Magicians of Gor (64 page)

these architectural inquiries he found my eyes still on him.

“Yes?” I said.

“That was a state slave,” he said.

“A branded slut is a branded slut, even if she is owned by the state.”

“True,” he said, agreeable.

“So what is your point?” I inquired.

“It is just that it may be improper to accost them while they are on their

errands.”

“Do you think that at night when they are chained at their slave rings the state

caresses them?” I asked.

“No,” he said.

The lot of a state slave can be one of great deprivation. Indeed, I fear it

often is. Certainly it is commonly regarded as an extremely unenviable slavery

by most slaves. To be sure, they are occasionally made available to male slaves,

guards and such. Some state slaves, of course, usually girls of unusual beauty,

are used at state banquets, to serve and entertain. But even there the state not

unoften utilizes trained feast slaves, rented from carious establishments or,

upon certain occasions, even the girls from a Ubar’s own pleasure gardens.

“Thank you for your observation,” I said.

“It is nothing,” he said.

We looked after Lavinia, hurrying down the street.

“She is a pretty one,” he said.

“Yes,” I said.

I then turned about and went down the same street.

I was not really displeased. The fellow had taken Lavinia unquestioningly for a

state slave. That was reassuring, and was in its way a compliment to Phoebe’s

skill as a seamstress, which skill she had primarily acquired following her

collaring. Too, he (pg. 377) had reminded me that some folks, in particular,

guardsmen, often disapproved of interfering with such a girl in the pursuit of

her duties. This policy, incidentally, makes it difficult for such slaves to

obtain simple, basic female gratifications, such as being caressed in the chains

of a master. It was difficult for them, for example, to enter into, arrange or

conduct affairs, even on the brief dark-doorway variety. On the other hand, the

policy might prove useful, from my own point of view. In virtue of it, I thought

I might be able to defend Lavinia, if necessary, without calling too much

attention to myself, in particular, without identifying myself as her likely

master. Who knows? I might be merely a civic-minded citizen, or perhaps a fellow

spoiling for a fight, or one who might find it in his interest, on a certain

occasion, to seem to be such.

In a few Ehn, on Aulus, in the vicinity of Tarn Court, I saw one of the free men

accompanying the palanquin hurry forward to stay the fellow with his two

companions. Lavinia was about thirty to forty yards beyond the palanquin. I was

about ten yards or so behind her. Stayed, the whole group awaited the arrival of

the palanquin, which now approached them in a stately fashion, the bearers

impressive in their lack of haste, befitting the undoubted dignity of the

palanquin’s occupant. In a moment or two the palanquin had been set down on its

legs, in the shady side of Aulus, near a wall covered with theater posters, may

of them faded, tattered, overlapping and half torn away.* Many Gorean

advertisements, incidentally, notifications and such, are not, so to speak,

authorized. Some of these notifications, and such, perhaps inscribed by the

proprietors of certain taverns or their agents, sing the praises of various

slaves. I wondered, if the fellows passing these notifications, and such,

recounting, say, the charms of a certain Tania or Sylvia, of such-and-such a

paga tavern, even considered the possibility that these might be former free

women of Ar, perhaps women thitherto unapproachable, once haughty, vain women,

women courted in vain by many, perhaps even by themselves, who had now become

slaves, women who must now, in their collars, answerable to the whip, to the

best of their ability, serve masters. Perhaps they could even arrange for the

purchase of one of them, not to free her, of course, for it is said that only a

fool buys a slave girl, but to take her home and keep her for themselves.

Graffiti, too, in Gorean public places, as the markets and baths, is not

uncommon. Whereas this graffiti is mostly of a predictable sort, as one might

expect, names, proclamations of love, denunciations of enemies, obscenities, and

such, some of it is, in my opinion, at least, of quite high quality. For

example, poets not unoften use the walls to publish their work, so to speak.

Indeed, it is said, though I do not know with what truth, that Pentilicus

Tallux, for whom the great theater is named, first inscribed his poetry on

walls. Needless to say, readers then often feel free to write their own comments

on he poems, or even to edit them. More than one critic, I fear, had been found

bloodied at the base of such a wall. Indeed, there is a story abroad that

Pentilicus Tallux himself, whose work is noted for its restraint and delicacy,

figured in more than one fracas of that sort. One story had it that he slew

seven men in formal duels alone.

*Twice in the manuscript, later, Cabot refers to a “Flute Street.” From the

context it seems clear that this is “Aulus.” I have accordingly edited the

manuscript in the interests of consistency, changing “Flute Street” to “Aulus.”

My interpretation is supported by information supplied by a colleague in the

Classics Department, to the effect that there is a Greek expression for a flute

which might be transliterated as aulos. I think we may assume then, apart from

contextual considerations, that “Aulus” and “Flute Street” are the same streets

bordering the great theater, that of Pentilicus Tallux. Flute music is

apparently extremely important in Gorean theater. Indeed, we learn from Cabot’s

miscellaneous notes that the name of the flute player usually occurs on

theatrical advertisements immediately after that of the major performer or

performers. It seems the flute player is often on stage and accompanies

performers about, pointing up speeches, supplying background music and such.

This is accepted as Gorean theatrical convention, it seems, much as locations as

city streets, airplanes, life rafts and deserts. Various “modes” are supposed,

as well, to elicit and express various emotions, some being appropriate for love

scenes, others for battle scenes, etc. Lastly it might be mentioned that ‘Aulus’

can also occur as a Gorean masculine name. This sort of thing is familiar, of

course, in all languages, as Smith, Cooper, Chandler, Carpenter, Carter, and

such, stand for occupations, and names like Hampshire, Lake, Holm, Rivers, and

such, stand for places, and names like Stone, Hammer, Rock , and such, stand for

things.

