Gor #20 - Players of Gor by John Norman

Author:John Norman [Norman, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Science Fiction, Fiction, General, Thrillers, Historical
ISBN: 9780759219328
Google: KRu-73T5GJ4C
Amazon: 075921932X
Publisher: e-reads.com
Published: 2007-06-29T22:00:00+00:00

"Yes," said Petrucchio.

"There is no vintner, Groppus, in Pseudopolis!" said Rowena.

"They are also reputed to be splendid liars," said Chino.

"I suspect that these three women with me might not be precisely what they seem," hinted Petrucchio, darkly.

"What!" cried Chino.

"What!" cried Lecchio.

"I think it is possible," said Petrucchio, confidentially, to Chino and Lecchio, "that these very women with me may be the escaped slaves of whom you speak."

"No!" cried Chino.

"No!" cried Lecchio.

"Think," said Petrucchio to them. "It was false coins they offered me in return for my services. Surely that is suspicious, if nothing else. Similarly the resources pooled among them, as we have ascertained, total the exact amount purloined from the wronged Groppus of Pseudopolis. Too, the theft took place just shortly before we left the city, thus permitting them to be in the place of the crime itself, and then giving them time to flee the city. Too, there are three of them, and they are heading on this road, in this direction, in exactly those garments."

Chino and Lecchio looked at one another, frightened, impressed.

Petrucchio then stood upright, and twirled his mustaches, meaningfully.

"What should we do?" asked Chino, looking to Petrucchio, naturally enough, in the situation, for guidance.

"Surely, for one thing," said Lecchio, "we must keep this money, until it can be determined who its proper owner, or owners, may be."

"That is for certain," agreed Petrucchio.

"Give us back our money," said Lady Telitsia.

Petrucchio turned about and looked sternly upon the women. They huddled together under this fierce gaze, drawing back.

Lecchio and Chino hastily poured the coins into their wallets.

"Are you all free women?" asked Petrucchio.

"Certainly!" said Rowena.

"Certainly!" said Lady Telitsia.

"Certainly!" cried Bina.

"What were the names of the escaped slaves?" asked Petrucchio of Chino and Lecchio.

"Lana, Tana and Bana," said Chino, quickly.

"Yes, that is right," said Lecchio.

page 302

"Are you Lana, Tana and Bana?" asked Petrucchio.

"No," cried Rowena. "I am the Lady Rowena of Pseudopolis!"

"And I am the Lady Telitsia of Pseudopolis!" said Lady Telitsia.

"And I the Lady Bina of Pseudopolis!" said Bina.

There was some laughter at this from the audience, for "Bina" is a not uncommon slave name. The word "bina" is generally used to designate very pretty beads, but beads which, nonetheless, are cheap, common, and simple. They are usually of painted wood or glass. With such beads common slaves, if they are sufficiently pleasing, might hope to be permitted to adorn themselves. Sometimes slave girls fight fiercely over such beads. The best simple translation of "bina" is "slave beads." In the context of the play, of course, the audience took her, like the others, for the free woman she was supposed to be.

"It seems our suspicions are unfounded," said Petrucchio, relieved, "for these are not Lana, Tana, and Bana, miserable escaped slaves, but the ladies Rowena, Telitsia and Bina, of Pseudopolis."

Chino and Lecchio looked at one another, disbelievingly. Then Chino said, "Unless, of course, they are lying."

"Ah!" said Petrucchio, thoughtfully, twirling a mustache.

"Give us back our money!" said Rowena.

"Let us make a determination on the matter," said Chino.

"How shall we do that?" asked Petrucchio.

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.