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The little wagon rolled out through the gates and away down the long line of hills toward the north。 Still Dolwys' foot was upon my own； his jaw next to mine chewing endlessly at nothing。 It was hard； hard with Izia lying there not five paces from me； weeping upon her hands； the Dupies capering about her as they made sorcerous motions with their plump little hands。
〃Oh； pretty； pretty； all for Dupies； this one。 Oh； we will love it to death； pretty legs； pretty legs。〃
I shuddered； somehow aware of what it was the Tallman planned； so hideous a thing； and yet it came into my mind as though Didir had plucked it from the Tallman's head。 I would stop it； stop it； but the need was not yet； for Tallman called the Dupies away to unload the wagons which Nap had left behind。 They called into play a kind of metal creature with arms and a clattering track for feet which helped them； and Fatman carried some things to and fro。 There was ore of a kind so special that they picked up even tiny fragments of it dropped from the sacks； bottles and jars of stuff I did not recognize； long bundles of herbs with an odor which reminded me of Windlow's herb garden in that land far to the south。 Soon they had unloaded all the wagons except the little cold…cart which Nap had told me contained perishable fruits。 All the sacks and bundles were heaped on that strange flat car which Tallman had arrived upon。
Now came a strange hiatus。
Tallman went to the cold…cart； walked around it； lifted its covering； touched it here and there。 Behind him the monsters wheeled and capered； silent as shadows。 The hood hid whatever passed for Tallman's face； but the angle of his head spoke of concentration。 At last he spoke。
〃You are a good hitch； you Fatman； you Dupies。 I chose well to choose you from the monster pits as my hitch。 You did well to warn me that the Trader had not brought everything； Fatman。 I had time to find out what to do 。。。 what questions to ask。〃
The tenor Dupey said； 〃Tallman？ Will they be angry？ They will be angry； won't they？〃
The lofty head nodded； once； twice。
〃But Dupey still gets the legs； don't we； Tallman？ Dupey gets the pretty legs to have。 Oh； we'll put them in the coldwagon； Tallman。 They'll last a long time in the coldwagon。〃
The lofty head turned toward Izia； spoke softly。 〃I said you would be rewarded； Dupey。 So you shall。〃 Then； voice raised； 〃Do you know your fate； woman？ Dupey does not care whether you know or not； but I enjoy it more when the fate is known and the one shaped like them can suffer in knowing what will happen。〃 The pole…like form shifted from side to side； as though blown by an unfelt wind。 〃Dupey has two heads； as you have observed。 Two sets of arms； two upper bodies。 However； he has only one set of hips and legs。 He needs another set； obviously。 He prefers a female set； for reasons of his own； eh。 Dupey？〃 The monster capered； patted his cheeks； kissed himself； busied himself about his lower body with both sets of hands。 Peter； water ox； could not watch。 Dolwys's foot pressed upon me。
〃Give me；〃 cried Dupey in two voices。 〃Give me。〃
〃He has various ways of removing the top half；〃 mused the Tallman。 〃Dupey is original； innovative。 I have been much amused by watching Dupey。〃
〃Dupey was saved；〃 the monster cried。 〃Saved from the horrid midwifes。 Saved to serve Tallman and them。 Weren't we； Tallman？ Oh； give me 。
〃Patience； patience； Dupies。 First you must unload the cold…wagon。 Otherwise you will have nowhere to keep the pretty legs Some other sound came from Tallman； some sound of humor。 pared to that sound； laughter is the song of angels。 Such a sound devils might make。
But with that sound the cover was thrown back from the chill wagon； and long bundles were brought from it and laid in a single； close layer upon the car。 Something about the size and shape of those bundles picked at a mind horrified by Tallman； petrified by monsters； picked at a mind without result。 But then Dupey turned too quickly from his work； and the covering of one of the bundles caught upon his belt。 He turned to cover the contents of the bundle again； quickly； but the water ox which was Peter had seen； seen； seen。 It was Windlow。 old Windlow lying there； ash gray with cold； unmoving。 It all happened too fast； too fast for Peter or Dolwys to react； for Tallman was once more on the car； the pawns were summoned to sit upon its edges； and it was moving away through the tower mouth which had rumbled open。 Fatman was watching Dupey。 Dupey was approaching Izia。 Peter fought to be in two places at once； but it was too late。 The tower door mumbled shut。
