Titans of Chaos

Boreas said in a cool voice, "Do not say 'we,' Miss Windrose. Mr. Triumph has no compassion formankind; the emotion is unknown to him. Mr. mac FirBolg could not care less about this matteror any other. And your Mr. Nemo is a cold, cold man. He regards morality as a matter oflegalisms and maneuver.

"No, Miss Windrose. Much as I wish I could take credit for it, and it would certainly make meseem to be the master of intrigue popular rumor paints (or slanders) me to be, the fact that youhave matured into a woman of refined sensibility and noble sentiment, and one moved bycompassion for mankind, is a product of your own generous soul."

He put his hand out toward me, as if offering to help me rise to my feet.

There was something menacing in his gesture. I saw in his eyes, his cool and mocking eyes, that heexpected no more resistance from me, or that he could overthrow any resistance I might dare toraise, as easily as he once threw me over his knee.

"Well," he said, "at least the adventure was concluded in a satisfactory way. You can carry backmany fine memories to comfort you. I speak in an abstract, hypothetical, that is to say, entirelynonliteral way, concerning the retention of memories, of course."

I am sure I must have looked a picture of misery and helplessness, crouching in a cold tub,hugging knees to my chest, dressed in nothing but suds, shivering. But his eyes were not playingover my exposed flesh (as, for example, Colin's would have been). He was looking me eye-to-eye.

Perhaps I did not look so miserable as I should have done, for he said in a thoughtful voice, "Theprospect does not seem to dismay you."

"You thought I would fight back?" I said nonchalantly, a proud little lift to my chin.

"Given your history, Miss Windrose, it would be unwise indeed of me to assume otherwise. I alsoam not entirely convinced of the bona fides of your story. My brethren and I have been watchingthis hotel for some days, depending on which of them was blowing, and have seen no evidencethat you are still in communication with your companions. However, as Dr. Fell taught you inscience class, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence."

I did not know how to answer that, and I certainly did not want him to follow that line of reasonto its logical conclusion, so that was the moment I chose to stand up.