The next thing he noticed was how warm the room seemed to be. He looked around, but there was no fire-pit to explain the warmth. His new cloak wasnt necessary here.
Reason told him that the room should not be warm, since there was no fire and there were four broad windows, one looking out in each direction. There should be cold air blowing in through each of those unglazed windows, but there was not. That wasnt at all natural. Winter was coming, so the air outside was bitterly cold; but it wasnt coming in, for some reason.
Althalus stood in the doorway carefully looking over every bit of the domed, circular room. There was what appeared to be a very large stone bed against the far wall, and the bed was covered with dark, thick-furred bison robes. There was a table made of the same polished stone as the floor and walls, and the table rested on a stone pedestal in the center of the floor, and there was an ornately carved stone bench beside that table.
And there, resting on the precise center of that gleaming tabletop, was the Book Ghend had described.
Althalus cautiously approached the table. Then he leaned his spear against it and, with his sword firmly gripped in his right hand, he rather hesitantly reached out with his left. Something about the way Ghend had handled that black-boxed Book of his back in Nabjors camp had suggested that books should be approached with extreme caution. He touched his fingers to the soft white leather of the Books enclosing box, and then he snatched his hand away to grab up his spear as he heard a faint sound.
It was a soft, contented sort of sound that seemed to be coming from the fur-covered bed. The sound was not exactly continuous, but seemed to change pitch slightly, going in and out almost like breathing.
Before he could investigate, though, something else happened that took his attention away from that soft sound. Twilight was deepening outside the windows, but it was not growing dark in this room. He looked up in astonishment. The dome above him had begun to glow, growing slowly brighter and perfectly matching its brightening to the pace of the increasing darkness outside. The only source of light other than the sun, the moon, and the shimmering curtain of Gods light at the edge of the world was fire, and the dome over his head was not on fire.
Then that contented sound coming from the bed grew even louder, and now that the light from the dome over his head was growing brighter, Althalus could see the source of that sound. He blinked, and then he almost laughed. The sound was coming from a cat.
It was a very dark cat, almost black, and it blended so well into the dark fur of the bison robes on the bed that his cursory glance when hed first entered the room had missed it entirely. The cat lay on its belly with its head up, though its eyes were closed. Its front paws were stretched out on the robe in front of its short-furred chest, and they were making little kneading motions. The sound which had so baffled Althalus was the sound of purring.
Then the cat opened its eyes. Most of the cats Althalus had seen before had looked at him with yellow eyes. This cats eyes, however, were a brightly glowing green.
The cat rose to its feet and stretched, yawning and arching its sinuous back and hooking its tail up. Then the furry creature sat down, looking into the face of Althalus with its penetrating green eyes as if it had known him all its life.
You certainly took your own sweet time getting here, the cat observed in a distinctly feminine voice. Now why dont you go shut that door you left standing wide open? Its letting in the cold, and I just hate the cold.
CHAPTER FIVE
Althalus stared at the cat in utter disbelief. Then he sighed mournfully and sank down onto the bench in absolute dejection. His luck hadnt been satisfied with everything else shed done to him. Now she was twisting the knife. This was why Ghend had hired somebody else to steal the Book instead of doing it himself. The House at the End of the World didnt need guards or hidden traps to protect it. It protected itself and the Book from thieves by driving anyone who entered it mad. He sighed and looked reproachfully at the cat.
Yes? she said with that infuriatingly superior air all cats seem to have. Was there something?
You dont have to do that anymore, he told her. You and this House have already done what youre supposed to do. Ive gone completely insane.
What in the world are you talking about?
Cats cant talk. Its impossible. You arent really talking to me, and now that I think about it, youre probably not really even there. Im seeing you and hearing you talk because Ive gone crazy.
Youre being ridiculous, you know.
Crazy people are ridiculous. I met a crazy man on my way here, and he went around talking to God. Lots of people talk to God, but that old fellow believed that God talked back to him. Althalus sighed mournfully. Itll probably all be over before long. Since Im crazy now, it shouldnt be very long until I throw myself out of the window and fall on down through the stars forever and ever. Thats the sort of thing a crazy man would do.
What do you mean by fall forever?
This House is right at the end of the world, isnt it? If I jump out that window, Ill just fall and fall through all that nothing thats out there.
Whatever gave you the ridiculous idea that this is the end of the world?
Everybody says it is. The people here in Kagwher wont even talk about it, because theyre afraid of it. Ive looked out over that edge, and all there is down there is clouds. Clouds are part of the sky, so that means that this edge is the place where the world ends and the sky starts, doesnt it?
No, she replied, absently licking one of her paws and washing her face. Thats not what it means at all. There is something down there. Its a long way down, but it is there.
What is it?
Its water, Althalus, and what you saw when you looked over that edge is fog. Fog and clouds are more or less the same thing except that fogs closer to the ground.
You know my name? That surprised him.
Well, of course I know your name, you ninny. I was sent here to meet you.
Oh? Who sent you?
Youre having enough trouble holding onto your sanity already. Lets not push you off any edges with things you arent ready to understand just yet. You might as well get used to me, Althalus. Were going to be together for a long, long time.
He shook off his momentary dejection. No, he said, I think Ive had just about enough of this. Its been just wonderful talking with you, but if youll excuse me now, I think Ill just take the Book and go. Id love to stay and chat some more, but winters going to be snapping at my tail feathers all the way home as it is.
And just how did you plan to leave? she asked calmly as she started to wash her ears.
He turned sharply to look around. But the door through which he had entered the room wasnt there any more. How did you do that?
We wont be needing it any more for a while at least and it was letting in the cold air, since you were too lazy to close it behind you when you came in.
