Drusilla hesitated, looked right and left, licked her lips, then said in a sulky voice: "Namour."
"Aries knew this?"
"Of course! How could he not know?"
"Did Spanchetta understand any of this?"
"I don't know and I don't care. Ask her yourself."
"You may sit down." Bodwyn Wook looked at Aries.
"Well, then:
what do you have to say for yourself?"
"At the moment, nothing."
"Did your mother know that Gorton was not your child?"
Aries glanced sidewise toward Spanchetta, who sat slumped, her great pile of brown curls askew.
"I guess not," he growled.
Glawen, sitting to the side beside Bodwyn Wook, rose to his feet.
"If the Court pleases, I have a question I want to put to Aries."
"Ask your question."
Glawen turned to Aries.
"What have you done with my mail?"
"We did what was proper and right!" declared Aries in a blustering voice.
"You weren't on hand, and neither was Scharde, and no one knew where you were, so we sent it back to where it came from, marked "Address unknown."" Glawen turned away. He told Egon Tamm: "That is all, sir."
Egon Tamm nodded, a faint grim smile on his hard features.
He conferred with his colleagues, then spoke: "Our judgment is as follows:
Glawen Clattuc is awarded his rightful status. The Court regrets that he was subjected to what Superintendent Wook has accurately called a malicious fraud. Aries and Drusilla are stripped of all status, and may not even consider themselves collaterals. They must instantly depart from Clattuc House, this very day. The chambers must be restored as quickly as possible to their exact previous condition, to the total satisfaction of Captain Clattuc.
"As quickly as possible' means just that: work must begin at once and proceed night and day, regardless of cost. If Aries and Drusilla lack the necessary funds, Dame Spanchetta must bear the expense, and make whatever arrangements for repayment she deems suitable with Aries.
"Further, Aries and Drusilla are sentenced to eighty-five days of hard labor at the Cape Journal Labor Camp. The Court hopes that the experience will prove salutary. It is a minimal sentence, and they should consider themselves lucky."
From Drusilla came a wail of pure dismay. Aries stared silently at the floor.
Egon Tamm continued.
"The Court cannot escape the suspicion that Dame Spanchetta knew considerably more of the matter than the evidence indicates. This is only common sense.
Still, we cannot act on suspicion alone, and Dame Spanchetta will not, on this occasion, join Aries and Drusilla at Cape Journal. We have no jurisdiction over the internal government of Clattuc House, but we suggest that Dame Spanchetta is an unsuitable chairman for the Election Board, or for any other committee of importance. We recommen'd that the Clattuc House Elders take executive action along these lines.
"If there is no more business for the Court, we will stand adjourned."
During the afternoon of the following day Glawen visited the jail once again. Entering the cell, he found Floreste sitting at the table, hunched over a book bound in elegant pink leather. Floreste turned Glawen a look of displeasure.
"What do you want now?"
"What I wanted before."
"I'm afraid I can't help you. I have little time to waste and I must make my arrangements." Ploreste returned to his book and appeared to dismiss Glawen from his mind. Glawen crossed the room and seated himself on the chair across the table from Floreste.
A moment passed. Floreste looked up with a frown.
"Are you still here?"
"I just arrived."
"It has been long enough. As you see, I am busy with this book."
"You must make a definite decision, one way or the other."
Floreste gave a sour laugh.
"All the most urgent decisions have definitely been made."
