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           Therewasalargebrasshorncomingoutoftheside—thekindyoucouldfindonanantiquegramophone.Thewholemechanismlookedratherlikeacombinedtelevisionandvideoplayermightlook,ifithadbeeninventedandbuiltthreehundredyearsagobySirIsaacNewton.Whichwas,moreorless,exactlywhatitwas.

           "Watch,"saidDoor.Sheplacedthewoodenballontoaplatform.Lightsshonethroughthemachineandintotheball.Itbegantospinaroundandaround,

           Apatricianfaceappearedonthesmallscreen,vividlycolored.Slightlyoutoftime,avoicecamefromthehorn,cracklinginmid-speech."...thattwocitiesshouldbesonear,"saidthevoice,"andyetinallthingssofar;thepossessorsaboveus,andthedispossessed,wewholivebelowandbetween,wholiveinthecracks."

           Doorstaredatthescreen,herfaceunreadable.

           "...still,"saidherfather,"Iamoftheopinionthatwhatcripplesus,whoinhabittheUnderside,isourpettyfactionalism.Thesystemofbaroniesandfiefdomsisbothdivisiveandfoolish."TheLordPorticowaswearingathreadbareoldsmokingjacketandaskullcap.Hisvoiceseemedtobecomingtothemacrossthecenturies,notdaysorweeks.Hecoughed."Iamnotaloneinthisbelief.Therearethosewhowishtoseethingsthewaytheyare.Thereareotherswhowantthesituationtoworsen.Therearethose..."

           "Canyouspeeditup?"askedthemarquis."Findthelastentry?"