Now,
some of you may remember a story that I am
telling once about how Griselda helps this
high-class Lunar doll Aurelia when she is in a
most difficult situation, what with having no
dough and hanging around at Rowdy Djoh Lo's,
living off his charity. Griselda has her own
reason for doing this, of course, which is to
get in good with the hard guys who hang out at
Rowdy Djoh Lo's and want Aurelia gone, because
they feel inhibited from serious discussions
while she is present. So Griselda puts much
effort into helping Aurelia, and finally gets
her married off to this Lunar guy Simplicius,
who has plenty of dough but not much class and
greatly wishes to improve his social standing,
and to do this he is even ready to marry
Aurelia, because she is the real thing when it
comes to Lunar high-class, although her
personality is a bit hard to take [1].
But Griselda does not get even a thank-you
from Aurelia in return, and when she tries to
congratulate Aurelia in public for the
improvement in her situation, which is likely
to be a way of reminding her how much she is
owing to Griselda, she is snubbed in front of
everybody, and so Griselda gets mad enough to
tell a bunch of us the whole story. Now,
Griselda does not state that she wants us to
keep this story to ourselves, which is
probably because she figures that by now this
is generally understood. For we all know that
to be blabbing stuff about Griselda's business
that she does not wish to have blabbed is the
surest way to make her mad at you, and nobody
in this man's town who has enough sense to
come in out of the wind wishes to have
Griselda mad at them, because it is an even
surer way to have unpleasant things happen to
you than drinking a Troll drink. And while it
is well known that Griselda does just this, in
fact she drinks three different drinks and
survives [2], this is generally considered to
be one of the surest proofs that Griselda is
truly exceptional.
Now for me this story begins when I walk into
Lilina's one day, and it is after my usual
time, because when I am first waking up I am
not feeling too well, and I do not know why
this is unless it is connected with the drinks
which I consume the previous night, although
as I remember it these are not so very many.
"Hey, big spender!" Lilina says, giving me a
grin, which is most unlike her and makes me
think that maybe I spend more then I think in
there the previous night. "Ready for a hair of
the dog?"
"He will need it to drown his sorrows," calls
Topknot from his usual place, "because, unless
I miss my guess, for once we know something
about Griselda that he does not." He sounds
very cheerful when he says this, and the
others with him, who are Old Gil and
Sweet-Talking Shamus and Elsa from Adari, all
laugh and make agreeing noises.
So I ask Lilina for my usual and say to
Topknot like this, "What is this you are
speaking of? Does she tell some story earlier,
when I am not here?"
"By no means," says Topknot, "and she is in no
shape to do any such thing, because she is
nowhere in town, and it is widely believed
that she is hiding out in the Rubble with
Wolfhead and his guys, just like before. But I
guess they will have a different hideout, or
it will be too easy for bounty-hunters to
track them."
"Why, what is this?" I say, more astonished
than somewhat. "There is a price on Griselda's
head?"
Topknot nods. "But she has to be brought in
alive," he says, "because she is accused of
stealing jewellery from that Aurelia doll and
so reducing her to relying on Rowdy Djoh Lo's
charity. And to show you what an ingrate this
Aurelia is," he says, "she also claims that
while she is in Rowdy Djoh's she overhears
Wolfhead planning big jobs with others of
Rowdy Djoh's clientele."
"The story is all over town," says Old Gil,
"and folks are saying, Rowdy Djoh is mad clear
through, that she is repaying all the food and
drink he stakes her to by ruining his
business, for he is likely to be closed down
if his dive is proved to be a base for serious
criminal activities, and maybe he will even be
sent to the salt mines."
Well, this is quite a situation, to be sure,
and things are certainly looking bad for
Griselda and Wolfhead and his guys, not to
mention Rowdy Djoh Lo, and I find that I have
little to say, except to acknowledge that this
is all news to me, and I just sit there doing
some thinking about it all. For what is not
clear to me is why Aurelia suddenly takes it
into her head to do this, and furthermore, how
she will make this serious charge against
Griselda stick. At first I think that Aurelia
must be getting some payback for the remark
that Griselda makes after she is snubbed,
which is spoken to that smart priestess
Broosta but in such a tone that many are bound
to hear, and this remark is clearly meant to
suggest that Aurelia may look very impressive
in her high-class get-up, but she is basically
a plain bum. But I cannot help feeling there
must be more to it, and the only thing I can
think of is, there must be a link to the story
that Griselda tells about her and Aurelia, so
I ask Old Gil if the story is on the street
now.
Old Gil raises his eyebrows at me like he is
surprised. "So you do not hear that either?"
he says. "Well, to be fair, I only hear it
yesterday, and maybe that is when Aurelia
hears it too, because that is when she makes
these accusations. But someone must tip off
Griselda very fast, because she is gone by the
time law enforcement persons go looking for
her."
