the page； laboriously。 His eyes recognized the symbols； but clearly； no sense was being made of the sentence…phrase itself。
It had been the same with books in GalSix； Anglic； and GalSeven； tearing Sara's heart to see his frustration turn into torment。 Perhaps only now was the injured man ing to know fully what had been ripped away from him。 What he had forever lost。
Ariana Foo； on the other hand； seemed eminently satisfied。 She beamed at Sara。 〃This is no rube from the outer hamlets；〃 the old woman ruled。 〃He was an educated person； familiar with every language currently in use among the Six。 If we have time； we must take him to the Linguistics Wing and try some of the forgotten dialects！ Galactic Twelve would clinch it。 Only three scholars on Jijo know any of it today。〃
〃What's the point？〃 Sara asked。 〃You've made your case。 Why not let him be？〃
〃In a minute； dear。 One or two more； then we'll be off。 I've saved the best for last。〃
Two library staff members watched nervously as Ariana reached over to a stack of books by her side。 Some were priceless； with rings set in their spines where chains normally kept them locked to their shelves。 The archivists clearly did not like seeing them pawed by a speechless barbarian。
Unwilling to watch； Sara turned away。
The rest of the Children's Wing was placid…and contained few children。 Scholars； teachers； and traveling librarians from all six races came here to study； copy； or select books to borrow； carrying their precious cargo by cart； boat； or pack donkey to settlements throughout the Slope。 Sara observed a red qheuen carefully gather some of the heavy； brass…bound albums required by her kind； assisted by two lorniks trained as assistants and page…turners。 One lornik swatted at a polisher bee that was working its way across the cover of a book； rubbing its abdomen amorously across the jacket； buffing it to a fine sheen and erasing part of the title。 No one knew what function the insectoids once served for the departed Buyur； but they were a damned nuisance nowadays。
Sara saw others from every race； educators who refused to let a mere crisis interfere with the serious task of instructing the next generation。 Beyond the qheuen； an elderly traeki selected volumes treated to resist the fluids emitted by new stacks of rings； too clumsy to control their secretions。
A low moan brought Sara back around to see the Stranger holding before him a long； slim book so old； the colors had gone all dingy and gray。 The man's dark features clouded with clashing emotions。 Sara had no time to read the title； only to glimpse a skinny black feline figure on the cover； wearing a red…and…white…striped stovepipe hat。 Then； to the librarians' gasping dismay； he clutched the volume tightly to his chest； rocking back and forth with eyes closed。
〃Something from his childhood； I'll warrant；〃 Ariana Foo diagnosed； scribbling on her pad。 〃According to the indexes； this fable was widely popular among children in northwestern Earth civilization almost continuously for over three centuries； so we can tentatively localize his cultural origins。。。。〃
〃How nice。 Then you're finished？〃 Sara demanded； caustically。
〃Hm？ Oh； yes； I suppose so。 For now。 Get him settled down will you； pet？ Then bring him along。 I'll be waiting in the main Listening Parlor。〃 With that； Ariana nodded briskly to the chim assigned to push her chair； leaving Sara behind to deal with the upset Stranger。
He was muttering to himself； as he did from time to time； repeating the same short phrase； over and over。 Something that wormed its way out； despite the damage to his brain。 In this case； it was clearly nonsense； sparked by intense emotion。
〃。。。 a wocket in my pocket。。。〃 he said again and again； chortling poignantly； 〃。。。 a wocket in my pocket。。。〃
Gently； firmly； Sara managed to pry the ancient tome out of his trembling hands； returning the treasure to the disapproving librarians。 With patience she encouraged the wounded man to stand； though his dark eyes were fogged with a kind of misery Sara found she could fathom。 She； too； had lost someone precious to her。
Only the one he was mourning was himself。
Two g'Kek savants met them by the entrance to the Listening Parlor； physician researchers who had examined the Stranger soon after he arrived in Biblos。 One now took him by the hand。
〃Sage Foo wishes you to attend her in the observing room； next door；〃 the other one said。 One eyestalk gestured toward an opening farther down the hall。 When the Stranger looked at Sara questioningly； she gave him an encouraging nod。 His trusting smile only made her feel worse。
