Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 15
“Hespeaksourlanguage,”quoththeEmperoratthelast;andIsweartherewassucharelinquishmentofheldbreathsthatthewholeroomwasonevastsigh.
“Iwasbornwiththislanguage,”Ireplied,mycunywitsrunningrashlytothefirstmadnessthatprompted.“Ispokeitatmymother’sbreast.Iwasthemarvelofmyland.Wisemenjourneyedfartoseemeandtohear.ButnomanknewthewordsIspoke.InthemanyyearssinceIhaveforgottenmuch,butnow,inCho-Sen,thewordscomebacklikelong-lostfriends.”
AnimpressionIcertainlymade.TheEmperorswallowedandhislipstwitchedereheasked:
“Howexplainyouthis?”
“Iamanaccident,”Ianswered,followingthewaywardleadmywithadopened.“Thegodsofbirthwerecareless,andIwasmislaidinafarlandandnursedbyanalienpeople.IamKorean,andnow,atlast,Ihavecometomyhome.”
Whatanexcitedwhisperingandconferringtookplace.TheEmperorhimselfinterrogatedKim.
“Hewasalwaysthus,ourspeechinhismouth,fromthetimehecameoutofthesea,”Kimliedlikethegoodfellowhewas.
“Bringmeyang-ban’sgarmentsasbefitsme,”Iinterrupted,“andyoushallsee.
