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The boy still did not speak （and would have been incapable of any coherent explanation； had it been required）； but for the first time the awful smile softened a little。
〃Still； there is the line of blood；〃 Cort said somberly； 〃revolt and witchcraft to the west or no。 I am your bondsman； boy。 I recognize your mand and bow to it now if never again with my heart。〃
And Cort； who had cuffed him； kicked him； bled him； cursed him； made mock of him and called him the very eye of syphilis； bent to one knee and bowed his head。
The boy touched the leathery； vulnerable flesh of his neck with wonder； 〃Rise； bondsman。 In love。〃
Cort stood slowly； and there might have been pain behind the impassive mask of his reamed features。 〃This is waste。 Renege； boy。 I break my own oath。 Renege； and wait！〃
The boy said nothing。
〃Very well。〃 Cort's voice became dry and businesslike。 〃One hour。 And the weapon of your choice。 〃
〃You will bring your stick？〃
〃I always have。〃
〃How many sticks have been taken from you； Cort？〃 Which was tantamount to asking： How many boys have entered the square yard beyond the Great Hall and returned as gunslinger apprentices？
〃No stick will be taken from me today；〃 Cort said slowly。 〃I regret it。 There is only the once； boy。 The penalty for overeagerness is the same as the penalty for unworthiness。 Can you not wait？〃
The boy recalled Marten standing over him； tall as mountains。 〃No。〃
〃Very well。 What weapon do you choose？〃
The boy said nothing。
Cort's smile showed a jagged ring of teeth。 〃Wise enough to begin。 In an hour。 You realize you will in all probability never see the others； or your father； or this place again？〃
〃I know what exile means；〃 he said softly。
〃Go now。〃
The boy went； without looking back。
The cellar of the barn was spuriously cool； dank； smelling of cobwebs and earthwater。 It was lit from the ubiquitous sun； but felt none of the day's heat； the boy kept the hawk here and the bird seemed fortable enough。
David was old； now； and no longer hunted the sky。 His feathers had lost the radiant animal brightness of three years ago； but the eyes were still as piercing and motionless as ever。 You cannot friend a hawk； they said； unless you are a hawk yourself； alone and only a sojourner in the land； without friends or the need of them。 The hawk pays no coinage to morals。
David was an old hawk now。 The boy hoped （or was he too unimaginative to hope？ Did he only know？） that he himself was a young one。
〃Hai；〃 he said softly and extended his arm to the tethered perch。
The hawk stepped onto the boy's arm and stood motionless； unhooded。 With his other hand the boy reached into his pocket and fished out a bit of dried jerky。 The hawk snapped it deftly from between his fingers and made it disappear。
The boy began to stroke David very carefully。 Cort most probably would not have believed it if he had seen it； but Cort did not believe the boy's time had e； either。
〃I think you die today；〃 he said； continuing to stroke。 〃I think you will be made sacrifice； like all those little birds we trained you on。 Do you remember？ No？ It doesn't matter。 After today； I am the hawk。〃
David stood on his arm； silent and unblinking； indifferent to his life or death。
〃You are old；〃 the boy said reflectively。 〃And perhaps not my friend。 Even a year ago you would have had my eyes instead of that little string of meat； isn't it so？ Cortwould laugh。 But if we get close enough 。 。 。 which is it； bird？ Age 。 or friendship？〃
David did not say。
The boy hooded him and found the jesses； which were looped at the end of David's perch。 They left the barn。
The yard behind the Great Hall was not really a yard at all； but only a green corridor whose walls were formed by tangled； thick…grown hedges。 It had been used for the rite of ing of age since time out of mind； long before Cort and his predecessor； who had died of a stab…wound from an overzealous hand in this place。 Many boys had left the corridor from the east end； where the teacher always entered； as men。 The east end faced the Great Hall and all the civilization and intrigue of the lighted world。 Many more had slunk away； beaten and bloody； from the west end； where the boys always entered； as boys forever。 The west end faced the mountains and the hut…dwellers； beyond that； the tangled barbarian forests； and beyond that the desert。 The boy who became a man progressed from darkness and unlearning to light and responsibility。 The boy who was beaten could only retreat； forever and forever。 The hallway was as smooth and green as a gaming field。 It was exactly fifty yards long。
Each end was usually clogged with tense spectators and relatives； for the ritual was usually forecast with great accuracy eighteen was the most mon age （those who had not made their test by the age of twenty…five usually slipped into obscurity as freeholders； unable to face the brutal all…or…nothing fact of the field and the test）。 But on
this day there were none but Jamie； Cuthbert； Allen； and Thomas。 They clustered at the boy's end； gape…mouthed and frankly terrified。
〃Your weapon； stupid！〃 Cuthbert hissed； in agony。 〃You forgot your weapon！〃
〃I have it；〃 the boy said distantly。 Dimly he wondered if the news of this had reached yet to the central buildings； to his mother and Marten。 His father was on a hunt； not due back for weeks。 In this he felt a sense of shame； for he felt that in his father he would have found understanding； if not approval。 〃Has Cort e？〃
〃Cort is here。〃 The voice came from the far end of the corridor； and Cort stepped into view； dressed in a short singlet。 A heavy leather band encircled his forehead to keep sweat from his eyes。 He held an ironwood stick in one hand； sharp on one end； heavily blunted and spatulate on the other。 He began the litany which all of them； chosen by the blind blood of their fathers； had known since early childhood； learned against the day when they would； perchance； bee men。
〃Have you e here for a serious purpose； boy？〃
〃I have e for a serious purpose； teacher。〃
〃Have you e as an outcast from your father's house？〃
〃I have so e； teacher。〃 And would remain outcast until he had bested Cort。 If Cort bested him； he would remain outcast forever。
〃Have you e with your chosen weapon？〃
〃I have so e； teacher。〃
〃What is your weapon？〃 This was the teacher's advantage； his chance to adjust his plan of battle to the sling or the spear or the net。
〃My weapon is David； teacher。〃
Cort halted only briefly。
〃So then have you at me； boy？〃
〃I do。〃
〃Be swift； then。〃
And Cort advanced into the corridor； switching his pike from one hand to the other。 The boys sighed flutteringly； like birds； as their patriot stepped to meet him。
My weapon is David； teacher。
Did Cort remember？ Had he fully understood？ If so； perhaps it was all lost。 It turned on surprise and on whatever stuff the hawk had left in him。 Would he only sit； disinterested； on the boy's arm； while Cort struck him brainless with the ironwood？ Or seek the high； hot sky？
They drew close together； and the boy loosened the hawk's hood with nerveless fingers。 It dropped to the green grass； and the boy halted in his tracks。 He saw Cort's eyes drop to the bird and widen with surprise and slow…dawning prehensio