But otherwise everything is moving smoothly. I’m surprised that old Dandrin doesn’t object to what I’m doing. It’s long since past the time when the Singing should have broken up, and everyone scattered, but they’re all staying right here and working as if I was paying them.
Which I am, in a way. I’m bringing them the benefits of a great lost civilization, which I represent. Chester Dugan, the man from the past. I’m taking a bunch of nomads and turning them into a powerful city. So actually, everyone’s profiting—the people, because of what I’m doing for them, and me. Me especially, because here I’m absolute top dog.
I’m worried about Corilann’s baby, though. If it’s a girl, that means a delay of a year or more before I can have my son, and even then it’ll be at least ten years before he’s of any use to me. I wonder what would happen if I took a second wife—Jarinne, for example. I watched her while she was stripped down for work yesterday and she looks even better than Corilann. These people don’t seem to have any particular beliefs about marriage, anyway, and so I don’t know if they’d mind. Then if Corilann had a girl, I might give her back to Kennon.
And that reminds me of another thing: there’s no religion here. I’m not much of a Godman myself, but I realize religion’s a good thing for keeping the people in line. I’ll have to start thinking about getting a priesthood going, as soon as affairs are a little more settled here.
I didn’t think it was so much work, organizing a civilization. But once I get it all set up, I can sit back and cool my heels for life. It’s a pleasure working with these people. I just can’t wait till everything is moving by itself. I’ve gotten further in two months here than I did in forty years there. It just goes to show: you need a powerful man to keep civilization alive. And Chester Dugan is just the man these people needed.
6. Kennon
Corilann has told me she will have a child by Dugan. This has made me sad, since it might have been my child she would be bearing instead. But I brought Dugan here myself, and so I suppose I am responsible. If I had not come to the Singing, he might have died in the great open field. But now it is too late for such thoughts.
Dugan forbids us to go home, now that the Singing is over. My father is waiting for me at our home, and the hunting must be done before the winter comes, but Dugan forbids us to go home. Dandrin had to explain to us what “forbids” means; I still don’t fully understand why or how one person can tell another person what to do. None of us really understands Dugan at all, not even Dandrin, I think. Dandrin is trying hardest to understand him, but Dugan is so completely alien to us that we do not see.
He has made us build what he calls a city—many houses close together. He says the advantage of this is that we may protect each other. But from what? We have no enemies. I have the feeling that Dugan understands us even less than we understand him. And I am anxious to go home for the autumn hunting, now that summer is almost over and the Singing is ended. I had hoped to bring Corilann back with me, but it is my own fault, and I must not be bitter.
Dugan has been very cold towards me. This is surprising, since it was I who brought him to the Singing. I think he is afraid I will try to take Corilann back; in any event, he seems to fear me and show anger towards me.
If only I understood!
7. Kennon
Dugan has certainly gone too far now. For the past week I have been trying to engage him in conversation, to find out what his motives are for doing all the things he is doing. Dandrin should be doing this, but Dandrin seems to have abdicated all responsibility in this matter, and is content to sit idly by, watching all that happens. Dugan does not make him work because he is so old.
I do not understand Dugan at all. Yesterday he told me, “We will rule the world.” What does he mean? Rule? Does he actually want to tell everyone who lives what he can do and what he cannot do? If all of the people of Dugan’s time were like this, it is small wonder they destroyed everything. What if two people told the same man to do different things? What if they told each other to do things? My head reels at the thought of Dugan’s world. People living together in masses, and telling each other what to do; it seems insane. I long to be back with my father for the hunting. I had hoped to bring him a daughter as well, but it seems this is not to be.
Dugan has offered me Jarinne as my wife. Jarinne says she has been with Dugan, and that Corilann knows. Dandrin warns me not to accept Jarinne because it will anger Dugan. But if it will anger Dugan, why did he offer her to me? And—now it occurs to me—by what right does he offer me another person?
Jarinne is a fine woman. She could make me forget Corilann.
And then Dugan told me that soon there will be an expedition to the north; we will take weapons and conquer the wild men. Dugan has heard of the machines of the wild men, and he says he needs them for our city. I told him that I had to leave immediately to help my father with the hunting, that I have stayed here long enough. Others are saying the same thing: this summer the Singing has lasted too long.
Today I tried to leave. I gathered my friends and told them I was anxious to go home, and I asked Jarinne to come with me. She accepted, though she reminded me that she had been with Dugan. I told her I might be able to forget that. She said she knew it wouldn’t matter to me if it had been anyone else (of course not; why should it?) but that I might object because it had been Dugan. I said good-bye to Corilann, who now is swollen with Dugan’s child; she cried a little.
And then I started to leave. I did not talk to Dandrin, for I was afraid he would persuade me not to go. I opened the gate that Dugan has just put up, and started to leave.
Suddenly Dugan appeared. “Where do you think you’re going?” he asked, in his hard, cold rasp of a voice. “Pulling out?”
“I have told you,” I said quietly, “it is time to help my father with the hunting. I cannot stay in your city any longer.” I moved past him and Jarinne followed. But he ran around in front of me.
“No one leaves here, understand?” He waved his closed hand in front of me. “We can’t build a city if you take off when you want to.”
“But I must go,” I said. “You have detained me here long enough.” I started to walk on, and suddenly he hit me with his closed hand and knocked me down.
I went sprawling over the ground, and I felt blood on my face from where he had hurt my nose. People all around were watching. I got up slowly. I am bigger and much stronger than Dugan, but it had never occurred to me that one person might hit another person. But this is one of the many things that has come to our world.
I was not so unhappy for myself; pain soon ceases. But Jubilain the Singer was watching when he hit me, and such sights should be kept from Singers. They are not like the rest of us. I am afraid Jubilain has been seriously disturbed by the sight.
After he had knocked me down, Dugan walked away. I got up and went back inside the gate. I do not want to leave now. I must talk to Dandrin. Something must be done.
8. Jubilain
Summer to autumn to every old everyone, sing winter to quiet to baby fall down. My head head hurts. My my hurts head. Bloody was Kennon.
Kennon was bloody and Dugan was angry and summer to autumn to.
Jubilain is very sad. My head hurts. Dugan hit Kennon in the face. With his hand, his hand hand hand rolled up in a ball Dugan hit Kennon. Outside the gates. Consider the gates. Consider.
They have spoiled the song. How can I sing when Dugan hits Kennon? My head hurts. Sing summer to autumn, sing every old everyone. It is good that the summer is ending, for the songs are over. How can I sing? Bloody was Kennon.