does it not?”
“Oh, in your case I believe there are other reasons,” said Arra, smiling. “But tell me, what is it that you wish? For I am convinced that you did not enter, calling my name in that strong voice, without having had in mind some particular issue.”
“Oh, as far as that goes, you are entirely correct. But, before discussing it, I should rather wait until you, that is, until—”
“Until I should have dressed myself, my lord?”
“You have said it precisely.”
Arra, we must confess, took a certain pleasure in embarrassing Morrolan, but she merely said, “Very well, I shall return in a moment, properly attired.”
Morrolan bowed, and Arra left, although not without permitting the towel to drop just as she vanished through the doorway. Soon she was back, properly covered in her priestly robes. “I hope,” she said, “this causes you less discomfort, my lord.”
Morrolan bowed.
“Well then,” she said when they were seated, “what is it that you wish to discuss with me?”
“A peculiar thing happened.”
“Well, I am listening.”
“I was on my way from my apartments to the dry goods store, when I happened to pass a stranger—that is, someone I had not met before.”
“Yes, I understand. A stranger. They pass through Blackchapel from time to time. Indeed, many of them end up joining the Circle, at which time they cease to be strangers.”
“Well but this stranger—a clean-shaven gentleman of middle years with a large belly and very little hair—seemed to be looking at me in a very peculiar fashion.”
“Yes?”
“That is, he was staring at me.”
“I understand.”
“And then—”
“There is more?”
“Yes. He stopped Claude, who happened to be passing the other way, and spoke to him, pointing at me in a way I considered impertinent at best, and probably rude.”
“Yes?”
“And, after that, he stopped, dropped to his knee, and bowed to me!”
“Well?”
“But, my dear Arra, why would he, a stranger, have done such a thing?”
“No doubt he has heard of you.”
“Heard of me?”
“Why, yes. You cannot imagine that what we have done has not been noticed, and that you are not seen as the mover behind it.”
“What we have done? You mean, our Circle?”
“Precisely.”
“But why?”
“Why, milord? You wonder why?”
“Yes, exactly. And, if you know, I should consider it a great favor were you to tell me.”
“Then I will do so.”
“I am listening.”
“You must consider that we have gathered together three hundred and eighty-three witches. We have been working together, learning more of the Art, and sending out messages to all with the sensitivity to hear them—messages that reach farther and farther as we add more to the Circle.”
“Well, I know all of this.”
“But, nothing like this has ever been done before!”
“I had not known that. But still—”
“And we have done more. Do you recall last year, the Seeing?”
“You mean, when you saw the raid that was to be conducted on Carrick?”
“Exactly. And we warned them, and the raiders were driven off.”
“Oh yes, certainly, I can never forget it any more than I can forget the ten barrels of oushka that we were sent as a mark of gratitude. But—”
“My lord, you seem not to understand.”
“Understand? I do not understand? Goddess! I have been telling you for an hour that I do not understand!”
“My lord, for a hundred miles around, everyone knows of the Circle, and, to them, the Circle is you.”
“Me?”
“You.”
“Arra, what do you mean, the Circle is me?”
“I mean that everyone has heard of you, and of the Circle, and sees them together.”
“For a hundred miles around?”
“Maybe two hundred.”
“They know the Circle, and know me?”
“Your description travels by word of mouth—they perceive you are a very distinctive man.”
“Well, but—it is strange.”
“Oh, I do not doubt that it is. But it is true.”
Morrolan frowned and
“Oh, in your case I believe there are other reasons,” said Arra, smiling. “But tell me, what is it that you wish? For I am convinced that you did not enter, calling my name in that strong voice, without having had in mind some particular issue.”
“Oh, as far as that goes, you are entirely correct. But, before discussing it, I should rather wait until you, that is, until—”
“Until I should have dressed myself, my lord?”
“You have said it precisely.”
Arra, we must confess, took a certain pleasure in embarrassing Morrolan, but she merely said, “Very well, I shall return in a moment, properly attired.”
Morrolan bowed, and Arra left, although not without permitting the towel to drop just as she vanished through the doorway. Soon she was back, properly covered in her priestly robes. “I hope,” she said, “this causes you less discomfort, my lord.”
Morrolan bowed.
“Well then,” she said when they were seated, “what is it that you wish to discuss with me?”
“A peculiar thing happened.”
“Well, I am listening.”
“I was on my way from my apartments to the dry goods store, when I happened to pass a stranger—that is, someone I had not met before.”
“Yes, I understand. A stranger. They pass through Blackchapel from time to time. Indeed, many of them end up joining the Circle, at which time they cease to be strangers.”
“Well but this stranger—a clean-shaven gentleman of middle years with a large belly and very little hair—seemed to be looking at me in a very peculiar fashion.”
“Yes?”
“That is, he was staring at me.”
“I understand.”
“And then—”
“There is more?”
“Yes. He stopped Claude, who happened to be passing the other way, and spoke to him, pointing at me in a way I considered impertinent at best, and probably rude.”
“Yes?”
“And, after that, he stopped, dropped to his knee, and bowed to me!”
“Well?”
“But, my dear Arra, why would he, a stranger, have done such a thing?”
“No doubt he has heard of you.”
“Heard of me?”
“Why, yes. You cannot imagine that what we have done has not been noticed, and that you are not seen as the mover behind it.”
“What we have done? You mean, our Circle?”
“Precisely.”
“But why?”
“Why, milord? You wonder why?”
“Yes, exactly. And, if you know, I should consider it a great favor were you to tell me.”
“Then I will do so.”
“I am listening.”
“You must consider that we have gathered together three hundred and eighty-three witches. We have been working together, learning more of the Art, and sending out messages to all with the sensitivity to hear them—messages that reach farther and farther as we add more to the Circle.”
“Well, I know all of this.”
“But, nothing like this has ever been done before!”
“I had not known that. But still—”
“And we have done more. Do you recall last year, the Seeing?”
“You mean, when you saw the raid that was to be conducted on Carrick?”
“Exactly. And we warned them, and the raiders were driven off.”
“Oh yes, certainly, I can never forget it any more than I can forget the ten barrels of oushka that we were sent as a mark of gratitude. But—”
“My lord, you seem not to understand.”
“Understand? I do not understand? Goddess! I have been telling you for an hour that I do not understand!”
“My lord, for a hundred miles around, everyone knows of the Circle, and, to them, the Circle is you.”
“Me?”
“You.”
“Arra, what do you mean, the Circle is me?”
“I mean that everyone has heard of you, and of the Circle, and sees them together.”
“For a hundred miles around?”
“Maybe two hundred.”
“They know the Circle, and know me?”
“Your description travels by word of mouth—they perceive you are a very distinctive man.”
“Well, but—it is strange.”
“Oh, I do not doubt that it is. But it is true.”
Morrolan frowned and
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