"But once people start dying, that will be the start of the reverse process..." Then a laugh dispelled her somber expression. "However did we get started on this morbid subject? And what sort of hostess am I?" Her voice suddenly became that of the guide of a conducted tour. "Slightly ahead, and to our right, you will see the Croesus Mines. They const.i.tute the only fully automated mining operation in the Galaxy..."
Grimes looked. There was nothing to indicate the nature of the industrial process. There were no roads, no railways, no towering chimneys, no ugly pithead gear. There was only a low, spotlessly white building in a shallow green valley.
"Everything," the girl went on, "is subterranean, including the rail communication with our few factories and with the s.p.a.ceport. We do not believe in ruining the scenery of our planet while there is ample s.p.a.ce underground for industry. Now, coming up on our left, we see the Laredo Ranch. It is not as fully automated as it might be, but you must understand that Senator Crocker, the owner, enjoys the open air life. It irks him, he says, that he must use robot cowboys for his roundups; but that, on this world, is unavoidable..."
Grimes, looking out and down, saw a solitary horseman riding toward a herd of red-brown cattle. Crocker, he supposed, making do without his despised mechanical aides.
"Count Vitelli"s vineyard. His wines are not bad, although they are only a hobby with him. There is some local consumption and considerable export. Most of us, us, of course, prefer imported vintages." of course, prefer imported vintages."
"You would," said Grimes sharply.
She looked at him in a rather hostile manner, then grinned. "And you, John, would say just that. But this is our our world. We like it, and we can afford it." world. We like it, and we can afford it."
"Money doesn"t always bring happiness, Marlene."
"Perhaps not. But we can be miserable in comfort."
"Luxury, you mean."
"All right, luxury. And why the h.e.l.l not?"
To this there was no answer. Grimes stared ahead, saw on a hilltop a grim, gray castle that was straight out of a book of Teutonic mythology. "Your Schloss?" Schloss?" he asked. he asked.
"My what?" what?" She laughed. "Your p.r.o.nunciation, my dear. You"d better stick to English. Yes, that is Castle Stolzberg, and in the forests around it I hunt the stag and the boar." She laughed. "Your p.r.o.nunciation, my dear. You"d better stick to English. Yes, that is Castle Stolzberg, and in the forests around it I hunt the stag and the boar."
"Is that all you do?"
"Of course not. As you know very well I am fond of aquatic sports. And I am serving my term on the Committee of Management."
"And who lives there with you?"
"n.o.body. I entertain sometimes, but at the moment I have no guests. With the exception, of course, of yourself."
"And you mean to tell me that that huge building is for one person?"
"Isn"t it time that you started to lose your petty-bourgeois ideas, John? I warn you, if you start spouting Thorsten Veblen at me on the subject of conspicuous waste I shall lose my temper. And as for Marxism, there just isn"t any exploited proletariat on El Dorado, with the exception of the lower deck ratings aboard your your ship." ship."
"They aren"t exploited. Anyhow, what about the people on the other worlds who"ve contributed to your fantastically high standard of living?"
"They were happy enough to buy us out, and they"re happy enough to buy our exports. And, anyhow, you"re a s.p.a.ceman, not a politician or an economist. Just relax, can"t you? Just try to be good company while you"re my guest, otherwise I"ll return you to your transistorized sardine can."
"I"ll try," said Grimes. "When in Rome, and all the rest of it. I shall endeavor to be the n.o.blest Roman of them all."
"That"s better," she told him.
Slowly, smoothly, the air car drifted down to a landing in the central courtyard, dropping past flagpoles from which snapped and fluttered heavy standards, past turrets and battlemented walls, down to the gray, rough flagstones. From somewhere came the baying of hounds. Then, as the doors slid open, there was a high, clear trumpet call, a flourish of drums.
"Welcome to Schloss Stolzberg," said the girl gravely.
Chapter 16.
"Welcome to Schloss Stolzberg," she said, and suddenly, for no immediately apparent reason, Grimes remembered another girl (and where was she now?) who had told him, "This is Liberty Hall. You can spit on the mat and call the cat a b.a.s.t.a.r.d." He could not imagine the Princess Marlene using that expression, no matter how friendly she became. And Castle Stolzberg did not look, could never look like Liberty Hall. If there were no dungeons under the grim (or Grimm, he mentally punned) pile, there should have been.
