The elderkin smiled once more. "And all without provocation?"
"Naturally not! When have I, or you, concerned ourselves with provocation?"
"Seldom. But what will be the consequences?"
"None, or so I hope."
"You are not definite in your own mind?"
"I must give the matter thought."
"True. In such cases one must be judicious."
"There are other considerations to be weighed. I have had shocks and rude surprises. You will recall the affair at Trilda?"
"Well enough."
"Shimrod traced Rughalt through his disgusting knees. Rughalt instantly disclosed my name. Shimrod now thinks to avenge himself upon me. But I hold hostages against him."
The elderkin sighed and made a fluttering gesture. "Hostages are of limited utility. If they die they are a nuisance. Who are these hostages?"
"A boy and a girl who traveled in Shimrod's company. The boy plays remarkable music on the pipes and the girl talks to animals."
Tamurello rose to his feet. "Come."
The two went to Tamurello's workshop. Tamurello took a black box from the shelf, poured inside a gill of water, added drops of a glowing yellow liquid which caused the water to show films of light at various levels. In a leather-bound libram Tamurello located the name "Shimrod." Using the appended formula he prepared a dark liquid which he added to the contents of the box, then poured the mixture into an iron cylinder six inches tall and two inches in diameter. He sealed the top with a glass cap, then held the cylinder to his eye. After a moment he gave the cylinder to Carfilhiot. "What do you see?"
Looking through the glass, Carfilhiot observed four men riding at a gallop through the forest. One of the men was Shimrod. He recognized none of the others: warriors, or knights, so he judged.
He returned the cylinder to Tamurello. "Shimrod rides pellmell through the forest with three companions."
Tamurello concurred. "They will arrive within the hour."
"And then?"
"Shimrod hopes to find you here in my company, which will afford him cause to call on Murgen. I am not yet ready for a confrontation with Murgen; hence you must inevitably be judged and suffer the adjudication."
"So I must go."
"And quickly."
Carfilhiot strode back and forth across the chamber. "Very well, if that is the way of it. I hope that you will give us transport."
Tamurello raised his eyebrows. "You intend to retain these persons to whom Shimrod is attached?"
"What reason is there to do otherwise? They are valuable hostages.
I will trade them for the locks on Shimrod's magic, and his retirement from the case. You may cite these terms to him, if you will."
Tamurello grudgingly agreed. "What I must do, I will do.
Come!"
The two went out to the wagon. "There is another matter," said Tamurello. "One which Shimrod pressed upon me before your arrival, and which I cannot deny him. In the strongest terms I advise and in fact make demands upon you: do not injure, abase, abuse, torment, mistreat, harass, or make physical contact with your hostages. Cause them no travail, mental or physical. Do not allow them to be mistreated by others. Do not neglect them to their detriment or discomfort. Do not facilitate nor suggest, nor by any act of omission, allow them to suffer misfortune or hurt or molestation, accidental or otherwise. Ensure their comfort and health. Provide—"
"Enough, enough!" croaked Carfilhiot in anger. "I understand the gist of your remarks. I must treat the two children like honored guests."
"Exactly so. 1 do not choose to answer for harms done by you, from frivolity, lust, mischief, or spite; and Shimrod has made these demands upon me!"
Carfilhiot controlled the tumult of his feelings. He spoke in a terse voice. "I understand your instructions and they shall be implemented."
Tamurello circled the wagon. He rubbed the wheels and the rims with a blue jade talisman. He went to the horses, lifted their legs and wiped their feet with the stone. They stood trembling and rigid to his touch, but, recognizing his power, pretended not to see him.
Tamurello wiped the horses' heads, flanks, haunches and bellies with the stone, then rubbed the sides of the wagon. "Now! You are ready! Be off with you and away! Shimrod approaches fast. Fly low, fly high, but fly to Tintzin Fyral!"
Carfilhiot jumped to the driver's seat, took up the reins. He raised his hand to Tamurello, snapped the whip. The horses lunged forward into the air. Westward over the forest careened " the wagon of Dr. Fidelius, high above the highest tree tops, and folk of the forest looked up in awe at the two-headed horses plunging across the sky, with the tall wagon trundling behind.
Half an hour later four horsemen arrived at Faroli. They dismounted from their horses, to stand swaying, limp with fatigue and frustration, for already, through Never-Tail, they knew that Shimrod's wagon had gone.
A chamberlain came from the manse. "Your wishes, noble sirs?"
"Announce us to Tamurello," said Shimrod.
"Your names, sir?"
"He expects us."
The chamberlain withdrew.
At one of the windows Shimrod glimpsed a moving shadow. "He watches us and listens," Shimrod told the others. "He decides which guise he will show us."
"The life of a wizard is a strange one," said Cargus.
Yane asked in wonder: "Is he ashamed of his own face?"
"Few have seen it. He has heard enough; now he comes."
Slowly, step by step, a tall man approached from the shadows. He wore a suit of silver chain, the mesh so fine as to be nearinvisible, a jupon of sea-green silk, a helmet surmounted by three tall prongs, like the spines of a fish. From the brow hung a row of silver chains concealing the face below. At a distance of ten feet he halted and folded his arms. "I am Tamurello."
"You know why we are here. Call back Carfilhiot, with the two children he has kidnapped."
"Carfilhiot has come and gone."
"Then you are his accomplice and share his guilt."
From behind the chains came a low laugh. "I am Tamurello. For my deeds I accept neither praise nor blame. In any case, your quarrel is with Carhfilhiot, not with me."
"Tamurello, I have no patience for empty words. You know what I require of you. Bring Carfilhiot back, with my wagon and the two children he holds captive."
Tamurello's response came in a deeper, more resonant voice. "Only the strong should threaten."
"Empty words again. Once more: Order Carfilhiot to return."
"Impossible."
"You have expedited his escape from me; you thereby take responsibility for Glyneth and Dhrun."
Tamurello stood silent, arms folded. The four men felt his slow inspection from behind the silver chains. Finally he said. "You have delivered your message. You need not delay your going."
The four men mounted their horses and departed. At the edge of the glade they paused to look back. Tamurello had returned into the manse.
In a hollow voice Shimrod said: "So there we have it. Now we must deal with Carfilhiot at Tintzin Fyral. Temporarily at least, Glyneth and Dhrun are safe from physical harm."
Aillas asked, "What of Murgen? Will he intercede?"
"It is not so easy as you might think. Murgen constrains magicians to their own affairs, and so himself is constrained."
"I can wait no longer," said Aillas. "I am obliged to return to Troicinet. Already I may be too late, if King Ospero is dead."
Chapter 28
FROM FAROLI BACK TO ICNIELD WAY rode the four men, then south through Pomperol, and across the breadth of Lyonesse to Slute Skeme on the Lir.
At the harbor the fishermen were chary of so much as discussing passage to Troicinet. The master of the Sweet Lupus told them, "A
Troice warship patrols sometimes close along the shore, sometimes out by the horizon, and sinks any hull it can catch. It is a fast ship. To make the cheese more binding, Casmir keeps spies by the dozens. Were I to make the passage, news would reach Casmir and I'd be taken as a Troice agent, and who knows what might happen?