Free Soldier of Sidon by Gene Wolfe Page B

He governs me for them, or tries. As for the rest--five foot soldiers and two women. Half the men on board would take Myt-ser'eu or the other woman by force, and throw her to the crocodiles afterward. They know that, and if you don't you should."
    "I do," I said. "What about the truth you were too wise to voice in our meeting?"
    "As you wish. First, that the woman who cannot be found is at least as uncanny as the cat they fear. Second, that the cat is not hers, since it did not accompany her to the village. Third, that neither has done the least harm, but trying to rid the ship of them is likely to do a great deal."
    I said that the same thought had occurred to me.
    "Then tell them. They will certainly take it better from you than they would from me. I earn a modest living, Latro, chiefly by telling fortunes and driving out xu who have possessed a particular house--less commonly, a particular person. When someone comes to me wanting a xu driven out, I ask what harm the xu has done. Most often the answer is none; when it is, I tell my client frankly that it would be prudent to leave well enough alone. When a xu occupies a place--or a person, for that matter--others rarely try to occupy it as well. No one tries to move into a house that is already inhabited."
    "I understand," I said. "Do they take your advice?"
    Sahuset lifted his shoulders and let them fall as before. "Do I appear well fed?"
    "No," I said.
    He laughed. "Remind me never to debate you. But you're wrong. I'm not starving, and I would starve if they did. I expel the harmless spirit for a modest fee--and charge a great deal more for the worse one who finds the first's house empty."
    "Could you drive out the cat?"
    "Perhaps." Sahuset turned away to gaze out over the river.
    "Would you? If Qanju ordered it?"
    He shook his head.
    "Why not?"
    "You are a soldier. Would you accept an order from someone who knew far less of the military art than you do?"
    Now it was my turn to watch the sails and the wheeling river-birds. "It would depend on what it was," I said at last.
    "Just so." Sahuset held out his wine skin. "More? You, Myt-ser'eu?"
    She accepted a second cup; when he had filled it, he poured another for himself. "I have offered my wine and my friendship. You are both afraid I'll ask some service for them. I will not, but will gladly do one for you if you ask. Do you? Either of you?"
    Myt-ser'eu said, "Would you want money if I asked you to tell my fortune?"
    Sahuset shook his head.
    "Then please, would you?"
    "Certainly." From the pouch at his belt he took four gold sticks, none of which were quite straight. "I should have my wand for this," he said--and it was there, a rod of carved ivory, though I had not noticed it before. He laid the gold sticks on the grass, each a corner of a rough square, then traced a circle about them with his wand.Closing his eyes, he looked toward the sky. For a time so long that I grew sleepy his lips moved, though I could not hear what they said.
    At last he picked up the sticks, shook them in his hands, and flung them toward Myt-ser'eu. They landed in the circle, as well as I could judge, and he bent above them. "Much sorrow soon," he said, "but joy not long after it."
    "That's good," she said.
    He nodded absently. "You will travel to strange lands, and will be in danger there. You will return to your native place--and leave it again. Hathor favors you. That's all I can read here."
    "That's what I've always wanted," Myt-ser'eu said, "to get away from my family and see strange places and meet new people like Latro. Hathor must be very kind."
    "She is. Latro?"
    I shook my head.
    "Please?" Myt-ser'eu's hand tried to squeeze my thigh. "For me? Just this once?"
    I shook my head again. "I'm a soldier, as he said. I'll die on some battlefield, and knowing that I know as much as he can find out."
    "But you might not, and we're together, so if we learn about you we'll learn more about me."
    I shrugged.
    Taking it for consent, Sahuset scooped up