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           Whenyouspendalargepartofyourlifeunderground,youdevelopaveryliteralmind.Dwarfshavenouseformetaphorandsimile.Rocksarehard,thedarknessisdark.Startmessingaroundwithdescriptionslikethatandyou’reinbigtrouble,istheirmotto.Butaftertwohundredyearsoftalkingtohumansthekinghad,asitwere,developedapainstakingmentaltoolkitwhichwasnearlyadequateforthejobofunderstandingthem.

           "SurelyBjornStronginthearmismyuncle,"hepointedout,slowly.

           "Samething."

           Therewasapausewhilethekingsubjectedthistocarefulanalysis.

           "You’resaying,"hesaid,weighingeachword,"thatweshouldsendCarrotawaytobeaduckamonghumansbecauseBjornStronginthearmismyuncle."

           "He’safinelad.Plentyofopeningsforabigstrongladlikehim,"saidVarneshi.

           "IhaveheardthatdwarfsgoofftoworkintheBigCity,"saidthekinguncertainly."Andtheysendbackmoneytotheirfamilies,whichisverycommendableandproper."

           "Thereyouarethen.Gethimajobin,in-"Varneshisoughtforinspiration-"intheWatch,orsomething.Mygreat-grandfatherwasintheWatch,youknow.Finejobforabiglad,mygrandadsaid."

           "WhatisaWatch?"saidtheking.

           "Oh,"saidVarneshi,withthevaguenessofsomeonewhosefamilyforthelastthreegenerationshadn’ttravelledmorethantwentymiles,"theygoesaboutmakingsurepeoplekeepthelawsanddowhatthey’retold."