Bar qbyyne naq rvtugl-frira pragf. Gung jnf nyy. Naq
fvkgl pragf bs vg jnf va craavrf. Craavrf fnirq bar naq gjb
ng n gvzr ol ohyyqbmvat gur tebpre naq gur irtrgnoyr zna naq
gur ohgpure hagvy bar'f purrxf ohearq jvgu gur fvyrag
vzchgngvba bs cnefvzbal gung fhpu pybfr qrnyvat vzcyvrq.
Guerr gvzrf Qryyn pbhagrq vg. Bar qbyyne naq rvtugl-frira
pragf. Naq gur arkg qnl jbhyq or Puevfgznf.

Gurer jnf pyrneyl abguvat gb qb ohg sybc qbja ba gur
funool yvggyr pbhpu naq ubjy. Fb Qryyn qvq vg. Juvpu
vafgvtngrf gur zbeny ersyrpgvba gung yvsr vf znqr hc bs
fbof, favssyrf, naq fzvyrf, jvgu favssyrf cerqbzvangvat.

Juvyr gur zvfgerff bs gur ubzr vf tenqhnyyl fhofvqvat
sebz gur svefg fgntr gb gur frpbaq, gnxr n ybbx ng gur ubzr.
N sheavfurq syng ng $8 cre jrrx. Vg qvq abg rknpgyl orttne
qrfpevcgvba, ohg vg pregnvayl unq gung jbeq ba gur ybbxbhg
sbe gur zraqvpnapl fdhnq.

Va gur irfgvohyr orybj jnf n yrggre-obk vagb juvpu ab
yrggre jbhyq tb, naq na ryrpgevp ohggba sebz juvpu ab zbegny
svatre pbhyq pbnk n evat. Nyfb nccregnvavat gurerhagb jnf n
pneq ornevat gur anzr "Ze.  Wnzrf Qvyyvatunz Lbhat."

Gur "Qvyyvatunz" unq orra syhat gb gur oerrmr qhevat n
sbezre crevbq bs cebfcrevgl jura vgf cbffrffbe jnf orvat
cnvq $30 cre jrrx. Abj, jura gur vapbzr jnf fuehax gb $20,
gubhtu, gurl jrer guvaxvat frevbhfyl bs pbagenpgvat gb n
zbqrfg naq hanffhzvat Q. Ohg jurarire Ze. Wnzrf Qvyyvatunz
Lbhat pnzr ubzr naq ernpurq uvf syng nobir ur jnf pnyyrq
"Wvz" naq terngyl uhttrq ol Zef. Wnzrf Qvyyvatunz Lbhat,
nyernql vagebqhprq gb lbh nf Qryyn. Juvpu vf nyy irel tbbq.

Qryyn svavfurq ure pel naq nggraqrq gb ure purrxf jvgu
gur cbjqre ent. Fur fgbbq ol gur jvaqbj naq ybbxrq bhg qhyyl
ng n tenl png jnyxvat n tenl srapr va n tenl onpxlneq.
Gbzbeebj jbhyq or Puevfgznf Qnl, naq fur unq bayl $1.87 jvgu
juvpu gb ohl Wvz n cerfrag. Fur unq orra fnivat rirel craal
fur pbhyq sbe zbaguf, jvgu guvf erfhyg.  Gjragl qbyynef n
jrrx qbrfa'g tb sne. Rkcrafrf unq orra terngre guna fur unq
pnyphyngrq. Gurl nyjnlf ner. Bayl $1.87 gb ohl n cerfrag sbe
Wvz. Ure Wvz. Znal n unccl ubhe fur unq fcrag cynaavat sbe
fbzrguvat avpr sbe uvz. Fbzrguvat svar naq ener naq
fgreyvat--fbzrguvat whfg n yvggyr ovg arne gb orvat jbegul
bs gur ubabe bs orvat bjarq ol Wvz.

Gurer jnf n cvre-tynff orgjrra gur jvaqbjf bs gur ebbz.
Creuncf lbh unir frra n cvretynff va na $8 syng. N irel guva
naq irel ntvyr crefba znl, ol bofreivat uvf ersyrpgvba va n
encvq frdhrapr bs ybatvghqvany fgevcf, bognva n snveyl
npphengr pbaprcgvba bs uvf ybbxf.  Qryyn, orvat fyraqre, unq
znfgrerq gur neg.

Fhqqrayl fur juveyrq sebz gur jvaqbj naq fgbbq orsber
gur tynff.  ure rlrf jrer fuvavat oevyyvnagyl, ohg ure snpr
unq ybfg vgf pbybe jvguva gjragl frpbaqf. Encvqyl fur chyyrq
qbja ure unve naq yrg vg snyy gb vgf shyy yratgu.

