From: m.driussi@genie.geis.com
Subject: (urth) re: Fav lines
Date: Sat,  2 May 98 22:09:00 GMT

FunkMonkey,

That is a good sequence between Valeria and Severian, and yes, it is
true that the knowledge gap shifts between Severian and the reader.
One of Hethor's critters at the gate is one of the more likely
explanations (though it still seems ominously silent that nobody even
says, "What the hell happened at the gate back there?"  To which the
other character could say, "Who knows, some kind of commotion."  Just
to acknowledge that hey, one doesn't always see a seven car pile up
on the interstate highway).  Still, if so, we wonder which one?  The
slug was used a couple times (slimed Jonas in the antechamber).  When
things get =that= quiet in a Wolfe story it usually means something
very important.

I've never heard the notion that the maid who performs the role of
Holy K on the feast days of the torturers is a machine.  Personally
I'm resistant to the idea, since I belive that the "maid" in question
is the same dark haired lass named Catherine beloved by Ouen (son of
Dorcas) so long ago, the disgraced monial who gave birth to twins in
the Matachin Tower.  (This Catherine was a Pelerine, and as such she
was probably exultant or a released khaibit of an exultant.)

Re: Agilus wearing a death mask.  Part of the bait and switch tactic;
throwing the customer off-balance with a loud neck tie; jokingly
responding in kind to what the A/A twins thought was an armiger in
grim costume; buying time for Agia's quick change from "bait" to
"soldier."  Stuff like that.  Those cunning A/A twins.

=mantis=

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