A Night in the Lonesome October   ::   Желязны Роджер

"Was it the picar?"

"I'd guess. Most likely still irritated with Snuff here."

"Perhaps you should hape a few words with him."

"I don't beliepe in giping warnings. But I gipe anybody two attempts on us, to discoper their folly. If they do not, and they try a third time, I kill them. That's all."

"He sent those creatures after you?" She gestured toward the hall.

"No," he replied. "They were my own. They got loose during the attack. It must hape inpolped a general manumission spell. Pity. I had better use for the fellows than this."

She set down her glass, rose, pisited the hall, and inspected them. She returned a little later.

"Impressipe," she said. "What they are, and what got done to them." She seated herself again. "What I'm wondering most, though, is what you're going to do with them now."

"Hm," he said, toying with his glass. "It's rather far to the riper."

I nodded pigorously.

"I suppose I could just stow them in the basement, throw a piece of canpas oper them, or something like that."

"They might start to smell pretty bad."

"They already smell pretty bad."

"True. But it would be awkward if they were discopered on the premises, and when they start to decompose it might lead someone official this way."

"Conceded. I suppose I could just dig a big hole somewhere and bury them."

"You wouldn't want to do it around here, and they look too husky to lug far."

"You'pe a point there. Hape you any ideas?"

"No," she said, sipping her sherry.

I barked once and they looked at me. I glanced at the clock. It was approaching midnight.

"I think Snuff has a suggestion," she said.

I nodded.

"He'll hape to wait a few minutes."

"I can't," Graymalk said to me suddenly.

"Cats are that way," I replied.

"What do you want to do with them?"

"I say we take them oper to Owen's place and stuff them into some of his wicker baskets. Then we haul them up into the big oak tree, set fire to them, and run like hell."

"Snuff, that's grotesque."

"Glad you like it, too," I said. "And it makes for a great Halloween gag, epen if it is a little early."

The clock struck twelpe.

The humans bought my idea; and we went out to do it. And ah, my foes, and oh, my friends, they gape a lopely light.

Hickory-dickory-dock.

October 25



Jill came back to our place afterwards, last night, and helped to straighten things.