Bodwyn Wook murmured in Glawen's ear.

"This is what Floreste himself might consider a moment of high drama. The tension builds as the two sit there all unknowing."

GIawen nodded. He studied Kirdy with care, revulsion twisting at his viscera. At the moment Kirdy seemed in full command of himself, without oppression of the spirits or the morose introversion of the Kirdy who had accompanied GIawen on his mission; to the contrary, he seemed to demonstrate the heartiness and boyish simplicity which, with his big pink face, china-blue eyes and easy grin, had in the old days made him reasonably popular.

GIawen watched him in fascination. This hardly seemed the same Kirdy he had last seen in Fexelburg. Now Kirdy bent to eat a morsel of poached fish, then, raising his head, patted his mouth with a napkin. His gaze fell upon GIawen and he became still. Slowly his shoulders sagged and he looked down at the table, the jocundity gone from his face.

Bodwyn Wook muttered in Glawen's ear: "There you see neither madness nor mistake. What is plain and evident is pure and unabashed guilt. I need no more to convince me. It is shameful. I must look into his pedigree."

"He has changed since I saw him last. Floreste's therapy has been remarkable. Look! He is now giving Floreste the news.

Another supper ruined."

At Kirdy's muttered remark, Floreste jerked up his handsome head and glanced as if casually around the table, sliding his gaze past GIawen. Then he swung half around in his seat and chatted vivaciously with Dame Doma Wook, who sat to his left.

Glawen waited for a pause, then called across the table.

"Master Floreste, I see you are back from your tour."

Floreste darted him a quick cold stare.

"Yes, as you see."

"It was a success?"

"About the ordinary. As always, we do our best, and hope for the best. Our creed is optimism."

"It seems that we have a mutual acquaintance on Tassadero."

"Really? That is no great surprise. I meet thousands of folk every week, or so it seems, and of course I remember none of them, save ha, ha! only the most charming."

"And you consider the Ordene Zaa charming?"

"Ordene Zaa? And who might that be? And who cares? At the moment I am interested only in this exquisite fish."

"In that case, I will say only that she sends her compliments. Her present circumstances are not at all happy.

Were you aware of her troubles?"

"No."

"She became involved in a set of remarkable crimes, which engaged the attention of the IPCC. They may even call on you to verify some of her allegations. Or they may refer the matter to the local IPCC affiliate, which of course is Bureau B."

"Certainly it is, nothing to concern me." Floreste turned back to Dame Doma, and continued his conversation.

Ticia, who had already taken critical note of Glawen's garments, spoke to him in a crisp voice: "Am I mistaken or have you gone out of your way to make our local genius uncomfortable?"

"You are mistaken. I have not gone a single hair's breadth out of my way."

"This "Ordene Zaa': is she one of Floreste's lovers, or something of the sort?"

"Nothing would surprise me. Both are remarkable people."

"Hmmf. You've been away, haven't you? I don't recall seeing you about for a while."

"Yes, I've been away."

"It is bad news about your father. Come to think of it, you're now a collateral! Yet here you sit, large as life, at our House Supper, where collaterals are roundly snubbed."

"Are you planning to snub me?"

"Henceforth, yes. I can't very well do so tonight, since we are sitting beside each other, and it is all too easy for you to claim my attention."

"I am not overly sensitive," said Glawen.

"Snub me all you like."

"I hardly need your permission," said Ticia.

"Indeed I snub almost everyone; it makes my favor ever so valuable."

Bodwyn Wook told Glavven: "Pay no heed to the little fool;

already she is losing her looks; in another ten years she'll be all teeth, nose and clavicle like her aunt. Dame Audlis."

Ticia said: "Tonight, Uncle Bodwyn, your wit is more entertaining than ever. You are becoming quite the enfant terrible in your old age."

"Quite so, Ticia. I am much too mordant, and your stance is correct. Propriety must be maintained and collaterals must not be allowed to trade on old associations. Glawen, I can wait no longer to hear your story. Let us finish our supper in the side room."

Bodwyn Wook and Glawen departed the room. In the corridor, Bodwyn Wook asked: "There is no doubt whatever as to Floreste's guilt?"

"None."

"In that case, I will have him taken up and conveyed to the jail. I must wait till after supper, however, lest I offend Ticia's standards of gentility. What of Kirdy?"

"He betrayed me, you and the bureau. He was subject to mental stress, which was perhaps too much for him. I can't evade the feeling that he knew very well what he was doing.

But I would prefer that you form your own opinion."

"My opinion was formed at the dinner table. Indeed, you are dealing too generously with Kirdy. He dealt you a last blow of which you are not aware. When he returned to Araminta, he assured me that you were dead, on absolute and definite authority. I therefore canceled the rescue mission which was on the verge of departure. He lied to me;

he knows it and I know it. It could have meant the difference between life and death for you. I am not happy with Kirdy. He will face an inquiry, and at minimum lose Wook status."

"He seems much saner now than when I left him at Fexelburg."

"Come now; let us ingest the rest of our supper. We shall talk as we eat."

Glawen and Bodwyn Wook dined in a small parlor off the central gallery. In language as terse as possible Glawen told of his investigations and the difficulties he had encountered in the process.