"But how does Aurelia hear this story?" I ask.
"She is not such a doll as is likely to be
tuned in to street gossip."
He shrugs. "Your guess is as good as mine.
Maybe some servant of hers hears it and tells
it to her."
Now, Sweet-Taking Shamus plainly hears these
last remarks, for he turns to join in. "The
way I hear it," he says, "from a contact of
mine, and I will not say who, is that a
servant of the Patroma family picks it up a
while back, and she tells it to Viridia
Patroma, whose maid she is, and Viridia just
naturally tells her family, because Aurelia is
so snooty about the Patromas being 'new
money', and I guess the story may be beginning
to get around. And my contact tells me how one
time Aurelia is coming on like she is the
Queen of Tarsh among the Lunar ladies, as
usual, and makes some reference to the time
years ago when Viridia is visiting what
Aurelia describes as a 'low drinking place',
meaning Lilina's right here, when she has this
yen to meet Griselda. Well," he says, "Viridia
practically sinks into the floor at this
reminder of her youthful indiscretion, but
Lucia her sister, who is tougher, looks
Aurelia right in the eye and says something
like, Lilina's is nowhere near as low as Rowdy
Djoh Lo's place in Riverside. That is all she
says, but I am told there is some muttering,
and one person laughs out loud, like she knows
what this is referring to, and Aurelia goes
white and marches right out, looking most
upset – and right after that the hunt is on
for Griselda and Wolfhead too."
Well, this certainly sounds believable to me,
and I am wondering who lets out at least part
of Griselda's story, and I am hoping very much
it is not someone I know, and after Shamus
stops talking, I say, "Whoever is indiscreet
enough to let the story out better be making
plans to leave Pavis very fast, because once
she gets this settled Griselda will be after
them hot and strong."
But Topknot shakes his head at me. "You think
it will be easy for Griselda to wriggle out of
this one?" he says. "I wish I can share your
confidence. I hear a whisper that the Lunars,
or some of them, are taking dead aim at
Griselda this time, and Aurelia has strong
backing."
I think for a moment, and then say, "That may
be so. But Griselda and Wolfhead are quite
highly thought of in the Pavis temple now, and
they are likely to get strong backing from
there."
Topknot shakes his head slowly, like he is by
no means persuaded, and then he grins like a
curly wolf. "Maybe you will care to wager a
certain amount on this?"
He says this in a way that seems to suggest I
will back off if it is a question of dough,
and I find this so aggravating that I say,
"Sure I will," without thinking, and slam my
pouch on the table like a real gambling pro.
Then Topknot figures out how much dough he has
and suggests ten Lunars, and although this
takes most of what I have I will not back down
now, so I agree. We go to the bar to make a
spoken agreement to our bet before Lilina, as
is our custom, and when I step away someone
comes up beside me quiet-like, and this is no
one but Hilda, who is now known to one and all
as Griselda's sidekick, and she is looking
very serious.
"So you bet on Griselda, huh?" she says.
"Well, I guess she will be pleased to know of
your loyalty, which she does not deserve and
is most unlikely to repay."
I look at her in surprise. "Why, what is
this?" I say. "Are you not pals?"
"Not any more," she says darkly, and moves off
again before I can question her on this
surprising development, and I am left feeling
somewhat unhappy, because maybe I just make a
bad bet. Others in Lilina's wish to question
me about what Hilda says, for after Topknot
and I make our bet there is much interest in
this proposition, but no one can figure out
whether Hilda's comment affects the odds or
not.
Well, a day goes by, and then another day, and
I am beginning to get quite nervous, for I
never like waiting too long for the results of
any betting proposition. So I commence to go
all over town, trying to pick up any word of
what may be going on, but I cannot learn
anything to add to what I already know, except
that Hilda is seen visiting the house of
Simplicius and Aurelia, and I figure this
looks bad for Griselda, for Hilda is as smart
as she is, and knows her well, and so she can
be much help to Aurelia. Finally, I go to the
temple of Pavis, but no one can tell me
anything new there either.
I seldom do so much walking, and so I pause on
the temple steps, to rest my weary bones, and
suddenly I hear this noise behind me, like
quite a number of persons are coming out of
the temple, and when I get up and turn around
to look, sure enough, there are the Governor,
and his brother, and a whole bunch of
important-looking Lunars, with Constable
Jorjar among them, and a bunch of Pavis people
with Fleeter Nemm and Broosta to the fore, and
with them, but only just visible because she
is so small, is Griselda. No one has the arm
on her or anything, so I guess that somehow
she wins out once again and my money is safe.
And naturally I am on fire to hear the story,
but I know better than to go running in among
such important persons, in fact I move to one
side a little, and in doing this I happen to
notice two persons hurrying down the side of
the steps. One is a woman with a veil pulled
round her head, who looks like she should be
Aurelia, and the other is this guy Simplicius
who marries her, and he seems to be scowling,
but they are moving too fast for me to be
sure.
