“Of course,” remarked Strange to Childermass, “they make these scenes altogether too Roman – too like the works of Palladio and Piranesi, but they cannot help that – it is their training. One can never help one’s training, you know. As a magician I shall never quite be Strange – or, at least, not Strange alone – there is too much of Norrell in me.”

“So this is what you saw upon the King’s Roads?” said Childermass.

“Yes.”

“And what is the country that the bridge crosses?”

Strange looked at Childermass ironically. “I do not know, Magician. What is your opinion?”

Childermass shrugged. “I suppose it is Faerie.”

“Perhaps. But I am beginning to think that what we call Faerie is likely to be made up of many countries. One might as well say ‘Elsewhere’ and say as much.”

“How far distant are these places?”

“Not far. I went there from Covent-garden and saw them all in the space of an hour and a half.”

“Was the magic difficult?”

“No, not really.”

“And will you tell me what it was?”

“With the greatest good will in the world. You need a spell of revelation – I used Doncaster. And another of dissolution to melt the mirror’s surface. There are no end of dissolution spells in the books I have seen, but as far as I can tell, they are all perfectly useless so I was obliged to make my own – I can write it down for you if you wish. Finally one must set both of these spells within an overarching spell of path-finding. That is important, otherwise I do not see how you would ever get out again.” Strange paused and looked at Childermass. “You follow me?”

“Perfectly, sir.”

“Good.” There was a little pause and then Strange said, “Is it not time, Childermass, that you left Mr Norrell’s service and came to me? There need be none of this servant nonsense. You would simply be my pupil and assistant.”

Childermass laughed. “Ha, ha! Thank you, sir. Thank you! But Mr Norrell and I are not done with each other. Not yet. And, besides, I think I would be a very bad pupil – worse even than you.”

Strange, smiling, considered a moment. “That is a good answer,” he said at last, “but not quite good enough, I am afraid. I do not believe that you can truly support Norrell’s side. One magician in England! One opinion upon magic! Surely you do not agree with that? There is at least as much contrariness in your character as in mine. Why not come and be contrary with me?”

“But then I would be obliged to agree with you, sir, would I not? I do not know how it will end with you and Norrell. I have asked my cards to tell me, but the answer seems to blow this way and that. What lies ahead is too complex for the cards to explain clearly and I cannot find the right question to ask them. I tell you what I will do. I will make you a promise. If you fail and Mr Norrell wins, then I will indeed leave his service. I will take up your cause, oppose him with all my might and find arguments to vex him – and then there shall still be two magicians in England and two opinions upon magic. But, if he should fail and you win, I will do the same for you. Is that good enough?”