meander in every direction, to the certain unnecessary expense of twenty miles out of fifty, no doubt, and having been built in the midst of summer and drought will be flooded at the first rains; and this, before we have even traced it to its conclusion."
"Captain Rankin," Laurence said, in that very level and restrained way which meant he was particularly angry, "if you have uncovered a more certain passage, overnight, I would be glad to hear of it. In the meantime, we are charged to build a road - "
"We are not charged to waste our days wandering in an uncomfortable wilderness to no good purpose, sitting idly by and shepherding these men along, to we know not what end," Rankin said. "And I have made use of a night's reflection to better comprehend what anyone of sense," he stressed, pointedly, "might have observed, from our flights yesterday: there is no reason why these gorges should make a passage at all, and as they evidently choose to collapse at very little provocation, even if we should find one, we could not rely on its perpetuity. We are wandering in a maze that has no exit. We had far better go up on the heights, and find a crossing along the ridges."
"So that every cow can be marched a thousand feet into the air, and a thousand feet down again, before they come to market," Granby said. "Precious clever sort of route that would make."
The day was just as stifling and unpleasant, and they were all hungry, and inclined to argue; as they did not mean to walk any further at present, there was nothing else to do, and it was too hot even to sleep.
"Seems to me we might stay by the water and be comfortable," Jack Telly said, never shy of putting in his own opinion.
"Much to no one's surprise," Rankin snapped. "I imagine we would see two hours' work in a day, and the rest spent in idling and drunken stupors."
Temeraire, for his part, privately thought that at least the ridges, being so much higher, would be cooler and more pleasant; one might have a chance of some wind, and at least one would not be staring into these rock walls on every side: so confining. But of course, he would not say anything which might support Rankin, who did not deserve such a mark of distinction; as he had made the suggestion, it could be of no use whatsoever.
"May I propose," Tharkay said, "that when the sun has eased, we instead follow the course of the river to its culmination and see what advantage this route affords; we need not immediately begin construction."
This seemed quite sensible; but Rankin did not answer Tharkay, and indeed he turned his back, without a word, and walked away to sit with Caesar: not even the slightest inclination of his head, to acknowledge he had been spoken to, and Tharkay had not been the least bit impolite. "I do not understand what business Rankin has, behaving so rudely," Temeraire said to Laurence afterwards, while they began to collect the baggage once again.
"None; although I imagine he takes Tharkay's descent for his excuse," Laurence said, looking up the course of the river. "You are quite sure you saw no-one on the banks?" he asked. "If you should see anyone - we would be glad to speak the natives, if they were the singers last night; they might well be able to tell us if we have taken a reasonable route."
"No, there was no-one, but I will certainly look again when we are up," Temeraire said, remembering belatedly the odd music; he had been so very drowsy and uncomfortable last night that it had all seemed very nearly a dream, or at least far away. "That was a very interesting kind of song; I have never heard anything like, or that language, at all. But whatever about Tharkay's descent can Rankin object to? After all, it is not as though he were not hatched yet, and no one knows what he might turn out be."
"His mother was Nepalese," Laurence said, "and there was some irregularity about the marriage, I understand; I find Rankin is given to think a great deal of birth, and not enough of character."
He did not try to keep quiet: he and Granby were inclined to resent Rankin's insult, and Temeraire did not mind joining them in the sentiment; so everyone was very stiff and formal as they packed everything