"You're standing directly in front of the place."

"Oh! Excuse our stupidity!" Turning, Glawen studied the sign which advertised the premises of the Allen. Dance and Arts Travel Salon.

Kirdy stared up the sidewalk.

"That man took an offensive tone

with us. 1 am tempted to speak with him and perhaps kick his stomach."

"Not today," said Glawen briskly.

"We don't have the time."

"It wouldn't take all that long."

"His mind is now on other matters; he wouldn't understand his punishment. Come; let us look into the ADA, as they call it."

The two passed through doors strikingly fabricated from concentric bands of purple and black glass, with a central starburst formed from crimson and blue-green shards. They stood ankle-deep in black carpet, at the center of a large waiting room. Vivid posters decorated the walls;

directly before them was a business counter and a window with a sign reading "Omnibus Tickets."

A poster to the side depicted a large glossy omnibus halted on the road in the middle of a beautiful bucolic countryside. The omnibus seemed almost empty; from the window leaned a smiling tourist couple conversing with a pair of charming bright-eyed children who stood beside the omnibus. The small girl was depicted in the act of offering a bouquet of wildflowers to the lady tourist; the boy pointed excitedly across the fields to a column of purple ooze in the distance. A caption read:

Explore wondrous Tassadero by omnibus! Safe! Comfortable!

Convenient! Buy your ticket here.

The window was closed. Glawen went to the counter. A young woman sat working the keys of a business machine and paid him no heed. In a courteous voice Glawen asked: "Can you sell me an omnibus ticket?"

The young woman glanced at Glawen, running her eyes up and down his garments.

"At the window, sir. Can't you read the sign?"

"The window is closed."

"I know. I closed it myself."

"You will open it yourself?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"In eleven minutes."

"You will then sell me a ticket?"

"I will do my very best, sir."

"In that case I'll wait."

"As you like, sir."

Glawen wandered off to look at the travel posters. A large number of these dealt with Zab Zonk, the episodes of his career and his unclaimed treasure.

VISIT VIVID TASSADERO

read the heading on one poster, which depicted Zonk decapitating an adversary with a ruby-encrusted blue metal scimitar, while in the background maidens peered with awe and delight into cases overflowing with gems. A smaller caption at the bottom of the poster read:

Will it be you who finds this treasure?

Another poster showed Zonk with a group of adoring maidens in postures of abject submission, while Zonk indulgently caressed the head of a particularly choice blue-eyed blond.

The caption read:

Zab Zonk enjoys his wealth, and well he should. Who will enjoy it next? Come to Tassadero and give it a try!

Another poster displayed a tourist opening a door upon a room full of luminous jewels. The caption read:

The immured treasures of Zab Zonk might be yours alone!

Among the pamphlets on a table Glawen noticed a brochure bound in purple velvet with a drawing in gold ink of a nude girl, standing half turned away, looking over her shoulder as if out of the picture. The title read:

PERFECTION OF JOY:

It is attainable.

"Well, well," said Glawen, "what have we here?" He started to take the brochure to the counter, but at this moment Kirdy uttered a poignant cry mixed of surprise and gladness.

"Come here at once! Look at this!"

Glawen put the brochure in his pocket and joined Kirdy by the wall. With a trembling forefinger Kirdy tapped a poster.

"The Mummers are in town! We must go find them at once?

Look! Here are their

pictures! There is Aries, and there Glostor and Malory and Favlissa and Mullin and Dorre; I see them all! And Floreste himself! Ah, good old Floreste!"

"The last time you mentioned Floreste he was 'an avaricious old bastard'!"

"No matter! What a wonderful coincidence! Just when things seem utterly dismal, something like this turns up!"

Glawen examined the poster, which, along with photographs of Floreste and the Mummers, listed some of their programs and then- schedule for the coming weeks.

"You did not read the date correctly. They will not be here for another two days.

They are now playing a town called Diamonte."