Universe Twister - Keith Laumer [188]
"Mean what?" Lafayette said absently, noting for the first time the graceful white pinions which enfolded Sisli like a glistening feather cloak.
"That—you want to marry me!"
"Wait a minute," Lafayette said, smiling. "Where did you get that idea?"
"Why, you . . . you kissed me, didn't you?"
"Well, certainly, who wouldn't? But—"
"Oh, Tazlo—this is the most wonderful moment of my life! I must tell Father at once!" She jumped up, a slim, elfin creature aglow with happiness.
"Wait a minute—let's not bring anyone else into this dream. I like it just the way it is!"
"Father will be so happy! He's always hoped for this day! Good-bye for a moment, my dearest—I'll be right back!" Sisli turned, was gone. Lafayette tottered to his feet, grunted at a pang from his bandaged wing, stumbled after her—and slammed into a solid wall.
He backed off, groped over the rough-hewn wood surface, looking for the door through which Sisli had left.
"It's got to be here," he muttered. "I saw her with my own eyes—or at least with the eyes I happen to be using at the moment . . ." But five minutes' search disclosed no opening whatever in the seamless walls.
"My boy!" a whistling nasal voice exclaimed behind him; he whirled; a gnarled, wizened ancient stood in the center of the room, his face beaming in a toothless smile. "My little girl has just given me the happy tidings! Congratulations! I give my consent, of course, dear lad! Come to my arms!" The old boy rushed forward to embrace Lafayette, who stared in bewilderment over the old fellow's featherless skull at a pair of muscular youths who had appeared silently and stood with folded arms and expressions of slightly bored indulgence, flanking Sisli Pim.
"Father says we can have the ceremony this very evening, Tazlo!" she cried. "Isn't that marvelous?"
"Things are going too fast," Lafayette said. "You're leaping to conclusions," he paused, noting the sudden hostility in the expressions of the two young fellows—probably her brothers, O'Leary decided.
"About what?" one of them demanded.
"I mean—I'm very fond of Sisli, of course—but—"
"But what?" the other youth snapped.
"But I can't—I mean—well, confound it, I can't marry her—or anyone else!"
"Eh? What's this?" the oldster chirped, rearing back to gaze up at Lafayette with eyes as sharp as talons. "Can't marry my daughter?" Sisli Pim uttered a wailing cry. The two brothers stepped forward threateningly.
"What I mean is—I'm not eligible!" Lafayette blurted, backing a step.
"Not eligible—how?" the old man inquired, his gaze impaling O'Leary.
"You own the requisite number of acorns, right?" one of the young men demanded.
"And you have an adequate nest, right?" the other pressed.
"And you did kiss her," the first pointed out.
"And she didn't knife you," said his companion. "Which means she accepts you, right?"
"So what could possibly stand in your way?" the old man crowed, as if the problem were solved.
"It's just that . . . that . . ."
"Tazlo—you haven't . . . haven't . . . you didn't—"
"You don't mean, I suppose, that you've contracted an understanding with some other maid of Thallathlone?" the larger brother asked in an ominous tone.
"Certainly not! But I can't ask Sisli Pim to marry me," Lafayette said flatly. "I'm sorry I kissed her. I didn't mean it."
There was a sudden movement, a whistle of steel on leather, and a knife was poking Lafayette's throat, gripped in the hard, brown fist of the smaller of the brothers.
"Sorry you kissed my sister, eh?" he hissed.
"No—as a matter of fact I'm not sorry," Lafayette snapped, and stamped down hard on the knife-wielder's instep, at the same time chopping outward at the offending wrist, while ramming a fist into the youth's ribs. The lad doubled over, coughing and hopping on one foot.
"As a matter of fact I enjoyed it a lot," O'Leary said defiantly. "But the fact is, I never saw