ll you accept my offer of service, Lady Dallona?" Dirzed asked.
"It's as Garnon said; you've made enemies."

Dallona smiled at him. "I've not been too deep in my work to know
that. I'm glad to accept your offer, Dirzed."

* * * * *

Nirzav of Shonna had already turned away from the group and was
hurrying from the room, to call his home for confirmation on the
notches made on the underside of his dining table. As he went out the
door, he almost collided with the upper-servant, who was rushing in
with a book in his hand.

"Here it is," the latter exclaimed, holding up the book. "Larnov's
'Splendor of Space,' just where he said it would be. I had a couple of
servants with me as witnesses; I can call them in now, if you wish."
He handed the book to Harnosh of Hosh. "See, a strip of message tape
in it, at the tenth verse of the Fourth Canto."

Nirzav of Shonna re-entered the room; he was chewing his mustache and
muttering to himself. As he rejoined the group in front of the now
dark visiplates, he raised his voice, addressing them all generally.

"My butler found the notches, just as the communication described," he
said. "This settles it! Garnon, if you're where you can hear me,
you've won. I can't believe in the Statisticalist doctrines after
this, or in the political program based upon them. I'll announce my
change of attitude at the next meeting of the Executive Council, and
resign my seat. I was elected by Statisticalist votes, and I cannot
hold office as a Volitionalist."

"You'll need a couple of Assassins, too," the nobleman with the
chin-beard told him. "Your former colleagues and fellow-party-members
are regrettably given to the forcible discarnation of those who differ
with them."

"I've never employed personal Assassins before," Nirzav replied, "but
I think you're right. As soon as I get home, I'll call Assassins' Hall
and make the necessary arrangements."

"Better do it now," Girzon of Roxor told him, lowering his voice.
"There are over a hundred guests here, and I can't vouch for all of
them. The Statisticalists would be sure to have a spy planted among
them. My father was one of their most dangerous opponents, when he was
on the Council; they've always been afraid he'd come out of retirement
and stand for re-election. They'd want to make sure he was really
discarnate. And if that's the case, you can be sure your change of
attitude is known to old Mirzark of Bashad by t