however. Maytera told you how many troops Generalissimo Oosik
has, saying--very fairly and reasonably, I thought--that she didn't
want you to feel you'd been tricked when all this is over. You should
have listened more carefully.'
'Tell 'em!' Xiphias put in.
'I'm attempting to.' Silk nodded, mostly (it appeared) to himself.
'Because it will be over soon. There will be a trial, and you,
Councillor Potto, and you, Councillor Loris, will hear Maytera,
Chenille, Master Xiphias, and Patera Incus testify to what they saw
and heard--and felt, as well--to a judge who will no longer be afraid
of you.'
Potto giggled and glanced at Loris. 'Is this what they picked to
replace us?'
Surprising everyone, Blood said, 'Yeah, I didn't get it at first, but
I'm starting to.'
Maytera Marble told Potto, 'All human things wear out and must
be replaced eventually, Councillor.'
'Not me!'
'I'd think you'd welcome it. How long have you toiled, worrying
and planning, for our ungrateful city? Fifty years? Sixty?'
'Longer!' Potto dropped into a gilt settee.
Silk inquired, 'Councillor, do you--not the authentic Potto down
in your underwater boat, but you yourself to whom I speak--recall
the Short Sun Whorl? Councillor Loris implied that marble could be
quarried there. I don't know anything about antiques, but I've
heard that it is a stone that's never found in its natural state in our
whorl.'
'I'm not that old.'
Loris snapped, 'I was about to outline our demands. I'd like to get
on with it.'
Maytera Marble left her chair to stand beside Silk. 'Do, Councillor,
please.'
'As I said, they're not negotiable. The following five conditions
embody them, and we're prepared to accept nothing less.' Loris
fished a square of paper from an inner pocket and unfolded it with a
snap.
'First, Silk must declare publicly, without reservation, that he is
not and has never been calde, that Viron has none, and that the
Ayuntamiento alone is its sole governing body.'
To bring peace I'll be happy to, Silk told him; and only when he
had completed the final word realized that he had not spoken aloud.
'Second, there must be no new election of councillors. Vacant
seats are to remain vacant, and the present members of the
Ayuntamiento are to remain in office.
'Third, the Rani of Trivigaunte must withdraw her troops from
Vironese territory and furnish us with hostages--whom we will
name--against further interference in our affairs.
'Fourth, the Civil Guard must surrender its treasonous officers to
us, the Ayuntamiento, for trial and punishment.
'Fifth and last, the rioters must surrender their arms, which will
be collected by the Army.'
Through bruised lips, Incus muttered, 'I suggest you _pray_ long
and hard over this, my son, and _sacrifice_. The _wisdom_ of the gods
has not enlightened your _councils_.'
'We don't need it,' Potto told him.
'When _Splenetic Scylla_ learns--'
Maytera Marble interrupted. 'What have you to offer the Rani,
the rioters, as you call them, and the Guard in return?'
'Peace and a general amnesty. The captives you see here,
including Silk, will be released unharmed.'
'I see.' Maytera Marble laid a hand on Silk's shoulder. 'I'm very
disappointed. It was I who persuaded General Saba and Generalissimo
Oosik that you were reasonable men. They listened because of
the courage of my sib General Mint. And because of her victories,
of which we're all very proud, if I don't offend the good gods who
gave them to her by saying so. Now I find that by interceding for you
I've squandered all the credit she's earned us.'
Loris began, 'If you think us unreasonable now--'
'I do. You say Patera Silk isn't really calde. What good is his
declaration then? What do you want him to tell the people? That the
augur of the Sun Street manteion says that your Ayuntamiento is to
continue to govern the city? You'll only make yourselves ridiculous.'
Potto snapped, 'Why didn't you laugh?'
'Calde?' Loris smiled. 'Those are our demands. The Prolocutor
hasn't freed you from your vows, you said, the implication being
that you want him to. Are you willing to resign this caldeship you've
never really had as well?'
'Yes, I'd like nothing better.' Silk had been leaning on Xiphias's
silver-banded cane; he straightened up as he spoke. 'I did not
choose to become involved in politics, Councillor. Politics chose
me.'
'Good Silk,' Oreb explained.
Loris returned his attention to Maytera Marble. 'You heard that.
You'll want to tell Oosik what you heard.'
'Unfortunately,' Silk continued, 'the remainder of your terms are
not feasible. Take the second. The people demand that government
return to our Charter, the foundation of the law; and the law
requires elections to fill the empty seat in the Ayuntamiento.'
'We ought to kill you,' Potto told him.'I will.'
'In which case you would no longer hold the calde. The people--the
rioters, as you call them--will choose a new one, no doubt a
much better and more effective one than I am, since they could
hardly do worse.'
He waited for someone else to speak, but no one did; at length he
added, 'I'm not an advocate, Councillors--I wish I were. If I were, I
could easily imagine myself defending you on nearly every charge
that could be brought against you thus far. You suspended the
Charter, but I believe there was some uncertainty regarding the
wishes of the old calde, and it was long ago in any case. You tried to