He got out of his seat, stepped to the ground, then helped the girl down. Her hand was pleasantly warm and smooth in his. She thanked him politely and then turned her head to the car, saying, "We shan"t be needing you again. You can put yourself to bed."
A gentle toot toot from somewhere in the vehicle"s interior replied, and it lifted smoothly, flew toward a doorway that had suddenly and silently opened in the rough stone wall. from somewhere in the vehicle"s interior replied, and it lifted smoothly, flew toward a doorway that had suddenly and silently opened in the rough stone wall.
"My bags..." said Grimes.
"They will be taken to your room, John. Surely, by this time, you have come to learn how efficient our servitors are."
"Efficient, yes. But they"ve given me me enough trouble, Marlene." enough trouble, Marlene."
"They were doing the jobs for which they were designed. But come."
She put her hand in the crook of his left arm, guided him to a tall, arched doorway. The valves were of some dark timber, iron studded, and as they moved on their ponderous hinges they creaked loudly. Grimes permitted himself a smile. So the robots who ran this place weren"t so efficient after all. Even a first trip deck boy would have known enough to use an oil can without being told.
Marlene read his expression and smiled in reply, a little maliciously. "The doors should should creak," she said. "If they didn"t, it would spoil the decor." creak," she said. "If they didn"t, it would spoil the decor."
"Talking of noises...Those rowdy dogs we heard when we landed...Also part of the decor, I suppose. And was all that baying a recording?"
"Part of the decor, yes. As for the rest, real hounds in real kennels, I told you that hunting was one of my amus.e.m.e.nts."
"And where do you keep the vampire bats?"
"You improve with acquaintance, John. But this is not Transylvania."
They were in the main hall now, a huge barn of a place, thought Grimes. But he corrected himself. A barn, when empty, can be a little cheerless; when full its atmosphere is one of utilitarian warmth. This great room was cheerless enough, but far from empty. Only a little daylight stabbed through the high, narrow windows, and the flaring torches and the fire that blazed in the enormous fireplace did little more than cast a multiplicity of confused, flickering shadows. Ranged along the walls were what, at first glance, looked like armoured men standing to rigid attention. But it was not s.p.a.ce armour; these suits, if they were genuine (and Grimes felt that they were), had been worn by men of Earth"s Middle Ages. By men? By knights and barons and princes, rather; in those days the commonality had gone into battle with only thick leather (if that) as a partial protection. And then had come those equalizers-long bow and crossbow and the first, c.u.mbersome firearms. Grimes wondered if any of this armour had been worn by Marlene"s ancestors, and what they would think if they could watch their daughter being squired by a man who, in their day, would have been a humble tiller of the fields or, in battle, a fumbling pikeman fit only to be ridden down by a charge of iron-clad so-called chivalry. Grimes, you"re an inverted sn.o.b,he Grimes, you"re an inverted sn.o.b,he told himself. He shivered involuntarily as he thought that he saw one of the dark figures move. But it was only the shifting fire and torchlight reflected from dull-gleaming panoply and broadsword. But he looked away from it, nonetheless, to the antique weapons high on the walls, then to the dull, heavy folds of the ancient standards that sagged heavily from their shafts. told himself. He shivered involuntarily as he thought that he saw one of the dark figures move. But it was only the shifting fire and torchlight reflected from dull-gleaming panoply and broadsword. But he looked away from it, nonetheless, to the antique weapons high on the walls, then to the dull, heavy folds of the ancient standards that sagged heavily from their shafts.
He said, "A homey little place you have here."
It was, of course, the wrong thing. Marlene did not think the remark at all funny. She said icily, "Please keep your petty bourgeois witticisms for your ship."
"I"m sorry."
She thawed slightly. "I suppose that the castle is is home, but never forget that it is history. These stones were shipped from Earth, every one of them." home, but never forget that it is history. These stones were shipped from Earth, every one of them."
"I thought that you came from Thuringia."
"Yes, I did. But we"re all Terrans, after all, if you go back far enough. And that"s not very far."
"I suppose not."
