mentioned aspersion and fumigation, in other words sprinkling and perfuming. Sprinkling has to be done with an aspergillum, a bundle of herbs like a fagot or
bouquet garni
. The herbs differ from rite to rite and you can see I’ve got a fair selection here – mint, marjoram, rosemary, vervain, periwinkle, sage, valerian, ash, basil, hyssop. In fumigation the most commonly used scents are aloes, incense, mace, benzoin, storax. Also, it’s sometimes necessary to make a stench – for instance in the fumigation of a caul – and I’ve got quite a repertoire of those.’
Ware turned away abruptly, nearly treading on Hess’s toes, and strode towards the exit. Hess had no choice but to follow him.
‘Everything involves special preparation,’ he said over his shoulder, ‘even including the firewood if I want to make ink for pacts. But there’s no point in my cataloguing things further, since I’m sure you thoroughly understand the principles.’
Hess scurried after, but he was still several paces behind the magician when the window drapes swished closed and the red gloom was reinstated. Ware stopped and waited for him, and the moment he was through the door, closed it and went back to his seat behind the big desk. Hess, puzzled, walked around the desk and took one of the Florentine chairs reserved for guests or clients.
‘Most illuminating,’ he said politely. ‘Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome,’ Ware rested his elbows on the desk and put his fingertips over his mouth, looking down thoughtfully. There was a sprinkle of perspiration over his brow and shaven head, and he seemed more than usually pale; also, Hess noticed after a moment, he seemed to be trying without major effort, to control his breathing. Hess watched curiously, wondering what could have upset him. After only a moment, however, Ware looked up at him and volunteered the explanation, with an easy half smile.
‘Excuse me,’ he said. ‘From apprenticeship on, we’re trained to secrecy. I’m perfectly convinced that it’s unnecessary these days, and has been since the Inquisition died, but old oaths are the hardest to reason away. No discourtesy intended.’
‘No offence taken,’ Hess assured him. ‘However, if you’d rather rest …’
‘No, I’ll have ample rest in the next three days, and be incommunicado, too, preparing for Dr Baines’s commission. So if you’ve further questions, now’s the time for them.’
‘Well … I have no further technical questions, for the moment. But I am curious about a question Baines asked you during your first meeting – I needn’t pretend, I’m sure, that I haven’t heard the tape. I wonder, just as he did, what your motivation is. I can see from what you’ve shown me, and from everything you’ve said, that you’ve taken colossal amounts of trouble to perfect yourself in your Art, and that you believe in it. So it doesn’t matter for the present whether or not
I
believe in it, only whether or not I believe in you. And your laboratory isn’t a sham, it isn’t there solely for extortion’s sake, it’s a place where a dedicated man works at something he thinks important. I confess I came to scoff – and to expose you, if I could – and I still can’t credit that any of what you do works, or ever did work. But I accept that you so believe.’
Ware gave him a half nod. Thank you; go on.’
‘I’ve no further to go but the fundamental question. You don’t really need money, you don’t seem to collect art or women, you’re not out to be President of the World or the power behind some such person – and yet by your lights you have damned yourself eternally to make yourself expert in this highly peculiar subject. What on earth
for
?’
‘I could easily duck that question.’ Ware said slowly.’ I could point out, for instance, that under certain circumstances I could prolong my life to seven hundred years, and so might not be worrying just yet about what might happen to me in the
bouquet garni
. The herbs differ from rite to rite and you can see I’ve got a fair selection here – mint, marjoram, rosemary, vervain, periwinkle, sage, valerian, ash, basil, hyssop. In fumigation the most commonly used scents are aloes, incense, mace, benzoin, storax. Also, it’s sometimes necessary to make a stench – for instance in the fumigation of a caul – and I’ve got quite a repertoire of those.’
Ware turned away abruptly, nearly treading on Hess’s toes, and strode towards the exit. Hess had no choice but to follow him.
‘Everything involves special preparation,’ he said over his shoulder, ‘even including the firewood if I want to make ink for pacts. But there’s no point in my cataloguing things further, since I’m sure you thoroughly understand the principles.’
Hess scurried after, but he was still several paces behind the magician when the window drapes swished closed and the red gloom was reinstated. Ware stopped and waited for him, and the moment he was through the door, closed it and went back to his seat behind the big desk. Hess, puzzled, walked around the desk and took one of the Florentine chairs reserved for guests or clients.
‘Most illuminating,’ he said politely. ‘Thank you.’
‘You’re welcome,’ Ware rested his elbows on the desk and put his fingertips over his mouth, looking down thoughtfully. There was a sprinkle of perspiration over his brow and shaven head, and he seemed more than usually pale; also, Hess noticed after a moment, he seemed to be trying without major effort, to control his breathing. Hess watched curiously, wondering what could have upset him. After only a moment, however, Ware looked up at him and volunteered the explanation, with an easy half smile.
‘Excuse me,’ he said. ‘From apprenticeship on, we’re trained to secrecy. I’m perfectly convinced that it’s unnecessary these days, and has been since the Inquisition died, but old oaths are the hardest to reason away. No discourtesy intended.’
‘No offence taken,’ Hess assured him. ‘However, if you’d rather rest …’
‘No, I’ll have ample rest in the next three days, and be incommunicado, too, preparing for Dr Baines’s commission. So if you’ve further questions, now’s the time for them.’
‘Well … I have no further technical questions, for the moment. But I am curious about a question Baines asked you during your first meeting – I needn’t pretend, I’m sure, that I haven’t heard the tape. I wonder, just as he did, what your motivation is. I can see from what you’ve shown me, and from everything you’ve said, that you’ve taken colossal amounts of trouble to perfect yourself in your Art, and that you believe in it. So it doesn’t matter for the present whether or not
I
believe in it, only whether or not I believe in you. And your laboratory isn’t a sham, it isn’t there solely for extortion’s sake, it’s a place where a dedicated man works at something he thinks important. I confess I came to scoff – and to expose you, if I could – and I still can’t credit that any of what you do works, or ever did work. But I accept that you so believe.’
Ware gave him a half nod. Thank you; go on.’
‘I’ve no further to go but the fundamental question. You don’t really need money, you don’t seem to collect art or women, you’re not out to be President of the World or the power behind some such person – and yet by your lights you have damned yourself eternally to make yourself expert in this highly peculiar subject. What on earth
for
?’
‘I could easily duck that question.’ Ware said slowly.’ I could point out, for instance, that under certain circumstances I could prolong my life to seven hundred years, and so might not be worrying just yet about what might happen to me in the
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