Another Fine Myth by Robert Asprin

“Well…!….”

“I should have known,” he raved on. “Deal with Imps and you invite trouble. Next thing you know every….”

He broke off suddenly and eyed us suspiciously. His hand disappeared into the folds and emerged with a clear crystal. He held it up and looked through it like an eye glass, scrutinizing us each in turn.

“I should have known,” he spat. “Would you be so kind as to remove your disguises? I like to know who I’m doing business with.”

I glanced at Aahz who nodded in agreement.

Closing my eyes, I began to effect the change to our normal appearance. I had enough time to wonder if Frumple would wonder about my transformation, if he realized I was actually a different person than the statue he had seen earlier. I needn’t have worried.

“A Pervert!” Frumple managed to make the word sound slimy.

“That’s Pervect if you want to do business with us,” Aahz corrected.

“It’s Pervert until I see the color of your money,” Frumple sneered back.

I was suddenly aware he was studying me carefully.

“Say, you wouldn’t by any chance be an Imp named Throckwoddle, would you?”

“Me? No! I… I’m….”

But he was already squinting at me through the crystal again.

“Hmph,” he grunted, tucking his viewer back in his robe. “I guess you’re okay. I’d love to get my hands on that Throckwoddle, though. He’s been awfully free spreading my name around lately.”

“Say, Frumple,” Aahz interjected. “You aren’t the only one who likes to see who he’s doing business with, you know.”

“Hm? Oh! Very well, if you insist.”

I expected him to close his eyes and go to work, but instead he dipped a hand into his robe again. This time he produced what looked like a small hand mirror with some sort of a dial on the back. Peering into the mirror, he began to gently turn the dial with his fingers.