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〃I was a faker； not an artist。〃
〃But your hands are clever；〃 Pie replied。
〃Clever；〃 Gentle said softly； 〃but never inspired。〃
This melancholy thought took him back； momentarily； to Klein； and to the rest of the circle he'd left in the Fifth： to Jude； Clem； Estabrook； Vanessa； and the rest。 What were they doing this fine night？ Had they even noticed his departure？ He doubted it。
〃Are you feeling any better？〃 Pie inquired。 〃I see some lights down the road a little way。 It may be the last outpost before the mountains。〃
〃I'm in good shape；〃 Gentle said； climbing back into the car。
They'd proceeded perhaps a quarter of a mile； and were in sight of the village； when their progress was brought to a halt by a young girl who appeared from the dusk to herd her doeki across the road。 She was in every way a normal thirteen…year…old child but for one： her face； and those parts of her body revealed by her simple dress； were sleek with fawny down。 It was plaited where it grew long at her elbows； and her temples； and tied in a row of ribbons at her nape。
〃What village is this？〃 Pie asked； as the last of the doeki lingered in the road。
〃Beatrix；〃 she said； and without prompting added； 〃There is no better place in any heaven。〃 Then； 。shooing the last beast on its way； she vanished into the twilight。
The streets of Beatrix weren't as narrow as those of Vana…eph； nor were they designed for motor vehicles。 Pie parked the car close to the outskirts； and the two of them ambled into the village from there。 The houses were unpretentious affairs； raised of an ocher stone and surrounded by stands of vegetation that were a cross between silver birch and bamboo。 The lights Pie had spotted from a distance weren't those that burned in the windows； but lanterns that hung in these trees； throwing their mellow light across the streets。 Just about every copse boasted its lantern trimmers…shaggy…faced children like the herder…some squatting beneath the trees； others perched precariously in their branches。 The doors of almost all the houses stood open； and music drifted from several； tunes caught by the lantern trimmers and danced to in the dapple。 Asked to guess； Gentle would have said life was good here。 Slow； perhaps； but good。
〃We can't cheat these people；〃 Gentle said。 〃It wouldn't be honorable。〃
〃Agreed；〃 Pie replied。
〃So what do we do for money？〃
〃Maybe they'll agree to cannibalize the vehicle for a good meal and a horse or two。〃
〃I don't see any horses。〃
〃A doeki would be fine。〃
〃They look slow。〃
Pie directed Gentle's gaze up the heights of the Jokalay…lau。 The last traces of day still lingered on the snowfields； but for all their beauty the mountains were vast and uninviting。
〃Slow and certain is safer up there；〃 Pie said。 Gentle took Pie's point。 〃I'm going to see if I can find somebody in charge；〃 the mystif went on； and left Gentle's side to go and question one of the lantern trimmers。
Drawn by the sound of raucous laughter； Gentle wandered on a little farther； and turning a corner he found two dozen of the villagers； mostly men and boys； standing in front of a marionette theater that had been set up in the lee of one of the houses。 The show they were watching contrasted violently with the benign atmosphere of the village。 To judge by the spires painted on the backdrop the story was set in Patashoqua； and as Gentle joined the audience two characters； one a grossly fat woman； the other a man with the proportions of a fetus and the endowment of a donkey； were in the middle of a domestic tiff so frenzied the spires were shaking。 The puppeteers； three slim young men with identical mustaches； were plainly visible above the booth and provided both the dialogue and the sound effects； the former larded with baroque obscenities。 Now another character entered…this a hunchbacked sibling of Pulcinella…and summarily beheaded Donkey Dick。 The head flew to the ground； where the fat woman knelt to sob over it。 As she did so； cherubic wings unfolded from behind its ears and it floated up into the sky； acpanied by a falsetto din from the puppeteers。 This earned applause from the audience； during which Gentle caught sight of Pie in the street。 At the mystif's side was a jug…eared adolescent with hair down to the middle of his back。 Gentle went to join them。
〃This is Efreet Splendid；〃 Pie said。 〃He tells me…wait for this…he tells me his mother has dreams about white furless men and would like to meet you。〃
The grin that broke through Efreet's facial thatch was crooked but beguiling。
〃She'll like you；〃 he announced。
