So it is indeed true. Samson Honeypot is not of this world. Huon of Sagar recognised him right away, as did the mages from the Archangel, Axleben and Rupilius. Only I continue to treat Samson as a good and jovial companion, as a comrade. I have scales over my eyes that won’t let me see it.

He sighed, but also felt relief at the same time. Previously, he had been pricked by his conscience for listening to Samson and fleeing, leaving his comrade in need. Now he understood that Samson had coped wonderfully without his help. He probably escaped from the Black Riders easily, he thought, and joined Scharley and the rest of the company long ago. They must be searching for me now.

Despite that, I have to get moving, he thought. My clothing didn’t dry at all in the night, and it’s fast clouding over and growing cold. If I stay here, I’ll fall asleep and freeze to death. Walking will warm me up. If I don’t encounter Samson and Scharley, I’m sure to come upon someone else, I’ll bump into a good soul and ask around. I’ll chance upon a track or road; I’ll emerge onto the highway. Trosky Castle lies near the busy road leading from Prague to Žitava via Jičín and Turnov, while to the south of Trosky there’s another highway, a back road leading to Žitava via Mimoň and Jablonné. I know the other road, I rode from Michalovice that way; it was there that Jelínek sold me to Hurkovec’s martahuzes. Jelínek… Wait till I get my hands on you, you bastard…

Rupilius said that the way out of the underground passage led north-east from the castle, in the vicinity of the village of Ktová or something. We were meant to follow a stream after leaving the cavern. There is a stream. But is it the right one? The stream, whose icy waters almost caused my death by hypothermia during the night, flowed in broad meanders and vanished into a winding ravine. God only knows where it ends up. Despite that, it must be the only sensible route. The stream has to join a river somewhere. Even if I’m totally lost, sticking to the bank means I won’t be walking around in circles. There are villages beside streams, and charcoal burners, tar makers and woodcutters build their settlements next to streams.

He was already walking by the time he got to the final reflections about the stream’s virtues.