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〃Huld； my dear fellow。〃 Thus Manacle engaging in rough shoulder pats which caused Huld to tighten his lips and smile angrily。 Manacle； not noticing。 〃Dear fellow。 So nice of you to join us。 This is an occasion； you know。 Signal Day is only two days hence； and it is time to rededicate ourselves to our historic mission。 We bring in a few new monsters to serve as breeders； properly consecrated； of course。 My position requires me to be first； to set an example。 Not the most enjoyable of our duties； but〃…manly chuckle…〃not the least。 Will you join us？〃
〃May I hope； Dean Manacle； that in the flurry of preparations you have not forgotten why I am here？〃 Huld； stiff； angry； but with something behind the anger…a kind of gleefulness？ Something out of place； something conniving。 Didir heard it。
〃Certainly not； dear fellow。 Of course not。 I have transmitted your warnings to several of my colleagues。 They are concerned； most concerned。 They consider your request quite appropriate； under the circumstances。 The mittee will meet tonight； and we will bring the matter before them at that time。〃
〃And you've received the cargo？ All of it？ That Seer； Windlow； and Himaggery； so…called Wizard？ Most important； the young Necromancer； Peter？〃
Manacle shifted unfortably。 〃Well now； there's a bit of bother about that。 We have two of them； brought in only a few days ago。 Yes。 But one seems to have been killed en route； so to speak； at least so I am told。 The Tallman believed so。 He sent the Gifter back to find one of those gamespeople who are supposed to be able to raise the dead。 Nothing to that supposition； of course。 Impossible to raise the dead。 Not like your own talent； my dear Huld； which we have studied and find some scientific basis for。 At any rate； the young one isn't in the cargo。
Huld glared； heat ing off his skin to make Manacle move back from his blazing。 〃I do not believe he was killed。〃
〃My dear man； the Tallman was quite explicit。 The Gifter said a rockfall had pletely buried him。 No chance of his having survived。 Shear； e over here and tell our friend what the Tallman said about that boy who was killed
〃I don't care what your Tallman said。〃 Huld in fury。 〃Haven't you understood anything I've said to you？ Let me say it again。 The Council plots against you； against the magicians。 I came to warn you； out of friendship； in return for past favors。 The Council works through certain Gamesmen in the outer world。 They have done so for decades。 Now； they move beyond that。 They create Gamesmen。 Gamesmen with new Talents； powerful Talents。 Peter is one。 He is no ordinary Gamesman； no ordinary Talent！ I； too； once thought him dead； or as good as！ I was wrong。 You are wrong now。 Shear interrupted； his mouth full of wine and crumbs which exploded into a little shower upon his black dress。 〃We do not like being called 'magicians；' Huld。 The ignorant Gamesmen may do so； but we expect more courtesy from you。 We respect your warnings； but if this Peter is dead； surely。〃
〃You fools； don't you understand？ He isn't dead。 I don't care what your Gifter said or pretended。 Peter is not dead Manacle now； chilly as winter。 〃I do not appreciate being called a fool。 As a direct descendent； unto the thirtieth generation； of the original Searchers； as fifth in a direct line to win the title of Dean； I am not one to be lightly called fool。 We bear with you； Huld； though you are a mere Gamesman； because you have been useful。 We do not bear with insult； however。〃
I heard Huld's teeth grind together。 To be called a 〃mere Gamesman〃 would have been enough。 To hear the scorn in Manacle's voice was more than enough。
〃You bear with me； Dean Manacle； because I am the only one who can warn you of what the Council plots against you； what the Council intends。 Without me； you are at the mercy of that strange people； not a tender mercy； Manacle。 Now； where are they？ Where are the Wizard and the Seer？〃
Manacle drew himself up with a trembling hauteur； pompously waving the hovering servitor away。 〃They are in the laboratories； Huld。 I will take you there tonight； after the meeting。 You may see for yourself。 I will tell you then what the mittee has decided about your request； your request to have access to our defenders。 I do not think they will be sympathetic； Huld。 They believe that the Council and the mittee are effective counterweights to one another。 They believe it is so we keep the world in balance。〃
