* * *
Some time later, Gwendolyn reemerged into the courtyard. The Roach followed a few steps behind, then stopped. Gwendolyn turned back to face him.
“You’re sure you won’t come?”
The Roach shook his head. “There’s no need, Gwendolyn. You can fill the General in on the situation, and I need to get to Blain as soon as possible. Except for Prygg, the initial blows will land there the hardest. And the comrades in Blain have the best contacts with Pryggia.”
She hesitated.
“Go,” he said gently.
PART XIV
In Which Our
Heroes Complete the
First of Their Self-Appointed
Tasks, Falling Thereby Into the Most
Unseemly and Questionable Company,
At Great Peril To Their
Good Reputation.
CHAPTER XVII.
A Search for a Secret Door, Thwarted by a Clumsy Dwarf. A Surprising Entrance Found, Thanks to a Clumsy Dwarf. The Secret of Its Entry Sought By the Mage’s Lore, Undone By a Doltish Apprentice. A Stairway Leads Up!
The following day, under cover of a heavy rainfall, wizard and apprentice set out on their mission. Guided by his cunning, Zulkeh quickly found the location of Magrit’s house. It was much as described the evening before: a gray, dilapidated building, four stories in height, surmounted by a profusion of turrets, crenelets, and whatnot architectural monstrosities. Even from a distance, the main entrance was plainly evident: a large wooden door, painted yellow, facing directly onto the street.
“Seek we now another entry,” whispered Zulkeh to his apprentice. “Quiet now, Shelyid! Enemies lurk all about!” And so saying, the mage circled the block and came up to the rear wall surrounding Magrit’s domicile.
“Doubtless there is to be found a secret door in this wall,” spoke the mage. “Search now, dwarf, and be quick about it!”
Alas, the dwarf’s efforts at finding the concealed entrance were sorely hampered by the overhang of his sack, the which prevented him from approaching the wall closer than two arm-lengths away. Shelyid began to whimper and complain.
“But master, I can’t see anything and I can’t even get close to the wall.”
“Clumsy dwarf!” oathed Zulkeh. “Is the advance of science to be thwarted by the stubby limbs of such as you? Stretch your joints, dolt! Again, I command you: find the secret door!”
Grumbling but obedient, the dwarf made a valiant effort to reach the wall. But in his clumsiness he stepped upon a wooden storm drain grate, the which, overcome by the bantamweight gnome and the heavyweight sack, broke beneath his feet.
“Help, master! Save me!” shrieked Shelyid, as he plummeted into the hole. In an instant he was gone.
“My sack!” cried Zulkeh, and leapt after the gnome.
The gentle reader may imagine the difficult moments which ensued, what with wizard and apprentice swept along down a storm drain torrential with rainfall. Fortunately, though much battered about, our heroes quickly came to rest upon a ledge within the sewer below. All was as dark as a cellar at midnight. But it was only a moment before Shelyid produced a taper from the sack, the which soon produced enough light to see a few feet.
“Diminutive clod!” oathed Zulkeh. “Did I not entrust you with the safekeeping of my thaumaturgic possessions?” He cuffed the gnome soundly.
“Yet all was not in vain,” continued the wizard. “For look you, wretch of an apprentice!” His finger pointed to a large gate in the wall next to Shelyid. Through the gate could be seen a passageway beyond, which was dry as a bone. “No doubt yon passage leads direct to some hidden entry into the witch’s quarters. Seek we now the trick of its opening.”
For long moments did the wizard remain poised in silent stillness, examining the iron gate with that degree of concentration which is the unique attribute of great sorcerers, a depth of perceptive focus which is as far beyond the understanding of common folk as is the eagle’s power of flight to frogs in the fen. Meanwhile, Shelyid shivered and hugged himself, looking both bedraggled and woebegone.
At length the mage spoke.
“Know, my stupid but loyal—I graciously leave aside the scandalous events of the evening past—apprentice, that the problem which presents itself to us at this moment is of the deepest intricacy.”