The Forest Goblin sang, “There is only one answer. First I would die in combat; I could not bear such shame.”
Thissell sang, “I had such a choice. I could fight with my hands tied, and so die — or I could suffer shame, and through this shame conquer my enemy. You admit that you lack sufficient strakh to achieve this deed. I have proved myself a hero of bravery! I ask, who here has courage to do what I have done?”
“Courage?” demanded the Forest Goblin. “I fear nothing, up to and beyond death at the hands of the Night-men!”
“Then answer.”
The Forest Goblin stood back. He played his double-kamanthil. “Bravery indeed, if such were your motives.”
The hostler struck a series of subdued gomapard chords and sang, “Not a man among us would dare what this mask-less man has done.”
The crowd muttered approval.
The mask-maker approached Thissell, obsequiously stroking his double-kamanthil. “Pray Lord Hero, step into my nearby shop, exchange this vile rag for a mask befitting your quality.”
Another mask-maker sang, “Before you choose, Lord Hero, examine my magnificent creations!”
A man in a Bright Sky Bird mask approached Thissell reverently.
“I have only just completed a sumptuous houseboat; seventeen years of toil have gone into its fabrication. Grant me the good fortune of accepting and using this splendid craft; aboard waiting to serve you are alert slaves and pleasant maidens; there is ample wine in storage and soft silken carpets on the decks.”
“Thank you,” said Thissell, striking the zachinko with vigor and confidence. “I accept with pleasure. But first a mask.”
The mask-maker struck an interrogative trill on the gomapard. “Would the Lord Hero consider a Sea Dragon Conqueror beneath his dignity?”
“By no means,” said Thissell. “I consider it suitable and satisfactory. We shall go now to examine it.”
THE END
1
Kiv: five banks of resilient metal strips, fourteen to the bank, played by touching, twisting, twanging.
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2
Stimic: three flutelike tubes equipped with plungers. Thumb and forefinger squeeze a bag to force air across the mouthpieces; the second, third and fourth little fingers manipulate the slide. The stimic is an instrument well adapted to the sentiments of cool withdrawal, or even disapproval.
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3
Krodatch: a small square sound-box strung with resined gut. The musician scratches the strings with his fingernail, or strokes them with his fingertips, to produce a variety of quietly formal sounds. The krodatch is also used as an instrument of insult.
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4
Skaranyi: a miniature bagpipe, the sac squeezed between thumb and palm, the four fingers controlling the stops along four tubes.
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5
Gomapard: one of the few electric instruments used on Sirene. An oscillator produces an oboelike tone which is modulated, choked, vibrated, raised and lowered in pitch by four keys.
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6
Double-kamanthil: an instrument similar to the ganga, except the tones are produced by twisting and inclining a disk of rosined leather against one or more of the forty-six strings.
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FB2 document info
Document ID: 88b9cfd8-aada-4e64-bc54-4f9e53835aa2
Document version: 2
Document creation date: 2010-01-24
Created using: doc2fb, FB Editor v2.0 software
Document authors :
Haereticus
Source URLs :
http://www.unexploredworlds.com/RealPulp/htm/rpulp145.htm
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