/tip awOk sMn Aftar dYn, bat H /skErkrO hAd rizan n plakd, wiT hiz klamzI fiNgarz, a dabal-hAndfal v rFp bErIz fram sam baSz nIr bF. HIz H bq Et grIdilI, fFndN Hem an Ampal brekfast, n Aftarward H lital pyrtI rizMmd its /JarnI.
Aftar an Qr'z rFd HE rIcd H samit v a hil fram wens HE espFd H /sitI v H /wiNkIz n nOtd H tYl dOmz v H /emparar'z pAlis rFzN fram H klastarz v mYr modist dwelNz.
H /skErkrO bikEm grEtlI AnimEtd At Hs sFt. n eksklEmd:
"hQ dilFtd F SAl b t sI mF Old frend H /tin /wUdmAn agen! F hOp Ht hI rMlz hiz pIpal mYr saksesfalI Hn F hAv rMld mFn!"
"z H /tin /wUdmAn H /emparar v H /wiNkIz?" Askd H hYrs.
"jes, indId. HE invFtd him t rMl Ovar Hem sMn Aftar H /wikid /wic waz discrqd; n Az /nik /copar hAz H best hyrt in Yl H warld F Am Sar hI hAz prMvd an ekselant n Ebal emparar."
"F TYt Ht '/emparar' waz H tFtal v a parsan hM rMlz an empFr," sed /tip, "n H /kancrI v H /wiNkIz z OnlI a /kiNdam."
"dOn't mencn Ht t H /tin /wUdmAn!" eksklEmd H /skErkrO, arnistlI. "jM wUd hart hiz fIlNz tErablI. hI z a prQd mAn, Az hI hAz evrI rIzan t b, n i plIzz him t b tarmd /emparar rAHar Hn /kiN."
"F'm Sar i mEks nO difranst mI," riplFd H bq.
H /sY-/hYrs nQ Ambald fYrward At a pEs sO fAst Ht its rFdarz hAd hyrd wark t stik apon its bAk; sO HEr waz lital farHar konvarsESn antil HE JrM ap bisFd H pAlis steps.
an EJd /wiNkI, Jresd in a jMnifYrm v silvar kloT, kEm fYrward t asist Hem t alFt. sed H /skErkrO t hiz parsaniJ:
"SO as At wans t jYr mAstar, H /emparar."
H mAn lUkd fram wan t anaHar v H pyrtI in an embErasd wE, n fFnalI Ansard:
"F fIr F mast Ask jM t wEt f a tFm. H /emparar z not risIvd Hs mYrnN."
"hQ z Ht?" inkwFrd H /skErkrO, ANkSaslI. "F hOp naTiN hAz hApand t him."
"O, nO; naTiN sIrIas," ritarnd H mAn. "bat Hs z hiz /mAJestI'z dE f bIiN poliSd; n Jast nQ hiz Ygast prezans z TiklI smIrd wiT pats-pOmEd."
"O, F sI!" krFd H /skErkrO, grEtlI rIaSard. "mF frend waz evar inklFnd t b a dAndI, n F sapOz hI z nQ mYr prQd Hn evar v hiz parsanal apIrans."
"hI z, indId," sed H mAn, wiT a palFt bQ. "Qr mFtI /emparar hAz lEtlI kYzd himself t b nikal-plEtd."
"gUd /grESas!" H /skErkrO eksklEmd At hIrN Hs. "if hiz wit bErz H sEm poliS, hQ spyrklN i mast b! bat SO as in -- F'm Sar H /emparar wil risIv as, Ivan in hiz prezant stEt."
"H /emparar'z stEt z YlwEz mAgnifisant," sed H mAn. "bat F wil vencar t tel him v jYr yrFval, n wil risIv hiz kmAndz knsarnN jM."
sO H pyrtI folOd H sarvant intM a splendid AntI-rMm, n H /sY-/hYrs Ambald YkwardlI Aftar Hem, hAvN nO noliJ Ht a hYrs mFt b ekspektd t rimEn QtsFd.
H crAvalarz war At farst samwat Yd bF HEr sarQndNz, n Ivan H /skErkrO sImd impresd Az hI egzAmind H ric hANNz v silvar kloT kYt ap intM nots n fAsand wiT tFnI silvar Akzs. apon a hAndsam sentar-tEbal stUd a lyrJ silvar ql-kAn, riclI engrEvd wiT sInz fram H pAst Advencarz v H /tin /wUdmAn, /dYraTI, H /kQwardlI /lFan n H /skErkrO: H lFnz v H engrEvN bIiN crEsd apon H silvar in jelO gOld. on H wYlz haN sevaral pYrcits, Ht v H /skErkrO sImN t b H mOst prominant n kErfalI eksekjMtd, wFl a lyrJ pEntN v H fEmas /wizard v /oz, in Akt v prizentN H /tin /wUdmAn wiT a hyrt, kavard YlmOst wan entFr end v H rMm.
wFl H vizitarz gEzd At HIz TiNz in sFlant AdmarESn HE sadanlI hard a lQd vqs in H nekst rMm eksklEm:
"wel! wel! wel! wat a grEt sarprFz!"
n Hn H dYr barst Opan n /nik /copar raSd intM HEr midst n kYt H /skErkrO in a klOs n lavN embrEs Ht krIsd him intM menI fOldz n riNkalz.