The observing room was dimly illuminated by light streaming in through two circular windows…exquisite slabs of spun glass； flawless except for the characteristic central stem…which looked into another chamber where the two g'Kek doctors could be seen seating the Stranger before a large box with a crank on one side and a trumpetlike horn rising from the other。
〃e in； pet。 And please close the door。〃
It took several duras for Sara's eyes to adapt and see who sat with Ariana。 By then it was too late to flee。
The whole party from Tarek Town was present； along with two humans dressed in scholars' robes。 Ulgor and Blade had reason to be here； of course。 Blade had helped rescue the Stranger from the swamp； and Ulgor was an honorary delegate from Dolo Village。 Even Jop had an official interest。 But why were Jomah and Kurt the Exploser in the room？ Whatever cryptic guild business brought them from Tarek； the old man and boy now watched the proceedings with the silent intensity that was a trademark of their family and craft。
The human scholars turned toward her。
Banner and Taine…the very persons she had hoped to avoid during this visit。
Both men rose to their feet。
Sara hesitated； then bowed at the waist。 〃Masters。〃
〃Dear Sara。〃 Bonner sighed； leaning on his cane more than she recalled when she had last seen the balding topologist。 〃How we've missed you in these dusty halls。〃
〃As I've missed you； master；〃 she replied； surprised how true it was。 Perhaps in the numbness after Joshu's passing； she had closed off too many good memories as well as bad。 The warmth of the old savant's hand on her arm recalled their many walks； discussing the arcane； endlessly fascinating habits of shapes； the sort that could be described with symbols but never seen by human eyes。
〃Please don't call me master anymore；〃 he asked。 〃You are an adept now； or should be soon enough。 e； have a seat between us； like old times。〃
A bit too much like old times； Sara realized； meeting the eyes of the other mathematician…sage。 The tall； silver…haired algebraist seemed unchanged； still distant； enigmatic。 Taine nodded and spoke her name； then sat again facing the windows。 Typically； he had chosen the position farthest from the nonhumans in the room。
Sage Taine's disfort around the other septs was not rare。 A minority felt that way in every race； a reaction deep…rooted in ancient drives。 What mattered was how you dealt with it； and Taine was unfailingly polite to the urs or g'Kek teachers who came to consult him about the binomial theorem。 Given the handicap； it was just as well the tall savant could live a scholar's cloistered life。。。 like the one Sara herself had expected…
…until a visiting bookbinder became an unlikely suitor； filling Sara's heart with unexpected possibilities。
…until she boldly announced to her confused colleagues a new focus for her studies； language； of all things。
…until Joshu sickened when pepper pox swept through the Valley of the Bibur； a plague that took its victims with agonizing suddenness； and she had to watch another woman perform the rites of mourning； knowing that everyone was watching； to see how she'd react。
…until； after the funeral； Sage Taine approached her with stiff formality and renewed his earlier proposal of marriage。
…until； in a rush； she fled this place of dust and memories； running home to her treehouse overlooking the great dam where she was born。
Now it all circled around again。 Taine had seemed so austerely beautiful when she first came to Biblos in her teens； a towering figure； impressive beyond pare。 But things had changed inside her since。 Everything had changed。
Abruptly； Taine's aristocratic bearing broke as he cursed and slapped his neck； then peered at his hand； frowning in disappointment。 Sara glanced at Bonner； who whispered； 〃Parrot ticks。 Such annoyances。 If one gets in your ear； Ifni help you。 I heard everything double for a week； till Vorjin fished the damn thing out。〃
Ariana Foo made an emphatic throat…clearing sound； drawing their attention forward。 〃I've already explained to the others； Sara； my belief that your Stranger is a man from the stars。 Further research illuminates the nature of his injuries。〃
Her chimp assistant passed out sheets of paper； streaked from hasty； hand…cranked photocopying； showing the stylized profile of a man's head； with arrows and captions pointing to parts。 Most of the words were gibberish to Sara； though Lark might have found them familiar。
〃I recalled reading about thi