Free The Five Gold Bands by Jack Vance Page B

that they wouldn’t serve us merely because we’re—”
    Paddy nodded. “That’s right. The Earther keeps his place on Badau.”
    Fay turned away. “I’m too tired to argue. Let’s go to the Earther hotel.”

VII
    The Kamborogian Arrowhead? The desk-clerk, a sour-visaged Badau, told them it was a resort on the shores of the Iath Lake. To Fay’s diffident inquiry he smirked wryly.
    “Earthers at the Kamborogian? They’d as soon serve a run of lard-legs. You must understand the quality of Badau take their pleasure at the Kamborogian. It’s where the Son himself goes. Everything must be quiet and elegant.”
    Paddy nodded. “Ah—then we miserable Earthers would be out of place indeed.”
    Fay asked desperately, “Don’t Earthers go there at all?”
    “Only as scullions or entertainers. The Ryeville Ramblers, a trio of acrobats, just returned from an engagement and were well satisfied with their treatment.”
    “Hmm.” Paddy rubbed his chin. “How does one get these engagements?”
    The clerk turned away. “Oh—through the amusement syndic, I suppose.”
    Paddy turned to Fay. “Now young lady, can you dance, sing, mimic, eat fire or turn handsprings?”
    Fay said, “I’m no acrobat, not in this gravity. I suppose I could play a comb or recite Gunga Din with gestures.”
    “I’m a magician,” said Paddy. “I perform card tricks that’ll mystify them, especially if they’re drunk as they’re apt to be. We’ll be the finest act ever brought on the floor. At least we’ll be allowed on the premises.”
    The Kamborogian Arrowhead was a block of concrete five stories high and a quarter mile long, ornamented with a profusion of gold quincunxes, quatrefoils, fleurs-de-lis. Alternate sections were stained pink and light green and the overhanging pediment was light blue.
    Iath Lake, rippling, twinkling very swiftly to the strong gravity, half encircled the building and the formal gardens. Beyond, the land fell away in a vast sweep of rolling turf up to a mile-high cliff, running horizon to horizon.
    The air of wealth and opulence clung to the hotel. It glistened with crystal panes and bright metal. The canopies glowed like satin. Oval shell-like pleasure boats rode the lake, moving under small square sails.
    Paddy and Fay discreetly went to the rear, entered a waiting room, stated their business to a tired-looking Asmasian porter, who brought them to the Chief Steward in a brightly lit office.
    The Chief Steward was short and fat even for a Badau. His jowls hung like the wattles on a chicken. His eyes were deep-set and clever.
    Paddy said, “The gentleman at the Amusement Syndicate sent us up here to see you. We’re Black and Black, Entertainers Extraordinary.”
    The steward looked them up, down, ran his eyes over Fay’s figure. Like some of the other planetary races the Badaus found Earther women attractive. “Did not the Syndic give you a card for me?”
    “Ah, we lost it,” said Paddy. “The wind blew it clean out of my hands and away in a twinkling. However the Syndic was much pleased with us and said to say a kind word to you for him.”
    “What do you do?”
    “I’m a magician,” said Paddy. “I’m an accomplished prestidigitator and objects come and go at my command. I change water into purple vapor and then to a swarm of frogs and they melt into a big flash of light. But my specialty is with the cards. I make the ace of spades jump out of the deck and bow from the waist, and there’s a trick I know with the kings and queens that’ll have ’em giggling for months to come.
    “Then there’s my wife here. She’s the cleverest thing alive. She’s great. She’ll have them agog with their eyes so you could knock them off with sticks. Sure, they’ll clap your back for giving them such rare enjoyment.”
    The steward blinked. “Well—the listing is complete. I’ll give you a try and if you’re as good as you say I’ll let another team go that’s not doing so well.”
    “Good,”