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ons； or rather the same rephrased； and answered on this third occasion by both Scopique and Aping； N'ashap listened with only half an ear； studying Gentle as the drama was recounted； then congratulating him with a curious formality。 Gentle noted with satisfaction the plugs of dried blood in his nose。
〃We must make a full account of this incident to Yzord…derrex；〃 N'ashap said。 〃I'm sure it will intrigue them as much as it does me。〃
So saying； he left； with an order to Aping that he follow immediately。
〃Our mander looked less than well；〃 Scopique observed。 〃I wonder why。〃
Gentle allowed himself a smile； but it went from his face at the sight of his final visitor。 Pie 'oh' pah had appeared in the door。
〃Ah； well！〃 said Scopique。 〃Here you are。 I'll leave you two alone。〃
He withdrew； closing the door behind him。 The mystif didn't move to embrace Gentle； or even take his hand。 Instead it went to the window and gazed out over the sea； upon which the suns were still shining。
〃Now we know why they call this the Cradle；〃 it said。
〃What do you mean？〃
〃Where else could a man give birth？〃
〃That wasn't birth；〃 Gentle said。 〃Don't flatter it。〃
〃Maybe not to us；〃 Pie said。 〃But who knows how children were made here in ancient times？ Maybe the men immersed themselves； drank the water； let it grow…〃
〃I saw you；〃 Gentle said。
〃I know；〃 Pie replied； not turning from the window。 〃And you almost lost us both an ally。〃
〃N'ashap？ An ally？〃
〃He's the power here。〃
〃He's an Oethac。 And he's scum。 And I'm going to have the satisfaction of killing him。〃
〃Are you my champion now？〃 Pie said； finally looking back at Gentle。
〃I saw what he was doing to you；〃
〃That was nothing；〃 Pie replied。 〃I knew what I was doing。 Why do you think we've had the treatment we've had？ I've been allowed to see Scopique whenever I want； You've been fed and watered。 And N'ashap was asking no questions； about either of us。 Now he will。 Now he'll be suspicious。 We'll have to move quickly before he gets his questions answered。〃
〃Better that than you having to service him。〃
〃I told you； it was nothing。〃
〃It was to me；〃 Gentle said； the words scraping in his bruised throat。
It took some effort； but he got to his feet so as to meet the mystif； eye to eye。
〃At the beginning； you talked to me about how you thought you'd hurt me； remember？ You kept talking about the station at Mai…ke； and saying you wanted me to forgive you； and I kept thinking there would never be anything between us that couldn't be forgiven or forgotten； and that when I had the words again I'd say so。 But now I don't know。 He saw you naked； Pie。 Why him and not me？ I think that's maybe unforgivable； that you granted him the mystery but not me。〃
〃He saw no mystery；〃 Pie replied。 〃He looked at me； and he saw a woman he'd loved and lost in Yzordderrex。 A woman who looked like his mother； in fact。 That's what he was obsessing on。 An echo of his mother's echo。 And as long as I kept supplying the illusion； discreetly； he was pliant。 That seemed more important than my dignity。〃
〃Not any more；〃 Gentle said。 〃If we're to go from here…together…then I want whatever you are to be mine。 I won't share you； Pie。 Not for pliance。 Not for life itself。〃
〃I didn't know you felt like this。 If you'd told me…〃
〃I couldn't。 Even before we came here； I felt it； but I couldn't bring myself to say anything。〃
〃For what it's worth； I apologize。〃
〃I don't want an apology。〃
〃What then？〃
〃A promise。 An oath。〃 He paused。 〃A marriage。〃
The mystif smiled。 〃Really？〃
〃More than anything。 I asked you once； and you accepted。 Do I need to ask again？ I will if you want me to。〃
〃No need；〃 Pie said。 〃Nothing would honor me more。 But here？ Here； of all places？〃 The mystif s frown became a grin。 〃Scopique told me about a Dearther who's locked up in the basement。 He could do the honors。〃
〃What's his religion？〃
〃He's here because he thinks he's Jesus Christ。〃
〃Then he can prove it with a miracle。〃
〃What miracle's that？〃
〃He can make an honest man of John Furie Zacharias。〃
