His slave plainly didn'tcare whether Menedemos and Sostratos were customers or not. "Oh, boss,have a heart!" the Karian wailed. "I'm the one who'll have to herd itback in there afterwards."

"And what else haveyou got to do?" Himilkon retorted. "It's not going to fly away; itswing is clipped. Go on, you lazy good-for-nothing."

Muttering under hisbreath, Hyssaldomos squatted and undid the two bronze hooks and eyes that heldthe cage door closed. Even after he opened the door, the peacock didn't comeout right away. "He's stupid," Hyssaldomos said, looking up at the twoHellenes. "I mean to tell you, he's really stupid."

But then, with anotherscreech, the peacock finally seemed to realize what had happened and rushed outof the cage. Menedemos exclaimed in astonishment. He'd seen it was big, buthadn't realized just how big: its body was almost swan-sized, and the tail -  Himilkonhadn't lied -  at least doubled its apparent size.

"He'sbeautiful," Sostratos breathed. The sun gleamed metallically from the blueand green feathers of the peacock's body and tail.

Menedemos dipped hishead in agreement. "He certainly is. They've never - " He'd startedto say they'd never seen the like in Italy, but bit down on the words beforethey escaped. If Himilkon knew he badly wanted the bird, the price was bound togo up.

"Oh, there hegoes!" Hyssaldomos wailed as the peacock started to run. "Get infront of him, young sirs, and head him off!"

Both Menedemos andSostratos tried to get in front of the peacock, but it dodged them like aflutegirl dodging a drunken, groping reveler at a symposion. And then it wasoff, running like a racehorse and screeching as it ran. Its legs weren't goose-or swanlike; they put Menedemos more in mind of those of a bustard or pheasant.He and Sostratos pounded after it. Urged on by Himilkon's curses, Hyssaldomosran after them.

The peacock kept tryingto take to the air. It couldn't fly; as Himilkon had said, its wings wereclipped. But every flapping, fluttering burst lent it extra speed. "It's - faster -  than we are," Sostratos panted.