ld himself。 If he'd gone meekly down into the cave that last time as he'd been ordered； he'd be quite meekly dead by now。 That much he was sure of。 He was convinced that the five other drivers were dead by now。。。 unless； he thought suddenly； they had somehow been kept alive for questioning about the plot。 The higher…ups were sure to think that there had been some kind of plot。 Probably even Radulescu； if he was still alive； was being questioned。
Excuse me； sir； there wasn't no plot； sir。 Just Big Ben； Slow Ben； doing his best to stay alive。
He thought about that as he climbed。 Certainly； last night when he'd started running； there'd been nothing more on his mind than keeping himself alive。 And even now； climbing rapidly； he was willing to settle for that。
But now。。。
Now； with the possibility of escape looking more real with each passing moment； other ideas were inviting themselves into Ben's mind。 True； he hadn't been trying to carry away any important secrets。 But； since they were going to hunt him anyway。。。 well； he'd be a fool not to try to get some chance to benefit out of this； as well as the chance of getting killed。
Twenty…three years' experience had taught Ben that the life of a poor man was not much of a life。 It was too bad the world was like that； but so it was。 He wanted money； enough at least to promise some kind of minimal security。 Once a man had a little gold in his pocket； he could be somebody； could have some kind of chance for a decent life。 Ben had joined the Blue Temple service a year ago only because he saw in it the possibility at least of modest success； security … in a word； of getting a little money。 A man had to have a certain minimum of that。 At least he did if he was ever going to attract and keep a woman whose own yearnings were for prosperous stability。
Once Ben had enlisted； given his size and strength and lack of other education； there was little doubt about which branch of the Temple service he'd be assigned to。 Not for him one of the easy desk jobs； tallying and re…tallying the Temples wealth in all its categories； figuring up the interest on all the loans they had outstanding。 He'd seen the rows of busy clerks； scribbling at the long desks。 That looked like an easy life。 But he himself had been sent into the Guards。
For Ben； already accustomed to a hard； poor existence； and not expecting much from his new career right at the start； the life of a military recruit had not seemed too unpleasant。 He had already taken part in more actual fighting than he had ever wanted to see； but he had managed to live through it； in the peaceful Blue Temple garrison where he was first assigned； he really did not expect to be called upon for more。 Adequate food and clothing were regularly provided； and a man who did what he was told could usually keep himself out of trouble。
It had turned out； though； somewhat to Ben's own surprise； that he was not the kind of man to always do what he was told。
He might have enlisted in other organizations than Blue Temple； sought jobs under other conditions of service； in other places； that would have offered him just as good a chance of security。 It was easy to realize that now。 Now； he saw that he had picked Blue Temple really because the idea of its great wealth had attracted him。 He hadn't been quite naive enough to imagine that he was going to bee personally rich as soon as he signed up … as the recruiter had somehow managed to suggest。 No。 But still Ben had known that all the money； the wealth； the gold of the Blue Temple； was going to be around； and the idea of it had attracted him。 At the time he'd told himself that he'd chosen to join Blue Temple because it lacked the reputation for gratuitous oppression and cruelty that was shared by so many of the world's other powers。 The Dark King； for example； or the Silver Queen of Yambu； or the late Duke Fraktin。
Blue Temple were the worshippers of wealth； the harvesters and heapers…up of gold。 Somehow they usually contrived to extract the stuff from everyone who came in reach； from rich and poor； devotees and scoffers； friends and deadly foes alike。 In the process they also somehow financed and indirectly controlled much of the world's trade。 Ben's bunk in the guardhouse had been remote from the inner chambers where financial matters were seriously discussed； but information； as always； had a way of seeping through walls。 In the morning the Temple accepted a rich man's offering； in return insuring him against some feared disaster； in the afternoon it levied a tax on a poor widow … making sure to leave her enough to sustain life； that next year she would be able to pay some tax again。
And incessantly the Temple plained about how inappropriately poor it was； how much help and protection and shelter it needed against the financial dangers of the world。 Always the Guardsmen were exhorted to be ready to lay down their lives in defense of the last shreds of assets remaining。 It was never actually stated that the wealth was almost gone … any more than the location of the main hoard was revealed but the general implication was that it had to be dwindling fast。 Always the soldiers were reminded how much their meagre pay； their weapons and clothes and food； all cost their poor masters。 And how essential it was； therefore； for the soldiers … especially those who hoped someday to be promoted； and those too who wanted to eventually draw a pension … how essential it was that they return some generous fraction of their pay as a Temple offering。
If a man were to serve in the ranks for twenty years； investing a substantial part of his pay as such an offering each year； he would be able to retire at that point with a pension。 Exactly how much of a pension was a little vague。
The recruiter had mentioned generous pensions to Ben； but had somehow neglected to explain just what a soldier had to do to qualify for one。
So； there were financial as well as other reasons why the enlistment hadn't been working out for Ben as well as he had hoped。 Even before last night's crisis he had been ready to get out。 Of course he could have bought out his enlistment at any time； if he'd had the money to do so … but then； if he'd had that much money he never would have joined up in the first place。 Barbara would have been willing to marry him； or live with him permanently anyway。 The two of them could have stopped their precarious wandering about with shows and carnivals； a life that kept them usually very little better off than beggars。 They could have bought themselves a little shop somewhere； in some prosperous strong city with high walls。。。
It was a year now since he'd seen Barbara； and he had missed her even more than he'd expected to。 He didn't want to go back； though； until he'd acplished something at last； got a start in some kind of life that she'd want to share。 He'd sent her letters from his garrison station once or twice； when the opportunity to do so had arisen； but he hadn't heard from her at all。 For all Ben knew； she'd taken up with someone else by now。 There had been no promise from her that she would not。
Ben's reason for enlisting had； of course； been to get himself established in some kind of secure Blue Temple post； something that would pay well enough to let him send for her。。。 looking back at it now； it seemed a very foolish hope。 But then； at the time he'd enlisted； every other hope had seemed more foolish still。
Now； in the gradually brightening daylight； Ben continued his climb。 This cliff was not quite so steep； he thought； as the one he'd had to e down in the dark。 Or it might just be that having some daylight made things that much easier。 Anyway； he was making good progress； and quite soon reached a place from which it was possible to look up and feel sure he'd be able to make it all the way to the top。 He had not the slightest idea of what he was going to find up there； except he expected and hoped that he'd no longer be on Blue Temple land。 He might； of course； be wrong。。。
When he had climbed a little farther still； Ben paused to look upward again。 Yes； from here on the slope was definitely gentler； and he had no doubt