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'It's not that Imarried to a duchess that coet used to it'

'I hope not'

'Good And now, Ysabell,' said Keli, setting her jaw, 'if you are to move in royal circles there are soave Mort a despairing look as she ept away into the crowd, and was soon lost to view

Mort ran a finger around the inside of his collar, looked both ways, and then darted into a fern-shaded corner near the end of the buffet where he could have a quiet moment to himself

Behind him the Master of Cerelazed look

The Stealer of Souls,' he said in the faraway voice of one whose ears aren't hearing what his , 'Defeater of Empires, Ser of Oceans, Thief of Years, The Ultimate Reality, Harvester of Mankind, the --'

ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT I CAN SEE MYSELF IN

Mort paused with a cold turkey leg halfway to his mouth He didn't turn around He didn't need to There was nothat voice, felt rather than heard, or the way in which the air chilled and darkened The chatter andreception slowed and faded

'We didn't think you'd come,' he said to a potted fern

TO MY OWN DAUGHTER'S WEDDING? ANYWAY, IT WAS THE FIRST TIME I'VE EVER HAD AN INVITATION TO ANYTHING IT HAD GOLD EDGES AND RSVP AND EVERYTHING

'Yes, but when you weren't at the service --'

I THOUGHT PERHAPS IT WOULD NOT BE ENTIRELY APPROPRIATE

'Well, yes, I suppose so --'

TO BE FRANK, I THOUGHT YOU WERE GOING TO MARRY THE PRINCESS

Mort blushed 'We talked about it,' he said 'Then we thought, just because you happen to rescue a princess, you shouldn't rush into things'

VERY WISE Too MANY YOUNG WOMEN LEAP INTO THE ARMS OF THE FIRST YOUNG MAN TO WAKE THEM AFTER A HUNDRED YEARS' SLEEP, FOR EXAMPLE

'And, well, we thought that all in all, well, once I really got to know Ysabell, well

YES, YES, I AM SURE AN EXCELLENT DECISION

HOWEVER, I HAVE DECIDED NOT TO INTEREST MYSELF IN HUMAN AFFAIRS ANY FURTHER

Really?'

EXCEPT OFFICIALLY, OF COURSE IT WAS CLOUDING MY JUDGEMENT

A skeletal hand appeared on the edge of Mort's vision and skilfully speared a stuffed egg Mort spun around

'What happened?' he said 'I've got to know! OneRoom and the next ere in a field outside the city, and ere really us! I mean, reality had been altered to fit us in! Who did it?'

I HAD A WORD WITH THE GODS Death looked uncomfortable

'Oh You did, did you?' said Mort Death avoided his gaze

YES

'I shouldn't think they were very pleased'

THE GODS ARE JUST THEY ARE ALSO SENTIMENTALISTS I HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO MASTER IT, MYSELF

BUT YOU AREN'T FREE YET YOU MUST SEE TO IT THAT HISTORY TAKES PLACE

'I know,' said Mort 'Uniting the kingdo'

YOU MIGHT END UP WISHING YOU'D STAYED WITH ME

'I certainly learned a lot,' Mort admitted He put his hand up to his face and absent-mindedly stroked the four thin white scars across his cheek 'But I don't think I was cut out for that sort of work Look, I'm really sorry --'

I HAVE A PRESENT FOR YOU

Death put down his plate of hors d'oeuvres and fumbled in the ed it was holding a little globe between thuer

It was about three inches across It could have been the largest pearl in the world, except that the surface was aswirl of co the to avoid it