Snippet #1308824

"It is 'is ambition zat makes 'im so willing to look for ze stone," Pierre replied to Stella. "My brother 'as always loved power, and 'e would always do whatever 'e 'ad to to get it. I suppose that, with all of ze people so 'yped up about ze Knowledge, 'e 'as convinced 'imself zat it is real. But Francois knows zat 'e cannot find it alone. Our alchemy 'as always been stronger when we work together, no matter how rare zat may be; a master of ze concrete and a master of ze abstract can do marvelous sings in each others' company. Francois probably sought zat, if I went with 'im, zat we would 'ave a better chance of finding ze Knowledge. 'E's always been like zat. Above all else, zere is one thing I know. My brother is on an agenda, and 'e won't let somesing like a fable stop him."

Satisfied with his explanation, Pierre took another look at the paper. Ze fire of knowledge... he thought, rubbing his chin. For a long while, he came up with nothing. Then, against all odds, a small, almost insignificant piece of information surfaced in the depths of his mind: a short quote he had learned in school. Knowledge is a fire in the hearts of men, it has the power both to give and to take away.

Suddenly it all made sense. Instead of 'the fire of knowledge,' the paper really meant 'the knowledge of knowledge.' "Knowledge is ze basis of science," Pierre mumbled, the gears in his head spinning so fast they threatened to break off. "Alchemy, of course! Why didn't I think of it before?" Pierre snatched up the slip of paper and held it up to the study light at the desk. Sure enough, if one looked close enough, one could see the faint gleam of an invisible ink. The alchemist, his hands trembling so much that he could barely hold the paper, scrambled to gather four small paperweights from neighboring tables. After he had fastened the slip flat against the work surface, Pierre turned to Stella.

"Torch it."