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.Dirk felt a cold chill inside."What did you do with them?""Sent them to the city of Firstmark.The computer there cares for them as I care formine.""Oh, really." Dirk pricked up his ears."I take it Firstmark is buried in the forest, too?""It is indeed.""Just how many lost cities are there?""Five," the computer answered."Firstmark and Secondmark are for people of moderateintelligence.Thirdmark is for people of low intelligence, but Fourthmark holdsdelusionaries of high intelligence, too.I did not think.it wise to have more than threehundred people in each city.""So there are more than a thousand people ready to become subversives, not countingThirdmark," Dirk said slowly, "and there are only a dozen living cities, and maybe fourhundred towns, in this whole land.""You should have a potential labor force equal to half the bureaucracy, if I guess rightlyfrom what you have told me of it."Dirk nodded slowly."If Gar's health holds up, yes.Half should be enough for arevolution.""Quite adequate," the computer agreed.aaTTnnssFFffooDDrrPPmmYYeeYYrrBB22.BBAAClick here to buyClick here to buywwmmwwoowwcc.AAYYBBYYBBr rBy the end of the third week, Gar had recovered enough for his conference with thecomputer.It was very distressed to learn that the bureaucracy it had served had becomethe tool of a dictatorship, and was completely in favor of overthrowing the Protector,provided that it could be done with very little bloodshed.Gar explained the plan, and theGuardian approved it.So the former delusionaries kept on with their training in weapons in the morning, thenretired to their chambers to learn literature, history, psychology, mathematics, generalscience, music, strategy and tactics, and political science, then went on to learning theroot legal code from which the Protector's laws were drawn.The computer was also ableto teach them the bureaucratic procedure that was probably the basis for the currentgovernment.The people confirmed the resemblance from their own experience withmagistrates and reeves.Very quickly, they began to form study groups, to discuss issues that confused them.Dirkexplained to them that they could talk to the computer anywhere within the palace, andwas amazed to find that the machine could explain a dozen different concepts to a dozendifferent groups at the same time.In those discussions, the Guardian revealed that theProtector was originally chosen by vote, and that everyone was born with rights-an alienconcept which the cured madmen accepted eagerly, since it confirmed the ideas Gar andDirk had given them.As soon as the educational program was set up, Gar and Dirk left for Firstmark-which theGuardian had explained was short for "first market." Dirk gave the original settlers highmarks for organization, but negative marks for creativity.Miles was astounded to find himself left in charge of Voyagend, but even more surprisedto find the people coming to him to answer questions and resolve disputes.He was mostsurprised to find that he knew the answers and could settle the disputes fairly.ApparentlyhGar and Dirk ad taught him more than he had realized.CHAPTER 15Two years passed, with Gar and Dirk returning from their journeys for brief visits; theywere constantly on the road, overseeing training in all four cities.As the former inmates'minds grew, they hammered out their own idea of what a government should be.Thebailiffs would be appointed by the magistrates, as they always had been, but to become amagistrate, men and women would have to pass examinations, then be appointed by theProtector, but would have to be approved by vote of the people in their villages everyyear.The reeves would be elected by the magistrates from their own number, but wouldhave to stand for a vote of confidence from the people of their shires every year.TheCouncil of Reeves would be elected by all the bureaucrats together from the ranks of thereeves; the Council would elect the ministers from their own ranks, and people wouldelect the Protector from the ranks of the ministers.Thus, to qualify to vote for the reeves, they had to initially pass examinations.To standfor office as a reeve, or minister, they had to prove themselves by years of service, andfor Protector, by more years of service as a minister.aaTTnnssFFffooDDrrPPmmYYeeYYrrBB22.BBAAClick here to buyClick here to buywwmmwwoowwcc.AAYYBBYYBBr rOnce they knew how they wished to reshape their government and why, Gar began togive them their assignments within the underground, so that they could undergo advancedtraining.Those most adept at music were appointed to be minstrels, given subtlysubversive songs to sing, and special training as secret agents, to keep all the falsemagistrates in touch with one another.The women, knowing they couldn't becomemagistrates, were given very specific training on how to influence other people-persuasion and soft propaganda.The men, already trained as potential magistrates, nowlearned how to be secret agents, too, learning the cell system, codes, and infiltrationtechniques.Meanwhile, Dirk sent out minstrels with forged travel permits, to listen more than theysang until they learned of magistrates scheduled for reassignment.By the time the firstsuch agent came back to the City in high excitement, knowing the time and place of therotation, the first false magistrate was ready to go-Orgoru.The sun was barely risen as Orgoru came out of the city dressed in magistrate's robes tomeet the false bailiff and the dozen men dressed in watchmen's uniforms."Farewell! Oh, fare you well indeed!" Gilda cried, and threw her arms around Orgoru'sneck."I was among the first to greet you when first you came-let me be among the last tobid you good-bye!""Good-bye-until I see you again." Orgoru took her into his arms, amazed that so bony awoman could feel so soft in his embrace-then even more amazed as she pulled her headback enough to turn, and kissed him full on the lips.It was a lingering caress, and for amoment, closing his eyes, Orgoru saw again the beautiful countess.Then he drew away,smiling with affection, for they had shared many long talks about right and wrong, andthe fate of their country, in the last two years, and he had become almost as fond ofcommon Gilda as he had been obsessed with the beautiful countess."Good-bye until I seeyou again," he said, "and may all go well for you [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]