Xref: news.nzbot.com alt.fan.prettyboy:21670
Path: news.nzbot.com!spool1.sonic-news.com!pull-news.sonic-news.com!border1.nntp.dca1.giganews.com!nntp.giganews.com!news.astraweb.com!border6.newsrouter.astraweb.com!not-for-mail
Subject: +*+*+*+ Solomon's Private File #361 "Affair Of Honor" +*+*+*+
Date: Tue, 15 Aug 2017 02:48:43 -0400
From: " +Grant. " <+Grant@grant.grant>
Newsgroups: alt.fan.prettyboy
Reply-To: +Grant.
Organization: .
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1
Content-transfer-encoding: 8bit
X-No-Archive: yes
Lines: 214
Message-ID: <5992994d$0$59623$c3e8da3$460562f1@news.astraweb.com>
NNTP-Posting-Host: 05e760d0.news.astraweb.com
X-Trace: DXC=`0Z3jgR]0PJ^MAbH1]K;0BL?0kYOcDh@Ja1VMV?YLLVMR8jZ[JFX5BGG`^cI\5_bkN^bMg:0hjj]E<mGn@G5lc3ONV<6Bf>hE\Ghg5XX@3bA;H
Solomon's Private File #361
These stories about Stephen and Solomon take place starting in
1950's. Stephen wrote about his life in letters to a penpal, and then
in a secure blog, in case he lost his memory again, in the master
computer in his school for gifted students, which he started attending
in 2016 in a new incarnation, until his death. Now his son Solomon is
attending the same school, and is writing in his own secure blog for
his future incarnations.
All characters are fictitious, even if some of them might have names
that belong to some actual people, or act like people we know.
Solomon is 31 in this story, in the Winter of 2057-2058.
Solomon's Private File #361 "Affair Of Honor"
START Page
I bought a big country estate. Opulent. Big inside staff, too, that I
dismissed. The previous owner had lost his life in a duel, to one of
the best duelists in the land. There was a big house in the city that
went with it. I hosted a society party in it, as a very prissy man of
high breeding. The real men disliked me almost before they saw me.
Their women found me a charming and entertaining rich man of high
refinement, if not of high intelligence. That annoyed their husbands
even more. As the evening wore on, so did my presence on the nerves of
the men, and my veiled snide comments finally became more than one
could bear in frustrated silence.
The man shouted, "That's enough! You are completely ignorant of
gentlemanly manners!" I said, "Thank you for your attention to my
needs. I wouldn't have agreed with you before, but I think now I must
do so. If you are demonstrating good manners in your host's house, then
I am most definitely ignorant of good manners!" His mouth opened to say
something, but he realized that he had just helped me to make him cause
himself to look very foolish. He threw a half full wine glass at me,
but I had turned and stepped to speak speak with a women, and it missed
me, but not the elderly man behind me, who shouted, "What is the
meaning of this? We will settle this right here! Choose your weapon!"
His accidental attacker backed away, and said, "Sir, I most humbly
apologize! It was an accident!" The victim, who was a Judge, said, "Do
you usually throw goblets at people by accident? I think not! Draw your
sword!" Everybody knew the elderly judge would be no match for the
other man in the prime of his life, who was well known for his skill
with the sword, who realized he had no choice but to kill the judge. I
stepped between them, and said to the Judge, "Honored Magistrate, I
request to take your place in this affair of honor. I believe the
goblet was meant for me. Please allow me to affirm the honor of my
house." He said, "Well spoken. I must agree to your request." I said,
"Hmm, I seem to be without a weapon." He said, "Here, please use mine."
I said, "Thank you Sir! I will do my best to see it is used with the
highest of honor!" We bowed to each other with respect. People backed
away from us to make room.
