the archchancellor had probably signed the papers and then , when the clerks had been copying them out , one of them had got as far as the all-important first question and then maybe had been called away or something , and no-one had noticed , and it 'd got put on victor 's desk , but now he was n't here and ponder had got it which meant , he decided , in a sudden rush of piety , that the gods must have wanted him to get it .