Land of Night Read Free Page B

said. I do not understand.
    "Ah.” Nenos hesitated. He made a motion for Scarlet to wait and left quickly, returning a moment later with a maid, presumably from one of the neighboring apartments.
    Nenos made an expansive gesture to the maid. She cleared her throat, clearly nervous. “Excuse me, ser,” she said in halting Bizye, “but this man that Nenos has ... bringing ... he is a man of cloth."
    "What?"
    "Cloth. Cloths.” She fingered the collar of her blouse. “For wear."
    "Oh! Clothes."
    " San ma suenma . Yes, clothes. He will make you clothes."
    "What's wrong with the clothes I have on now?"
    She seemed momentarily distressed. “But of course, ser, you must have new clothes. All new. All your own."
    I must, must I? It didn't seem worth it to argue. He nodded at the tailor and the man took it for assent and laid his case on the brocaded couch, opening it and taking out tools that any pedlar would recognize: measuring tape, a pack of iron pins, small pieces of charcoal-stick for marking. Nenos signaled that the maid should stay and the next three hours were one long, very polite quarrel between Scarlet and the servants of the Nauhinir. First, once the tailor was finally done with measuring him, Scarlet expected him to go. Instead, Nenos went to the foyer and rang a little bell, and the room began to fill with servants carrying bolts of bright cloth and silk and boxes of colored spools of thread.
    "What's all this?” Scarlet exclaimed in alarm, looking to Nenos.
    Nenos only smiled and nodded, pushing forward one maid who carried a bolt of red wool shot with deeper red embroidery and little silver knots like flowers. She bowed and extended the bolt to him, signaling that he should feel its softness.
    "What? No, it looks like something my sister would wear."
    " Edsite’ hnn? "
    "Flow-ers” he said emphatically, like she was deaf. “No flowers or frilly laces or bows. Not so many buttons. Not so pretty. Understand? Degala sr esu? "
    The first maid, the one who spoke broken Bizye, piped up, and there were strained but polite smiles and some of the more outrageous fabrics were taken away. Plainer materials were offered, fine wools and cotton weaves instead of silks and satins, some in lilac and mauve hues, some in varying shades of black and dark gray, and some in deep, vibrant blues that were truly astonishing and which Scarlet felt drawn to. He chose some of the gray wool and approved the sturdy black cottons, and even one of the best blues, but then two of the maids came lugging a heavy, folded length of tanned hide. They laid it on the floor and spread it out, and at Nenos's urging, Scarlet felt its smooth, buttery softness. It was very fine.
    "This would make a coat good enough for a prince,” he mused.
    "What color for this, ser?” The maid asked.
    He knew at once. Rising, he went to the closet where his traveling clothes had been stored, digging through the grimy packs. He turned and held up his old, battered pedlar's jacket proudly. The shoulder was torn a little and the hem ragged and both elbows were showing lighter patches in the red dye.
    "Can you make this for me?"
    The tailor took it from him gingerly and examined it. It was none too clean. He spoke to the maid, who shrugged.
    "Everything, ser? The color, the cut?"
    "Yes. Everything. Exactly. What is the word for exactly?"
    " Jesut'srr. "
    " Jesut'srr, ” he decided. “Yes."
    The tailor shrugged, not happy with Scarlet's choice, but he bowed and the maids began to pack up. Obviously, they were done. When Nenos had seen everyone out, including the Bizye-speaking maid whom Scarlet thanked very politely, the servant brought another pot of che into the common room. The che was green this time, and Nenos set the table with a huge plate of the dumplings, the kind Scarlet had enjoyed the night before.
    "Thank you,” Scarlet breathed, glad that they were all gone. “I feel like a plucked chicken."
    Nenos nodded, getting the gist if not the exact words. Chos