not from around here and I’m a little disoriented.”
I decided at the last moment to try to keep my off-dimen-
sion origins a secret. The policeman seemed to be fooled
by my disguise spell, and I saw no point in enlightening
him unless asked directly.
“You’re being too polite!” the Djin whispered insistantly.
“That’s what made him suspicious in the first place, re-
member?”
“Not from around here, eh?” the cop snarled. “So
tell me, Mr. Can’t-Walk-Like-Normal-Folks-Skeeve, just
where is it you’re from . . . exactly^”
‘So much for keeping my origins a secret.
“Well, I was born on Klah, but lately I’ve been living
at the Bazaar at Deva where I …”
“From off-dimension! I might have known. I suppose
comin’ from Deva that you’re going to try to tell me you’re
here on business.”
“Well, sort of. I’m here looking for my business partner.”
“Another one from off-dimension! Any more and we’ll
have to fumigate the whole place.”
The cop’s mouth was starting to get on my nerves, but 1
thought it wise to keep a rein on my temper, despite the
warning from Kalvin.
“Actually, he’s from here. That is, he’s a Pervect.”
“A Pervect? Now I’ve heard everything. A fellow from
off-dimension who claims to have a Pervect for a business
partner!”
MYTH-NOMERS AND IM-PERVECTIONS 29
That did it.
“That’s right!” I barked. “What’s more, he happens to
be my best friend. We had a fight and I’m trying to find
him and get him to rejoin the company. What’s it to you,
anyway?”
The cop gave ground a little, then scowled at me.
“Well, I guess you’re tellin’ the truth. Even someone