A Charmed Life

We'll go, says Belle. I don't think Arthur is coming.

Strange, says Gaius. Arthur is always reliable. I hope nothing's happened.

Don't worry, he leads a a charmed life, says Belle.

Do I lead a charmed life? asks Terence.

Do I? asks Baldy. What's a charmed life?

It means that you never pay for anything, says Splosh. And you always fall on your feet.

Gaius wonders how these things could possibly apply to Arthur. Arthur, who pays for nearly everything, and whose knees are so often bleeding.

But it seems that the team for today's excursion will not include Arthur.

They head for the Gare de Lyon.

......

Belle buys the tickets.

It's four hours to Clermont-Ferrand, says Belle. Then two hours twenty minutes to Le Puy-en-Velay.

That's where I live, says Baldy.

That's why we're going, says Belle. To drop you off to your mother, and say sorry.

And say goodbye, says Terence.

Good, says Baldy. I want to say goodbye. Goodbye and sorry.

Why will you be sorry? asks Terence.

I won't be, says Baldy.

Come on, says Splosh.

......

It's a long journey to Clermont-Ferrand.

Terence and Baldy play Cannot But Be, until they run out of Bs.

Then they still keep on playing.

Terence: What if?

Baldy: Cannot.

Terence: But what if?

Baldy: Cannot.

Belle: How about playing I Spy?

Excellent suggestion, says Gaius. I'll start. I spy with my little eye something beginning with O.

I know, says Splosh.

Okay, she knows. She painted Baldy to look like an oystercatcher, but does that count as a thing that Gaius can spy, when really, it's Baldy?

The debate lasts all the way to Clermont-Ferrand, where Gaius finally accepts that he should be disqualified.