The Land Across by Gene Wolfe

Author:Gene Wolfe [Wolfe, Gene]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi, azw3
Publisher: Tom Doherty Associates
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

14

FINDING ROSALEE

When she hung up, she smiled. “They blame me, as is only nature. I have show them nothing could be more useful for us.”

I was thoughtful all the way back inside the prison and into the warden’s office.

By that time she was sitting behind her desk again, writing something. Naala sat down without being asked, so I did, too. We did not talk, just waited until the warden stopped writing and looked around. “I do not recall that I wished to speak to you.”

Naala said, “Clearly because you had nothing to tell us and nothing to ask us. With us it is otherwise. We have things to tell and ask. I have an office myself. It is in our Central Building. Perhaps you are aware of our Central Building?”

The warden just looked at her.

“With a few words I could have you brought to me there. When we were finished, perhaps you would return here. I cannot say.”

The warden had no answer.

Naala gave her plenty of time before she said, “Let us first be clear. The Rathaus woman was in my custody all day yesterday. She does not escape. She is return to your custody in the evening. She escapes in the night. Now you compose a report about this? So I think. A press of the button will submit this report, but you may wish to revise it before you send.”

“The question, operator, is whether there is reason to revise.” The warden sounded scared.

“A question you must answer. For your assistance I tell you this. We of the JAKA are happy with what we have achieved.”

“Achieved? I wish to laugh, though an escape is not a thing to laugh at.”

“When I return the Rathaus woman to your custody, she is in a dress I buy for her, a dress of red and white. Why do you not require her to resume the gray uniform of those in your custody?”

“We did!” The warden jumped up. “Your dress we tear from her back! You have keep the uniform she wore! We are forced to supply another!”

“It fit her well, I hope.” Naala was smiling. “This is in your report? The new uniform?”

“Yes!”

“That is good. Already two men and two women visit dress shops. Before the shops close they will have visited every shop in the city that sells such clothes. They ask about a man who come to buy for a slender woman, or a woman as it may be who buys clothes she does not try on, clothes too small. This may be fruitful. You have find how she passes over the wire?”

The warden shook her head.

“She has not. So it may be. She has gone out a gate. You have very many?”

“Only one, operator.”

Naala jumped up. “You lie to me! For this alone—” She stopped and laughed, and I about fell off my chair. “You will pay, warden.” Naala was finished laughing. “Never think you will not. How much you pay, I do not know.”

“Please, operator…”

Naala sat again. “It is too late for ‘please’ and you are a fool.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.