The night wore on. Cugel heard the plaintive call of a night-jar and also the moan of a six-legged shamb, at some distance.
In due course the sky glowed purple and the sun appeared. Iolo roused himself, yawned, ran his fingers through his tousled hair, blew up the fire and gave Cugel a civil greeting. “And how passed the night?”
“As well as could be expected. It is useless, after all, to complain against inexorable reality.”
“Exactly so. I have given considerable thought to your case, and I have arrived at a decision which will please you. This is my plan. I shall proceed into Cuirnif and there drive a hard bargain for the ear-bangle. After satisfying your account, I will return and pay over to you whatever sums may be in excess.”
Cugel suggested an alternative scheme. “Let us go into Cuirnif together; then you will be spared the inconvenience of a return trip.”
Iolo shook his head. “My plan must prevail.” He went to the satchel for his breakfast and so discovered the loss of his property. He uttered a plangent cry and stared at Cugel. “My terces, my dreams! They are gone, all gone! How do you account for this?”
“Very simply. At approximately four minutes after midnight a robber came from the forest and made off with the contents of your satchel.”
Iolo tore at his beard with the fingers of both hands. “My precious dreams! Why did you not cry out an alarm?”
Cugel scratched his head. “In all candor I did not dare disturb the stasis.”
Iolo jumped to his feet and looked through the forest in all directions. He turned back to Cugel. “What sort of man was this robber?”
“In certain respects he seemed a kindly man; after taking possession of your belongings, he presented me with half a cold fowl and a bottle of wine, which I consumed with gratitude.”
“You consumed my breakfast!”
Cugel shrugged. “I could not be sure of this, and in fact I did not inquire. We held a brief conversation and I learned that like ourselves he is bound for Cuirnif and the Exposition of Marvels.”
“Ah, ah ha! Would you recognize this person were you to see him again?”
“Without a doubt.”
Iolo became instantly energetic. “Let us see as to this tentacle. Perhaps we can pry it loose.” He seized the tip of the golden-gray member and bracing himself worked to lift it from Cugel’s leg. For several minutes he toiled, kicking and prying, paying no heed to Cugel’s cries of pain. Finally the tentacle relaxed and Cugel crawled to safety.
With great caution Iolo approached the hole and peered down into the depths. “I see only a glimmer of far lights. The hole is mysterious! … What is this bit of string which leads into the hole?”
“I tied a rock to the string and tried to plumb the bottom of the hole,” Cugel explained. “It amounts to nothing.”
Iolo tugged at the string, which first yielded, then resisted, then broke, and Iolo was left looking at the frayed end. “Odd! The string is corroded, as if through contact with some acrid substance.”
“Most peculiar!” said Cugel.
Iolo threw the string back into the hole. “Come, we can waste no more time! Let us hasten into Cuirnif and seek out the scoundrel who stole my valuables.”
The road left the forest and passed through a district of fields and orchards. Peasants looked up in wonder as the two passed by: the portly Iolo dressed in black and white diaper and the lank Cugel with a black cloak hanging from his spare shoulders and a fine dark green cap gracing his saturnine visage.
Along the way Iolo put ever more searching questions in regard to the robber. Cugel had lost interest in the subject and gave back ambiguous, even contradictory, answers, and Iolo’s questions became ever more searching.
Upon entering Cuirnif, Cugel noticed an inn which seemed to offer comfortable accommodation. He told Iolo: “Here our paths diverge, since I plan to stop at the inn yonder.”
“The Five Owls? It is the dearest inn of Cuirnif! How will you pay your account?”
Cugel made a confident gesture. “Is not a thousand terces the grand prize at the Exposition?”
“Certainly, but what marvel do you plan to display? I warn you, the Duke has no patience with charlatans.”
“I am not a man who tells all he knows,” said Cugel. “I will disclose none of my plans at this moment.”
“But what of the robber?” cried Iolo. “Were we not to search Cuirnif high and low?”
“The Five Owls is as good a vantage as any, since the robber will surely visit the common room to boast of his exploits and squander your terces on drink. Meanwhile, I wish you easy roofs and convenient dreams.” Cugel bowed politely and took his leave of Iolo.
At the Five Owls Cugel selected a suitable chamber, where he refreshed himself and ordered his attire. Then, repairing to the common room, he made a leisurely meal upon the best the house could provide.
The innkeeper stopped by to make sure that all was in order and Cugel complimented him upon his table. “In fact, all taken with all, Cuirnif must be considered a place favored by the elements. The prospect is pleasant, the air is bracing, and Duke Orbal would seem to be an indulgent ruler.”
The innkeeper gave a somewhat noncommital assent. “As you indicate, Duke Orbal is never exasperated, truculent, suspicious, nor harsh unless in his wisdom he feels so inclined, whereupon all mildness is put aside in the interests of justice. Glance up to the crest of the hill; what do you see?”
“Four tubes, or stand-pipes, approximately thirty yards tall and one yard in diameter.”
“Your eye is accurate. Into these tubes are dropped insubordinate members of society, without regard for who stands below or who may be coming after. Hence, while you may converse with Duke Orbal or even venture a modest pleasantry, never ignore his commands. Criminals, of course, are given short shrift.”
Cugel, from habit, looked uneasily over his shoulder. “Such strictures will hardly apply to me, a stranger in town.”
The innkeeper gave a skeptical grunt. “I assume that you came to witness the Exposition of Marvels?”
“Quite so! I may even try for the grand prize. In this regard, can you recommend a dependable hostler?”
“Certainly.” The innkeeper provided explicit directions.
“I also wish to hire a gang of strong and willing workers,” said Cugel. “Where may these be recruited?”
