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Four
Thosetwodon’tcomecheap."Helookedaroundtheclutteredoffice."Hisjournal?"saidthemarquis.
"It’snothere,"shesaid."Itoldyou.Ilooked."
"Iwasunderthemisapprehensionthatyourfamilywasskilledinlocatingdoors,bothobviousandotherwise."
Shegloweredathim.Thensheclosedhereyesandputherfingerandthumboneachsideofthebridgeofhernose.Meanwhile,themarquisexaminedtheobjectsonPortico’sdesk.Aninkwell;achess-piece;abonedie;agoldpocket-watch;severalquill-feathersand...
Interesting.
Itwasasmallstatueofaboar,oracrouchingbear,orperhapsabull.Itwashardtotell.Itwasthesizeofalargechess-piece,andithadbeenroughlycarvedoutofblackobsidian.Itremindedhimofsomething,butofwhathecouldnotsay.Hepickeditupcasually,turneditover,curledhisfingersaroundit.
Doorloweredherhandfromherface.Shelookedpuzzledandconfused."What’sthematter?"heasked.
"Itishere,"shesaid,simply.Shebegantowalkthroughthestudy,headturningfirsttoonesideandthentotheother.Themarquisslippedthecarvingdiscreetlyintoaninsidepocket.
Doorstoodbeforeahighcabinet."There,"shesaid.Shereachedoutahand:therewasaclick,andasmallpanelinthesideofthecabinetswungopen.
