The Sorcerer's House by Gene Wolfe Page A
Authors: Gene Wolfe
Tags: Fiction, General, Fantasy fiction, Fiction - Fantasy, Fantasy, Magic, Fantasy - General, Science Fiction & Fantasy, supernatural, Science Fiction And Fantasy, Ex-convicts, Epistolary Fiction, Abandoned houses, Wolfe; Gene - Prose & Criticism
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Prof, you asked about a lawyer that might bail you out even if you were broke. I did not know of anybody in that jerkwater town, but I asked around.
Remember Rick? Tall guy, boosts cars, bad complexion. He said his cousin had this guy and he had talked to him. He is good, Rick said, and he might do it. He likes to see his name in the paper, you know what I mean? The name is Ben Ramsey. Rick said you might want to try him.
You seem to be messing around with women. You will not listen and I do not blame you, but there are only two kinds. There are women who make trouble for you and women you make trouble for. Just those two. You will find out, so let me know what you do.
Sheldon Hawes
Number 14
I S I T A G HOST ?
Dear George:
My dinner with Doris--I'll tell you about it in a moment--made me realize that my wardrobe needed more than a few improvements. My clothing is of good quality for the most part, but quite thoroughly worn. I have three suits on order now, and I've bought a sports coat, three pairs of shoes, underwear, some shirts, and four pairs of slacks.
Emlyn has not returned, though I would be glad to see him, and Winkle has vanished once more; but there have been other developments. I shall attempt to describe them in order.
Did I mentioned Nicholas the Butler? While Doris was making our reservation, an older woman asked me about the Black House and whether I had seen him. Her manner implied that this butlerwas a boogeyman of some sort; so I said, "No," which was all I had time for.
Mr. Hardaway is a large, tweedy man, quite bald; he smokes cigars, although a pipe would fit him better. He welcomed us, shook my hand heartily, and invited me to take a chair.
Doris said, "May I sit in, sir? I feel I should."
"That's up to Mr. Dunn." Mr. Hardaway gave me a quick professional smile. "Will you feel outnumbered, Mr. Dunn? You can believe me absolutely when I say that Mrs. Griffin and I have your best interests at heart."
I said that if what we were going to discuss concerned real estate, I would certainly want Mrs. Griffin present.
"It does. You knew the late Mr. Skotos?"
"I prefer to reserve that, Mr. Hardaway."
He frowned. "We're not likely to get very far if you mean that."
"As you wish. I came here at your request. If you've nothing to say to me, I'll be happy to leave."
"You are Mr. Dunn?"
I nodded.
"Mr. Baxter Dunn?"
"Correct. I can show you a driver's license. Would you like to see it? The picture is less than flattering, but it is a picture."
"Could you, if asked, produce a birth certificate?"
"No, sir."
Mr. Hardaway raised his eyebrows. "You couldn't?"
"No. My brother and I were adopted. Presumably there are birth certificates somewhere, but the names they carry will not be George and Baxter Dunn."
"You have a brother?"
I nodded.
"He would be able to vouch for your identity?"
"Certainly. And there will be school records and so on. I have two Ph.D.'s, and various other degrees. There should be no difficulty."
"I see. Would you care for a cigar, Mr. Dunn?"
"No, thank you. But I have no objection to your smoking."
He laughed. "Mrs. Griffin would object, I'm sure. She wouldn't say it, but all the same . . . I'll wait."
Doris said, "Thank you, sir."
"Is there anyone else who could vouch for your identity, Mr. Dunn?"
"My sister-in-law would be an obvious reference, I'd think. Millie's known me for years. My parents are dead, but I have several cousins. Other than that, there's Mrs. Murrey. Mrs. Murrey gave me the deed to thirteen hundred Riverpath Road. Murrey and Associates? You must know of her."
He nodded. "She was satisfied that you're Baxter Dunn?"
"Yes. Obviously."
Doris coughed apologetically. "So am I, Mr. Hardaway. When I met Mr. Dunn he knew nothing about this."
