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"Let’s leave," I said to my fellows They did not even turn to hearstirred A moment later an old man tottered out I had not noticed him before He had wrapped the blanket around his shoulders Beneath it, he wore a robe of rough cotton He had long graying hair, the stripes fading in it, and his face was lined as deeply as a cru couple Instead he cae and looked round at us with rheuhed, and then spat dark spittle into the straw He said soe, flowing, with few consonants I could detect The crippled Speck caue and pointed in our general direction The old Speck leaned close to the bars, sniffing loudly His gaze suddenly met mine He smiled with brown teeth, and nodded as if ere acquaintanceson the street He held his hand toward

"Whatturu doin’?" Rory demanded of me suddenly " ’Zat a charm?"

I looked down in horror Of its own volition,the air Dream words echoed in my mind ‘Ton and you will then fight for the People’ I seized ers "Just a crareed

Inside the cage, the aged Speck nodded at me Then he took a step back He slapped one hand on his chest, cupping the hand to er sound than I would have expected At the noise, the struggle on the cage floor instantly ceased Both combatants came to their feet The male hastily clapped his hand to hishis nubbin of tobacco into his cheek

The old Speck said sorily The old man repeated himself He did not raise his voice or sound more insistent, but suddenly all three of the other Specks cowered froht then and announced loudly, "I speak, I speak Quiet Listen"

"Hey, then, what are you up to?" The keeper derily He shook his prod at them, but all of the Specks had stepped back, out of his reach The girl, her face reddened and one ar scratch, still nity It clothed her nakedness better than any garment She tossed back her streaky ht now The People dance the Dust Dance For you all Come close, come close See us dance Only one tie us closer

Beside the cage, the keeper’s jaw dropped open "What’s this, what’s this?" he de him any attention He seized the chain that secured the door to their enclosure and rattled it threateningly, as if he were coar looked over his shoulder at the keeper, and then ignored hiirl positioned herself in the e, well out of reach of the keeper’s prod Now she lifted her voice and her ar out "Dust Dance! Dust Dance! Gather all for the Dust Dance! You never to see this before! You never to see this again! Come one Come all Dust Dance of the People!"

Her tone was a fair imitation of the barkers’ outside My estience rose As a e, even as the keeper warned us sternly, ‘Keep back! Keep back! Do not touch the bars!" When we all ignored hi, "The Dust Dance of the Savage Specks of the far east! Gather one, gather all Only five tallies more to witness the Dust Dance A ain!"

But his efforts to profit wentinto their pockets and counted reasy purse Inside the cage, the woman continued to cry her appeal for spectators while the males huddled inside their shelter In a reed "dressed" for the dance Feathers, dead leaves, bits of fur, tassels of shells, and a pouch were suspended fros tied round their waists Their matted hair had been hastily plaited into queues down their backs Long earrings of cheap beads dangled al tireat hardship

Their keeper had turned barker "Never before seen in a city! Never before perfore Specks Ladies and lords, come now, come now, to see the-"