Dear Journal,
Though I rarely commit fully to paper the events of a particular day, I feel today that I must be as accurate as possible. I received a most unusual visit from Fathers Moonwall and Pizzaro that has put me completely on edge. To place this within context I shall say that Father Moonwall was by earlier in the day making inquiries about Mr. Pip. I have made no secret of my affections for Mr. Pip who I treat as a dear friend (even if I know, in the end, he isn’t really), and was ready to protect him as I saw fit. Of course, when Father Moonwall began to talk about throwing him into the ocean to see if he would drown (evidently if he drowns that means he’s not fae of any sort but if he floats then he’s guilty, what nonsense!) I immediately denied any and all knowledge of Mr. Pip's abilities.
When he left I had hoped it would be the last I saw of him, but lo-and-behold, as I am enjoying an evening to myself reading a book and drinking tea (I presume Lo & Gil were out in the town somewhere) I heard a knock at the door.
Father Moonwall knocks briskly
Stargirl Macbain looks up and sets her book aside, "Just a moment!"
Father Moonwall: Hello again Miss Macbain
Father Pizzaro: Good evening.
Stargirl Macbain frowns, "Oh, Hello again Father Moonwall."
Stargirl Macbain looks beyond him, "Hello Sir."
Father Moonwall: Might we have a word?
Stargirl Macbain: Certainly
Father Pizzaro smiles
Father Moonwall: Thank you.
Stargirl Macbain: Do come in.
Father Moonwall: AH, oh!
Father Moonwall looks up toward the top of Miss Macbain's head
Stargirl Macbain: Something wrong father?
Father Moonwall: This is my colleague, Father Pizzaro
Stargirl Macbain: Pleasure to meet you, I'm sure, Father Pizzaro.
Father Pizzaro: A pleasure.
Father Pizzaro stares at the ears incredulously
Stargirl Macbain looks distinctly uncomfortable, "Something wrong with my hair?"
Father Pizzaro looks to Father Moonwall
Father Moonwall: The hairstyles of the youth are shocking sometimes
Stargirl Macbain reaches up to touch her head, "Oh...OH! My headband! The ears."
Father Pizzaro: Those ears in your hair are very life like.
Father Pizzaro: They appear to be moving.
Stargirl Macbain laughs tensely, "Nonsense, trick of the light.”
Father Moonwall stares grimly
Stargirl Macbain: One of the children made them for me, I was just taking the rolls out of the Dutch oven, would you care for some?
Father Pizzaro narrows his eyes
Father Moonwall: Ah, yes.
Father Pizzaro: Very kind.
Stargirl Macbain: Do come up then.
Father Moonwall looks to Father Pizzaro
Stargirl Macbain: Do have a seat...I’ve just forgotten something in the attic, help yourselves.
I slipped up to the attic to try and shift the ears away but it was no use. I’ve not been able to do so for some time now, and I couldn’t find a hat to save my life. I could hear the two talking in the parlor below me and I will admit that I considered going out through the attic window.
Father Moonwall: Hmmm
Father Moonwall: She said something about the attic last time I was here as well.
Father Pizzaro: A descendent of the beast men?
Father Moonwall: It is possible.
At this point I returned to the parlor and re-joined them, thinking it best I don’t leave them alone long enough to get a good look at the books on my shelves.
Stargirl Macbain: Forgive me, I thought I heard the cat.
Father Moonwall whispers: Are you still cold, Juris?
Father Pizzaro: I do like cats. They are a comfort to have around.
Father Moonwall: All manner of beasts disturb me.
Father Pizzaro: No, Ora.
Father Pizzaro: What a delightful parlor you have. So warm.
Stargirl Macbain frowns at Moonwall then brightens again, "Oh, thank you, It can be so drafty. But today it's keeping warm."
Father Moonwall: Father Pizzaro had further questions concerning this Underby and goblin situation.
Father Pizzaro: I was telling Father Moonwall how I do not handle the chill well. Thank goodness for the baths.
Father Moonwall looks at Father Pizzaro
Stargirl Macbain: Goblin? what goblin?
Father Pizzaro smiles
Father Pizzaro: Ah yes.
Father Pizzaro: I understand you have a... goblin?
Father Moonwall: This Mr. Dip.
Stargirl Macbain: Goblins are supposed to be green aren't they? With hook noses?
Father Pizzaro: What does he look like?
Stargirl Macbain looks confused.
Father Moonwall: I assure you we do not know, miss.
Stargirl Macbain: I'm confused myself, Mr. Dip? I don't know a Mr. Dip I'm afraid....