She led him across the hall, past a long, heavy banqueting table with rows of high-backed chairs on either side. She took a seat at the head of it, occupied it as though it were the throne it looked like. In her scanty, flimsy attire she should have struck a note of utter incongruity, but she did not. She was part of the castle, and the castle was part of her. Like some wicked, beautiful queen out of ancient legend she seemed, or like some wicked, beautiful witch. The pale skin of her bare limbs was luminous in the semi-darkness, and her body, scarcely veiled by the diaphanous material of her dress, only slightly less so.
She motioned Grimes to the chair at her right hand. He was amazed to find that it was extremely comfortable, although the wood, at first, was cold on the backs of his legs. He wondered what subtle modifications had been made to the archaic furniture, and at what expense. But he hadn"t had to pay the bill. He saw that a decanter of heavy gla.s.s had been set out on the table, and with it two glittering, cut crystal goblets. Marlene poured the dark ruby wine with an oddly ceremonial gesture.
She said matter-of-factly, "Angel"s blood, from Deneb VII. I hope you like it."
"I"ve never tried it before." (And that"s not surprising, (And that"s not surprising, he thought, he thought, at the price they charge for it, even on its world of origin.) at the price they charge for it, even on its world of origin.) "But does it...er...match the decor?" "But does it...er...match the decor?"
Surprisingly she smiled. "Of course, John. In the old days, when the prince and his knights feasted here, there were delicacies from all over the then known world on this table..."
Salt beef and beer, thought Grimes dourly, remembering his Terran history. thought Grimes dourly, remembering his Terran history.
"To..." she started, raising her gla.s.s. "To...to your stay on this world"
She sipped slowly and Grimes followed suit. The wine was good, although a little too sweet for his taste. It was good but not good enough to warrant a price of forty credits a bottle, Duty Free and with no freight charges.
Away from the gloomy main hall, the rest of the castle was a surprise. Spiral staircases that had been converted into escalators-rather a specialty of El Doradan architectural engineering-s.p.a.cious apartments, light, color, luxury, all in the best of taste, all in the best of the tastes of at least five score of worlds. At last Marlene showed Grimes into the suite that was to be his. It was a masculine apartment, with no frills or flounces anywhere, almost severe in its furnishings but solidly comfortable. There was a bar, and a playmaster with well-stocked racks of spools and a long shelf with books, real books. Grimes went to it, took from its place one of a complete set of Ian Fleming"s novels, handled it reverently. It was old, but dust jacket, cover, binding and pages had been treated with some preservative.
"Not a First Edition," the girl told him, "but, even so, quite authentic Twentieth Century."
"These must be worth a small fortune."
"What"s money for if not to buy the things you like?"
There was no answer to that, or no answer that would not lead to a fruitless and annoying argument.
She said, "Make yourself at home. I have a few things to attend to before I change for dinner. We dine, by the way, at twenty hundred hours. In the banqueting hall."
"Where we had the wine?"
"Where else?" She paused in the doorway that had opened for her. "Dress, of course."
Of course, thought Grimes. He decided that in these surroundings his uniform mess dress would be the most suitable. He looked for his bags so that he could unpack. He could not find them anywhere. A disembodied voice said, "Lord, you will find your clothing in the wardrobe in your bedroom." thought Grimes. He decided that in these surroundings his uniform mess dress would be the most suitable. He looked for his bags so that he could unpack. He could not find them anywhere. A disembodied voice said, "Lord, you will find your clothing in the wardrobe in your bedroom."
His clothing was there, hung neatly on hangers, folded away in drawers. But of the Minetti pistol and its ammunition there was no sign.
"d.a.m.n it!" he swore aloud, "where the h.e.l.l"s my gun?"
"It will be returned to you, Lord, when you leave the castle. Should Her Highness wish you to accompany her on a boar hunt, a suitable suitable weapon will be provided." weapon will be provided."
Suitable? A Minetti, used intelligently, could kill almost any known life form.
"I"d like my own weapon back," snapped Grimes.
"For centuries, Lord, it has been the rule of this castle that guests surrender their weapons when accepting its hospitality. We are programmed to maintain the old traditions."
"It"s a good story," said Grimes. "Stick to it."
In an atmosphere of mutually sulky silence he went to the bar and poured himself a Scotch on the rocks, without too many rocks.
