Part 73 (1/2)
Naupt led the three into the center of the hail, then, hopping about on his thin legs, signalled the group to a halt. ”I will announce your arrival to Sir Throop. You are the Princess Madouc, you are Sir Pom-Pom and you are Travante the Sage; am I correct?”
”You are almost correct,” said Madouc. ”That is Travante the Sage, and I am the Princess Madouc!”
”Ah! All is now explained! I will call Sir Throop; then I must make ready for Throop's evening meal. You may wait here. See that you take nothing that does not belong to you.”
”Naturally not!” said Travante. ”I am beginning to resent these imputations!”
”No matter, no matter. When the time comes you can never say that you were not warned.” Naupt scurried away on his thin little legs.
”The hail is cold,” grumbled Sir Pom-Pom. ”Let us go stand by the fire.”
”By no means!” cried Madouc. ”Do you wish to become soup for Throop's supper? The logs which nourish the fire are not our property; we must avoid putting the warmth to our personal use.”
”It is a most delicate situation,” growled Sir Pom-Pom. ”I wonder that we dare breathe the air.”
”That we may do, since the air is all-encompa.s.sing and not the property of Throop.”
”That is good news.” Sir Pom-Pom turned his head. ”I hear steps approaching. Throop is on his way.”
Throop entered the hall. He lumbered five long paces forward and inspected his guests with the full attention of his three heads. Throop was large and bulky, standing ten feet in height, with the chest of a bull, great round arms and gnarled legs, each as thick as the trunk of a tree. The heads were round, heavy at the cheekbone, with round white-gray eyes, snub noses, and purple heavy-lipped mouths. Each head wore a c.o.c.ked hat of a different color: Pism's hat was green; Pasm's liver-colored; Posm's, a jaunty mustard-ocher.
The three heads completed their survey. Pasm, at the center, spoke: ”What is your purpose here, occupying s.p.a.ce and taking shelter inside my Castle Doldil?”
”We came to pay our respects, in the fas.h.i.+on dictated by courtesy,” said Madouc. ”Your invitation to enter gave us no choice but to occupy s.p.a.ce and take shelter.”
”Bah batasta! That is a glib response. Why do you stand there like sticks?”
”We are anxious not to impose upon your good nature. Hence we await exact instructions.”
Throop marched to the head of the table and seated himself in the great chair. ”You may join me at the table.”
”Are we to sit on the chairs, Sir Throop, without regard for the wear we might cause?”
”Bah! You must be careful! The chairs are valuable antiques!”
”In that case, concern for you and your property would argue that we should stand.”
”You may sit.”
”In the warmth of the fire or otherwise?”
”As you choose.”
Madouc detected a crafty ambiguity in the statement. She asked: ”Without indebtedness or penalty?”
All of Throop's heads scowled together. ”In your case I will make an exception and levy no charge for either fireheat or fire light.”
”Thank you, Sir Throop.” The three carefully seated them selves, and watched Throop in respectful silence.
Posm asked: ”Are you hungry?”