"Mean ye that we should gain entrance as, say, a brace of chicken farmers with eggs to sell?"
"Just so. But nay, that won't do. Raspiudus is no fool. Knowing of this amnesty that enlarged me, he'll be on the watch for such a trick. At least, so should I be, in his room, and I credit him with no less wit than mine own ... I have it! What visitor would logically be likely to call upon him now, whom he will not have seen for many a year and whom he would hasten to welcome?"
"That I know not, sir."
"Who would wonder what had become of us and, detecting our troubles in his magical scryglass, would follow upon our track by uncanny means?"
"Oh, ye mean Doctor Baldonius!"
"Aye. My whiskers have grown nigh as long as his since last I shaved. And we're much of a size."
"But I never heard that your old tutor could fly about on an enchanted broomstick, as some of the mightiest magicians are said to do."
"Belike he can't, but Doctor Raspiudus wouldn't know that."
"Mean ye," said Jillo, "that ye've a mind to play Doctor Baldonius? Or to have me play him? The latter would never do."
"I know it wouldn't, good my Jillo. You know not the learned pat. ter proper to wizards and other philosophers."
"Won't Raspiudus know you, sir? As ye say he's a shrewd old villain."
"He's seen me but once, in that dark, dank cell, and that for a mere quarter hour. You he's never seen at all. Methinks I can disguise myself well enough to befool him—unless you have a better notion."
"Alack, I have none! Then what part shall I play?"
"I had thought of going in alone."
"Nay, sir, dismiss the thought! Me let my master risk his mortal body and immortal soul in a witch's lair without my being there to help him!"
"If you help me the way you did by touching off that firearm whilst our dragon was out of range—"
"Ah, but who threw the torch and saved us in the end? What disguise shall I wear?"
"Since Raspiudus knows you not, there's no need for any. You shall be Baldonius' servant, as you are mine."
"Ye forget, sir, that if Raspiudus knows me not, his gatekeepers might. Forsooth, they're likely to recall me because of the noisy protests I made when they barred me out."
"Hm. Well, you're too old for a page, too lank for a bodyguard, and too unlearned for a wizard's assistant. I have it! You shall go as my concubine!"
"Oh, Heaven above, sir, not that! I am a normal man! I should never live it down!"
To the massive gate before Raspiudus' house came Eudoric, with a patch over one eye, and his beard, uncut for a month, dyed white. A white wig cascaded down from under his hat. He presented a note, in a plausible imitation of Baldonius' hand, to the gatekeeper:
Doctor Baldonius of Treveria presents his compliments to his old friend and colleague Doctor Raspiudus of Velitchovo, and begs the favor of an audience to discuss the apparent disappearance of two young protégés of his.
A pace behind, stooping to disguise his stature, slouched a rouged and powdered Jillo in woman's dress. If Jillo was a homely man, he made a hideous woman, least as far as his face could be seen under the headcloth. Nor was his beauty enhanced by the dress, which Eudoric had stitched together out of cheap cloth. The garment looked like what it was: the work of a rank amateur at dressmaking.
"My master begs you to enter," said the gatekeeper.
"Why, dear old Baldonius!" cried Raspiudus, rubbing his hands together. "Ye've not changed a mite since those glad, mad days at Saalingen! Do ye still string verses?"
"Ye've withstood the ravages of time well yourself, Raspiudus," said Eudoric, in an imitation of Baldonius' voice. "As fly the years, the geese fly north in spring; Ah, would the years, like geese, return awing!"
Raspiudus roared with laughter, patting his paunch. "The same old Baldonius! Made ye that one up?"
Eudoric made a deprecatory motion. "I am a mere poetaster; but had not the higher wisdom claimed my allegiance, I might have made my mark in poesy."
"What befell your poor eye?"
"My own carelessness in leaving a corner of a pentacle open. The demon got in a swipe of his claws ere I could banish him. But now, good Raspiudus, I have a matter to discuss whereof I told you in my note."
"Yea, yea, time enow for that. Be ye weary from the road? Need ye baths? Aliment? Drink?"
"Not yet, old friend. We have but now come from Velitchovo's best hostelry."
"Then let me show you my house and grounds. Your lady ...?"
"She'll stay with me. She speaks nought but Treverian and fears being separated from me among strangers. A mere swineherd's chick, but a faithful creature. At my age, that is of more moment than a pretty face."
Presently, Eudoric was looking at his and Jillo's palfreys and their sumpter mule in Raspiudus' stables. Eudoric made a few hesitant efforts, as if he were Baldonius seeking his young friends, to inquire after their disappearance. Each time Raspiudus smoothly turned the question aside, promising enlightenment later.
An hour later, Raspiudus was showing off his magical sanctum. With obvious interest, Eudoric examined a number of squares of dragon hide spread out on a workbench. He asked:
"Be this the integument of one of those Pathenian dragons, whereof I have heard?"
"Certes, good Baldonius. Are they extinct in your part of the world?"
"Aye. 'Twas for that reason that I sent my young friend and former pupil, of whom I'm waiting to tell you, eastward to fetch me some of this hide for use in my work. How does one cure this hide?"
"With salt, and—unh!"
Raspiudus collapsed, Eudoric having just struck him on the head with a short bludgeon that he whisked out of his voluminous sleeves.
"Bind and gag him and roll him behind the bench!" said Eudoric.
"Were it not better to cut his throat, sir?" said Jillo.
"Nay. The jailer told us that they have ingenious ways of punishing homicide, and I have no wish to prove them by experiment."
While Jillo bound the unconscious Raspiudus, Eudoric chose two pieces of dragon hide, each about a yard square. He rolled them together into a bundle and lashed them with a length of rope from inside his robe. As an afterthought, he helped himself to the contents of Raspiudus' purse. Then he hoisted the roll of hide to his shoulder and issued from the laboratory. He called to the nearest stableboy.
"Doctor Raspiudus," he said, "asks that ye saddle up those two nags." He pointed. "Good saddles, mind you! Are the animals well shod?"
"Hasten, sir," muttered Jillo. "Every instant we hang about here—"
"Hold thy peace! The appearance of haste were the surest way to arouse suspicion." Eudoric raised his voice. "Another heave on that girth, fellow! I am not minded to have my aged bones shattered by a tumble into the roadway."
Jillo whispered, "Can't we recover the mule and your armor, to boot?"
Eudoric shook his head. "Too risky," he murmured. "Be glad if we get away with whole skins."
When the horses had been saddled to his satisfaction, he said, "Lend me some of your strength in mounting, youngster." He groaned as he swung awkwardly into the saddle. "A murrain on thy master, to send us off on this footling errand—me that hasn't sat a horse in years! Now hand me that accursed roll of hide. I thank thee, youth; here's a little for thy trouble. Run ahead and tell the gatekeeper to have his portal well opened. I fear that if this beast pulls up of a sudden, I shall go flying over its head!"
A few minutes later, when they had turned a corner and were out of sight of Raspiudus' house, Eudoric said, "Now trot!"
"If I could but get out of this damned gown," muttered Jillo. "I can't ride decently in it."