Rollo clenched his paws tightly in frustration.
"But you didn't get the culprit by the jolly old heels, did you? No, you ruined our chance to catch the eavesdropper quietly."
Clecky smiled disarmingly at the irate Recorder. "No cause to get upset, old feller, we all make mistakes. P'raps next time you'll take my advice an' nip along smartlike, eh!"
Then the outrageous hare went speedily back to the table, berating his dining partner. "I say there, shovelbeak, go easy on that woodland trifle! I've only had two portions yet. Think of others beside y'self, y'great feathered famine-fetcher!"
Martin came back down the stairs shaking his head at Rollo and the Abbot. "Couldn't see anybeast about up there. The young 'uns are all fast asleep and snoring. One of them may have left the plate on the stairs at bedtime; maybe it was balancing on a stair edge and it only took a slight draft to topple it."
Gerul the barn owl wiped meadowcream from his beak with a wingtip. "Arr, that's what meself thinks has happened, yer honor, sure a good puff of wind can blow even an owl tip o'er tail if the creature's not stood up properly, an' that's a fact, so 'tis!"
Abbot Durral put his paws about the shoulders of Martin and Rollo. "Perhaps friend Gerul is right. Now what we need is a nice gentle breeze to waft us upstairs; time for sleep, I think."
Martin fought back a yawn. "Good idea, Father Abbot," he agreed. "We'll talk more tomorrow over breakfast." He looked at the two visitors. "When you two have finished eating, perhaps you wouldn't mind sleeping on that rush mat by the fire for tonight. I'll have Brother Dormal fix proper accommodation for you tomorrow."
The owl waved a soup ladle at the retreating trio. "I thank ye kindly, sirs, the mat'll be fine fer the likes of us!"
Clecky put aside the trifle bowl he had been licking clean. "The likes of us indeed? Speak for y'self, cushionbottom, I'm puttin' me paws up in that big Abbot's chair yonder. Likes of us! Blinkin' drafty barn is all you're used to!"
"Aye, an' that's the truth, so 'tis. Me ould mother used to say better to be an owl in a barn than a prince in a palace, so she did."
"An' what, pray, did your old mother mean by that?"
"Sure how would I be knowin'? Sounds grand, though, doesn't it?"
"Oh, go an' boil your fat head. Goodnight!"
The Abbey was quiet and still as the fires burned low. Outside chill winds sighed and whined against Redwall's immovable stone. Though it was less than four hours to dawn, Martin lay awake, his mind picking over that evening's events. Graylunk's skeleton in the rocky fissure, Fermald's spoon, the Ancient's rhyme, an unknown creature called Mad Eyes and the mysterious eavesdropper who had listened to the conversation in Great Hall. What did it all mean?
Chapter 6
Conva the corsair had spent a perilous night in the Monitor barracks, huddled in a corner, shivering and hungry. The long-tongued lizards constantly watched him, their flat reptilian eyes appraising his trembling form. He did not know whether to feel fear or relief when two of them entered the barracks and hauled him off for an audience with the Emperor.
He was ushered into an upper room. The pine marten lounged on the sill of a broad window, open to the warm tropical noontide. Behind Ublaz, four great black-backed gulls perched on the window ledge. They were fearsome-looking birds, each with the characteristic red spot of their species adorning the tip of its heavy amber bill.
Mad Eyes' cruelty was legendary. Conva went rigid with terror, and his footpaws scrabbled against the floor as he resisted the Monitors dragging him into the room.
Ublaz was in no mood to be delayed. Fixing the corsair with a stare of icy contempt, he rapped harshly, "Cease struggling, idiot! If I wanted you dead you'd have been crabmeat yesterday. Sit at that table and do as I command!"
Quickly Conva seated himself. Ublaz leaned over, his silver dagger blade tapping a bark parchment and charcoal sticks, which lay on the table in front of the corsair. “You saw the six pearls, did you not, felt them, noted their shape, held the shell in which they were kept?" he snapped.
Conva nodded. "Aye, Mightiness."
The dagger blade tapped the corsair's paw lightly. "Good, then you can draw them for me, the pearls and the shell."
Conva picked up a charcoal stick hesitantly. "But I don't know if I'm any good at drawing, Sire ..."
Lifting Conva's chin with the blade, Ublaz said gently, warningly, "Perhaps you didn't hear me right, seascum. I said draw. If you wish to continue living ..."
Hastily Conva began sketching, answering the Emperor's questions as his paw guided the slim charcoal stick.
"None of the pearls was flawed or marked in any way?"
"No, Sire, all six were perfect, smooth and round."
"Were they of different sizes, some smaller than others?"
“ Each was exactly the same size, Sire, bigger than any pearls I have ever seen, something like this."
As Conva outlined the six orbs, Ublaz watched approvingly, saying, "See, you can sketch. Now, the color of these beauties?"
"Mightiness, they were a pale pink, not bright. In daylight they appeared soft and creamy, but by lantern light the pink showed warmer, like a budding rose."
"Very poetic, my friend. You are doing well. Tell me about the scallop shell they were kept in."
"It was a big deep-sea thing, Sire, both sides well ridged and whitish-yellow. Some skilled beast had given it hinges and a clasp carved from hardwood. Inside, the shell was lined with soft red cloth. There were six cuplike dents to hold the pearls as I recall, it looked like this."
When the corsair had finished sketching, Ublaz took the parchment. After inspecting the drawing he placed it in front of the four gulls on the window ledge. They gazed unblinkingly at the work.
Ublaz stared into the eyes of Grail, the leader of the black-backed gulls, concentrating all his mesmeric powers upon the huge bird. In a short time Grail was completely under the influence of the mad eyes and sinister voice.
“ Fly east to the shores of Mossflower land, and find the place called Redwall. Stay there and watch. Should you see the pearls or the case, seize them and bring them here to me! If you cannot do this then stop in the area, and wait until you sight Lask Frildur and those under his command. If they find the pearls give this token to him."
Ublaz took a pawring surmounted by a polished jetstone, and looped it on a thong around Grail's neck.
"My Monitor General will know this comes from me. Get the pearls from him and fly back here to Sampetra. Go now, ride the winds, make your wings fly faster than the waves of the sea. When you return I will reward you and your kin. Fly!"
''Kreeeehaaarkaa!''
With a long wailing cry the gulls took to the air, swooping off over the main, eastward.
The pine marten smoothed his creamy throat fur, gazing at his reflection in a burnished bronze wall mirror. He turned to Conva, who sat trembling at the table. "And you, my friend," he said, "what shall I do with you?"
The charcoal stick crumbled in the corsair's shaking paw as he tried to tear his gaze from the pine marten's frightening eyes. "Mighty One, let me live!" he whimpered.
Ublaz gripped Conva tight by his ears and stared down at him. "A simple request, but one I am unwilling to grant. You have seen and heard too much, Conva, far too much. Look into my eyes!"
Slashback the searat captain heard the clatter of paws and trident butts upon the jetty. He inched open the cabin door and peered out.
"Rats! Trident-rats!" he yelled. "The jetty's crowded with 'em! We're trapped aboard this boat, mates!"
Barranca grabbed his sword and made for the door, snarling, "We'll see 'ow they likes the taste of cold steel, eh, mates!"
Slashback slammed the door shut. "Stay yer paw or y'll get us all carved up. There's too many of 'em, we'd be fishbait afore we got 'alfway along the jetty!"