Duke Elric - Michael Moorcock [13]
“I understand that. It is why we put into shore when and where we did. You will find that all your companions were in a similar position before they, too, came aboard.”
“You appear to have considerable knowledge of the movements of many men,” said Elric. He held the wine untasted in his left hand.
“Many,” agreed the captain, “on many worlds. I understand that you are a person of culture, sir, so you will be aware of something of the nature of the sea upon which my ship sails.”
“I think so.”
“She sails between the worlds, for the most part—between the planes of a variety of aspects of the same world, to be a little more exact.” The captain hesitated, turning his blind face away from Elric. “Please know that I do not deliberately mystify you. There are some things I do not understand and other things which I may not completely reveal. It is a trust I have and I hope you feel you can respect it.”
“I have no reason as yet to do otherwise,” replied the albino. And he took a sip of the wine.
“I find myself with a fine company,” said the captain. “I hope that you continue to think it worthwhile honouring my trust when we reach our destination.”
“And what is that, Captain?”
“An island indigenous to these waters.”
“That must be a rarity.”
“Indeed, it is, and once undiscovered, uninhabited by those we must count our enemies. Now that they have found it and realize its power, we are in great danger.”
“We? You mean your race or those aboard your ship?”
The captain smiled. “I have no race, save myself. I speak, I suppose, of all humanity.”
“These enemies are not human, then?”
“No. They are inextricably involved in human affairs, but this fact has not instilled in them any loyalty to us. I use ‘humanity,’ of course, in its broader sense, to include yourself and myself.”
“I understood,” said Elric. “What is this folk called?” “Many things,” said the captain. “Forgive me, but I cannot continue longer now. If you will ready yourself for battle I assure you that I will reveal more to you as soon as the time is right.”
Only when Elric stood again outside the reddish-brown door, watching Erekose advancing up the deck through the mist, did the albino wonder if the captain had charmed him to the point where he had forgotten all common sense. Yet the blind man had impressed him and he had, after all, nothing better to do than to sail on to the island. He shrugged. He could always alter his decision if he discovered that those upon the island were not, in his opinion, enemies.
“Are you more mystified or less, Elric?” said Erekose, smiling.
“More mystified in some ways, less in others,” Elric told him. “And, for some reason, I do not care.”
“Then you share the feeling of the whole company,” Erekose told him.
It was only when Erekose led him to the cabin aft of the mast that Elric realized he had not asked the captain what the significance of the Four might be.
CHAPTER THREE
Save that it faced in the opposite direction, the other cabin resembled the first in almost every detail. Here, too, were seated some dozen men, all experienced soldiers of fortune by their features and their clothing. Two sat together at the centre of the table's starboard side. One was bareheaded, fair and care-worn. The other had features resembling Elric's own and he seemed to be wearing a silver gauntlet on his left hand while the right hand was naked; his armour was delicate and outlandish. He looked up as Elric entered and there was recognition in his single eye (the other was covered by a brocade-work patch).
“Elric of Melnibone!” he exclaimed. “My theories become more meaningful!” He turned to his companion. “See, Hawkmoon, this is the one of whom I spoke.”
“You know me, sir?” Elric was nonplused.
“You recognize me, Elric. You must! At the Tower of Voilodion Ghagnasdiak? With Erekose—though a different Erekose. I am Corum.”
“I know of no such tower, no name which resembles that, and this is the first I have seen of Erekose. You know me and you know