Part Six

           Wehavenotwrittenforthirtydays.Forthirtydayswehavenotbeenhere,inourtunnel.Wehadbeencaught.Ithappenedonthatnightwhenwewrotelast.Weforgot,thatnight,towatchthesandintheglasswhichtellsuswhenthreehourshavepassedanditistimetoreturntotheCityTheatre.Whenwerememberedit,thesandhadrunout.

           WehastenedtotheTheatre.Butthebigtentstoodgreyandsilentagainstthesky.ThestreetsoftheCitylaybeforeus,darkandempty.Ifwewentbacktohideinourtunnel,wewouldbefoundandourlightfoundwithus.SowewalkedtotheHomeoftheStreetSweepers.

           WhentheCounciloftheHomequestionedus,welookeduponthefacesoftheCouncil,buttherewasnocuriosityinthosefaces,andnoanger,andnomercy.Sowhentheoldestofthemaskedus:“Wherehaveyoubeen?”wethoughtofourglassboxandofourlight,andweforgotallelse.Andweanswered:

           “Wewillnottellyou.”

           Theoldestdidnotquestionusfurther.Theyturnedtothetwoyoungest,andsaid,andtheirvoicewasbored:

           “TakeourbrotherEquality7-2521tothePalaceofCorrectiveDetention.Lashthemuntiltheytell.”

           SoweweretakentotheStoneRoomunderthePalaceofCorrectiveDetention.Thisroomhasnowindowsanditisemptysaveforanironpost.Twomenstoodbythepost,nakedbutforleatherapronsandleatherhoodsovertheirfaces.Thosewhohadbroughtusdeparted,leavingustothetwoJudgeswhostoodinacorneroftheroom.TheJudgesweresmall,thinmen,greyandbent.Theygavethesignaltothetwostronghoodedones.