“Reynevan,” said Allerdings, his eyes on Reynevan, “you are a Hussite. A traitor. In this town you are an odious enemy, you are at the very heart of the enemy camp. You arouse disgust as a heretic, a turncoat, on whom anathema was laid barely four weeks ago to the tolling of bells. You are fair game here, a lamb among a pack of wolves; you have become prey to everybody, since he who kills you will gain fame, admiration, prestige, absolution of his sins, the gratitude of the authorities, a bounty—and favour with the fair sex. And they will catch you eventually, my lad. The magic that veils you won’t save you, for magic can be overcome. If one looks carefully, one can see your true face under the disguise. If someone recognises you in the street, the mob will tear you to pieces. Or they’ll take you alive and drag you to the scaffold. It will happen, since for every day you spend in Wrocław that moment draws inexorably closer. But you, instead of fleeing at once, mean to engage in some madcap schemes. So answer me, hand on heart, if you can: is there any sense in it?”

“There is.”

“I understand.” Now it was Allerdings’ turn to fall silent for some time. “All is clear. We shall undertake any risk at all in order to rescue the maid. Any madness. Even one that will accomplish nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“When I was tracking our target, I grew to know him a little. Him and his character. And I’ll tell you what I think: you’ll gain nothing from him. The fellow will either betray you and denounce you or deceive you and lead you up the garden path, send you to search for your Jutta in some make-believe land.”

“It’s our job,” said Reynevan, without lowering his eyes, “to ensure he’ll be too afraid to do that.”

“That can be achieved,” said Allerdings, smiling for the first time since the conversation began. “Very well. I’ve said my piece, now we ought to get down to brass tacks. So as not to waste time: making use of Canon Beess’s inestimable instructions, I found out what I needed to find out. I know where, when and how. I know also that we’ll need help. I swear we need a third man. And I don’t mean your apothecary, for what lies ahead of us isn’t a job for an apothecary. Any moment now, a fellow by the name of Jasio Kminek will appear. As you said yourself: we need our client to be afraid. And Jasio Kminek is a first-rate specialist. A veritable virtuoso at knocking out teeth.”

“Then what,” Reynevan raised an eyebrow, “was the point of all that oratory that came before? When you knew I wouldn’t change my mind? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have engaged this virtuoso.”

“I felt it was my duty. And I know how to anticipate.”

Jasio Kminek was a huge fellow, a veritable giant measuring over seven feet tall.