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"I quite forgot You do it, please," said Gideon, giving Mr George the black scarf "I’ll … I’ll go on ahead"

Mr George sighed as Gideon walked off Then he looked at ht I’d warned you, Gwyneth," he said as he tied the cloth in front of ht to be careful where your echeeks "Then you shouldn’t let me spend so ain! If they’d wanted me not to fall in love with Gideon, they should have made sure he was an unattractive idiot with a silly quiff of hair, grubby fingernails, and a speech impediment And they could have left out the violin stuff

Mr George led o that I was sixteen years old But I do ree"

"Mr George, have you told anyone that I can see ghosts?"

"No," said Mr George "That’s to say, I did try, but no one would listen to me You see, the Guardians are scientists and y Careful, there’s a step here"

"Lesley--she’s my best friend, but you probably know that--well, Lesley thinks that ic of the raven"

Mr George said nothing for a while Then he replied, "Yes I think so, too"

"And how exactly is the ic of the raven supposed to help me?"

"My dear child, if only I could tell you I wish you’d rely more on sound human reason, but…"

"But I’ to say?" I couldn’t help laughing "You’re probably right"

Gideon aiting for us in the chronograph room, with Falk de Villiers, who paid me a rather absentwheels of the chronograph ht, Gwyneth, today your conversation with Count Saint-Germain takes place It’s afternoon, the day before the soirée"

"I know," I said, with a surreptitious glance at Gideon

"It’s not a particularly arduous task," said Falk "Gideon will take you up to the count’s rooain"

That had to an to feel anxious at once

"Don’t worry You were getting on so well yesterday, reraph and smiled at me "Ready?"

"Ready when you are," I said softly, while the rooht and Gideon disappeared before ave Falk my hand

"Today’s password is qui nescit dissinare," said Falk, as he pressed the needle intowent around in a swirl of red

When I landed, I had forgotten the password again

"Everything’s all right," said Gideon’s voice right besideus He ht us a candle"

"Yes, but he doesn’t know exactly where we land," said Gideon

"Why not?"

I couldn’t see hi his shoulders "He’s never asked, and I have a vague feeling he wouldn’t be very happy to think of us using his beloved alche Go carefully--this place is full of fragile objects"

We groped our way to the door Out in the corridor, Gideon lit a torch and took it out of its holder It cast eerie,shadows on the wall, and I instinctively moved a step closer to Gideon "What was that wretched password again? Just in case anyone hits you on the head"

"Qui nescit dissinare"