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the pigeoncote with this rash act of yours!"

A harsh grunt, as though to say "understatement!", came from Red Bear,

whose long Indian face was framed in elegantly dressed black braids as

slick as oil.

Father Ramón, seated between Red Bear and the Prince, passed a thin hand

over his bald cranium in a way that suggested he had acquired in youth

the habit of running his fingers through his hair and still expected

subconsciously to find some on his scalp. His face reminded Don Miguel

of a bird, with the skin stretched tight around a beaky nose and little,

very bright eyes.

He said quietly, "Sir, it may have been an unavoidable cat."

The Prince shrugged, his pipe pouting out smoke like a bonfire. "I'd be

inclined to dispute that . . . if I didn't know better than to dispute

with one of your Order, Father! What I mean, though, is what I say:

I hold that Navarro has caused us a deal of unnecessary botheration."

The Jesuit looked worried. "Again, I can't agree. In my view he has

so far acted sensibly, apart from taking the Marquesa di Jorque into

custody." He turned to face Don Miguel directly.

"How old are you, my son?"

"Ah . . . I'm nearly thirty, Father."

"In that case you should by now be better able to judge people. I think

five minutes' conversation with the Marquesa should have sufficed to

inform you that she would never in a million years have thought to

inquire of the Society's office about the mask she'd been given. Like

a child with a new toy, she'd have been too afraid of losing it."

It hardly seemed to Don Miguel that the greed of a fading beauty should

be allowed to excuse an infringement of the Society's rules; however,

he was glad that the Jesuies reproof had been so mild, and held his peace.

"On the other hand," Father Ramón continued, "I confess I'm greatly

puzzled by the story which the merchant tells. I seem to recall seeing

in his deposition that our brother Navarro admired feeling annoyed with

the Marquesa because she was showing him off like a performing animal to

her other guests. That remark struck home, because -- as I hardly need

to remind you -- the work of the Society itself runs the risk of being

turned into a mere spectacle for sensation-seekers."

Like a spark and gunpowder, two facts came together in Don Miguel's mind

and shot him forward on his chair. He said explosively, "Then it's true!"

The curious gaze of the General Officers fixed on him again, but only

Father Ramón seemed to understand the comment without explanation. He

said, "You have heard about this disgrace to the Society?"

"I -- I only know what the Marquesa herself said to me: that certain

people have been taken in this quatrocentennial year to witness the

victory of Armada."

"Hah!" said Red Bear. "If it stopped there! If that were all!"

"Then it is true?" pressed Don Miguel. "But how could such a thing be

allowed to happen?"

The Prince coughed. "Father, as usual I'll defer to your judgment --

but is this wholly wise?"

"To give our brother the facts? I think so. In the matter currently before

us he's displayed considerable moral courage -- it's not every Licentiate

who would have defied a powerful noblewoman, alas!" Having delivered

himself of this verdict, the Jesuit turned back to Don Miguel and resumed.

"You ask how such a thing could be allowed to happen! Well, it is of

course not allowed; on the contrary it's completely forbidden. However

certain Licentiates have stumbled on a trick which has thus far enable

them to escape retribution -- though I promise you when they're discovered

their licenses will last an even shorter time than their freedom! You

must be acquainted with the normal operation of time apparatus, but are

you familiar with the effect of increasing the spatial components of

the drive-field?"

Don Miguel frowned. He said, "Superficially, Father; I mean, I know that

proper choice of factors permits objects to be drawn into a time-field from

a distance or