按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
d stopped as soon as the societies specialists from the League worked their little tricks。
The old days were on the way backthat was clear。 Angelina was going to see this world bathed in blood and death to satisfy her own ambition。 She was out there nowsomewheregrooming the man for the job。 One of the counts； still very important in the semi…feudal economy； was having his ego inflated and guided by a new power behind the throne。 This is the pattern Angelina had used before； and would be sure to use again。 There could be no doubt。
Only one small factor was missing。 Who was the man？
My dive into the depths of self…analysis had left a definitely unwholesome taste in my mouth that no amount of liquor could wash away。 What I needed was a little touch of action to tone up my drooping nerve aids and accelerate my sluggish blood。 Tracking down Angelina's front man would be just the charge my battery needed。 Merely thinking about it helped； and it was with eagerness that I searched the newspaper for the Court News column。 There was a Grand Ball just two days distant； the perfect cover for this operation。
For these two days I was kept busy on the many small tasks that put the polish of perfection on a job like this。 Any boob can crash a party； in fact usually does； since that is all one seems to meet at this kind of affair。 It takes a unique talent like mine to construct a cover personality that is unshakeable。 Research supplied me with a homeland； a distant province poor in everything except a thick dialect that provided the base for most Freibur jokes。 Because of these inherent handicaps the populace of Misteldross was noted for its pugnacity and general bullheadedness。 There were minor nobility there who no one took much notice of； or kept any records about； enabling me to adopt the cover of Grav Bent Diebstall。 The family name meant either bandit or tax…gatherer in the local dialect； which gives you an idea of the kind of economy they had had； as well as the source of the family title。 A military tailor cut me a dress uniform and while I was being fined I memorized great chunks of the family history to bore people with。 I saw where I could be the life of any party。
Another thing I did was to send off a thick wad of money to the maimed bartender； who was now working with the handicap of having his arm in a cast。 He really had short…changed me； but his suffering was entirely out of proportion to this minor crime。 My anonymous gift was strictly conscience money and I felt much better after having done it。
A moonlight visit to the royal printers supplied an invitation to the party。 My uniform fitted like a sausage skin； my boots gleamed enthusiastically and I was one of the first guests to arrive since the royal table had a tremendous reputation and work had increased my appetite。 I crashed and clattered wonderfully when I bowed to the Kingspurs and sword； they go all the way with the archaic nonsense on Freiburand looked at him closely while he mumbled something inaudible。 His eyes were glassy and unfocused and I realized there was some truth in the rumor that he always got stoned on his private bottle before ing to one of these affairs。 Apparently he hated crowds and parties and much preferred to putter with his bugshe was an amateur entomologist of no small talents。 I passed on to the queen who was much more receptive。 She was twenty years his junior and attractive in a handsomely inflated； bovine way。 Rumor also had it that she was bored by his beetles and much preferred homo sapiens to lepidoptera。 I tested this calumny by giving her hand an extra squeeze when I held it and queeny squeezed back with an expression of great interest。 I moved on to the buffet。
While I ate； the guests continued to arrive。 Watching them as they entered didn't interfere with my demolishing the food or sampling all of the wines。 I had finished stoking up by the time the rest were just starting； so I could circulate among them。 All of the women were subjected to my very close scrutiny； and most of them enjoyed it because； if I say so myself； with my new face and the fit of the uniform I cut a mean swath through the local types。 I really wasn't expecting to run across Angelina's trail this easily； but there was always the chance。 Only a few of the women even remotely resembled her； but it took only a few words each time to settle the fact that they were true…blue blue…blood and not my little interstellar killer。 This task was made simpler by the fact that the Freibur beauties ran heavily towards the flesh； and Angelina was a neat and petite package。 I wait back to the bar。
〃You have been given a Royal mand；〃 an adenoidal voice said in my ear while fingers plucked at my sleeve。 I turned and gave my best scowl to the character who still clutched the fabric。
〃Let go the suit or I push your buck…toothed face the punch bowl in；〃 I growled in my thickest Misteldrossian accent。 He let go as if he had grabbed something hot and got all red and excited…looking。 〃That's better；〃 I added； cutting off his next words。 〃Nowwho wants to sec methe King？〃
〃Her majesty； the Queen；〃 he managed to squeeze out between thin lips。
〃That's good。 I want to see her too。 Show the way。〃 I forged a way through the crowd while my new friend clattered behind； trying to pass me。 I stopped before I reached the group around Queen Heida and let him get ahead all out of breath and sweating。
〃Your majesty； this is the Baron〃
〃Grav not Baron；〃 I cut in with my hideously rich accent。 〃Grav Bent Diebstall from a poor provincial family； cheated centuries ago of our rightful title by thieving and jealous counts。〃 I scowled straight at my guide as if he had been in the plot and he turned the flush on again。
〃I don't recognize all of your honors； Grav Bent；〃 the Queen said in her low voice that reminded me of pastures on a misty morn。 She pointed to my manly chest； to the row of decorations I had purchased from a curio dealer just that morning。
〃Galactic medals； your majesty。 A younger son of the provincial nobility； his family impoverished by the greedy and corrupt； can find little opportunity to advance himself here on Freibur。 That is why I took service offplanet and served for the best years of my youth in the Stellar Guard。 These are for monplace happenings such as battles； invasions and space boardings。 But this is the one I can really take pride in〃 I fingered through the jingling hardware until I came to an unsightly thing； all ets； novas and sparkling lights。 〃This is the Stellar Star； the most prized award in the Guards。〃 I took it in my hand and gave it a long look。 In fact I think it was a Guard decoration； given out for re…enlisting or five years of K。P。 or some such。
〃It's beautiful；〃 the Queen said。 Her taste in medals was no better than her taste in clothes； but what can you expect on these backward planets。
〃It is that；〃 I agreed。 〃I don't enjoy describing the medal's history； but if it is a royal mand 。 。 。 ？〃 It was； and given very coyly indeed。 I liecE9bout my exploits for awhile and kept them all interested。 There would be plenty of talk about me in the morning and I ho