"He knows almost nothing now," I added. "Would you mind telling me what we're talking about?"
Mr. Hardaway cleared his throat. "We're talking about the Skotos Strip, Mr. Dunn. It's a tract of land on the other side
Remember Rick? Tall guy, boosts cars, bad complexion. He said his cousin had this guy and he had talked to him. He is good, Rick said, and he might do it. He likes to see his name in the paper, you know what I mean? The name is Ben Ramsey. Rick said you might want to try him.
You seem to be messing around with women. You will not listen and I do not blame you, but there are only two kinds. There are women who make trouble for you and women you make trouble for. Just those two. You will find out, so let me know what you do.
Sheldon Hawes
Number 14
I S I T A G HOST ?
Dear George:
My dinner with Doris--I'll tell you about it in a moment--made me realize that my wardrobe needed more than a few improvements. My clothing is of good quality for the most part, but quite thoroughly worn. I have three suits on order now, and I've bought a sports coat, three pairs of shoes, underwear, some shirts, and four pairs of slacks.
Emlyn has not returned, though I would be glad to see him, and Winkle has vanished once more; but there have been other developments. I shall attempt to describe them in order.
Did I mentioned Nicholas the Butler? While Doris was making our reservation, an older woman asked me about the Black House and whether I had seen him. Her manner implied that this butlerwas a boogeyman of some sort; so I said, "No," which was all I had time for.
Mr. Hardaway is a large, tweedy man, quite bald; he smokes cigars, although a pipe would fit him better. He welcomed us, shook my hand heartily, and invited me to take a chair.
Doris said, "May I sit in, sir? I feel I should."
"That's up to Mr. Dunn." Mr. Hardaway gave me a quick professional smile. "Will you feel outnumbered, Mr. Dunn? You can believe me absolutely when I say that Mrs. Griffin and I have your best interests at heart."
I said that if what we were going to discuss concerned real estate, I would certainly want Mrs. Griffin present.
"It does. You knew the late Mr. Skotos?"
"I prefer to reserve that, Mr. Hardaway."
He frowned. "We're not likely to get very far if you mean that."
"As you wish. I came here at your request. If you've nothing to say to me, I'll be happy to leave."
"You are Mr. Dunn?"
I nodded.
"Mr. Baxter Dunn?"
"Correct. I can show you a driver's license. Would you like to see it? The picture is less than flattering, but it is a picture."
"Could you, if asked, produce a birth certificate?"
"No, sir."
Mr. Hardaway raised his eyebrows. "You couldn't?"
"No. My brother and I were adopted. Presumably there are birth certificates somewhere, but the names they carry will not be George and Baxter Dunn."
"You have a brother?"
I nodded.
"He would be able to vouch for your identity?"
"Certainly. And there will be school records and so on. I have two Ph.D.'s, and various other degrees. There should be no difficulty."
"I see. Would you care for a cigar, Mr. Dunn?"
"No, thank you. But I have no objection to your smoking."
He laughed. "Mrs. Griffin would object, I'm sure. She wouldn't say it, but all the same . . . I'll wait."
Doris said, "Thank you, sir."
"Is there anyone else who could vouch for your identity, Mr. Dunn?"
"My sister-in-law would be an obvious reference, I'd think. Millie's known me for years. My parents are dead, but I have several cousins. Other than that, there's Mrs. Murrey. Mrs. Murrey gave me the deed to thirteen hundred Riverpath Road. Murrey and Associates? You must know of her."
He nodded. "She was satisfied that you're Baxter Dunn?"
"Yes. Obviously."
Doris coughed apologetically. "So am I, Mr. Hardaway. When I met Mr. Dunn he knew nothing about this."
"He knows almost nothing now," I added. "Would you mind telling me what we're talking about?"
Mr. Hardaway cleared his throat. "We're talking about the Skotos Strip, Mr. Dunn. It's a tract of land on the other side
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