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together in an overpowering flood。 People fell and scrambled； and some went down on hands and knees； lapping at the floor。 The crush shifted； and the man who had reached for Dragonslicer was borne away in the press of bodies。
Ben had not seen Mitspieler since their capture； and had started to take vague hope from this fact。 Now he did see him； seated at the head table； but so inconspicuously slumped among garrison officers that Ben realized his searching eye might well have passed him by before。
Ben fought his way around to the head table； Mark getting slightly separated from him in the process； and approached Mitspieler to try to learn what was going on。 At Ben's approach the wizard raised his head； looking exhausted。 The small； half…finished drink that sat before him appeared to have knocked him out already。
There was no need to worry about being overheard。 Mitspieler had to shout to make himself audible to Ben's ears a matter of centimeters away。
〃I went around； invisible。。。 tried to wake up everybody。。。 thought if we got the whole garrison。。。 escape in the confusion。〃 He glared at Ben as if he thought Ben were to blame for the scheme's failure。 〃Then I lost invisibility。〃
〃You tried your best。〃
Part of the wizard's reply was lost in the ambient noise。 〃。。。 tried m'best。 Tried hard； for a hundred years and more。 And there he is。 There he stands。 So why bother？ Never bee a father； lad。 Never bee a parent。 It's a great。。。 a great sorcery； that's what。 Turns your whole life inside out。〃
Mark； who had managed to get near the leaders at the other end of the head table； now came working his way along to Ben； ing close enough to municate through the uproar。 〃We're not yet disarmed。 Doon says to bide our time； wait for his signal。〃
〃To do what？〃
〃That's all he had a chance to say。 I'm going back； and stay near him for a little； if I can：〃
〃And I'm going to Ariane。〃 Ben pushed himself away from the dais； into the press。
The Amazons by now were widely dispersed among the general population。 They were heavily outnumbered； but even so there was not really that much direct petition for their favor。 In truth most of the male garrison seemed more interested in drinking； falling down； and bellowing about their prowess sexual and otherwise； than they did in actually ing to grips with the women。 Great bragging songs were going up toward the invisible ceiling； but some of the singers were already flat on their backs。
Between the dais and the place where Ben had last glimpsed Ariane； the floor was even thicker than before with bodies。 Mitspieler's tactic might be working； or at least it might help when Doon moved to implement his own plan； whatever that might prove to be。 Of course Doon himself might have a hard time getting away from the head table without rousing suspicion。 In that regard； one urgency was always possible to plead when a drinking bout was on … there； a few meters past the partitions； away from the center of revelry； floor stones had been taken up to improvise a cesspit； soldiers standing round it in a ring and others waiting for their turn。
A drink was thrust into Ben's hand； and to be a good fellow he sampled it before moving on。 The taste was horrible； whatever it was supposed to be； but the potency was certainly above reproach。
Ariane was not really hard to locate。 It seemed she had a persistent suitor； a garrison man who was not to be discouraged by smiling appeal； either from her or from Ben； and who went for his dagger when Ben put a hand on his arm a second time。 Ben twisted the arm enough to hold the fellow still； then clubbed him on the temple with a fist。 Distastefully he lowered the limp body into a sticky mess below a bench； Ben disliked fighting all the more when it had a personal basis。
〃I've lost my pack；〃 Ariane told him distractedly； shouting so that he could hear。
〃That's all right。 Never mind。 We're going to try to get out soon。 Doon will give us a signal。〃 And somehow she was sheltering in the curve of his arm； though normally she was a centimeter or two taller than he was。
Now she was shouting something else at him。 〃I'll knife the next one； if he won't listen。〃
〃Not yet。 Hold back。 Start no blood…fights in here； if you can help it。 I'll stay with you。 Better yet； you e with me。〃
With Ariane still muffled part of the time in Ben's protective grip； they struggled back to a place close to the head table。 The floor just below the dais was newly awash with booze； maybe； quite likely in fact； at least one more barrel had been dropped and broken。 One at least must have been mead。 And it was like walking in glue。 If they ever did succeed in getting away； thought Ben； it would be impossible for anyone to lose their trail。 If there was anyone in shape to try to follow it。。。
The leaders were sitting pretty much as before。 Doon looked up haggardly； but his glance at Ben conveyed nothing of import。 At the Baron's side； d'Albarno was at the moment boasting loudly about his capacity for drink； and how he was today going to demonstrate it as never before。 In mid…sentence he lost first his train of thought and then his consciousness； few around him paid much attention as he released his grip upon his destiny； and slid already snoring to join a cadre of old rades who were already nested beneath the table。 Ben； Mark； and Ariane quickly gathered around Doon； who passed the word succinctly： 〃Leave here； but separately。 We'll meet two hundred strides away； in this direction。〃 And inside the cupped fingers of one hand； held close against the table's edge； the Baron pointed with one finger of the other； indicating a direction that Ben assumed he had somehow managed to determine with the Sword。
The small group split up immediately。 Doon himself worked his way along the table to speak to Mitspieler。 The others pushed themselves away in various directions through the crush。 Ben parted from Ariane with a fierce hand…squeeze； and from Mark with an expressive look。
Ben worked his way through a gradually thinning crowd out to the cesspit。 From thence he moved on a curve that took him gradually farther from the celebration。 Stumbling as if with drink； he lurched along from one barracks…bed to another。 A few of these were tenanted by collapsed celebrants； the others empty。
He paused now and then to try to see if anyone was watching him。 As far as he could tell； nobody was。 He continued moving in his erratic curve； aiming to reach the rendezvous point from a direction at right angles to the party。 After a while he dropped to all fours。 He was far from being the only one in that condition； and he hoped to progress even less conspicuously in that mode。
Now all the couches that he passed were empty； and still more garrison troops came streaming and straggling in from the outer reaches of the cave toward the uproar near the center。 Of course the noise alone； he thought； ought to be enough to wake anyone within a kilometer； be they asleep； dead； or enchanted。 No one paid Ben any attention； and he crawled on。
He was beginning to wonder if he might have misjudged the distance；