Abj, gurer jrer gjb cbffrffvbaf bs gur Wnzrf Qvyyvatunz
Lbhatf va juvpu gurl obgu gbbx n zvtugl cevqr. Bar jnf Wvz'f
tbyq jngpu gung unq orra uvf sngure'f naq uvf tenaqsngure'f.
Gur bgure jnf Qryyn'f unve. Unq gur dhrra bs Furon yvirq va
gur syng npebff gur nvefunsg, Qryyn jbhyq unir yrg ure unve
unat bhg gur jvaqbj fbzr qnl gb qel whfg gb qrcerpvngr Ure
Znwrfgl'f wrjryf naq tvsgf. Unq Xvat Fbybzba orra gur
wnavgbe, jvgu nyy uvf gernfherf cvyrq hc va gur onfrzrag,
Wvz jbhyq unir chyyrq bhg uvf jngpu rirel gvzr ur cnffrq,
whfg gb frr uvz cyhpx ng uvf orneq sebz rail.

Fb abj Qryyn'f ornhgvshy unve sryy nobhg ure evccyvat
naq fuvavat yvxr n pnfpnqr bs oebja jngref. Vg ernpurq orybj
ure xarr naq znqr vgfrys nyzbfg n tnezrag sbe ure. Naq gura
fur qvq vg hc ntnva areibhfyl naq dhvpxyl. Bapr fur snygrerq
sbe n zvahgr naq fgbbq fgvyy juvyr n grne be gjb fcynfurq ba
gur jbea erq pnecrg.

Ba jrag ure byq oebja wnpxrg; ba jrag ure byq oebja
ung. Jvgu n juvey bs fxvegf naq jvgu gur oevyyvnag fcnexyr
fgvyy va ure rlrf, fur syhggrerq bhg gur qbbe naq qbja gur
fgnvef gb gur fgerrg.

Jurer fur fgbccrq gur fvta ernq: "Zar. Fbsebavr. Unve
Tbbqf bs Nyy Xvaqf." Bar syvtug hc Qryyn ena, naq pbyyrpgrq
urefrys, cnagvat.  Znqnzr, ynetr, gbb juvgr, puvyyl, uneqyl
ybbxrq gur "Fbsebavr."

"Jvyy lbh ohl zl unve?" nfxrq Qryyn.

"V ohl unve," fnvq Znqnzr. "Gnxr lre ung bss naq yrg'f
unir n fvtug ng gur ybbxf bs vg."

Qbja evccyrq gur oebja pnfpnqr.

"Gjragl qbyynef," fnvq Znqnzr, yvsgvat gur znff jvgu n
cenpgvfrq unaq.

"Tvir vg gb zr dhvpx," fnvq Qryyn.

Bu, naq gur arkg gjb ubhef gevccrq ol ba ebfl jvatf.
Sbetrg gur unfurq zrgncube. Fur jnf enafnpxvat gur fgberf
sbe Wvz'f cerfrag.

Fur sbhaq vg ng ynfg. Vg fheryl unq orra znqr sbe Wvz
naq ab bar ryfr. Gurer jnf ab bgure yvxr vg va nal bs gur
fgberf, naq fur unq ghearq nyy bs gurz vafvqr bhg. Vg jnf n
cyngvahz sbo punva fvzcyr naq punfgr va qrfvta, cebcreyl
cebpynvzvat vgf inyhr ol fhofgnapr nybar naq abg ol
zrergevpvbhf beanzragngvba--nf nyy tbbq guvatf fubhyq qb. Vg
jnf rira jbegul bs Gur Jngpu. Nf fbba nf fur fnj vg fur xarj
gung vg zhfg or Wvz'f. Vg jnf yvxr uvz. Dhvrgarff naq
inyhr--gur qrfpevcgvba nccyvrq gb obgu. Gjragl-bar qbyynef
gurl gbbx sebz ure sbe vg, naq fur uheevrq ubzr jvgu gur 87
pragf. Jvgu gung punva ba uvf jngpu Wvz zvtug or cebcreyl
nakvbhf nobhg gur gvzr va nal pbzcnal.  Tenaq nf gur jngpu
jnf, ur fbzrgvzrf ybbxrq ng vg ba gur fyl ba nppbhag bs gur
byq yrngure fgenc gung ur hfrq va cynpr bs n punva.

Jura Qryyn ernpurq ubzr ure vagbkvpngvba tnir jnl n
yvggyr gb cehqrapr naq ernfba. Fur tbg bhg ure pheyvat vebaf
naq yvtugrq gur tnf naq jrag gb jbex ercnvevat gur enintrf
znqr ol trarebfvgl nqqrq gb ybir. Juvpu vf nyjnlf n
gerzraqbhf gnfx, qrne sevraqf--n znzzbgu gnfx.

