chitectureboredownlikeawalledmaze.Thesignsandwordsandadmonitions—STOP,EATHERE,SAMEDAYDRYING;YOUDESERVEACOLORTV—didnotilluminateanymystery,butomeindifferenttoreadingtheirstantmessages.Atlast,wecametet.

    Luchógclimbeduptoawindowandslippedthroughaspacethatseemedmuallandnarrow.Hecollapsedlikeamousegoinguhedoor.Standinginthealleyway,Igelalookoutuntilheheardthesoftclickofthefrontlock;heguidedusupthestairstothemarket.Asheopehedoor,Luchóggaveusawangrin,aousledhishair.Silently,weproceededdowntherowofgoods,pasttheOvaltineandBosco,cerealinbrightboxes,sofvegetables,fruit,fish,a.Everynewfoodtemptedme,butIgelwouldnotallowanydelay,andheorderedmeinawhisperto"ehererightnow."Theycrouchedbybagsoomrow,andIgelrippedohasliceofhissharpthumbnail.Helickedhisfiip,dippeditinthepowder,thentastedit.

    "Bah...flour."

    Hemovedafewpadrepeatedtheprocedure.

    "Worse...sugar."

    "Thatstuffwillkillyou,"Luchógsaid.

    "Excuseme,"Iinterrupted,"butIread.Whatareyoulookingfor?"

    Luchóglookedatmeasifthequestionwasthemostpreposterousthinghedeverheard."Salt,man,salt."

    Ipoihebottomshelf,thatevenwithoutthegiftoflanguage,onemightreizethepictureoftheold-fashionedgirlunderherumbrella,leavingbehindatrailofsalt."WhenItRains,ItPours,"Isaid,buttheyseemeduakemymeaning.Weloadedourrucksackswithasmuchascouldbecarriedahestorebythefrontdoor,adeflatiure,sideringthesmasbordinside.omadethejourneyhomelongerandmorear