〃Are you sure？〃 Gentle said。
〃Certainly！〃
〃Will she feed us？〃
〃For a furless whitey； anything；〃 Efreet replied。
Gentle threw the mystif a doubtful glance。 〃I hope you know what we're doing；〃 he said。
Efreet led the way； chattering as he went； asking mostly about Patashoqua。 It was； he said； his ambition to see the great city。 Rather than disappoint the boy by admitting that he hadn't stepped inside the gates； Gentle informed him that it was a place of untold magnificence。
〃Especially the Merrow Ti' Ti'；〃 he said。
The boy grinned and said he'd tell everybody he knew that he'd met a hairless white man who'd seen the Merrow Ti' Ti'。 From such innocent lies； Gentle mused； legends came。
At the door of the house； Efreet stood aside； to let Gentle be first over the threshold。 He startled the woman inside with his appearance。 She dropped the cat she was bing and instantly fell to her knees。 Embarrassed； Gentle asked her to stand； but it was only after much persuasion that she did so； and even then she kept her head bewed； watching him furtively from the corners of her small dark eyes。 She was short…barely taller than her son； in fact…her face fine…boned beneath its down。 Her name was Larumday； she said； and she would very happily extend to Gentle and his lady （as she assumed Pie to be） the hospitality of her house。 Her younger son； Emblem； was coerced into helping her prepare food while Efreet talked about where they could find a buyer for the car。 Nobody in the village had any use for such a vehicle； he said； but in the hills was a man who might。 His name was Coaxial Tasko； and it came as a considerable shock to Efreet that neither Gentle nor Pie had heard of the man。
〃Everybody knows Wretched Tasko；〃 he said。 〃He used to be a king in the Third Dominion； but his tribe's extinct。〃
〃Will you introduce me to him in the morning？〃 Pie asked。
〃That's a long time off；〃 Efreet said。
〃Tonight then；〃 Pie replied； and it was thus agreed between them。
The food； when it came； was simpler than the fare they'd been served along the highway but no less tasty for that： doeki meat marinated in a root wine； acpanied by bread； a selection of pickled goods…including eggs the size of small loaves…and a broth which stung the throat like chili； bringing tears to Gentle's eyes； much to Efreet's undisguised amusement。 While they ate and drank…the wine strong； but downed by the boys like water…Gentle asked about the marionette show he'd seen。 Ever eager to parade his knowledge； Efreet explained that the puppeteers were on their way to Patashoqua ahead of the Autarch's host； who were ing over the mountains in the next few days。 The puppeteers were very famous in Yzordderrex； he said； at which point Larumday hushed him。
〃But； Mams…〃 he began。
〃I said hush。 I won't have talk of that place in this house。 Your father went there and never came back。 Remember that。〃
〃I want to go there when I've seen the Merrow Ti' Ti'； like Mr。 Gentle；〃 Efreet replied defiantly； and earned a sharp slap on the head for his troubles。
〃Enough；〃 Larumday said。 〃We've had too much talk tonight。 A little silence would be wele。〃
The conversation dwindled thereafter； and it wasn't until the meal was finished and Efreet was preparing to take Pie up the hill to meet Wretched Tasko； that the boy's mood brightened and his spring of enthusiasms burst forth afresh。 Gentle was ready to join them； but Efreet explained that his mother…who was presently out of the room… wanted him to stay。
〃You should acmodate her；〃 Pie remarked when the boy had headed out。 〃If Tasko doesn't want the car we may have to sell your body。〃
〃I thought you were the expert on that； not me；〃 Gentle replied。
〃Now； now；〃 Pie said； with a grin。 〃I thought we'd agreed not to mention my dubious past。〃
〃So go；〃 Gentle said。 〃Leave me to her tender mercies。 But you'll have to pick the fluff from between my teeth。〃
He found Mother Splendid in the kitchen； kneading dough for the morrow's bread。
〃You've honored our home； ing here and sharing our table；〃 she said as she worked。 〃And please； don't think badly of me for asking； but。 。 。〃…her voice became a frightened whisper…〃what do you want？〃
〃Nothing；〃 Gentle replied。 〃You've already been more than generous。〃
She looked at him balefully； as though he was being cruel； teasing her in this fashion。
〃I've dreamt about somebody ing here；〃 she said。 〃White and furless； like you。 I wasn't sure whether it was a man or a woman； but now you're here； sitting at the table； I know it was you。〃
First Tick Raw； he thought； now Mother Splendid。 What was it about his face that made people think