Chapter 5

Another  week  rubbed away  before  the  meeting with  Pherl was  arranged.
Ponyets  felt the  tension,  but he  was used  to  the feeling  of physicalhelplessness now.  He had left city  limits under guard. He  was in Pherl'ssuburban villa  under guard. There was nothing to  do but accept it withouteven looking over his shoulder.
Pherl was  taller and  younger outside the  circle of Elders.  In nonformalcostume, he seemed no Elder at all.
He said  abruptly, "You're  a peculiar man."  His close-set eyes  seemed toquiver. "You've  done nothing  this last week, and  particularly these lasttwo hours, but imply that I need gold. It seems useless labor, for who doesnot? Why not advance one step?""It is  not simply gold,"  said Ponyets, discreetly. "Not  simply gold. Notmerely  a  coin  or   two.  It  is  rather  all  that  lies  behind  gold.""Now what  can lie behind  gold?" prodded Pherl, with  a down-curved smile.
"Certainly this  is not  the preliminary of  another clumsy demonstration.""Clumsy?" Ponyets frowned slightly.
"Oh, definitely."  Pherl folded his  hands and nudged them  gently with hischin. "I  don't criticize you. The clumsiness was on  purpose, I am sure. Imight have warned his Veneration of that, had I been certain of the motive.
Now  had I  been you,  I would  have produced  the gold  upon my  ship, andoffered it  alone. The show you  offered us and the  antagonism you arousedwould have been dispensed with.""True,"  Ponyets  admitted,  "but  since  I  was  myself,  I  accepted  theantagonism for the sake of attracting your attention.""Is that  it? Simply that?" Pherl  made no effort to  hide his contemptuousamusement. "And I imagine  you suggested the thirty-day purification periodthat you might assure yourself time to turn the attraction into something abit  more  substantial. But  what  if the  gold  turns out  to be  impure?"Ponyets allowed himself a dark humor in return, "When the judgement of thatimpurity depends  upon those who  are most interested in  finding it pure?"Pherl lifted his eyes  and stared narrowly at the trader. He seemed at oncesurprised and satisfied.
"A  sensible   point.  Now  tell   me  why  you  wished   to  attract  me.""This I will do. In the short time I have been here, I have observed usefulfacts that  concern you and  interest me. For instance,  you are young-veryyoung for a member  of the council, and even of a relatively young family.""You criticize my family?""Not at  all. Your ancestors are  great and holy; all  will admit that. Butthere are those  that say you are not a member of  one of the Five Tribes."Pherl leaned  back, "With  all respect to  those involved," and  he did nothide his  venom, "the Five  Tribes have impoverished loins  and thin blood.
Not fifty members of the Tribes are alive.""Yet there are those who say the nation would not be willing to see any manoutside  the Tribes  as  Grand Master.  And so  young and  newly-advanced afavorite of  the Grand Master is  bound to make powerful  enemies among thegreat  ones of  the State  ?it is  said. His  Veneration is aging  and hisprotection will  not last past his death, when it is  an enemy of yours whowill  undoubtedly  be  the  one to  interpret  the  words  of his  Spirit."Pherl  scowled, "For  a foreigner  you hear  much. Such  ears are  made forcropping.""That may be decided later.""Let me  anticipate." Pherl stirred impatiently  in his seat. "You're goingto offer  me wealth  and power in  terms of those evil  little machines youcarry in your ship. Well?""Suppose it so. What  would be your objection? Simply your standard of goodand evil?"Pherl shook  his head. "Not at all. Look, my  Outlander, your opinion of usin your heathen  agnosticism is what it is ?but I  am not the entire slaveof our mythology, though I may appear so. I am an educated man, sir, and, Ihope, an  enlightened one. The full depth of  our religious customs, in theritualistic   rather  than   the  ethical   sense,  is  for   the  masses.""Your objection, then?" pressed Ponyets, gently.
"Just  that. The  masses. I  might be  willing to  deal with you,  but yourlittle machines must be  used to be useful. How might riches come to me, ifI had to use  ?what is it you sell??well, a  razor, for instance, only inthe strictest, trembling secrecy. Even if my chin were more simply and morecleanly shaven, how would I become rich? And how would I avoid death by gaschamber  or  mob  frightfulness  if I  were  ever  once  caught using  it?"Ponyets shrugged, "You are correct. I might point out that the remedy wouldbe  to  educate  your  own  people  into  the  use of  nucleics  for  theirconvenience and  your own substantial profit. It  would be a gigantic pieceof work;  I don't  deny it; but  the returns would be  still more gigantic.
Still that  is your  concern, and, at  the moment, not  mine at  all. For Ioffer   neither   razor,   knife,   nor   mechanical   garbage   disposer.""What do you offer?""Gold itself. Directly. You may have the machine I demonstrated last week."And now  Pherl stiffened and the  skin on his forehead  moved jerkily. "Thetransmuter?""Exactly.  Your supply  of gold  will equal  your supply  of iron.  That, Iimagine, is  sufficient for all needs.  Sufficient for the Grand Mastershipitself, despite youth and enemies. And it is safe.""In what way?""In that secrecy is the essence of its use; that same secrecy you describedas the only safety  with regard to nucleics. You may bury the transmuter inthe deepest dungeon of  the strongest fortress on your furthest estate, andit will  still bring  you instant wealth. It  is the gold you  buy, not themachine, and that gold  bears no trace of its manufacture, for it cannot betold from the natural creation.""And who is to operate the machine?""Yourself. Five  minutes teaching is all  you will require. I'll  set it upfor you wherever you wish.""And in return?""Well," Ponyets grew cautious.  "I ask a price and a handsome one. It is myliving. Let  us say,?for it  its a valuable machine  ?the equivalent of acubic foot of gold in wrought iron."Pherl laughed, and Ponyets grew red. "I point out, sir," he added, stiffly,"that you can get your price back in two hours.""True, and  in one hour, you  might be gone, and  my machine might suddenlyturn out to be useless. I'll need a guarantee.""You have my word.""A very good one," Pherl bowed sardonically, "but your presence would be aneven better  assurance. I'll  give you  my word to  pay you  one week afterdelivery in working order.""Impossible.""Impossible? When you've already incurred the death penalty very handily byeven offering  to sell  me anything. The  only alternative is  my word thatyou'll get the gas chamber tomorrow otherwise."Ponyet's  face was expressionless,  but his  eyes might have  flickered. Hesaid, "It  is an  unfair advantage. You  will at least put  your promise inwriting?""And  also become  liable  for execution?  No, sir!"  Pherl smiled  a broadsatisfaction. "No, sir! Only one of us is a fool."The trader said in a small voice, "It is agreed, then."