the poison you are offering to the young men so
you can take advantage of their drunkenness later."
43 "My mate told me you have no manners," complained the host. "I can
see she was right."
44 "HE," corrected The Young Speaker, "was right."
45 "That is a matter of opinion," argued the host. "He, she....it's all
the same. Doesn't really make any difference. " He put his hand on The
Young Speaker's bare arm. "Come on," he insisted, "loosen up! Don't be
bogged down in old traditions that limit your expression of yourself.
Be what you want to be."
46 The Young Speaker laughed. "I AM what I want to be, but I won't be
what YOU want me to be. I am a man, I'll never pretend to be a woman to
satisfy your sickness. And keep your hands OFF me. You know
The Teaching ...men should not touch another man's flesh. That's what
The Old Fox wrote."
47 The man took his hand off The Young Speaker's arm, brought it up and
caressed his face. "Loosen up, sweet treasure," he cooed, "you're too
beautiful to waste your life believing in the ravings of an old madman
who lost his senses roaming in the desert, and taught the people
madness."
48 The Young Speaker knocked his hand away and spit in his face ''I
live by The Old Law," he answered, "I will DIE by The Old Law."
49 The City Speaker jumped back in an angry rage. "All right," he
screamed, "by The Old Law you have defiled me. I claim the right of
combat to the death, to reclaim my honor; sword and shield, in the old
fashion."
50 "Very well," agreed The Young Speaker, "name the time and the place."
51 "High sun," announced The City Speaker, "two