Earthrid clenched and unclenched his fist, and began to turn pale. "With
your recklessness, you are likely to kill us both. Irontick belongs to
me, and until you have learned how to play, you would only break the
instrument."

"Well, then, I will break it; but I am going to try."

The musician jumped to his feet and confronted him. "Do you intend to
take it from me by violence?"

"Keep calm! You will have the same choice that you offered us. I shall
give you time to go away somewhere."

"How will that serve me, if you spoil my lake? You don't understand what
you are doing."

"Go, or stay!" responded Maskull. "I give you till the water gets smooth
again. After that, I begin playing."

Earthrid kept swallowing. He glanced at the lake and back to Maskull.

"Do you swear it?"

"How long that will take, you know better than I; but till then you are
safe."

Earthrid cast him a look of malice, hesitated for an instant, and then
moved away, and started to climb the nearest hill. Halfway up he glanced
over his shoulder apprehensively, as if to see what was happening. In
another minute or so, he had disappeared over the crest, travelling in
the direction of the shore that faced Matterplay.

Later, when the water was once more tranquil. Maskull sat down by its
edge, in imitation of Earthrid's attitude. He knew neither how to set
about producing his music, nor what would come of it. But audacious
projects entered his brain and he willed to create physical shapes--and,
above all, one shape, that of Surtur.

Before putting his foot to the water, he turned things over a little in
his mind.

He said, "What themes are in common music, shapes are in this music. The
composer does not find his theme by picking out single notes; but the
whole theme flashes into his mind by inspiration. So it must be with
shapes. When I start playing, if I am worth anything, the undivided
ideas will pass from my unconscious mind to this lake, and then,
reflected back in the dimensions of reality, I shall be for the first
time made acquainted with them. So it must be."

The instant his foot touched the water, he felt his thoughts flowing
from him. He did not know what they were, but the mere act of flowing
created a sensation of joyful mastery. With this was curiosity to learn
what they would prove to be. Spouts formed on the lake in increasing
numbers, but he experienced no pain. His thoughts, which he knew to
be music, did not issue from h