ly； and stood there rubbing his forearm through its long sleeve as if it might be sore。
Jord rubbed his arm…stump again。 Already it seemed that the swelling； where the Sword had touched him； was a little greater。
Ben asked the new arrival； 〃What news from the streets？〃
〃None of the local people on our payroll noticed anything out of the way around midnight。 It was a good night to be staying in。〃
〃Denis；〃 said Ben； 〃sit down。〃 And he indicated an unoccpuied chair nearby。 Then he turned his head and called： 〃Kuan…yin？ Take the baby downstairs； would you？〃
Presently a door closed again。 Four people looked solemnly at one another。 Ben said to his young employee； 〃There's one thing we've not told you about Jord yet。 His reason for ing here。〃 And at that point Ben paused； seemingly not knowing quite what to say next。
His wife put in； 〃You must know by now； Denis； where our political sympathies lie。〃
〃The same as mine； Mistress；〃 the young man murmured。 〃Or； indeed； I wouldn't be here now。〃 But he knew that was not true； he would have stayed anyway； to be near her。 Might he have stayed to be near Kuan…yin？ That was more problematical。
Ben said to him； 〃You also know that our guest here is a secret courier； if not the details。 And； as you can see； someone else is now going to have to do the job。 It can't wait； and Jord can't walk。〃
Jord was listening silently； frowning but not interfering。
〃I can't leave town right now； nor can Barbara。 It'll be a well…paid job； Denis； if you'll do it。〃
〃Please do it；〃 the lady of the house urged softly。
Denis could feel his cheeks changing color a little。 He indicated agreement； almost violently。 〃I'll need no special pay； sir； mistress。〃
Jord was still frowning at Denis intently。
Barbara； correctly interpreting this look； hasted to reassure the older man。 〃Denis came to us a year and a half ago； on the remendation of the White Temple。 We had gone to them and told them we were looking for a likely； honest prospect to be trained to help us in our business。 A lot of people recruit workers there； you know。〃
Jord asked Denis： 〃How long were you there； at the White Temple？〃
〃Three years； a little more。〃
〃And why were you ready to leave？〃
Denis shrugged。 〃They were good people； they saved my life。 And it was good to serve Ardneh for a time。 But then。。。〃 He made a gesture； of something fading； falling away。
〃You must have been only half grown when you went to them。〃
〃And half dead also。 They picked me up out of the street after a gang fight； and brought me back to life。 I owed them much； but I think I repaid their help in the time that I was there。 We parted on good terms。〃
〃Ah；〃 said Jord。 He appeared to have relaxed a little。 He looked at Ben； and said； 〃Well sir； the matter's in your hands； not mine。 Maybe sending this lad is the best choice now。〃
Ben cast a cautious look around； though he must have been already certain that they were secure against being overheard。 Then he said quietly to Denis； 〃You'll be carrying two Swords。〃 〃Two；〃 said Denis； almost inaudibly； and he swallowed。
〃Yes。 They're both here in the house now； and I think we must get them away as quickly as we can； since we must assume now that the enemy are watching the house。 The city authorities are disposed to be friendly to me； but of course the Lord Mayor is ultimately responsible to the Silver Queen as his overlord。 And she； as we all know； is at least sometimes an ally of Vilkata； and of the Blue Temple too。 So we cannot depend with any certainty on the Lord Mayor's friendship； or even on his looking the other way as we do certain things。〃
〃I'll do my best。 I'll get them there safely；〃 said Denis suddenly。 He looked at Barbara as he said it。 And she； smiling her approval； could see a pulse beating suddenly in his lean throat。
〃Good；〃 said Ben。 〃You're not going to take them to the Princess； though。 You'll take them in the other direction； to Sir Andrew。 I fear someone's already waiting to waylay you on the road to Princess Rimac。 After what happened here last night I can almost feel it。〃
Jord nodded agreement； slowly and reluctantly。 〃We must get the Swords into action somewhere。 And Sir Andrew's a good man； by all I've heard about him。〃
〃And your son serves him；〃 Barbara reminded her guest。
〃Aye； Lady。 Still。。。 I know that Rostov was counting on the Swords。 Well； the responsibility's yours now。 I failed early on。〃
A little later； Denis and Jord were both watching while Ben dug out from its hiding place the second of the two Blades that Denis was to carry。 The three men were down on the ground floor of the house now； in a little…traveled area behind the main shop； inside a storeroom that was usually kept closed with a cheap lock。 None of the miscellaneous junk readily visible inside the shed appeared to be worth anyone's effort to steal。
Ben was bent over； rummaging in a pile of what looked like scrap metal； consisting mainly of swordblades and knifeblades； bent or broken or rusted； in all cases long disused。 Denis could not remember when he had seen any of the metalworkers actually using this stuff。
From near the bottom of this pile of the treacherously sharp edges； Ben carefully brought out； one at a time； two weapons … the blades of both were long； blackened； but unbent。 And these two also had hilts； which a majority of the others did not。
Before wiping the two blades clean； Ben held them out to Jord。 The older man put out his hand； hesitated； and then touched a hilt； all of its details invisible under carefully applied oil and grime。
〃Doomgiver；〃 said the only human who had ever handled all the Twelve。 〃There's not one of them I'd fail to recognize。〃
The remainder of the day and much of the night had passed before Denis was ready to depart。 He was not allowed one thing he asked for： a private good…bye with young Kuan…yin； the nursemaid。 Ben said they would tell her that Denis had had to leave suddenly on a business trip of an indefinite duration。 That had happened before； and Kuan…yin should not be too surprised。
Denis got in some sleep also。 There were instructions to be memorized； which took a little time： He dressed in white； in imitation of a lone Ardneh…pilgrim； for his departure。 Ben gave him some money and some equipment。 And Denis also had a private conference with Jord。
When it was time to go； in the hour before dawn； Denis was surprised not to be conducted to the back door； where Jord had e in。 Instead the master； Old World light in hand； led Denis down a flight of stairs into a place that Denis knew as nothing more than a cramped basement storeroom。 The place smelled thickly of damp。 There were the scurrying sounds of rats； evidence that the creatures somehow defied the anti…rodent spells and poisons that were both periodically renewed。
The master used his strength to shift a heavy bale out of position。 Then it turned out that one of the massive stones that made up this chamber's floor could be tilted up。 Looking down into the cavity thus created； Denis was surprised when the light showed him a steady current of water of unknown depth； scarcely a meter below his feet。 Even though he knew how close the house was to the river； he had never suspected。
The man who Denis was now beginning to know as Ben bent down and caught hold of a thin chain within the opening。 Then he tugged until the white prow of a well…kept canoe appeared； bobbing with the water's motion。
〃I loaded her up this afternoon；〃 Ben grunted； 〃while you were sleeping。 Your cargo's under this floorboard here。 The two Swords； wrapped in a blanket so they won't rattle。 And sheathed； of course。 They may get wet but they won't rust。〃 Ben spoke with the calm authority of experience。 〃There's a paddle； and I think everything else that you're going to need。〃
Denis had used canoes a time or two before； on trading missions for the House of Courtenay。 He could manage the craft well enough。 But it wasn't obvious yet how he was going to get this one back to the river。
Ben gave him directions。 You had to crouch down low in the boat at first； to keep from banging your head on the low ceiling of the secret waterway。 Then you moved the craft forward through the