The Eyes of the Overworld
aka
Cugel the Clever
By
Jack Vance
Book 2 - Tales of the Dying Earth
[ First published: 1966 ]
Published under titles:
The Eyes of the Overworld
Cugel the Clever
Copyright © 1963, 2012 by Jack Vance
All rights reserved.
For information, address
Tom Doherty Associates,
175 Fifth Avenue,
New York, N.Y. 10010.
eISBN: 9781466821958
First eBook Edition : May 2012
This title was created from the digital archive of the Vance Integral Edition, a series of 44 books produced under the aegis of the author by a worldwide group of his readers. The VIE project gratefully acknowledges the editorial guidance of Norma Vance, as well as the cooperation of the Department of Special Collections at Boston University, whose John Holbrook Vance collection has been an important source of textual evidence. Special thanks to R.C. Lacovara, Patrick Dusoulier, Koen Vyverman, Paul Rhoads, Chuck King, Gregory Hansen, Suan Yong, and Josh Geller for their invaluable assistance preparing final versions of the source files.
Digitize: Richard Chandler, Ian Davies, Damien G. Jones, Peter Strickland, Christopher Taylor-Davies, Format: John A. Schwab, Diff: Mark Adams, Suan Hsi Yong, Tech Proof: Patrick van Efferen, Text Integrity: Rob Friefeld, Jesse Polhemus, Paul Rhoads, Tim Stretton, Implement: Derek W. Benson, Hans van der Veeke, Security: Paul Rhoads, Compose: Joel Anderson, Comp Review: Marcel van Genderen, Brian Gharst, Karl Kellar, Update Verify: Bob Luckin, Paul Rhoads, RTF-Diff: Patrick Dusoulier, Bill Schaub, Textport: Patrick Dusoulier, Proofread: Kristine Anstrats, Mike Barrett, Chris Budgen, Patrick Dusoulier, Charles King, Per Kjellberg, Roderick MacBeath, Michael Mitchell, David Reitsema, Gabriel Stein, Fred Zoetemeyer
Ebook Creation: Arjen Broeze, Christopher Wood, Artwork (maps based on original drawings by Jack and Norma Vance): Paul Rhoads, Christopher Wood, Proofing: Arjen Broeze, Evert Jan de Groot, Gregory Hansen, Menno van der Leden, Koen Vyverman, Management: John Vance, Koen Vyverman, Web: Menno van der Leden
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Contents
Cover
Chapter I - The Overworld
Chapter II - Cil
Chapter III - The Mountains of Magnatz
Chapter IV - The Sorcerer Pharesm
Chapter V - The Pilgrims
Chapter VI - The Cave in the Forest
Chapter VII - The Manse of Iucounu
About the Author
Chapter I
The Overworld
On the heights above the river Xzan, at the site of certain ancient ruins, Iucounu the Laughing Magician had built a manse to his private taste: an eccentric structure of steep gables, balconies, sky-walks, cupolas, together with three spiral green glass towers through which the red sunlight shone in twisted glints and peculiar colors.
Behind the manse and across the valley, low hills rolled away like dunes to the limit of vision. The sun projected shifting crescents of black shadow; otherwise the hills were unmarked, empty, solitary. The Xzan, rising in the Old Forest to the east of Almery, passed below, then three leagues to the west made junction with the Scaum. Here was Azenomei, a town old beyond memory, notable now only for its fair, which attracted folk from all the region. At Azenomei Fair Cugel had established a booth for the sale of talismans.
Cugel was a man of many capabilities, with a disposition at once flexible and pertinacious. He was long of leg, deft of hand, light of finger, soft of tongue. His hair was the blackest of black fur, growing low down his forehead, coving sharply back above his eyebrows. His darting eye, long inquisitive nose and droll mouth gave his somewhat lean and bony face an expression of vivacity, candor, and affability. He had known many vicissitudes, gaining therefrom a suppleness, a fine discretion, a mastery of both bravado and stealth. Coming into the possession of an ancient lead coffin — after discarding the contents — he had formed a number of leaden lozenges. These, stamped with appropriate seals and runes, he offered for sale at the Azenomei Fair.
Unfortunately for Cugel, not twenty paces from his booth a certain Fianosther had established a larger booth with articles of greater variety and more obvious efficacy, so that whenever Cugel halted a passerby to enlarge upon the merits of his merchandise, the passerby would like as not display an article purchased from Fianosther and go his way.
On the third day of the fair Cugel had disposed of only four periapts, at prices barely above the cost of the lead itself, while Fianosther was hard put to serve all his customers. Hoarse from bawling futile inducements, Cugel closed down his booth and approached Fianosther’s place of trade, in order to inspect the mode of construction and the fastenings at the door.
Fianosther, observing, beckoned him to approach. “Enter, my friend, enter. How goes your trade?”
“In all candor, not too well,” said Cugel. “I am both perplexed and disappointed, for my talismans are not obviously useless.”
“I can resolve your perplexity,” said Fianosther. “Your booth occupies the site of the old gibbet, and has absorbed unlucky essences. But I thought to notice you examining the manner in which the timbers of my booth are joined. You will obtain a better view from within, but first I must shorten the chain of the captive erb which roams the premises during the night.”
“No need,” said Cugel. “My interest was cursory.”
“As to the disappointment you suffer,” Fianosther went on, “it need not persist. Observe these shelves. You will note that my stock is seriously depleted.”
Cugel acknowledged as much. “How does this concern me?”
