While Hauksberg negotiates with Runei, he thinks:
"...I'll assume you're honest, that you'd also like to see this affair wound up before matters get out of hand. I have to assume that. Otherwise I can only go home and help Terra prepare for interstellar war." (p. 65)
No, Hauksberg. Your responsibility is to assume nothing and to ascertain Runei's real purpose, as Abrams is trying to do.
Poul Anderson shows us a man in the process of deceiving himself but, since we are in the privileged position of accessing Hauksberg's inner thoughts, we are able to pinpoint the precise moments of deception. Additionally, Runei's stance is so aggressive and one-sided that he clearly has no interest in defusing the conflict and Hauksberg's capacity for self-deception is obliged to work overtime.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
Exactly! Hauksberg's wishful thinking and self delusions blinded him to the conclusions he should have drawn from Runei's words and actions.
I would have added that Abrams was already convinced, from long hard experience, that Merseia had only malevolent intentions for Terra and her Empire.
Ad astra! Sean
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