they have rough clothing; boys have to wear coarse woolen stockings and scratchy tunics. Here, in Badlock, we are very advanced." "Really?" Billy walked over to the fire and held his hands before its blaze. The chill that had descended on him wouldn't lift. He had no home but this. Matilda hitched herself up onto the bed and 297 swung her legs. "You can be happy here, Billy, can't you? I am so lonely sometimes. Edgar will never be a friend, so I have none." She paused. "And I am afraid of the en- chanter and his wife." She spoke as though they were barely re- lated, Billy thought. And yet, weren't they her grandparents, the enchanter and his wife? "Where's your mom?" asked Billy. 393/557 "My mother? She is dead, of a weakness of the heart. My father, too. He was a brave knight. His name was Gervais de Roussillon, and he was killed in an unfair fight." Matilda lowered her voice. "My old nurse said the en- chanter had a hand in my father's murder. But I cannot tell for sure." She glanced nervously around the room. "What is it?" said Billy. "Are you afraid of something?" "You will soon see," she replied. "I can hear his footsteps." And Billy did see, for a moment later, a patch on one of the marbled walls began to move, like worms 298 squirming in mud; a fuzzy cloud appeared, as though the marble were steaming, and through the cloud stepped Edgar. 394/557 "You could have used the door," said Matilda. "I chose not to," retorted her brother. "You are required to dine, immediately." He threw a look of contempt at Billy. "Why are you not dressed properly?" Billy gazed helplessly at Matilda. "He has not had the time," she said, jumping from the bed. "I will " "Leave him," said Edgar. "The servant will do it." Without another word, Edgar shuffled backward, and with an awkward twist of his shoulders and an ungainly swing of his right foot, he allowed the wall to swallow him up. Matilda grinned at Billy. "Luckily, Edgar is not careful with his talent. I can always hear him coming, and his exits and entrances are very rude and clumsy. Listen, you can hear him even now." 299 395/557 Billy could indeed hear stumbling footsteps retreating down the passage. Matilda crossed the room and opened the door. "You can come in, now," she called. "I'll see you in the dining hall," she told Billy. He was alone for only a second before a squat figure darted into the room and began tearing at his pajamas. "NO!" cried Billy. The small being looked up at him aghast. Billy couldn't tell if it was male or female. With a woolen cap covering its head and pre- sumably its hair, its face without eyebrows, and its body so wide and lumpy, it was diffi- cult to tell where its waist might have been or where its legs began. "You can wait outside," said Billy. To his surprise, the being shuffled out and gently closed the door. 396/557 Billy took off his pajamas himself and put on the blue velvet suit. Next came the shoes. These were a 300 problem. They didn't fit very well and the long toes made a slapping noise when he walked. It was like wearing flippers. Billy felt silly, but then bare feet would look even silli- er, he realized. To his dismay, he found there were no pockets in his jacket or pants. He couldn't possibly leave Rembrandt behind. What would he eat? "Urn, excuse me," called Billy, not knowing how to address the being outside. "You can come in now." The thing opened the door a fraction and peeked in. Its eyes were the gray-brown color of bark, but there was kindness in them. "Please, can you help me?" said Billy. "I need a a pocket or a bag or or something." 397/557 The creature came in and stood before Billy. "Dorgo," it said in a masculine voice. "Name Dorgo, me. What for you want pocket?" Dorgo hadn't noticed the rat sitting on Billy's bed, cleaning himself. "For him," Billy pointed at Rembrandt. 301 Dorgo gave an earsplitting scream and clutched Billy around the waist. "What? What? What?" he cried. "He's only a rat," said Billy. "And what's he?" squeaked Rembrandt, star- ing at the trembling Dorgo. "A person," whispered Billy. He gently pushed the terrified Dorgo away, saying to the creature, "He really won't hurt you, but I need to put him in something, so that I can carry him with me." Dorgo nodded. Without raising his eyes from the floor, he walked over to the oak chest and 398/557 lifted the lid. He proceeded to rummage in the chest, like a burrowing rabbit, sending shoes and clothing flying out in all direc- tions. After a few seconds he reached the bottom and pulled out a leather belt with a gold-braided pouch attached to it. He held it out, still with his eyes lowered. "Perfect. Thank you," said Billy, fastening the belt around his waist. He grabbed Rem- brandt and popped him into the pouch. 302 "Now what?" squealed Rembrandt. "Food," Billy replied. "I hope." Dorgo had closed his eyes. Billy touched him on the shoulder. "I believe the people here eat rats," he said, "so please don't tell anyone else about it." "Never, never, never," said Dorgo. He opened his eyes, rushed to the chest, flung 399/557 back its contents, and closed the lid. "Follow, please. Master dine now," he said. To be called "master" was rather satisfying. It made Billy feel instantly taller and more confident. "Lead the way," he said, more pompously than he intended. "Oh dear!" came the muffled remark from the gold pouch. Dorgo shuddered and scurried out of the room. He led Billy down the marble stairway, along the hallway of heads and furs, and into the most astonishing room Billy had ever seen. Although, to call it a room would hardly be accurate. It was a vast black- marble hall, with a high vaulted ceiling of 303 glittering stars. The walls were hung with weapons and precious objects: spears, shin- ing swords, shields decorated with mythical creatures, tiger skins, painted masks, a 400/557 golden wheel, horns of ivory, gilt-framed mirrors, tapestries embroidered with pearls, diamonds, and emeralds, and things that Billy had never seen but could only assume were used in warfare. He stood in the door- way with his mouth agape. The count was sitting at the far end of a glass-topped table at least twenty feet long. "Be seated, Billy Raven," he called, and his voice echoed up to the glittering ceiling, in- creasing the light from the golden stars. Lilith had her back to the door, Edgar and Matilda sat facing each other, halfway down the table. Billy was relieved to see an empty place setting beside Matilda's. As he made his way toward her, Dorgo followed - pulling out Billy's chair and pushing it in once he was seated. Matilda gave Billy a reassuring smile. 