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He paused, fingering his beard "That's true, I do But that's not really why I go home to eat It's because I want to talk toNoant to talk to her about this For one thing, she knows Silk better than I do"

He said, "You must mean Maytera Mint In a book rote, we-my wife Nettle and I-tried to iht e would actually take place"

"Good girl!"

Bison laughed "Don't call her Maytera, please She isn't a sibyl anymore and doesn't like to be reminded of it Call her General, or just Mint She doesn'tmuttered, "Bonny ride, bucky Traveled far, aye, an' h'every way but flyin' This's best Feel a' h'it"

"I had alotten about these, but I rode in the calde's once or twice before we left" He was looking out at the city through the transparent dome "Willet was the driver, and he promised to teach me to drive, too That was the day before ent up to the airship, and I've wondered sometimes whether he-well, never mind It doesn't o slower, then spoke to Pig, first touching his knee "Do you know about my wife?"

"Nae had ther honor"

"Then I should tell you She's in a wheelchair It's not that she can't walk She can, but it's painful So she uses the chair, ht to know Horn does already, I'm sure"

He turned from the contemplation of empty shops "No, I didn't What happened?"

"Someone tried to kill her"

Hound said, "I re about it"

"Why?"

"I don't know He was killed himself a few seconds after he fired" Bison lifted his shoulders and let them fall "If it weren't for your friend here, I wouldn't have mentioned it"

"Poor man," Oreb muttered It was not clear whether he intended Bison or the assassin "Poor girl"

Their floater, alreadyslowly, slowedstones before the Calde's Palace With the whisper of one who betrays a secret, its transparent do froreen uniform, he was a hoppy, a member of the Calde's Guard

Two more Guardsmen threw back the wide front doors of the Calde's Palace

Pig had taken his arm "Braw place, bucky? Feels sae"

"Handsome? Is that what brave h Mind the steps, though"

The questing tip of Pig's sheathed sword found the first

"I kept you waiting outside my office," Bison explained as he went up, "because I wanted to getyou She doesn't always feel up to entertaining, and it seemed better to find out how she was today in private Frankly, I was aer to see you"

Hound was already wide-eyed "I just wish Tansy were here That's my oife She would be so thrilled"

"If you live near here-" Bison began

"Oh, no It's-we live in Endroad And she'd have to dress and everything To tell you the truth, she probably wouldn't coh"

Bison's wife Mint aiting for the room in which Silk had once entertained Generalissimo Siyuf Bison hurried over to her "My dear, I would like to present Horn, a visitor froirl!" Oreb proclaih her face was pale and drawn, her sht "Welcootten me You used to be my runner"

He sood to see you again No, it's better than good Wonderful, in fact Have we been feeding you here in Viron?"

"Bountifully"

Hound said, "We breakfasted at our inn, just down the street There was lots of very good food, but he kept giving his to Pig"

"Bird eat!"

"And to Oreb, though Oreb didn't eat as estured toward the table "For all of you Sit down, please I'm seated already, and we don't stand on ceremony here, or not till shadelow My dear, would you push me?"

Bison did

"There, that's better" Fro dishes with satisfaction "I've put you all on one side because I had to We can't pass, unless there are at least three on a side The calde and I have to sit at a corner e eat in here by ourselves"

She rapped her glass three times with back of a table knife, and told the maid who appeared, "We're ready, I believe You ht to have an invocation Would you do it, Horn?"

He shook his head ruefully "You think I've becoht to this robe"

"Better a false augur than none If you don't do it, I'll have to ask the calde He'll send to the Prolocutor's Palace, and it will be time for dinner before we have our lunch"

"I-"

"Please, Horn For n of addition "Gracious Outsider, I, who learned so ood woman, do not know the proper one to make you on such an occasion We offer our thanks to you-inadequate thanks, yet all we have to give-for good food and for bringing us together in hospitality and friendship"

He sat, and Bison murmured, "Phaea bless our feast"

Mint picked up a platter "Here is squab salad, Pig It's a specialty here, or so we like to think May I give you some?"

"Thank yer kin'ly"

She heaped his plate "You're the uests You've hardly spoken a word since you ca talk!"

"Thank you, Oreb Hound, you're not eating Give him some of that sals in the hot ood at this, so you have to pretend that I've very cleverly uid meself, mistress"

"He's a difficult case," Mint told her husband "These overgrown boys are often like that It's hard to get them to contribute in class, but one , I knohy Horn ca He wants Calde Silk, and thinks I can give him to him I take it you're a friend of his Of Horn's, I mean"