Randall Garrett - Too Many Magicians

“He is somewhere within that area. There is no other possible answer.” Then he reached out and put his hand on the young journeyman’s shoulder. “I know you’re tired. Fatigue is the normal condition of an Investigator for the King.”

Lord John Quetzal straightened his shoulders and looked up suddenly. “I know. But” — he tapped the spot that Lord Darcy had circled — “that’s quite a bit of area. I thought that I could locate him precisely, exactly.” He took a deep breath. “And now I find that…”

“Oh, come,” Lord Darcy said. “You give in too easily. We have him located; it is simply that you do not realize how closely we have surrounded our quarry. We know the general area, but we do not have the exact description of his immediate surroundings.”

“But there I cannot help,” Lord John Quetzal said, the dullness coming back into his voice.

“I think you can,” said Lord Darcy. “I ask you to put your attention upon the symbols surrounding Master Ewen MacAlister — not his actual physical surroundings but his symbolic surroundings.”

And then Lord Darcy waited.

Suddenly Lord John Quetzal looked up. “I have an intuition. I see…” Lord John Quetzal began again. “It is the blazon of a coat of arms, my lord: Argent, in saltire, five fusils gules.”

“Go on,” said Lord Darcy urgently, making a rapid notation on the margin of the map.

Lord John Quetzal looked out into nothing. “Argent,” he said, “in pale, three trefoils sable, the lower-most inverted.”

Lord Darcy made another note, and then put his hand very carefully on the top of the table, palm down. “I ask you to give me one more, my lord — just one more.”

“Argent,” said Lord John Quetzal, “a heart gules.”

Lord Darcy leaned back in the booth, took a deep breath and said, “We have it, my lord, we have it. Thanks to you. Come, we must get back to Carlyle House.”

Half an hour after that, Her Grace, Mary, the Dowager Duchess of Cumberland, was looking at the same map. “Yes, yes, of course,” she said. She looked at the young Mechicain. “Of course. Argent, in saltire, five fusils gules .” She looked up at Lord Darcy. “The five of diamonds.”

“Right,” said Lord Darcy.

“And the second is the three of clubs. And the third, the ace of hearts.”

“Exactly. Do you doubt now that Master Ewen is hiding there?”

She looked back down at the map. “No, of course not. Of course he’s there.” She looked up at him. “You went no further, my lord?” Then she glanced at Lord John Quetzal and corrected herself. “My lords?”

“Was there any need?” Lord Darcy asked. “My Lord du Moqtessuma has assured me that if Master Ewen leaves his hiding place he shall know it. Right, my lord?”

“Right.” Then he added, “That is, I cannot guarantee his future movements, but if he should go very far from there I should know it.

“One thing I do not understand,” Her Grace said frankly, “is why My Lord John Quetzal did not immediately recognize the symbolism.” She looked at the young Mechicain nobleman with a smile. “I do not mean this as a reflection upon your abilities. You did visualize the symbols — and yet you translated them in terms of heraldry rather than in terms of playing cards. Undoubtedly you could explain why, but with your permission I should like to know how Lord Darcy knew.”

“It was information you did not have,” Lord Darcy said with a smile. “The night before last when we were discussing Mechicoe, while you were dressing, we had a short discussion of gambling and recreation in Mechicoe. I observed that not once did Lord John Quetzal mention playing cards — from which I gathered that they are very little used.”

“In Mechicoe,” said Lord John Quetzal, “a deck of cards is generally considered to be a fortune-telling device, used by unlicensed wizards and black sorcerers. I am not familiar with the card deck as a gambling device, although I have heard, of course, that it can be used as such.”

“Of course,” said Lord Darcy. “Therefore, you translated the symbols you saw in terms of heraldry, a field of knowledge with which you are familiar. But your description is quite clear.” He looked at the Duchess. “And, therefore, we came to you.” He smiled. “If anyone knows the gambling clubs of London, it is you.”

She looked back down at the map. “Yes,” she said. “There’s only one such club in that area. He must be there. It’s the Manzana de Oro .”

“Ah,” said Lord Darcy. “The Golden Apple, eh? What do you know of it?”

“It is owned by a Moor from Granada.”

“Indeed?” said Lord Darcy. “Describe him to me.”

“Oh, he’s an absolutely fascinating creature,” said Her Grace. “He’s tall — as tall as you are — and quite devilishly handsome. He has dark skin — almost black — flashing eyes, and a small pointed beard. He dresses magnificently in the Oriental fashion. There’s an enormous emerald on his left ring finger, and a great ruby — or perhaps it is a spinel — in his turban. He carries at his waist a jeweled Persian dagger that is probably worth a fortune. For all I know he is an unmitigated scoundrel, but in his manners and bearing he is unquestionably a gentleman. He calls himself the Sidi al-Nasir.”

Lord Darcy leaned back and laughed.

“May I ask,” the Duchess said acidly, “what is so funny, my lord?”

“My apologies,” said Lord Darcy, smothering his laughter. “I wasn’t trying to be funny. You must credit it to our Moorish friend. ‘Sidi al-Nasir’ indeed! How lovely. I have a feeling I shall like this gentleman.”

“Would it be too much,” Her Grace said pleasantly, “for you to let us in on the joke?”

“It is the felicitous choice of name and title,” Lord Darcy said. “Translating broadly, Sidi al-Nasir means ‘My Lord the Winner.’ How magnificently he has informed the upper class gamblers of London that the advantage is with the house. Yes, indeed, I think I shall like My Lord al-Nasir.” He looked at the Duchess. “Do you have entry into his club?”

“You know I do,” she said. “You would never have mentioned it to me otherwise.”

“True,” said Lord Darcy blandly. “But now that you are in on our little trap, I shall not deny you the further enjoyment of helping us close it solidly upon our quarry.” He looked at Lord John Quetzal. “My lord,” he said, “the quarry is cornered. We now have but to devise the trap itself.”

Lord John Quetzal nodded smilingly. “Indeed, my lord. Oh, yes indeed. Now, to begin with…”

The night was clear. Each star in the sky above shone like a separate brilliant jewel in the black velvet of the heavens. A magnificent carriage bearing the Cumberland arms pulled up in front of the Manzana de Oro , the footman opened and bowed low before the polychrome and gilt door, and four people descended. The first to alight was no less than Her Grace the Dowager Duchess of Cumberland. She was followed by a tall, lean, handsome man in impeccable evening clothes. The third passenger was equally tall — a dark-faced man wearing the arms of the ducal house of Moqtessuma. All three bowed low as the fourth passenger stepped out.

His Highness the Prince of Vladistov was a short, round gentleman, with a dark, bushy, heavy beard and an eyeglass screwed into his right eye. He descended from the coach in silence with great dignity, and acknowledged his companions’ bows with a patronizing tilt of his head.

Her Grace of Cumberland nodded to the brace of doormen who stood at rigid attention at either side of the entrance to the Manzana de Oro , and the four of them marched inside. At the inner door, Her Grace’s escort spoke to the majordomo. “You may announce to My Lord al-Nasir — Her Grace, Mary, Dowager Duchess of Cumberland; Lord John Quetzal du Moqtessuma de Mechicoe; His Most Serene Highness, Jehan, Prince of Vladistov; and myself, the Lord of Arcy.”