Free The Alchemist's Door by Lisa Goldstein Page A

Loew.”
    After breakfast he looked in Kelley’s workshop and his bedroom, then went in search of Doctor Hageck. He found him in his study, sitting behind his desk and going over some accounts.
    â€œDo you know where Master Kelley’s gone?” he asked.
    â€œI haven’t seen him since yesterday,” Hageck said. “He’s usually in that room of his, searching for the Philosopher’s Stone. Do you know if he’s made any progress?”
    â€œI don’t, no.”
    Hageck glanced up from the papers in front of him. “I’ve heard some disquieting news,” he said.
    Dee looked up sharply. Had Hageck learned about the demon, was he about to order them out of his house? “What news?” he asked.
    â€œSomeone I talked to saw you going to the Jewish Quarter.”
    â€œYes, that’s true,” Dee said, surprised.
    â€œWhat is it you do there? Good Christian men in this city do not mingle with those people. Nor do they mingle with us.”
    â€œI—I’ve been talking to an interesting man, Rabbi Judah Loew. Do you know him?”
    â€œI don’t know anyone in the Quarter. You shouldn’t either, if you’re wise.”
    â€œWhy not?”

    â€œWhy not?” Hageck said, puzzled. “You know what the Jews are like.”
    â€œNo, not really. There are no Jews in England.”
    â€œAh, well, that explains it. They’re vicious and cunning and greedy—they’ll cheat you out of everything you own. And it’s said that they need the blood of Christians to live, that they kidnap baptized children—”
    Dee began to laugh.
    â€œWhat is so amusing?”
    â€œI haven’t seen anything like that. I think those are stories, nothing more.”
    â€œYou don’t know. You said yourself you’ve never met a Jew before. I tell you this for your own good, believe me. Stay out of the Quarter.”
    Dee nodded without committing himself, but he knew that nothing would keep him from visiting Loew again. His curiosity had been aroused.
    Kelley returned that evening. “Where have you been?” Dee asked.
    â€œAbout,” Kelley said. “I’ve been thinking of renting my own place. I need to spread out if I’m to continue my experiments.”
    Jane’s expression showed her pleasure as clearly as if she had spoken. Fortunately, Kelley was turned away from her and facing Dee. “But how will you afford it?” Dee asked. “You told me you had no money—”
    â€œYou needn’t concern yourself with that.”
    Had Kelley found a patron? Or—unlikely as it seemed—had he discovered how to make the Philosopher’s Stone? Perhaps he had returned to his old ways, to whatever crimes he had committed before Dee met him. But Kelley’s expression permitted no questions. Dee could only hope that whatever Kelley was up to, it would not come to the attention of King Rudolf. And if Jane was happy …

    â€œRemember that we’re to see Rabbi Loew tomorrow,” Dee said.
    â€œOf course,” Kelley said.
    Dee rose early the next day and was pleased to see that Kelley was already at the table. Jane served them breakfast, and when they were done they packed up the scrying stone and the other implements and headed out to the Jewish Quarter.
    As soon as they went through the gate Dee realized that he was unsure how to find Loew’s house. He headed down an unfamiliar street lined with shops: a cobbler’s, a tailor’s, a silversmith’s. A few more streets took him to the town square, and he knew the way from there. He strode purposefully on ahead until they came to Loew’s house.
    Loew opened the door to their knock. “I remember you,” he said to Kelley. “You were waiting for King Rudolf with us.”
    Kelley nodded.
    â€œWell,” Dee said. “Shall we get started?”
    Loew led the way to his study and opened the windows.