"According to the story in the book," said Duponte, his tone taking on a lecturing quality familiar to anyone who had ever had to endure such, "The dog was not simply a dog. It belonged to the Master of the Wild Hunt himself, one of his hounds, and once on a trail, it could never lose it." He gave another of those small, Gallic shrugs.<br/><br/>"If you believe such things may be true, it might explain something. Perhaps the book has secrets hidden in normal text. I do not know. I simply wish this matter to be over and done with, so I may obtain what I am due, and return home."