in an uproar! Dodging! Throwing stones! Haven't thrown stones
since I was a sprat! Had a sling! You too? Better armed!' Crystal
water rushed forth like the old man's words until he had filled a
battered tankard. 'This new cull, Silk! Going to show 'em! We'll
see... Fighting, fighting! Threw stones, ducked and yelled! Five
with my sword. I tell you? Know how to make a sling?'
Silk nodded again, certain that he was being gulled but unresentful.
'Me too! Used to be good with one!' The tankard arrived with a
cracked green plate holding a shapeless lump of white-rinded cheese
only slightly smaller than Silk's head. 'Watch this!' Thrown from
across the room, a big butcher knife buried its blade in the cheese.
'You asked whether I'd been out much tonight.'
'Think there's any real fighting now?' Abruptly, Xiphias found
himself siding with Bison. 'Nothing! Nothing at all! Snipers shooting
shadows to keep awake.' He paused, his face suddenly thoughtful.
'Can't see the other man's blade in the dark, can you? Interesting.
Interesting! Have to try it! A whole new field! What do you think?'
The sight and the rich, corrupt aroma of the cheese had awakened
Silk's appetite. 'I think that I'll have a piece,' he replied with sudden
resolution. He was about to die--very well, but no god had
condemned him to die hungry. 'Oreb, you like cheese, too, I know.
It was one of the first things you told me, remember?'
'Want a plate?' It came with a quarter of what must have been a
gargantuan loaf on a nicked old board, and a bread knife nearly as
large as Auk's hanger. 'All I've got! You eat at cookshops, mostly? I
do! Bad now! All shut!'
Silk swallowed. 'This is delicious cheese and wonderful wine. I
thank you for it, Master Xiphias and Feasting Phaea.' Impelled by
habit, the last words had left his lips before he discovered that he did
not mean them.
'For my lesson!' The old man dropped into a chair. 'Can you
throw, lad? Knives and whatnot? Like I just did?'
'I doubt it. I've never tried.'
'Want me to teach you? You're an augur?'
Silk nodded again as he sliced bread.
'So's this Silk! You know Bison? He told me! Told us all!'
Xiphias raised his glass, discovered he had neglected to fill it, and
did so. 'Funny, isn't it? An augur! Heard about him? He's an
augur too!'
Although his mouth watered for the bread, Silk managed, 'That's
what they say.'
'He's here! He's there! Everybody knows him! Nobody knows
where he is! Going to do away with the Guard! Half's on his side
already! Ever hear such nonsense in your life? No taxes, but he'll
dig canals!' Master Xiphias made a rude noise. 'Pas and the rest!
Could they do all that people want by this time tomorrow? You
know they couldn't!'
Oreb hopped back onto Silk's shoulder. 'Good drink!'
He chewed and swallowed. 'You should have some of this cheese,
too, Oreb. It's marvelous.'
'Bird full.'
Xiphias chortled. 'Me too, Oreb! That's his name? Ate when I got
home! Ever see a shoat? Like that! All the meat, half the bread, and
two apples! Why'd you go out?'
Silk patted his lips. 'That was what I came to talk to you about,
Master Xiphias. I was on the East Edge--'
'You walked?'
'Walked and ran, yes.'
'No wonder you're limping! Wanted to sit, didn't you? I remember!'
'There was no other way by which I might hope to reach the
Palatine,' Silk explained, 'but there were Guardsmen all along one
side of Box Street, and the rebels--General Mint's people--had
three times as many on the other, young men mostly, but women
and even children, too, though the children were mostly sleeping. I
had trouble getting across.'
'I'll lay you did!'
'Maytera--General Mint's people wanted to take me to her when
they found out who I was. I had a hard time getting away from
them, but I had to. I have an appointment at Ermine's.'
'On the Palatine? You should've stayed with the Guard! Thousands
there! Know Skink? Tried about suppertime! Took a pounding! Two brigades!
Taluses, too!'
Silk persevered. 'But I must go there, without fighting if I can. I
must get to Ermine's.' Before he could rein in his tongue he added,
'She might actually be there.'
'See a woman, eh, lad?' Xiphias's untidy beard rearranged
itself in a smile. 'What if I tell old whatshisname? Old man,
purple robe?'
'I had hoped--'
'I won't! I won't! Forget everything anyhow, don't I? Ask
anybody! We going tomorrow? Need a place to sleep?'
'Day sleep,' Oreb advised.
'Tonight,' Silk told the old man miserably, 'and only I am going.
But it has to be tonight. Believe me, I would postpone it until
morning if I could.'
'Drinking wine? No more for us!' Xiphias recorked the bottle and
set it on the floor beside his chair. 'Watch your bird! Watch and
learn! Knows more than you, lad!'
'Smart bird!'
'Hear that? There you are!' Xiphias bounced out of his chair.
'Have an apple? Forgot 'em! Still a few.' He opened the oven door
and banged it shut. 'Not in there! Had to move 'em! Cooked the
meat! Where's Auk?'
'I've no idea, I'm afraid.' Silk cut himself a second, smaller piece
of cheese. 'I hope he's home in bed. May I put that apple you're
looking for in my pocket? I appreciate it very much--I feel a great
deal better--but I must go. I wanted to ask whether you knew a
route to the Palatine that might be safer than the principal street--'
'Yes, lad! I do, I do!' Triumphantly, Xiphias displayed a bright
