beggars, too-they curse your name! You want proof? Do you seriously believe you'd be safe in any province of the empire without a guard? And as for the lower city, why don't you try walking by yourself as far as the Tower of Leaves one nice, dark evening? Do you really think you'd get there and back alive?"
"Silence, esta-saiyett!" cried Durakkon. But she had touched him on the raw, and the very fact that he spoke again showed it. "I have more support as High Baron than you as Sacred Queen, and that I may have to prove to you."
"Oh!" she answered. "Oh, I see! Yes, really, what a lot they all think of the High Baron and his wonderful family! You did say 'Silence,' didn't you? That will be quite convenient, since I've something to show you, and I can keep quiet while you read it instead of talking nonsense to me."
She unlocked a drawer in the cabinet and, without the least hesitation or searching, took out a sheet of written parchment, which she put into his hand.
"Of course, that's only a copy," she said, "but I'm sure the Lord General will show you the original if you ask him."
"What is this, esta-saiyett?" said Durakkon. "I don't wish-"
"Well, if you read it you'll know, won't you?" she said, and sat down in the window-seat.
He was about to give it back to her when his eye caught, written on the sheet, the name of his younger son. Startled, he read on.
"-embarrassing and extremely awkward if we were obliged to tell the High Baron in so many words that this young man is a grave liability as an officer. Yet he-" Here Durakkon came to the foot of the page. He hesitated a moment, then turned it and read on: Fornis watched him as he did so.
"Yet he has twice, now, shown himself unfit for action and you will understand that merely in the interests of discipline-to say nothing of the safety of others-I cannot retain him in his present command. I suggest that in the circumstances perhaps the most advisable and discreet course would be a transfer, with promotion, to the fortress at Dari-Paltesh-"
The letter, being a copy, was unsealed, but Durakkon could feel no doubt that it was authentic and that the writer
was Sendekar. Naturally, he remembered very well his son's promotion and appointment to the staff of the fortress about eighteen months earlier. Kembri had congratulated him on the lad having been selected for so honorable a post. "Now he's proved himself in the field, we feel he's exactly the sort of young man we need at Dari. It's a responsible position-"
How many people knew this shameful truth? Was it common knowledge throughout the army? How many other lies had been told to him? He could hardly keep tears from his eyes, for he had always greatly loved his younger son- a gentle, kindly young man-and felt proud of him. Clutching the parchment between trembling fingers, he looked up at the woman who had thus deliberately wounded him to the heart and now sat enjoying his misery.
"This document, esta-saiyett; it-it's no business of yours. It doesn't concern you in any way. How did you-?"
"Oh, do keep it," she said lightly. "You're welcome: I don't particularly want it. I'm sure it's of more use to you than to me."
She was still sitting by the window. Silently, he laid the parchment beside her and was about to go when she spoke again.
"Would you care to see a note which your wife wrote to Spelta-Narthe?"
"Spelta-Narthe?" he said. "Who is Spelta-Narthe?"
"Oh, no one at all. He's a slave: Elvair-ka-Virrion's huntsman. But he's very-er, accomplished and well-liked by a number of ladies, I understand. It's rather surprising that he can read, don't you think?-or perhaps not, all things considered."
Without another word Durakkon left the room. Outside, one of the queen's waiting-women-dark and middle-aged, with the high coloring of a Palteshi-raised her palm to her forehead. After a moment he realized that she must have asked him some question.
"What?" said Durakkon. "What did you say?"
"Your escort, my lord. Are you leaving her Sacred Majesty now? Do you wish me to summon your escort?"
"Oh-thank you," answered Durakkon abstractedly. However, it had slipped his mind that he had already dismissed his escort some time ago, since before arriving he had accepted an invitation to supper with the Sacred Queen.
He waited nearly half an hour alone in an ante-room while a runner was sent to recall them.
