procession as we
walked slowly down towards crystal spires.
At that point I was still convinced I would soon be reunited with my parents, or that at least Monsieur Zodiac would be contacting
me. Somehow I thought they already knew about this world. I had no possible notion of the adventure on which I was about to
embark.
At last we reached the city. The tall, irregular towers had an extraordinary and profound beauty. I felt an emotion similar
to one I had known when visiting York Minster and Westminster Abbey, but far more intense. I had sensations of tremendous
joy and was so absorbed in the experience, I did not notice the creature standing in the nearest doorway, smiling at me.
“I see the city of the Off-Moo has impressed you, young miss.”
I was being addressed by that same large fox, somewhat bigger than the average man and standing a little uncertainly on his
hind legs, dressed with exquisite taste in the finery of a late-eighteenth-century fop. With one paw the fox held a tall ornamental
pole, with which he kept his balance. The other he extended to me. “How do you do, mademoiselle.” His pad was soft and sensitive,
with a living warmth to it. “I am Renyard von Grimmelshausen, Lord of the Deep City, hereditary keeper of the secrets ofthe center. Oh, and many other things. I am named, I must admit, for one of my favorite authors. Have you read
Simplicissimus?
I’ve written a few books of my own, too. I will be your guide, young mistress. At your disposal. Not in this city, of course,
which is not mine, but the other city, parts of which
are
mine.”
“There’s someone wants to shoot you,” I said, shaking his paw. “You’d better be careful.”
“I am used to it,” he assured me. “I am always careful. And you are …?”
“I am Oonagh Bek. I’m hoping to get back to Ingleton as soon as possible.”
Lord Renyard frowned, not understanding everything I said. Then he bowed again. “Enchanted, mademoiselle.” He spoke in faintly
accented English. “You appear to have won the approval of our friends the Off-Moo.”
“Who’s that, again?”
“Those gentlemen. They are the builders and inhabitants of yonder city. I think it’s safe to say they are allies of mine.
They’ll not harm you.”
“But Klosterheim’s around!” I looked, but I could no longer see the skull-faced Puritan.
“Oh, he’ll not bother us for a while yet, believe me. He cannot come here. How can I help you?” He was serenely confident.
I calmed down.
“Maybe you could point me in the right direction for the village,” I suggested. There had to be another exit or entrance or
whatever. “Or even take me a bit of the way to Ingleton…”
“Ingleton, my dear child?”
“It’s where I live.”
“Is that where you entered the World Below?”
“It is.” My granny had told me bedtime stories aboutthe World Above and the World Below when I was a little girl. I’d forgotten all about them. “So? Any ideas about Ingleton?”
He shook his long head. For the first time I became genuinely worried. “Then how can I find my way home?”
“We’ll have to look, I suppose.”
“Is it possible to stay lost for a long time?”
“Sometimes it’s always possible.” He was regretful. “But I’m sure I can help. I have a good many maps where I live. A very
extensive library on all subjects. I was paying a casual visit to my friends the Off-Moo, so we can leave without risking
offense. I come here to relax. They see nothing strange in me, whereas most of your kind and mine are suspicious of a fox
who not only wears human clothes but is also educated, as I am, in all the Encyclopedists.”
“I don’t know much about encyclopedias, Lord Renyard.” I felt a bit silly saying that. Had he read them all?
“I am an intellectual child of Voltaire and Montaigne.” He spoke with a slight air of self-mockery. “Of whom, no doubt, you’ve
never heard.”
“I’ve heard of
walked slowly down towards crystal spires.
At that point I was still convinced I would soon be reunited with my parents, or that at least Monsieur Zodiac would be contacting
me. Somehow I thought they already knew about this world. I had no possible notion of the adventure on which I was about to
embark.
At last we reached the city. The tall, irregular towers had an extraordinary and profound beauty. I felt an emotion similar
to one I had known when visiting York Minster and Westminster Abbey, but far more intense. I had sensations of tremendous
joy and was so absorbed in the experience, I did not notice the creature standing in the nearest doorway, smiling at me.
“I see the city of the Off-Moo has impressed you, young miss.”
I was being addressed by that same large fox, somewhat bigger than the average man and standing a little uncertainly on his
hind legs, dressed with exquisite taste in the finery of a late-eighteenth-century fop. With one paw the fox held a tall ornamental
pole, with which he kept his balance. The other he extended to me. “How do you do, mademoiselle.” His pad was soft and sensitive,
with a living warmth to it. “I am Renyard von Grimmelshausen, Lord of the Deep City, hereditary keeper of the secrets ofthe center. Oh, and many other things. I am named, I must admit, for one of my favorite authors. Have you read
Simplicissimus?
I’ve written a few books of my own, too. I will be your guide, young mistress. At your disposal. Not in this city, of course,
which is not mine, but the other city, parts of which
are
mine.”
“There’s someone wants to shoot you,” I said, shaking his paw. “You’d better be careful.”
“I am used to it,” he assured me. “I am always careful. And you are …?”
“I am Oonagh Bek. I’m hoping to get back to Ingleton as soon as possible.”
Lord Renyard frowned, not understanding everything I said. Then he bowed again. “Enchanted, mademoiselle.” He spoke in faintly
accented English. “You appear to have won the approval of our friends the Off-Moo.”
“Who’s that, again?”
“Those gentlemen. They are the builders and inhabitants of yonder city. I think it’s safe to say they are allies of mine.
They’ll not harm you.”
“But Klosterheim’s around!” I looked, but I could no longer see the skull-faced Puritan.
“Oh, he’ll not bother us for a while yet, believe me. He cannot come here. How can I help you?” He was serenely confident.
I calmed down.
“Maybe you could point me in the right direction for the village,” I suggested. There had to be another exit or entrance or
whatever. “Or even take me a bit of the way to Ingleton…”
“Ingleton, my dear child?”
“It’s where I live.”
“Is that where you entered the World Below?”
“It is.” My granny had told me bedtime stories aboutthe World Above and the World Below when I was a little girl. I’d forgotten all about them. “So? Any ideas about Ingleton?”
He shook his long head. For the first time I became genuinely worried. “Then how can I find my way home?”
“We’ll have to look, I suppose.”
“Is it possible to stay lost for a long time?”
“Sometimes it’s always possible.” He was regretful. “But I’m sure I can help. I have a good many maps where I live. A very
extensive library on all subjects. I was paying a casual visit to my friends the Off-Moo, so we can leave without risking
offense. I come here to relax. They see nothing strange in me, whereas most of your kind and mine are suspicious of a fox
who not only wears human clothes but is also educated, as I am, in all the Encyclopedists.”
“I don’t know much about encyclopedias, Lord Renyard.” I felt a bit silly saying that. Had he read them all?
“I am an intellectual child of Voltaire and Montaigne.” He spoke with a slight air of self-mockery. “Of whom, no doubt, you’ve
never heard.”
“I’ve heard of
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