(Part I , XII , XIV )
"What's your name?", asked the man known as Banksy.
"Steffan", replied our protagonist.
"Steffan who?"
Steffan hesitated for a moment and then told the truth.
"Why were you asking so many questions about the incident at Canterbury, Steffan?" Banksy wasn't being aggressive or menacing. For now, he was just asking questions.
"I was there when it happened. Nothing like this ever happened back home in Burgh." Steffan tried to be as calm as he could.
"You're not in Burgh. You're in Edin. Why?"
"You're running a lie detector on me, aren't you?" The former apprentice piper risked a question.
A long pause ensued. "You'll answer my question, laddie."
"I was curious about the strange incidents Master Octavius told me about, before I passed on his remarkably generous job offer."
"Octavius?!" Banksy's silver eyebrows almost jumped to the ceiling. "You've met the Master Piper Octavius?"
"Yes. He was a funny little man. Very impressed with me, it seemed. Wanted me to be a master piper from the start."
"And you said no?" Banksy was incredulous.
"Yes, I said 'no', a negative response." Steffan was beginning to enjoy it all, despite himself. This was a lot more interesting than a straighforward recapitulation.
"Are you mad, boy?!"
"No. I don't think I'm mad. The order of the Pipers wasn't what I thought. Are you dissidents?"
A long pause.
"What do you know about the incident at Canterbury?" asked Banksy, again.
"I know I heard a man shooting from a church, and troops deployed to put him down. Is that enough? I know I was supposed to come here as an emissary, but instead came as a citizen. I know I want to know what is going on, and I know that I was knocked out and brought here because I was asking questions."
"You're an impudent whelp, with too much curiosity and not enough sense."
"This much I also know. Do you know why the exchange of students between Edin and Burgh has slowed to a trickle?" Again, Steffan tried to turn the tables.
Banksy remained silent and stared at him impassively.
"Do you know what there is to rebel against on this peaceful planet?"
More silence.
"Do you know why there were secret army emplacements at Canterbury?"
"What I know, and what I don't know, are not yours for the asking. I will ask one question more, and then we'll decide what to do with you."
"You had best make it a good one, for the lie detector." Yes, impudence was definitely habit-forming.
"Are you working for anyone?"
Steffan looked Banksy in the eye and replied.
There shall be more...
No comments:
Post a Comment