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           "’Totheaxeman,allsupplicantsarethesameheight.’" 

           "’Yetverily,theroseiswithinthethorn.’" 

           "’Thegoodmothermakesbeansoupfortheerrantboy,’"saidthevoicebehindthedoor. 

           Therewasapause,brokenonlybythesoundoftherain. Thenthevisitorsaid,"What?" 

           "’Thegoodmothermakesbeansoupfortheerrantboy.’" 

           Therewasanother,longerpause.Thenthedampfiguresaid, "Areyousuretheill-builttowerdoesn’ttremblemightilyatabutterfly’spassage?" 

           "Nope.Beansoupitis.I’msorry." 

           Therainhisseddownrelentlesslyintheembarrassedsilence. 

           "Whataboutthecagedwhale?"saidthesoakingvisitor,tryingtosqueezeintowhatlittleshelterthedreadportaloffered. 

           "Whataboutit?" 

           "Itshouldknownothingofthemightydeeps,ifyoumustknow." 

           "Oh,thecagedwhale.YouwanttheElucidatedBrethrenoftheEbonNight.Threedoorsdown." 

           "Who’reyou,then?" 

           "We’retheIlluminatedandAncientBrethrenofEe."