Мор - ученик смерти

           ItwastheelephantthathadconvincedCutwellthathehadgoneofftherailsofsanity,butitseemedlikeagoodideaafewhoursago,whenhisexasperationattheHighPriest’spooreyesighthadrunintotherecollectionthatalumbermillontheedgeoftownpossessedsaidbeastforthepurposesofheavyhaulage.Itwaselderly,arthriticandhadanuncertaintemper,butithadoneimportantadvantageasasacrificialvictim.TheHighPriestshouldbeabletoseeit.

           Halfadozenguardsweregingerlytryingtorestrainthecreature,inwhoseslowbraintherealisationhaddawnedthatitshouldbeinitsfamiliarstable,withplentyofhayandwaterandtimetodreamofthehotdaysonthegreatkhakiplainsofKlatch.Itwasgettingrestless.

           Itwillshortlybecomeapparentthatanotherreasonforitsgrowingfriskinessisthefactthat,inthepre-ceremonyconfusion,itstrunkfoundtheceremonialchalicecontainingagallonofstrongwineanddrainedthelot.Strangehotideasarebeginningtobubbleinfrontofitscrustedeyes,ofuprootedbaobabs,matingfightswithotherbulls,gloriousstampedesthroughnativevillagesandotherhalf-rememberedpleasures.Soonitwillstarttoseepinkpeople.

           FortunatelythiswasunknowntoCutwell,whocaughttheeyeoftheHighPriest’sassistant–aforward-lookingyoungmanwhohadtheforesighttoprovidehimselfwithalongrubberapronandwaders–andsignalledthattheceremonyshouldbegin.