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From: David_Lebling@avid.com Subject: (whorl) Digest whorl.v001.n029 Date: Wed, 29 Jan 97 16:31:40 [Posted from Whorl, the mailing list for Gene Wolfe's Book of the Long Sun] > From: CoxRathvon@aol.com > The mystery continues, even for Silk. Quetzal tells him (p. 327) "We > thought you were dead." And he and Incus give Silk the Pardon of Pas. > And he adds that Auk and Chenille "promised to > return for your body." But later (p. 350), when Silk meets Chenille at > Blood's villa, Chenille says, "We knew you were alive. His Cognizance said > there was a pulse." > This makes Silk ponder (while the others are discussing Quetzal), and I quote > from p. 350: During Silk's near-death experience alluded to earlier in your message, he sees Quetzal and Incus giving him the Pardon of Pas, which corroborates part of Quetzal's story. Stiff neck or no, is there any evidence that Silk was bitten by Quetzal? Recall that in the previous week Silk has been bitten by a vulture, had his leg broken, been tortured by electric shocks, and been shot with a needler. In spite of all this he manages walk and run hither and yon in and under Viron, fight a duel, conduct sacrifices, make love to Hyacinth (I think), etc. etc. This guy is _tough_. What's a little fall and burial alive to a guy like him? He was losing blood the day before (needler wound), but there's no description of bleeding in this passage. Which is not to say I don't find your theory possible, even probable. But we don't know anything about Quetzal having a healing or even transfusing ability. There is an interesting passage on p. 283 of the paperback edition: Oosik smiled. "You are better already, I think. I was greatly concerned for you when I saw you." He looked at the surgeon. "What do you think, Doctor? Should our calde have more blood?" Quetzal stiffened, and the surgeon shook his head. Hmmm. On another Quetzal-related issue, I've maligned him several times in this newsletter by stating that he was the "large snake" that bit Villus. In fact it was one of the snakes summoned by Echidna during her theophany and possession of Maytera Rose that bit Villus. My apologies. Dave Lebling (david_lebling@avid.com) Questions or problems to whorl-owner@lists.best.com