“My dear,” he said, “there are more ways of killing a dog besides choking him to death on fresh curds.”
Brinnaria stared.
“You talk,” he said, “as if you had gone over all the records. Don’t you recall two cases where a King of the Grove died without being killed?”
“Yes,” she admitted.
“Well,” he continued, “what was done?”
“Two challengers were brought forward,” she said, “and they fought each other.”
“Just so,” said he, “and don’t you recall one case where a King of the Grove disappeared and was believed to have run away, but was never found, nor any trace of him?”
“I remember that, too,” she agreed.
“Well,” he pressed her, “what was done in that case?”
“Two challengers fought each other that time also,” she allowed.