your mouths,” I said.
Each bit on her purse.
“I will now permit you to leave,” I said. “If you should crave succor, from some fellow outside, it is likely your purse will fall. Perhaps the best thing would be to kneel down before one fellow or another, and put your head down, and release the purse, thereby keeping it near. You might then beg, head down, to be untied. To be sure, the purse might be taken and you left on your knees, barefoot and bound.”
“I would say that is extremely likely,” said a bystander.
It was true that times were hard in Brundisium.
“Now,” I said to the free women, “be away, lest I call for a switch, and have you switched like slaves from the inn.”
Weeping, awkwardly, pulling one another’s hair as they stumbled forth, the two free women left the inn.
“It is a joke worthy of a Ubar,” said one of the fellows about.
“How long do you think they will keep their purses?” asked a fellow.
“Not long,” I said.
“Guardsmen will pick them up, supposing them to be slaves,” said another, “as they are barefoot and, essentially, slave-garbed.”
“It may be an Ahn, or better, before a free woman may be found to discreetly examine their bodies,” said another.
“Before then,” said another, “they may be whipped and put in cages, for claiming.”
“You may be sure that guardsmen will be annoyed, having been inconvenienced,” said another.
“They will see it as a merry jest,” said another.
It was true that many Gorean males found the pride and pretensions of free women annoying. Certainly it was easier to deal with women in their place, at one’s feet, in collars.
I would not have behaved as I did, of course, if my Home Stone had been that of Brundisium.
Had that been the case, it would have been expected that I would endure uncomplainingly, and graciously, the contumely of the women, however prolonged and unpleasant it might be, for they were free, and a Home Stone would have been shared. Anything else would be not only improper, but, I supposed, unconscionable. On the other hand, not all Gorean males are patient with women, even those with whom a Home Stone might be shared. I wondered, sometimes, why free women occasionally so hazarded themselves before men. Were they exploiting their freedom, or testing its limits? Did they not know that they were women, and in the presence of men? Perhaps, as the saying is, they were “courting the collar.”
“More black wine,” I said to the waiter.
Most Gorean shops, particularly those of the lesser trades, open at dawn. The proprietors and workers commonly live on the premises, above or behind the shop, and breakfast is commonly taken in the shop itself, while waiting for business. One does not care to miss a possible customer.
I finished the black wine, rose, and dropped a silver tarsk on the table, a rather insolent gesture, I suppose, as it would have purchased half a hundred such breakfasts, save for the black wine. But then I had come by the money easily, the night before. I included, as well, one copper tarsk-bit. I then left the shop, heeled by the slave.
I must make some small purchases.
By the time I reached the wharves she was tunicked and leashed. Her hands looked well, braceleted behind her. On her neck, close-fitting, and locked, was a collar.
***
She was kneeling beside me.
“I am grateful to be permitted to speak,” she said.
I did not respond to her.
“We have been here for an Ahn,” she said. “I have heard the bars.”
I feared another morning was lost.
“You are watching?” she said.
“Yes,” I said.
“For what is Master watching?” she asked.
“Cargo,” I said.
“Shapely cargo?” she asked.
“Yes,” I said.
“I feared so,” she said.
Two men passed, drawing a dock cart, laden with weights of cheese, cradled in tur-pah. Shortly thereafter two fellows passed, bearing a pole between them, from which hung gutted, salted harbor eels. Four docksmen passed, each bearing on his shoulder a bulging, porous, loosely woven sack of reddish suls. At least two ships, coasters, were preparing for departure.
A small flock of verr, some twelve or so, were herded by, conducted by a small boy with a stick. Some coasters, as well as round ships, have pens for livestock. The coaster, being shallow keeled, will usually have its pens on the open deck. Most round ships, given the dangers of weather and the distance of the voyage, keep livestock below, in the first or second hold. Coasters and long ships will commonly beach at night, the