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tone.
    ‘I mean,
you
can’t keep him distracted, because you’re the one we want to have working behind his back,’ said Emily. ‘Let me see, what else? Yes, I believe Major McConnell mentioned being fond of poker. It’s a card game, you know. And Mr Sarmishkidu is very interested in, uh, permutations. So maybe they could—’
    ‘I am afraid Sarmishkidu is not yust exactly his type eider.’ Herr Syrup frowned. ‘For a young lady vat is so mad ‘vit dat crazy Erser, you ban spending a lot of time vit’ him to know his tastes so vell.’
    Emily’s face heated up. ‘Don’t you call me a collaborationist!’ she shouted. ‘Why, when the invaders first landed I put on a Phrygian liberty cap and went around with a flag calling on all our men to follow me and drive them off. And nobody did. They said they had nothing more powerful than a few shotguns. As if that made any difference!’
    ‘It does make some difference,’ said Herr Syrup placatingly.
    ‘But as for seeing Major McConnell since, why, how could I help it? I mean, O’Toole made him the liaison officer for us Grendelians, because even O’Toole must admit that Rory has more charm. And naturally he had to discuss many things with my father, who’s one of Grendel’s leading citizens, the vicar, you know. And while he was in our house, well, he’s a guest even if he is an enemy, and no Croft has been impolite to a guest since Sir Hardman Croft showed a Puritan constable the door in 1657. I mean, it just isn’t done. Of course I had to be nice to him. And he does have a lovely soft voice, and any Duncanite appreciates musical qualities, and that doesn’t make me a collaborator, because I’d lead an attack on their spaceship this very day if somebody would only help me. And if I don’t want any of them to get hurt, why, I’m only thinking about their innocent parents and, and sweethearts, and so there!’
    ‘Oh,’ said Herr Syrup.
    His pipe had gone out. He became very busy rekindling it. ‘Vell, Miss,’ he said, ‘in dat case you vill help us out and try to distract de mayor’s mind off his vork, vill you not? It ban your patriotic duty. Yust-encourashe-him-in-a-nice-vay-because-he-is-really-in-love-vit’-you-okay? Good night.’ And hiding his beet-colored face in a cloud of smoke, Herr Syrup bolted.
    Emily stared after him. ‘Why, good heavens,’ she whispered. ‘I mean, actually!’
    Her eyes traveled back to Grendel and the stars. ‘But that isn’t so,’ she protested. ‘It’s just what they call blarney.
Makros Logos
to be exact.’
    No one answered her for a moment, then feet resounded in the companionway and a hearty voice boomed: ‘Emily, are ye up there?’
    ‘Oh, dear!’ exclaimed the girl. She looked around for a mirror, made do with a polished chrome surface, and adjusted her wreath and the yellow hair below it. She must not let a foreigner see an Anglian lady disarrayed, and really, she regretted not having any lipstick and felt sure that abstention from such materials didn’t represent the true Duncanism.
    Rory McConnell clumped in, his shoulders brushing the door jambs and his head stooped under the lintel. ‘Ah, macushla, I found ye,’ he said. ‘Will ye not speek for a bit to a weary man, so he can sleep content? For even the hour or two of testin’ I’ve been able to do today on that devil’s machine has revealed nothin’ to me but me own bafflement, an’ ’tis consolation I need.’
    Emily found herself breathing as hard as if she had run a long distance.
Oh, stop it!
she scolded.
Hyperventilating! No wonder you feel so weak and dizzy
.
    The Erseman leaned close. For once he did not grin, he smiled, and it was not fair that a barbarian could have so tender a smile. ‘Sure an’ I never knew a pulse in any throat could be that adorable,’ he murmured.
    ‘Nice weather we’re having, isn’t it?’ said Emily, since nothing else came to mind.
    ‘The wither in space is always noice, though perhaps just