The Eyre Affair_ A Novel - Jasper Fforde [389]
I gaped at her.
“Even Harris Tweed.”
“Tweed was married to Mr. Townsperson?”
“Apart from that bit. He didn’t even manage to buy the pigs—let alone fool the vet. You did well, Next. Your cause-and-effect technique is good. Needs work, but good.”
“Oh!” I said, kind of relieved, then added after a moment’s reflection, “But I could have been killed!”
“You wouldn’t have been killed. Jurisfiction has eyes and ears everywhere—we’re not that reckless with our apprentices. Your multiple-choice mark was ninety-three percent. Congratulations. Pending final submissions to the Council of Genres, you’re made.”
I thought about this and felt some pride in it, despite knowing in my heart of hearts that this would not be a long appointment—as soon as I could return to the Outland, I would.
“Did you find out anything about Perkins?”
“Nothing,” I replied. “Any news of Vernham Deane?”
“Vanished without trace. The Bellman’s going to talk to us about it.”
“Could the two be related?”
“Perhaps,” she said slightly mysteriously. “I’ll have to make further inquiries. Ask me again tomorrow.”
22.
Crimean Nightmares
Echolocator: An artisan who will enter a book close to publication and locate and destroy echoed words in the work. As a general rule, identical words (with exceptions such as names, small words and modified repetitions) cannot be repeated within fifteen words as it interrupts the smooth transfer of images into the reader’s mind. (See Imagino TransferenceDevice User’s Manual, page 782.) Although echoes can be jarring to the eye, they are more jarring when read out loud, which belies their origin from the first OralTrad Operating System. (See also OralTradPlus, Operating Systems, History of.)
CAT FORMERLY KNOWN AS CHESHIRE,
Guide to the Great Library
AH!” SAID GRAN as I walked in the door. “There you are! How were things at work today?”
“Good and bad,” I told her, sitting on a sofa and undoing the top button of my trousers. “The good news is I passed the Jurisfiction practical; the bad news is that I was found guilty of my Fiction Infraction.”
“Did they tell you the sentence?”
“I’ll have to wait for that.”
“Waiting’s the worst part,” she murmured. “I was up for murder once and the worst part of it all was waiting for the jury to come back with their verdict. Longest eight hours of my life.”
“I believe you. Did you go home today?”
She nodded. “I brought you a few bits and bobs. I notice there is no chocolate here in the WOLP—nothing worth eating, anyway.”
“Did you find out anything about Yorrick Kaine?”
“Not much,” replied Gran, eating the chocolate she had brought for me, “but he’s not in hiding or anything. He’s bought another publishing house and at the same time trying to rebuild his political career after that Cardenio debacle.”
“Ah. Where are Lola and Randolph?”
“At a party, I think. You look all done in—why don’t you get an early night?”
“And have what’s-her-name pester me?”
Gran looked at me seriously through her large-framed spectacles. “Aornis. It’s Aornis. Remember?”
“Yes. Who was my husband again?”
“Landen. He was eradicated by the ChronoGuard, yes?”
I remembered and my heart sank. “Yes,” I said in a quiet voice. I had been happy in my nonremembering state, but now I could feel the anger rising again.
“Sometimes I think it would be better if I just forgot, Gran.”
“Never say that, Thursday!” said Gran so sharply I jumped, and she had to rest for a moment to get her breath back and eat a few more chocolates. “Aornis has no right to take that which does not belong to her, and you must be strong with her, and yourself—retake your memories!”
“Easier said than done, Gran.” I tried to grab a chocolate as they were pulled out of my reach. “I want to dream about—”
“Landen.”
“—Landen, yes—I want to dream about him again. He’s there but we don’t talk like we used to.”
The door banged open and Randolph walked in. He ignored us both and hung up his coat.
“Randolph?” I said. “You okay?”
“Me?” he said, not looking at either of us. “I