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The bridge was as well lighted as the Water Way had been shadowed There were fla poles every ten strides or so, and at intervals of about a hundred strides, bartizans whose guardrooe piers Carriages with lanterns rattled along, and ed the ere accohts themselves There were vendors who shouted the wares they displayed in trays hung froars who showed their sores, feigned to play flageolets and ophicleides, and pinched their children to make them weep

I confess I wasprohibitedat it With my hood draell overthe crowd as if indifferent to it; but for a short tiue er and swifter because I wanted to reuards in the bartizans were not city rounds transparent shields I was almost at the western bank when two stepped forward to barspears "It is a serious crime to wear the costuer yourself for its sake"

I said, "I auild"

"You seriously claim you are a carnifex, then? Is that a sword you carry?"

"It is, but I a I am a journeyman of the Order of the Seekers for Truth and Penitence"

There was a silence A hundred people or so had surrounded us in the few moments required for them to ask, and me to answer, their question I saw the peltast who had not spoken glance at the other as if to say he means it, and then at the crowd

"Coe wishes to speak with you"

They waited while I preceded theh the narrow door The interior boasted only one small room, with a table and a few chairs I mounted a little stair much worn by booted feet In the rooh desk My captors had followed me up, and e stood before him, the one who had spoken previously said, "This is the e answered without looking up

"He calls hiuild of torturers"

For asteadily before, paused "I had never thought to encounter such a thing outside the pages of some book, but I dare say he speaks no ht we to release him then?" the soldier asked

"Not quite yet"

Now the lochage wiped his quill, sanded the letter over which he had labored, and looked up at us I said, "Your subordinates stopped ht to the cloak I wear"

"They stopped you because I ordered it, and I ordered it because you were creating a disturbance, according to the report of the eastern turrets If you are of the guild of torturers - which to be honest I had supposed reforo - you have spent your life in the - What do you call it?"

"The Matachin Tower"

He snapped his fingers, and looked as though he were both arined "I mean the place where your tower stands"

"The Citadel"

"Yes, the Old Citadel It's east of the river, as I recall, and just at the northern edge of the Algedonic Quarter I was taken there to see the Donjon when I was a cadet How often have you gone out into the city?"

I thought of our swi expeditions and said, "Often"

"Dressed as you are now?"

I shookto do that, pull back that hood I can only see the tip of your nose wiggle" The lochage slid froe "How many people do you think there are in Nessus?"

"I have no idea"

"No more do I, Torturer No more does anyone Every attempt to count them has failed, as has every attees every night, like writing chalked on a wall Houses are built in the streets by clever people who take up the cobbles in the dark and clairound - did you know that? The exultant Talarican, whoseinterest in the lowest aspects of hu the garbage of others nu acrobats, of whom nearly half are women That if a pauper were to leap froe each time we draw breath, we should live forever, because the city breeds and breaks , there is no alternative to peace Disturbances cannot be tolerated, because disturbances cannot be extinguished Do you follow me?"

"There is the alternative of order But yes, until that is achieved, I understand"

The lochage sighed and turned to face ood It will be necessary, then, for you to obtain "

"I cannot return to the Citadel"

"Then get out of sight tonight and buy so tomorrow Have you funds?"

"A trifle, yes"

"Good Buy so Or steal, or strip the clothes fro I'd have one of my fellows take you to an inn, but that wouldstill There's been so each other tooand a fog's co?"

"I am appointed to the town of Thrax"

The peltast who had spoken before said, "Do you believe hie? He's shown no proof that he's what he claiain, and now I too saw the threads of ochre mist "If you can't use your head, use your nose," he said "What odors entered with him?"

The peltast s iron, cold sweat, putrescent blood An is picked from a trunk If you don't wake to your business soon, Petronax, you'll be north fighting the Ascians"

The peltast said, "But Lochage - " shooting such a look of hatred toward ht attempt to do me some harm when I left the bartizan

"Show this fellow you are indeed of the torturers' guild"

The peltast was relaxed, so there was no great difficulty I knocked his shield aside with ht to pin him while I crushed that nerve in the neck that induces convulsions

Chapter 15