Jack Vance: The Green Pearl

Shimrod took the book to the light streaming from the windows of the inn and read the title. He reached into his pocket and withdrew a small silver bell, which he tapped with his fingernail.

A voice spoke. "I am here."

"I am standing beside the inn at Twitten's Corners. Just before I arrived Visbhume came into the inn. If the post trembled, he was the cause. Tamurello met him and took him outside. I fear that Visbhume is gone: either dead or dissipated. He left behind his garments and his ‘Twitten's Almanac', which now I hold in my possession."

"And Tamurello?"

Shimrod, raising his eyes, saw Tamurello's manse silhouetted across the moon. "He has brought a floating castle; I see it now in the sky."

"I will come, but early in the morning. Meanwhile, take full precautions! Do nothing at Melancthe's behest, no matter how innocent! Tamurello's mood is reckless; he suffered at Khambaste and now he learns that he has gained nothing. He is ready to perform any act, be it desperate or irrevocable, or merely tragic. Be wary."

Shimrod returned inside the inn. Melancthe, for whatever reason, had departed.

Shimrod consumed his supper and for a period sat watching the folk of the forest at their revels. At last he went outside, and going to a nearby clearing put down a miniature cottage much like the one Visbhume had carried in his wallet.

"House, grow large!" said Shimrod.

He went to stand on the porch.

"House, stand tall!"

The house grew cabriolet legs at the corners, each terminating in claws grasping a ball, so that the house stood at a secure height of sixty feet above the clearing.

The night passed and dawn came to the Forest of Tantrevalles. As the sun raised above the trees, Shimrod came out on his porch. "Down, house!" called Shimrod, and then: "House, grow small!"

Tamurello's manse still floated in the sky. Shimrod went into the inn and made his breakfast.

Melancthe came quietly into the room, demure as a young shepherdess of Arcady in her knee-length white frock and sandals. She paid Shimrod no heed, and went to sit in an inconspicuous corner, which suited Shimrod very well.

Melancthe wasted little time at her breakfast. Departing the inn, she went to the meadow where the fair was already in full progress.

Shimrod followed casually behind her. As she entered the meadow he joined her side. "What do you look for today?"

"I have a whole bouquet of flowers on order," Melancthe told him. "These blooms are now my fascination; I dote upon them!"

Shimrod laughed. "Is it not strange that they work so strong an influence upon you? Do you not fear falling under an enchantment?"

Melancthe gave him a startled side-glance. "What enchantment could it be, save the force of sheer beauty? They are my dearest loves! Their colours sing to me; their perfumes bring me dreams!"

"Pleasant dreams, I hope? Some of the odors are remarkably rank."

Melancthe showed him one of her rare smiles. "The dreams are various. Some are most surprising. Some, I suspect, might exceed the limits of your imagination."

"No doubt whatever! I am denied such ecstasies by my mean and paltry soul." Shimrod looked around the meadow. "Where is this merchant of dreams?"

Melancthe pointed. "Just there! I see Yossip, but where are my lovely flowers? No doubt he has put them aside for me."

Melancthe ran to the booth. "Yossip, good morning to you, and where is my bouquet?"

Yossip shook his head mournfully. "Lady, in this case the truth is more simple, more elemental and more convincing than any lie. I will tell you the full and exact truth. This morning when I went to cut flowers, I came upon a grievous sight! Each plant had fallen and died, as if ravaged by the blight! There are no more plants! There are no more flowers!"

Melancthe stood rigid. "How is it possible?" she whispered. "Must it always be thus? That when I have found something sweet and dear it is taken from me? Yossip, how can you be so cruel? All night long I have pined for these flowers!"

Yossip gave a shrug. "Truly, lady, the fault is not mine, and therefore the coins you paid over to me should not be returned."

Shimrod said: "Yossip, allow me to cite the first principle of business ethics. If you give nothing of value, then you may not expect payment, regardless of all else. I speak only as a disinterested spectator."

Yossip cried out: "I cannot give up so much good gold! My plants have been destroyed; I deserve pity, not new strokes of misfortune! Let the lady select elsewhere from among my treasures! I hold nothing back! Here is an absolute prize: a black pebble dredged from the bottom of the River Styx! And observe this touching scene of a child caressing his mother, done in a mosaic of birds' eyes in gum. I stock a good selection of amulets all of great power, and this magic bronze comb invigorates the hair, repels infestations and cures scabies. These are all valuable articles!"

"I want none of them," said Melancthe crossly. "Still— let me look at that green gem you have on display."

Yossip hissed between his teeth, and reluctantly brought down the shallow box in which reposed the green pearl. "I am not so sure that I wish to part with this exquisite object."

"Come then! You yourself declared that nothing was held back! These gentlemen will testify to your word!" She indicated Shimrod and two or three others who had paused to watch the altercation.

"Again, as a disinterested spectator, I must corroborate Melancthe's statement," said Shimrod. He spoke in an abstracted voice, in search of a memory which for the moment evaded him. Somewhere he had encountered news of a green pearl, but the context evaded him. The green pearl, so he recalled, had been some sort of evil token.

"I as well!" declared a florid young peasant with yellow hair caught under the dark green cap of a woodcutter. "I know nothing of the case but I will avouch the hearing of my two good ears."

"So then!" said Melancthe in triumph. "Bring the box closer so that I may see the pearl."

Yossip angrily brought down the box and held it so that Melancthe was afforded barely a glimpse at the pearl. In a surly voice Yossip told her: "This gem is worth ten times the gold you paid me; I cannot let it go on the cheap!"

Melancthe leaned and craned her neck that she might see more readily into the box. "It is extraordinary!" she breathed, her flowers now forgotten. She reached to take up the gem, but Yossip jerked back the box.

"Come now!" demanded Melancthe. "Is this proper conduct for a huckster? To proffer, to allow a glimpse, then to snatch away the merchandise as if the customer were a robber? Where is your master, Zuck? He will not be pleased with such conduct!"

Yossip winced and grimaced in confusion. "Never mind about Zuck; he has given me full discretion."

"Then show me the pearl, or I will call for the steward and these two gentlemen shall be my witnesses!"

"Bah!" grumbled Yossip. "Such intimidation is only a step removed from robbery itself. Can you blame me for not trusting you with the gem?"

"Either the gem or my gold coins!"

"The gem is worth far more! First let us agree to that!"

"Perhaps a trifle more."

Reluctantly Yossip allowed Melancthe the box. She stared down entranced. "The colour envelops me with its fervor! How much more do you ask?"

Yossip had still not recovered his equanimity. "Truth to tell, I have not yet determined its value. This jewel might readily grace the King of Araby's crown!"

Melancthe turned to Shimrod, with arch mischief in her face. "Shimrod, what is your opinion of the jewel?"

"It is handsome, if somewhat baleful," said Shimrod. "Somewhere I have heard rumors of a similar jewel, perhaps in a fabulous legend; I cannot remember the occasion. I recall nothing good to be said for the pearl. It was worn by a Bloodthirsty pirate."