The Pixilated Peeress by L. Sprague de Camp, Catherine Crook de Camp Page B

dragon, 'twere worth ten thousand ma r ks to its captor."
     
                  Thorolf whistled. "A lot of money for one stupid, dangerous beast!"
     
                  "My great ambition is to breed the creatures, and our lone specimen is a male." Glancing at the closed door, the director lowered his voice. "I have a personal reaso n to boot. I have long been an active alumnus of Horgus College. My banker friends tell me that, an I can bring off this feat, they'll see me elected to the Board."
     
                  "Alas!" said Thorolf. "I fear my soldierly duties leave me little time for dragon hunting . Anyway, how should I know a female dragon? How does one tell?"
     
                  "The female lacks the crest and the hornlike knobs above the eyes of the male. Some still roam the higher ranges, in trollish territory. Here, let me give you a copy of my monograph on the beast. I plan a journey into mountain-dragon land, if I can get the trolls' per mission. "
     
                  "Thanks. To hunt your dragon?"
     
                  "Nay; for that I lack the means. 'Twould need a nu merous party, sure to arouse the trolls' suspicion. What I seek is less formida ble." He pointed to the terrarium.
     
                  Thorolf bent over the glass enclosure, seeing a sur face of pebbles, sand, and moss, with water at one end. In the water a finger-long black newt with red spots on its hide moved slowly about with languid waves of its tail.
     
                  "What's that?" asked Thorolf. "Some kind of liz ard?"
     
                  "Nay; a salamander of a kind hitherto unreported from Rhaetia."
     
                  "What's the difference?"
     
                  "Lizards live wholly on land, whereas salamanders are hatched in water, like tadpoles, and dwell bo th in water and on land. The great Doctor Karlovius at Saalingen, who reduced the chaos of the animal world to orderly families, genera, and species, hath made the distinction clear. I seek additional samples; less im pressive than a dragon, belike, but n o t without signifi cance in the heavenly scheme. If it differ sufficiently from the lowland type, I may have an unreported new species. Meanwhile, I pray, bear my dragon offer in mind."
     
                  "I shall, if I ever return to academe."
     
                  "I've heard of your scholar ly troubles. Couldst not apply to some other center of learning?"
     
                  "So I did; but each demanded my scholarly records. Then they wrote to Horgus, and the replies they gat did damn me." He rose. "Thanks for the drink. My lady hungers, so we shall be off."
     
    -
     
                  Thorolf took Yvette to the Green Dragon Inn and sent Orlandus' carriage and driver away. Yvette limped slightly as they entered the inn. To Thorolf's question she replied:
     
                  "I hurt my toe when I kicked that scrowle in's man hood. These shoon you bough t me were too light for such footballery; next time I shall wear mountaineer's boots."
     
                  Thorolf asked Vasco if the room they had occupied before was vacant and engaged it for the night. Yvette stood silently by. Vasco gave the couple a sharp look, suppres sed a smile, and handed Thorolf the key. "Wilt sup here, Sergeant?"
     
                  "Aye," Thorolf said. In the common room, Thorolf hung Yvette's gray cloak on a peg and held a chair for her. He almost whistled at the sight of the costly golden gown. It was a shimmery beaded affair, far too dressy for Vasco's, which was largely frequent e d by salesmen for Zurshnitt's far-famed clocks and cutlery. A large ruby brooch glittered between her small breasts; Tho rolf could only guess that the diamonds around it were genuine.
     
                  Thorolf ordered a bottle of Vasco's best wine