There were people here even at this late hour. Some of them looked at Stulwig.
But almost everybody stopped and stared in the direction from which Stulwig had
come – where a great brightness shone into the sky, visible above a long, low
building with a dozen projecting towers.
Everywhere, now, voices were expressing amazement. And then, even as Stulwig
wondered if Vashanka would actually continue his pursuit – abruptly, the
brilliant light winked out.
It took a while, then, to gather his courage. But the feeling was: even though I
made the mistake of fighting, I won-
Returning took a while longer. Also, the streets were darker again; and so his
nakedness was not so obvious. Passersby had to come close before, in a city
where so many were skimpily dressed, they could see a naked man at night. Thus
he was able to act cautiously, without shame.
Finally, then, holding his stave in front of him, Stulwig climbed the stairs up
to his darkened quarters. Found the candle that was always lit (and replaced, of
course, at proper intervals) at the bottom of a long tube in his office. And
then, when he had made certain that the place was, indeed, free of intruders, he
hastily replaced the barricade.
A little later.
Stulwig lay sprawled on his bed, unable to sleep. He considered taking one of
the herbs he normally prescribed for light sleepers. But that might send him off
into a drugged unconsciousness. And for this night that seemed a last resort.
Not to be done casually.
Lying there, tossing, he grew aware that there were sounds coming to him out of