Father Pizzaro: I have never seen such a creature. Another of the variety of beast men?
Father Moonwall: Yes, perhaps you might describe this Mr. Dip?
Father Pizzaro stares at Stargirl’s twitching ears.
Stargirl Macbain shifts uneasily, "Beast men, what are you two going on about?"
Father Pizzaro: I have been fascinated by the nonhuman population of this city since my arrival.
Stargirl Macbain: non-human populations?
Father Moonwall: Yes, I just met a horse man, most queer.
Father Pizzaro: Those ears of yours.
Stargirl Macbain: The one's Lo made for me?
Father Pizzaro: Might I inquire of your parentage?
Stargirl Macbain: Pardon me? My what?
Father Pizzaro: I have observed human children with animal appendages. Tails.
Father Pizzaro: Are they hybrids? Second or third generations of the beast men?
Father Moonwall: Yes, I met one the other night... Vic, I think... had a huge white tail
Stargirl Macbain: My...parents? I..I am not not any sort of hy-whatsits and certainly not them.
Father Pizzaro: And not even a month ago Mr. Tenk himself sent me a child to begin the training.
Father Pizzaro: The child had long ears and decidedly elfin features.
Stargirl Macbain: Mr. Tenk sent you a child?
Father Moonwall: Mr. Tenk is extremely devout
Father Pizzaro: Yes. He wished him to be trained as an addiator.
Stargirl Macbain: Oh, how very noble of him.
Stargirl Macbain: It is lovely to see Mr. Tenk overcoming his handicaps.
Father Pizzaro: If he is found to have talent. There is a small window of opportunity to instill certain disciplines in the mind.
Stargirl Macbain: What would you train him to do, exactly?
Father Pizzaro: Handicaps? I was not aware that Mr. Tenk was afflicted.
Father Moonwall: Handicaps?
Father Pizzaro: I will train him in calculation.
Father Pizzaro: Some people still prefer the mind to the machines.
Heliotrope snorts.
Stargirl Macbain: His height I mean, that terrible bone fever.
Father Pizzaro: Ah yes. His height does not seem to be a hindrance to him.
Stargirl Macbain: He is a marvelous man, I'm sure he'll serve you well.
Father Moonwall: Oh he has, he does.
Father Pizzaro: Its a pity his political callings have taken him away from his maths.
Father Pizzaro: He was quite talented.
Father Moonwall nods grimly
Father Pizzaro gives Father Moonwall an odd glance
Stargirl Macbain shakes her head, "His maths...I'm sorry. I have no idea what math has to do with serving your church?"
Father Pizzaro: All of our order are trained in mathematics from childhood.
Father Moonwall: One of the most noble aspects of the church is math
Stargirl Macbain waves her hand airily, "I was never allowed to learn math, it wasn't a lady’s calling."
Father Moonwall looks suddenly very angry.
Father Pizzaro inclines his head.
Stargirl Macbain: French, Latin, calligraphy, needlepoint, but no math I'm afraid.
Father Pizzaro: Some believe so, but I have known some women who were quite adept.
Father Moonwall: It should be a crime!
Father Pizzaro: And these days, with so few children being started in the training, girls are welcomed as well as boys.
Stargirl Macbain: I am pleased to hear it.
Father Pizzaro puts a finger to his lips and smiles
Father Moonwall looks quizzingly at Pizzaro
Father Pizzaro: I have found the girls are easier, provided they start early enough.
Stargirl Macbain: Mmmm...
Father Pizzaro: They can start earlier. Perhaps because they are calmer than the boys.
Father Pizzaro: But back to your ears.
Father Pizzaro smiles benignly
Stargirl Macbain: What of them?
Father Pizzaro: Have you always had them?
At this point some noise drew Father Moonwall to the window to gaze down at the back garden. I have a very small garden, and I call it “a garden” only because that seems far more polite that “patch of dead dirt where I keep the coal.”
Father Pizzaro: What is it, Ora?
Stargirl Macbain watches father Moonwall, "What? No, I told you one of the children made them for me."
Father Moonwall: That horse man is out there
Father Moonwall: He fascinates me
Stargirl Macbain frowns, "Mr. Lionheart?"
Father Moonwall: I don't recall his name.
Father Pizzaro: One would expect a more substantial tail to balance the head
It seemed ridiculous that Mr. Lionheart would be in my garden, but I stood to investigate myself and, goodness, there he was.
Heliotrope Lionheart: Here birdie... hrmm?
Heliotrope Lionheart: Oh, Ms Macbain
Father Pizzaro: It must be some effort to walk upright
Stargirl Macbain: Did he just call for me?
