Page 236 (2/2)

So history has its caretakers

They livewell, in the nature of things they live wherever they are sent, but their spiritual hoh Ramtops of the Discworld, where the books of history are kept

These aren't books in which the events of the past are pinned like so many butterflies to a cork These are the books from which history is derived There are h, bound in lead, and the letters are so slass

When people say “It is written” it is written here

There are fewer metaphors around than people think

Every o into the cave where the books are kept It used to be the duty of the abbot alone, but two other reliable monks were included after the unfortunate case of the

59th Abbot, who made a ht up with him

Besides, it's dangerous to go in alone The sheer concentratedness of History, sleeting past soundlessly out into the world, can be overwhel Too much of it kills you

The 493rd Abbot folded his wrinkled hands and addressed Lu-Tze, one of his most senior monks The clear air and untroubled life of the secret valley was such that all the monks were senior; besides, when you ith Time every day, some of it tends to rub off

“The place is Omnia,” said the abbot, “on the Klatchian coast”

“I re fellow called Ossory, wasn't there?”

“Things must becarefully observed,” said the abbot “There are pressures Free will, predestinationthe power of sy-pointyou know all about this”

“Haven't been to Omnia for, oh, must be seven hundred years,” said Lu-Tze “Dry place Shouldn't think there's a ton of good soil in the whole country, either”

“Off you go, then,” said the abbot

“I shall take ood for them”