Page 259 - The Grotesque Children's Book
P. 259
“Yes, I follow you, your Majesty. Your swan, who recently had a brood of one cygnet.”
“A signet?”
“Yes. An offspring. A newborn.”
“A newborn signet ring? I don't follow.”
“C-Y --” prompted Zaccario.
“See why what?”
“C-Y-G-N-E-T.”
“Cygnet. Cygnet, that's a baby swan, isn't it? Oh. I see! I get it! Such a delight, these
symbols. I'm not very good at them yet, I'm afraid. This room, for instance, it's riddled with
riddles, isn't it? But I understand only a few of the most obvious ones. Like blue representing
the water, and the weathervane representing air. But eight? Why are their eight sides? They
told me once, but I've forgotten. The eight signs of the Zodiac, is that it?”
“There are twelve signs of the Zodiac, sire.”
“There are? I thought there were eight.”
“Approximately one for each month of the year.”
Francesco counted on his fingers up to twelve. “I see! Twelve signs of the Zodiac.
Hence, twelve sides of the room, a perfect octagon!”
“So we've reached a crossroads here, sire. I could agree with you and make you feel all
proud of your own cleverness, having figured out the riddle to the number of sides in this room,
or, or I could not bother with the flattery, and actually teach you a thing or two about alchemy
and its secrets. Which shall it be, your Majesty, for I can do either: blissful ignorance,
L'ignoranza è felicità, or insight into the true meaning of the Universe, though it make you feel
insignificant and terrified at the dark forces at work behind the Zodiac and, say, the Unfermented
Blood.”
The Duke was entranced, captured forever. “Oh! The dark and terrible, please. It
sounds fascinating. And puzzles? There will be puzzles to ponder?”
“More puzzles than you can imagine. Puzzles within puzzles.”
“Yes, let's do that, please. Tell me what to do!” said Francesco, clapping his hands.
“Very well,” said the alchemist. “You have already begun by the Invocation of the
Swan.”
“The swan? Oh, you mean my -- strike that! I won’t say who I mean by that.”
“Good, good. Yes, the Swan. What seems to be the trouble with the Swan?”
“Well, she's -- she's got a bit of a honk to her. Loud, you know.”
“I follow.”
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