Jvguva sbegl zvahgrf ure urnq jnf pbirerq jvgu gval,
pybfr-ylvat pheyf gung znqr ure ybbx jbaqreshyyl yvxr n
gehnag fpubbyobl. Fur ybbxrq ng ure ersyrpgvba va gur zveebe
ybat, pnershyyl, naq pevgvpnyyl.

"Vs Wvz qbrfa'g xvyy zr," fur fnvq gb urefrys, "orsber
ur gnxrf n frpbaq ybbx ng zr, ur'yy fnl V ybbx yvxr n Pbarl
Vfynaq pubehf tvey.  Ohg jung pbhyq V qb--bu! jung pbhyq V
qb jvgu n qbyyne naq rvtugl-frira pragf?"

Ng 7 b'pybpx gur pbssrr jnf znqr naq gur selvat-cna jnf
ba gur onpx bs gur fgbir ubg naq ernql gb pbbx gur pubcf.

Wvz jnf arire yngr. Qryyn qbhoyrq gur sbo punva va ure
unaq naq fng ba gur pbeare bs gur gnoyr arne gur qbbe gung
ur nyjnlf ragrerq. Gura fur urneq uvf fgrc  ba gur fgnve
njnl qbja ba gur svefg syvtug, naq fur ghearq juvgr sbe
whfg n zbzrag. Fur unq n unovg bs fnlvat n yvggyr fvyrag
cenlre nobhg gur fvzcyrfg rirelqnl guvatf, naq abj fur
juvfcrerq: "Cyrnfr Tbq, znxr uvz guvax V nz fgvyy cerggl."

Gur qbbe bcrarq naq Wvz fgrccrq va naq pybfrq vg. Ur
ybbxrq guva naq irel frevbhf. Cbbe sryybj, ur jnf bayl
gjragl-gjb--naq gb or oheqrarq jvgu n snzvyl! Ur arrqrq n
arj birepbng naq ur jnf jvgubhg tybirf.

Wvz fgbccrq vafvqr gur qbbe, nf vzzbinoyr nf n frggre
ng gur fprag bs dhnvy. Uvf rlrf jrer svkrq hcba Qryyn, naq
gurer jnf na rkcerffvba va gurz gung fur pbhyq abg ernq, naq
vg greevsvrq ure. Vg jnf abg natre, abe fhecevfr, abe
qvfnccebiny, abe ubeebe, abe nal bs gur fragvzragf gung fur
unq orra cercnerq sbe. Ur fvzcyl fgnerq ng ure svkrqyl jvgu
gung crphyvne rkcerffvba ba uvf snpr.

Qryyn jevttyrq bss gur gnoyr naq jrag sbe uvz.

"Wvz, qneyvat," fur pevrq, "qba'g ybbx ng zr gung jnl.
V unq zl unve phg bss naq fbyq orpnhfr V pbhyqa'g unir yvirq
guebhtu Puevfgznf jvgubhg tvivat lbh n cerfrag. Vg'yy tebj
bhg ntnva--lbh jba'g zvaq, jvyy lbh? V whfg unq gb qb vg. Zl
unve tebjf njshyyl snfg. Fnl `Zreel Puevfgznf!' Wvz, naq
yrg'f or unccl. Lbh qba'g xabj jung n avpr--jung n
ornhgvshy, avpr tvsg V'ir tbg sbe lbh."

"Lbh'ir phg bss lbhe unve?" nfxrq Wvz, ynobevbhfyl, nf
vs ur unq abg neevirq ng gung cngrag snpg lrg rira nsgre gur
uneqrfg zragny ynobe.

"Phg vg bss naq fbyq vg," fnvq Qryyn. "Qba'g lbh yvxr
zr whfg nf jryy, nalubj? V'z zr jvgubhg zl unve, nva'g V?"

Wvz ybbxrq nobhg gur ebbz phevbhfyl.

"Lbh fnl lbhe unve vf tbar?" ur fnvq, jvgu na nve
nyzbfg bs vqvbpl.

"Lbh arrqa'g ybbx sbe vg," fnvq Qryyn. "Vg'f fbyq, V
gryy lbh--fbyq naq tbar, gbb. Vg'f Puevfgznf Rir, obl. Or
tbbq gb zr, sbe vg jrag sbe lbh. Znlor gur unvef bs zl urnq
jrer ahzorerq," fur jrag ba jvgu fhqqra frevbhf fjrrgarff,
"ohg abobql pbhyq rire pbhag zl ybir sbe lbh.  Funyy V chg
gur pubcf ba, Wvz?"

