Міжзірковий мандрівник
Chapter 15
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Afterwards,whenHendrikHamelwaseagertoknowallthatIhadsaid,andwhenItoldhim,hereproachedmeandwasinaprettyrage.
“Thefat’sinthefire,Hendrik,”quothI.“WhatIhavedonehasbeenoutofwitlessnessandtheneedtobesayingsomething.Butdoneitis.NoryounorIcanpluckforththefat.Wemustactourpartsandmakethebestofit.”
Taiwun,theEmperor’sbrother,wasasotofsots,andasthenightworeonhechallengedmetoadrinking.TheEmperorwasdelighted,andcommandedadozenofthenoblestsotstojoininthebout.Thewomenweredismissed,andwewenttoit,drinkfordrink,measureformeasure.KimIkeptbyme,andmidwayalong,despiteHendrikHamel’swarningscowls,dismissedhimandthecompany,firstrequesting,andobtaining,palacelodgmentinsteadoftheinn.
Nextdaythepalacewasa-buzzwithmyfeast,forIhadputTaiwunandallhischampionssnoringonthematsandwalkedunaidedtomybed.Never,inthedaysofvicissitudethatcamelater,didTaiwundoubtmyclaimofKoreanbirth.OnlyaKorean,heaverred,couldpossesssostrongahead.
Thepalacewasacityinitself,andwewerelodgedinasortofsummer-housethatstoodapart.Theprincelyquartersweremine,ofcourse,andHamelandMaartens,withtherestofthegrumblingcunies,hadtocontentthemselveswithwhatremained.
