Books In English "City Of Illusions" Ursula K. Le Guin | Page 117

founded on, Falk did not understand. It was not mere birth-ranking, but Orry's childish memories did not suffice to give a clear picture. However that might be, Falk disliked the tone of the word "natives" in Orry's mouth, and he finally asked with a trace of irony, "How do you know which you should bow to and which should bow to you? I can't tell Lords from Natives. The Lords are natives—aren't they?" "Oh, yes. The natives call themselves that, because they insist the Lords are alien conquerors. I can't always tell them apart either," the boy said with his vague, engaging, ingenuous smile. "Most of these people in the streets are Shing?" "I suppose so. Of course I only know a few by sight." "I don't understand what keeps the Lords, the Shing, apart from the natives, if they are all Terran men together." "Why, knowledge, power—the Lords have been ruling Earth for longer than the achinowao have been ruling Kelshy!" "But they keep themselves a caste apart? You said the Lords believe in democracy." It was an antique word and had struck him when Orry used it; he was not sure of its meaning but knew it had to do with general participation in government. "Yes, certainly, prech Ramarren. The Council rules democratically for the good of all, and there is no king or dictator. Shall we go to a parьtha-hall? They have stimulants, if you don't care for parьtha, and dancers and teanb-players—" "Do you like music?" "No," the boy said with apologetic candor. "It makes me want to weep or scream. Of course on Werel only animals and little children sing. It is—it seems wrong to hear grown men do it. But the Lords like to encourage the native arts. And the dancing, sometimes that's very pretty…" "No." A restlessness was rising strong in Falk, a will to see the thing through and be done with it. "I have a question for that one called Abundibot, if he will see us." "Surely. He was my teacher for a long time; I can call him with this." Orry raised toward his mouth the gold-link bracelet on his wrist. While he ~ 115 ~