Return to the Whorl

I returned to this room as I had promised, heard Vadsig's key squeak in the lock and the solid thump of the bolt, and knelt to squint through the keyhole, hoping for another glimpse of the only friend I have in this brutal, busy, savage seaport. I did not get it, however; the key was still in the lock.



That gave me an idea. I slid this sheet of paper under my door and used the point of one of Oreb's quills to tickle the key into a position that allowed me to poke it out. It fell, and I retrieved this sheet with infinite care, hoping to bring the key in with it. The sheet returned indeed, but the key did not, and I swore.



"No good?" Oreb inquired.



"Exactly," I told him. "Either the key is too thick to slide under the door, or it hit the paper and bounced off."



"Bird find."



I thought that he planned to fly out my window and re-enter the house by another and was about to warn him that it might be a long while before he found another window open in this cold weather, but he disappeared into a triangular hole I had not noticed previously where the wainscoting meets the chimney near the ceiling. In five minutes or less he was back with the key in his beak. I have hidden it in my stocking.



All this has given me another idea. I am going to write a letter to which I will sign Jahlee's name, and have Oreb push it between the shutters of her window for her captors to find. It can do us no harm, and may be of benefit.

* * *



Supper was late, as expected. Poor Vadsig looked everywhere for her key before confessing to Aanvagen that she had lost it; Aanvagen boxed her ears and so on, all of which was unfortunate but unavoidable; I comforted her as well as I could in Aanvagen's presence, and promised her a coral necklace when I am free.



"Sphigxday coming is, and you to the court going are," says Aanvagen, looking as somber as her fair hair and red face allow. She is a good woman at base, I believe. This is Molpsday, so I have nearly a week to wait. I must return Jahlee to Blue and consciousness before then. There can be no delay, no excuses; it must be done.



I left my room sometime after midnight, after Oreb reported that all the inhabitants were asleep. There are four: Aanvagen and Vadsig, "Cook," and "Master." After locating our baggage in a ground-floor storeroom off the kitchen and retrieving Maytera Mint's gift and some other things, I explored the rest of the house until I understood the plan of its floors thoroughly. It was dark by Blue's standards, although nothing to compare with the pitchy blackness of a darkday. Smoldering fires gave enough light to save me from tripping over furniture, Oreb advised me in hoarse whispers, and I groped my way with my staff.



When I felt I knew the house, I went outside. As expected, every door of the house in which Jahlee lies was locked. The key to my room will not open them, and I suspect they are barred at night, as the outer doors of this house are. Nothing more to report, save that I have asked Vadsig to bring me a lump of sealing wax so I can study the impression made by this ring. The stone is not actually black, I find; call it purple-gray.



Much shouting downstairs before lunch. Vadsig explained that she is not supposed to leave the house without permission, but that she had gone out to discover where Hide is being held. "Cook" caught her, and gave her a dressing down. "But finding him for you I am, Mysire Horn. In the house behind the house where your daughter is he is. Not happy there he is, these things the girl there tells. Up and down, up and down he walks. A thousand questions he asks."



"I see. I'm very sorry to hear this, Vadsig. I don't want to get you into any more trouble; but sometime when you are sent to the market do you think it might be possible for you to speak to him?"



"If it you wish, mysire, trying I am. Parel upstairs will let me go, that may be."



"Thank you, Vadsig. Thank you very, very much! I'm forever indebted to you. Vadsig, when we were in your room, you showed me the picture of your parents and your vase, things that are precious to you. Do you remember?"



She laughed and shook out her short, orange hair with a touch of the pride she showed in her bedroom. She has a good, merry laugh. "From yesterday not so quickly forgetting I am."



"I want to warn you that it's not wise to show precious things to everyone, Vadsig. You see, I'm going to give you something precious-the coral necklace I promised you; but it could get you into trouble if Aanvagen knew you had it. Do you think we could make it a little secret between the two of us? For the time being?"



"From me it she would take? This you think, mysire?"



I shrugged. "You know her much better than I do, Vadsig."



There was a lengthy pause while Vadsig reached a decision. "Not showing her, I am."



Oreb commended her. "Wise girl!"



