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[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
mind to it, saw through his attempts at airy detachment and took charge of the
learning process, as when Master Jaimes frowned at her writing and said:
"These A's and G's look quite alike. We must do them all over, in a careful
hand."
"But the quill is broken!"
"Then sharpen it! Carefully now, do not cut yourself. It is a knack you must
learn."
"Oo-ow oo!"
"Did you cut yourself?"
"No. I was just practicing in case I did."
"You need not practice. Cries of pain come quite easily and naturally."
"How far have you traveled?"
"What has that to do with cutting a quill?"
"I wonder if the students in far places, like Africa, cut their quills
differently."
"As to that I can't say."
"How far have you traveled?"
"Oh not too far. I studied at the university in Avallon, and also at
Metheglin. Once I visited Aquitania."
"What is the farthest place of the whole world?"
"Hmn. That is hard to say. Cathay? The far side of Africa?"
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"That can't be the proper answer!"
"Oh? In that case, please instruct me."
"There is no such place; something farther always lies beyond."
"Yes. Perhaps so. Let me cut the quill. There, just so. Now as to the A's and
G's..."
On the rainy morning when Suldrun went into the library for lessons, she found
Master Jaimes already on hand, with a dozen quills cut and ready. "Today,"
said Master Jaimes, "you must write your name, in whole and full, and with
such exquisite skill that I will exclaim in surprise."
"I will do my best," said Suldrun. "These are beautiful quills."
"Excellent indeed."
"The plumes are all white."
"I believe that is true."
"This ink is black. I think black plumes would be better for black ink."
"I don't think the difference is noticeable."
"We could try white ink with these white plumes."
"I have no white ink, nor yet black parchment. So now "
"Master Jaimes, this morning I wondered about colors. Where do they come from?
What are they?"
Master Jaimes blinked and tilted his head to the side. "Colors? They exist.
Everywhere we see color."
"But they come and go. What are they?"
"Well, truthfully, I don't know. How clever of you to ask the question. Red
things are red and green things are green, and that would seem to be that."
Suldrun smilingly shook her head. "Sometimes, Master Jaimes, I think I know as
much as you."
"Do not reproach me. Do you see those books yonder? Plato and Cnessus and
Rohan and Herodotus I have read them all, and I have learned only how much I
do not know."
"What of the magicians? Do they know everything?"
Master Jaimes slouched his awkward length back in his chair and gave up all
hopes for a formal and correct atmosphere. He looked out the library window,
and presently said: "When I still lived at Hredec I was little more than a
lad I became friendly with a magician." Glancing at Suldrun he saw that he had
captured her attention. "His name was Shimrod. One day I visited his house
Trilda, and forgot all about time. Night came and I was far from home. Shimrod
caught a mouse and changed it into a fine horse. 'Ride home at speed,' he told
me. 'Do not dismount or touch the ground before your destination, for as soon
as your foot touches ground, the horse is once more a mouse!'
"And so it was. I rode in style, to the envy of those who saw me, and I took
care to dismount behind the stable, so that none would know that I had been
riding a mouse.
"Alas! We are wasting time." He straightened up in his chair. "Now then, take
up your pen, dip ink, and inscribe me a good R, as you will need to write your
name."
"But you have not answered my question!"
"'Do magicians know everything?' The answer is no. Now: the characters, in a
fine square hand."
"Oh Master Jaimes, today I am bored with writing. Teach me magic instead."
"Ha! If I knew magic, would I be frousting here at two florins a week? No, no,
my princess, I have better schemes in mind! I would take two fine mice and
change them to a pair of beautiful horses and I would become a handsome young
prince not much older than you, and we would go riding away over hill and
dale; to a wonderful castle in the clouds, and there we would dine; on
strawberries and cream and listen to the music of harps and fairy bells. Alas,
I know no magic. I am the wretched Master Jaimes, and you are sweet
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mischievous Suldrun who won't learn I her letters."
"No," said Suldrun in sudden decision. "I'll work very hard so that I can read
and write, and do you know why? So that I may learn magic, and you need only
learn to catch mice."
Master Jaimes uttered a queer choked laugh. He reached across the table and
took her two hands. "Suldrun, you already know I magic." [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] - zanotowane.pl
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