Araminta Station Read Online Free PDF

truth be known, rumors have been circulating to this effect for some time.”
    “I have heard none of them.”
    “It is said that your marriage to Marya was illegal and void, with the result that all issue was illegitimate.”
    “How could my marriage be illegal? I can show you the marriage certificate at any time. Now if you like.”
    “The marriage was void because Marya was already married, and had neglected to certify a legal divorce.  Naturally, I paid no heed to such meretricious chatter. Still, if unfortunately it were true -”
    “Spanchetta told you all this? She is the source of the so-called rumor?”
    “The subject indeed came up in our conversation.”
    “And you accepted her statement, without so much as referring it to me?”
    “The facts speak for themselves!” bleated Fratano. “On her tourist entry she signs herself as ‘Madame’ Marya Chiasalvo.”
    Scharde nodded. “Bureau B can construct against you a clear case of either ‘criminal conspiracy’ or ‘felonious default of duty.’”
    Fratano’s jowl quivered and his eyes became large and moist. “My dear Scharde! You know me better than that!”
    “Then why did you accept, without protest, such an outrageous printout from Spanchetta? I admit to a sense of sheer outrage! You know Spanchetta and her spite! You have let yourself become her tool! So you must bear the consequences!”
    Fratano said miserably: “Spanchetta can be very convincing at times.”
    “Here are the facts, which you could have learned from me over the telephone. Marya’s family subscribed to a popular religion of Alphecca Nine known as the Quadriplar Revelation. Children enter the religion at the age of ten by dedicating themselves in a mock marriage with their patron saint. Marya’s patron saint was Chiasalvo, the Jewel of Kind Being. The marriage is a religious formality, which the patron saint renounces as part of the marriage ceremony. It is so certified on the marriage certificate, which you could have seen at any time the question arose. The marriage, despite Spanchetta’s vicious assertions, is as legal as your own. How she could dare introduce this distortion into the genealogical record is beyond my understanding.”
    “Bah!” muttered Fratano in a subdued voice. “Spanchetta and her intrigues will someday drive me crazy! Luckily, you were in time to catch out the mistake.”
    “Don’t use the word ‘mistake.’ There is malice at work here!”
    “Ah well, Spanchetta is a sensitive woman. At one time she had reason to believe . . . But no matter. This is a sorry mess. What shall we do?”
    “You can count and I can count. Here is the Clattuc roster.
    Glawen clearly should rank after Dexter and before Trine. That gives him an SI of 24. I suggest that you formalize this number by executive fiat, as is your privilege, and, in this case, your duty.”
    Fratano studied the roster. He counted with his long white finger. “Just possibly Trine might pick up a point or two by virtue of his mother’s aunt’s altitude among the Veders.”
    “The same applies to Glawen. Elsabetta, his grandmother’s older sister, is a high Wook, and he can also show Dame Waltrop of Diffin as input. And don’t forget, Trine is eight years younger than Glawen! He doesn’t need a 24 his age.”
    “True enough.” Fratano turned a cautious side glance toward Scharde.  “And there will be no more talk of criminal conspiracy - which of course is only a bad joke in the first place?”
    Scharde gave a grim nod. “So be it.”
    “Very well. Common sense says 24 and we will assume that the computer meant to give us a 24.” Fratano took the yellow sheet and with a stylus marked through the ‘30’ and wrote ‘24’ in its place. “Now all is well and I must dress.”
    “At the door Scharde turned to speak over his shoulder. “I suggest that you lock the outer door after me.  Otherwise you might have Spanchetta on your hands again.”
    Fratano gave a sour nod. “I