Part 75 (2/2)
Madouc licked her lips nervously, and spoke in a faltering voice: ”You cannot be planning what I suspect you are planning!”
”Hah batasta!” declared Pism. ”Your suspicions may not fall short of the truth!”
”But we are your guests!”
”And no less savory for all of that, especially with our special seasoning, of ramp and horseradish.”
Pasm said: ”Before we proceed with our work, perhaps we should enjoy a draught or two from our golden vessel of plenty.”
”A good idea,” said Posm.
Sir Pom-Pom rose to his feet. ”I will demonstrate the best method of pouring. Naupt, bring tankards of large size! Pism, Pasm and Posm wish to drink deep of the stuff they love the best!”
”Just so,” said Pasm. ”Naupt, bring out the great pewter tankards, that we may enjoy our draughts!”
”Yes, Your Honour.”
Sir Pom-Pom busied himself at the golden vessel. ”What then will each drink?”
Pism said: ”I will take mead, in plenitude!”
Pasm said: ”As before, I will drink red wine, in copious flow!”
Posm said: ”I crave more of that walloping ale, and let it not all be foam in the tankard!”
Sir Pom-Pom poured from the three spouts, and Naupt carried the tankards to Throop of the Three Heads. ”I bid you, raise your tankards high and drink deep! An amplitude remains in the vessel.”
”Ha hah batasta!” cried Pasm. ”One and all: drink deep!” Throop's two hands raised the three tankards, and poured the contents down the throats of Pism, Pasm and Posm all together.
Three seconds pa.s.sed. Pism's great round face turned bright red and his eyes bulged three inches from his head, while his teeth clattered to the floor. Pasm's countenance seemed to vibrate and turn upside-down. Posm's face became as black as coal and red flames darted from his eyes. Throop rose to his feet, to stand swaying. Within his great belly sounded first a rumble, then a m.u.f.fled explosion and Throop fell over backward, in a tumble of unrelated parts. Travante stepped forward and taking up Throop's ma.s.sive sword, hacked the three heads free of the body. ”Naupt, where are you?”
”Here, sir!”
”Take up these three heads and throw them into the fire, at this instant, that they may be destroyed.”
”As you say, sir!” Naupt carried the heads to the fireplace and thrust them into the heart of the flames. ”Watch to make sure that they are utterly consumed!” said Travante. ”Now then: are prisoners pent in the dungeons?”
”No, Your Lords.h.i.+p! Throop ate them all, every one!”
”In that case there is nothing to delay our going.”
”To the contrary,” said Madouc in a faint voice. ”Sir Pom-Pom, you evidently pushed the onyx bead, not once but twice?”
”Not twice,” said Sir Pom-Pom. ”I pushed it a full five times, and once more for good measure. I notice that the vessel has collapsed into corroded fragments.”
”It has served its purpose well,” said Madouc. ”Naupt, we spare you your horrid little life, but you must alter your ways!”
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