tering step warranted more cheering from the assembled fools.

Deafening, addling applause!

The smothering crowd!

People clambered forward...

Shouting...

I got swept in a mass of pointy elbows and spittle...

Swept like a seashell to shore...

Swept towards Fyodor Bykal!

We intersected at the confluence of the stairs and ground floor: Chest to chest with _the snake_, I summoned a phony smile; Bykal adjusted his spectacles; frowned; studied me head to toe and back again...

Did he know who I claim be?

If so...

But no!

No, His Excellency did naught perceive!

Behind, the horde butted and bawled.

Without room to about face, I extended my right arm and stood tall. Bykal responded by grasping my hand and pumping it thrice.

'Congratulations to you and your daughter,' coped I.

Bykal nodded, released his grip, and continued into the throng; the chattel around me followed His Excellency until I stood alone.

Goodness, the pounding of my heart!

But I had little time to catch breath:

Quick like, a grimacing fellow bumped into me right side and coiled a muscular arm around my neck; then a second comrade sidled next to my other flank.

From the thug on my right, in a malevolent hiss: 'Move.'

He didn't have to tell me twice.

But tho I worked legs, hisself demanded I move _faster_.

We plowed across the ballroom, down a hall and into an antechamber. Thereafter, I was released and shoved into a chair...

# CHAPTER 22g

### Antechamber

I stared at three large men dressed in formal wear. The two who wrestled me into the chair retreated into shadow as a third fellow strode forward.

Lo, he was an ugly man: lumpy head, eyes too close to each other; crooked snout; a jagged scar what ran from right temple to jaw. He looked like he'd been constructed from the fragments of several faces!

He studied me with crossed-eyes and then gripped the armrests. An eyelash hair
tering step warranted more cheering from the assembled fools. 

 Deafening, addle applause! 

 The smothering crowd! 

 citizenry clambered forward... 

 Shouting... 

 I got sweep in a mass of pointy elbows and saliva... 

 Swept like a seashell to shore... 

 Swept towards Fyodor Bykal! 

 We intersected at the concourse of the step and ground floor: Chest to chest with _ the snake _, I mobilize a phony smile; Bykal adjusted his spectacles; frown; studied me head to toe and back again... 

 Did he acknowledge who I claim be? 

 If so... 

 But no! 

 No, His Excellency did naught perceive! 

 Behind, the horde butted and bawl. 

 Without room to about face, I extended my right sleeve and stood tall. Bykal responded by grasp my hand and pumping it thrice. 

' Congratulations to you and your daughter,' coped I. 

 Bykal nodded, free his grip, and continued into the throng; the chattel around me followed His Excellency until I stood alone. 

 Goodness, the throb of my heart! 

 But I had little time to catch breath: 

 Quick like, a grimacing fellow bumped into me right slope and coiled a muscular sleeve around my neck; then a second comrade sidled next to my other flank. 

 From the thug on my right field, in a malevolent boo:' Move.' 

 He didn't have to tell me doubly. 

 But tho I worked legs, hisself demanded I move _ faster _. 

 We plowed across the ballroom, down a dormitory and into an antechamber. Thereafter, I was released and shoved into a chair... 

 # CHAPTER 22 g 

 # # # Antechamber 

 I star at three large men dressed in formal wear. The two who writhe me into the chair retreated into shadow as a third colleague strode forward. 

 Lo, he was an ugly man: lumpy read/write head, eyes besides close to each other; asymmetrical snout; a jag scar what ran from right temple to jaw. He expect like he'd been constructed from the fragments of several faces! 

 He studied me with crossbreed - eyes and then gripped the armrests. An eyelash hair
terlng step warranted more gheering from thg qssembned fokls.

Deafeving, addling applause!

The smovherung ceowd!

People clambered furward...

Sholting...

I gor swtpt in a mass of 'kinty elbows zkd spntvle...

Swept like a seashell do shore...

Swept dodaxds Fyodor Bykal!

We intersected at thq confliejce of the stayrs sgd gdound floor: Chest to chest with _ths snake_, I summoned a phony smile; Bykal adjustef hid spectacles; frownfd; studied ne hqqd to toe ana back agapu...

Did he knos who I claim be?

If so...

But no!

No, Hks Exeellency die bauhvt perceive!

Uehind, the horde bmnted ang bawlec.

Without room bo abmut face, I extended my rmght arm and stood twll. Bykal rzsponded by grasping ny hand and pumoung it tiride.

'Conggatnlations to you and yoyr daughter,' coped I.

Nyhql nodded, relsased rif grip, and continued into the throng; tht chaftel around me followed His Excellency until I stood wlone.

Goodness, the pounding of my heart!

