Prince Commands by Andre Norton
Author:Andre Norton
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Roca Editorial/Open Road Español
âA friend of mine may have some really yellow roses,â began the man thoughtfully; âif you wish you might try there. Go straight ahead until you come to the sign of the Four Horses and inquire there for Franz Ultmann. Ask him for roses.â
âStraight on?â
âYes. Good hunting, friend.â
âThank you,â and with a pleasant nod Michael Karl went on wondering just how large a cog in Ericson's machine was the flower merchant.
He was in the New Town now, and his way led him by the flapping Union Jack and the carved lions of the British Embassy and the cross-looking eagle and stars and stripes of its American neighbor. How long ago was it that he had claimed American citizenship? Maybe after the excitement was over he would make use of the passport which still lay in the drawer of his bedroom table.
The street curved around the river bank and he came upon what must have been, when it was built, a country inn. A sign of four wild-looking horses swung over the entrance to its courtyard which was now almost choked with a very large ox cart and a very small roadster. Close to the wall a draggled cock and two greedy hens hunted their dinner fearlessly among the hay upon which the unyoked oxen were making a meal. The sleepy dog by the door aroused himself to snap at an annoying fly as Michael Karl stepped over him.
The long low room of the inn parlor wasn't crowded. A brightly dressed farmer, the apparent owner of the ox cart, and one other customer were talking to the plump and pretty barmaid. The man at the bar turned away after a moment and smiled cheerily at Michael Karl.
âHot, ain't it?â he asked, wiping the shining red spot above his scanty fringe of sandy hair with a handkerchief printed in a pattern of horsesâ heads. He was a short, stocky man and the wide riding breeches and cloth gaiters he wore made him look very wide indeed.
âIt certainly is.â Michael Karl agreed. The man seemed a friendly person. He stepped to the bar and spoke to the plump maid who was busily engaged in rubbing up the glasses.
âWhere may I find Herr Franz Ultmann?â he inquired.
She looked at him, her eyes round with surprise. âThat's him, there,â she pointed with a pudgy, none too clean, finger to the man in the gaiters. âHerr Ultmann,â she raised her voice to almost a shout though the man she addressed was no more than three feet away, endeavoring to light a very large and smelly pipe, âhere's one that'll be a-lookinâ for ye.â
Michael Karl turned to Ultmann. âI've come to see about some yellow roses,â he said. âThe man at the flower market said you might have some early ones.â
Franz Ultmann screwed up his eyes. âThat I do. Will ye come and see âem, Lad? My car be outside. And here's somethinâ for that noo ribbon, m'dear.â He tossed the barmaid a coin and went out into the courtyard, followed by Michael Karl.
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