304 401/557 Billy noticed that they all had a version of Dorgo standing behind them. And there were other servants standing at intervals around the room. They each held a golden tray. Al- most everything on the table was made of gold: the candelabra, the plates, bowls, cups, knives, and spoons. There was so much shine, Billy had to remove his glasses and rub his eyes. "Have you ever had an enchanted dinner, Billy Raven?" boomed the count from the end of the table. Billy shook his head. "You are about to," said the count. "What do you wish to eat?" "Urn, spaghetti, please," said Billy. "Spaghetti," said the count to a tall servant, dressed more grandly than the others. There was a long silence while the tall ser- vant stared at his empty tray. Then he 402/557 [...]... furtively over the win-dowsill, the boys saw Grandma Bone, dressed all in purple, climb into the passenger seat The back of the car appeared to be rather full, and when it bumped off the curb and screeched down the road again, they saw a small pale face staring out of the rear window 321 "They must be taking Eric to the meeting," said Charlie "Poor thing," said Benjamin After a very good dinner of scrambled... pulled the bag into the light It was made of patchworked leather and stuffed with scarves, gloves, and handkerchiefs There was also a handful of bobby pins, lipstick, and a white card with yesterday's date at the top Printed below were the words: Meeting of sympathizers to our cause The Old Chapel, Piminy Street Saturday 8: 00 Bring card 411/557 ""T."T.," Charlie murmured ""IT is for Tilpin, and didn't... come get me, he thought, because he can travel Outside, the distant wind moaned across the plain And then, above the wind, came the sound of heavy feet, dragging themselves across the ground They were accompanied by a scuffling and shuffling and the rattle of chains 3 08 Billy jumped out of bed and looked into the hallway Dorgo was sitting beside the door 407/557 His head lolled forward, but he was not... at Charlie and then to number twelve Charlie nodded and gave him a thumbs-up Two minutes later, Charlie walked downstairs and took his jacket from the hook in the hall "I'm going to see Ben," he called out 313 "You are not," said a voice from the kitchen Grandma Bone appeared in the doorway "You are not going anywhere until you've finished your homework." "I have finished it," said Charlie Grandma Bone. .. luck His grandmother's door was not locked Charlie slipped into her room It was extremely untidy and reeked of stale perfume Articles of clothing overflowed from every drawer Black stockings hung from the bedpost, a hat sat on the pillow, and underwear was scattered over the quilt The dresser was covered in messy bottles and the mirror hung heavy with beads and bracelets Where to look? The painting... the man with the tray of loaves, put them all on Billy's plate, and brought it back to him "Countess?" This time the count's voice filled the hall It had to, in order to reach his wife 404/557 Lilith recited a list of peculiar names The count repeated them, and the tall servant's tray filled with peculiar-looking fruits - or were they vegetables? Lilith's servant rushed to receive them and delivered... let him stay the night Grandma Bone was not A few minutes after the boys had arrived, she marched in and demanded to know why there was an overnight bag sitting in the middle of the kitchen, ready to trip someone up "Ben's staying the night," Charlie told her "Oh, is he? And who says?" asked Grandma Bone "He won't be any trouble, Grizelda," said Maisie "Maybe not" - Grandma Bone kicked Benjamin's bag... kept returning to Tancred How could someone with such a powerful endowment have been overcome? Charlie could not bring himself to believe that he would never again see Tancred's cheerful face and shock of blond, spiky hair, or the billowing green cape as Tancred's volatile nature brought on the wind and the rain And then there was Billy If only the painting of Badlock could be found, Charlie was sure that... and beans and an hour watching television, the boys returned to Charlie' s room just in time to observe Mr and Mrs Brown leaving number twelve Mrs Brown gave them a cheery wave and swung herself into the car Mr Brown grinned at the boys in the 424/557 window and then drove off, rather more expertly than Great-aunt Eustacia "I hope Mom'll be all right," Benjamin said anxiously "Of course she will," Charlie. .. Dorgo led Billy back to his room The little servant turned down the bedcovers and left Billy with a single candle burning in a metal saucer on the chest Billy changed into his pajamas and got into bed He watched the candle flame burn lower and lower and wondered if he would ever sleep He was very tired but his mind continued to wander through the glittering rooms below Charlie will come get me, he thought, . - 310 311 Grandma Bone& apos;s second-best handbag lay on top of a pair of suede boots. Charlie pulled the bag into the light. It was made of patchworked leather and stuffed with scarves, gloves, and handkerchiefs. There. Tancred's cheerful face and shock of blond, spiky hair, or the billowing green cape as Tancred's volatile nature brought on the wind and the rain. And then there was Billy. If only the. travel. Outside, the distant wind moaned across the plain. And then, above the wind, came the sound of heavy feet, dragging themselves across the ground. They were accompanied by a scuffling and shuffling and