TheDeadFatherploddingalong,attheendofhiscable.Hislonggoldenrobes.Hislonggrayhairtotheshoulder.Hisbroadandnoblebrow.

    Awfullycalm,saidJulie.

    Placidasamailman,Thomasagreed,heistryingtobegood.

    Harderforhimthanfortheeorme,hesnotusedtoit.

    Iwasnevergood,untilIattainedmymajority,Thomassaid.Ahen--

    Iheredmyprettyheadaboutit,Juliesaid.SometimesIdidtherightthingandsometimesIdidthewrongthing.Indifficultcases,Ishutmyeyesandleaped.Agreatdealofleaping.

    Ahoseinstahathavefeelingsattached--

    Igoagainstthem,shesaid.Myfeelings.Methodoftheutmosttrustworthiness,learnedfromtheCarmelites.

    Ifollowmyfeelings,Thomassaid,whenIfindthem.

    Hesbeenveryquiet.

    Notapeepoutofhimthesemanymiles.

    Hasheperhapstwigged?

    Lookonthebrightside,Thomassaid,anddecidethathehasnot.Itsessential.

    AgrimaJulie.

    Theworldsslowstain.Whosaidthat?Preservedfromthetagionof,Ithink,theworldsslowstain.

    IbloitifIeverkhomassaid.

    Juliebitoffachewofbhang.

    Andthemen,saidThomas.Somepossibilityoftroublethere.

    Nonsehemenwillbeadequatelyrepeheredsandbluesandsilverstreakswehaveintrodutothegraytuscheoftheirlives.Dontworryaboutthemen.Theyareoerall--atractorcouldhavedohejobaswell.

    Thepositionwouldhavesuffered,Thomassaid.Thinkofit:Upthere,theeen,theOldIncibles,haulinguponthecable.Thelihecableitself,taut,angled,runningfromtheretohere.Finally,theobjecthauled:theFather,inhismajesty.Hisgrandeur.Atractorwouldhavebeentrèsinsipi