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'Nobody leaves,' she announced, 'until Quences is woken.'

The Doctor stepped forward. 'Satthralope, is that you?'

Getting no response, he turned to the gathering. 'Cousins and guests, in the absence of substantial evidence concerning the alleged murder of Ordinal-General Quences, I wish to call a surprise witness.'

He gently guided Satthralope to a chair.

'I call one of the oldest living entities on Gallifrey, the House of Lungbarrow itself. Let it be both witness and judge.'

***

'You've got to tell Andred sometime,' said Dorothée.

The forest of oversized furniture in the attic went on forever, with no sign of any route higher. The furniture moved and shuffled. It was like walking through a herd of restless cattle.

'It isn't easy,' Leela said, her arm in a makeshift sling. 'I don't know who to tel . I don't think they'll understand. Not even Romana.'

'I bet you she already knows.'

A look of bewilderment crossed Leela's face. 'I have told no one.'

'It's pretty obvious.' Dorothée ducked under a table. 'The Doctor. Tell him. I bet he'd make a bril iant midwife.'

But Leela looked distinctly uncomfortable.

'He's very young,' Dorothee continued. 'Andred, I mean.'

'That's another problem. While I get older, he stays the same.'

'Where I come from that's cal ed Cliff Richard. Didn't anyone say anything when you first got together?'

'I chose Andred. He had very little say in the matter.'

I can believe that, thought Dorothée. She stopped. Ahead of them, a ladder led up to a skylight in the sloping roof branches.

'Probably as good as anything,' she said and climbed up.

204

She turned and looked back down at Leela. 'We'l speak to the Doctor. He'l know what to do about you know what.'

***

'The killer was...'

Chris couldn't remember the last time he'd had to stand up in a court of law. Roz had always done the talking then.

He glanced at the Doctor, who nodded his reassurance.

'He was elderly with swept-back white hair.'

'Did you recognize him?' the Doctor continued.

Chris paused. He did not like the way Satthralope was looking at him.

'Was it the Doctor's first generation?' said Glospin.

'Yes,' he said. 'I've seen. . . I saw a picture.'

'Told you,' said the Doctor.

Ferain shook his head. 'A mere vision, however accurate, is not conclusive evidence.'

'Good,' the Doctor said. 'Remember that, Glospin.'

Innocet stood up. 'I saw the first Doctor leave Quences's room just before I found the body.'

'Interesting that.' The Doctor turned back to Chris. 'You say that Quences recognized the killer.'

'Definitely. But I couldn't hear what he said.'

The Doctor looked towards Romana, who had been talking quietly with Redred.

'By this point the House was shut off,' she said. 'Did any Cousin regenerate close to that time?'

'I did,' said Glospin. 'Satthralope was with me. She personal y nursed me through the change.'

'No,' said the Housekeeper.

The watching Cousins muttered and shuffled.

Her voice had darkened with a new strength. 'Not through the moment of change. He sent Housekeeper Satthralope away. Not even the House sees a rebirth. It is a private moment.'

'Yes, that's true, of course,' said Glospin. 'And I changed into my third generation as you see me now.'

'It seems your plea of guilt is wel founded, Doctor,' said Ferain.

The Doctor nodded. 'So it would appear.'

'No,' said Satthralope's voice again.

'No?' said the Doctor.

'The House does not see a rebirth, but the Loom records the genetic metamorphosis.'

The Doctor smiled to himself. 'Tell us more.'

205

She stood. Her old body bent taut in its possession. 'The Loom records that on that day, our Cousin Glospinninymortheras underwent the regeneration process on two separate occasions. He is currently in his fourth generation, not his third.'

Glospin half laughed. 'The change was complicated by infection. I nearly died.'

The Doctor made a theatrical point of clearing his throat before starting to address the silent assembly.