"Does it bother Abacarus to erect and maintain these shields?"
'To some degree. They consume psychic energy."
"Then by all means send a dunning specter against him. Tell it to say: 'Cease your extortions!'"
Goania promised. Next day she told Jorian: "As I said, my specter had barely begun to harass Abacarus when he threw a shield about his chambers in the Academy. When he went home in the even, it followed him, intoning its message; but when he reached his house, he soon erected another shield against it."
"Can he make a private shield around himself, that shall move with him?"
"Nay. These shields must needs be anchored in soil or in a fixed abode."
"Well then, keep it after him when he goes betwixt his home and his oratory."
The next evening, Jorian idled in the cold, crisp air, along the path outside the Philosophy Building of the Academy. Weird blue lights flickered in the windows of Doctor Abacarus's tower, so Jorian knew the sorcerer was still at work. At length the lights went out, and soon Abacarus issued from the building.
Behind a tree, Jorian watched as the wizard strode along the campus path, his vast belly bobbing. Presently a dunning specter like that which harassed Jorian appeared close behind Abacarus and began to howclass="underline" "Cease your extortions! Cease your extortions!"
Abacarus turned. Jorian could not see his expression, since the near-darkness was relieved only by starlight and the feeble glow of an oil lamp on a bracket beside the main door of the building. But the sorcerer made gestures, and Jorian's own dunning specter appeared, wailing: "Pay your debts!"
A clutch of undergraduates came along the path. They halted, and Jorian heard one say: "Great Zevatas, here's a duel of wizards! This should be fun to watch!"
"If they do not blow up the whole Academy in their strife," said another.
"I fear no spooks!" said still another. "I'll show you!" The youth picked up a stone and hurled it at Jorian's phantom. The stone passed through the specter without resistance and struck Jorian in the chest.
"Ho!" roared Jorian, grabbing his unusable sword. He started toward the group, who scampered away and disappeared. When Jorian turned back, Abacarus had also vanished. Jorian set out for the Silver Dragon, with the specter hovering over his shoulder and moaning: "Pay your debts!"
During the next fortnight, Jorian continued to be haunted by Abacarus's sending, while Goania's dunning specter harassed Abacarus as opportunity offered. The sorcerer, Jorian learned, found it necessary to change his habits. A night worker, he took to keeping farmer's hours, up with the dawn and home ere sunset, so as not to be caught abroad at night away from the protection of his shields.
Jorian found other resources in the campaign of mutual harassment. He hired urchins to paint abacarus is an extortionist on the walls of the Philosophy Building. He hired a beggar to stroll about the campus bearing a sign reading abacarus is an extortionist. When the campus police tried to arrest the beggar, a gang of undergraduates took the oldster's side and started a small riot, under cover of which the beggar slipped away.
When Abacarus filed a suit for damages against Jorian for harassment, Jorian filed a countersuit alleging the same tort. Judge Flollo looked sourly at the two litigants, saying:
"We cannot schedule these trials until next year. Why do not you two go to some barbarous land where dueling is legal, or trial by combat, and have it out?"
As the month of the Bull came on, Doctor Gwiderius told Jorian: "My colleague Abacarus wishes me to tell you that he is willing to discuss a compromise."
So Jorian found himself again in Abacarus's office in the Academy, facing the stout sorcerer across a huge desk. Abacarus said:
"Come, my good Jorian, this is no way for mature men to behave. Let us find a modus vivendi, ere the lawyers suck us dry. Otherwise we shall spend more on legal and court fees than the sum at issue."
"Well, sir?" said Jorian.
"Would you consider settling for half?"
"Never. Methinks it's plain, by all Novarian laws—the which I have studied—that I owe you not a copper penny more than I've paid. In fact, a clever lawyer could make a good case for the return of the seven hundred fifty I paid you erstwhile."
"If that idea pleases you not, have you a proposal to offer?"
Jorian thought. "How about submitting our dispute to an impartial arbitrator? Loser to pay the arbitrator's fee."
Abacarus pursed his lips and twiddled his fat fingers. "Not bad. We have some retired judges in Othomae, who could be counted upon to render a just verdict."
"Oh, no!" said Jorian. "An Othomaean judge would be prejudiced in your favor, since I am a foreigner. I should prefer a Kortolian judge; I am sure—"
"Rubbish! With our Othomaean judges, at least I have some notion of their fairness. But I know nought of Kortolian justice. For aught I know, any of your people were willing and eager to take a bribe to find for you."
"Kortolian justice is every bit as just as yours!"
"Belike, but how shall you prove it? Must we fight it out, as Flollo suggested? If you challenge me, I will naturally choose magical spells as the weapons."
"How about this?" said Jorian. "If I can find a jurist of high repute from a third Novarian state, will you accept him?"
"I would consider it with a favoring mind. I should have to make inquiries ere deciding. And this time, let us put our undertaking in writing!"
Jorian rose. "I agree. Let's leave it at that. Meanwhile, if you will banish your dunning specter, I will call ofif mine, as well as my other partisans. Whilst I fear not your phantom, it does make a good night's sleep hard to come by!"
Chapter Five THE SNOWS OF ARAVIA
NOT TILL THE SECOND OF THE BULL WAS JORIAN READY to go. In the evening, be was packing his gear when a knock announced Vanora.
"Jorian," she said, "you are a fool to undertake this journey alone. You need at least one extra pair of eyes to watch for dangers, and an extra pair of hands to pull you out of quicksands and other traps."
"You may be right," said Jorian. "But, alas, I know no one here suitable. Doctor Karadur is too old and feeble. Your friend Boso has barely brain enough to tie his own shoe laces, besides which he loves me not."
"I could go," she said. "I'm strong, and as you well know, I've roughed it ere this."
Jorian shook his head. "Nay, my dear, I've been all through that. Your body may be up to the task, but I fear that your temper be too stormy and uncertain for me. I thank you for the offer."
"Be not a fool, Jorian! You need someone, and I'm the only one to hand. Your tale of a curse on your prick was but a farrago to frighten me; Goania says such a spell were impossible."
"I am trying to tell you, I don't wish a female companion save my wife!"
"Oh, that little farm bitch! Forget her. When you win to her, you'll find one of the local lads has been tupping your prize ewe. After all, you and she have been apart now for over two years—"
"You had better go back to Boso and let me get on with my packing," growled Jorian.
"Look, Jorian darling, you need not bed me along the way if you're not fain to do so—"
"Curse it, Vanora, get out! Will you go, or must I throw you out?"
"You mangy scrowle!" she yelled. Jorian ducked as a shoe came flying at his head. "I'll teach you to cast off an honest woman!" A second shoe followed.
The door opened, and Boso's broad face looked in. "What in the nine hells goes on here?"
"He tried to rape me!" screamed Vanora, looking about for something more to throw.
"What!" roared Boso. "You lure my woman up here, and when she won't go with you, you ravish her? I'll teach you to steal honest men's women!"