She spoke as though they were barely related, Billy thought. And yet, weren't they her grandparents, the enchanter and his wife?
"Where's your mom?" asked Billy.
"My mother? She is dead, of a weakness of the heart. My father, too. He was a brave knight. His name was Gervais de Roussillon, and he was killed in an unfair fight."
Matilda lowered her voice. "My old nurse said the enchanter had a hand in my father's murder. But I cannot tell for sure." She glanced nervously around the room.
"What is it?" said Billy. "Are you afraid of something?"
"You will soon see," she replied. "I can hear his footsteps."
And Billy did see, for a moment later, a patch on one of the marbled walls began to move, like worms298squirming in mud; a fuzzy cloud appeared, as though the marble were steaming, and through the cloud stepped Edgar.
"You could have used the door," said Matilda.
"I chose not to," retorted her brother. "You are required to dine, immediately." He threw a look of contempt at Billy. "Why are you not dressed properly?"
Billy gazed helplessly at Matilda.
"He has not had the time," she said, jumping from the bed. "I will..."
"Leave him," said Edgar. "The servant will do it." Without another word, Edgar shuffled backward, and with an awkward twist of his shoulders and an ungainly swing of his right foot, he allowed the wall to swallow him up.
Matilda grinned at Billy. "Luckily, Edgar is not careful with his talent. I can always hear him coming, and his exits and entrances are very rude and clumsy. Listen, you can hear him even now."299Billy could indeed hear stumbling footsteps retreating down the passage.
Matilda crossed the room and opened the door. "You can come in, now," she called. "I'll see you in the dining hall," she told Billy.
He was alone for only a second before a squat figure darted into the room and began tearing at his pajamas.
"NO!" cried Billy.
The small being looked up at him aghast. Billy couldn't tell if it was male or female. With a woolen cap covering its head and presumably its hair, its face without eyebrows, and its body so wide and lumpy, it was difficult to tell where its waist might have been or where its legs began.
"You can wait outside," said Billy.
To his surprise, the being shuffled out and gently closed the door.
Billy took off his pajamas himself and put on the blue velvet suit. Next came the shoes.
These were a300problem. They didn't fit very well and the long toes made a slapping noise when he walked. It was like wearing flippers. Billy felt silly, but then bare feet would look even sillier, he realized. To his dismay, he found there were no pockets in his jacket or pants. He couldn't possibly leave Rembrandt behind. What would he eat?
"Urn, excuse me," called Billy, not knowing how to address the being outside. "You can come in now."
The thing opened the door a fraction and peeked in. Its eyes were the gray-brown color of bark, but there was kindness in them.
"Please, can you help me?" said Billy. "I need a ... a pocket or a bag or ... or something."
The creature came in and stood before Billy. "Dorgo," it said in a masculine voice.
"Name Dorgo, me. What for you want pocket?"
Dorgo hadn't noticed the rat sitting on Billy's bed, cleaning himself.
"For him," Billy pointed at Rembrandt.301Dorgo gave an earsplitting scream and clutched Billy around the waist. "What? What? What?" he cried.
"He's only a rat," said Billy.
"And what's he?" squeaked Rembrandt, staring at the trembling Dorgo.
"A person," whispered Billy. He gently pushed the terrified Dorgo away, saying to the creature, "He really won't hurt you, but I need to put him in something, so that I can carry him with me."
Dorgo nodded. Without raising his eyes from the floor, he walked over to the oak chest and lifted the lid. He proceeded to rummage in the chest, like a burrowing rabbit, sending shoes and clothing flying out in all directions. After a few seconds he reached the bottom and pulled out a leather belt with a gold-braided pouch attached to it. He held it out, still with his eyes lowered.
"Perfect. Thank you," said Billy, fastening the belt around his waist. He grabbed Rembrandt and popped him into the pouch.302"Now what?" squealed Rembrandt.
"Food," Billy replied. "I hope."
Dorgo had closed his eyes. Billy touched him on the shoulder. "I believe the people here eat rats," he said, "so please don't tell anyone else about it."
"Never, never, never," said Dorgo. He opened his eyes, rushed to the chest, flung back its contents, and closed the lid. "Follow, please. Master dine now," he said.
To be called "master" was rather satisfying. It made Billy feel instantly taller and more confident. "Lead the way," he said, more pompously than he intended.
"Oh dear!" came the muffled remark from the gold pouch.
Dorgo shuddered and scurried out of the room. He led Billy down the marble stairway, along the hallway of heads and furs, and into the most astonishing room Billy had ever seen. Although, to call it a room would hardly be accurate. It was a vast black-marble hall, with a high vaulted ceiling of303glittering stars. The walls were hung with weapons and precious objects: spears, shining swords, shields decorated with mythical creatures, tiger skins, painted masks, a golden wheel, horns of ivory, gilt-framed mirrors, tapestries embroidered with pearls, diamonds, and emeralds, and things that Billy had never seen but could only assume were used in warfare. He stood in the doorway with his mouth agape.
The count was sitting at the far end of a glass-topped table at least twenty feet long. "Be seated, Billy Raven," he called, and his voice echoed up to the glittering ceiling, increasing the light from the golden stars.
Lilith had her back to the door, Edgar and Matilda sat facing each other, halfway down the table. Billy was relieved to see an empty place setting beside Matilda's. As he made his way toward her, Dorgo followed - pulling out Billy's chair and pushing it in once he was seated. Matilda gave Billy a reassuring smile.304Billy noticed that they all had a version of Dorgo standing behind them. And there were other servants standing at intervals around the room. They each held a golden tray. Almost everything on the table was made of gold: the candelabra, the plates, bowls, cups, knives, and spoons. There was so much shine, Billy had to remove his glasses and rub his eyes.
"Have you ever had an enchanted dinner, Billy Raven?" boomed the count from the end of the table.
Billy shook his head.
"You are about to," said the count. "What do you wish to eat?"
"Urn, spaghetti, please," said Billy.
"Spaghetti," said the count to a tall servant, dressed more grandly than the others.
There was a long silence while the tall servant stared at his empty tray. Then he cleared his throat and, lifting his head, sang out, "Not known."
304305"Not known! Not known! Not known!" repeated the other servants.
Billy was embarrassed.
"Another," the count commanded.
Billy tried to think of something that everyone throughout the ages must have eaten.
"Bread," he said.
"Bread," boomed the count.
The tall servant's tray instantly filled with black loaves. Dorgo grabbed Billy's plate, rushed over to the man with the tray of loaves, put them all on Billy's plate, and brought it back to him.
"Countess?" This time the count's voice filled the hall. It had to, in order to reach his wife.
Lilith recited a list of peculiar names. The count repeated them, and the tall servant's tray filled with peculiar-looking fruits - or were they vegetables? Lilith's servant rushed to receive them and delivered them to his mistress.
Edgar chose raggots, maggots, cabbage, and306cheesum - all of which looked disgusting.
Matilda chose Cordioni soup, which smelled delicious, and the count went for the same stuff as his wife.
Billy felt very self-conscious with his plate of black bread. He had no idea how to eat it.