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eryone who came in reach； from rich and poor； devotees and scoffers； friends and deadly foes alike。 In the process they also somehow financed and indirectly controlled much of the world's trade。 Ben's bunk in the guardhouse had been remote from the inner chambers where financial matters were seriously discussed； but information； as always； had a way of seeping through walls。 In the morning the Temple accepted a rich man's offering； in return insuring him against some feared disaster； in the afternoon it levied a tax on a poor widow … making sure to leave her enough to sustain life； that next year she would be able to pay some tax again。
And incessantly the Temple plained about how inappropriately poor it was； how much help and protection and shelter it needed against the financial dangers of the world。 Always the Guardsmen were exhorted to be ready to lay down their lives in defense of the last shreds of assets remaining。 It was never actually stated that the wealth was almost gone … any more than the location of the main hoard was revealed but the general implication was that it had to be dwindling fast。 Always the soldiers were reminded how much their meagre pay； their weapons and clothes and food； all cost their poor masters。 And how essential it was； therefore； for the soldiers … especially those who hoped someday to be promoted； and those too who wanted to eventually draw a pension … how essential it was that they return some generous fraction of their pay as a Temple offering。
If a man were to serve in the ranks for twenty years； investing a substantial part of his pay as such an offering each year； he would be able to retire at that point with a pension。 Exactly how much of a pension was a little vague。
The recruiter had mentioned generous pensions to Ben； but had somehow neglected to explain just what a soldier had to do to qualify for one。
So； there were financial as well as other reasons why the enlistment hadn't been working out for Ben as well as he had hoped。 Even before last night's crisis he had been ready to get out。 Of course he could have bought out his enlistment at any time； if he'd had the money to do so … but then； if he'd had that much money he never would have joined up in the first place。 Barbara would have been willing to marry him； or live with him permanently anyway。 The two of them could have stopped their precarious wandering about with shows and carnivals； a life that kept them usually very little better off than beggars。 They could have bought themselves a little shop somewhere； in some prosperous strong city with high walls。。。
It was a year now since he'd seen Barbara； and he had missed her even more than he'd expected to。 He didn't want to go back； though； until he'd acplished something at last； got a start in some kind of life that she'd want to share。 He'd sent her letters from his garrison station once or twice； when the opportunity to do so had arisen； but he hadn't heard from her at all。 For all Ben knew； she'd taken up with someone else by now。 There had been no promise from her that she would not。
Ben's reason for enlisting had； of course； been to get himself established in some kind of secure Blue Temple post； something that would pay well enough to let him send for her。。。 looking back at it now； it seemed a very foolish hope。 But then； at the time he'd enlisted； every other hope had seemed more foolish still。
Now； in the gradually brightening daylight； Ben continued his climb。 This cliff was not quite so steep； he thought； as the one he'd had to e down in the dark。 Or it might just be that having some daylight made things that much easier。 Anyway； he was making good progress； and quite soon reached a place from which it was possible to look up and feel sure he'd be able to make it all the way to the top。 He had not the slightest idea of what he was going to find up there； except he expected and hoped that he'd no longer be on Blue Temple land。 He might； of course； be wrong。。。
When he had climbed a little farther still； Ben paused to look upward again。 Yes； from here on the slope was definitely gentler； and he had no doubt that he could climb it。 He could even see a short stretch of what looked like a genuine trail； up there near the top。
Ben climbed another hundred steps and stopped to scan the way ahead again。 This time he received something of a shock。 Right beside that upper trail； in a spot where no one had been a few moments ago； a man was now sitting on a squarish stone； gazing out to sea。
The man appeared to be taking no notice of Ben； and as far as Ben could tell he was not armed。 His body was wrapped in a plain gray cloak that effectively concealed whatever else he might be wearing。 The cloak at least didn't look like part of any soldier's or priest's uniform that Ben was familiar with。 Maybe the watcher was not a sentry； but he was in a place that a sentry might well choose。 And； should he be minded for some reason to dispute Ben's passage up the steep slope； his position would give him a definite advantage。
There was nothing for Ben to do but climb on； meanwhile thinking what he ought to say to the man when he came near。 It occured to Ben that he might represent himself as a shipwrecked mariner； just cast ashore at the foot of these cliffs after clinging for days to a bit of wreckage。 No notion of where he was … yes； that was the idea。 A story like that might well be accepted； the gods knew that Ben was wet and weary enough for it to fit him。
The man who sat alone on the rock did not look down at Ben until Ben was only； a few meters below him。 But when he did look it was without surprise； as if he'd known all along that Ben was there。
〃Hello！〃 the watcher called down then。 He was a nondescript sort of fellow in appearance； smiling and openly cheerful。 At close range his gray cloak looked old and worn。
〃Hello！〃 Ben called back。 Something in him had wanted to respond at once to the lightheartedness of the other's greeting； and as his voice came out he thought it sounded too cheerful for the tale of woe he had to tell … though on second thought he supposed that any shipwrecked sailor who came to shore alive might have good reason to sound happy。
