Uncle Paton chose to stay with the boat, while415Charlie took Otus up to the castle. The sun had risen, and Charlie and the giant could not look at the blazing glass as they tramped through the stony scrubland that surrounded the castle. They walked around to the north, where the sun couldn't reach the mirrored walls, and the giant had another good laugh at their reflections, one almost twice the size of the others.
There was no door. They had to squeeze through a narrow tunnel that led under the walls.
Twice the giant got stuck, but his laughter only increased as he heaved and struggled to get himself free. At last they stood in a wide courtyard paved with shining cobblestones.
In the center, a flight of steps led up to a door in the keep: a tall square tower.
"The walls of history are up there." Charlie pointed to the top of the tower.
"And that is where we shall say farewell," said Otus.
The steps were made of coarse glass and they climbed up to the door without slipping.
The room416they entered was walled in long rectangles of misty glass, and their reflections became colored fragments that wavered and parted whenever they moved.
Beside the door a staircase led to the top of the tower. "I'll go first," said Charlie. "It's a long climb."
The giant smiled and tapped Charlie's shoulder. "Lead on, Charlie."
The steps were narrow and uneven, and Charlie wondered how the giant would manage as the stairway wound upward. Claerwen flew out of Charlie's pocket and lit the way, or they would have been climbing in the dark. Charlie could hear the giant grunting and shuffling as he hauled himself up the rough glass steps, and then, at last, they were in the extraordinary room at the top of the tower where Claerwen's light was reflected a thousand times, bouncing from wall to wall, on and on, through the shining glass.
"Where is Amoret?" Otus whispered.
Charlie wanted to tell the giant to have patience,417but couldn't bring himself to utter a word. He felt anxious and afraid. Suppose the walls had lost their memory, suppose there was nothing there? "I can travel," he' told himself, "and Claerwen is Mathonwy's wand."
Deep in the shimmering glass before him a fragment of color moved, a soft red. A hint of green appeared, followed by a brown and a mellow gold. And now the fair-haired Amadis could be seen in his silver-gray armor.
Still gazing at the wall, Charlie reached for Otus with his left hand. The giant's fingers closed over his. Now holding out his right hand, Charlie said, "Claerwen, dwi isie mynd mewn."
The white moth fluttered onto Charlie's forefinger, and he began to move closer and closer to the tantalizing shapes and colors through a fog of stifling air, through clear then stormy weather, on and on, his face now warmed by the sun, now brushed with snow. He could feel the giant's fingers crushing418his own, and then as though breaking through the surface of a frozen pond, Charlie found himself in that ancient room again.
They were sitting at a table, just as they had been before: Prince Amadis at the head, his wife and daughter gazing at Charlie. Another child sat with his back to Charlie; the third, with hair as white as snow, turned to look at him. And then Charlie saw Amoret; she was standing beside Amadis, her black hair framing a sad, pale face.
High above him Charlie heard a voice call, "Amoret!"
She looked up and a smile of astonishment lit her face.
Charlie felt the giant's fingers slipping away from him and he knew he must go back.
"Let's go," he said, bringing Claerwen closer to his face. "Gad'nifynd."
As he floated away from the scene, he saw a tall young man take Amoret in his arms. He swung her around and the hem of her red dress swirled over his hands. She buried her head in his shoulder and419he laughed with happiness. The man had chestnut hair and strong, handsome features. He was exceptionally tall - a giant, in fact.
Before Charlie lost sight of them, the giant caught his eye and deep, muffled words broke through the waves of time. "I thank thee."
And then Charlie was alone in the room where the shining walls of history kept their secrets. He should have felt elated. He did, he told himself, for he had been successful, and yet as he stumbled down the narrow stairway, a sense of failure spoiled his happiness. The last time he had been in the Castle of Mirrors, Billy had been with him.
Charlie stepped into the room where he had met the man he had mistakenly thought to be his father. "Why are you never here, Dad?" he said to his own reflection in the mirrored walls.
Claerwen fluttered to the door and Charlie followed her, down the rough glass steps, across the glittering courtyard, and into the tunnel under the walls.420Uncle Paton was sitting on a rock, close to the boat. When he saw that Charlie was alone, he stood up and waved. "You were successful, then," he called.
Charlie nodded.
"You seem unsure," said Uncle Paton when Charlie reached the boat. "Didn't things go according to plan?"
"Yes," said Charlie. "It was fantastic. Otus was young again and Amoret was smiling."
"Well done." His uncle patted him on the shoulder. "I have to admit I had my doubts. It was an extraordinary undertaking. You're tired, I expect."
"A bit," said Charlie.
They got into the boat and Uncle Paton began to row away from the island. They hadn't gone far when a huge wave slapped the side of the boat, tipping it dangerously. The sun had disappeared and the sky was filled with dark, angry clouds. There was a sudden crack of thunder, followed by a torrent of rain.421"Dagbert didn't follow us, did he?" Charlie looked at the heaving waves.
"Could be the other one, his father," said Paton. "Mrs. Tilpin and the shadow have been gathering their forces, no doubt."
And they'll be angry about what I've done, thought Charlie.
The waves rose higher; great walls of water lifted the flimsy boat and tossed it down as though it were a toy.
"I should have thought of life jackets," shouted Uncle Paton through the roar of water.
The next wave sent the boat rolling onto its side. Charlie lost his grip and felt himself sliding into the sea. He's not going to let me get away with it, he thought as the waves closed over his head. But at least I got one thing right.
"Charlie! Charlie, hang on!"
As he came up for air, Uncle Paton grabbed his wrist. "Come on, come on, Charlie. Don't let go," he shouted. "We'll get there, don't give up."422Charlie felt his uncle's hands pulling the back of his jacket, but the waves kept washing over his head, and he knew that they wanted to drown him. And then, beneath his feet, the water began to force him upward. A strong current wrapped itself around his legs and held him steady. Gradually, his body was carried upward, and as he scrambled to get a hold on the boat, he was firmly thrust over the side.
Uncle Paton picked up the oars and smiled down at Charlie, who was lying on the bottom of the boat. "We'll get there, Charlie," he said.
Hauling himself onto the seat, Charlie saw that they were moving through a wide path of smooth, tranquil sea. On either side the waves still rose and fell in threatening banks of water, but they seemed incapable of touching the boat.
The sea around the boat sparkled in sunlight, and in the same bright rays, Charlie suddenly saw the figure on the cliff. His windblown cloak and feathers looked like a burning cloud.
"The Red Knight," cried Charlie.423"What was that?" called Uncle Paton, pulling on the oars. His coat was soaking, Charlie noticed.
"It's the knight. The Red Knight. I think he saved us."
Uncle Paton looked over his shoulder. "I can see him now. Perhaps you're right, Charlie."
I know I am, thought Charlie. The Red Knight saved us.
Their passage was smooth from then on. They reached the shore and drew the boat into the cave. Charlie felt he would never make it up the steep cliff path, but with Uncle Paton's persuasive voice urging him on, he eventually tumbled onto the wet grass at the top.