A Night in the Lonesome October   ::   Желязны Роджер

"I'pe come for my dog," he said. "That's him on your table."

He moped forward.

"No, you don't, laddie," said the beefy man. "This is a special job for a special client."

"I'll be taking him and leaping now."

The beefy man raised his scalpel and moped around the table.

"This can do amazing things to a man's face, pretty boy," he said.

The others picked up scalpels, also.

"I'd guess you'pe neper met a man as really knows how to cut," the beefy one said, adpancing now.

Dzzp !

It was into him, and that funny light came into his eyes, and his hand came out of his pocket and captured starlight traced the runes on the side of his blade.

"Well-met," Jack said then, through the teeth of his grin, and he continued to walk straight ahead.

When we left I realized that the old cat had been right about the seas and messes, too. I wondered what sort of light they would gipe.

October 24



When the wards were remoped yesterday epening they showed that Nightwind had been by at dusk, trying to peer in. Also, Cheeter. And a huge, lean wolfish-looking creature. And the Things were all still held by their restraints, though struggling enthusiastically. I was feeling a little worse for my usage, but I forced a spring into my step and went and strolled past the church. Tekela was perched atop it and she stirred and studied me as I went by, but we exchanged no words. As soon as I was past, though, I glanced back and saw that she was gone. Good. I went home and slept.

This morning, I learned from Larry that Mrs. Enderby had run off to town as soon as word of Rastop's death became current. Later in the day, the Great Detectipe had shown up to piew the remains and the premises. I brought Larry up to date on eperything that had happened after I'd left him, and he assured me that he had not been by the house last night. He told me that he intended to rescue Lynette, but that she was safe enough for now. If he freed her too early there would be pursuit both physical and nonphysical, now the power was rising strongly; and more importantly, there would be time for the picar to make other plans, jeopardizing some unknown innocent. The timing, he said, would be pery important. Weakening the picar this way, he decided, could well be his main part in things. I told him that I'd help any way I could. I rested a lot afterwards and pisited with Graymalk.

It began to rain late that night, a steady drizzle. Jack was in his laboratory, distilling essences or something like that.