Author: Ralf Elvsén
Date: 22:22:50 04/29/00
The following is an excerpt from the novel "The Book of Dreams" by Jack Vance. The story takes place in a distant future. The hero Keith Gersen is trying to locate some criminals to avenge events from the past. While waiting for his plots to start to work he strolls the streets of the city Avente on the planet Alphanor, which orbits the star Rigel. "With time to spare before his appointment with Addels, Gersen sauntered along Corrib Place, looking into shops, which here affected a special éclat and offered only goods of distinction and elegance: fancy pastries and imported sweetmeats; rare gems, pearls from the local rorqual, crystals won from dead stars; gloves, cravats, gaiters, kerchiefs, perfumes, philtres, magic Duhamel oil; bibelots, curios, portfolios of antique art: Giotto and Gostwane: William Snyder and William Blake; Mucha, Dulac, Lindsay; Rackham, Nielsen; Dürer, Doré, David Russell. Gersen paused ten minutes to watch a pair of puppets at a game of chess. The puppets were Maholibus and Cascadine, characters from the Comic Masque. Each had captured several pieces; each in turn, after deliberation, made his move. When one captured a piece, the other made gestures of rage and agitation. Maholibus made a move and spoke in a creaking voice: 'Checkmate!' Cascadine cried out in anguish. He struck himself on the forehead and toppled backward off his chair. A moment later he picked himself up; the two arranged the pieces and started a new game… Gersen entered the shop, bought the chess-player puppets, and ordered them delivered to Penwipers: one of the rare occasions of his life when he had encumbered himself with a trivial article." I want a set of puppets of the above described type shipped to me immediately. The price is irrelevant! Ralf
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