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〃I know you are； Dowdy；〃 Oscar said。 〃The point is； where do we find a scapegoat？〃
〃Your brother？〃
〃Perhaps；〃 Godolphin replied； cannily concealing the degree to which this suggestion found favor。
〃When should I tell them you've e back？〃 Dowd asked。
〃When I've made up a lie I can believe in；〃 came the reply。
Back in the house in Regent's Park Road； Oscar took some time to study the newspaper reports of Chant's death before retiring to his treasure house on the third floor with both his new artifacts and a good deal to think about。 A sizable part of him wanted to exit this Dominion once and for all。 Take himself off to Yzordderrex and set up business with Peccable； marry Hoi…Polloi despite her crossed eyes； have a litter of kids and retire to the Hills of the Conscious Cloud； in the Third； and raise parrots。 But he knew he'd yearn for England sooner or later； and a yearning man could be cruel。 He'd end up beating his wife； bullying his kids； and eating the parrots。 So； given that he'd always have to keep a foot in England； if only during the cricket season； and given that as long as he kept a presence here he would be answerable to the Society； he had to face them。
He locked the door of his treasure room； sat down amid his collection； and waited for inspiration。 The shelves around him； which were built to the ceiling； were bowed beneath the weight of his trove。 Here were items gathered from the edge of the Second Dominion to the limits of the Fourth。 He had only to pick one of them up to be transported back to the time and place of its acquisition。 The statue of the Etook Ha'chiit； he'd bartered for in a little town called Slew； which was now； regrettably； a blasted spot； its citizens the victims of a purge visited upon them for the crime of a song； written in the dialect of their munity； suggesting that the Autarch of Yzordderrex lacked testicles。
Another of his treasures； the seventh volume of Gaud Maybellome's Encyclopedia of Heavenly Signs； originally written in the language of Third Dominion academics but widely translated for the delectation of the proletariat； he'd bought from a woman in the city of Jassick； who'd approached him in a gaming room； where he was attempting to explain cricket to a group of the locals； and said she recognized him from stories her husband （who was in the Autarch's army in Yzordderrex） had told。
〃You're the English male；〃 she'd said； which didn't seem worth denying。
Then she'd shown him the book： a very rare volume indeed。 He'd never ceased to find fascination within its pages； for it was Maybellome's intention to make an encyclopedia listing all the flora； fauna； languages； sciences； ideas； moral perspectives…in short； anything that occurred to her…that had found their way from the Fifth Dominion； the Place of the Succulent Rock； through to the other worlds。 It was a herculean task； and she'd died just as she was beginning the nineteenth volume； with no end in sight； but even the one book in Godolphin's possession was enough to guarantee that he would search for the others until his dying day。 It was a bizarre； almost surreal volume。 Even if only half the entries were true； or nearly true； Earth had influenced just about every aspect of the worlds from which it was divided。 Fauna； for instance。 There were countless animals listed in the volume…which MaybeUome claimed to be invaders from the other world。 Some clearly were： the zebra； the crocodile； the dog。 Others were a mixture of genetic strands； part terrestrial； part not。 But many of these species （pictured in the book like fugitives from a medieval bestiary） were so outlandish he doubted their very existence。 Here； for instance； were hand…sized wolves with the wings of canaries。 Here was an elephant that lived in an enormous conch。 Here was a literate worm that wrote omens with its thread…fine half…mile body。 Wonderment upon wonderment。 Godolphin only had to pick up the encyclopedia and he was ready to put on his boots and set off for the Dominions again。
What was self…evident from even a casual perusal of the book was how extensively the unreconciled Dominion had influenced the others。 The languages of earth…English； Italian； Hindustani； and Chinese particularly…were known in some variation everywhere； though it seemed the Autarch…who had e to power in the confusion following the failed Reconciliation…favored English； which was now the preferred linguistic currency almost everywhere。 To name a child with an English word was thought particularly propitious； though there was little or no consideration given to what the word actually meant。 Hence Hoi…Polloi； for instance； this one of the less strange namings among the thousands Godolphin had encountered。