The marriage of the Eurhetemec mystif and the fugitive John Furie Zacharias； called Gentle； took place that night in the depths of the asylum。 Happily； their priest was passing through a period of lucidity and was willing to be addressed by his real name； Father Athanasius。 He bore the evidence of his dementia； however： scars on his forehead； where the crowns of thorns he repeatedly fashioned and wore had dug deep； and scabs on his hands where he'd driven nails into his flesh。 He was as fond of the frown as Scopique of the grin； though the look of a philosopher sat badly on a face better suited to a edian： with its blob nose that perpetually ran； its teeth too widely spread； and eyebrows； like hairy caterpillars； that concertinaed when he furrowed his forehead。 He was kept； along with twenty or so other prisoners judged exceptionally seditious； in the deepest part of the asylum； his windowless cell guarded more vigorously than those of the prisoners on higher floors。 It had thus taken some fancy maneuvering on Sco…pique's part to get access to him； and the bribed guard； an Oethac； was only willing to turn a hooded eye for a few minutes。 The ceremony was therefore short； conducted in an ad hoc mixture of Latin and English； with a few phrases pronounced in the language of Athanasius' Second Dominion order； the Dearthers； the music of which more than pensated for its unintelligibility。 The oaths themselves were necessarily spare； given the constraints of time and the redundance of most of the conventional vocabulary。
〃This isn't done in the sight of Hapexamendios；〃 Athanasius said； 〃nor in the sight of any God； or the agent of any God。 We pray that the presence of our Lady may however touch this union with Her infinite passion； and that you go together into the great union at some higher time。 Until then； I can only be as a glass held up to your sacrament； which is performed in your sight for your sake。〃
The full significance of these words didn't strike Gentle until later； when； with the oaths made and the ceremony done； he lay down in his cell beside his partner。
〃I always said I'd never marry；〃 he whispered to the mystif。
〃Regretting it already？〃
〃Not at all。 But it's strange to be married and not have a wife。〃
〃You can call me wife。 You can call me whatever you want。 Reinvent me。 That's what I'm for。〃
〃I didn't marry you to use you； Pie。〃
〃That's part of it； though。 We must be functions of each other。 Mirrors； maybe。〃 It touched Gentle's face。 〃I'll use you； believe me。〃
〃For what？〃
〃For everything。 fort； argument； pleasure。〃
〃I do want to learn from you。〃
〃About what？〃
〃How to fly out of my head again； the way I did this afternoon。 How to travel by mind。〃
〃By mote；〃 Pie said； echoing the way Gentle had felt as he'd driven his thoughts through N'ashap's skull。 〃Meaning： a particle of thought； as seen in sunlight。〃
〃It can only be done in sunlight？〃
〃No。 It's just easier that way。 Almost everything's easier in sunlight。〃
〃Except this；〃 Gentle said； kissing the mystif。 〃I've always preferred the night for this。 。 。。〃
He had e to their marriage bed determined that he would make love with the mystif as it truly was； allowing no fantasy to intrude between his senses and the vision he'd glimpsed in N'ashap's office。 That oath made him as nervous as a virgin groom； demanding as it did a double unveiling… Just as he unbuttoned and discarded the clothes that concealed the mystif s essential sex； so he had to tear from his eyes the fort of the illusions that lay between his sight and its object。 What would he feel then？ It was easy to be aroused by a creature so totally reconfigured by desire that it was indistinguishable from the thing desired。 But what of the configurer itself； seen naked by naked eyes？
In the shadows its body was almost feminine； its planes serene； its surface smooth； but there was an austerity in its sinew he couldn't pretend was womanly； nor were its buttocks lush； or its chest ripe。 It was not his wife； and though it was happy to be imagined that way； and his mind teetered over and over on the edge of giving in to such invention； he resisted； demanding his eyes hold to their focus and his fingers to the facts。 He began to wish it were lighter in the cell； so as not to give ease to ambiguity。 When he put his hand into the shadow between its legs and felt the heat and motion there； he said； 〃I want to see；〃 and Pie dutifully stood up in the light from the window so that Gentle could have a plainer view。 His heart was pumping furiously； but none of the blood was reaching his groin。 It was filling his head； making his face bum。 He was glad he sat in shadow； where his disfort was less visible； though he knew that shadow concealed only the outward show； and the mystif was perfectly aware of the fear he felt。 He took a deep breath and got up from the bed； crossing to within touching distance of this enigma。
〃Why are you doing this to yourself？〃 Pie asked softly。 〃Why not let the dreams e？〃
〃Because I don't want to dream you；〃 he said。 〃I came on this journey to understand。 How can I understand anything if all I l