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 Caste of High MerchantsHere are relevant references from the Books where the Caste of High Merchants is mentioned. I make no pronouncements on these matters, but report them as I find them. Arrive at your own conclusions. I wish you well, Fogaban "You seem rich and educated," I said. "I am both," she said. "I am of the high merchants." In the houses of administrators, in the domiciles of high merchants, in the palaces of Ubars, for example, slaves, and usually beautiful ones, for they can afford them, are often abundant. "As you might suppose," he said, "in Merchantry, particularly in high Merchantry, one may become aware of many things. One becomes familiar with routes and cities, with goods and markets, with customs and politics, with fears and rumors. One hears much, one sees much, one learns much. I have dealt with men from Torvaldsland, from Bazi, Schendi, and Turia. It became reasonably clear, in Merchant councils, met at the fairs, that scattered, unusual purchases were being made, and that caravans were occasionally being embarked for obscure destinations, which would seem outside familiar markets. I have written it in my native language, surely unknown to most of you, which is called "English !' My master Desmond of Harfax, of the house of Desmond in Harfax, in the high Merchantry of Harfax, has arranged, as I understand it, to have it translated into Gorean. She had apparently once been of the Merchants, perhaps the high Merchants, and had even held herself to be of high caste, despite the fact that few Goreans accepted the Merchants as a high caste. It was regarded as a rich caste, but that is not, in the eyes of many, the same as being a high caste. It was, of course, a powerful caste, given its wealth, and even Ubars might court its favor. How are men to be paid, and wars waged, if not with gold? The Merchant class is undoubtedly the richest of the Gorean castes, which doubtless has played its role in its pretensions to constitute a high caste, but there are low merchants as well as high merchants, poor merchants as well as rich merchants. "Your airs annoyed me," I said. "You were never of high caste. You were only of the Merchants and, I suspect, not the high Merchants." "I must be removed safely from Ar," said Talena, "as soon as is practical. Many in Ar, particularly in the lower castes, do not understand me, and do not approve of me, and might wish to do me injury. But, first, I must be well housed and well disguised. The raiment and veils of a woman of the high Merchants will do nicely." "But many," said Aetius, "do not recognize the Merchants as a high caste." "Exactly," said Talena. "Thus, all the better, as a disguise. Who would expect that Talena of Ar might conceal herself in the robes of a low caste?" Some Ubars, Administrators, High Merchants, and such have considerable resources. This makes it possible for them to maintain regular troops, professional guardsmen, and even Warriors, members of the Scarlet Caste. |
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