〃Until the Council grows tired of balance。〃 It was said very quietly； but with enormous menace。 With that utterance the room became perfectly still。 One of the little girls whimpered； the sound falling into quiet as a pebble into a pool； the ripples spreading ever wider to rebound from the walls； an astonishment of sound。 Manacle stared at Huld with eyes grown suddenly wary。 〃Why would they wish to destroy the historic balance？〃 he quavered。
〃Why would they not？ They grow proud； powerful。 They long for new things。 Why else would they have created this 'Peter；' this new Talent？ For what other purpose than to change the balance？〃
One of the magicians who had stood silent during this exchange； one taller than most； with a face the color of ash； said； 〃Do you know this to be true？〃
〃Professor Quench； I know it almost surely。 The likelihood disturbs me greatly。 And it should disturb you。〃
〃We must know；〃 said Quench in a voice of lava； flowing； hardening； roughening the room with its splash and flow。 〃We must know； Manacle。 We must know； Shear。 Likely isn't good enough。 We must know。〃
Manacle dithered； shifted his feet； picked at an invisible spot of lint。 〃The mittee of the Faculty；〃 he offered； 〃the subject is to be brought before the mittee when it meets tonight。〃
Quench stared him long in the face； then nodded。 〃See that it is；〃 he said； walking out of the room； voice splattering behind him。 〃See that it is。 I will be there。〃
Manacle now very much on his dignity； feeling diminished by ashy Quench and burning Huld； flutters at Shear。 〃Take the consecrated monsters away； Shear。 This has quite disordered my day。 If we are to have questions raised like this； out of order； before the mittee has had a chance to consider； well。 I have much to prepare。〃 He bustled away in the direction Quench had gone。 Shear herded the girls away； and my last glimpse of Huld was of his fiery eyes watching Manacle to the end of sight。 We went； Mavin and I； quiet as bunwits； down the carpeted hallway and into the place designated。 There were pallets there for sleeping； and spigots for a kind of gruel； and a pool for bathing。 There was nothing of interest save the tall； barred door which led into Manacle's quarters。 Once Shear had gone； it would be no trick to shape a finger into a key； to go out and lock the door behind us。
So we did。 〃What will he think when he finds two of us gone？〃 I whispered to Mavin。
〃He will think the two remaining ate the two who are missing；〃 she snarled at me。 〃Don't be a fool； boy。 Leave the door open as though Shear forgot to lock it。 Then he may wonder where his breeders are； but he will not suspect a spy in his own place。〃
Shamefaced； I went back to unlock the door。 Inside the room the two little girls had settled upon one of the pallets and were engaged in a game of a curious kind。 I turned my face away； flushing。 Evidently they were not totally mindless。 They had been trained to do at least one thing。 〃What now？〃 I asked Mavin。
〃Now I need to think；〃 she rasped。 I could not understand her anger until she spoke again。 〃What is he up to； that fustigar…vomit？ What does he mean saying you were created by the Council？ I know better than he how you were created； and it was in the usual way。 No Council had part in it save the counsel between man and woman。 He seeks to trick these magicians in some way for some reason。 What is the reason？
〃Who are these people； these magicians who do not like to be called magicians？ They say they are 'faculty' of a 'college。' Well； I know what a college is。 It is only another word for school。 Windlow had a college。 So did Mertyn。 What are faculty except schoolmasters。 Hm？ Except these seem strangely preoccupied with signs and rituals； speaking often of signtists and Searchers。 Is this some kind of religion？ Manacle claims himself descended from original Searchers。 Well enough。 Searchers after what？ They hold Gamesmen in contempt。 There are no women among them。 They seem to admit only four kinds of beings： themselves； monsters； Gamesmen； and pawns。〃
〃Tallmen；〃 I offered。
〃Only a lesser kind of monster； or perhaps I should say a superior kind of monster。 What is this Council that Huld uses to frighten them with； as a nursemaid uses night…bogie to frighten naughty children？〃
〃Himaggery spoke of a Council。 I thought he said it was a group of very powerful Gamesmen…I think he said Gamesmen。 They search out heresy 。。。〃
〃Some such group has been rumored； yes。 But is it that group which Huld speaks of？ And meantime we know nothing about Himaggery and Windlow except that they are 'in the laboratories。' Where are the 'laboratories'？ What are they？ We are rattling around in here like seeds in a dry gourd； making a slithering noise with no sense。 e； son； set a plan for us。〃
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