Then I hear the Governor and Fleeter Nemm
exchanging hearty farewells, and when I turn
back to look the Lunars are all departing, and
some of them seem displeased, but the Pavis
people remain on the top step, and they are
all regarding Griselda with some benevolence,
or so it seems. I edge closer, so I can maybe
hear what they are saying, and I see that
Griselda is all dressed up in her best, with
jewellery all over her, and she is even
wearing the gold arm-ring with a big red gem
on it that I see her wearing after the Great
Chart Caper. But as I approach cautiously I
see her take this off and present it to
Fleeter Nemm, saying something very earnestly
that looks to be some form of thanks. Fleeter
Nemm accepts it with a smile, and Broosta
smiles also and pats her on the shoulder, and
then they turn back into the Temple and she is
left all alone, except that Jareen is with
her, who I do not see before.
When she sees me, Griselda grins and beckons.
"Here you are again, you old story-hound," she
says. "Do you get a line on this, or is it
luck?"
"Just plain luck, Griselda," I say. "I go all
over Pavis looking for news of this affair,
and am taking a breather on the steps when you
all come out."
Griselda nods, and turns to Jareen. "Thanks
again," she says, holding out her hand, and
Jareen takes it.
"I am glad to have a chance to give that bitch
a good kick in the ass," says Jareen, "and
many of my clientele will be grateful to you
also when they hear of it, even if they dast
not say so publicly. She will not be missed, I
can tell you."
"So I hear," says Griselda with a little
smile. "I think the Patromas will be among the
most pleased, in fact."
At this Jareen giggles and winks, and Griselda
winks back, looking very pleased about
something, but then she says, "Well, I must go
down to Rowdy Djoh's and tell him he is off
the hook, and so are all his customers, of
course, including Wolfhead. Olaf, maybe you
will care to accompany me?"
Now, normally I will not go anywhere near
Rowdy Djoh Lo's, because the company is apt to
be a bit nerve-racking for a peaceful guy like
me, but I know that Griselda will not let me
come to any harm, and while we are walking
there she may tell me things, so I indicate
that I will be happy to accompany her.
As we start off across City Court, Griselda
says in a casual way, "I understand that you
are betting on me to escape my troubles."
"Why, yes," I say. "I see you come through
worse troubles before, and I do not figure
this Aurelia's accusations will stand up to
scrutiny. For it is surely well known that she
is on her uppers before you ever show up in
Pavis."
Griselda gives a little shake of the head.
"Well, there I must disagree with you, for the
word of a high-class Lunar will carry a lot of
weight, and she has powerful supporters. But
when I get warned about this by Fleeter Nemm,
I set something up that I hope will discredit
Aurelia in the eyes of the Governor."
"And what is that, Griselda?" I ask.
She shakes her head at me, and grins. "All in
good time. This is not something to be told in
the street, where anyone may be listening."
So I have to be patient until we get to Rowdy
Djoh Lo's, and to pass the time I ask if
Griselda can at least tell me where she is
hiding out, and and I also say that I hope she
does not have to deal with Chaotics, like when
they are hiding out in the Rubble the first
time.
She laughs and says, "No, we are as safe as
you can be anywhere in the Rubble, just about,
which is in the Real City. All the work we put
in for Pavis really pays off there."
Then she asks me if anything notable takes
place in Pavis during her absence, and we go
on talking of this and that until we reach
Rowdy Djoh Lo's. The guy on watch outside
straightens up and gives Griselda a very big
hello, and asks if she brings good news.
"The best," she says, "and I am about to tell
Rowdy Djoh the same."
The guy almost falls over himself opening the
door for her, and she thanks him graciously as
she kind of struts in. There are only a few
guys in the joint, all huddled round a table
looking serious, and with them is nobody but
Hilda, and they all turn to look at who comes
in, and when they turn to see Griselda there
is something like a cheer, and Hilda jumps up
and hugs her, so I perceive that Hilda's
supposed enmity to Griselda is a hoax, and
must all be part of Griselda's plan.
"So, you make out okay – but what about me and
my customers?" says Rowdy Djoh, who is looking
uneasy still.
"All is well," says Griselda. "I find a chance
to work in the idea that little stock can be
put in what Aurelia reports, since she is
drunk most of the time, judging by what I see
her put away in here, and Fleeter Nemm backs
me up on this. He says that she is likely
motivated by spite in fingering Wolfhead,
because he is my associate and she is dead set
against me, and while there is some argument
over this the Governor finally states that he
thinks the case against your joint is not so
strong, Rowdy, and he will let it go,
especially as I offer to carry a warning to
you, to show more care over who you accept as
your customers."