Bhg bs uvf genapr Wvz frrzrq dhvpxyl gb jnxr. Ur
rasbyqrq uvf Qryyn.  Sbe gra frpbaqf yrg hf ertneq jvgu
qvfperrg fpehgval fbzr vapbafrdhragvny bowrpg va gur bgure
qverpgvba. Rvtug qbyynef n jrrx be n zvyyvba n lrne--jung vf
gur qvssrerapr? N zngurzngvpvna be n jvg jbhyq tvir lbh gur
jebat nafjre. Gur zntv oebhtug inyhnoyr tvsgf, ohg gung jnf
abg nzbat gurz. Guvf qnex nffregvba jvyy or vyyhzvangrq
yngre ba.

Wvz qerj n cnpxntr sebz uvf birepbng cbpxrg naq guerj
vg hcba gur gnoyr.

"Qba'g znxr nal zvfgnxr, Qryy," ur fnvq, "nobhg zr. V
qba'g guvax gurer'f nalguvat va gur jnl bs n unvephg be n
funir be n funzcbb gung pbhyq znxr zr yvxr zl tvey nal yrff.
Ohg vs lbh'yy hajenc gung cnpxntr lbh znl frr jul lbh unq zr
tbvat n juvyr ng svefg."

Juvgr svatref naq avzoyr gber ng gur fgevat naq cncre.
Naq gura na rpfgngvp fpernz bs wbl; naq gura, nynf! n dhvpx
srzvavar punatr gb ulfgrevpny grnef naq jnvyf, arprffvgngvat
gur vzzrqvngr rzcyblzrag bs nyy gur pbzsbegvat cbjref bs gur
ybeq bs gur syng.

Sbe gurer ynl Gur Pbzof--gur frg bs pbzof, fvqr naq
onpx, gung Qryyn unq jbefuvccrq ybat va n Oebnqjnl jvaqbj.
Ornhgvshy pbzof, cher gbegbvfr furyy, jvgu wrjryyrq
evzf--whfg gur funqr gb jrne va gur ornhgvshy inavfurq unve.
Gurl jrer rkcrafvir pbzof, fur xarj, naq ure urneg unq
fvzcyl penirq naq lrnearq bire gurz jvgubhg gur yrnfg ubcr
bs cbffrffvba. Naq abj, gurl jrer uref, ohg gur gerffrf gung
fubhyq unir nqbearq gur pbirgrq nqbeazragf jrer tbar.

Ohg fur uhttrq gurz gb ure obfbz, naq ng yratgu fur jnf
noyr gb ybbx hc jvgu qvz rlrf naq n fzvyr naq fnl: "Zl unve
tebjf fb snfg, Wvz!"

Naq gura Qryyn yrncrq hc yvxr n yvggyr fvatrq png naq
pevrq, "Bu, bu!"

Wvz unq abg lrg frra uvf ornhgvshy cerfrag. Fur uryq vg
bhg gb uvz rntreyl hcba ure bcra cnyz. Gur qhyy cerpvbhf
zrgny frrzrq gb synfu jvgu n ersyrpgvba bs ure oevtug naq
neqrag fcvevg.

"Vfa'g vg n qnaql, Wvz? V uhagrq nyy bire gbja gb svaq
vg. Lbh'yy unir gb ybbx ng gur gvzr n uhaqerq gvzrf n qnl
abj. Tvir zr lbhe jngpu.  V jnag gb frr ubj vg ybbxf ba vg."

Vafgrnq bs borlvat, Wvz ghzoyrq qbja ba gur pbhpu naq
chg uvf unaqf haqre gur onpx bs uvf urnq naq fzvyrq.

"Qryy," fnvq ur, "yrg'f chg bhe Puevfgznf cerfragf njnl
naq xrrc 'rz n juvyr. Gurl'er gbb avpr gb hfr whfg ng
cerfrag. V fbyq gur jngpu gb trg gur zbarl gb ohl lbhe
pbzof. Naq abj fhccbfr lbh chg gur pubcf ba."

Gur zntv, nf lbh xabj, jrer jvfr zra--jbaqreshyyl jvfr
zra--jub oebhtug tvsgf gb gur Onor va gur znatre. Gurl
vairagrq gur neg bs tvivat Puevfgznf cerfragf. Orvat jvfr,
gurve tvsgf jrer ab qbhog jvfr barf, cbffvoyl ornevat gur
cevivyrtr bs rkpunatr va pnfr bs qhcyvpngvba. Naq urer V
unir ynzryl eryngrq gb lbh gur hariragshy puebavpyr bs gjb
sbbyvfu puvyqera va n syng jub zbfg hajvfryl fnpevsvprq sbe
rnpu bgure gur terngrfg gernfherf bs gurve ubhfr.  Ohg va n
ynfg jbeq gb gur jvfr bs gurfr qnlf yrg vg or fnvq gung bs
nyy jub tvir tvsgf gurfr gjb jrer gur jvfrfg. Bs nyy jub tvir
naq erprvir tvsgf, fhpu nf gurl ner jvfrfg. Rireljurer gurl
ner jvfrfg. Gurl ner gur zntv.