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"As you say, holy one" It was a hoarse whisper, like a distant avalanche

He had shoved his own lantern into a pocket when he had seen Hound lighting his; now he fu both

"It is very small, holy one" There was a faint note of aht," he said, with a growing sense of relief "So a wick It was as if there were shooting stars in his hands, like the stars at the bottorave to which Silk and Hyacinth had driven Orpine's body in a drea holes in the ground for our dead, he thought, to bring them nearer the Outsider; and on Blue we do the sah it takes them away from him

The yellow flame of the candle rose; he shut his lantern, 's thu a peaked hat that was in fact a claw

"You see antic speaker sounded faintly pleased

"Yes You could see reat face descended Slowly it rose, as a large boatswell

"Like Oreb Oreb can see even when it seeht at all"

There was no reply, and he wondered whether the godling had heard hiah Oreb is so much smaller Your eyes seem very small to me, but that's only because they are small in proportion to your face Each must be the size of Oreb's head"

Rain fell like a lash

"You speak too fast, holy one," the godling rumbled

And it must seem to you that we move very fast as well, he reflected That we dart about like squirrels or rabbits

"Are you in danger, holy one? I will protect you"

"No" He held up the light, his sodden tunic clinging to his arm This was better-far better-than the sewer on Green

"Are you in need, holy one? I will supply you"

"That is good of you" He struggled to make himself heard

"Bird here!" Oreb landed heavily on his head, and every limb jerked with terror "Wet wet!" A fine spray of water joined the rain as Oreb shook hiers, aren't you?"

"Good bird! Good Silk!"

Suddenly contrite, he spoke slowly to the godling "You've made a shelter foryou out in this?"

Again the ruh he could not be sure he was not i it "I do not suffer, holy one" There was pause in which the huge face, lit faintly froarded him "Are you in need?"

"No" It was still difficult for hi rumbled Its breath, hot,flashed as it spoke, starkly revealing colorless skin splashed with inky shadows "Enough have gone Tell the rest to stay That is what I have come to tell you Silk says it"

Chapter 7 DRINKING COMPANIONS

We have made the experiment, and the experiment has failed That is the truth, so that is how I -I shall be honest: allI must devise a new approach

When I was in Blanko, Fava and I found that when my mind was joined with hers we, and anyone else as in our company, could travel in spirit We went to Green; and later Jahlee, the Duko, Hide, and I, with soreat city of the Red Sun Whorl We were able to, I believe, because the Duko had been there previously Let -even the sest itself, either when I a or when I read this over tomorrow

I persuaded Beroep to take me across the street to Cijfer's It was a serious violation of the law, he said; he and Aanvagen ht lose their boats and even their house if the law found out We waited until long after shadelohen the street was almost empty I was ray, and ree whorl it is, in which we beco on new clothes! The prisoner Horn disappeared as soon as Beroep draped hily voluminous cloak, replaced by the nameless captain of a nameless boat In all the time I sailed with Babbie and Seawrack, I had no such cloak Now I have no boat, but am equipped for one No doubt it will soon appear

In the same way, rubies and red and purple silk made me Rajan of Gaon We are but the paper; our clothes are the ink

Across the street ent, with Oreb flying well in advance so that his company would not betray my identity, and to make certain Cijfer would put out the lamps and open her door the moment we arrived