I said to my opponent, "Sir Fandip, would you like a pair of fencing
gloves? I think there might be some around here. Chest protector?" He
said, "No, I will use none of your things!" I said, "Then I also will
not. But they're not mine, but of the previous owner. I didn't bring
any weapons." He looked surprised, and said, "You have no weapons of
your own?" I said, "Correct. First time for you this evening." He was
angry, but controlled himself, and said, "What about defending yourself
in affairs of honor?" I said, "You mean like responding to bad manners
and clumsy insults? Words are just noises in the air that last only a
few moments of time. For me, that doesn't justify the slaughter of
people, no matter how foolish and inept they are. I see no honor in
killing over words. But in serving another more worthy man, I DO! So,
are you going to use your sword, or your mouth some more?"
He lunged at me. I sidestepped fast, and beat his blade down so hard
and fast, it snapped in half. He stopped and stared at it. I said, "A
little short, there." Laughter. I said, "Does that mirror what you have
for romance?" More laughter. I said, "You are unable to continue this.
I think we are finished." I turned my back to him to give the rapier to
the Judge, when Fandip came at me in a rage, with the obvious intent of
stabbing me in the back with the jagged end of his broken sword. I
sidestepped and turned, and slugged him full in the face with the hilt
of my sword, and he dropped like falling tree. I said to the judge,
"Sir, I apologize for the rude interruption. This is a FINE rapier.
Some day I will have to learn how to use one." He was VERY surprised,
and so were many others.
I said, "Staff, your attention please. This man, please remove him.
He is not to be allowed entrance to any of my properties." Two men came
to drag him out through the servants' entrance. All the inside staff
people were actually me. Very convenient. The judge sheathed his sword,
and said, "May I have a word with you after this event?" I said,
"Absolutely! I look forward to that with pleasure." We bowed to each
other. I circulated among my guests. A young man said to me, "Is it
true you don't know how to fence?" I said, "I just gave back the sword.
Do I have to go get it again?" He said, "Oh! I apologize. My amazement
at your er, success got the better of me." I said, "That's alright. No
offense taken. We were just joking. Would you accept a little friendly
advice?" He said, "Sir, I will!" I said, "Thinking ahead, can help keep
it attached." He said, "That is wise advice indeed! Thank you Sir!" We
bowed. A lot of others agreed with him.
One asked me, "Do you take that advice yourself?" I said, "Eh,
sometimes." Grins. One asked, "How did you know he was going to attack
your back?" I said, "Life is competition. In a game of skill, do you
evaluate your opponent?" He said, "Ah! I understand. You knew his
character. But to turn at just the right moment?" I said, "He wasn't
silent in his movement, and I have very sensitive hearing. One more
thing. In competition, what surrounds you can be made part of your
strategy. There are many reflective surfaces here." He said, "Oh!" So
did many others. One said, "So, thinking ahead, you do more than we
thought." I said, "I try. Still attached." He said, "Have there been
refined a weapon, and almost none with such formality as is done here."
One said, "Uncivilized." I said, "As that means in this context, I do
not believe killing a man over a few words, to be civilized in any
society. The rapier is of no real use in war. It's only fit for
dueling. That's why I never learned to use it, and why I don't own one.
May we choose a topic other than killing, for our discussion?"
We discussed the other lands and peoples of the world, which what
little they knew of, was wrong. I sketched some strange animals for
them. One said, "I mean no disrespect, but how are we to judge the
accuracy of your drawings, without knowing your degree of skill?" I
said, "Ah! That's a very good and intelligent question! I like that!"
He was embarrassed, but pleased. I said, "Who will pose for me? Oh, I
see. That would take a long time. I'll choose one. You. No, for no
other reason but that you were closest at hand. I try to be fair." I
sketched her very fast, and gave it to her, and she showed it around.
They marveled at how lifelike it was.