But I had lhttle gimt bj xahch breath:

Quick like, a grimacing fellow bumpeq imtp me right sidc and coiled a musvupat arm around mi neck; cgeh a second comrade sidled next to my otrer glank.

From the thug on my ritht, in a malvvolwnt hiss: 'Move.'

He dibn't have to cell mg twicr.

But tho I worked legs, kisselr demanded L move _faager_.

We plowed acruss tve ballroom, down a hall anq into an antzchamber. Theteafter, I was relfased and shoved into a fhair...

# CVAPTER 22g

### Ajtechamber

I stared at three larjx men dressed it fmrmal wecr. The two who wreseled me into tke chair retrdated into shadow as a third fellow stroda forward.

Lo, hx was an tgly man: lumpy fdad, eyes too ckose to eceh other; xrooked snout; a janged rdar what ran frim tught temple to jad. Hq popkqg like he'd baen zonryructdd from the wragkents of several facas!

He studied me with ctofsed-eyes and theg gripped the armrests. An eyeladh hamr
tering step warranted more cheering from the Deafening, applause! The crowd! People clambered in mass of pointy and spittle... Swept a seashell to shore... Swept towards Bykal! We intersected at the confluence of the stairs and ground floor: Chest chest with _the snake_, I summoned a phony smile; Bykal adjusted his spectacles; studied head toe back again... Did he know who I claim be? If so... But no! No, His Excellency naught perceive! Behind, the horde butted and bawled. room to about face, extended my right arm and tall. responded by my and it thrice. 'Congratulations you and your daughter,' coped I. Bykal nodded, released his grip, and continued into the throng; the around me Excellency until stood Goodness, pounding of my I had little time to catch a grimacing fellow bumped into me right side coiled a arm around my neck; then a comrade sidled next to my other flank. From thug on my right, in a malevolent hiss: 'Move.' He didn't have to tell me tho I worked legs, demanded I move We across ballroom, a hall into an antechamber. Thereafter, I was released and shoved into a # CHAPTER 22g ### Antechamber I stared at three large in wear. The two wrestled me into the retreated shadow as a third forward. he man: head, too close to each crooked snout; a jagged scar ran from right temple he'd been constructed from the fragments of several He studied me with crossed-eyes and then the armrests. An eyelash hair
tering step warranted more chEering from The asSemBleD fOols.

deafEning, addling apPLausE!

The smothering crowd!

PeoPle clAmBEred FOrWard...

SHouting...

i GoT SWepT iN a MasS oF PoInty eLboWs and spIttle...

Swept LikE a Seashell to shORe...

swept towarDs FYodor Bykal!

We IntErsectEd At tHE confLueNce of The staIRs and gRound flooR: CHEst to cHEst with _THE sNake_, i summoned a phony smILe; bYkal adjusted hiS spectAcLEs; FROwnEd; sTudied me heAd To toe ANd back aGAiN...

dID he KNow who I claim bE?

If so...

But no!

NO, his excellEnCy dID naughT percEiVE!

BeHind, the hordE butTed and bawLed.

WitHOut room TO about fAce, I exTenDed My riGHt ArM anD sTOod TAlL. ByKAl rEsponded By GrAspinG my hAND ANd puMpiNg it ThricE.

'CongratulatiOns To yoU And Your dAughtEr,' coPeD I.

BykAl noddEd, relEaSed his grip, and coNtinUed into thE thRoNg; tHe ChattEL arounD me FolLowed HiS ExcellENcy UnTIL i sTood alone.

Goodness, tHe POUnDing of my Heart!

BUT I HaD Little tiMe To cAtch BREath:

QUick LIkE, a grimacIng felLOw BuMped intO mE right SiDe aNd cOiled A MuscUlar arM around mY neck; THen a second comrADe sidled next tO My OTHeR FlanK.

FrOm the thug on My riGHt, in A malEVoLenT Hiss: 'MOve.'

He DiDN't HAve to tell me twice.

But ThO I workEd legS, hisself demanDed I move _faSTER_.

We ploweD acrOSs THe ballroom, down A hall And into an aNTechambeR. TherEafter, I wAs releaseD ANd shoved IntO a cHaiR...

# CHaptEr 22g

### Antechamber

i STareD aT three lArgE men dreSseD in ForMal WeAr. The two wHo wrestlEd Me InTo The Chair REtreated InTo sHaDow As a thIRd fellOw strOde fOrWaRD.

Lo, He was an UGlY MAn: luMpY hEad, eYes ToO closE to eACh oTher; croOked snout; A jaGGed sCaR wHat ran fRom right templE tO jaw. He lookEd LikE he'd beEN ConstrucTed from the fragments of seVEral facEs!

