The Incorporated Knight Read Online Free PDF

your sentence myself—"
     
                  "Be not a bigger fool than thou canst help!" snapped Eudoric. "I took sole blame so that you should be free to run mine errands; whereas, had I shared my guilt with you, we had both been clapped up here. Take this letter to Doctor Raspiudus, seek him out, and acquaint him with our plight. If he be in sooth a true friend of our own Doctor Baldonius, belike he'll come to our rescue."
     
    -
     
                  Doctor Raspiudus was short and fat, with a bushy white beard to his waist. "Ah, dear old Baldonius!" he cried in good Helladic. "I mind me of when we were lads together at the Arcane College of Saalingen University! Doth he still string verses together?"
     
                  "Aye, betimes he does," said Eudoric.
     
                  "Now, young man, I daresay that your chiefest desire is to escape this foul hole, is't not?"
     
                  "That, and to recover our three remaining animals and other possessions left behind in Liptai, and to depart the land with the two square yards of dragon hide that I've promised to Doctor Baldonius, with enough money to see us home."
     
                  "Methinks all these matters were easily arranged, young sir. I need only your power of attorney, to enable me to go to Liptai, recover the objects in question, and return hither to pay your fine and release you. Your firearm is, I fear, lost to you, having been confiscated by the law."
     
                  " 'Twere of little use without a new supply of the magical powder," said Eudoric. "Your plan sounds splendid; but, sir, what do you get out of this?"
     
                  The enchanter rubbed his hands together. "Why, the pleasure of favoring an old friend—and also a chance to acquire most of a dragon's hide for mine own purposes. I know somewhat of Baldonius' experiments. An he can do thus-and-so with two yards of dragon, I can surely do more with a score."
     
                  "How will you obtain this dragon hide?"
     
                  "By now the foresters will have skinned the beast and salvaged the other parts of monetary worth, all of which will be put up at auction for the benefit of the kingdom. And I shall bid them in." Raspiudus chuckled. "When the other bidders know against whom they shillaber, I misdoubt they'll force the price up very far."
     
                  "Why can't you get me out of here now and th en go on to Liptai?"
     
                  Another chuckle. "My dear boy, erst I must see that all be as ye say in Liptai. After all, I have only your word that ye be in sooth the Eudoric Dambertson of whom Baldonius writes. So bide ye here in patience a few days more. I 'll see that ye be sent better aliment than the slop served here. And now, pray, your authorization. Here are pen and ink."
     
    -
     
                  To keep from starvation, Jillo got a job as a paver's helper and made hasty visits to the jail during his lunch hour. When a fortnight had passed without a word from Doctor Raspiudus, Eudoric told Jillo to go to the wizard's home for an explanation.
     
                  "They turned me away at the door," reported Jillo. "They told me that the learned doctor had never heard of us."
     
                  As the import of this news sank in, Eudoric cursed and beat the wall in his rage. "That filthy, treacherous he-witch! He gets me to sign that power of attorney; then, when he has my property in his greasy paws, he conveniently forgets about us! By the God and Goddess, if I ever catch him—"
     
                  "Here, here, what's all this noise?" said the jailer. "Ye disturb the other prisoners."
     
                  When Jillo explained the cause of his master's outrage, the jailer laughed. "Why, everyone knows that Raspiudus be the worst skinflint and treacher in