Free Manly Wade Wellman - John the Balladeer 02 by After Dark (v1.1) Page B

air minute. I nair heard
a man talk quite like you. What you say about Shonokins."
                 "I've
already told you that Shonokins aren’t men." He smiled above the bobbing
stick where it was stuck in the ground. "Maybe that puts a speculation
into your mind, as to what or whom I might actually
be.” He pulled the cane out and tucked it under his arm and turned his glasses
back to look at me. “I wonder,” he said slowly, “if you're turning to one of
your quaint human beliefs in a certain old personage who tempts mortals.”
                 I
went down from the rise and along the track, and again Altic walked with me.
                 “I
reckon what you're a-getting at is, do I think you're the Devil,” I said.
                 “If
you've thought that, you flatter me.” He twiddled his cane to and fro. “Your
Devil is supposed to have a most impressive manner and a courtly way of
talking. But no, John, I'm not the Devil.”
                 “You
make me glad to hear you say so,” I said. Though I hadn't suggested that he was
aught like that, nor yet I hadn't truly thought it.
                 “You
flatter me, I think.”
                 “The
Devil,” I said as we walked along the humming, jangling way. “He's always
a-being told about when he tries to win somebody's soul.”
                 “Ah,
there you have it, John,” he said, right cheerfully. “We—the Shonokins—have
never been prepared to admit the existence of souls.”
                 I
just shook my head over that, because I couldn't imagine not to
have a soul. I gave him a glance out of the side of my eye. His clothes
were fine clothes, and no question at all. I'd nair
had such. I didn't expect to be that finely dressed,
not even when I married Evadare. I felt shabby, in my old pants and boots and
hat, the sort of things I'd wear to go out and work in the field.
                 “Belief
in the soul calls for faith,” he said. “A particular
religious faith. And we—we're more concerned with proofs. Material
proofs. For instance, I'm not only not the Devil; I
don't believe in him.”
                "That should
ought to comfort you, Mr. Altic,” I said.
                 He
laughed. "You said that you liked to hear me talk. All right, I like to
hear you talk. You're highly original and, if I weren't pretty much on my
guard, you'd be highly persuasive.”
                 We
walked along together. I felt the tingle in my blood.
                 "Anyway,
John,” he said at last, "this little stroll you’ve taken with me must have
begun to convince you that the Shonokins are a curious people and not without
interesting powers. And I’ve made you some attractive offers, on which by now
you might ponder with some profit to yourself.”
                 Devil
or no Devil, Brooke Altic could purely talk well. I kept a-walking along with
him.
                 "What
is it you want me to do for you?” I inquired him finally.
                 "Ah,”
he said. "Ah, at last. You're beginning to see
reason. All right, I wish you'd begin by getting hold of that jewel Mr. Ben
Gray carries in his pocket.”
                 "The
alexandrite,” I said. "What you sent three Shonokins to get from him, and
they nair got done what they came to do.”
                 "Yes,”
he said. "If we could have that—and now we'll have it You will help us.”
                 "Hold
on now,” I said, quick . "I just only inquired you
what you wanted me to do for you. I didn't say I'd do it.”
                 I
started in to walk faster, but he kept up, easily, a-swing- ing his cane.
                 "You're
beginning to irritate me,” he said gently, "and irritating me isn't going
to help either of us. You came to our settlement, you say, to find out
something about us.