Part 12 (1/2)

”No.”

THEN WHY?.

”Are we talking or are we playing?”

OH, VERY WELL.

Granny picked up the pack of cards and shuffled it, not looking at her hands, and smiling at Death all the time. She dealt five cards each, and reached down...

A bony hand grasped hers.

BUT FIRST FIRST, MISTRESS W WEATHERWAX-WE WILL EXCHANGE CARDS.

He picked up the two piles and transposed them, and then nodded at Granny.

MADAM?.

Granny looked at her cards, and threw them down.

FOUR Q QUEENS. HMM. THAT IS VERY HIGH.

Death looked down at his cards, and then up into Granny's steady, blue-eyed gaze.

Neither moved for some time.

Then Death laid the hand on the table.

I LOSE LOSE, he said. ALL I I HAVE IS FOUR HAVE IS FOUR O ONES.

He looked back into Granny's eyes for a moment. There was a blue glow in the depth of his eye-sockets. Maybe, for the merest fraction of a second, barely noticeable even to the closest observation, one winked off.

Granny nodded, and extended a hand.

She prided herself on the ability to judge people by their gaze and their handshake, which in this case was a rather chilly one.

”Take the cow,” she said.

IT IS A VALUABLE CREATURE.

”Who knows what the child will become?”

Death stood up, and reached for his scythe.

He said, Ow.

”Ah, yes. I couldn't help noticing,” said Granny Weatherwax, as the tension drained out of the atmosphere, ”that you seem to be sparing that arm.”

OH, YOU KNOW HOW IT IS. REPEt.i.tIVE ACTIONS AND SO ON...

”It could get serious if you left it.”

HOW SERIOUS?.

”Want me to have a look?”

WOULD YOU MIND? IT CERTAINLY ACHES ON COLD NIGHTS.

Granny stood up and reached out, but her hands went straight through.

”Look, you're going to have to make yourself a bit more solid if I'm to do anything-”

POSSIBLY A BOTTLE OF SUCKROSE AND AKWA?.

”Sugar and water? I expect you know know that's only for the hard of thinking. Come on, roll up that sleeve. Don't be a big baby. What's the worst I can do to you?” that's only for the hard of thinking. Come on, roll up that sleeve. Don't be a big baby. What's the worst I can do to you?”

Granny's hands touched smooth bone. She'd felt worse. At least these had never had flesh on them.

She felt, thought, gripped, twisted...

There was a click.

Ow.

”Now try it above the shoulder.”

ER. HMM. YES. IT DOES SEEM CONSIDERABLY MORE FREE. YES, INDEED. MY WORD, YES. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

”If it gives you trouble again, you know where I live.”

THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

”You know where everyone lives. Tuesday mornings is a good time. I'm generally in.”

I SHALL REMEMBER SHALL REMEMBER. THANK YOU.

”By appointment, in your case. No offense meant.”

THANK YOU.

Death walked away. A moment later there was a faint gasp from the cow. That and a slight sagging of the skin were all that apparently marked the transition from living animal to cooling meat.

Granny picked up the baby and laid a hand on its forehead.

”Fever's gone,” she said.

MISTRESS W WEATHERWAX? said Death from the doorway.

”Yes, sir?”