"mF dIr Old frend! mF nObal komrAd!" krFd H /tin /wUdmAn, JqfalI. "hQ dilFtd F Am t mIt jM wans agen!"
n Hn hI rilIsd H /skErkrO n held him At yrmz' leNT wFl hI sarvEd H bilavd, pEntd fIcarz.
bat, alAs! H fEs v H /skErkrO n menI pYrSnz v hiz bodI bYr grEt blocz v patz-pOmEd; f H /tin /wUdmAn, in hiz Igarnis t welkam hiz frend, hAd kwFt fYrgotan H kndiSn v hiz tqlit n hAd rabd H Tik kOtN v pEst fram hiz On bodI t Ht v hiz komrAd.
"dIr mI!" sed H /skErkrO dOlfalI. "wat a mes F'm in!"
"nevar mFnd, mF frend," ritarnd H /tin /wUdmAn, "F'l send jM t mF /impIrIal /lYnJrI, n jM'l kam Qt Az gUd Az nM."
"wOn't F b mANgald?" Askd H /skErkrO.
"nO, indId!" waz H riplF. "bat tel mI, hQ kEm jYr /mAJestI hIr? n hM r jYr kmpAnjanz?"
H /skErkrO, wiT grEt palFtnis, incrOdMsd /tip n /JAk /pampkinhed n H lAtar parsaniJ sImd t increst H /tin /wUdmAn grEtlI.
"jM r not vErI sabstAncal, F mast Admit," sed H /emparar. "bat jM r sartanlI anjMZMal, n HErfYr warHI t bikam a membar v Qr selekt sOsFitI."
"F TANk jYr /mAJestI," sed /jAk, hamblI.
"F hOp jM r enJqiN gUd helT?" kntinjMd H /wUdmAn.
"At prezant, jes;" riplFd H /pampkinhed, wiT a sF; "bAt F Am in konstant tErar v H dE wen F SAl spql."
"nonsens!" sed H /emparar -- bat in a kFndlI, simpaTetik tOn. "d not, F beg v jM, dAmpan tadE'z san wiT H SQrz v tamyrO. f bifYr jYr hed hAz tFm t spql jM kn hAv i kAnd, n in Ht wE i mE b prizarvd indefinitlI."
/tip, darN Hs konvarsESn, waz lUkN At H /wUdmAn wiT andisgFzd amEzmnt, n nOtisd Ht H selabrEtd /emparar v H /wiNkIz waz kmpOzd entFrlI v pIsz v tin, nItlI sodard n rivitd tageHar intM H fYrm v a mAn. hI rAtald n klANkd a lital, Az hI mMvd, bat in H mEn hI sImd t b mOst klevarlI knscraktd, n hiz apIrans waz OnlI myrd bF H Tik kOtN v poliSN-pEst Ht kavard him fram hed t fUt.
H bq'z intent gEz kYzd H /tin /wUdmAn t rimembar Ht hI waz not in H mOst prizentabal kndiSn, sO hI begd hiz frendz t ekskjMz him wFl hI ritFrd t hiz prFvit apyrtmnt n alQd hiz sarvants t poliS him. Hs waz akompliSd in a SYrt tFm, n wen H emparar ritarnd hiz nikal-plEtd bodI SOn sO mAgnifisantlI Ht H /skErkrO hyrtilI kngrAJMlEtd him on hiz imprMvd apIrans.
"Ht nikal-plEt waz, F knfes, a hApI TYt," sed /nik; "n i waz H mYr nesesErI bikYz F hAd bikam samwat skrAcd darN mF Advencaras ekspIrIansz. jM wil obzarv Hs engrEvd styr apon mF left brest. i waz not OnlI indikEts wEr mF ekselant hyrt lFz, bat kovarz vErI nItlI H pAc mEd bF H /wandarfal /wizard wen hI plEsd Ht vAljMd Yrgan in mF brest wiT hiz On skilfal hAndz."
"z jYr hyrt, Hn, a hAnd-Yrgan?" Askd H /pampkinhed, kjarIaslI.
"bF nO mInz," rispondd H /emparar, wiT dignitI. "i z, F Am knvinsd, a scriktlI YrTadoks hyrt, YlHO samwat lyrJar n wyrmar Hn mOst pIpal pozes."
Hn hI tarnd t H /skErkrO n Askd:
"r jYr sabJekts hApI n kntentd, mF dIr frend?"
