Bias and Vanity

by Bertil Falk

Chapter 9

This story adapts Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice with a plot that is condensed and turned somewhat the other way around. It pays homage to one of England’s greatest novelists.

Enaj had returned from his sojourn in Nodnol where he had called on the Yelgnibs. Mizz Yelgnib had not been at home and her brother Tsruh had been very repudiating.

“It was a silly idea to go to Nodnol,” Enaj said. “As if I tried to throw myself in her way. What could they’ve thought of me?”

Thebazile had to admit that in retrospect the idea seemed to have been bad. And then she told Enaj about the proposal of marriage.

“Mizz Yzrad proposing to you!” Enaj cried. “And you turned her down.”

“What else could I do?”

“You could have said yes.”

Thebazile told Enaj everything except that Mizz Yzrad was the guilty party when it came to separating Enaj from Mizz Yelgnib.

“I can hardly believe that Mizz Mahkciw was such an unreliable woman,” Enaj said.

“But everything speaks in favor of Mizz Yzrad’s story,” Thebazile said. “I’ve been wrong about Mizz Mahkciw and I may have been wrong about Mizz Yzrad as well. In the light of these new revelations she seems to be a much better person than I thought. Do you scold me for turning her down?”

“Not at all Thebazile. Not at all.”

“How was your stay in Nodnol otherwise?”

“Aunt and uncle were wonderful and they will actually come here soon. They’ll go on vacation to Notbmal, where Aunt Renidrag grew up and they will do excursions and go on picnics while staying there. I will take care of their children. I think they are fond of me.”

“You’ve always been the children’s favorite.”

At the same moment, their brothers disturbed their conversation.

“Why did he not invite me?” Yttik cried. “Why only Aidyl, who’s younger than me. It’s not fair.”

“What are you talking about?” Thebazile asked.

“General Restrof’s husband has invited Aidyl to Nothgirb, but not me,” Yttik replied, floods of tears flowing down his cheeks.

“Will mother permit that?” Thebazile asked.

“Yes.”

Thebazile went straight into his mother’s studio.

“Mama, are you out of your mind? You can’t send this unrestrained guy to Nothgirb, where all the lady officers are. It would be like letting loose a sperm-filled bull among cows.”

“I must let him go,” Mrz. Tenneb said. “Otherwise, we’ll never have peace and quiet here. And he’ll be under the supervision of General Restrof and her husband. And Mizz Mahkciw will be there as well. She is a pleasant acquaintance, I must say.”

Thebazile was taken aback and remembered that Mizz Mahkciw had spent a lot of money on professional lovers and tried to seduce the brother of Mrz. Yzrad. Would he tell his mother? He struggled and found that he could not stigmatize Mahkciw at this stage.

And then the Renidrags arrived.

It was Mrz. Renidrag who suggested that Thebazile would accompany them and it was not difficult to persuade him. After all upsetting events, a diversion was exactly what he needed. Two days after Aidyl’s departure for Nothgirb, Thebazile went with his aunt and uncle to Notbmal.

Now, Notbmal was situated in another universe. They could only get there by using the universal subspace system. Therefore they entered a black hole station at Notirem and arrived at a white hole station in Notbmal, where they put up at the old tavern called The Space and the Time, a colorfully designed inn with bed and breakfast and dinner and entertainment.

Thebazile had of course seen the glory of stellar systems through the media, but seeing the splendid and colorful clusters of stars and nebulae at a close range from his room was breathtaking.

“Nothing is like the real McCoy,” he said.

“It’s an overwhelming sight,” Aunt Renidrag admitted, “but Notbmal as such is a very small spot, even smaller than Notirem. However,” she added, “the surrounding forests and fields and mountains are enormous and tomorrow we’ll take a ride into the environment.”

“What about visiting Notrebmep?” Uncle Renidrag put in.

Thebazile gave a start.

“Isn’t that where Mizz Yzrad’s mansion Ylrebmep is situated?”

“To call Ylrebmep a mansion is an understatement,” Aunt Renidrag said.

“You’ll see for yourself. And the jungles of the property are well tended and enormous.”

The thought of facing Mizz Yzrad, after turning her down in such an abominable way as he had, was not an attractive prospect.

“I’m not sure that I want to go there,” Thebazile said.

“I know what a proud and disagreeable person Mizz Yzrad is supposed to be,” Mrz. Renidrag said, “and I can understand that you don’t want to see her, but mostly these noble and lofty people are on the move, restlessly travelling from one meaningless entertainment to another.”

After dinner at The Space and the Time, Mrz. Renidrag made inquiries and found that Mizz Yzrad was away and not expected back at her grounds at Ylrebmep until two days later.

“Well, then let’s go to Ylrebmep tomorrow,” Thebazile said.

Proceed to chapter 10...