"Stealing I am she thinking is... After court you giving it are, mysire?"



"No. Right now." I got out my paper and opened the pen case. "First, though, I'm going to write something you can show other people to prove that you're not a thief."



I did, and gave it to her; but finding that she was unable to read I read it aloud for her: Be it known that I, Horn, a traveler and a resident of New Viron, give this coral necklace, having thirty four large beads of finegreen coral flushed with rose, to my friend Vadsig, a resident of Dorp. It comes to her as agift, freely given, and as of this day becomes her own private possession.



I got out the necklace and put it around her neck. She took it off at once to admire it, put it back on, took it off again, put it on once more, preened exactly as if she could see her reflection, her large blue eyes flashing-and in short showed as much satisfaction as if she had been snatched from the scullery and made mistress of a city.



"If you're able to talk to my son, Vadsig, will you please tell him where I'm confined, and what my circumstances are, and that we are to go to court on Sphigxday, which he may not know? And bring back any message that he has for me?"



"Trying I am, Mysire Horn."



"Wonderful! And succeeding, too, I feel sure. I have great confidence in you, Vadsig."



"But forgetting I am." Very reluctantly, the coral necklace was removed for the last time, dropped into an apron pocket, and concealed beneath a soiled handkerchief. "Mistress a question asks. Every dream you understanding are, mysire? That to her I have told."



I tried to explain that dreams were a bottomless subject, and that no one knows everything about them; but that I had been successful at times in interpreting the principal features of certain dreams.



"Last night strange dreams she and Master having are. Them you for her will explain?"



"I'll certainly attempt it, Vadsig. I'll do what I can."



"Telling her I am."



That was two hours ago, perhaps. Thus far, Aanvagen has not come to have her dream explained; nor has Vadsig returned to report on her attempt to speak with Hide in person. Might Hide and I rescue Jahlee-provided that I can free him, or he can free himself? I suppose it is possible, but the chances of failure will be very high. I would sooner trust myself and them to the mercy of the court, I believe.



Aanvagen brought a most ample supper, accompanied by her portly husband, who was red-faced and panting after two flights of stairs. "My name-mysire... Beroep it is." He offered a very large and very soft hand, which I shook. "You Mysire Horn..." Another gasp for breath. "Mysire Rajan... Mysire Incanto... Mysire Silk-"



"Good man!" This from Oreb.



"Are. A man of many... Names you are." He smiled in a breathless fashion he plainly intended to be friendly.



"A man of many names, perhaps, but I'm certainly not entitled to all those. Call me Horn, please."



"You to my house I could not welcome... For the troopers watching were. Sorry I am." Yet another gasp. "Mysire Horn."



I assured him that it was quite all right, that I bore no animus toward him or his wife. "You have fed me very well indeed and provided me with firewood, wash water, and ample coverings for this comfortable bed. Believe me, I'm very much aware that the conditions under which most prisoners live are not one-tenth as good."



Aanvagen nudged her husband, who asked, "With gods you speak... Mysire Horn?"



"Sometimes. And sometimes they condescend to reply. But I ought to have invited you both to sit down. I have only my bed, but you are very welcome to sit there."



They did, and Aanvagen's husband got out a handkerchief with which he mopped his face and his bald head. "Nat. Him I know. A greedy thief he is."



Aanvagen added hastily, "To others this you do not say, Mysire Horn."



"Of course not."



"Judge Hamer Nat's cousin is."



Aanvagen's husband watched me for some reaction, but I tried to keep from showing what I felt.



"Already this knowing you are?"



"I knew that Dorp was governed by five judges, and that Nat was said to have a great deal of influence with them; but not that Nat was related to one. Am I to take that he's the judge who will try us?"



Aanvagen's husband nodded gloomily; Aanvagen herself poked a second time at his well-padded ribs. "You must about our dreams ask, Beroep."



"Mysire Horn not friendless is, first I say, woman. Poor, Judge Hamer him will make. Beaten, that also may be. But not friendless, he will be. Nat a greedy thief is. All Dorp knows."



I thanked him and his wife very sincerely, and inquired about their dreams.



