From: CRCulver@aol.com
Subject: (urth) Catherine's Crime
Date: Fri, 9 Oct 1998 19:04:41 EDT

Mantis wrote:
<While I don't for a minute suppose that the pelerines would have one of their
own sent to the Matachin Tower for any crime, let alone something as mild as
breaking a vow of virginity, still, you bring up an interesting point that has
vexed essayists for years--what crime, real or suspected, would be serious
enough to warrant Catherine's stay with the torturers?>

Keep in mind that Severian has exultant features, and there are no exultants
on Ouen's side, so the exultant features must come from Catherine's side. All
the exultantesses are concubines of the Autarch, and are kept in the House
Absolute under somewhat strict guard. If Catherine ran away, she could find
safety in the Pelerines. Having become dissatisfied with the monials, she
left, but was caught in Nessus after a tryst with Ouen. The Autarch of the
time, whether it was Appian, or his predecessor (the one who closed the
roads), had her tortured.

Christopher R. Culver <crculver@aol.com>
http://members.aol.com/crculver/index.html

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