Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 15
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HendrikHamel,schemingandcrafty,everencouragedandurgedmeinmyanticcoursethatbroughtKim’sfavour,notalonetome,butthroughmetoHendrikHamelandallourcompany.IherementionHendrikHamelasmyadviser,forithasabearingonmuchthatfollowedatKeijointhewinningofYunsan’sfavour,theLadyOm’sheart,andtheEmperor’stolerance.IhadthewillandthefearlessnessforthegameIplayed,andsomeofthewit;butmostofthewitIfreelyadmitwassuppliedmebyHendrikHamel.
AndsowejourneyeduptoKeijo,fromwalledcitytowalledcityacrossasnowymountainlandthatwashollowedwithinnumerablefatfarmingvalleys.Andeveryevening,atfallofday,beaconfiressprangfrompeaktopeakandranalongtheland.AlwaysKimwatchedforthisnightlydisplay.FromallthecoastsofCho-Sen,Kimtoldme,thesechainsoffire-speechrantoKeijotocarrytheirmessagetotheEmperor.Onebeaconmeantthelandwasinpeace.Twobeaconsmeantrevoltorinvasion.Weneversawbutonebeacon.Andever,aswerode,Vandervootbroughtuptherear,wondering,“Godinheaven,whatnow?”
Keijowefoundavastcitywhereallthepopulation,withtheexceptionofthenoblesoryang-bans,dressedintheeternalwhite.This,Kimexplained,wasanautomaticdeterminationandadvertisementofcaste.Thus,ataglance,couldonetell,thestatusofanindividualbythedegreesofcleannessoroffilthinessofhisgarments.
