Gene Wolfe - On Blue's waters

The inhuma made me a seated bow that may or may not have been mockery.

Because I thought it would be better to wait for Mehman to return, I said, “It’s just occurred to me that you inhumi are rather like a kind of lizard I’ve noticed in my garden. It can change colors, and because of its size and shape, and because it remains so still, it is easy to take one for a piece of brown bark, or a green leaf, or even the flesh-colored petal of a rose. While I acknowledge that you inhumi are a much higher form of life, it seems to me that the principle is about the same.”

I expected her to say that we three were merely large monkeys without tails (as Krait would have), which would have been at least as just; but she only nodded. “You are correct, Rajan.”

Evensong said, “Pehla showed me one of those. They catch insects with their tongues.”

The inhuma nodded as before. “We do the same, rani. You haven’t asked my name, or given me yours.”

Evensong introduced herself. I explained to her that I had not inquired about the inhuma’s name because I knew that any name she gave us would be false, at which the inhuma said, “Then my name in this town of yours shall be False. Is that how you say it?” Mehman came in just then with my water, soap, and towel. “I have no tray, Rajan. I am shamed.”

“I am shamed, not you,” I told him. “I ought to have paid you better, and I will. I’ll give you a tray, too. This inhuma would like us to call her by a name that means false or lying. Something like that. What would it be?”

“Jahlee.”

“Thank you. Jahlee, this man is Mehman. Mehman, we will call this evil woman Jahlee, as you suggest.”

He bowed to her.

“Jahlee,” I said, “you are not to harm Mehman or any of his people.”

“I am your slave.”

“Look at him carefully. Neither Evensong nor I are typical of the mass of people here, but he is. He is a typical citizen of our town, tall and dark, with a nose, eyes, mouth, and so on quite a bit like mine.”

“I have seen others, Rajan.”

“Good. These are my people. Under no circumstances whatsoever are you to harm any of them. If you do, you know what I will do.”

“I do, Rajan. But I must live.”

“You must do more, as we both understand. I’m about to get to that.”

Evensong said, “Suppose another inhuma comes here and hurts someone. We might think it was her.”

“We might indeed. Because we might she will warn the other inhumi to keep away, if she is wise. Jahlee, Evensong is from a different town, a foreign town called Han, with which our own town is at war. She is a young woman of Han, more attractive than most.”

The starved and empty eyes fastened upon Evensong’s face. “I understand, Rajan.”

“You are not to attack the common people of Han, or of any other town. You may attack any and all of the troopers fighting against us, however. They are fair game for you.”

Jahlee started to object, but fell silent.

“There are more than enough for you. You may also attack their animals, if you wish.”

She shook her head. “That is most gracious, Rajan. But I will not.”

“Sarcasm will win you no friends here.”

“Is it possible for me to win friends, Rajan?”

“Not like that. Will you attack the troopers from Han, as I have suggested?”

“I am your slave. But it would be better if I had clothes.” With both hands, she smoothed her starved body, a body that appeared wholly human. “A wig or headdress of some sort, too. Powder, rouge, and scent.”

I glanced at Evensong, who nodded and hurried out.

“A few gauds, Rajan, if it’s not asking too much.”

“She will think of that, I’m sure. She’s an intelligent young woman.”

Mehman re-entered with a steaming teapot and two cups, and I assured him that Evensong would be back soon.

“There is more,” I told Jahlee. Rinsing my fingers for the third time, I sipped tea and nodded my appreciation to Mehman.

“More duties, Rajan? For me?” Her voice had become breathlessly feminine.

“You might say so. Are you aware that there are other inhumi entombed here as you were?”

“No.” For a moment the empty eyes flashed fire. “You torture us as we never torture you.”

“There are, and I know where they are buried. Han’s our enemy, but only Han’s troops. You understand that.”

Mehman brought in a fragrant cup for himself and another for Jahlee, and I motioned for him to sit down.

Jahlee asked, “Do you intend to dig them up to fight for us, Most Merciful Rajan?”

“I may. In addition to preying upon those troops, I want you to do whatever may occur to you to weaken and discomfort them. Knowing the cunning of your race, I leave the nature of those things entirely to you. You may do whatever seems good to you, as long as it doesn’t harm us.”

“I understand, Rajan.”

“When you have done something sufficiently impressive that you feel that word of it is bound to reach me, return here. My palace is in the same garden as this cottage. If it’s a court day, come to court. If it isn’t, ask for Evensong, who is also called Chota.”

“Your servants may detect me, Rajan.”

“See that they do not. If what you have done really is a major stroke, you and I, with Mehman here and Evensong, will rescue a second member of your race just as the three of us rescued you, and on the same conditions. He or she will be sent against the Horde of Han exactly as you are being sent. When either of you achieves a major success, a third will be rescued. And so on.”

“If you win your war, you will release me from my promise?”; Her expression was guarded.

“Exactly.”

“Will you rescue the rest of us who are still in the living graves then?”

“No.” I shook my head. “But I will tell you-and the others who have been freed-where they are. You may free them yourselves, if you wish.”

Slowly, she nodded.

Soon after that, Evensong returned. She had a crimson silk gown over one arm and was carrying two elaborately inlaid boxes. “There are shoes in here,” she told Jahlee, handing her one, “and a good ivory bracelet and my second-best ivory ring. Women in Han don’t wear a lot of brass bangles the way women do here.”

“Scent,” Jahlee whispered. “I must have scent.” She opened the box and took out a fanciful bottle.

“That’s not the good perfume you gave me,” Evensong told me. “It’s what they gave me in Han when they sent me here.” As she spoke, a heavy, spicy fragrance filled the room. “You don’t need that much,” she cautioned Jahlee.

Jahlee laughed then, laughter so dark and exulting that I wondered whether I had not made a serious mistake when I had decided to undertake this experiment after weeks of worry and indecision.

“Here’s a woman’s traveling hat.” Evensong opened the other box and took it out. It was wide and flat, rather like an oversized saucer or a wide soup bowl of tightly plaited white straw turned upside down.

There was a knock at the door; Mehman looked to me for guidance, and I asked whether he was expecting company.

“My daughter and her little boy.”

“Put on that gown and go,” I told Jahlee. “You know what you are to do.”

Stepping swiftly into the shoes, she pulled it over her head. “Night would be better.”

“Most people are still asleep.” I turned to Evensong. “Will you give her that box to keep the cosmetics in?”

She nodded.

Mehman’s daughter knocked again, and I told Mehman to admit them, adding to Jahlee, “When they come in, you are to leave immediately.”

She did, favoring the humble woman and her little son with a flashing smile in which no actual teeth were to be seen, and running across the soft green grass with one hand clapped to the traveling hat and Evensong’s gown flowing and floating around her.