Maia

Scarcely knowing what he did, he attempted to rise from the cushions but, far too fat, sank back, helpless and panting. A moment later the girl had broken free from Tere-binthia's restraining arm and run out of the room. Sencho, however, had seen enough to realize that there was nothing further to be gained by questioning or testing an innocent like this. He must either buy her as she was, or else let be. As things had turned out, with the loss of Yunsaymis he needed two fresh girls. He recalled the large sum which he would undoubtedly gain from the new Tonildan copper mine: he could well afford a little extravagance.

Having finished with Meris, he sent word to Lalloc that he would be ready to discuss terms of purchase that evening, and thereupon told Terebinthia to order dinner to be served early.

20: MEWS

"Thirty thousand!" said Occula with satisfaction. "Thirty thousand meld, banzi, for the two of us! That means you'd probably have fetched at least fifteen thousand on your own. What about that?"

"I can't see why you're so pleased," said Maia, who was rubbing Occula's back with pumice as she lay on a couch in the women's quarters at the High Counselor's house. "We don't see a meld of it-well, only five hundred. Anyway, how d'you know?"

"That Terebinthia woman told me," answered Occula. "She was there when they did the deal. 'Well, I hope you're pleased with yourselves,' she said. 'You ought to be. This is the richest house in Bekla, next to Durakkon and the Sacred Queen.' All the same, I wouldn't trust her a yard, banzi, if I were you. You can be quite sure she tells him everythin'."

"We could have fetched a hundred thousand, come to that," said Maia. "Wouldn't have made any difference to us, would it?"

"Oh, you really make me cross! Lower down, banzi! That's lovely! Go on doin' that! Doan' you see, pet, we're really val'able now? They doan' damage or waste beautiful

things like you-not unless you go and make some sort of fool of yourself. You're like that fountain in his hall; he's paid for it-he's not goin' to see it spoilt or messed up."

Maia burst into tears. "I think he's horriblel I can't bear him! He makes me feel-oh!" Pulling Occula over on her back, she flung herself into her arms. "Oh, I was so excited to be going to Bekla with you; and to think it's all come to this! That dreadful-"

Occula sat up quickly, holding her at arm's length by the shoulders.

"Are you crazy? Banzi, it couldn't have turned out better! All my good advice, and you haven' understood the first thing! You think that fat brute's supposed to be in exchange for your Tharrin, doan' you? You think you're expected to have a nice time, as if it was Tharrin, or me? Can' you see that's a totally wrong idea of the business altogether?" She stroked Maia's shoulders and arms. "Oh, there's a lovely body, if ever a girl had one! Now listen: you used to use that body for swimmin' in your lake, didn' you, and that was effort and pleasure, right? And you used to use it for choppin' wood and carryin' pails of water, and that was effort and work. Well, this is the same. Where he's concerned, you use it for work. It's not supposed to be pleasure-that's the secret. But it's easy work, banzi- easy! That randy old pig-Terebinthia was sayin' half the time he's gorged himself until he can' even do anythin'. Any girl who knows what she's doin', take about half a minute to make him piss his tallow and go to sleep. But you take the trouble to please him and keep your wits about you and Cran only knows where you might end up."

She stared seriously into Maia's blue eyes.

"And you mustn', banzi-you must not let him think you're frightened of him. Tell you why. He's a cruel bastard: he mus' be, or he wouldn' be where he is. If he thinks you're frightened or disgusted he'll set out to have some fun with you. He'll have you buggered, or basted by a goat or somethin', jus' so's he can enjoy watchin' it. It all comes down to what I told you in Puhra, remember? You've got to keep some kind of authority, even if you're underneath a Deelguy cattle-dealer. That's accomplishment, that is!"

"But I've got no accomplishments!" cried Maia desperately.

"You told me you could swim."

"So I can; but what good's that going to be?"

"You never know. Girls who can swim well look nice when they're doin' it, same as girls who can dance well. Ah, that's an idea! Why didn' I think of that before? If you're a good girl I'll teach you the senguela. You're made for it!"

"What's the senguela?"

"It's a dance about Shakkarn and Lespa. The way I do it, it's just sort of Come and Get Me: but the way you might learn to do it, it could be like Lespa come down to earth. Ah, well! plenty of time."

"Fifteen thousand meld!" said Maia. "THat's far more than my mother'll see in her whole life!"