ver did my master
mention aught of those secrets he so surely knew. He taught me only of
those things known to the scholars. He told me of reading, of writing,
and of ciphering, and taught me many facts of our world which are known
to the learned. I wished to know of many other things, but of these he
was silent. Even so, I am grateful for his teachings, for how else could
the son of a simple peasant gain the knowledge of the scholars?

"I saw that my master often repaired to a room which I was never allowed
to enter. This room he cleaned himself. And he always entered in the
greatest of secrecy, being quite cross with me when I once betrayed
curiosity. I remained curious, however, and fell at last to watching him
in secret as he opened the door.

"He slid aside a secret panel, then turned a wheel this way and that,
finally pushing a handle. I watched, at last learning to what numbers he
did turn the wheel, and how he pushed the handle. During his absences, I
went sometimes to that room of magic, and I read the books of power,
though there was much I could not read, since much of the writing was in
strange tongues and I dared not ask my master the meanings of the
strange words. But for his own convenience, my master had written many
instructions plainly. And these, I read.

"I did learn that there were powers beyond those of men. I learned that
these strange instruments on the table did have strange ability to call
forth demons and spirits, but never until that day did I dare touch
other than the books and papers. And those I took great care to restore
to their original condition.

"For three months past, my father's land and the fields of his neighbors
have been dry. During this time, there has been no rain, nor hint of
rain, and the peasants have cried out for relief. They have appealed
even to my master, who has told them that he has no strange powers--that
he can do naught to call up rain. But they did not believe him, nor did
I, Elwar, who knew better than this. I had seen the books of power, and
I knew the demons could cause the skies to deliver water if rightly
asked. So, I visited the room of magic upon the occasions of my master's
absence. And I tried to decipher his writings that I might find the
means to ask for the skies to open. Always, when I felt my master's
presence approaching, I left the room, taking care to properly lock the
door and to hide all evidence of my entry.

"On that day of direful even