The Paths of the Dead (Viscount of Adrilankha) by Steven Brust Page A

evening.”
    “Then that,” said the one who was not yet a visitor, “more than adequately explains why I have not been acknowledged or admitted.”
    “Well,” said Piro, “but how long have you been waiting?”
    “Four hours and a quarter,” said the Teckla.
    “Four hours and a quarter?”
    The visitor nodded solemnly.
    “But then, how are you able to know the time to such a precise degree?”
    “Ah, does Your Lordship wish me to explain?”
    “Yes, that is it exactly: I wish you to explain.”
    “I will then.”
    “I am listening.”
    “As I became aware that I might be standing here for a good length of time, it came to me that the time would pass better were I able to keep my mind occupied.”
    “Well, I understand that, for standing in one place often leads to ennui. What, then, did you do?”
    “Your Lordship may perceive that, it being dark, there was nothing to look at.”
    “Yes, I understand that. And therefore, being unable to see?”
    “Being unable to see, well, I listened.”
    “Ah! And what did you hear?”
    “I heard many things, my lord: the waves crashing upon the cliffs, the hollow clop of a shod horse along the stone streets, the rattle of carriage wheels. But among them was the peculiar chitter that I recognized as the hunting call of the ratbird.”
    “Yes, I know that chitter.”
    “And I, too, for I have spent a great deal of time in forest, wood, and jungle; and I know that the male ratbird, who always hunts with his mate, makes this call at regular intervals,
each time receiving a response from his mate, who is also hunting, until one or the other has made a kill. Your Lordship may perceive that the important thing is the regularity of the call, which is astonishingly consistent for each pair on each night.”
    “I am not unaware of this phenomenon,” said Piro. “And then?”
    “I had a thought.”
    “As you listened to the ratbird?”
    “Yes, exactly. In fact, it was listening to the ratbird that inspired the thought.”
    “Well, but what was this famous thought?”
    “My lord, it is was this: If the ratbird demonstrates this behavior in forest, wood, and jungle, why, then, should it not demonstrate the same behavior when entering the city?”
    “Why, that was more than a thought, it was very nearly an idea.”
    “Was it not? And then, my lord, having nothing else to do, I counted the interval between calls, and discovered that, with this pair—ah, there it is again!—eight minutes and twenty-one seconds elapsed between calls. Now, as I am something of an arithmatist—”
    “The Trey! Are you then?”
    The Teckla bowed. “I was thus able, merely by keeping track of the number of times the ratbird made its call, to discover two things.”
    “And what are these two things you have discovered? For you perceive you interest me enormously.”
    “In the first place, that I have been waiting at this door for the amount of time that I have had the honor to inform Your Lordship.”
    “That being four hours and a quarter.”
    “Now, in fact, four hours and twenty-five minutes, or close to it.”
    “I understand. And, the second thing you have discovered?”
    “There are very few rats in the environs of Your Lordship’s keep.”
    “Ah. I understand.”
    “I am gratified that I have been able to answer Your Lordship’s question.”
    “And I am gratified to learn that there are so few rats, although it does make me wonder why the ratbird should venture this far into the city.”
    “Ah, my lord, with Easterners to the east, and Islanders to the West and South, and plagues and brigands all around us—”
    “Well?”
    “Well, the city and the jungle become closer each year.”
    “That is true, I think. Yet there remains the issue of what I am to do, for I am loath to leave you standing here for another four hours and a half, or more.”
    “That is as Your Lordship wishes.”
    “Well, since there is no one else to speak to you, I shall do so