Dame Clytie spoke with scorn: “You can issue as many fiats as you like. The fact remains that I represent a large constituency of Naturalists, and we defy your harsh and ultimately inhumane principles. '
“Then I must warn you and your constituents that if you attempt to interfere with, or circumvent, the implementation of Conservancy law, you all will be considered criminals. This includes consorting with
Simonetta Zigonie, and any facilitation of her activities.'
“You cannot dictate my choice of companions.'
“She is a kidnapper and worse. Scharde Clattuc, who sits yonder, is one of her victims. Your associate Rufo Kathcar is another.'
Dame Clytie laughed. “If she is such a villain, why do you not apprehend her and bring her to justice?”
“If I could extricate her from Yipton without violence or bloodshed, I would do so on the instant,” said Egon Tamm. He turned to Bodwyn Wook: “Do you have any ideas on the subject?”
“If we start deporting Yips to Chamanita Planet where their labor is in demand, sooner or later we will come upon Smonny.”
“That a heartless statement,” said Dame Clyde. “How will you persuade the Yips to leave Yipton?”
'Persuasion perhaps is the wrong word,” said Bodwyn Wook. Incidentally, where is your nephew? I expected to find him among those present.”
“Julian is off-world, on important business.”
“I advise both of you to obey the Charter,' said Bodwyn Wook. “Otherwise you too will be persuaded off- world.”
“Bah! sneered Dame Clytie. First you must demonstrate that this decrepit old shibboleth has a real existence, and is not merely a rumor.'
“Eh? That is easy enough. Look over at the wall yonder. That is a facsimile of the Charter. There is one in every household.'
“I will say no more.'
Evening had come to Riverview House. The Wardens and ex-Wardens had made departure for Stroma. Rufo Kathcar had wished also to return to Stroma, but Bodwyn Wook was not yet satisfied that Kathcar had revealed all he knew, and certainly not all of what he suspected. In the dining room Bodwyn Wook, Scharde, Glawen and The Conservator lingered at the table over wine, discussing the events of the day. Bodwyn Wook mentioned that Dame Clytie had shown no great agitation at the turn of affairs. 'And, certainly, very little remorse.'
“The position of Warden is a largely symbolic honor,' said Egon Tamm. 'There are few real benefits. Dame Clytie was one of the Stroma Wardens because she seemed to define the post; also, it regularized her penchant for meddling into everyone else’s affairs.”
'She made a rather curious remark,” said Scharde.” I have the impression that she said more than she intended, but could not resist the thrust.'
Egon Tamm frowned in puzzlement. 'Which remark was this?'
'She implied that the Charter was imaginary: a rumor, a legend, a disembodied shibboleth — whatever that might be.”
Bodwyn Wook grimaced and poured wine down his scrawny throat with a grand flourish. 'This extraordinary woman seems to believe that she can expunge the document rom existence by the sheer exercise of her will.'
Glawen started to speak then fell silent. He had undertaken to reveal nothing of Wayness’ discovery that the Charter had disappeared from the Society vault, but now it appeared that the knowledge was not as secure as Wayness had hoped. Smonny’s efforts to gain control of Chilke’s property and now Dame Clytie’s angry remarks suggested that the news was secret only from the loyal conservationists themselves.
Glawen decided that the Station’s best interests would be served if he now shed light on the situation. He spoke in a tentative voice: “ It may be that Dame Clytie’s remarks are more significant than you suspect.”
Bodwyn Wook glanced at him sharply. “Indeed! What do you know of the situation?”
'I know enough to find Dame Clytie’s remarks troublesome. I worry even more to find that Julian Bohost has taken himself off-world.”
Bodwyn Wook sighed. 'As usual, all the world revels on full knowledge regarding dire emergencies and imminent disasters, save only the dozing Bureau B officials.”
Egon Tamm said: 'Allow me to suggest, Glawen, that you explain to us what is going on.”
“Certainly,” said Glawen. “I have not done so previously because I was pledged to secrecy.'
“Secrecy from your own superiors?' roared Bodwyn Wook. “Is it your theory that you know better than the rest of us?”
'Not at all, sir! I simply agreed with my informant that secrecy was to everyone's advantage.”
“Aha! And who is this infinitely cautious informant?'
“Well, sir, it is Wayness.”
“Wayness!”
“Yes. She is now on Earth, as you know.”
'Proceed.'
“To make a long story short, she discovered, during a previous, sojourn on Earth with Pirie Tamm, that the Charter and the Grant-in-Perpetuity was nowhere to be found. Sixty years before a certain Secretary of the Society named Frons Nisfit quietly plundered the Society and sold everything of value to document collectors — including, so it seems, the Charter. Wayness hoped to trace the sale of the Charter, and thought that she could function better if no one knew that the Charter was missing.”
“That seems reasonable enough,' said Scharde. “But is she not taking a great responsibility upon herself?”
“Rightly or wrongly, that was her decision. But it appears that Smonny is also aware of the situation, and perhaps knows more about it than does Wayness.'
'Why, do you say that? “
“A collector by the name of Floyd Swaner might have ended up with some of the Society documents. He died and left everything to his grandson, Eustace Chilke. Smonny traced down Chilke took him to the planet Rosalia. Namour brought him here, and Smonny meanwhile attempted to find where either Chilke or Grandpa Swaner had hidden the Charter she had no success. Smonny then ordered Chilke kidnapped, took him to Shattorak and forced him to sign over all his possessions. It seems that
Smonny and her allies, the Yips, are serious.”
“So then, what of Dame Clytie. How would she know?”
'I suggest that we talk once again to Kathcar,” said Glawen.
Egon Tamm summoned the maid and instructed her to fetch Kathcar from the room which had been put at his disposal.
Kathcar presently appeared and for a moment stood in the doorway, appraising the persons in the room. He had carefully trimmed his black hair and his beard and had dressed himself in somber black and brown garments, in the conservative style of old Stroma. His black eyes darted back and forth, then he came forward. “What is it now, sirs? I have told you everything I know; any further questioning is sheer harassment.'
Egon Tamm said: “Sit down, Rufo; perhaps you will take a glass of wine?”
Kathcar seated himself but brushed away the wine. “I consume very little vinous liquor.”
“We are hoping that you may illuminate a puzzling circumstance in relation to Dame Clytie.”
'I can't imagine what more I could tell you.”
“When she conferred with Smonny Zigonie, did the subject of Eustace Chilke arise?'
“The name was not mentioned.”
“What of the name Swaner”?
“I heard no such name.”
“Odd,' said Bodwyn Wook.
Glawen spoke: “Either Dame Clytie or Julian Bohost made contact with Smonny’s sister Spanchetta, here at Araminta Station. Were you aware of this?'
Rufo Kathcar showed a petulant frown. “Julian spoke with someone at the Station; I am not certain as to
