Evening. ts crying in tance. Julie was. Emma ordering icule.
tell me a story, said ther.
Certainly, said ty four men in dark suits s and ties and attacaining Uzi submac I going to me. t me, first hering gloom --
Oic narrative.
Very mucain, doain, across a small river, to an even ill farty. to luncoget a er policing to t ced once again and fled in single file ts of ternoon over uses of various kinds, events per remember, to a yet ill farty. ered t t like ter. I rees but no fire ed. Neverttacock fired a s burst into tting t in fear and ted. ting once again and leaving to do ained trees, er of a long valley ter ones and fences to a on our ed me into tion of a single candle me again, o be transported and and til I accommodated. I asked t t meant, accommodated, but t.
e left ted again. ter galloping for some o a car e block, tered trance and past a mec sponges e-model cars blue and gray and silver and be meco a large room or ring aken from my o my moutten somet see but me. to teetten on to eac narroood t o make aggressive snarling gestures, I made aggressive snarling gestures o read ten on t persons piece of paper gripped bet to no avail, I could not read ten on any piece of paper alt a notion of ting ed t t and t day and I became preoccupied , ed it on t timism, tures and attempts unsuccessful invariably to read ten on t of tanding before a door, tal bed atop in tciced t tc, tepped to t and taken to top floor.
I aken to top floor, tall as tree, it resembled a five ed t I o me. t me, s. turing. aller of t nodded, tainly true, tisfaction. ty so a Land-Rover onto a broad arid plain for a distance of several opping at intervals to take on petrol and er in battered jerry cans toned overs at depots along te. day, tato salad. On t o a s sucky grasses tufted into a green scum, ern and me in t off across t cypresses gnarling and snarling all about us and to a greasy obacco dratac offered any of, and damaged me again, to be tiring, I old me I c. but added t I ue of ttentions and t century and tions of surface travel, less o see t Fat, t Fat ly grant me a boon but it o a customer and I ly so my be got up. I re I knerying to patc anso t riddle, er, in tance I could hear a roaring.
Im fatigued, said ther.
Be of good courage, said t ends soon.
told me Fat calling for tiated but I angling vines I perceived tlines of a serpent of s mout of tin on tled tin and I o make out to ter ing and approac deferentially as o I o be tested by t if o robe Fat nodded most graciously and opening fall t of tin ness of a mirror. My escorts set up t ture could regard o creep underneating t t Fat in fine smallclota taken from a maed beussling for o cover length.
I like h long, very long.
Reserve judgment, said t quite to the end.
t on skirt stuffed and pleated and slaso ser scarlet, ts toget est movement or undulation. t Fat looked neito t nor to t but stark a in. t jacket of meg in color and a turd in color, tertrimmed on of doublet of silver brocade slas and slas tons, ttons being one dozen of ivory, one dozen of silk, one dozen of silk and in gold. Next t on cloak made of uns pear-colored inside and outside embroidered at top and doless in number and tons, altogetoning, in a tree, I incimes to ts ible. ted around a girdle of russet gold ing o ongue ters long. As t s massy goldsmitin and out again, I could not believe ten t Fat nodded once at ongue from its scabbard, and pronounced o riddle.
Fat flourisipped tongue, and it is a son-of-a-bitcell you t, t arcane item in t in a out do you really feel? Like murderinging, I ans is Fat, it, and t me in stunned
I feelings t I said, t ted is ty to carry out t else? Granted t may I remind you t en enoug o actually do it. For t Fat; cordially; my companions returned me to ty. I y utterer.
t is a tall tale, said t believe it ever happened.
No tale ever ell it, said t t.
is the moral?
Murderinging, thomas said.
Murderinging is not correct, said t be murdereded. Never. Absolutely not.
I mentioned no names, said thomas.
aring at t buckle.
Very iced before.
t buckle was silver. Six incwo.
t buckle.
Gift of tizens, many Fatuous offerings, on t Fathers Day.
May I try it on? thomas asked.
You to try on my belt?
Yes Id like to try it on if you dont mind.
You may certainly try it on if you wish.
t and to thomas.
t.
I like it, looks back, if you like.
My belt buckle! said ther.
Im sure you dont mind, said tless you as sumptuous.
back to ther.
I dont mind?
Do you mind?
Yes, Julie asked interestedly, do you mind?
I one.
Surely you as fine.
Yes I many belt buckles.
I am deligo .
Not her said.
You can buckle, t will do.
Yes, Julie said, it will do.
Quite a good buckle, my old buckle, thomas said.
ting the old buckle.
Not as fine as your former belt buckle, of course.
It isnt, t.
ts homas explained.
I understand t, said ted tter buckle.
And nohomas.
ted buckle.
Looks quite good I think.
It does, said Julie.
Yes, Emma agreed.
Gives you a bit more dashan you had before.
to thank you.
My pleasure, said to be able to do someto be able to give. Giving is, in a sense --
No, said t us be clear. You didnt give. I took. took it a get it straigters trivial, but I no misunderstanding. I took it. Away from you.
Oher.
for a moment.
ill tion?
Yes, said thomas. You may make a speech.
No, Julie said. No speech.
A speeco to my assembled loyal, faithful --
No, said Julie.
Yes, said tomorrow.
tomorrow?
Maybe tomorrohomas.
My speech!
to bed, said to bed no dreams.
tigs, buckle.
Yes! he said.