Father Moonwall: I believe he is speaking, miss.
Father Moonwall: His mouth is moving.
Father Moonwall: Or perhaps he is chewing cud.
Father Moonwall: Do horses do that?
Father Pizzaro peers closely at the ears
Father Pizzaro stood uncomfortably close to me and seemed deeply interested in my ears. I must say, either the man has a fetish of some sort or he simply has no manners at all. Fortunately at that moment Mr. Lionheart caught my attention and I seized the opportunity to leave the room.
Heliotrope Lionheart waves up
Father Pizzaro: No, I do not believe so.
Stargirl Macbain peers out the window, "I'll just see what he wants" waves down.
Stargirl Macbain: Horses do chew cud, I believe.
Stargirl Macbain opens her garden door and steps out, “may I help you Mr. Lionheart?”
Heliotrope Lionheart: I thought I saw a raven in your coal pile. I was luring it with this clock
Stargirl Macbain: Ahh.
Heliotrope Lionheart: Something scared it away though
Stargirl Macbain: Well...Good luck with that then....try not to scatter my coal...
Heliotrope Lionheart: Ah yes indeed. What a mess that would be
Stargirl Macbain nods, "I'd best get back to my company..charming men, really..."
Heliotrope Lionheart: Salted earth... er, salt of the earth, they are.
Stargirl Macbain: Yes.
Stargirl Macbain: Rather.
Heliotrope Lionheart: Enjoy.
Stargirl Macbain: Well...Good day to you sir....
I will admit, I was conflicted. I should have liked someone else there, but it seemed unwise given the latent hostility that seemed to flow from the two, to invite him in. So I reluctantly returned alone to the parlor.
Father Moonwall: What did he want?
Stargirl Macbain: He was chasing a raven, evidently.
Father Moonwall: Ah, the bounty
Father Moonwall: I approve
Father Pizzaro: Was he chewing cud?
Stargirl Macbain: I..erm...I didn't ask. It didn't seem polite.
Father Moonwall: His mouth moves too much when he speaks
Father Moonwall: It must be cud.
Stargirl Macbain shrugs.
When I returned to the parlor neither seemed particularly interested in sitting down, instead they were moving closer and closer to me as they spoke, circling almost, as if they had plans to trap me against one of the walls.
Stargirl Macbain: Pardon me...
Stargirl Macbain takes a step away from father moonwall
Father Pizzaro: I must say I was quite excited when I received my orders to come to Babbage.
Father Moonwall: As was I.
Father Pizzaro: A city of industry and reason, I had been told.
Stargirl Macbain: Oh yes...it's why I came here....
Father Pizzaro: But that is not what I have found here at all.
Father Moonwall: Though I must admit, I was somewhat disappointed when I arrived
Father Pizzaro: The children are all wild. You will soon succumb to your own hedonism.
Stargirl Macbain: I'm trying my best with them....it was that Mara woman.
Stargirl Macbain: Too soft.
Father Pizzaro: I see.
Father Moonwall: It is inevitable, unless access to the Old Quarter can be regained
Stargirl Macbain: I'd suggest climbing the wall.
Father Moonwall: Mara?
Father Pizzaro: Where will the engineers of the future come from if the children are not educated?
Father Moonwall: Oh yes, we heard about her, Juris
Stargirl Macbain: So build a school.
Father Pizzaro purses his lips
Father Pizzaro: I heard what happened to the last school.
Stargirl Macbain laughs uneasily, "Aye, no good that."
Father Pizzaro stares at the ears as they twitch
Stargirl Macbain: What, exactly, are you both here for?
Father Pizzaro: Did your parents have any animal characteristics?
Stargirl Macbain: No.
Father Pizzaro: I see.
Father Pizzaro: What of this Mr. Dip?
Father Moonwall: I shall be direct.
Father Moonwall: Miss. I have good reason to believe you were lying to me earlier today.
Stargirl Macbain: About what, father Moonwall?
Father Moonwall: Everything.
Father Moonwall: I have no proof, yet, but I am no old fool.
Stargirl Macbain: I cannot possibly have lied about everything, do be more specific, you're being tiresome.
Father Moonwall: And I saw the little man behind me.
Stargirl Macbain: Ahh...you saw Pip did you?
Father Moonwall: And smelled him. The brimstone reek.
Stargirl Macbain: I told you he has been doing work for me and he was around.
Stargirl Macbain: His pipe?
Father Moonwall: That stench was no pipe.
Stargirl Macbain: He does smoke a rather cheap blend...but I'd hardly call it brimstone....
