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Devin had to fight hard to control his growing...Devin had to fight hard to control his growing excitement Tomasso went over to the sideboard and smoothly poured a glass of wine for himDevin was impressed with the composure of the manHe was also aware, from the exaggerated courtesy and the undeniable sparkle in bar Sandre's accentuated eyes, that although the fluting voice might be faked, Tomasso, in certain matters and propensities, was still very much what he was said to beDevin accepted the glass, careful not to let their fingers touch "I wonder now," drawled Lord Scalvaia in his magnificent voice, "are we to be treated to a recital here while we pass our vigil? There does seem to be a quantity of musicians here tonight Devin said nothing, but following Alessan's example did not smile "Shall I name you a provincial grower of grapes, my lord?" There was real anger in Alessan's voice"And call Nievole a grain-farmer from the gucci canvas bag southwestern distrada? What we do outside these walls has little to do with why we are here, save in two ways only He held up a long finger"One: as musicians we have an excuse to cross back and forth across the Palm, which offers advantages I need not belabor A second finger shot up beside the first"Two: music trains the mind, like mathematics, or logic, to precision of detailThe sort of precision, my lords, that would have precluded the carelessness that has marked tonightIf Sandre d'Astibar were alive I would discuss it with him, and I might defer to his experience and his long striving He paused, looking from one to another of them, then said, much more softly: "I might, but I might notIt is a vanished tune, that one, never to be sungAs matters stand I can only say again that if we are to work together I must ask you to accept my lead He spoke this last directly to Scalvaia who still cheap prada handbags lounged, elegant and expressionless, in his deep chairIt was Nievole who answered, though, blunt and direct "I am not in the habit of delaying my judgment of menI think you mean what you say and that you are more versed in these things than we areI will follow your leadWith a single condition "Which is?" "That you tell us your name Devin, watching with rapacious intensity, anxious not to miss a word or a nuance, saw Alessan's eyes close for an instant, as if to hold back something that might otherwise have shown through themThe others waited through the short silence Then Alessan shook his head"It is a fair condition, my lordUnder the circumstances it is entirely fairI can only pray you will not hold me to it thoughIt is a grief, I cannot tell you how much of a grief it is, but I am unable to accede For the first time he appeared to be reaching for words, choosing them carefully"Names are swiss cartier pasha seatimer power, as you knowAs the two tyrant-sorcerers from overseas most certainly knowAnd as I have been made to know in the bitterest ways there areMy lord, you will learn my name in the moment of our triumph if it comes, and not beforeI will say that this is imposed upon me; it is not a choice freely madeYou may call me Alessan, which is common enough here in the Palm and happens to be truly the name my mother gave meWill you be gracious enough to let that suffice you, my lord, or must we now part ways?" The last question was asked in a tone bereft of the arrogance that had infused the man's bearing and speech from the moment of his arrival Just as Devin's earlier fear had given way to excitement, so now did excitement surrender to something else, something he could not yet identifyThe man seemed younger than before, somehow, unable to prevent this almost naked showing of his need Nievole balenciaga designer cleared his throat loudly, as if to dispel an aura, a resonance of something that seemed to have entered the room like the mingled light of the two moons outsideAnother owl hooted from the clearingNievole opened his mouth to reply to Alessan They never knew what he would have said, or Scalvaia Afterwards, on nights when sleep eluded him and he watched one or both moons sweep the sky or counted the stars in Eanna's Diadem in a moonless dark, Devin would let his clear memory of that moment carry him back, trying, for reasons he would have found difficult to explain, to imagine what the two lords would have done or said had all their briefly tangled fate lines run differently from that lodge He could guess, analyze, play out scenarios in his mind, but he would never knowIt was a night-time truth that became a queer, private sorrow for him amid all that came afterA symbol, a displacement of cheap replica rolex and cartier watches re6:24 AM - Saturday, January 30, 2010
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