He turned sharply to look around. But the door through which he had entered the room wasnt there any more. How did you do that?
We wont be needing it any more for a while at least and it was letting in the cold air, since you were too lazy to close it behind you when you came in.
A brief panic clutched at the thiefs throat. He was trapped. The Book had lured him into this place, and now the cat had trapped him, and there was no way out. I think Ill kill myself, he said mournfully.
No you wont, she said quite calmly, beginning to wash her tummy. You can try, if you like, but it wont work. You cant leave, you cant jump out of the window, and you cant stab yourself with your sword or your knife or your spear. You might as well get used to it, Althalus. Youre going to stay right here with me until weve done what were supposed to do.
Then I can leave? he asked hopefully.
Youll be required to leave. We have things we need to do here, and then there are other things that have to be done in other places, so youll have to go do them.
What are we supposed to do here?
Im supposed to teach, and youre supposed to learn.
Learn what?
The Book.
How to read it, you mean?
Thats part of it. She began to wash her tail, hooking it up to her tongue with one curved paw. After you learn how to read it, you have to learn how to use it.
Use?
Well get to that in time. Youre having enough trouble here already.
Ill tell you something right here and now, he said hotly. I am not going to take any orders from a cat.
Yes, actually you will. It may take you a while to come around, but thats all right, because weve got all the time in the world. She stretched and yawned. Then she looked herself over. All nice and neat, she said approvingly. Then she yawned again. Did you have any other silly announcements youd like to make? Ive finished everything that I have to say
The light in the dome overhead began to grow dim.
Whats happening? he demanded sharply.
Now that Ive got my fur all nice and neat, I think Ill take a little nap.
You just woke up.
Whats that got to do with anything? Since youre obviously not ready to do what youre supposed to do, I might as well sleep for a while. When you change your mind, wake me up and well get started. And then she settled back down on the thick-furred bison robes and closed her eyes again.
Althalus spluttered to himself for a bit, but the sleeping cat didnt so much as twitch an ear. Finally he gave up and rolled himself up in his cloak near the wall where the door had been, and he too went to sleep.
Althalus held out for several days, but his profession had made him a high-strung sort of man, and the forced inactivity in this sealed room was beginning to fray at his nerves. He walked around the room several times and looked out the windows. He discovered that he could put his hand through them or his head quite easily, but when he tried to lean out, something that he couldnt see was in his way. Whatever that something was kept out the much colder air outside. There were so many things about this room that couldnt be explained, and the thiefs curiosity finally got the best of him. All right, he said to the cat one morning as daylight began to stain the sky, I give up. You win.
Of course I won, she replied, opening her bright green eyes. I always do. She yawned and stretched sinuously. Now why dont you come over here so that we can talk?
I can talk from right here. He was a little wary about getting too close to her. It was clear that she could do things he couldnt understand, and he didnt want her to start doing them to him.
Her ears flicked slightly and she lay back down. Let me know when you change your mind, she told him. And then she closed her eyes again.
He muttered some choice swear-words, and then he gave up, rose from the bench beside the table and went to the fur-robed bed. He sat down, reached out rather tentatively and touched her furry back with his hand to make sure that she was really there.
That was quick, she noted, opening her eyes again and starting to purr.
Theres not much point in being stubborn about it. Youre obviously the one whos in control of things here. You wanted to talk?
She nuzzled at his hand. Im glad you understand, she said, still purring. I wasnt ordering you around just to watch you jump, Althalus. Im a cat for now, and cats need touching. I need to have you near me when we talk.
Then you havent always been a cat?
How many cats have you come across who know how to talk?
You know, he bantered, I cant for the life of me remember the last time.
She actually laughed, and that gave him a little glow of satisfaction. If he could make her laugh, she wasnt entirely in control of the situation here.
Im not really all that hard to get along with, Althalus, she told him. Pet me now and then and scratch my ears once in a while, and well get along just fine. Is there anything you need?
Ill have to go outside to hunt food for us before long, he said, trying to sound casual about it.
Are you hungry?
Well, not right now. Im sure I will be later, though.
When youre hungry, Ill see to it that you have something to eat. She gave him a sidelong look. You didnt really think you could get away that easily, did you?
He grinned. It was worth a try. He picked her up and held her.
You arent going anywhere without me, Althalus. Get used to the idea that Im going to be with you for the rest of your life and youre going to live for a very, very long time. Youve been chosen to do some things and Ive been chosen to make sure you do them right. Your lifes going to be much easier once you accept that.
How did we get chosen and who did the choosing?
She reached up and patted his cheek with one soft paw. Well get to that later, she assured him. You might have a little trouble accepting it right at first. Now then, why dont we get started? She hopped down from the bed, crossed to the table, and without any seeming effort leaped up and sat on the polished surface. Time to go to work, pet, she said. Come over here and sit down while I teach you how to read.
The reading involved the translation of stylized pictures, much as it had in Ghends Book. The pictures represented words. That came rather easily with concrete words such as tree, or rock, or pig. The pictures that represented concepts such as truth, beauty, or honesty, were more difficult.
Althalus was adaptable a thief almost has to be but the situation here took some getting used to. Food simply appeared on the table whenever he grew hungry. It startled him the first few times it happened, but after a while, he didnt even pay attention to it any more. Even miracles become commonplace if they happen often enough.
Winter arrived at the edge of the world, and as it settled in, the sun went away and perpetual night arrived. The cat patiently explained it, but Althalus only dimly understood her explanation. He could accept it intellectually, but it still seemed to him that the sun moved around the earth instead of the other way around. With the coming of that endless night, he lost all track of days. When you get right down to it, he reasoned, there simply werent any days any more. He stopped looking out the windows altogether. It was almost always snowing anyway, and snow depressed him.