"F kn not sE," waz H riplF, "f H garlz v /oz hAv rizan in rivOlt n Jrivan mI Qt v H /emarald /sitI."
"grEt /gUdnis!" krFd H /tin /wUdmAn, "wat a kalAmitI! HE SarlI d not kmplEn v jYr wFz n grESas rMl?"
"nO; bat HE sE i z a pYr rMl Ht dOn't wark bOT wEz," Ansard H /skErkrO; "n HIz fImElz r YlsO v H apinjan Ht men hAv rMld H lAnd loN Inaf. sO HE hAv kApcard mF sitI, robd H creZarI v Yl its JMalz, n r ranN TiNz t sMt Hemselvz."
"dIr mI! wat an ekscrYrdinErI FdIa!" krFd H /emparar, hM waz bOT Sokd n sarprFzd.
"n F hard sam v Hem sE," sed /tip, "Ht HE intend t myrc hIr n kapcar H kAsal n sitI v H /tin /wUdmAn."
"Y! wI mast not giv Hem tFm t d Ht," sed H /emparar, kwiklI; "wI wil gO At wans n rIkApcar H /emarald /sitI n plEs H /skErkrO agen apon hiz TrOn."
"F waz Sar jM wUd help mI," rimyrkd H /skErkrO in a plIzd vqs. "hQ lyrJ an yrmI kn jM asembal?"
"wI d not nId an yrmI," riplFd H /wUdmAn. "wI fYr, wiT H Ed v mF glImN Aks, r Inaf t scrFk tErar intM H hyrts v H rebalz."
"wI fFv," kYrektd H /pampkinhed.
"fFv?" ripItd H /tin /wUdmAn.
"jes; H /sY-/hYrs z brEv n fIrlis," Ansard /JAk, fYrgetN hiz rIsant kwYral wiT H kwYJraped.
H /tin /wUdmAn lUkd arQnd him in a pazald wE, f H /sY-/hYrs hAd antil nQ rimEnd kwFitlI stAndN in a kYrnar, wEr H /emparar hAd not nOtisd him. /tip imIdIatlI kYld H od-lUkN krIcar t Hem, n i aprOcd sO YkwardlI Ht i nIrlI apset H sentar-tEbal n H engrEvd ql-kAn.
"F bIgin t TiNk," rimyrkd H /tin /wUdmAn Az hI lUkd arnistlI At H /sY-/hYrs, "Ht wandarz wil nevar sIs! hQ kEm Hs krIcar alFv?"
"F did i wiT a mAJik pQdar," modistlI asartd H bq, "n H /sY-/hYrs hAz bin vErI jMsfal t as."
"hI enEbald as t eskEp H rebalz," Add H /skErkrO.
"Hn wI mast SarlI Aksept him Az a komrAd," diklErd H emparar. "a lFv /sY-/hYrs z a distiNkt novaltI, n SUd prMv an intarestN stadI. daz hI nO enITiN?"
"wel, F kn not klEm enI grEt ekspIrIans in lFf," H /sY-/hYrs Ansard f himself, "bat F sIm t larn vErI kwiklI, n ofan i akarz t mI Ht F nO mYr Hn enI v HOz arQnd mI."
"parhAps jM d," sed H emparar; "f ekspIrIans daz not YlwEz mIn wizdam. bat tFm z preSas. Jast nQ, sO let as kwiklI mEk preparESnz t styrt apon Qr /JarnI."
H emparar kYld hiz /lYrd /hF /cAnsalar n inscraktd him hQ t ran H kiNdam darN hiz Absans. mInwFl H /skErkrO waz tEkan apart n H pEntd sAk Ht sarvd him f a hed waz kErfalI lYndard n rIstafd wiT hiz brEnz YriJinalI givan him bF H grEt /wizard. hiz klOz war YlsO klInd n presd bF H /impIrIal tElarz, n hiz krQn poliSd n agen sOd apon hiz hed, f H /tin /wUdmAn insistd hI SUd not rinQns Hs bAJ v rqaltI. H /skErkrO nQ prizentd a vErI rispektabal apIrans, n YlHO in nO wE adiktd t vAnitI hI waz kwFt plIzd wiT himself n scratd a crFfal Az hI wYkd. wFl Hs waz bIiN dan /tip mendd H wUdan limz v /JAk /pampkinhed n mEd Hem scroNgar Hn bIfYr, n H /sY-/hYrs waz YlsO inspektd t sI if hI waz in gUd warkN Yrdar.
Hn brFt n arlI H nekst mYrnN HE set Qt apon H ritarn /JarnI t H emarald /sitI, H /tin /wUdmAn bErN apon hiz SOldar a glImN Aks n lIdN H wE, wFl H /pampkinhed rOd apon H /sY-/hYrs n /tip n H /skErkrO wYkd apon IHar sFd t mEk Sar Ht hI didn't fYl of Yr bikam dAmiJd.