Мор - ученик смерти

           Hefumbledforanexcuse.

           ’Alas,itwouldseemthatIhavealreadyeatenfartoomuch—’hebegan,buttheEmperorwavedhimintosilence.

           ’Doubtlessitrequiresasuitableseasoning,’hesaid,andclappedhishands.ThewallbehindhimrippedfromtoptobottomandfourHeavenlyGuardssteppedthrough,threeofthembrandishingcandoswordsandthefourthtryinghurriedlytoswallowalighteddog-end.

           TheVizier’sbowldroppedfromhishands.

           ’Mymostfaithfulofservantsbelieveshehasnospaceleftforthisfinalmouthful,’saidtheEmperor.’Doubtlessyoucaninvestigatehisstomachtoseeifthisistrue.Whyhasthatmangotsmokecomingoutofhisears?’

           ’Anxiousforaction,OSkyEminence,’saidthesergeantquickly.’Nostoppinghim,I’mafraid.’

           Thenlethimtakehisknifeand–oh,theVizierseemstobehungryafterall.Welldone.’

           TherewasabsolutesilencewhiletheVizier’scheeksbulgedrhythmically.Thenhegulped.

           ’Delicious,’hesaid.’Superb.Trulythefoodofthegods,andnow,ifyouwillexcuseme—’Heunfoldedhislegsandmadeasiftostandup.Littlebeadsofsweathadappearedonhisforehead.

           ’Youwishtodepart?’saidtheEmperor,raisinghiseyebrows.

           ’Pressingmattersofstate,OPerspicaciousPersonageof—’

           ’Beseated.Risingsosoonaftermealscanbebadforthedigestion,’saidtheEmperor,andtheguardsnoddedagreement.