"Beroep awake is, so he dreams. All through our house voices he hears."



Aanvagen's husband nodded vigorously. "Talking and tapping they are, Mysire Horn. Whisper, whisper and tap, tap."



"I see. You didn't get up to investigate?"



"Asleep I am. I cannot."



"I see. What did the voices say?"



He shrugged. "Psst, psst, psst!"



It was a passable imitation of Oreb's hoarse whisper, and I gave him a severe look to indicate that he was not to speak. He responded by saying "Good bird!" and "No, no!" quite loudly.



"You're not giving me a lot to go on," I told Aanvagen's husband. "Let me hear your wife's dream before I attempt to interpret yours."



"In my own house I am," she began eagerly, "in the big room for company. This room you see, mysire, when here you come."



"Yes. Certainly."



"With me two children sitting are. Darker than my cat one is, mysire. Beroep and I no children have. This you know?"



I admitted that Vadsig had so informed me.



"Girls in pretty dresses they are. Faces clean they have. Hair very nice, it is. A daughter you have, mysire?"



"Yes. A daughter and three sons."



Aanvagen's husband said, "A son by Strik kept is."



"Yes, my son Hide, who was traveling with me. My sons Hoof and Sinew are still free, as far as I know."



"From Dorp much traveling we are. To New Viron we go. Farther even, we sail." He waved a hand expansively. "Now travelers we arrest? Not good for traveling it is."



"I understand."



Aanvagen leaned toward me from her seat on my bed. "This these girls to me say. Bad with us it goes, for you keeping."



I made what I hoped was an encouraging noise.



"About your daughter they talk. Sick she is. Away with you her send we must. My cheeks they kiss." Aanvagen's formidable bosom rose and fell. "Mother, me they call, mysire. Bad things to me they don't want. Warned be! Warned be!"



Oreb interpreted. "Watch out!"



I asked, "Was there anything else about your dream that seemed significant to you?"



Aanvagen's mouth opened, then closed again.



"Was there any other sign associated with the gods?"



Her husband inquired, "One sign already you finding are?"



"Yes, of course. The two children. Molpe is the goddess of childhood, as you must surely know. Were there any animals, Aanvagen?"



She shook her head. "Just the children and me there were."



"Mice? Monkeys? Cattle? Songbirds?" I reminded myself so much of poor old Patera Remora then that I could not resist adding, "Vultures, eh? Hyenas-um-camels?"



Aanvagen had heard only the first. "No mice, no rats in my house there are, mysire."



"What about you?" I asked her husband. "Were there animals in your dream? Bats, for instance? Or cats?"



"No, mysire. None." He sounded very positive.



"I see. Oreb, I want you to speak freely. Do you think this a good man?"



"Good man!"



"What about Aanvagen here? Is she a good woman, too?"



"Good girl!"



"I agree. Beroep, could that have been the voice you heard? Could it have been my bird-or another, similar, bird? Think carefully before you reply."



He stared at me for a moment before patting his forehead with his handkerchief again. "Possible it is, mysire. Not so I will not say."



"That's interesting. My bird is a night chough; and the species is sacred to the god who governs the boundless abyss between the whorls, just as owls are to Tartaros. We have an indication of Molpe in your wife's dream, and an indication of the Outsider in yours." There was a knock at the door, and I called, "What is it, Vadsig?"



"Merfrow Cijfer here is. Through our kitchen she comes, in our front room she sits. With Mistress to speak she wants."



Aanvagen sought my permission with a glance, received it, and hurried out. "A moment only, mysire. Beroep."



"A good woman she is," Aanvagen's husband told me as the door closed, "but no more brain than her cat she has. Better we without her talk. To the court you have thought given? To Judge Hamer? Not friendless you are, I say."



I said that I had tried, but that I knew little of the politics of Dorp-only that I had done no wrong. "Speaking thus from ignorance, it would seem to me that my best chance is to get Nat to drop his charges. If I had the jewelry from my luggage-"



Beroep shook his head regretfully. "This I cannot do, mysire. The inventory Judge Hamer has, by me signed. Fifty cards pay, this to me he would tell."