Editing Steerpike (section)

===The fire===
Steerpike uses his charm and fast tongue to insinuate himself with the castle's physician [[Dr Prunesquallor]], and acts for a time as his apprentice.  From there Steerpike uses the doctor's connections to gain access to the upper hierarchy of Gormenghast.  Shortly afterwards he starts to work for the simpleton sisters of the Earl, the twins [[Gormenghast (series)#Ruling family|Cora and Clarice]], manipulating them with appeals to their vanity and desire for power (they believed that the Countess had usurped their rightful position beside their brother). He persuades them to set fire to [[Sepulchrave]]'s Library and uses the circumstances to play the hero in rescuing those trapped inside (including all the surviving members of the House of Groan). [[Sourdust]], the Master of Ritual, dies and Steerpike hopes to take his place, but like so many offices in the castle the position is hereditary and is succeeded by Sourdust's son [[Barquentine (Gormenghast)|Barquentine]], a crippled and fiercely traditional man.