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slithering noise with no sense。 e； son； set a plan for us。〃
To hear Mavin say this in such noise and frustration amused me。 There was no time to be amused； no time to treasure that moment； but I stored it away to gloat over later。 Of such moments are adulthood made。 I almost said 〃manhood；〃 but thought better of that。 〃We must not be misled by the puzzle；〃 I told her。 〃Whatever the Council is； whatever this place may be； whatever the history of the place or its reasons for existence…none of these are more important than Himaggery and Windlow。 Manacle will meet Huld after tonight's meeting。 So we will go to the meeting and hear what is said。 After that we will follow Manacle to his meeting with Huld； and Didir must protect me as best she can。 If we are inconspicuous； we will likely pass unnoticed。〃
When I said the word； inconspicuous； it made me think of Chance； and for a moment I was overe with a terrible homesickness for him； for Schooltown； for the known and familiar and sure。 I gasped； but Mavin had not noticed。
〃I will be inconspicuous；〃 she growled。 〃And I will be patient； but this place itches me。〃
It itched me； too； as I tried to find the place of the meeting。 No mind I sought through knew of the meeting or where it might be held。 〃An exclusive group；〃 murmured Mavin； when I told her this。 〃Do you suppose the room is never cleaned？〃
This took me a moment to puzzle out。 Then I understood that the room would undoubtedly be cleaned by someone； a pawn。 I began to search among pawnish minds； Didir dipping here and there as we moved above the place。 On the sixth or seventh try； we found a mind which had once known of the place。 We went to it。 All of this had taken so much time that we were there only a moment before the magicians began to arrive； only time to find a dark corner in a kind of balcony over the main room where two additional chair…like shapes would go unnoticed。 The place was under a duct which brought in heat； and Mavin settled into it with a tired sigh。
〃One more shift and I would have started to eat myself；〃 she confessed。 〃I cannot store as you do； my son。〃
I realized with some guilt that Shattnir had gone on storing power for me at every opportunity。 It had begun to feel as natural as breathing。 I let power bleed between us。 〃Take from me；〃 I whispered to her。 〃I feel we will not move from this place for some time。〃
One wall of the place below was made up of hundreds of tiny windows； blank and black； except that on one or two a light crawled wormlike and green。 One end of the long table had a slanted surface with buttons and knobs on it。 There had been many surfaces like that in this place； controls for the contrivances of the magicians。 Both the windows and the control surface looked dusty； unused。 A side wall held rows of portraits； face after face； mushroom pale above black garb； gold plates identifying each in letters too small for me to read。 The last portrait in the bottom row was of Manacle； however； which told us enough。 The tops of the higher frames were black with dust。 The carpet of the place was worn through in spots。 At each chair was set an empty bottle and a drinking glass； a pad of yellowed paper and a writing implement。 At one place the writing implement had been shifted in position； and I could see a pale pattern of it where it had once lain upon the paper。 Whoever might once have cleaned the place had not done so recently； perhaps not for years。 Dust lay upon everything in a thick； gray film。
Quench came in to sit at the place where the writing implement had been moved。 He moved it back onto its shadow； carefully； centering it upon its image before settling into the chair； arms folded across his wide torso。 The lines of his boxlike hat seemed to continue downward through his head； obdurately square。
Others entered。 There were whispers； mumbling conversations。 I risked a questing thought to get pictures of long； half ruined corridors； tumbled portals far to the north and south； ramified networks of dusty catabs； buried in decay。 One of those who entered had white tabs at his throat。 Others bowed toward him； murmured 〃Rector。〃 Time passed。 Some fifty were assembled before Manacle entered。 Well； now we would learn what we would learn。
〃Evening； gentlemen。 Evening。 Glad to see everyone is here so promptly。 Well； we have a considerable agenda this evening。 Let's call the meeting to order and get started。 Will the Rector give the invocation。〃
