"Well... I'll get better at it. And it's more fun than begging. You ought to see how Ziggie goes about it."
"I've seen Ziggie work. He's skillful."
"He's the best!"
"Still, I suppose he could do better with two hands."
"Well, maybe, though you only use one hand. But he's teaching me to use either hand."
"That's good. You might need to know -- some day you might find yourself short one, the way Ziggie is. You know how Ziggie lost his hand?"
"Huh?"
"You know the penalty? If they catch you?"
Thorby did not answer. Baslim went on, "One hand for the first offense -- that's what it cost Ziggie to learn his trade. Oh, he's good, for he's still around and plying his trade. You know what the second offense carries? Not just the other hand. You know?"
Thorby gulped. "I'm not sure."
"I think you must have heard; you don't want to remember." Baslim drew his thumb across his throat. "That's what Ziggie gets next time -- they shorten him. His Serenity's justices figure that a boy who can't learn once won't learn twice, so they shorten him."
"But, Pop, I won't be caught! I'll be awful careful... just like today. I promise!"
Baslim sighed. The kid still believed that it couldn't happen to him. "Thorby, get your bill of sale."
"What for, Pop?"
"Get it."
The boy fetched it; Baslim examined it -- "one male child, registered number (left thigh) 8XK40367" -- nine minims and get out of here, you! He looked at Thorby and noted with surprise that he was a head taller than he had been that day. "Get my stylus. I'm going to free you. I've always meant to, but there didn't seem to be any hurry. But we'll do it now and tomorrow you go to the Royal Archives and register it."
Thorby's jaw dropped. "What for, Pop?"
"Don't you want to be free?"
"Uh... well... Pop, I like belonging to you."
"Thanks, lad. But I've got to do it."
"You mean you're kicking me out?"
"No. You can stay. But only as a freedman. You see, son, a master is responsible for his bondservant. If I were a noble and you did something, I'd be fined. But since I'm not... well, if I were shy a hand, as well as a leg and an eye, I don't think I could manage. So if you're going to learn Ziggie's trade, I had better free you; I can't afford the risk. You'll have to take your own chances; I've lost too much already. Any more and I'd be better off shortened."
He put it brutally, never mentioning that the law in application was rarely so severe -- in practice, the slave was confiscated, sold, and his price used in restitution, if the master had no assets. If the master were a commoner, he might also get a flogging if the judge believed him to be actually as well as legally responsible for the slave's misdeed. Nevertheless Baslim had stated the law: since a master exercised high and low justice over a slave, he was therefore liable in his own person for his slave's acts, even to capital punishment.
Thorby started to sob, for the first time since the beginning of their relationship. "Don't turn me loose. Pop -- please don't! I've got to belong to you"
"I'm sorry, son. I told you you don't have to go away."
"Please, Pop. I won't ever swipe another thing!"
Baslim took his shoulder. "Look at me, Thorby. I'll make you a bargain."
"Huh? Anything you say. Pop. As long as -- "
"Wait till you hear it. I won't sign your papers now. But I want you to promise two things."
"Huh? Sure! What?"
"Don't rush. The first is that you promise never again to steal anything, from anybody. Neither from fine ladies in sedan chairs, nor from poor people like ourselves -- one is too dangerous and the other... well, it's disgraceful, though I don't expect you know what that means. The second is to promise that you will never lie to me about anything... not anything."
Thorby said slowly, "I promise."
"I don't mean just lying about the money you've been holding out on me, either. I mean anything. By the way, a mattress is no place to hide money. Look at me, Thorby. You know I have connections throughout the city."
Thorby nodded. He had delivered messages for the old man to odd places and unlikely people. Baslim went on, "If you steal. I'll find out... eventually. If you lie to me, I'll catch you... eventually. Lying to other people is your business, but I tell you this: once a man gets a reputation as a liar, he might as well be struck dumb, for people do not listen to the wind. Never mind. The day I learn that you have stolen anything... or the day I catch you lying to me... I sign your papers and free you."
Yes, Pop."
"That's not all. I'll kick you out with what you had when I bought you -- a breechclout and a set of bruises. You and I will be finished. If I set eyes on you again, I'll spit on your shadow."
"Yes, Pop. Oh, I never will, Pop!"
"I hope not. Go to bed."
Baslim lay awake, worrying, wondering if he had been too harsh. But, confound it, it was a harsh world; he had to teach the kid to live in it
He heard a sound like a rodent gnawing; he held still and listened. Presently he heard the boy get up quietly and go to the table; there followed a muted jingle of coins being placed on wood and he heard the boy return to his pallet.
When the boy started to snore he was able to drop off to sleep himself.
Chapter 3
Baslim had long since taught Thorby to read and write Sargonese and Interlingua, encouraging him with cuffs and other inducements since Thorby's interest in matters intellectual approached zero. But the incident involving Ziggie and the realization that Thorby was growing up reminded Baslim that time did not stand still, not with kids.
Thorby was never able to place the time when he realized that Pop was not exactly (or not entirely) a beggar. The extremely rigorous instruction he now received, expedited by such unlikely aids as a recorder, a projector, and a sleep instructor, would have told him, but by then nothing Pop could do or say surprised him -- Pop knew everything and could manage anything. Thorby had acquired enough knowledge of other beggars to see discrepancies; he was not troubled by them -- Pop was Pop, like the sun and the rain.
They never mentioned outside their home anything that happened inside, nor even where it was; no guest was ever there. Thorby acquired friends and Baslim had dozens or even hundreds and seemed to know the whole city by sight. No one but Thorby had access to Baslim's hideaway. But Thorby was aware that Pop had activities unconnected with begging. One night they went to sleep as usual; Thorby awakened about dawn to hear someone stirring and called out sleepily, "Pop?"
"Yes. Go back to sleep."
Instead the boy got up and switched on the glow plates. He knew it was hard for Baslim to get around in the dark without his leg; if Pop wanted a drink of water or anything, he'd fetch it. "You all right, Pop?" he asked, turning away from the switch.
Then he gasped in utter shock. This was a stranger, a gentleman!
"It's all right, Thorby," the stranger said with Pop's voice. Take it easy, son."
"Pop?"
"Yes, son. I'm sorry I startled you -- I should have changed before I came back. Events pushed me." He started stripping off fine clothing.
When Baslim removed the evening headdress, he looked more like Pop... except for one thing. "Pop... your eye."
"0h, that. It comes out as easily as it went in. I look better with two eyes, don't I?"
"I don't know." Thorby stared at it worriedly. "I don't think I like it"
"So? Well, you won't often see me wear it. As long as you are awake you can help."
Thorby was not much help; everything Pop did was new to him. First Baslim dug tanks and trays from a food cupboard which appeared to have an extra door in its back. Then he removed the false eye and, handling it with great care, unscrewed it into two parts and removed a tiny cylinder, using tweezers.