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"Why are you angry at ht voice The question I wanted to ask hat had really happened to hi that until those two sorted things out between theet any response

"You don’t know?" It wasn’t really a question Gord just wanted to make Spink adrateful toup for you when you hadn’t the spine to do it for yourself!" Spink’s anger flashed from him

For a decade of steps, Gord kept silent When he did speak, I judged he had spent that tirown, Spink I’m fat, and perhaps that is a fault or perhaps it is just the way the good god made me But it does not make me a child, nor does it make me any less in coht those who are cruel The doctor back there thinks I should change myself so they would have less excuse to be cruel to me But what I think is that I should not have to do either"

Gord halted Then he abruptly left the graveled pathway and walked across the frozen lawn to an oak tree He leaned on its wet black trunk, catching his breath We were silent, and the heavy drops from the branches above us dripped down on us As I looked at him, some memory of a memory teased at the corner of , or soe fled my mind

"I think that the ones who speak cruelly or taunt are the ones who should be pressured to change I have no delusions about ht, Trist would bestwon it, he would then use that superiority to justify however he treatedthat my physical condition should determine how he treats me And you think that because you have bested hi to hiree with him, that the man who can physically defeat another is the ree with that If I attempt to live by those rules, I will be beaten, and I do not intend to be beaten So I will not be goaded into a physical confrontation with Trist or anyone else I in another way"

A silence fell a us There was such a sharp contrast between the bravery of Gord’s word and the fat boy leaning on a tree and puffing I think Spink saw the saly pointed out, "We areanotherand defend our country"

Gord pushed away from the tree We followed him back to the path and resu and the first wild drops warned that another squall was on the way I wanted to hurry but did not think that Gord could keep up with us In the doro out If we caeant Rufet would have a few choice questions for us I didn’t want any ritted my teeth and put it down to the cost of my friendship with Spink

"On the lowest, simplest level, the ht I’ll concede that But the king made my father a noble, and when my father made me, he made me a soldier son with the opportunity to serve as an officer And that isn’t about physical strength, Spink No officer could prevail if his troops turned on hience I have the intelligence I won’t set the example that I can be beaten physically and cowed that way And I won’t let you set it on hting for me, but for yourself You seek to salve your own bruised pride, that you have to accept help from someone who is fat and unattractive Somehow you think that reflects badly on you, and that is why Trist can goad you to fight But ht them my oay And I shall win"

A terrible silence fell then, and it seeed to sprint for shelter Gord seemed to share my impulse, for he clasped his belly more firmly, lowered his head to the storm, and walked faster I finally felt I could speak "What did happen to you, Gord? Caulder said you were beaten"

Gord was puffing ed an answer "Caulder can say whatever he likes to whomever he likes I fell down the library steps That is the truth"

Spink figured it out before I did "Part of the truth, you mean, and that’s why you can hold to it You hold the honor code above all else When did you fall down the steps, Gord? When you ran from them, or after they had beaten you?"