“As you like." Lefaun Zadoury rose to his feet. “There were no extras. You need pay thirty pence only.”
Wayness darted him a quick glance but made no comment and placed three coins on the table. The two returned to the workroom. Lefaun Zadoury made a grand gesture toward the table. “Notice, if you please! It is as I said! Nothing has been disturbed!"
"I am relieved," said Wayness. '"If anything were amiss I might be held responsible and severely punished."
Lefaun Zadoury pursed his lips. "Such incidents are rare."
"I am lucky to have the benefit of such expert advice,” said Wayness. “Your knowledge would seem to be comprehensive.”
Lefaun Zadoury said judiciously, “At the very least I try to function with professional competence.”
“Would you know how and when the Museum acquired this material?”
Lefaun Zadoury blew out his cheeks. “No. But I can find out in short order, if you are interested."
"I am interested.”
“Just a moment, then.” Lefaun Zadoury stalked into the adjoining room and seated himself in one of the alcoves before an information screen. He worked the controls, studied the screen, gave his head a jerk, signalizing the flux of information from the screen into his brain. Wayness watched from the doorway.
Lefaun Zadoury rose to his feet and returned to the workroom. Carefully he closed the door, and stood as if mulling over a set of complicated ideas. Wayness waited patiently. At last she asked: “What did you learn?”
"Nothing.”
Wayness tried to keep her voice from becoming a squeak. “Nothing?”
“I learned that the information is not available, if that that suits you better. We are dealing with the gift of an anonymous donor.”
“Ridiculous!" Wayness muttered. “I can't understand such secrecy!”
“Neither the Funusti Museum nor the universe at large is an inherently logical place," said Lefaun Zadoury. “Are you finished with this material?"
"Not yet. I must think."
Lefaun Zadoury remained in the room, standing half expectantly, or so it seemed to Wayness. What could he be waiting for? She put a tentative question: “Is the information known to anyone at the museum?”
Lefaun Zadoury raised his eyes toward the ceiling. “I should think that one of the poobahs in the GEP — that's the Office of Gifts, Endowments and Procurements — keeps a compendium of such information. It would be highly inaccessible, of course.”
Wayness said thoughtfully: “I myself might offer a small endowment to the museum if I were supplied this trilling bit of information.”
“Even impossible things are thinkable,” said Lefaun Zadoury. “But now we are dealing with persons in high places, and they hardly turn their heads to spit for less than a thousand sols.”
“Ha! That is totally out of the question. I can endow a sum of ten sols, with another ten to you for your expert counseclass="underline" twenty sols in all.”
Lefaun threw up his hands in shock. “How could I mention a sum so paltry to the exalted personage whom I would need to consult?"
"It seems very simple to me. Point out that a few words and ten sols is better than dead silence and no sols."
“True," said Lefaun. “Well then, so be it. In view of our friendly association I will risk making a fool of myself. Excuse me for a few minutes." Lefaun Zadoury departed the room. Wayness went to the table and surveyed the three cases. Biographies of thirty-five early Naturalists, genealogical data, and documents relating to the construction of palatial new headquarters for the Society: nothing she cared to re-examine at the moment.
Ten minutes passed. Lefaun Zadoury returned to the room. For a few seconds he stood appraising Wayness with a faint smile which she found unsettling. Finally she told herself: “In anyone else that would be considered a saturnine, or cynical, leer, but I believe that Lefaun Zadoury is merely trying to present an affable, debonair image. “Aloud, she said: “You seem pleased. What did you learn?"
Lefaun came forward. “I was right, of course. The official sneered at me and asked if I had been born yesterday. I told him no, that I was trying to oblige a charming young lady, and with that he relented, though he insisted that the entire endowment, all twenty sols, be paid into his control. Naturally, I had no choice but to agree. Perhaps you will wish to make an adjustment.” He waited, but Wayness said nothing. Lefaun’s smile slowly drained away, leaving his face as morose as ever. "In any case, you must now pay the stipulated sum over to me.”
Wayness stared in wonder. “Really, Mr. Zadoury! That is not the way things are done!”
“How so?”
“When you bring me the information, and I verify it, then I will make the endowment.”
“Bah!” grumbled Lefaun. “What is the use of so much rigmarole?”
“Simple enough. Once money is paid over, no one is ever in any hurry, and meanwhile I sit waiting in the Mazeppa Hotel for days on end.”
“Hmf,“ sniffed Lefaun. “Why is the name of this donor so important?”
Wayness patiently explained. “In order to renew the Society, we need the help of old Naturalist families.”
“Are these names not listed among Society records?"
“The records were damaged some time ago by an irresponsible Secretary. Now we are trying to repair the damage.”
“To destroy records is a crime against reason! Luckily, everything that has been written once has probably been written ten times.”
“I hope so," said Wayness. “It is why I am here."
Lefaun pondered for a moment, then spoke, somewhat abruptly: “The situation is more complicated than you might think. The information will not reach me until this evening.”
"That is inconvenient.”
"Not necessarily!” declared Lefaun in a sudden burst of enthusiasm. “I will take advantage of the occasion to show you the sights and sounds of Old Kiev! It will be an important evening, which you will never forget!”
Wayness, feeling the need for support, leaned back against the table. “I would not think of putting you to so much trouble. You might bring the information to my hotel, or I will come to the museum early tomorrow.”
Lefaun held up his hand. “Not another word! It will be my great pleasure!"
Wayness sighed. “What do you have in mind?"
“First, we shall dine at the Pripetskaya, which specializes in reed-birds on the spit. But first: a dish of jellied eels dressed with caviar. Nor will we neglect the Mingrelian venison, in currant sauce."
“All this sounds expensive,” said Wayness. "Who is paying?”
Lefaun Zadoury blinked. "It occurred to me that since you are spending Society funds—"
“But I am not spending Society funds."
“Well then, we can share expenses. This is my usual habit when I dine in company with my friends.”
"I have an even better idea,” said Wayness. "I seldom eat much for dinner certainly not eels and birds and wild animals. So we shall each settle our own account."
"On second thought, we will go to Lena's Bistro where cabbage rolls are both cheap and tasty.'"
Wayness told herself philosophically that, after all, she had nothing better to do. "Whatever you like. When and where do we receive the information?"
”Information?” Lefaun was momentarily puzzled. “Ah yes. At Lena’s; that will be the place."
"Why Lena's? Why not here and now?"
“These things must be arranged. It is a delicate business."
Wayness made a dubious sound. "It seems most peculiar. In any case, I must be back early at my hotel."
Lefaun spoke with heavy jocularity: “Do not kill the bull before the cow is fresh! Let us see what we shall see!”
Wayness compressed her lips. "Perhaps it will be better after all, if I simply come here tomorrow morning; then you may stay out as late as you please. Remember, I need verification, unless you bring me a print-out copied from official Museum records."