Sunday, May the Thirtieth
Well, we have sorted the palace mess out. Many of the tenants and servants have chartered a boat home. The monster hunting tour, quite amusingly, came in hot pursuit of the traveling palace when it was ripped from the ground, and they are hovering just over the horizon, ready to land.
Earlier I saw Cyprien sitting in a pile of rubble, and I believe he was crying. Percy spoke to him. I think I overheard him say,“ You could have all the wealth in the world, and that feeling wouldn’ t go away, believe me. You can’ t cheat, you can’ t get it by force. There are no shortcuts to love.”
I do wonder of what they were speaking. Later, when Mr. Longville joined me, and I asked, he said,“ I gave him my card. Maybe we can get him some work on the tour?”
And, once again, Mr. Longville managed to both irritate and( I suppose) impress me at the exact same time. That thief along for the tour? Well, adventure awaits I suppose.
He continued, observing my lamp, " I see you finally got yourself a Genie."
" I shall not let him out," I replied. " He and I have an understanding. I am not his master; I am his jailer. I will not make any demands of him, but will only watch over him until he is quite rehabilitated and fit to re-enter society."
" I was but jesting," the Genie said within the bottle. " I meant not to hurt thee."
" Now you be quiet, you," I replied quite sharply. " Or I’ ll recite the Lord’ s Prayer." And that was that.
Tuesday, June the First
Mrs. Bamfield is keeping some secret-- I knew something seemed odd. Her furtive behavior in that Turkish market for one. I nearly met her in the hall of the airship as I was returning from the castle wreckage, but she appeared to duck into a side corridor-- perhaps to avoid me? Why should she be avoiding me?
I decided to straighten this affair out immediately, and stepped out boldly into the corridor.
" Mrs. Bamfield," I said. " What are you doing lurking around here in the dark?"
She could hardly ignore a mention of her own name, and indeed she did not. She stepped forth.
" Oh- Miss Dashwood!" she said, mysteriously. She lifted up a small box. It was made of iron, and most ornately decorated with silver. It was also just the size of the mysterious parcel she had purchased in the Turkish market.
" It was so tiny," she said. " I feared it was not strong, and would perish from lack of care before I could bring it to my... sister. I was warned not to open the top, but I..." Her voice broke off. " I opened the lid! Just the merest crack. The creature was already dead! It was a scam! My... I ' m sorry, her husband will not be pleased!"
" But why does she need a small monster at all?" I asked.
" Her husband is something of a collector-- things that most people would not care to own."
Though she does not speak of it, I think Mrs. Bamfield ' s sister does not have a happy marriage.
Wednesday, June the Second
During our brief stay in Spain, Brunhilde Bamfield discovered a tiny blob on the plains! It was wandering through the tall grasses. With our trip diverted from its planned course, it was quite a delight to find some worthwhile monster hunting after all. The blob has been put in a crate for shipment and loaded onto the airship for our flight which is currently moving along the coast. Brunhilde claims that the blob will be a replacement gift for her sister, in San Francisco, and she seems much relieved!
I wished to ask her more about the subject, but today Mrs. Bamfield was enthralled by a