فصل چهلم

CHAPTER FORTY

Absent Friends

Dictionary watched the early-morning lawyers walking into the Law Courts. He felt the pigeons landing on his wig, and enjoyed the warbling they made as they jostled for position.

“Your pardon, Mr. Johnson. A question. Amiable, assure you.” He looked down. The Clocker looked back at him.

“Introduce myself, perhaps.”

“No need. You’ll be the Clocker. I don’t miss much up here, sir. We may never have had cause to converse, but I see you coming and going, checking the clocks and tallying away on your beads.” “Ah. Your fame precedes. Magnificent achievement. Man of many words, etcetera. Self man of few. But desire knowledge.” “Pursuit of knowledge is one of the things that elevates us beyond the ruminant bovine, sir. That and the 340 Absent Friends ability to enjoy a pipe and a good dish of tea. If you mean no malice I have no objection to making your acquaintance and illuminating you, as far as my dim lamp of learning may cast its light into the tenebrous miasma that encircles us.” The Clocker bobbed a series of short bows.

“Eternally grateful. In your debt. Matter of boy.” “Boy? What’s the matter with a boy? What boy?” “Unusual boy. Travels with girl. Girl glint.” Dictionary shivered and shuddered.

“Oh. That boy. What of him?”

“Met him. Last night. Decent chap. In trouble. Seeking Stone Heart.” “And a bushel of trouble he caused too, in the pursuit of it. Perhaps you know of a spit that was known as the Gunner?” The Clocker bobbed up and down in friendly excitement.

“Indeed. Absolutely. Well, no. But wish to. Wish to contact him. Tell him of boy and girl’s movements. Need help, I feel.” “The Gunner may well be beyond help, giving or receiving. He left here in no state to get to his plinth before turn o’day, I fear.” The Clocker stopped bobbing, and slumped like a puppet with its strings cut.

“But. Oh. I see. Tragedy. Would like to . . . Unfortunate. Wish was something to do for ‘em.” There was a pause. A harrumph. And the sound of a man grudgingly ripping a strip of paper from a very old dictionary.

The Clocker looked up. Dictionary cleared his throat in an explosive blast.

“The Gunner had friends, of course. Count myself one. But friends of a more martial aspect are probably more to the point at this particular juncture. The word could be put out, so to speak. Do you have a pen or pencil, sir?” The Clocker held up a tiny curl of paper.

“Perhaps we may combine in essaying a pigeon?”