Part 17 (2/2)

As she opened a mahogany trunk, inlaid with silver and mother-of-pearl, the lid squeaked and, at the same time, she thought she heard a faint noise from below.

She paused and listened, but there was no further sound. She saw at once that the trunk contained only faded ma.n.u.scripts.

Miss Ming decided to return to the storeroom. The curiosity which had at first directed her energy was now dissipating, to be replaced by a familiar sense of panic.

She felt her heart rate increase and the s.h.i.+p seemed to give a series of little tremors, in sympathy. She returned to the companionway and lifted the hatch. She was halfway down when the whole s.h.i.+p shook itself like an animal, roared, as if sentient, and she was pressed back against the steps, clinging to the rail as, swaying from side to side, the s.h.i.+p took off.

Sweating, Miss Ming turned herself round with difficulty and began to climb back toward the living quarters where she felt she would be safer. If her throat had been less constricted she would have screamed. The s.h.i.+p, she knew, was taking off under its own power. It was quite possible that she had activated it herself. Unless she could work out how to control it she would soon be adrift in the cosmos, floating through s.p.a.ce until she died. And she would be all alone. It was this latter thought which terrified her most. She reached the cabin and crawled across the dusty carpet as the pressure increased, climbing onto the bed in the hope that it would cus.h.i.+on the acceleration effects.

The sensations she was experiencing were not dissimilar to those she had experienced on her trip through time and, as such, did not alarm her. It was the.prospect of what would become of her when the s.h.i.+p was beyond Earth's gravity which she could not bear to consider.

It was not, she thought, as if there were many planets left in the universe. Earth might now be the only one.

The pressure began to lift, but she remained face down upon the bed (”these sheets could do with a wash,” she was thinking) even when it was obvious that the s.h.i.+p was traveling at last through free s.p.a.ce.

'Oh, you've let yourself in for it this time, Mavis,” she told herself. ”You've been conned properly, my girl.”

She wondered it, for reasons of his own, Doctor Volospion had deliberately sent her into s.p.a.ce. She knew his capacity for revenge. Had that silly tiff meant so much to him? He had beguiled her into suggesting her own trap, her own punishment, just because of a silly scratch on the hand!

'What a b.a.s.t.a.r.d! What b.a.s.t.a.r.ds they all are!” And what an idiot she had made of herself. It taught you never to be sympathetic to a man. They always used it against you. ”That's Mavis all over,” she continued, ”trusting the world. And this is how the world repays you!” But there was little conviction in her tone; her self-pity was half-hearted. Actually, she realized, she was not feeling particularly bad now that there was a genuine threat to her life. All the little anxieties fled away.

Miss Ming began to roll over on the bed. At least the s.h.i.+p itself was comfortable enough.

'It's cozy, really.” She smiled. ”A sort of den. Just like when I was a little girl, with my own little room, and my books and dolls.” She laughed. ”I'm actually safer here than anywhere I've been since I grew up. It shouldn't be difficult to work out a way of getting back to Earth - if I want to go back. What's Earth got to offer, anyway, except deceit, hypocrisy and treachery?”

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed. She looked at her new home, all her new toys.

'I think it's really what I've always wanted,” she declared.

'Now you realize that I spoke the truth!” said the triumphant voice of Emmuel Bloom from the shadows overhead.

'My G.o.d!” said Miss Ming as she realized the full extent of Doctor Volospion's deception.

Chapter Sixteen.

In which Doctor Volospion receives the congratulations of his peers and celebrates the acquisition of his new Treasure

My Lady Charlotina rose from Doctor Volospion's bed and swiftly demolished her double (Doctor Volospion would only make love to pairs of women) before touching a power ring to adorn herself in white and cerise poppies. In the shadows of the four-poster Doctor Volospion lay relis.h.i.+ng his several victories, a beautiful cup held in his hands. He turned the cup round and round, running his fingers over an inscription which he could not read, for it was in ancient English.

'You doubt none of my powers now, I hope, My Lady Charlotina,” he said.

Her smile was slow. She knew he would have her speak of Jagged, perhaps make a comparison, but she did not have it in her to satisfy Volospion's curiosity. Lord Jagged was Lord Jagged, she thought.

'I was privileged,” she said, ”to know your plan from the start and to see it work so smoothly. I am most impressed. First you incarcerated Miss Ming, then you lured Mr. Bloom to your castle, then you pretended that his power was great enough to destroy your force field, then you captured him, knowing that he would give anything to escape. You originally meant to hold him, of course, as one of your collection, but then you learned of the Grail...”

'So I offered Miss Ming in exchange for the Grail. Thus he thought he took her from me without force and that she went willingly to him - for I did not, of course, explain to Mr. Bloom that I had deceived Miss Ming.”

'So much deception! It is quite hard for me to follow!” She laughed. ”What a match. The greatest cynic of our world (with the exception of Lord Shark who does not really count) pitted against the greatest idealist in the universe!”

'And the cynic won,” said Doctor Volospion. ”As they always do.”

'Well, a cynic would draw that conclusion,” she pointed out. ”I had a liking for that Mr. Bloom, though he was a bore.”

'As was Miss Ming.”

'Great bores, both.”

'And by one stroke I rid the world of its two most awful bores,” said Doctor Volospion, in case she had not considered this achievement with the rest.

'Exactly.”

Yawning, My Lady Charlotina drifted toward a dark window. ”You have your cup. He has his queen.”

'Exactly.”

My Lady Charlotina looked up at the featureless heavens. No stars gleamed here. Perhaps they were all extinquished. She sighed.

'My only regret,” said Doctor Volospion as he carefully laid the cup upon his pillow and straightened his body, ”is that I was not able to ask Mr. Bloom the meaning of this inscription.”

'Doubtless a warning to the curious,” she said ”or an offer of eternal salvation. You know more about these things, Doctor Volospion.”

A cap appeared on his head. Robes formed. Black velvet and mink. ”Oh, yes, they are always very similar. And often disappointing ordinary.”

'It does seem a very ordinary cup.”

'The faithful would see that as a sign of its true holiness,” he told her knowledgeably.

From outside they detected a halloo.

'It is Abu Thaleb,” she said in some animation. ”And Argonheart Po and some others. Li Pao, I think, is with them. Shall you admit them?”

'Of course. They will want to see my cup.”

My Lady Charlotina and Doctor Volospion left his bedroom and went down to the hall to greet their guests.

Doctor Volospion placed the cup upon the table. The ill-functioning neon played across its bright silver.

'Beautiful!” said Abu Thaleb, without as much enthusiasm as perhaps Doctor Volospion would have wished. The Commissar of Bengal brushed feathers from his eyes. ”A fitting reward for your services to us all, Doctor Volospion.”

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