"Yes," she replied. "Why not? Has he not asked to be friends?"
I was not at the time well enough acquainted with Caspakian ways
to know that truthfulness and loyalty are two of the strongest
characteristics of these primitive people. They are not sufficiently
cultured to have become adept in hypocrisy, treason and dissimulation.
There are, of course, a few exceptions.
"We can go north together," continued the warrior. "I will fight
for you, and you can fight for me. Until death will I serve you,
for you have saved So-al, whom I had given up as dead." He threw
down his spear and covered both his eyes with the palms of his two
hands. I looked inquiringly toward Ajor, who explained as best she
could that this was the form of the Caspakian oath of allegiance.
"You need never fear him after this," she concluded.
"What should I do?" I asked.
"Take his hands down from before his eyes and return his spear to
him," she explained.
I did as she bade, and the man seemed very pleased. I then asked
what I should have done had I not wished to accept his friendship.
They told me that had I walked away, the moment that I was out
of sight of the warrior we would have become deadly enemies again.
"But I could so easily have killed him as he stood there defenseless!"
I exclaimed.
"Yes," replied the warrior, "but no man with good sense blinds his
eyes before one whom he does not trust.
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