xxiii. dictated

[heloise]

Spike
He came home.

What terrible months we have seen, before even the dog days arrive!

I say we put an end to it, at once. The Castle drinks our joys as greedily as it feeds on our sorrows; we might show it that happiness is what we seek. Happiness beyond bound, which we would gladly offer as payment for our borrowed time, and no more tears.

Summer brings music and merriment to the streets of Rome, gypsies and pilgrims alike dancing together. We can do similarly here.

Comments

[birdorcage]

Hundreds, maybe thousands. I never counted them. Songbird would bring them to me all the time.

[heloise]

[ She picks out a few to see the titles, but she reads no English. Most of it seem like gibberish to her. ]

Who is Songbird?

[birdorcage]

He's the one who kept me in my tower. He brought me whatever I wanted, but I could never get past him to leave.

[heloise]

A man. Your captor? Are you a hostage?

[birdorcage]

No, not a man. I'm not exactly sure what he is, really. Children made rhymes about him, and stores sold stuffed versions of him...

I was a prisoner, though.

[heloise]

How strange.

They say one grows to love one's captor.

[birdorcage]

[No, no. She shakes her head.]

I used to see him as my friend, when I was a child. But as I grew older, I realized he was just my warden.

[heloise]

But now, you would have no more prison, no more warden.

[birdorcage]

Not here. Sometimes I still think he'll manage to find me here... but it's not like he'd be able to take me back, even if he tried.

[heloise]

And if he tries to lock you in one of the towers here?

[birdorcage]

I hope no one would allow that to happen.

[heloise]

I would not.

[birdorcage]

Would you take me away?

[heloise]

Where would you wish to go?

[birdorcage]

Where would you want to take me?

[heloise]

I wonder...

[birdorcage]

Wonder what, Lucrezia?

[heloise]

Sometimes it is difficult to know even one's own thoughts... [ but really she's just teasing. ]

I hazard it begins with the letter P.

[birdorcage]

Not R?

[heloise]

That depends.

[birdorcage]

What does it depend on?

[heloise]

On your heart's desire, of course.

[birdorcage]

That changes almost every day.

[heloise]

Then our destination will change thus, every day.

[birdorcage]

We'd need a quick way to travel, then.