Water oxen have horns； usually blunted。 They have huge； slow feet。 They are ponderous； quiet； seldom moved to anger。 Therefore； what Dolwys and I became might not have been called water oxen but something else； not totally unlike。 Our horns were needle sharp； our feet hard and hooved； our anger real。 Dupey never reached the place where Izia lay。 Fatman was spilled from his wagon long before he reached the tower door he wheeled for。 Beneath the trampling hooves they became mere broken clots of shadow upon the hard pavement within the darkness of the spidery arches。 When we had done my heart was pounding as though we had fought a great battle； and it was almost with surprise that I turned to see Izia still upon the ground； mouth open in bleak astonishment。
It was furred…Peter and long…legged Dolwys who brought her up the steep slopes to the pinnacle where Mavin waited。 Perhaps she had been watching us from her bird form； for it needed little explanation to tell her what had happened。 Izia fell away from our supporting arms to curl upon the stone； turned into herself as a snail turns； tight against the world。 The seared； horrid skin of her legs lay bare； an obscene statement of her life with Laggy Nap。 Dolwys and I sat panting until I could speak。
〃Windlow's body。 Mavin。 Brought by Nap； in the wagon。 The Tallman took it。 Through those doors。 We didn't have time to 。。。 I'll have to go back。〃
〃But we need a Healer for her；〃 said Dolwys。 〃We must do something for the girl！〃
〃We have a Healer；〃 said Mavin； fixing me with her raptor's eyes。 〃That is； we have one if Peter chooses to use it
I was so breathless； so senseless； that it took me a time to realize what she meant。 Dealpas。 First among Healers。 Among tile Gamesman of Barish in my pocket。
〃Of course；〃 I stuttered。 〃At once； I'll 。。。〃
〃Shhh；〃 she said。 〃Take a moment to get your breath。 She will not perish in the next moment what she has survived for the past years。〃 She went to the woman and knelt beside her urging Izia to her feet； into the cave and onto the bed there； pressing a hot brew into her hands； all despite Izia's inprehension and blank…eyed apathy。 The sight of her legs had done what all the years of Laggy Nap had not； driven her into a kind of madness。
〃What if Dealpas cannot heal her？〃 I murmured； to no one in particular。 It was Swolwys who answered me as he brought me some of that same brew which Mavin was spooning into Izia。
〃Well； and what if the Healer cannot？ Or you cannot？ Then she must live or die with what is； as we all must。 It will not lie upon your shoulders； Peter。 If blame be found； let it be found on Nap's hands。〃
〃You could go further back than that；〃 I said bitterly。 〃To the Shifter who sold Izia when she was only a child。 She could not have been more than seven or eight then。 Taken from Game knows where； sold for Game knows what reason。
〃Do not say 'Shifter' in that tone；〃 Swolwys demanded。 〃It could have been a Seer； or a Tragamor； or a pawn； for all that。 Each plays his Game； and Games eat men。 They eat children； also； but it is the Game does it； not the Gamesman。〃
〃Some Gamesmen do；〃 I said； thinking of Mandor； and Nap； and the fat Duke of Betand。 Swolwys was right； though。 I did tend to think ill of Shifters； both because of Schlaizy Noithn and because of 。。。 Yarrel。 What brought Yarrel to mind？ I had not seen him since he walked away from me outside Bannerwell； giving up our friendship； turning his back on me。 His face swam into my mind； dark hair； level brows； large…nosed and generous…lipped。 I pressed my hands to my face and shook myself。 Now was not the time to indulge in this bitter…sweet nostalgia。 I went into the cave。
〃Let me try Dealpas；〃 I said to Mavin。 〃Though it may not work。 Silkhands the Healer told me that tissue； once dead； cannot be healed。〃
Mavin had uncovered Izia's legs and was studying them as I spoke。 The boots had e high upon her thighs； almost to the crotch； and there was a line around her thighs there； healthy pink glow of flesh above； gray scabrous hide below； like a dis…eased lizard。 〃I do not think the tissue is dead；〃 she said。 〃I think the boots did not really burn at all； but acted directly upon the nerves。 This flesh is abnormal； but it lives。 。
〃Well； let us hope Dealpas will know。〃 I reached into the pocket to find the little Gamesman。 I had to search among them。 Dealpas did not e into my hand readily。 My fingers chased her among the other pieces； catching her finally against my flesh。 She came reluctantly； slowly； with infinite regret。 〃I thought I had left all this；〃 I felt her say。 〃Pain。 Suffering。 I t