2.2

Sept 27

After rearranging and pacing and rearranging some more, Marketa told me that she had found out which skeleton was important. This was the seahorse, which I believed to be a mythical creature until she told me otherwise. She held the seahorse up to the light, and the light shone through its bony plates and etched inside the bony plates were letters. These were the directions to Tove's childhood home.

I said that this Tove could have left a letter with directions instead, and Marketa said not to be tiresome. I said that I was not tired, and Marketa said ''Enough, Frida.'' This is what she says when her choler is troubling her and her temper is short. So I went out into the garden so as not to bother her.

But presently she came outside in calmer spirits and explained to me that Tove did not want to be troubled by the gold-seekers and life-leechers who trouble all alchemists. Tove wanted to be followed only by those who loved knowledge. This I understood, and my heart warmed to Tove.

So now, after a night's rest, we are following the directions Tove left behind. Soon we shall have arrived, and I will document further.

Oct 5

We are too late, and Tove is dead.

We arrived at sunset and found her clan of women in mourning, singing and enacting the rituals of the dead. She had passed away the night before, taking the secret of the Cave with her. I have never seen Marketa's face look so empty.

Oct 6

We have made arrangements to stay for a time. The women of Tove's clan welcome us, knowing of Tove's regard for Marketa, which was like that of a proud teacher. But even so, they will not speak to us of the Cave of Regrets. I feel certain they know where it is, but it is a secret kept from outsiders.

Oct 8

Last night Marketa spoke with the clan leaders deep into the night. I do not know what she said about her heartsickness, but in the morning the women agreed to share the secret of the Cave. Only, however, under two conditions: that she would tell no one its location, and that she first pass the three tests that all women must pass to be accepted into their clan.

The first test begins tomorrow at dawn. She must pass this test before night falls.

I said to Marketa, ''Marketa, is this woman of yours worth the trouble of rising at dawn?'' I said this to tease her, for Marketa does not like to rise early. But her eyes grew suddenly wet with tears and I felt guilty. We were silent for the rest of the night.

Oct 9

The women have presented Marketa with the first test. It is a diagram of various shapes entering into numbered filters. It came with a story about water and toxic metals that I forgot to write down, and am now too embarrassed to ask them to repeat. However, I believe that the story was not as important as the diagram. Marketa's task is to detoxify the water from the story by using exactly four of the filters provided.

As for test methods, they have given me very little to document. ''The filters must be used in ascending order,'' one of them said to me, and I nodded and started to write it down for Marketa. But I was nervous, and dropped the pen. She laid her hands on mine and smiled. ''The odds are in your favor.'' I wrote that down too.

I said to Marketa, this cannot be enough information. But she did not answer me. She is pacing again, poring over a metals chart. I will wait.