Part 33 (1/2)

'Somebody had to make that Burnscove halfwit stop torturing his fiddle. And a Plapp's Pier boy was baiting him, calling him a tuneless hack. Of course he was was a tuneless hack, but many's the brawl that began when one man stabbed another with a painful truth. We're not built to put up with much truth, my Chereste heart.' a tuneless hack, but many's the brawl that began when one man stabbed another with a painful truth. We're not built to put up with much truth, my Chereste heart.'

'Oppo, sir.'

'The girl's not worth it, you know.'

'I beg your pardon?'

'I saw you and Undrabust watchin' Miss Thasha. No girl's worth losin' a friend over - not even a sweet puff-pastry like her. Take it from an old lady's man: play the game calm and collected. Let Undrabust make a fool of himself. He's got a knack for it, and when he does you'll look all the better in her eyes.'

'Mr Druffle,' Pazel broke in. 'I appreciate your - guidance, really. But you're digging for clams in an oyster bed.'

Druffle laughed. 'By the sweet Tree, you make me miss Ormael! Haven't heard that that one in years.' Then he looked sharply at Pazel, and a twinkle came to his eye. '”Digging for clams in an oyster bed.” D'ye know who used to say that? Captain Gregory Pathkendle, that's who.' one in years.' Then he looked sharply at Pazel, and a twinkle came to his eye. '”Digging for clams in an oyster bed.” D'ye know who used to say that? Captain Gregory Pathkendle, that's who.'

Pazel jumped upright. 'You did know my father! You weren't just spinning yarns back on the Prince Rupin! Prince Rupin! Mr Druffle, tell me about him, please! When did you see him last?' Mr Druffle, tell me about him, please! When did you see him last?'

Druffle's face darkened. 'On the Haunted Coast, lad. When he and Mr Hercol led the charge against the Volpeks. 'Course I wasn't free to speak with him - that adder-tongued mage had me in thrall. But I saw Gregory fight his way onto that Volpek cruiser, side-by-side with Mr Hercol. A truly fearless man, Gregory. He took down the Hemeddrin Hemeddrin's captain with one thrust.'

'He seems to be afraid of me,' said Pazel.

Druffle looked at him quizzically. 'Afraid? That's not what I'd call it.'

Before Pazel could ask what Druffle would would call it, a hand fell heavily on his shoulder. Ignus Chadfallow was there, frowning. call it, a hand fell heavily on his shoulder. Ignus Chadfallow was there, frowning.

'Pazel,' he said, 'come with me. I need to speak with you right now.'

Pazel shrugged off his hand and stepped away. 'What do you want? Mr Druffle and I--'

'You can trade stories with this rum-runner on your own time.'

'This is is my own time.' my own time.'

'Rum-runner, is it?' Druffle a.s.sumed an air of dignity. 'As a man of business, I'll have you know I take abjectness to that remark.'

Chadfallow turned Druffle a withering look. 'When I have need of your areas of expertise, such as the best means of pa.s.sing off muskrat pelts as mink, I shall send for you. Come along, Pazel.'

Suddenly Druffle reached out and seized Chadfallow by the arm. 'You can't talk to me that way no more, Doctor sir,' he snarled. 'We're outside the Empire, and from what I hear you're no more right with the law than Dollywilliams Druffle, maybe less so.'

'This s.h.i.+p is is the Empire, you fool,' said Chadfallow, 'and its laws apply here as they would in Etherhorde. Now unhand me before I have you caged like a beast.' the Empire, you fool,' said Chadfallow, 'and its laws apply here as they would in Etherhorde. Now unhand me before I have you caged like a beast.'

Druffle released him, but his eyes sparked with malice. 'Such good good stock, the Chadfallows. Judges and ministers, doctors and dukes. Such a n.o.ble pedicure. But you're not above nicking another man's pastry now and then, are you?' stock, the Chadfallows. Judges and ministers, doctors and dukes. Such a n.o.ble pedicure. But you're not above nicking another man's pastry now and then, are you?'

Chadfallow froze. Druffle eyed him with wicked delight. He turned back to Pazel.

'Aye, lad. Here's a question what's preyed on your your mind: why did Gregory run off and leave you? Was he afraid of the Arqualis, afraid to fight for his country? No sir, not a bit of it. Fear never got the better of good Captain G. Why, he didn't even know the invasion was coming, because his mind: why did Gregory run off and leave you? Was he afraid of the Arqualis, afraid to fight for his country? No sir, not a bit of it. Fear never got the better of good Captain G. Why, he didn't even know the invasion was coming, because his dear friend dear friend Chadfallow didn't tell him.' Chadfallow didn't tell him.'

