something ends something begins sapkowski Read online

  Geralt and Yennefer had known Loot-Pat for some time. None of them had the idea of inviting him, though. It was evidently Dandelion's work.

  "Welcome, Vissing," said the sorceress with a smile. "It's nice of you to have remembered us. Have a seat!"

  The bandit, leaning on Toothpick, bowed courtly.

  "Many years of joy and a bunch of kids," he said loudly. "I wish you that, loved ones. A hundred years of happiness ... But what am I saying, two hundred, damn it, two hundred! Ah, I'm so pleased, Geralt, and you, lady Yennefer. I always believed that you'd get married, even though you always bickered and fought like those, how to put it, dogs. Ah, damn, what am I saying..."

  "Welcome, welcome, Vissing," said the witcher and poured wine into the largest cup he could find. "Drink to our health. Where are you coming from? Rumours were that you were sitting in jail."

  "They released me." Loot-Pat took a big gulp and sighed. "They released me on this, how d'ya call it, damn bail. And here I have, my dears, a gift for you. Here you go."

  "What is it?" growled the witcher, looking at the huge sack, in which something wriggled.

  "I caught it on my way here," replied Loot-Pat. "I caught him in the flower beds, where that naked stone woman is standing. You know, the one on which the pigeons shit."

  "What is in the sack?"

  "Oh, it's just a, how to put it, a little devil. I caught him for you as a gift. Do you have a menagerie here? No? Well, you can stuff him and hang him in the hall, the guests will marvel at it. But I tell you, it's one hell of a liar. He keeps saying that his name is Schuttenbach."