Chapter 17.
Slowly, savoring its expensive aroma and smoothness, Grimes finished his Scotch. He poured himself a second gla.s.s, being more generous this time with the ice. He let it stand on the gla.s.s top of the bar, prowled through the apartment. He considered leaving it to explore the castle, but decided that this would be one sure and certain way of incurring the Princess Marlene"s hostility. He found a window that had been concealed by heavy drapes, stared out through it. His quarters were high in the building, must be just under the battlemented roof, but as the cas.e.m.e.nt could not be opened he was not able to stick his head out to confirm this. For long minutes he looked out at the scene-the wooded hills, the green valleys, the silvery streams, over which poured the golden light of the afternoon sun. Earth born and bred as he was, he found himself pining for the sight of another human habitation, of a road with vehicles in motion, of a gleaming airliner in the empty sky.
He returned to the sitting room, examined the catalogue of playmaster spools that stood by the machine. It was comprehensive, fantastically so, putting to shame the collection of taped entertainment available in Aries" Aries" wardroom, or in any of her recreation rooms. There were the very latest plays and operas, and there were recordings of films that dated back to the dawn of cinematography. There was too much to choose from. Fleming, perhaps? A screened version of one of the 007 novels? Grimes had read them all during his course in English Literature at the Academy and, although his tastes had been considered somewhat odd by his fellow students, had enjoyed them. A t.i.tle in the catalogue, CASINO ROYALE, caught his eye. He pressed the right sequence of b.u.t.tons. wardroom, or in any of her recreation rooms. There were the very latest plays and operas, and there were recordings of films that dated back to the dawn of cinematography. There was too much to choose from. Fleming, perhaps? A screened version of one of the 007 novels? Grimes had read them all during his course in English Literature at the Academy and, although his tastes had been considered somewhat odd by his fellow students, had enjoyed them. A t.i.tle in the catalogue, CASINO ROYALE, caught his eye. He pressed the right sequence of b.u.t.tons.
The playmaster hummed gently and its wide screen came to glowing life. Grimes stared at the procession of gaudy credits, then at the initial scene depicting the meeting of the two agents in the p.i.s.soir. p.i.s.soir. Surely this was not James Bond as he had been described by the master storyteller, as he had been imagined by his reader. And then, a little later, there was Sir James Bond, dignified in his mansion with its lion-infested grounds. Grimes gave up, settled down to enjoy himself. Surely this was not James Bond as he had been described by the master storyteller, as he had been imagined by his reader. And then, a little later, there was Sir James Bond, dignified in his mansion with its lion-infested grounds. Grimes gave up, settled down to enjoy himself.
Suddenly, annoyingly, the screen went blank. It was just as Mata Bond had been s.n.a.t.c.hed by the scarlet-uniformed Horse Guardsman, who had galloped with her up the ramp of an odd-looking s.p.a.cecraft. Grimes got up from his chair to investigate. As he did so, that smug mechanical voice remarked, "Lord, I regret that there is no time for you to witness the end of this entertainment. If you are to perform your ablutions and attire yourself fittingly before escorting Her Highness to dinner, you must commence immediately."
Grimes sighed. After all, he had not become the Princess"s guest to spend all his time watching films, no matter how fascinating. He went through to the bedroom, shed his clothing, and then into the bathroom. It operated on the same principle as the one in the s.p.a.ceport"s accommodation for transients. When he came out, he found that somebody (something?) had removed the clothes that he had intended to wear from the wardrobe, disposed them neatly on the bed. He resented it rather; why should some complication of printed circuits or whatever take it upon itself to decide that he, a man, would be correctly attired for the occasion only in gold braid, bra.s.s b.u.t.tons and all the tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs?
