Returning to the street, Cugel carried the sack to a dock beside the lake, where he hid it under a net. Now he proceeded to the cottage of his spouse Marlinka. Prowling beside the wall, he came to an open window, and stepping through found himself in her chamber.

She was awakened by his hands at her throat. When she tried to scream he cut off her wind. “It is I,” he hissed, “Cugel, your spousel Arise and come with me. Your first sound will be your last!”

In great terror, the girl obeyed. At Cugel's order she threw a cloak about her shoulders and clasped sandals upon her feet. “Where are we going?” she whispered in a tremulous voice.

“No matter. Come now — through the window. Make not a sound!”

Standing outside in the dark, Marlinka cast a horror-stricken glance toward the tower. “Who is on watch? Who guards Vull from Magnate?”

“No one is on watch,” said Cugel. “The tower is empty!”

Her knees gave way; she sagged to the ground. “Up!” said Cugel. “Up! We must proceed!”

“But no one is on watch! This voids the spell the sorcerer cast upon Magnate, who swore to return when vigilance ceased!”

Cugel lifted the girl to her feet. “This is no concern of mine; I disclaim responsibility. Did you not seek to fool and victimize me? Where were my cushions? Where was the fine food? And my spouse — where were you?”

The girl wept into her hands, and Cugel led her to the dock. He pulled close a fisherman's boat, ordered her aboard, threw in his loot. Untying the boat, he shipped oars and rowed out upon the lake. Marlinka was aghast. “The whirlpools will drown us! Have you lost your reason?”

“Not at all! I have studied the whirlpools with care and know precisely the range of each.”

Out upon the face of the lake moved Cugel, counting each stroke of his oars, and watching the stars. “Two hundred paces east ... a hundred paces north ... two hundred paces east... fifty paces south...”

So Cugel rowed while to right and left of them sounded the suck of whirling water. But the mist had gathered to blot out the stars and Cugel was forced to throw out the anchor. “This is well enough,” he said. “We are safe now, and there is much that lies between us.”

The girl shrank to her end of the boat. Cugel stepped astern and joined her. “Here I am, your spousel Are you not overjoyed that finally we are alone? My chamber at the inn was far more comfortable, but this boat will suffice.”

“No,” she whimpered. “Do not touch me! The ceremony was meaningless, a trick to persuade you to serve as Watchman.”

“For three-score years perhaps, until I rang the gong from utter desperation?”

“It is not my doing! I am guilty only of merriment! But what will become of Vull? No one watches, and the spell is broken!”