Transcriber's Note:
This etext was produced from Analog Science Fact & Fiction July 1963. Extensive research did not uncover any evidence that the U.S. copyright on this publication was renewed.
A Knyght Ther Was
But the Knyght was a little less than Perfect, and hishorse did not have a metabolism, and his "castle" was muchmore mobile—timewise!—than it had any business being!
by Robert F. Young
Illustrated by Leo Summers
That fro the tyme that he first bigan
To ryden out, he loved chivalrye,
Trouthe and honour, fredom and curteisye
—THE CANTERBURY TALES
I
Mallory, who among other things was a time-thief, re-materialized thetime-space boat Yore in the eastern section of a secluded valley inancient Britain and typed CASTLE, EARLY SIXTH-CENTURY on thelumillusion panel. Then he stepped over to the control-room telewindowand studied the three-dimensional screen. The hour was 8:00 p.m.; theseason, summer; the Year 542 A.D.
Darkness was on hand, but there was a full moon rising and he couldsee trees not far away—oaks and beeches, mostly. Roving the eye ofthe camera, he saw more trees of the same species. The "castle ofYore" was safely ensconced in a forest. Satisfied, he turned away.
If his calculations were correct, the castle of Carbonek stood in thenext valley to the south, and on a silver table in a chamber of thecastle stood the object of his quest.
If his calculations were correct.
Mallory was not one to keep himself in suspense. Stepping into thesupply room, he stripped down to his undergarments and proceeded toget into the custom-built suit of armor which he had purchasedexpressly for the operation. Fortunately, while duplication of earlysixth-century design had been mandatory, there had been no need toduplicate early sixth-century materials, and sollerets, spurs,greaves, cuisses, breastplate, pauldrons, gorget, arm-coverings,gauntlets, helmet, and chain-mail vest had all been fashioned oflight-weight alloys that lent ten times as much protection at tentimes less poundage. The helmet was his particular pride and joy: inkeeping with the period-piece after which it had been patterned, itlooked like an upside-down metal wastepaper basket, but the one-waytransparency of the special alloy that had gone into its constructiongave him unrestricted vision, while two inbuilt audio-amplifiersperformed a corresponding service for his hearing.
The outer surface of each piece had been burnished to a high degree,and he found himself a dazzling sight indeed when he looked into thesupply-room mirror. This effect was enhanced no end when he buckled onhis chrome-plated scabbard and red-hilted sword and hung hissnow-white shield around his neck. His polished spear, when he stoodit beside him, was almost anticlimactic. It shouldn't have been. Itwas a good three and one-half inches in diameter at the base, and itwas as tall as a young flagpole.
As he stood there looking at his reflection, the red cross in thecenter of the shield took on the hue of freshly-shed blood. Theperiod-piece expert who had designed the shield had insisted on theillusion, saying that it made for greater authenticity, and Malloryhadn't