Part One

           Itisasintowritethis.Itisasintothinkwordsnoothersthinkandtoputthemdownuponapapernoothersaretosee.Itisbaseandevil.Itisasifwewerespeakingalonetonoearsbutourown.Andweknowwellthatthereisnotransgressionblackerthantodoorthinkalone.Wehavebrokenthelaws.ThelawssaythatmenmaynotwriteunlesstheCouncilofVocationsbidthemso.Maywebeforgiven!

           Butthisisnottheonlysinuponus.Wehavecommittedagreatercrime,andforthiscrimethereisnoname.Whatpunishmentawaitsusifitbediscoveredweknownot,fornosuchcrimehascomeinthememoryofmenandtherearenolawstoprovideforit.

           Itisdarkhere.Theflameofthecandlestandsstillintheair.Nothingmovesinthistunnelsaveourhandonthepaper.Wearealonehereundertheearth.Itisafearfulword,alone.Thelawssaythatnoneamongmenmaybealone,everandatanytime,forthisisthegreattransgressionandtherootofallevil.Butwehavebrokenmanylaws.Andnowthereisnothingheresaveouronebody,anditisstrangetoseeonlytwolegsstretchedontheground,andonthewallbeforeustheshadowofouronehead.

           Thewallsarecrackedandwaterrunsupontheminthinthreadswithoutsound,blackandglisteningasblood.WestolethecandlefromthelarderoftheHomeoftheStreetSweepers.WeshallbesentencedtotenyearsinthePalaceofCorrectiveDetentionifitbediscovered.Butthismattersnot.Itmattersonlythatthelightispreciousandweshouldnotwasteittowritewhenweneeditforthatworkwhichisourcrime.