“I think,” he said, “that they will land on the beach on the Ephebian side of the forts. They won't use the rock shore and they can't use the cliffs. I'll meet them there.” He glanced down at Vorbis. “Someone should.”
“You can't mean you want to go by yourself?”
“Ten thousand won't be sufficient. One might be enough.”
He walked down the steps.
Urn and Simony watched him go.
“He's going to die,” said Simony. “He won't even be a patch of grease on the sand.” He turned to Om. “Can you stop him?”
III. It May Be That I Cannot.
Brutha was already halfway across the Place.
“Well, we're not deserting him,” said Simony.
IV. Good.
Om watched them go, too. And then he was alone, except for the thousands watching him, crammed around the edges of the great square. He wished he knew what to say to them. That's why he needed people like Brutha. That's why all gods needed people like Brutha.
“Excuse me?”
The god looked down.
V. Yes?
“Um. I can't sell you anything, can I?”
VI. What Is Your Name?
“Dhblah, god.”
VII. Ah, Yes. And What Is It You Wish?
The merchant hopped anxiously from one foot to the other.
“You couldn't manage just a small commandment? Something about eating yoghurt on Wednesdays, say? It's always very difficult to shift, midweek.”
VIII. You Stand Before Your God And Look For Business Opportunities?
“We-ell,” said Dhblah, "we could come to an arrangement. Strike while the iron is hot, as the inquisitors say. Haha. Twenty percent? How about it? After expenses, of course-
The Great God Om smiled.
IX. I Think You Will Make A Little Prophet, Dhblah, he said.
“Right. Right. That's all I'm looking for. Just trying to make both ends hummus.”
X. Tortoises Are To Be Left Alone.
Dhblah put his head on one side.
“Doesn't sing, does it?” he said. "But . . . tortoise necklaces . . . hmm . . . brooches, of course. Tortoiseshel-
XI. NO!
“Sorry, sorry. See what you mean. All right. Tortoise statues. Ye-ess. I thought about them. Nice shape. Incidentally, you couldn't make a statue wobble every now and again, could you? Very good for business wobbling statues. The statue of Ossory wobbles eve; Fast of Ossory, reg'lar. By means of a small piston device operated in the basement, it is said. But very good for the prophets, all the same.”