Maia

"That's nice of him, saiyett," said Occula, slackening off the strings of the hinnari and hanging it up on the wall. "Could he come in for a moment, do you think, if we're not puttin' you to too much trouble? I've a friend in Thettit-one I think he may already know."

The pedlar, clumsy in great boots reaching to his knees, was carrying a cape shaped, as though for a hunchback,

with a recess to contain his pack. Laying this down and opening his tunic at the neck, he leant against one of the columns by the door-curtains and took a long pull at the goblet which Terebinthia offered him.

"Why, you girls live in a bed of roses," said he, wiping his mouth. "I don't know where there's a better drop than that-no, not from Bekla to Thettit."

"I doan' envy you your journey, Zirek," said Occula. "You'll be walkin' straight into the rain, too. How far will you get tonight?"

"Oh, I'll get as far as Naksh easily enough," he answered. "I'm used to it, you know. I always say if the boots can do it, I can. Still got your Cat Colonna? It was you I gave it to, wasn't it?"

"Oh, d'you know, I dropped it?" said Occula. "It broke, of course: I'm sorry, after you gave it me for nothin'."

"Well, some cats fall off a roof and land right way up," said the pedlar, "but pottery cats you'd hardly expect it, would you? Never mind: I can let you have another, seeing as your master's been kind enough to give me a good bit of profitable business. I think I've got a nice, striped one somewhere." He opened his pack. "Yes, here she is: with my compliments. But now I can't stop about-not with seven or eight miles to do before dark."

"Could you give a message to a friend of mine at the Lily Pool?" asked Occula. "A shearna called Bakris?"

"Bakris?"

"That's right. Before I left there was some talk of her comin' up to Bekla this spring on business."

"What d'you want me to tell her, then?"

"Well, I thought if Bakris happened to be here for the spring festival, there might just possibly be a chance for us to meet-at the feast by the Barb in the evenin' perhaps-that's if she can get someone to take her and if I happen to be one of the girls the High Counselor takes with him. I'd be workin', of course, but there might be a minute or two to spare all the same."

She glanced a moment at Terebinthia, but the saiyett made no comment.

"Well, that's easy enough," said the pedlar. "I'll drop in and give her your message." He drained his goblet. "And now I'll be off. See you again after Melekril, for I don't mean to tramp that road twice in the rain, I'll tell you that."

Bowing to Terebinthia, he went out. Occula was about to take the hinnari down again when she and Maia became aware that the saiyett evidently had more to say.

"One or two matters, I said, Occula," remarked Terebinthia coldly.

"I'm sorry, saiyett: forgive me."

"I will forgive you. In fact, I have your comfort so much at heart, both of you, that I'm going to make you an offer. Would either of you like Meris's room?"

"Meris's room, saiyett? You mean, change over, and her to have ours?"

"No, that isn't what I said. I asked whether either of you would like Meris's room. If one of you would, then the other can stay in the room where you are now and have it to herself-for the time being, at all events."

"What about Meris, then, saiyett?"

"Meris is to be sold. In fact, she has already been sold."

"Cran and Airtha!" said Occula, startled out of her usual deferential manner. "Bit sudden, wasn' it?"

Terebinthia made no reply.

"Who to, saiyett?" asked Maia.

"That doesn't concern you," replied Terebinthia. "Well, am I to have an answer or not?"

Occula and Maia looked at each other.

"I'd really prefer to stay with Maia, saiyett," said Occula. "We-well, we're quite happy as we are, you know."

"Very well: as long as you realize that that means when another girl's been bought, she'll have Meris's room to herself. I don't want to hear any complaints from either of you. And now, something else: suppose I were to agree, Maia, to your going out, do you think you could behave properly and do us credit?"

"Going out, saiyett?" Maia looked up nervously.

Terebinthia, with the complacent air of one who has something unexpected and pleasant to disclose, sat down and called to Ogma to bring some wine, evidently waiting for Maia to question her further. Since Maia said nothing, however, but only continued to look at her with apprehension, she finally turned towards Occula and remarked, "Apparently Maia doesn't want to go: perhaps you'd better go instead, Occula. What do you think?"

"I've no idea, saiyett, until you tell me," replied Occula rather pertly.

Maia drew in her breath, but as usual Occula had judged

Terebinthia's mood correctly and was sailing with the wind.

"Somethin's pleased you, saiyett, hasn' it?" went on the black girl. "Woan' you be kind enough to tell us what it is, instead of teasin' my poor little Maia, who really doesn' deserve it after all she's done for the High Counselor?"