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bring you the drama Rorqual : full, authentic and unexpurgated, complete with the awful death of the traitor Eban Zirl.”
    Thud . Standing in the bow of Miraldra’s Enchantment , Zamp grimaced in apprehension. The sound had been somewhat louder than he expected. But Ashgale never paused in his remarks, and a moment later Bonko the boatswain crawled up a ladder from out of the dark water, to stand dripping on the deck immediately aft of the forepeak. He made a significant gesture to Zamp, then hauled on a line to bring a great skeel mallet up on deck, which he carried forward into the boatswain’s locker. Zamp returned his attention to the remarks of Garth Ashgale:
    “— all realize the circumstances of this unique event. I sincerely hope that the noble observer from Mornune, whose identity is unknown to us, will derive from our performance that same sublime emotion which we, with all our hearts and faculties, have tried to put into it.
    “So now: Rorqual !” The curtains parted to reveal one of Ashgale’s most sumptuous stage-settings.
    “We find ourselves at Dalari Temple. The priestesses greet Prince Orchelstyne with music and chanting. From behind the columns of the temple appear the priestesses, weaving back and forth in a sinuous dance.”
    Bonko came to join Zamp at the bow. “What occurs?”
    “The stern is starting to settle. Ashgale has still noticed nothing.”
    Ashgale intoned: “Prince Orchelstyne does not yet know that he has been chosen the ritual husband of the Goddess Sofre …”
    Zamp said: “Now he wonders … Now he suspects … Now he is certain.”
    Fironzelle’s Golden Conceit sagged stern-first into the river, and the throng which had so recently boarded the vessel surged ashore in tumult, while Ashgale ran back and forth across the stage shouting orders to his crew.
    Zamp turned to Bonko: “Put a careful guard over our hawsers. Send Sibald aloft to inspect the stays and shrouds, then station a man at the rudder-post to warn off swimmers. I want a patrol of all passageways and the outboard gunwales. Keep everyone on alert!”
    Bonko rushed off to comply with the orders. Aboard Fironzelle’s Golden Conceit , Phinian Quaner the engineer had improvised a plug of wadded cloth to reduce the influx of water. The ship lay askew, its quarterdeck almost awash. Garth Ashgale ran in and out of his cabin, carrying forth scripts, records, clothes, mementoes, his strongbox. On shore the crowd watched for a few minutes, then, convinced that the vessel was not about to sink, began to file aboard Miraldra’s Enchantment .
    Zamp waited until the seats were occupied, then stepped out on his stage. “With great regret I have observed the unfortunate circumstances aboard the ship of my colleague Master Garth Ashgale. The mishap, of course, was not unexpected; we had discussed the deficiencies of his boat at Coble. In any event, all of us trust that the vessel will soon be repaired and back in service.
    “So now, our own contribution to the entertainment of this remarkable day: first, our diverting fantasy The Magic Box of Ki-chi-ri.”
    Zamp stepped back; the curtains drew aside to reveal the workroom of Frulk the Magician. Coming on stage, Frulk went about his experiments to a crotchety music of squeaks and quavers. His goal was the transformation of flowers into beautiful maidens, but his most earnest efforts went for naught. First he produced swirling puffs of colored smoke, then a flight of white birds, then sprays of pyrotechnics. Frulk at last discerned his mistake and performed a comical dance of excitement. He arranged six cabinets in a row and within each placed a flower: an elanthis, a tea rose, a branch of barberry blossoms, a purple tangalang, a blue Xyth lily, a yellow daffodil.
    With great care Frulk performed his magic; the musicians produced chords of expectancy. Frulk uttered the activating incantation and opened his cabinets; out stepped six beautiful maidens, and Frulk cavorted around