Chapter,» he said. «A very worthy magical person, adept in the production of strange monsters, adroit in enchantments connected with the profession of arms. Apprentice Harold de Shea» — he turned towards the new member — «as members of a high intellectual calling we despise the silly ceremonies of admission such as the court uses for its orders of knighthood. Therefore, we will merely bid you welcome; but doubtless the other apprentices will have something to say to you tomorrow night after the Black Mass.»
Voulandoure came over and squeezed Shea’s hand in his own thick, moist ones. «My ’gratulations, also, magical sirs!» He lowered his voice. «May I point out the initiation fee —»
«Ahem,» said Chalmers, who had joined the group. «How much?»
«Fifty elfars for yourself, Master Magician Reed, and twenty-five for ’Prentice Harold.»
Chalmers looked slightly stricken. He fished out the money bag. His face showed some relief, but not much, when its contents proved adequate «I should think,» he remarked, «that with so many fine magicians about, you’d have no difficulty in conjuring up. uh. all necessary funds.»
A shadow crossed the face of ye keeper of ye moneys. «Alas, magical sir, our great problem! ’Tis a department involving the use of the philosophers’ stone and the blood of infants, this much we know. But our research in the question had been interrupted by the activities of that curst court and the Companions, and I fear me we shall never succeed till we rid ourselves of them.»
«Aye,» said Dolon. «The one who came nearest the solution was the enchantress Acrasia. She did make a conjured gold that was all but permanent; met every test, and would only turn to ashes when one pronounced a Pater Noster. But where’s Acrasia now? Eh? Dead, down and drownded by one of Gloriana’s Companions, a murrain on them all!»
«Good Master Dolon!» It was Busyrane. «The professional meeting is called, and I doubt not the other masters are as eager as we ourselves to hear your paper.»
Shea found the fuzzy-haired youth at his elbow. «D’you play at checks? We ’prentices are left much to our own devisings when the masters gabble.»
«Checks?»
«Aye, you know, king, queen, knight, fool, pawn, check and you’re mate. I’m hand in glove with one of Busyrane’s imps, who’ll furnish us a mug or two of musty ale to pass the time while we play.»
It sounded an attractive programme. But Shea remembered that chess game afterward. The fuzz-haired apprentice was not naturally a good player. Shea beat him in the first two games easily, winning the small bets the youth insisted on «to make the sport more interesting». Then the musty ale or the youth’s magic too late Shea remembered what profession he was an apprentice in, rose up and bit him. The fuzzy one’s pieces turned up in the most unexpected places, executing the most astonishing gambits and combinations. With every new defeat Shea grew more annoyed. Whether through annoyance or the musty ale, he began offering to double the bets for the next one.
When the doors at the end of the hall were flung open and the master magicians emerged, the fuzzy youth was remarking gaily: «That makes eighty-six elfars, sixteen you stand in my debt. Ha-ha, that reminds me. Did I ever tell you about the journeyman Sligon, who owed my master, Voulandoure, sixty elfars over a box of dice? He refused to pay — said he couldn’t — even when Vouldandoure sent him a plague of boils. Well, wasn’t it funny, when Sligon was playing with his own cat one day, that he should turn into a fish? I say a good magician should never lack for money, when there are people who can be kidnapped and ransomed. Don’t you agree?»
«That’s right,» said Shea with a heartiness which he hoped didn’t sound too hollow. He got up to join Chalmers.
The elder psychologist was looking pleased with himself. «A trifle harrowing that session, but gratifyingly informative,» he said as they went towards their rooms. «I really feel I’ve learned something about quantitative control. In fact, I’m confident that in a few months’ research I can learn enough not only to transform Florimel and to rejuvenate myself, but also to. uh. revolutionize the entire practice of magic in Faerie, to make its benefits available to all.»
«Yes, but» — Shea looked worried — «did you find out what they intend to do about Belphebe?»
«I gather that that is a matter for the. uh. executive session of tomorrow. But as I understand the outlines of the plan, it is not to direct the enchantments against her in person. She’s protected against them. They intend rather to place spells on the two or three places where she sleeps, with the design of causing her to fall into so deep a slumber that she can be captured.»
They paused on Chalmers’ threshold. He added: «However, I wouldn’t worry about the young woman’s. uh. safety, Harold. As I understand it she is to be brought here, and I am sure that as a member of the Chapter I can persuade them not to harm her. In fact —»
«For the love of Mike, Doc, are you throwing in with these guys, or just plain daffy? Didn’t you hear Duessa talking about pulling Belphebe’s toenails out, come the Revolution, and Dolon mentioning the torture chamber? Wake up! You’re being an old fool!»
«Harold, I must request you not to use such intemperate language. After all, I’m somewhat your senior, and I require the uninterrupted use of all facilities as well as your own cordial cooperation to put this matter on a scientific basis. In a few months I shall be in a position to effect an industrial revolution in magic —»
«Theory! Months! I might have known that’s what you’d be after! Can’t you realize somebody’s in danger?»
«I shall certainly give my most earnest attention to persuading the other members of the Chapter that this young woman to whom you are so attached is innocuous, and —»
«Oh, for Pete’s sake! Forget it! Good night.» Shea stalked out, more angry with Chalmers than he had ever been before. He did not hear the velvety click of the Judas window in Chalmers’ room. Nor could he overhear the two men in the secret passage that led to that window.
Busyrane’s voice was bland. «We were good enough to warn you that the young man was a suspicious character and mingled somehow in the affairs of the court.»
«Can it be that my judgment, usually so keen, was altogether thrown off?» asked Dolon.
«Oh, you were right about the older. He’s a proper magician and devoted to the Chapter. But the younger — he’ll bear more than watching. A friend of Belphebe, forsooth.»
NINE
Shea lay in bed, staring at the black ceiling. No use trying to get the Doc to do anything. His heart was in the right place. But between his devotion to Florimel and his devotion to theory he could not be convinced that these enchanters, who talked so glibly of intellectual achievements, were bloody-minded racketeers who intended to put Belphebe, Britomart, and a lot of others to a slow and intricate death.
Shea shuddered as he thought of it. Whatever was done to save them, he would have to do, quickly. Yes, and to keep Chalmers from turning the products of his really fine scientific mind over to these rascals.
The castle was silent. He slipped out of bed, dressed, and buckled the faithful epee over his shoulder. It would not be much use against enchantments. But as long as the enchanters themselves believed it had magical power, it would help.
The door swung open noiselessly. There was no light in the corridor. The stone floor was cold under Shea’s feet. His soft leather boots made soundless progress. If he kept one hand along the wall, he thought he could find the way to the great hall, and so out. Step — step — the hand that had been following the wall touched nothingness. An appalling odour of cockatrice assailed his nostrils. Evidently the door of somebody’s laboratory. He went down to hands and knees and slithered past an inch at a time, hoping the creature would not wake up.
So. Here was the head of the stair. He took one step down, two — and felt something soft touch his ankles. Another step and the something soft was clear to his waist, catching at him. it felt ropy and vaguely slimy, a whole tangle of slime — cobwebs! For a moment Harold Shea felt unreasoning panic, as it seemed that going ahead and turning back would be equally fatal. Then he realized that this would be some of Busyrane’s magic, part of the ordinary castle safeguards, and of no special significance.
Yet what would cut through or destroy cobwebs? Fire. He had no fire. But in his previous adventure in Scandinavian myth, Surt’s giants had made use of flaming swords, and he had the epee. With an incantation to
