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Chapter 24 — The Natural History of the Selenites
“‘M’m—M’m—he—ifImaysay—draw.Eatlittle—drinklittle—draw.Lovedraw.Nootherthing.Hateallwhonotdrawlikehim.Angry.Hateallwhodrawlikehimbetter.Hatemostpeople.Hateallwhonotthinkallworldfortodraw.Angry.M’m.Allthingsmeannothingtohim—onlydraw.Helikeyou...ifyouunderstand....Newthingtodraw.Ugly—striking.Eh?
“‘He’—turningtoTsi-puff—‘loverememberwords.Rememberwonderfulmorethanany.Thinkno,drawno—remember.Say’—herehereferredtohisgiftedassistantforaword—‘histories—allthings.Hehearonce—sayever.’
“ItismorewonderfultomethanIdreamtthatanythingevercouldbeagain,tohear,inthisperpetualobscurity,theseextraordinarycreatures—forevenfamiliarityfailstoweakentheinhumaneffectoftheirappearance—continuallypipinganearerapproachtocoherentearthlyspeech—askingquestions,givinganswers.IfeelthatIamcastingbacktothefable-hearingperiodofchildhoodagain,whentheantandthegrasshoppertalkedtogetherandthebeejudgedbetweenthem...”
AndwhiletheselinguisticexercisesweregoingonCavorseemstohaveexperiencedaconsiderablerelaxationofhisconfinement.“Thefirstdreadanddistrustourunfortunateconflictarousedisbeing,”hesaid,“continuallyeffacedbythedeliberaterationalityofallIdo....IamnowabletocomeandgoasIplease,orIamrestrictedonlyformyowngood.
