The Sorcerer's House by Gene Wolfe Page A

you repair it before--or was it after--you got my longlight?"
    "Before."
    Emlyn smiled. "Let's hope that's right. You're quite sure?"
    "Certain." I pointed to the apparatus. "I got your longlight when I got this. I had neither when I repaired the window."
    "Good. You'll understand why I say that when you understand the triannulus. Where's my longlight?"
    My eyes fell on the lamp. "I was sitting in here reading. . . ."
    "Yes?"
    I snapped my fingers. "A neighbor came and gave me that. It's an oil lamp."
    Emlyn waited.
    "We lit it and he blew out the candle. Blew out your longlight."
    "You hadn't--never mind. Go on."
    "He gave me a spare can of oil for it, too. I was afraid of what might happen if the oil got too close to the fire, so I put it in the kitchen after he left. Put the oil and the long light in there together, side by side."
    I felt quite proud of myself for remembering that, George; but when we went to get it, it was gone. I looked and Emlyn, and he at me.
    "This is where I put it," I said. "Right here next to the oil, on this shelf in this cabinet."
    I had never heard the sharp bark of a fox before, but I heard it then and spun around.
    The fox was Winkle, of course. She was standing in the kitchen doorway with the longlight in front of her; her expression was more mischievous than ever.
    I said, "Well! I wondered what had happened to you," and went to get it.
    At which, George, she picked it up and ran.
    Emlyn yelled, "The facefox!" and sprinted after her.
    We chased her, I believe, through most of the rooms on the lower floor, and there are a good many of them. Emlyn, who can run far faster than I, was always in hot pursuit. I tried to get ahead of her and block her exit.
    Neither of us succeeded, and at last we gave up and sat down on the floor, panting.
    At which Winkle sat, too, carefully set the longlight down in front of her, and grinned at us.
    "Please, Winkle." I gasped for breath. "Let us have it. It belongs to Emlyn here."
    Emyln said, "I've been trying to find you because I learned that Ieuan had caged you. I was going to set you free. Doesn't that prove I'm a friend?"
    "Ahhh! Tho?"
    "If you'll give it back to me now--it's mine, it really is--I'll always be your friend. I'll never try to force you like Ieuan did." Emlyn raised his hand. "That I swear by wind and tree, by grass, river, and hill."
    Winkle nodded and looked at me. "Ahhh, tho?"
    "You don't need a friend as poor as I am, Winkle. I know that. I was the one who needed a friend, and you were that friend for a day or two. I--I'd like for us to be friends again. Won't you be my pet? You'll always be free to come and go, and if there's any way I can help you, I'll do it. Any way at all."
    At that, Winkle picked up the longlight, trotted over to me, and set it down in front of me.
    I must end my letter here, George. This is my last sheet, and my eyes ache after so much writing by lamplight. I shall recount to you the rest when I have obtained more paper.
    Please remember that I long to hear from you, whether you will assist me or not. How are you? How is Millie?
    Yours sincerely,
    Bax

Number 9
S ORCERY

    Dear George:

    This paper itself is interesting. You may recall that the first boy (Emlyn) promised to show me how his father's triannulus operates. Once we had reclaimed his longlight from Winkle, he did so.
    "Each ring is a want list," he explained. "The inside ring has the shortest list, because it has the least room to put things in."
    I nodded.
    "The middle ring has everything that's on the inside ring and some more things of its own. Look here. See this symbol?"
    I did. It was an oval surrounding something that might have been a flame.
    "It's not on the inner ring, but it is on middle ring. See?"
    I remarked that it was on the outer ring as well and asked what it meant.
    Emlyn looked up at me. "I don't know. Do you?"
    Lacking your imagination, George, I could only confess that I had no idea.
    "See if you can find this snake on the outer