"Yeah," he replied. "I'm fine. I just wasn't paying attention."
"You should try to pay better attention to your surroundings," Nadeemah said. "If you do that, you will learn a lot more about the world."
"I'll remember that," Bam said.
They drank their coffee and talked for a little while longer. Then Nadeemah stood up and stretched. "I'm going to go check the index cards again," she said. "I think I might be able to find what I'm looking for."
She left the chair and headed toward the other side of the library. Bam waited a moment, then got up and followed her.
As he passed the desks, Bam noticed that each one had a stack of index cards on it. He picked one up and looked at the first card. It was labeled "Mozart." Bam opened the card and read the words printed on it: "Mozart, Wolfgang Amadeus. Mozart, W. A. 'Don Giovanni' and 'Le Nozze di Figaro.' " Bam put the card back on the desk and continued to look. He reached the end of the row and began checking the next one.
When he finished reading all of the index cards, Bam realized that he had not found what he was looking for. But he had learned a lot about the library and the people who worked there. For example, he now knew that the librarian kept all of the index cards in a special cabinet. He also discovered that the index cards were organized alphabetically.
Bam returned to the desk where Nadeemah had been working. He took another card out of the rack and studied it. This one was labeled "Socrates." Bam read the words: "Socrates, Plato. Socrates, Xenophon. Socrates, Meno. Socrates, Phaedo."
"Do you want to try another?" Nadeemah asked.
"No," Bam replied. "I think I've seen enough."
"Well, good luck finding what you're looking for," she said. "I hope you get the answers you need."
"Thanks," Bam said. "I'll let you know how it goes."
He returned to the stairs and started climbing. When he reached the second level, he walked over to the corner and looked around. He scanned the area until he spotted the painting of the woman in the blue dress. Bam knelt down and examined it closely.
The woman in the painting appeared to be in her late thirties or early forties. She had short brown hair and wore a white blouse and a dark skirt. Her eyes were large and bright, and her nose was small and straight. There were freckles on her cheeks. She had a strong jawline, and her lips were full and red. She had a mole on her right cheek.
Bam studied the picture for several moments. Then he moved closer and inspected the frame. He saw that the painting was held in place by two wooden dowels. He pulled one of them out and lifted the painting off the wall. He looked at the back of the canvas. There was nothing written there. He slid the painting into his backpack and went back to the stairs.
Twenty-Sixth Bam climbed higher and higher. As he did so, he became aware of a change in the air. It was fresher, cleaner, and somehow less oppressive.
Finally, Bam reached the third level. He turned left and headed toward the door at the far end of the hall. He walked through the doorway and entered the room beyond.
It was a large circular chamber. There were no windows, and the only light came from candles that were set in sconces on the walls. At the center of the room was an enormous stone altar.
Bam approached the altar. He stared at it for a long time. Then he reached out and touched it. He felt a slight tingle when his finger made contact with the cold stone.
Bam took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. Then he stepped away from the altar. He glanced around the room, searching for something. Finally, he spotted it. It was a book. Bam picked it up and examined it.
The cover was black leather. The title was stamped on the front: The Book of Deeds. Bam opened the cover and leafed through the pages. Each page contained a single illustration, accompanied by some text. Some of the illustrations were of the tower, and others showed various scenes from the lives of famous heroes.
Bam stopped on a page that featured a man in armor holding a sword. Below the image was a caption: "Heroic deeds are recorded here. What will your name be?"
Bam closed the book and replaced it on the floor. He looked around the room again. Then he went over to a tall wooden cabinet. He opened it and searched inside. There were hundreds of books. Bam pulled out one and sat down on the floor to read it.
He began reading the story of the knight named Sir Richard. He skimmed through the book and then continued to read more slowly. He found himself becoming engrossed in the tale.
Sir Richard was born in England in 1215. He was the son of a nobleman. When he was fourteen years old, he joined the army of King John. In 1217, he participated in the siege of Chaluz. Afterward, he fought against the forces of the French king, Philip Augustus.
In 1220, Richard returned to England. His father died soon afterward, and Richard inherited the family estate.
During this time, the barons were fighting the king for control of the kingdom. The war dragged on for several years, and Richard sided with the barons.
When the civil war ended, Richard swore fealty to the new monarch, Henry III.
The following year, Richard married Matilda, the daughter of the Earl of Gloucester. They had three children: Geoffrey, Eleanor, and Joan.
Richard's military prowess was legendary. During his reign as king, he led numerous campaigns, including the conquest of Ireland. He also defeated the invading Moors and helped secure peace between the English and the Welsh.
In addition to being a great warrior, Richard was a pious man. He founded the Order of Saint Mary. He also established a hospital and a hospice for lepers. He even built a chapel dedicated to Saint Thomas Becket, who had been murdered by churchmen.
As a result of his piety and generosity, Richard became known as the just. He was also called the Wise.
King Richard II was the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His son, Edward IV, would become the first Tudor king.
Bam closed the book and looked around the room. Then he returned the book to the cabinet and walked over to the altar. He gazed at the stone surface for a moment. Then he reached out and placed his hand upon it.
A tingle ran through him. Bam closed his eyes and tried to envision the future. He thought about all the things that could happen. He thought about how the world might change if he acted in certain ways.
Bam smiled to himself. He was getting excited.
He walked over to the cabinet and removed a different book. He carried it back to the altar and opened it.
This book was much smaller than the one he had just read.