Part 67 (2/2)
In a subdued voice Madouc spoke to King Throbius: ”Enlighten me, Your Highness! How will you prove the case?”
”Be attentive; all will be made known. Twisk, why are you so exercised?”
”Osfer is molesting me!”
”Not so, Your Highness! You were about to order matrices; I had already started to apply the drain to Twisk.”
”Of course. Twisk, we must have three minims of your blood; be stoic.”
”I am loth to endure these martyrdoms! Is it truly needful?”
King Throbius made a meaningful sign; hissing between her teeth Twisk gingerly allowed Osfer to ply his instruments. He took a quant.i.ty of blood from her slender wrist, which he then discharged into one of the nephrite dishes. By processes too swift for Madouc to follow, he used the blood to nurture a fragile construction of fibers and small blue, red and green plasms.
Osfer turned proudly to King Throbius. ”It is perfection in all respects! Each quirk and phase of Twisk's somewhat devious nature are open for inspection.”
”You have done well.” King Throbius turned to Madouc. ”Now it is your turn; from your blood Osfer will grow a matrix that is yours alone.”
Madouc cried out between clenched teeth. ”My turn has come and gone! He has already done his worst to me!”
Presently a matrix somewhat similar to that derived from Twisk appeared on a second plate.
”Next, let us try Sir Jaucinet!” said King Throbius. ”Soon we shall see who is father to whom!”
Osfer drew blood from Sir Jaucinet's nerveless arm and constructed the matrix peculiar to the lord of Castle Cloud.
King Throbius turned to Madouc. ”There you see three matrices, representing the innate fabric of yourself, your mother, Twisk, and this n.o.ble knight. By the most subtle means, Osfer will now subtract the influence of Twisk from your matrix, to create a new matrix. If your father is Sir Jaucinet, the new matrix will be identical to his, and you will know the truth of your paternity. Osfer, you may proceed.”
”Sire, I have completed the operation. Behold the two matrices!”
”I a.s.sume they are identical?” said King Throbius.
”Not at all, and in no particular!”
”Aha!” said King Throbius. ”So much for Sir Jaucinet; he may be excused. Liberate him from your thrall, Madouc; bid him be on his way.”
Madouc obeyed the instruction. Sir Jaucinet gave instant vent to peevish complaints, and demanded reasons for the many inconveniences to which he had been put.
”I can give you no easy response,” said Madouc. ”It is a long and detailed story.”
”What of the frogs in my mustache?” demanded Sir Jaucinet. ”Is their presence such a complicated affair?”
”Not altogether,” Madouc admitted. ”Still, King Throbius has ordered your departure, and you had best hurry, since the afternoon is waning and the way is long.”
Sir Jaucinet, his expression one of deep chagrin, turned on his heel. ”Wait!” called King Throbius. ”Osfer, apply the 'Four-fold Spell' to speed good Sir Jaucinet on his journey.”
”Indeed, Sire, while he conferred with Madouc, I applied the 'Six-fold Spell',” said Osfer.
”Good work, Osfer!” King Throbius spoke to Sir Jaucinet:
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