Quicksilver

“It would burst the barrel and kill everyone nearby,” Hooke said. “Which might be blamed on a faulty ca

“Where did this bag come from?” Daniel asked.

“My lord said it was sent to him by his son Richard, who found it in the magazine of his ship on the eve of their sailing for Sole Bay.”

“Where Richard was killed by a Dutch broadside,” Daniel said. “So my lord desired that you would inspect this bag and render an opinion that it had been tampered with by some malicious conspirator.”

“Just so.”

“And have you done so?”

“No one has asked my opinion yet.”

“Not even Comstock?”

“Nay, not even Comstock.”

“Why would he bring you such evidence in person, and then not ask?”

“I can only guess,” Hooke said, “that in the meantime he has come to understand that it does not really matter.”

“What an odd thing to think.”

“Not really,” Hooke said. “Suppose I testified that this bag contained powder that was too fine. What would it boot him? Anglesey-for make no mistake, that’s who’s behind this-would reply that Comstock had made up this bag in his own cellar, as false evidence to exonerate himself and his faulty ca

The daylight had become much more intense in the minutes Daniel had been up here. He saw that Hooke had rigged an articulated rod to the back of the piston, and co

“Properly wrought, and fed with gunpowder at regular intervals, it might generate enough wind to blow itself off the ground,” Hooke said.

“Supplying the gunpowder would be difficult,” Daniel said.

“I only use it because I have some,” Hooke said. “Now that Anglesey has been elected President of the Royal Society, I look forward to experimenting with combustible vapors in its stead.”

“Even if I’ve moved to Massachusetts by then,” Daniel said, “I’ll come back to London to watch you fly through the air, Mr. Hooke.”

A church-bell began ringing not far away. Daniel remarked that it was a bit early for funerals. But a few minutes later another one started up, and another. They did not simply bong a few times and then stop-they kept pealing in some kind of celebration. But the Anglican churches did not seem to be sharing in the joy. Only the queer churches of Dutchmen and Jews and Dissenters.

LATER IN THE DAY, Roger Comstock appeared at the gates of Bedlam in a coach-and-four. The previous owner’s coat of arms had been scraped off and replaced with that of the Golden Comstocks. “Daniel, do me the honor of allowing me to escort you to Whitehall,” Roger said, “the King wants you there for the signing.”

“Signing of what?” Daniel could imagine several possibilities-Daniel’s death warrant for sedition, Roger’s for sabotage, or an instrument of surrender to the Dutch Republic, being three of the more plausible.

“Why, the Declaration! Haven’t you heard? Freedom of conscience for Dissenters of all stripes-almost-just as Wilkins wanted it.”

“That is very good news, if true-but why should His Majesty want me there?”

“Why, next to Bolstrood you are the leading Dissenter!”

“That is not true.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Roger said cheerfully. “He thinks it’s true-and after today, it will be.”

“Why does he think it’s true?” Daniel asked, though he already suspected why.

“Because I have been telling everyone so,” Roger answered.

“I haven’t clothes fit to wear to a whorehouse-to say nothing of Whitehall Palace.”

“There is very little practical difference,” Roger said absent-mindedly.

“You don’t understand. My wig’s home to a family of swallows,” Daniel complained. But Roger Comstock snapped his fingers, and a valet sprang out of the coach laden with diverse packages and bundles. Through the open door, Daniel glimpsed women’s clothing, too-with women inside of it. Two different women. A thump from the turret, a muffled curse from Hooke. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing foppish,” Roger said. “For a leading Dissident, it is entirely proper.”

“Can the same be said of the ladies?” Daniel asked, following Roger and the valet into Bedlam.

“These aren’t ladies, ” Roger said, and other than that weak jest did not even try to answer the question. “Do London a favor and take those damned clothes off. I shall have my manservant burn them.”

“The shirt is not so bad,” Daniel demurred. “Oh, I agree that it is no longer fit for wearing. But it might be made into a powder-bag for the Navy.”

“No longer in demand,” Roger said, “now that the war is over.”

“On the contrary, I say that a great many of them shall have to be made up now, as so many of the old ones are known to be defective.”

“Hmm, you are well-informed, for a political naif. Who has been filling your head with such ideas? Obviously a supporter of Comstock.”

“I suppose that supporters of Anglesey are saying that the powder-bags are all excellent, and it’s Comstock’s ca

“It is universally known, among the Quality.”

“That may be. But it is known among you, and me, and a few other people, that bags were made up, containing powder that was ground fine.”

Coincidentally or not, Daniel had reached the point of complete nakedness as he was saying these words. He had a pair of drawers on; but Roger tossed him fresh ones, and averted his gaze. “Daniel! I ca

“Very well, I suppose I’ve very little choice.”

“None whatsoever. Now, Daniel. You saw me grinding the powder fine, and putting it into the bag, and there is no point in denying it. No doubt you think the worst of me, as has been your wont since we first studied together at Trinity. Have you stopped to ask yourself, how a man in my position could possibly manage to introduce bags of powder into the magazines of a ship of the Royal Navy? Quite obviously it is impossible. Someone else must have done it. Someone with a great deal more power and reach than I can even dream of possessing.”

“The Duke of Gunfl-”

“Silence. Silence! And in silence ponder the similitudes between ca