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. But was it fair to the boy? Was he simply teaching him to be discontented with his lot? What chance on Jubbul had the slave of a beggar? Zero raised to the nth power remained zero.
"Thorby."
"Yeah, Pop. Just a moment, I'm in the middle of a chapter."
"Finish it later. I want to talk with you."
"Yes, my lord. Yes, master. Right away, boss."
"And keep a civil tongue in your head."
"Sorry, Pop. What's on your mind?"
"Son, what are you going to do when I'm dead?"
Thorby looked stricken. "Are you feeling bad, Pop?"
"No. So far as I know, I'll last for years. On the other hand, I may not wake up tomorrow. At my age you never know. If I don't, what are you going to do? Hold down my pitch in the Plaza?"
Thorby didn't answer; Baslim went on, "You can't and we both know it. You're already so big that you can't tell the tale convincingly. They don't give the way they did when you were little."
Thorby said slowly, "I haven't meant to be a burden, Pop."
"Have I complained?"
"No." Thorby hesitated. "I've thought about it . . . some. Pop, you could hire me out to a labor company."
The old man made an angry gesture. "That's no answer! No, son. I'm going to send you away."
"Pop! You promised you wouldn't."
"I promised nothing."
"But I don't want to be freed, Pop. If you free me -- well, if you do, I won't leave!"
"I didn't exactly mean that
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