He flattered himself that he was in some small part responsible for such blissful bizarrities； given that over the years he'd brought all manner of influences through from the Succulent Rock。 There was always a hunger for newspapers and magazines （usually preferred to books）； and he'd beard of baptizers in Patashoqua who named children by stabbing a copy of the London Times with a pin and bequeathing the first three words they pricked upon the infant； however unmusical the bination。 But he was not the only influence。 He hadn't brought the crocodile or the zebra or the dog （though he would lay claim to the parrot）。 No； there had always been routes through from Earth into the Dominions； other than that at the Retreat。 Some； no doubt； had been opened by Maestros and esoterics； in all manner of cultures； for the express purpose of their passing to and fro between worlds。 Others were conceivably opened by accident； and perhaps remained open； marking the sites as haunted or sacred； shunned or obsessively protected。 Yet others； these in the smallest number； had been created by the sciences of the other Dominions； as a means of gaining access to the heaven of the Succulent Rock。
In such a place； this near the walls of the lahmandhas in the Third Dominion； Godolphin had acquired his most sacred possession： a Boston Bowl； plete with its forty…one colored stones。 Though he'd never used it； the bowl was reputedly the most accurate prophetic tool known in the worlds； and now…sitting amid his treasures； with a sense growing in him that events on earth in the last few days were leading to some matter of moment…he brought the bowl down from its place on the highest shelf； unwrapped it； and set it on the table。 Then he took the stones from their pouch and laid them at the bottom of the bowl。 Truth to tell； the arrangement didn't look particularly promising： the bowl resembled something for kitchen use； plain fired ceramic； large enough to whip eggs for a couple of souffles。 The stones were more colorful； varying in size and shape from tiny flat pebbles to perfect spheres the size of an eyeball。
Having set them out； Godolphin had second thoughts。 Did he even believe in prophecy？ And if he did； was it wise to know the future？ Probably not。 Death was bound to be in there somewhere； sooner or later。 Only Maestros and deities lived forever； and a man might sour the balance of his span knowing when it was going to end。 But then； suppose he found in this bowl some indication as to how the Society might be handled？ That would be no small weight off his shoulders。
〃Be brave；〃 he told himself； and laid the middle finger of each hand upon the rim； as Peccable； who'd once owned such a bowl and had it smashed by his wife in a domestic row； had instructed。
Nothing happened at first； but Peccable had warned him the bowls usually took some time to start from cold。 He waited and waited。 The first sight of activation was a rattling from the bottom of the bowl as the stones began to move against each other； the second a distinctly acidic odor rising to jab at his sinuses； the third； and most startling； the sudden ricocheting of one pebble； then two； then a dozen； across the bowl and back； several skipping higher than the rim。 Their ambition increased by the movement； until all forty…one were in violent motion； so violent that the bowl began to move across the table； and Oscar had to take a firm hold of it to keep it from turning over。 The stones struck his fingers and knuckles with stinging force； but the pain was made sweeter by the success that now followed； as the speed and motion of the multifarious shapes and colors began to describe images in the air above the bowl。
Like all prophecy； the signs were in the eye of the beholder； and perhaps another witness would have seen different forms in the blur。 But what Godolphin saw seemed quite plain to him。 The Retreat； for one； half hidden in the copse。 Then himself； standing in the middle of the mosaic； either ing back from Yzordderrex or preparing to depart。 The images lingered for only a brief time before changing； the Retreat demolished in the storm of stones and a new structure raised in the whirl： the tower of the Tabula Rasa。 He fixed his eyes on the prophecy with fresh deliberation； denying himself the fort of blinking to be certain he missed nothing。 The tower as seen from the street gave way to its interior。 Here they were； the wise ones； sitting around the table contemplating their divine duty。 They were navel defluffers and snot r