Ben climbed closer。 The man continued to regard him with a smile。 Not quite； thought Ben； like an idiot。
Drawing even with the man at last； and no longer at the disadvantage of the steep slope； Ben felt confident enough to pause to regain his breath。 Between slow gasps he asked： 〃Whose lands have I arrived at； sir？〃 He was ready now with some details of his shipwreck； should they be required。
The man's smile faded to friendly seriousness。 〃The Emperor's；〃 he said。
Ben stood there looking at him。 If the answer had been seriously meant； Ben could derive no sense from it at all。 The Emperor was a proverbial figure of fun and ridicule； and hardly anything more。 Of course； if Ben thought about it； he supposed that a real man afflicted with that title might still exist somewhere in the world。 But。。。 a landowner？ The Emperor was a clown…masked caperer through jests and stories； a player of practical jokes； the proverbial father of the wretched and the unlucky。 He was just not someone that you thought of as owning land。
With a small shake of his head； Ben climbed on a few more steps； just high enough to let him see inland over the final sharp brink of the cliff。 He warily kept half an eye on his panion as he did so。
He didn't know quite what he had expected； but the view inland surprised him。 Beginning from the barren cliff…face's very edge； a lush meadow sloped inland； knee…deep with dewy grass arid wildflowers； to end in an abrupt semicircle where a stately grove or forest began； about a hundred meters inland。 Neither meadow nor forest showed any signs of human use。
Ben said： 〃Well； the cliff here is certainly poor enough to be the Emperor's wall。 But someone else must lay claim to this meadow； and to the wood yonder。〃
The fellow sitting on the rock looked quite grave when he heard this。 He gazed back at Ben but did not answer。 Ben； deciding that he did not need the plications of a debate with some stray madman； climbed the last three steps to stand gratefully in soft grass。 He saw now that the meadow formed a rough triangle； and he was standing very near its seaward point。 Not enjoying this exposed position on the cliff's edge； he at once walked inland； heading for the baseline of the woods。
After the long struggling climb； it was a joy to take swift steps through soft grass on almost level land。 Patches of mist were rolling up over the edge of the cliff； as if determined to acpany Ben inland。 Fieldnesting birds； clamoring as if they were unused to disturbance； flew up from almost under his feet。
He reached the trackless grove； and entered it。 There was little undergrowth and he moved swiftly。 And now； almost before he'd had time to wonder how far the wood extended； he was confronted by a high wall； constructed roughly of gray fieldstone。
The wall stretched left to right as far as Ben could see； losing itself among the trees。 But it was so rough…surfaced that climbing it proved easy。 Raising his eyes cautiously above the top； Ben observed that on the far side of the wall the woods soon petered out； and innocent…looking countryside began； with a narrow； rutted road winding across it from left to right。 In the distance Ben could just discern the top of a tall white pyramid。 That was the only building in sight； apart from a couple of distant cottages。
Ben observed that pyramid with relief； taking it as proof that he'd put Blue Temple lands behind him … or； at the worst； that he was just about to do so。 In another moment he was over the wall and trotting toward that winding road。 As he passed through the last of the trees； with patches of mist still hanging about them to lend an air of mystery； it struck Ben for the first time that the grove had the look of some kind of shrine。 For what god it was meant he couldn't guess。 He didn't think it was associated with the Temple of Ardneh … that looked too far away。
He should really stop at Ardneh's temple； he told himself； and make some thanks…offering for prayers very recently answered。 He certainly would do that； if he had anything left to offer； but he was practically naked as he was。 On second thought he would stop； and try to beg some clothes。 Also； now that he thought about it； a little food。 Yes； definitely； food。
Less than an hour later； a white…robed acolyte of Ardneh was ushering Ben up a long flight of white steps。
When Ben emerged from Ardneh's temple a short time later； he was dressed in warmer garments。 They were third… or fourth…hand pilgrim's garb； and patched； but they were clean and dry。 And he was no longer ravenously hungry。 But he was very tired； and frowning thoughtfully。
Again he strode along the road； still heading south。 He'd have to stop somewhere soon and get some sleep； but right now he wanted to make distance； to get as far from the Blue Temple as he could。 He had a better knowledge now of where he was； and he'd known all along where he was heading for。
Sometime this month the carnival that he and Barbara had been with ought to be making a spring move to Purkinje Town； if it kept to the old schedule。 If she was still with it； he would find her there。
Ben made the long journey almost entirely on foot。 It took him approximately a month； so spring in these parts was well advanced when he arrived。 And the journey was not without adventure； though if Blue Temple were on his trail； as he thought they must be by this time； he saw no signs of them。 Gradually his fears receded； and he began to believe that they thought him dead。
By the time Ben reached Purkinje Town； or rather the place outside the town's crumbling walls where the small carnival was encamped； he'd worn out and replaced his sandals； and had had to replace some of his pilgrim's garb as well。 He had also begun a beard； which was ing in a dull； bleached brown to match his hair。 He had acquired as well one of the packs and something of the appearance of an itinerant peddler he'd fallen in with early in his journey。 T