He shrugged, thought, Better play along. Better play along. He got into his underwear, his stiff white shirt, his long, black, sharply creased trousers with the thin gold stripe along the outer seams. He carefully knotted the bow tie, wondering who, with the exception of officers in the various services, ever wore this archaic neckwear. The made-up variety lasted far longer and looked just as good, if not better. He put on his light, glistening black shoes. He got into his white waistcoat, with its tiny gilt b.u.t.tons, and finally into the "b.u.m-freezer" jacket, on the breast of which were three miniature medals. Two of them were for good attendance, the third one really meant something. ("It will be either a medal or a court martial," the Admiral had told him. "The medal is less trouble all round.") He got into his underwear, his stiff white shirt, his long, black, sharply creased trousers with the thin gold stripe along the outer seams. He carefully knotted the bow tie, wondering who, with the exception of officers in the various services, ever wore this archaic neckwear. The made-up variety lasted far longer and looked just as good, if not better. He put on his light, glistening black shoes. He got into his white waistcoat, with its tiny gilt b.u.t.tons, and finally into the "b.u.m-freezer" jacket, on the breast of which were three miniature medals. Two of them were for good attendance, the third one really meant something. ("It will be either a medal or a court martial," the Admiral had told him. "The medal is less trouble all round.") There was a knock at the outer door of the apartment. "Come in!" he called. He was expecting the Princess; surely the mechanical servitors, whatever they looked like (he had imagined something multi-appendaged, like an oversized tin spider) would not knock. The door opened and a man entered. No, not a man. Humanoid, but nonhuman, nonorganic. No attempt had been made to disguise the dull sheen of metal that was obvious on the face and hands. He (it?) was attired in a livery even more archaic than Grimes" uniform: white stockings and knee breeches over silver-buckled shoes, a black, silver-b.u.t.toned claw-hammer coat, a froth of white lace at the throat. An elaborately curled white wig completed the ensemble. The face was as handsome as that of a marble statue, and as lifeless. The eyes were little gla.s.s beads set in pewter. Nonetheless, the gray lips moved. "Lord, Her Highness awaits you."
"Lead on, MacDuff."
"My name, Lord, is not MacDuff. It is Karl. Furthermore, Lord, the correct quotation is, "Lay on, MacDuff." "
"Lead on, anyhow."
"Very well, Lord. Please to follow."
It was like a maze, the interior of the castle. Finally the robot conducted Grimes along a gallery, the walls of which were covered with portraits of long dead and gone von Stolzbergs. Men in armour, men in uniform, they glowered at the s.p.a.ceman; and those toward the end, those with the Crooked Cross among their insignia, seemed to stir and shift menacingly in their ornate frames. Grimes suddenly remembered his Jewish grandmother and could just imagine that proud old lady staring fiercely and contemptuously back at these arrogant murderers. And there were the von Stolzberg ladies. He didn"t mind looking at them, and he had the feeling that they didn"t mind looking at him. Although the earlier ones tended to plumpness, many of them had something of the Princess Marlene in their appearance, or she had something of them in hers.
A door at the end of the corridor silently opened. Karl stood to one side, bowing. Grimes went through.
The room beyond it was brightly lit, opulent, but in its furnishings there were glaring incongruities. Weapons, however beautifully designed and finished, look out of place on the satin-covered walls of a lady"s salon. salon. But they caught Grimes" attention. As a gunnery specialist he could not help looking at the firearms: the heavy projectile rifles, the lighter but possibly deadlier laser guns, the peculiar bell-mouthed weapons that, in a bad light, would have been antique blunderbusses but which, obviously, were not. But they caught Grimes" attention. As a gunnery specialist he could not help looking at the firearms: the heavy projectile rifles, the lighter but possibly deadlier laser guns, the peculiar bell-mouthed weapons that, in a bad light, would have been antique blunderbusses but which, obviously, were not.
"I like to have my toys around me, John," said the Princess.
"Oh, yes. Of course." Grimes felt his ears burn. He turned to face her. "I...I must apologize, Marlene. My...er...professional interest was rather ill-mannered."
"It was, but understandable. Although not many people can appreciate the aesthetic qualities of well-made weaponry." She added, "I"m glad that you can, John."
"Thank you."
"Sit down, unless you would rather stand."
He sat down, looking at his hostess as he did so. She was different, far different, from the naked water nymph of his first acquaintance, but still the heavy folds of her brocaded, long-sleeved, high-necked gown could not quite conceal the fluid beauty of the limbs and body beneath the golden glowing fabric. Her pale hair, platinum rather than gold in this light, was piled high on her head, and in it rather than on it was a bejewelled coronet. Yes, those weapons were beautiful, but she, too, was beautiful.
And in the same way?