The River Wall by Randall Garrett Read Free Book Online

merely for Veron’s sake, but because the ‘neutrality’ of the Fa’aldu may soon be tested. When that time comes, we hope you will remember that the Fa’aldu have always favored those who care for and value the individual.”
    I sat down. Tarani had caught the beginning of my movement, and she sat at the same time.
    There was a general shifting as the faces which had watched us turned back toward the other end of the courtyard. Charol pulled at his long white tunic, rearranging it slightly, then looked up and spoke to the family.
    “It seems clear that Veron has broken the law as it has been practiced,” he said, “and deserves to be forbidden the shelter of the Fa’aldu.”
    A kind of sigh issued from the audience, acknowledgment of the severity of the penalty.
To Fa’aldu
, I thought,
that sort of banishment must be tantamount to being stripped of identity.
    “Yet our guests,” Charol continued, “remind us of the law as it was designed. In that light, Veron’s aid to the slaves seems little different from a gift of water to the traveler in need.”
    A louder sigh rose up, somehow carrying a message of agreement.
    “As Elder of Iribos, I may judge alone
within
the law,” Charol said, “but I may not
question
it alone. I call for a family statement. Veron: condemn?”
    Charol extended his arm to the right, the hand tensed into a fist. No one in the courtyard moved. Then he dropped his right arm and extended his left.
    “Forgive?”
    Everyone in the courtyard leaned to the right. A sound came from Veron—half sob, half laughter.
    “Veron is of Iribos,” Charol said, with an intonation that made it a formal pardon. “To those who may feel he yet deserves a lesser punishment, I say that the fate of those he attempted to help will continue to torment him. To those who would challenge our law, I say that the questions raised today will be reported to the other Elders, and considered seriously.
    “The judgment ends.”

5
    The people stood up and scattered in all directions, vanishing through the multitude of doors that lined the perimeter of the courtyard. Veron bowed deeply to Charol, who stood straight and still as a statue, then came toward us and bowed again, aimed at a point between us but slightly closer to Tarani.
    “I am grateful for your words,” he said. “I am blamed, now, by no one—except myself.”
    I gripped Veron’s shoulder until his gaze left the ground and rested on my face. “If you respect your family, Veron,” I said, “you have to respect their judgment too.”
    “Your guilt,” Tarani added gently, “does you even less honor than your misguided efforts.”
    Veron thought about that a moment, looking from Tarani to me and back again, and finally nodded. “I will try to—to forgive myself. What you said about ending slavery in Eddarta, High Lord, that is true?”
    “It is true,” Tarani said. “I dared not make such a sweeping change immediately, but the process has begun. A person who is sent to the mines for punishment will remain for a length of time that is assigned in proportion to his offense. He will be free to return to his former occupation at the end of that period, but if he worked well, he may be offered employment at the mine.
    “Those who are serving as slaves now will be examined for health problems. The severely ill will be released immediately; the remainder will be treated, assigned a service time of approximately one-fourth their remaining life span, and will continue their service with decent rations and adequate rest. They, too, may be offered payment for their continued service.
    “The Lords have agreed to this program as a test for the next five years. I have predicted that people who are allowed fair treatment and a sense of the worth of their effort will become sufficiently more productive to allow the mines more profit, even while payment is given for labor which once was free. If my prediction proves true—as I am sure it will—the Lords