celibate, whether it’s deliberate or not.”
A few minutes later Phillip and Martin were back on the street, walking past the townsfolk going about their business.
“Look,” Phillip said, “I’ll forgive you that one because I remember what it was like to be your age, and being interested in Gwen just means that you have taste, but I’m serious, from now on if I tell you not to do something you have to not do it. That includes hitting on Gwen. If you’re to be my apprentice, then that means I’m your master, and I need to be able to trust you to do what I say.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear you say that, because after watching you for less than a day I’m ready to issue my first official command as your master.”
Martin braced himself. “I’m ready.”
“Okay. Apprentice, I command you to … think ! Being a man of action is fine, but you need to think before you act.”
“That’s …”
Phillip held up a hand. “Stop! Did you think about what you’re about to say?”
“No.”
“Then take a moment. Think about what you were going to say, what you have riding on my continued good will, and how I’m likely to react to the words you were about to let fall from your mouth like a partially chewed mouthful of spoiled cheese.”
They stood in silence for a moment as the pedestrians passed them by. Finally Phillip broke the silence. “Have you thought about it?”
“Yes,”
“Do you still intend to say whatever it was?”
“No.”
“Excellent! You have pleased me, my apprentice! Well done! I’m delighted at the prospect of all the marvelous things you’re not going to say in the future! You know, the less you talk, the more people assume that what you’re not saying is important.”
They walked on in silence for several minutes. Finally Martin spoke. “So, master , where are we going now?”
“Marty, you don’t have to call me master.”
“Good.”
“A simple s ir will do.”
Martin thought, and did not respond, which delighted Phillip to no end.
“We’re going back to my shop. You can’t really do anything until you’re outfitted properly, so for the rest of the day you’re going to watch me work.”
Martin thought for a moment, then said, “I didn’t realize you had a shop.” And after another moment, “Or work.”
“We’ll discuss the secrets of our profession in detail when we get to the shop. Just remember that nothing in a wizard’s life is what it seems.”
Martin decided he’d have to be content with that for now. As they walked, Phillip pointed out the important landmarks of the town of Leadchurch. The blacksmith. The bakery. The butcher shop. He didn’t need to point out the church. It looked like any other mid-sized gothic cathedral, except that it was covered in lead. They watched for a few moments as pilgrims devoutly touched the church and came away amazed at how dirty their hands were.
“The real show is at noon,” Phillip said. “Bishop Galbraith comes out and tries to stick a magnet to the side of the church. It never sticks.”
“What does that prove?”
“That the church is covered in lead.”
“But anyone can see that, and besides, it doesn’t really prove anything! Magnets don’t stick to a normal church, either. That doesn’t mean they’re covered in lead.”
“True, but the church here in Leadchurch is different from other churches in one very important way.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s covered in lead. You see, faith doesn’t have to make sense. If it did, it wouldn’t be faith, it would be logic. As a wizard, faith is our most important tool.”
Just around the corner they came to Phillip’s shop. It was a two-story wood and stone building situated with its back to a steep hill, giving the impression that the building was built into the hill. It had a thatched roof and a sign over the door that said Wizard. On the door, a small sign simply said out .
“Why
A few minutes later Phillip and Martin were back on the street, walking past the townsfolk going about their business.
“Look,” Phillip said, “I’ll forgive you that one because I remember what it was like to be your age, and being interested in Gwen just means that you have taste, but I’m serious, from now on if I tell you not to do something you have to not do it. That includes hitting on Gwen. If you’re to be my apprentice, then that means I’m your master, and I need to be able to trust you to do what I say.”
“You’re right. I’m sorry. I wasn’t thinking.”
“Good. I’m glad to hear you say that, because after watching you for less than a day I’m ready to issue my first official command as your master.”
Martin braced himself. “I’m ready.”
“Okay. Apprentice, I command you to … think ! Being a man of action is fine, but you need to think before you act.”
“That’s …”
Phillip held up a hand. “Stop! Did you think about what you’re about to say?”
“No.”
“Then take a moment. Think about what you were going to say, what you have riding on my continued good will, and how I’m likely to react to the words you were about to let fall from your mouth like a partially chewed mouthful of spoiled cheese.”
They stood in silence for a moment as the pedestrians passed them by. Finally Phillip broke the silence. “Have you thought about it?”
“Yes,”
“Do you still intend to say whatever it was?”
“No.”
“Excellent! You have pleased me, my apprentice! Well done! I’m delighted at the prospect of all the marvelous things you’re not going to say in the future! You know, the less you talk, the more people assume that what you’re not saying is important.”
They walked on in silence for several minutes. Finally Martin spoke. “So, master , where are we going now?”
“Marty, you don’t have to call me master.”
“Good.”
“A simple s ir will do.”
Martin thought, and did not respond, which delighted Phillip to no end.
“We’re going back to my shop. You can’t really do anything until you’re outfitted properly, so for the rest of the day you’re going to watch me work.”
Martin thought for a moment, then said, “I didn’t realize you had a shop.” And after another moment, “Or work.”
“We’ll discuss the secrets of our profession in detail when we get to the shop. Just remember that nothing in a wizard’s life is what it seems.”
Martin decided he’d have to be content with that for now. As they walked, Phillip pointed out the important landmarks of the town of Leadchurch. The blacksmith. The bakery. The butcher shop. He didn’t need to point out the church. It looked like any other mid-sized gothic cathedral, except that it was covered in lead. They watched for a few moments as pilgrims devoutly touched the church and came away amazed at how dirty their hands were.
“The real show is at noon,” Phillip said. “Bishop Galbraith comes out and tries to stick a magnet to the side of the church. It never sticks.”
“What does that prove?”
“That the church is covered in lead.”
“But anyone can see that, and besides, it doesn’t really prove anything! Magnets don’t stick to a normal church, either. That doesn’t mean they’re covered in lead.”
“True, but the church here in Leadchurch is different from other churches in one very important way.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s covered in lead. You see, faith doesn’t have to make sense. If it did, it wouldn’t be faith, it would be logic. As a wizard, faith is our most important tool.”
Just around the corner they came to Phillip’s shop. It was a two-story wood and stone building situated with its back to a steep hill, giving the impression that the building was built into the hill. It had a thatched roof and a sign over the door that said Wizard. On the door, a small sign simply said out .
“Why
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