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woman with a bony face and restless eyes. She spoke in
an urgent voice and punctuated her words with jabbing
motions of her forefinger.
 I intend to speak of law and its innate nature. Dm.
Joris, you have used the words  doctrinaire and
 abstraction in a pejorative sense, and I must point out
that all law, all ethical systems, all morality, are based
upon doctrines and abstract principles by which we test
specific cases. If we adopt a pragmatic attitude, we are
lost and civilization is lost; morality becomes a matter
of expedience or brute force. The edicts of the Mull
therefore rest not so much upon exigencies of the
moment as upon fundamental theorems. One of these is
that title to pre-empted, stolen or sequestered property
never becomes valid, whether the lapse of time be two
minutes or two hundred years. The flaw in title remains,
and reparation, no matter how dilatory, must be made.
Again, you scorn the Redemptionists; as for me, I rejoice
that the Redemptionists are sufficiently idealistic and
sufficiently motivated that they have urged this some-
times sluggish Mull to decisive action.
Gerd Jemasze responded in a cold voice.  Your ideas
might carry more weight were you not hypocrites and
persons with an infinite capacity for 
  Hypocrites ? flared Adelys Lam.  Dm. Jemasze, I am
astounded by your use of the word!
Erris Sammatzen said reproachfully:  I had hoped our
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THE GRAY PRINCE
discussions might proceed without fulmination, threats
or invective. I am sorry to see that Dm. Jemasze has
become intemperate.
 Let him call us names, Adelys Lam cried angrily.
 Our consciences are clear, which is more than he can
say for his own.
Jemasze listened imperturbably.  My remarks were
not invective, he said.  I refer to demonstrable fact. You
legislate against our imaginary crimes, and meanwhile
you tolerate in Szintarre and across the Retent an offense
proscribed everywhere in the Gaean Reach: slavery. In
fact, I suspect that at least several of you are slave-
keepers.
Sammatzen pursed his lips.  You refer to the erjins,
no doubt. The facts of the matter are unclear.
Adelys Lam declared:  The erjins are not intelligent
beings, by the legal definition of the term or by any
other. They are clever animals, no more.
 We can demonstrate the opposite, beyond any argu-
ment, said Gerd Jemasze.  Before you reproach us for
abstract transgressions, you should abate your own very
real offenses.
Erris Sammatzen said uncomfortably:  You make a
cogent point; I can t argue with you. However, I doubt
that you can make so positive a demonstration.
Adelys Lam protested.  Surely we are being diverted
from our principal task?
 Our schedule is flexible, said Sammatzen.  I m will-
ing to clarify this other matter.
Another Mull member, the crusty Thaddios Tarr, said:
 We can t avoid doing so and retain our credibility as
an impartial administrative body.
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JACK VANCE
Gerd Jemasze rose to his feet.  I think we ll be able to
surprise you.
Erris Sammatzen cautiously asked:  How?
 Uther Madduc called it his  wonderful joke . But I
doubt if you ll laugh.
Schaine, listening from the side of the Great Hall, said
to Elvo Glissam:  I don t understand why anyone should
laugh. Do you understand this  wonderful joke ?
Elvo shook his head.  It escapes me completely.
The members of the Mull boarded the black-and-silver
Ellux saloon. Gerd Jemasze went to the controls and took
the craft aloft. Behind came a convoy of ten well-armed
sky-cars. Gerd Jemasze set a course to the northwest,
across the most beautiful region of Morningswake: a
land of magnificent vistas and far perspectives.
The scarp which delineated the Palga loomed in the
distance; the Volwodes rose into the sky; the land became
bleak and broken. At the bottom of a wide valley flowed
a glistening river: the Mellorus. Jemasze altered course
and descended into the valley, to fly only a hundred
yards above the river.
The valley walls grew steep and high and obscured
part of the sky; a few moments later they passed over
cultivated plots and irrigated orchards which Jemasze
recognized. He slowed the Ellux until it barely drifted
up the gorge, then turned to the members of the Mull.
 What I m about to show you has been seen by very few
men indeed. Most of these have been Wind-run-
ners because we re close on the station where erjins are
bred, trained and marshalled for export. There is defin-
itely an element of danger in this demonstration, but
when I am done you will agree that I am justified in
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THE GRAY PRINCE
bringing you here. In any case our assembled firepower
provides protection, and the hull of this Ellux should be
tough enough to turn back bullets from the Palga long-
rifles.
 I hope, said Julias Metheyr,  that you intend to show
us something more than erjins marching in formation
or learning to put on their trousers.
Adelys Lam said crossly:  I personally don t care to
be killed or even wounded for your personal gratifica-
tion.
Gerd Jemasze made no response. He set the Ellux
saloon down in front of the rose-quartz and gold shrine.
He activated doors and descensor; the Mull trooped out
upon the pink marble floor.
 What is it? asked Julias Metheyr in awe.
 It appears to be a temple or historical monument
constructed long before the first men arrived on Kory-
phon. The detail chronicles an erjin civilization.
  Civilization ? asked Adelys Lam.
 You can decide for yourself. Erjins are depicted riding
in what appear to be spaceships. You ll see them fighting
morphotes, who also use weapons and other adjuncts of
a technical society; so the morphotes also have contrived
a civilization in their time. Finally, the erjins record a
war with men.
Erris Sammatzen strode forward to examine the seven-
tiered fane; the others followed, muttering in amazement
as they studied the intricate carving. One by one the
escort sky-craft dropped down into the gorge and landed,
and the occupants came forth to marvel at the shrine in
company with the others.
Erris Sammatzen approached Jemasze.  And this is
Uther Madduc s  wonderful joke ?
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JACK VANCE
 So I believe.
 But what s funny?
 The magnificent ability of the human race to delude
itself.
 That s bathos, not humor, said Sammatzen shortly.
 The joke, at least, is a hoax.
 No, I don t think so, said Jemasze.
Sammatzen ignored him.  The Wind-runner training
station is nearby?
 About half a mile up the gorge.
 Is there any reason why we should not go there now,
and put a stop to the traffic?
Jemasze shrugged.  I couldn t guarantee your safety.
But I believe that we mount enough firepower to protect
ourselves if the need arose.
 What do you know concerning this operation?
 No more than you. I saw it for the first time a week
or so ago.
Sammatzen rubbed his chin.  It occurs to me that the
tribes of the Retent will resent the loss of their mounts.
What is your opinion on this?
Jemasze grinned.  They can buy criptids from the
domains.
Erris Sammatzen went to confer with the other mem-
bers of the Mull; they argued ten minutes, then Sam-
matzen approached Jemasze.  We want to examine the
training station if it can be accomplished safely.
 We ll do our best.
The compound and the long buildings were as Jemasze
remembered them, and even more somnolent than before.
A pair of Wind-runners squatted beside one of the walls.
At the sight of the descending sky-craft, they slowly rose
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THE GRAY PRINCE
to their feet and stood in postures of uncertainty, debat-
ing whether or not to take to their heels.
Jemasze dropped the Ellux to the ground directly
before the largest of the stone structures. He opened the
door, extended the descensor and alighted, followed by
Sammatzen and more cautiously by the other members
of the Mull.
Jemasze signaled to the Wind-runners; they
approached without enthusiasm. Jemasze asked:  Where
is the director of the agency?
The Wind-runners looked bewildered.  Director?
 The individual in authority.
The Wind-runners muttered together, then one asked: [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]