Межзвёздный скиталец
Chapter 15
TherewerecooliesandpeddlerswhoshoutedinsultsattheLadyOmandwhofeltthewrathofmyclutchintheirtopknots,thewrathofmyknucklesintheirfaces.Therewereoldwomeninfarmountainvillageswholookedonthebeggarwomanbymyside,thelostLadyOm,andsighedandshooktheirheadswhiletheireyesdimmedwithtears.Andtherewereyoungwomenwhosefaceswarmedwithcompassionastheygazedonthebulkofmyshoulders,theblueofmyeyes,andmylongyellowhair—IwhohadoncebeenaprinceofKoryuandtherulerofprovinces.Andtherewererabblesofchildrenthattaggedatourheels,jeeringandscreeching,peltinguswithfilthofspeechandofthecommonroad.
BeyondtheYalu,fortymileswide,wasthestripofwastethatconstitutedthenorthernfrontierandthatranfromseatosea.Itwasnotreallywasteland,butlandthathadbeendeliberatelymadewasteincarryingoutCho-Sen’spolicyofisolation.Onthisforty-milestripallfarms,villagesandcitieshadbeendestroyed.Itwasnoman’sland,infestedwithwildanimalsandtraversedbycompaniesofmountedTigerHunterswhosebusinesswastokillanyhumanbeingtheyfound.Thatwaytherewasnoescapeforus,norwasthereanyescapeforusbysea.
Astheyearspassedmysevenfellow-cuniescamemoretofrequentFusan.Itwasonthesouth-eastcoastwheretheclimatewasmilder.Butmorethanclimate,itlaynearestofallCho-SentoJapan.