I asked for a private talk with that young man. I drew him aside, and
said, "I recommend you take up the serious study of the sword. Some
will take offense at your expressed intelligence, having almost none of
their own." He tried not to laugh. I said, "Good effort." That didn't
help. I said, "A good head can still be detached, without a good arm to
defend it. My advice is still good." He said, "You don't take it." I
said, "You are mistaken. I will tell you more, but in confidence." He
said, "I will not betray you!" I said, "I know that. I deliberately
goaded him to challenge me. I had every intention of doing what I did,
including turning my back on him. I managed that. The missed wine glass
wasn't in the plan, but I managed that as well. I see you have a
question. He knows only the rapier. I know how to fight with
practically anything. He had no chance to win. I could have easily
killed him even just with that strike to the face." He said in awe,
"Why didn't you?" I said, "Kill one of a kind, it can't lead you to
grandfather of this conversation. He suspects most of it." He said,
"Thank you for saving his life!" I said, "I'm glad I could do that. Oh,
and he's asked to meet with me after this." He tried not to grin. I
whispered, "Eh, needs work." He almost laughed.
I went back to mingling, discussing other lands. Then it was time for
the guests to leave, which they did in an orderly way. The judge and
his grandson stayed. We sat in the library. A servant poured brandy. I
said, "You asked to speak with me. Am I to be judged?" He grinned, and
said, "We are all judging each other all the time." I said, "True. Few
are paid for that, though." He chuckled, and said, "Yes, that's true."
I said, "You want to use me." He said, "I think you want that. With
what Marcel has told me, I think you are here on a mission." I said,
"If that's true, then I would be using YOU." Marcel, said, "You did!"
We grinned at each other, and nodded.
I said, "Power does not make what is right. Dueling has no legitimate
place in politics or government. Proper debate WILL have disagreements,
some of which can easily be viewed as insults. Killing to win an
argument is barbaric!" He had tears. He said, "You know of my son?" I
said, "I do." I said to Marcel, "Before entering a new game, you need
to know the rules of it, and how they are cheated, and the history of
the game, if you hope to do well in it." He said, "Death is no game!" I
said, "Partly true. Causing it, is. Here is one. A rotatable round
table, with compartments for pistols. One is loaded, the others are
not. Two or more men play. They don't know which pistol will fire. The
table is spun. It comes to a stop. The man who's turn it is, picks up
the pistol that is nearest to him, and puts it to his head and pulls
the trigger. If he lives, then the next man does the same. Eventually,
one dies, and the survivor is the winner. Yes, people really do play
this game, in a distant land. But there are foolish men who need to
test their courage, in all places. Only men. Women know better." Grins.
I said, "Life is like a game, but is serious. It still uses all the
principles of a game. So, knowing how games work, helps you to know how
life works." Nods. I said, "So, after having to defend my successful
thinking to you, I can now tell you I do know what's involved here with
this, and why. Now you will tell me what you think I should do." Marcel
tried not to laugh, which his grandfather noticed. I said to the Judge,
"Yes, he needs to work on that." Nods.
He said, "I want you on the Council. How to accomplish that is a
problem." I said, "I am truthful man." He said, "Ah, er, thank you. If
you were to challenge the fitness of the man you defeated today, it
could be decided that you would take his place." I said, "And did you
think I didn't plan to do that from the start?" He said, "OH!" Marcel
looked in adoration of me. I said to the Judge, "He embarrasses me just
with how he looks!" Marcel laughed so hard, he almost fell off of his
chair. I said to the Judge, "I think we're going to need a stronger
chair for him." More laughter from the both of them.
We discussed tactics and strategies. After that, I said, "Being aware
of these possibilities is good, but I need to meet and interact with
those people, so I can know them enough to manage them. There is an
item of convenience in this. Those who would want to challenge me, are
those I would want to do that. So nice of them to cooperate." We looked
at Marcel, expectantly, and that caused him to laugh. I said, "We don't
even have to wind him up!" More laughter. I said, "Fortunate it is, I
don't have to determine the place in which to insert the key." He went
practically hysterical with laughter, and we laughed at him.
END Page
--
++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Grant
|
|