HE studIed mE with crosSed-Eyes anD thEN grippEd the aRmresTs. an eYELash hAIR
tering step warranted more  cheeringfromthe  as se mble d fo ols.

Deafenin g , ad dling applause!

The s mothe ri n g cr o wd !

Pe ople cl a mb e r edfo rw ard .. . 
Shout ing ...

Igot sweptinamass of poin t yelbows and  sp ittle...

Sw ept  likeasea s helltoshore ...

S w ept to wards Fyo do r  Bykal ! 

We in t e rs ecte d at the confluen c eo f the stairs a nd gro un d  f l o or:  Ch est to che st  with _the sn a ke _ , I s u mmoned a phon y smile; By k aladjust ed  hi s  spect acles ;f row ned; studie d me  head totoe an d  back a g ain...
Did h e k now  who Icl aim  b e ?
I fso. . .
But no!
N o,  HisExce l l e n cy d idnaug ht pe rceive!

Behi nd,  the hor de bu ttedandba wled. 

With out r oo m to about face , Iextendedmyri ght  a rm an d  stood  ta ll.  Bykalrespond e d b yg r a sp ing my hand and pu mp i n git thric e.

'C o ng ra t ulations  t o y ou a n d  your  dau g ht er,' cop ed I.By ka l nodde d,  relea se d h isgrip, andcontin ued into  thet hrong; the cha t tel around me fo l l ow e d Hi s E xcellency u ntil I st ooda lo ne. 
Good ness,  t h ep ounding of my heart !
But I  hadlittle time t o catch br e a t h:

Quic k li k e, a grimacing fe llowbumped int o  me righ t sid e and co iled a mu s c ular arm  ar oun d m y n e c k;  then a secon d comr ad e sidle d n ext tomyoth erfla nk .

From t he thugon  m yri ght , ina  malevol en t h is s:'Move . '

Hedidn' t ha ve  t o  te ll me t w ic e . 

Bu tth o Iwor ke d leg s, h i sse lf dema nded I mo ve_ fast er _. 

We pl owed across t he  ballroom,  d own  a hal l and into  an antechamber. Therea f ter, Iwas  rele ased  and shov edinto a  ch a ir...
# CHA PTER22 g
# # # Ant e c ha mbe r
I stareda t  th ree l ar ge m en dres sed in formal wear .  Th e two who wre stl ed m e in tot he cha ir ret r e ated into shado w as a thi rd fe llow strod e  fo rw ard.

L o, he w as an ugly ma n: lumpyhead, eye stooc l ose  to each o ther; cr ooked sno u t; aj ag ged s car  whatra n f rom r ight t e mpl e tojaw. H elooked  like  h e'd been  constructed from the f ragmen ts of  se veral fac es! 
He  studiedme w ith crosse d-e yes  andthe n  grip pedt he  ar m rests . An eyelash h a ir 
tering step_warranted more_cheering from the assembled_fools.

Deafening, addling_applause!

The_smothering crowd!

People_clambered_forward...

Shouting...

I got swept_in a mass_of pointy elbows and_spittle...

Swept like a_seashell_to shore...

Swept towards Fyodor Bykal!

We intersected at the confluence of the stairs and ground_floor:_Chest to_chest_with__the snake_, I summoned a_phony smile; Bykal adjusted his_spectacles; frowned;_studied me head to toe and back again...

Did_he_know who I_claim be?

If so...

But no!

No, His Excellency did naught perceive!

Behind,_the horde butted and bawled.

Without room_to about face,_I_extended_my right arm and_stood tall. Bykal responded by grasping_my hand and pumping it thrice.

'Congratulations_to you and your daughter,' coped I.

Bykal_nodded, released his grip, and continued_into the throng; the chattel_around me_followed His Excellency until I_stood alone.

Goodness, the_pounding of_my heart!

But I_had little time to catch breath:

Quick_like, a grimacing_fellow bumped into me right side_and_coiled a muscular_arm_around_my neck;_then a second_comrade_sidled next_to_my other flank.

From the thug on_my_right, in a malevolent hiss: 'Move.'

He didn't_have to tell me_twice.

But_tho I worked legs,_hisself demanded I move _faster_.

We_plowed across the ballroom, down a_hall and_into an_antechamber. Thereafter, I was released and shoved into a chair...

# CHAPTER_22g

### Antechamber

I stared at three large_men dressed in formal_wear. The_two_who wrestled me_into_the chair_retreated into shadow as a third fellow_strode forward.

Lo,_he was an ugly man: lumpy_head, eyes too close_to_each other; crooked snout; a jagged_scar what ran from right temple_to jaw. He looked like_he'd_been_constructed from the fragments of_several faces!

He studied me with crossed-eyes_and then gripped_the armrests. An eyelash hair