Merseians squat on their tails;
Ardazirho lie or sprawl - Svantozik of the Janneer Ya lies prone on a dais but lifts himself on both elbows to use a telescreen and intercom on a slanting desktop.
Svantozik quotes:
"'The Powers only hunt at night...'"
-Poul Anderson, "Hunters of the Sky Cave" IN Anderson, Sir Dominic Flandry: The Last Knight Of Terra (Riverdale, NY, 2012), pp. 149-301 AT XII, p. 245.
He explains:
"'In other words, oaths are cheap.'" (ibid.)
Is the implication that the Powers do not hunt by day when oaths are sworn?
Again he quotes:
"'"No ground is free of possible pits..."'"
-op. cit., p. 246.
He applies this saying to the fact that even Flandry could be caught, in this case because he was betrayed by a Vixenite.
When Svantozik has a sudden moment of realization, to which he has been carefully led by Flandry, he swears:
"'Great unborn planets!'"
-op. cit., p. 247.
This is a clue of some sort. Why should the Ardazirho swear by unborn planets? Flandry, without showing any undue interest, queries the oath and Svantozik hastily changes the subject.
1 comment:
Kaor, Paul!
We are told, however, that sometimes Merseians used stools. Which makes sense, something like a stool would be more practical than the tripod of tail and legs if a Merseian wanted to sit for more than a short time.
And the Ardazirho saying about "No ground is free of possible pits" reminded me of the saying in the Book of Proverbs about the wicked man falling into the pit he dug.
"Great unborn planets" was a very significant clue, as we find out.
Sean
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