'What are you talking about?' said Pazel, as Chadfallow tried once more to draw him away.

'I heard it from his own mouth,' said Druffle, 'late one night, by a fire in the Fens. Your dad left Ormael when he learned that his beloved wife had taken up with his fine Arquali friend friend. That they'd been lovers for years. Because Gregory knew that if he didn't get away for a while he'd put a knife through the doctor's treacherous heart - or hers. You want to know why you grew up without a father, Pathkendle? The answer's standing right next to you.'

Pazel turned slowly to face Chadfallow.

'He's . . . lying, right? Tell me he's lying.'

Chadfallow managed a laugh. 'When is he not? If lies were wine, they'd name vineyards after this man.'

At that Druffle's face turned red as a tuna steak, and his hands clenched in fists. 'I was brought up to respect men of letters,' he growled, 'but you're no gentleman. You're a dressed-up Bilsburra ape, and you'd die of shame if you had any.'

Pazel stared at the freebooter, then looked at Chadfallow again.

'I used to compare my father to you,' he said slowly. 'I used to wish he was as fine and cultured as you.'

Chadfallow seemed to grope for a reply. 'This cur makes it sound--'

'You were already aboard, after the battle with the Volpeks. That was why he didn't wait to talk to me, isn't it? Because he couldn't stand being near you.'

'Pazel--'

'I'd started to hate him,' said Pazel, cutting him off. 'To hate him, for not caring more about us. But he left because because he cared, didn't he?' he cared, didn't he?'

'Let me explain.'

'I don't want you to explain any more, Ignus. I want you to say it isn't true.'

Chadfallow stood still, gazing at him, and a terrible struggle raged in his eyes. He looked like an animal caught in a trap, waiting for the hunter to return and take his life. But he made no denial. Instead he took two steps towards Druffle, struck the man across the face, and fled the deck.

Later that evening Neeps sat across the table from Hercol and Marila, fuming, while Jorl and Suzyt watched the stateroom door with melancholy eyes and Felthrup ran worriedly around the tabletop, urging them to eat. Neeps picked at his food. He could not bring himself to tell the others what had happened between him and his friends. He had called Pazel a pig, but he was the one plagued by an embarra.s.sing, swinish sort of question: what if Thasha did not come back tonight?

He felt rotten to the core, even to be visited by the thought. And when Thasha did at last appear, just as the watch-captain struck two bells past midnight, he exploded from his chair.

'There you are! Rin's blood, Thasha, you can't just storm off at night! I say, have you had anything to--'

Her cabin door slammed behind her. They heard her kicked-off boots strike the wall.

'I don't think she's hungry,' said Marila, expressionless as ever.

Hercol rose and walked swiftly to her cabin. When his knock received no answer, he sighed. 'I am glad she is back,' he said. 'Remember what Arunis told Pazel, concerning Rose's desire to be rid of her. It may well be a lie, but we must take no chances. Try to keep her in the stateroom; if she insists on venturing out, say I order her to carry a sword. I have my own appointment to keep with Diadrelu. Afterwards I think I shall try to learn who else may be awake and busy on the Chathrand Chathrand in the dead of night. Besides, of course, Mr Pathkendle.' in the dead of night. Besides, of course, Mr Pathkendle.'

'He'll be along,' grunted Neeps.

But an hour later there was still no sign of Pazel, and a newly irritated Neeps set off in search of him. By this time Marila was asleep on the bearskin rug, and the dogs were snoring in a call-and-refrain. Felthrup stood on the edge of the dining table, gazing at the strip of lamplight s.h.i.+ning under Thasha's door, and leaning out in such a way that he would lose his balance if he began to doze. It was a cheerless game: each time he began to drift off, the near-fall would wake him. Then he would drag himself once around the table and return to his spot. He had done this for two nights already, unnoticed by anyone. He was terrified of sleep.

A time came when his trick failed: he was so exhausted that he slept through the vertigo, experienced an instant of weightless bliss, and landed with a thump and a whimper upon the floor. Suzyt yipped without quite waking; Marila sighed and turned over on the rug. A moment later Thasha opened her door an inch.