He turned to speak to a fat man, rather better dressed than the rest, when another man came out of the main hall and walked rapidly toward them. The newcomer was a thin man of medium height, elderly but vigorous, slightly bent and carrying a stick, on which he leaned now and again. He had a long white beard, and a purple robe covered him from neck to ankle.

«The best of the day to you, Cathbadh,» said Cuchulainn. «This is surely a happy hour that brings you here, but where is my darling Emer?»

«Emer has gone to Emain Macha,» said Cathbadh. «Conchobar summoned her.»

«Ara!» shouted Cuchulainn. «Is it a serf that I am, that the King can send for my wife every time he takes it into the head of him? He is.»

«It is not that at all, at all,» said Cathbadh. «He summons you, too, and for that he sent me instead of Levarcham, for he knows you might not heed her word if you took it into that willful head of yours to disobey, whereas it ismyself can put a geas on you to go.»

«And why does himself want us at Emain Macha?»

«Would I beknowing all the secrete in the heart of a King?»

Shea asked, «Are you the court druid?»

Cathbadh became aware of him for the first time, and Cuchulainn made introductions. Shea explained, «It seems to me that the King might want you at the court for your own protection, so the druids can keep Maev’s sorcerers from putting a spell on you. That’s what she’s going to do.»

«How do you know of this?» asked Cathbadh.

«Through Pete here. He sometimes knows about things that are going to happen before they actually take place. In our country we call it second sight.»

Cuchulainn wrinkled his nose. «That ugly slave?»

«Yeh, me,» said Brodsky, who had approached the group. «And you better watch your step, handsome, because somebody’s going to hang you up to dry unless you do something about it.»