I was bathed and in bed by five o’clock, dead beat. But so miraculous is the human spirit, I was up and about and able to eat a good dinner and watch a Christmas broadcast from Lausanne with Ramsay and Eisengrim and Liesl, renewed—yes, and it seemed to me reborn, by the terror of the cave and the great promise she had made to me a few hours before.

>> >> >> >> << << << <<

Dec. 25, Thurs. and Christmas Day: Woke feeling better than I have done in years. To breakfast very hungry (why does happiness make us hungry?) and found Ramsay alone at the table.

—Merry Christmas, Davey. Do you recall once telling me you hated Christmas more than any day in the year?

—That was long ago. Merry Christmas, Dunny. That was what Father used to call you, wasn’t it?

—Yes, and I always hated it. I think I’d almost rather be called Buggerlugs.

Eisengrim came in and put a small pouch beside my plate. Obviously he meant me to open it, so I did, and out fell a fine pair of ivory dice. I rolled them a few times, without much luck. Then he took them.

—What would you like to come up?

—Double sixes, surely?

He cast the dice, and sure enough, there they were.

—Loaded?

—Nothing so coarse. They are quite innocent, but inside they have a little secret. I’ll show you how it works later.

Ramsay laughed.

—You don’t suppose an eminent silk would use such things, Magnus? He’d be thrown out of all his clubs.

—I don’t know what an eminent silk might do with dice but I know very well what he does in court. Are you a lucky man? To be lucky is always to play with—well, with dice like these. You might like to keep them in your pocket, Davey, just as a reminder of—well, of what our friend Ramsay calls the variability and mutability and general rumness of things.

Liesl had come in, and now she handed me a watch.

—From the Brazen Head.

It was a handsome piece, and on the back was engraved, “Time is … Time was … Time is past,” which is perfectly reasonable if you like inscribed watches, and of course these were the words she and Eisengrim used to introduce their Brazen Head illusion. I knew that, between us, it meant the mystery and immemorial age of the cave. I was embarrassed.

—I had no idea there was to be an exchange of gifts. I’m terribly sorry, but I haven’t anything for anyone.

—Don’t think of it. It is just as one feels. You see, dear Ramsay has not worried about gifts either.

—But I have. I have my gifts here. I wanted to wait till everyone was present before giving mine.

Ramsay produced a paper bag from under the table and solemnly handed us each a large gingerbread bear. They were handsome bears, standing on their hindlegs and each holding a log of wood.