"You know, 'I've seen them in films' really should not be a qualification to handle a firearm, but I can't do everything at once."

He shifted the book to his left hand and drew the pistol. "It's loaded and there's no safety, so for god's sake don't point it at either of us. The effective range is only about 10 meters, so you won't need to use it unless something's gone terribly wrong."

The pistol was old, though not especially ornate. It was about 8 or 9 inches long, heavy for its size.