—J.N.

The palanquin now having been set down, its bearers, its accompanying free men,

and the two men who had accompanied the fellow from the theater, withdrew. This

left the fellow in a position to conduct some form of tête-à-tête with the

palanquin’s occupant, of the privacy of which she would presumably (pg. 379)

wish to be assured. I wondered if this fellow commonly ran such a gauntlet on

his way back from the theater to the house of his master, Appanius of Ar. When

the palanquin stopped, Lavinia did, too, naturally, and, of course, some yards

behind her, as, too, did I. While the fellow was engaged in discourse with the

palanquin’s occupant one of the free men, the fellow who had gone on ahead to

call upon the fellow and his companions to wait, took notice of Lavinia and

began to approach her. She must have seen him coming, for she reacted in fear,

and turned about. She cast a wild glance toward me, but I pretended not to

notice. She began to come back, back down Aulos, in my direction, but he called

out, “Hold, female slave!” I was afraid for a moment that she might panic and

bolt in which case he would presumably have her in custody in a moment and she

would have been beaten. If he did not catch her I would have to beat her

tonight, for having disobeyed a command of that sort, from a free person. Such

are not to be disobeyed. But, to my satisfaction, accosted, although she had

apparently momentarily gripped with fear, she had the good sense to turn about

and kneel. Also, as he was a man, she had her knees in proper position. One of

the advantages of that position, aside from its general suitability and its

effect on the female, is that it commonly has placatory value. The fellow had, I

assumed, noted her lingering about, too, in the vicinity of the theater, and had

probably noted that she was following them, or, more likely, he whom they were

following. Perhaps, while he was waiting, in order to while away the time, it

was his intent to draw her aside, into a doorway, and thrust her back against

the door or wall, for a bit of brief sport. I did not think I would object to

this, if no danger came to the note. Too this might fit in with her guise as a

state slave, for such are often not averse to such attentions, and have

something of a reputation of provoking them. As I have earlier indicated the

state is generally heedless of the sexual needs of its state slaves. At any

rate, it seldom seems inclined to make any adequate provision for the

satisfaction of these very real, and very profound, needs. To be sure, what does

it matter, as the women are only slaves? On the other hand, it might be noted

that state slaves being sold into the private sector often bring good prices.

They seem eager to become private slaves, with a given master, whom they may

then try to serve with such perfection and devotion that they may hope to exert

some influence, however small, on the quality of their lives, for example, with

respect to the nature of the contentments they may receive, those which their

master may deign to bestow upon them. On the other hand, his mien (pg. 380)

hostile, so I moved somewhat closer. He stood now before Lavinia, angrily, who,

wide-eyed, kneeling, quaked before him. She spread her knees even more. I say

now that it was apparently his intention to protect his employer’s interests, as

he saw them, that he wished to warn her away. That would not do. He drew back

his hand to cuff the slave. As his hand came forward I intercepted it, and held

it, by the wrist, in midair. “Ai!’ he cried out, in surprise, in anger, in pain.

When he ceased to struggle I released his hand. He pulled his wrist away,

angrily, rubbing it.

“What is the meaning of your interference?’ he snarled.

“What is the meaning of yours?” I inquired, eagerly.

He back away a step. “Mine?” he asked.

“Interfering with a state slave,” I said.

“She is following us!” he said.

“Why?” I asked.

“Well,” said he, “not us, but another.”

“Who?” I asked.

“He,” he said, indicating the direction of the palanquin.

“What business is it of yours?” I asked.

“My employer would not approve of her pursuit,” he said.

“And is your employer a competitive slave girl?” I asked.

“No!” he said. “She is the Lady——“

“Yes?” I said.

“It does not matter,” he said, irritatedly.

“Perhaps her master has not yet given her a name?” I said.

“You can see she carried a note!” said the fellow, gesturing to Lavinia.

“Give me the note,” I said to Lavinia.

“It is private!” she said.

I put out my hand, and she put the note in my hand.

“It is nothing,” I said, glancing at the note, and handing it back to Lavinia.

“Let me see!” he said.

“You dispute my word?” I said, eagerly.

“No!” he said.

“Draw!” I said. My hand went to my tunic.

“I am unarmed!” he said. “It is the law! We of Ar may not carry weapons.”

“Let us then adjudicate our differences with out bare hands,” I said.

“You are drunk!” he said, stepping back.

If true, that will give you an advantage,” I said.

“It is unseemly for free men to squabble before a female slave,” he said.

(pg. 381) “I shall send her away then,” I said.

“No, no,” he said, anxiously. “She is doing no harm.”

“You would keep her here, away from her duties?” I asked.

“No,” he said. “No!”

“Glory to Talena, Ubar of Ar,” I said.

“Yes, glory to Talena, certainly!” he said.

“Glory to Seremides, first minister to the Ubara, high captain, commander of the

Taurentians, to Myron, polemarkos of Temos, to Luris of Jad, Ubar of Cos!” I

said.

“Yes, yes,” he said, “glory to them, glory to them all!”

“Glory to a fat tharlarion!” I said.

“If you wish,” he said, “yes, of course!”

“You are very agreeable,” I said.

“I try to be congenial,” he said.

“I think that I shall make the acquaintance of your lady,” I said.

“Do not!” he said.

“To complain of your interference with the duties of a state slave,” I said.

“She is in converse!” he said.

“No matter!” I said.

“Do not interrupt her!” he said.

“Perhaps you wish to stop me?’ I said.

“No!” he said. He then turned and hurried away, toward the palanquin.

“It is my recommendation,” I said to Lavinia, “that you route yourself about and

rendezvous with our quarry on Tarn Court, underneath the bowers. As I understand

it that is his accustomed path. Also, in this way it will seem as though I sent