She is grinning as she says this, and everyone
has a good laugh, including Rowdy Djoh, and
then we are offered seats and Rowdy asks what
what we will have, on the house, and Griselda
suggests two of his least poisonous beers and
everyone has another laugh.
"So, Wolfhead is in the clear?" asks
Snakefang, who is among those present.
Griselda nods. "Fleeter Nemm puts in a good
word for him, how maybe he has a bad rep in
the past but he and his boys are doing steady
work trying to make the Rubble safer for the
law-abiding population, and he deserves credit
for that."
"Okay," says Snakefang, looking pleased,
because Wolfhead is something of a friend of
his. "But now we come to the great big
question, Griselda: how do you get them to
believe you, and not that long-nosed bitch
Aurelia?"
"Ah," says Griselda, as she takes the drink
that Rowdy Djoh offers her, "now that is a
story," and she takes a long pull at the drink
while everyone looks at her eagerly. She puts
the mug down and looks around. "Now, you all
know how Aurelia stiffs me over the dough I
lend her, and keeps some bits of jewellery
that I also lend, and she probably figures I
dast not claim them back, now that she cuts
such a figure among the Lunars, and also she
slights me publicly. So I lay a plan to get a
proper revenge on her, and I bring Wolfhead in
on the plan, and also Hilda, because I need
someone to talk to Aurelia that she does not
know. And first off, I will reveal that I am
the one who tells Viridia Patroma's maid about
the time when Rowdy is supporting Aurelia
here, figuring it will go the rounds in the
family and come out. But I must admit, I do
not expect Aurelia to bite the hand that feeds
her and badmouth Rowdy's place, and Wolfhead,
as well as me."
Here she pauses and takes another long pull at
her drink, looking very calm, while everyone
is waiting for her to continue.
"Sooo ...?" Snakefang prompts her. "Where does
Hilda come in?"
"Hilda goes about telling everyone she is my
friend no longer, and this gets to Aurelia, as
it is meant to do, and so she accepts Hilda's
offer of help in her desire to pay me out for
my revelations about her past," Griselda says.
"Hilda tells Aurelia that if I am called to a
hearing before the Governor, like the Pavis
people are demanding, I am just naturally
bound to put on a show, and will very likely
be wearing that gold arm-ring with the red
stone to gain the Governor's favour, for, as
she tells Aurelia, it is his gift to me. But
she explains that in fact the Governor dast
not admit this, because it will be a strong
hint that he is in on the Great Chart Caper,
and if Aurelia claims the arm-ring as hers he
will be ready to accept this with no argument.
And so it turns out, for when I show up
wearing the arm-ring, the Governor looks most
uneasy, and he says nothing to dispute
Aurelia's claim that it is hers."
She pauses again, to take another drink, and
grins at us all as she puts the mug down, and
Snakefang slaps the table impatiently.
"Aaaand ...?" he says.
"And then I say I can produce a respectable
witness to prove the armlet is mine," says
Griselda, smiling, "and this is nobody but
Jareen, who stands good in this town as you
all know. So Jareen is sent for, and she
swears that she sees me wearing the armlet
when I am all dolled up, but she never sees
Aurelia wearing it, and furthermore she states
that one time she sees me wearing a necklace
which is among the jewellery that Aurelia is
wearing when she marries Simplicius. So now
the Governor jumps in and wants my side of all
this business about jewellery, and I get a
chance to relate how I help Aurelia to marry
Simplicius and how much effort I put into
persuading them both, and what I lend in money
and jewellery to Aurelia that she does not
return. Of course, this burns Aurelia up quite
some, because I will admit that I tell the
story for laughs, to some extent. So the
Governor and Fleeter Nemm and a third guy who
is some Yelmalio high-up all agree that what
Aurelia says about the jewellery is nothing
but falsehoods motivated by spite, and nothing
further will be done about any of her
accusations, but they will leave her
punishment to the gods."
"I wish I am there to see that," Hilda says,
"for my experience of this Aurelia is short,
but I get a very bad impression of her."
"Well, I suspect that no one in Lunar society
will want any part of her now," Griselda says,
"and I will hazard a bet that Simplicius will
send her back to her family in the Empire, and
for once just about the whole of Pavis will be
agreed on something, which is to say, good
riddance."
"I will drink to that," says Hilda, and she
finishes her mug with a flourish. And just
then Wolfhead comes in with his guys Kroked
and Fylchar, for they must get the word that
they are in the clear, and quite a party
develops. I am feeling so good at the way
things work out that I am buying drinks with
all the rest, and in the end I fall asleep in
Rowdy Djoh's, and I discover the next morning
that my pouch is totally empty, so I hope I am
able to collect my winnings from Topknot very
soon.
[1] See No Way for a Lady to Behave for all
this.
[2] See A Tasty Morsel.