Father Moonwall: Juris, what is the penalty for aiding a member of the supernatural races?
Stargirl Macbain: What? Penalty?
Stargirl Macbain: I wasn't aiding…I wasn't aiding anyone!
Stargirl Macbain takes a step back, "You asked if I'd ever seen him shapeshift or disappear or whatever and I haven't!"
Father Pizzaro: I would have to confer with Father Kojima as to the policies of this town. It has not happened in many decades.
Father Moonwall: Mm, indeed.
Father Pizzaro: I will go to the wall tomorrow and see if I can get his attention.
Father Moonwall: It has been too long since this town had a good burning I think.
Father Pizzaro: Ora!
Stargirl Macbain blanches, "wh...what?"
Father Moonwall grumbles
Father Pizzaro: That is not the way these days.
Father Moonwall: Perhaps that is the issue
Stargirl Macbain: I don't understand, I haven't done anything.
Father Pizzaro: Surely you remember your history, my child?
Stargirl Macbain: What of it?
Father Pizzaro: The Empire collapsed because men relied on technology they did not comprehend.
Father Pizzaro: Would you have us repeat that error?
Stargirl Macbain: Of course not...what does that have to do with Pip?
Father Pizzaro: Science without rigor is magic.
Stargirl Macbain: Magic doesn't exist.
Father Pizzaro: I wish to observe him.
Stargirl Macbain: Then go ask Mr. Underby.
Stargirl Macbain: Pip is his assistant.
Father Pizzaro: I see.
Father Pizzaro: I shall make inquiries of him also.
Father Moonwall: Yes, he is on our list.
Stargirl Macbain: Oh..good. He's the magician.
Father Pizzaro: I see.
Father Pizzaro: My order demands adherence to the rigors of logic, lest we also fall on the path.
Father Pizzaro: I am sure we have much in common we can discuss.
Stargirl Macbain "I'm sure."
Father Moonwall: Surely you understand that it is not our wish to bother anyone unduly.
Father Pizzaro find his scarf and earmuffs
Stargirl Macbain: Certainly, I'm sorry if I’m being suspicious...but you talked about all those horrible things before, Father Moonwall, it has not made me wish to be open with you.
Stargirl Macbain: I cannot swim, you know.
Father Pizzaro: This has been a delightful conversation, my child.
Father Pizzaro: We should meet again.
Father Pizzaro: Soon.
Father Moonwall: Yes
Stargirl Macbain: Oh...I can't see why that would be necessary.
Stargirl Macbain: Good evening to you both.
Father Moonwall looks up
Father Moonwall: Good evening
Father Pizzaro nods and smiles
Father Pizzaro: We will see ourselves out.
Father Moonwall: Perhaps you could tell this Mr. Dip we would like to speak with him
Stargirl Macbain: Certainly.
Father Moonwall: We are staying in the Clockwinder's house
Stargirl Macbain: You're staying at the Clockwinder's....house?
Father Moonwall: Yes
Stargirl Macbain: He sent you both here to frighten me, didn't he?
Father Moonwall: He was good enough to put us up until the church is rebuilt
Father Pizzaro: The hall next to his forge. He offered it to us after the accident.
Father Moonwall: What?
Father Moonwall: Why would he want to frighten you?
Stargirl Macbain: I was rather rude to him yesterday.
Father Pizzaro: No. I have not seen Mr. Tenk in quite some time.
Father Moonwall: Rude? Hmph.
Father Pizzaro: He is remarkably devout. A very pleasant man.
Stargirl Macbain: I'm sure.
Father Moonwall: Indeed. Jovial and gay
Father Pizzaro: Such a pity about his math.
Stargirl Macbain smiles nervously.
Stargirl Macbain: Good day to both of you.
Stargirl Macbain slides the bolt shut on the door.
I followed them down and pressed my ear to the door to hear what they had to say to each other, if anything.
Father Moonwall: Something is not right there, Juris
Father Pizzaro: No.
Father Pizzaro: I think your suspicions are correct.
And then they moved on. I do not think they intend to make that the last I see of them, do you? I will admit, I was tempted to leave town immediately. I have no allies of a separate nature (I can hardly count Mr. Pip, as he is here only at the whim of Mr. Underby, I assume) and really know no one who has my particular talen, with the exception of Mr. Underby himself. I must admit, I am tempted to go to the man and seek his friendship. He hasn’t done anything particularly awful recently, so perhaps he’s calmed down a bit since the incident with Mr. tenk.
I don’t know what to do.
~S. MacB.
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