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T he huge door to the House of Foryx was alreat planks of ebony, fixed together with blackened iron bars and long lines of rivets Around the door was a heavy frame carved with monsters and bizarre creatures that stared down at Jenna, Septi onto their wolverine cloaks, plucking up the courage to ring the long bellpull that eranite beside the door
"Now, you remember e decided?" Septio in and I&039;ll wait outside I&039;ll give you three hours on the ti the bell If you don&039;t co every hour until you do Okay?"
"Great" Septin
Jenna reached up and yanked hard on the bellpull Deep within the House of Foryx a bell jangled
Silently they stood in the steadily falling snow and waitedand waited
After what felt like hours, the door creaked slowly open A sure peered out
"Yeeeeeeeeees?" it said
Jenna stared at the DoorKeeper She re on his funny, squeaky voice in which he pronounced the "R" as a "W," and les overcame her
The DoorKeeper looked sohed when they arrived at the House of Foryx He reminded Jenna of a brown bat He was s brownbrown capebat, he clung to the doorknob as if he were afraid of being bloay
"Um, may we come in, please?" asked Jenna
"Dooooooooo you have an appointaptheir way in
"An appointment?" replied Jenna "No, but - "
"Nooooooooo one enters the House without an appoint, bat-squeak of a voice He stared at Jenna reproachfully, his eyes like little black beads
"In that case I would like to make an appointment, please," Jenna told him
"Veeeeeeeeeell You may enter when you have made it Good-bye"
"But hoe an to close the door "No - wait!" Jenna yelled
Beetle leaped forward and put his foot against the door The DoorKeeper pushed hard against Beetle&039;s boot A battle developed between Beetle&039;s boot and the door, but inch by inch the DoorKeeper pushed Beetle&039;s boot back Beetle added his shoulder to the pressure of his boot and leaned against the door, but the strength of the DoorKeeper was out of proportion to his set inside - they had to It was unthinkable to be so close to Nicko and to have the door sla her weight to Beetle&039;s, but still the door kept closing
"Stop!" yelled Septimus "We don&039;t need an appoint Stone under the nose of the DoorKeeper "We&039;ve got this"
The DoorKeeper stopped pushing and looked at the Stone He peered up at Septimus and said suspiciously, "What, are all of you on the Queste?"
"Yes," said Septimus defiantly
"Typical You wait thousands of years for one Appwentice and then thwee co at once"
Jenna stared at the DoorKeeper in amazement He spoke exactly as Silas had done - he couldn&039;t pronounce his Rs Did Silas know about the House of Foryx, she wondered? Had he been here once?
The DoorKeeper scrutinized thereen tunic "You can come in," he said to Septimus, "but the other two can&039;t"
Jenna panicked at the thought of Septi into the House of Foryx on his own If he did, she was sure they would never see hi outside for days, for weeks -home without hi the next part of Silas&039;s bedtiht of the Riddle"
The DoorKeeper looked at her in amazement "You what?" he asked
Aware that Septione crazy, Jenna repeated,
"We deht of the Widdle?"
"Yes," said Jenna very firht face - despite a suppressed splutter frorumpily
"Go on, then," proan to chant in his high-pitched voice,
"I spit like bacon,