaps you would like a closer look at it?" I suggest."You might even wish toclimb the first kilometer.It is a very gentle ascent until you reach the fifthkilometer.""Yes," she replies happily."I think I'd like that very much.""I'm not climbing anything," says the man."Oh, come on," she urges him."It'll be fun!""The air's too thin and the gravity's too heavy and it's too damned much likework.One of these days _I'm_ going to choose our itinerary, and I promise youit won't involve so goddamned much walking.""Can we go back and watch the game?" asks the child eagerly.The man takes onemore look at the Spiral Ramp to Heaven."Yeah," he says."I've seen enough.Let's go back.""We really should finish the tour," says the woman."We'll probably never be inthis sector of the galaxy again.""So what? It's just another backwater world," replies the man."Don't tell yourfriends about the Stairway to the Stars or whatever the hell it's called andthey'll never know you missed it."Then the woman comes up with what she imagines will be the clinching argument."But you've already agreed to pay for the tour.""So we'll cut it short and pay him half as much," says the man."Big deal." Theman pulls a wad of credits out of his pocket and peels off three ten-creditsnotes.Then he pauses, looks at me, pockets them, and presses a fifty-creditnote into my hand instead."Ah, hell, you kept your end of the bargain, Herman,"he says.Then he and the woman and child begin walking back to the hotel.#_The first aliens ever to visit Antares were rude and ill- mannered barbarians,but Perganian II, the greatest Emperor of the 31st Dynasty, decreed that theymust be treated with the utmost courtesy.When the day of their departurefinally arrived, the aliens exchanged farewells with Perganian, and one of themthrust a large, flawless blue diamond into the Emperor's hand in payment for hishospitality.__After the aliens left the courtyard, Perganian let the diamond drop to theground, declaring that no Antarean could be purchased for any price._ _Thediamond lay where it had fallen for three generations, becoming a holy symbol ofAntarean dignity and independence.It finally vanished during a dust storm andwas never seen again._-end-
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]