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"I've been ," Garion said to Silk "Always before, you acted almost as if you were ashah, you see choice of words"

"You knohat I ed at one earlobe "In the West, my title's an inconvenience It attracts too s are different here in Mallorea Here, nobody takes you seriously unless you've got a title I've got one, so I use it It opens certain doors for s with people ouldn't have ti's really changed, though"

"Then all of that posturing and pomposity--pardon the terms--are just for show?"

"Of course they are, Garion You don't think I've turned into a coht came to Garion "Then Prince Kheldar is as much a fiction as Ambar and Radek, isn't he?"

"Of course he is"

"But where's the real Silk?"

"It's very hard to say, Garion" Silk sighed "Soo" He looked around at the fog "Let's go below," he said "Murky looue or so beyond the breakwater, the sky turned a rusty color, and the fog began to thin The sea lying to the east of the coast of Mallorea rolled in long, sullen swells that spoke of vast stretches of uninterrupted water The ship ran before the prevailing wind, her prow knifing through the swells, and by late afternoon the coast of the largest of the Melcene Islands was clearly visible on the horizon

The harbor of the city of Melcena was croith shipping froainst each other in the choppy water as Silk's captain carefully threaded his way toward the stone quays thrusting out from the shore It was dusk by the tih the broad streets toward the house he maintained there

Melcena appeared to be a sedate even stuffy city The streets ide and scrupulously clean The houses were i, and the inhabitants all wore robes in sober hues There was none of the bustle here that was evident in other cities The citizens of Melcena h the streets with decorum, and the street hawkers did not bawl their wares in those strident voices that helped so much to raise that continual shouted babble that filled the streets of less reserved cities Although Melcena lay in tropic latitudes, the prevailing breeze coh to ht more properly be called a palace It was constructed of e forarden and flanked by stately trees A paved drive curved up through the garden to a porch lined with columns, and liveried servants stood attentively at the entryway

"Opulent," Sadi noted as they dismounted

"It's a nice little place," Silk adhed "Actually, Sadi, it's mostly for show Personally, I prefer shabby little offices in back streets, but Melcena takes itself very seriously, and one has to try to fit in, if one plans to do business here Let's go inside"

They went up the broad steps and through an ie, and the walls were clad with rand staircase "The rooiven over to offices," he explained "The living quarters are up here"

"What sort of business do you do here?" Durnik asked "I didn't see anything that looked like a warehouse"

"There aren't many warehouses in Melcena," Silk said as he opened a door and led the roooods are normally stored on the s here and then turning around and shipping theain"

"That s of the room they had entered were ornate Divans and cos here and there, and wax candles burned in sconces along the wood-paneled walls

"It's a little late to be wandering around the streets looking for Zandra to eat, get a good night's sleep, and then Garion and I can start out early in the arath agreed, sinking down onto a well-upholstered divan