The tab…fronted one rose； stared upward and intoned； 〃Oh； Lord； we your children have pursued your purposes for thirty generations upon this planet。 For a thousand years we have been faithful to your mandments。 We have watched the monsters in this place； have kept ourselves separated from them； have kept your sacred ordinances to research and record everything that the monsters do。 Now； as we approach the holy season of Contact With Home； be with us as we consider grave matters which are brought before us。 Let us be mindful of your ordinances as we consecrate monsters to our use in order that your will may be continued unto future generations。 Keep us safe from the vile seducements of Gamesmen and the connivances of the Council。 We ask this as faithful sons。 Amen。〃
During this pronouncement； the others in the room had peered restlessly about themselves as though someone else were expected to enter； but no one did。 There was a brief silence when the man finished speaking。 Manacle sat in his chair with head forward； as though he were asleep。 Quench cleared his throat with a hacking noise； and Dean Manacle jerked upright。
〃Hmmm；〃 he mumbled。 〃We will move to the minutes of the last meeting。〃 He rose and pushed one of the buttons on the table before him； saying as he did so； 〃I am Manacle of Monsters； son of Scythe of Sinners； Dean of the Executive mittee of the Faculty of the College of Searchers。 Will Central Control please read the minutes of the last meeting。〃 He tilted his head to one side and seemed to be counting。 Around the room the others stared at their fingers or murmured to one another； bored。 When a slow count of fifty had passed； Manacle went on； 〃Since Central Control does not think it necessary to read the minutes of the last meeting； may I have a motion to approve them as unread。〃
〃So move；〃 said Quench。 He did not move； however； which was confusing。 Again； I knew it must be ritual。
〃Seconded；〃 said an anonymous voice from the end of the long table。
〃It has been moved by Professor Quench； seconded by Professor Musclejaw； that we approve the minutes of the last meeting as unread。 All those in favor。 A chorus of grunts and snarls greeted this。 〃Opposed？ Hearing none the motion is passed。〃 There was a pause while Dean Manacle collected himself and shuffled through the papers before him。 〃We shall move to submittee reports 。。。 the submittee on portal repair。〃
〃Nonsense；〃 said Quench。
〃I beg your pardon。〃 Manacle looked up； bristling。 〃The agenda calls for。 。
〃Nonsense。 The agenda calls for nonsense。 Stupidity。 Obtuseness。 Obfuscation。 Let's talk about the Council。 Let's talk about this Gamesman； Huld； who wants access to the defenders！〃
Grunts of surprise； voices raised in anger。 〃The defenders？ We don't allow access to the defenders！ What did he say？〃
〃We will have the report on portal repair；〃 Manacle shouted。 〃And the report on the problems at the monster labs； and on the food stocks brought in by Gifters。 These are important matters； Quench。 Vital matters。
〃How vital？〃 boomed Quench。 〃If the Council is planning to destroy us all； how vital is it that the monster labs shall or shall not meet quota？ If we are all killed； how important that the northern portal cannot be repaired； as we know it cannot； as the southern portal could not in its time。 If there are none left to have appetite； how vital is it that the Gifters bring in their full cargoes of grain and meat？ Vital？ Manacle； you're a fool and your father before you was a fool。〃
I had not seen until then the little hammer which Manacle picked up from before him。 He whapped it upon the table； raising a cloud of dust at which several members began to sneeze and wipe their eyes。 If this was meant to restore order； it failed its purpose。 A trembling oldster was shouting at Quench who was bellowing in reply。 Elsewhere in the room confusion multiplied as small groups and individuals rose in gesticulating argument。 Manacle thrashed with his little hammer； voices rose； until at last Quench shouted down all who would have opposed him。
〃Sit down； you blasted idiots。 Now you all listen to me for a while。 If you choose to do nothing after I've spoken； well； it will be no less than you've done about anything for fifty years。 I will speak。 I'm a full professor； entitled to my position； and I will be heard； though I am a doddering Emeritus。〃
〃Most of you in this room recall the meeting a generation ago when Dean Scythe admitted to this mittee that the techs could not repair the portal machines； or the air machines； or most of the others； so far as that goes。 You recall that we had before us at that time a suggestion； made by me； that we set some of our brighter young men to studying the old machines and the old books in order to learn abou