Modred was grinning. “Forgive me, Ambrosius. It’s your table

manners.”

Billy had been wolfing down the food like a fraternity pledge at a

toga party, but every time Merlin “took over, ” he would

immediately stop and straighten up in his chair to speak or sedately

sip his tea. And then Billy would once more resume attacking the

food before him, bending over the table and snatching at things as

if he hadn’t eaten in months. The abrupt switches back and forth

were comical. Even as Modred spoke, Billy was cramming his

mouth with food.

“Well, I’m bloody famished!” he said, his mouth full of steamed

dumplings ducked in sauce. He wasn’t bothering with either the

chopsticks or the silverware. He was simply picking them up with

his fingers and dunking them, then stuffing them into his mouth.

Abruptly he sat up in his chair again and finished chewing, then

carefully wiped his dripping mouth.

“The way you’re assaulting this somewhat questionable food, ”

said Merlin disapprovingly, “you’ll give us a case of indigestion.

Now slow down, for goodness sake, and leave some for the others.”

“Bugger off!”

Billy reached for another dumpling with his right hand and then

suddenly picked up a fork with his left hand and stabbed himself in

the right hand with it.

“Ow! Bloody ‘ell!”

“If it wasn’t a physical impossibility, ” said Merlin, “I’d turn you

over my knee and give you a sound thrashing.”

Modred and the others laughed.

“Behave yourself!” said Merlin. “Now, as I was saying, I

think it would be a mistake for us not to approach Yohaku. He is,

after all, the most powerful adept in Japan, with enormous

influence, and I personally know him to be a man of extremely good

character. He could be of great help to us. “

“I don’t doubt your word, ” said Modred. “However, I still don’t

think that it would be a good idea. At any rate, it would be

premature. I would prefer to find out exactly how things stand first.