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A bell suddenly rang out somewhere in the house, surprising the two
intruders. Arnon knocked over the earthenware jug beside him, and lunged for
it desparately, catching it just in time. "Careful, you fool!" said his
companion in a harsh whiper. Arnon looked back at him glumly and replaced
the jug on the table.

"Ready? Alright then ... wait! Someone's coming!" The pair quickly hid
themselves behind a curtain and waited breathlessly. The sound of footsteps
slowly faded away again.

"Did you get a look at him?" Arnon's companion asked. Arnon shook his head
slowly, then slapped his forehead. "The servant! It must be his personal
servant. What are we going to do, Gerat?"

Gerat motioned for silence, and listened intently for a moment. "He's
sending the servant downstairs. You follow and ... I don't know ... use your
initiative. But no killing, mind you!" Arnon looked back at him
reproachfully. "As if I would!" he grumbled, then snuck towards the stairs.

Gerat waited a few moments and then walked purposefully through the archway.
The wizard looked up from his manuscripts in surprise. "Who are you?? Aveh
haiak tola-" But Gerat seized him and covered his mouth before he could
utter another syllable.

"Ropes, ropes ... where did I ...? Ah, here they are." Gerat made quick work
of tying the old man to the chair and gagging his mouth, and sat opposite
him gloating. Arnon soon appeared again through the archway, looking pleased
with himself. "Locked him in the vault, I did!" he said, with smile on his
face.

Gerat nodded approvingly, and turned his attention to the old man. "Now then
... a few simple questions, and we'll be on our way. It's said -- it's said
that you can perform -- magic!" He waited for a response, but the old man
showed no reaction. "Well, that could be mighty useful ... mighty useful
indeed."

Again there was no response. "So, if you would just share a little of that
... knowledge, we won't have to kill you, will we?" The old man looked
distinctly unimpressed. "I said, we won't have to *kill* you. As in, dead."
The wizard rolled his eyes and sighed.

"So ... you just tell us the secret, and we'll be on our way, like I said."

The wizard motioned with his eyes towards his mouth. "Oh, yes ..." said
Gerat, "the gag. Now don't try anything funny ... just tell us your secret,
OK?" He carefully pulled the gag down from his mouth.

"Aveh tia amo-" he began, and Gerat covered his mouth again with his hand.
"None of that, now! Just the secret of the magic, understand!" He was
growing quite red in the face. "Now ... we're going to try that again. And
if you do any of that funny business again ...!"

He removed his hand slowly from the wizard's mouth, who sat in stony silence
staring at his captors. Then as quickly as he could, he said, "Suveh haiak
mi-" -- but Arnon knocked him on the head before he could finish. The
wizard's head lolled to the side.

"What did you go and do that for?!?" Gerat shouted. "He's completely out
cold now!"

Arnon said apologetically, "Well, I had to do something! He was going to
turn you into an insect or something."

After a moment's silence, he asked Gerat, "Er, now what?"

Gerat stared at him and said, "I guess that's it then."

"What?" asked Arnon.

"Well, I can't see us getting any more out of him now. Being unconscious and
everything," Gerat replied.

"No ... I guess not," said Arnon. "We off then?"

"Yeah. Put the gag back on him again ... just in case."

"And leave him -- just like that?" asked Arnon.

"The cleaner'll untie him. He must have a cleaner ... big house like this."

"Yeah. OK."

David Fisher