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Tainaron - Mail from another city { 1 }
by Leena Krohn { 2 }
The Guardian of the Oddfellows - the twenty-fourth letter { 483 }
{ 483 } |
There is room for everyone, although her house is not large. No, it is very, very medium in size and as modest in its external appearance as countless other houses outskirts of the city. | { 486 } |
But sometimes, although the house is full of people, it is very quiet, and then the neighbours say that the Guardian of the Oddfellows is holding a Great Day of Remembrance once again. | { 487 } |
'But they really do satisfy your appetite,' says the Queen Bee, and all her drunks and madmen and beggars agree, as they must in order to be able next day to partake of a proper meal. | { 491 } |
'Can I, too, participate in the Great Day of Remembrance some time?' I asked Longhorn. | { 492 } |
'Everyone can,' he said, 'but not everyone wants to. And remember to take a really happy memory with you.' | { 493 } |
'Oh, I have plenty of them,' I said light-heartedly, and when the next Great Day of Remembrance dawned I was sitting in the Queen Bee's house side by side with her Oddfellows. | { 494 } |
'Let us begin!' shouted the Queen Bee in her resonant bass, which brought to mind the buzzing of a sunny meadow. 'Psammotettix, you are the first.' | { 497 } |
'Once I went abroad,' the Pickpocket began hurriedly in a small voice, obviously nervous. The other Oddfellows interrupted him, howling: | { 502 } |
{ 503 } |
At this point the Pickpocket paused; grumbling began to be heard around the table and I saw the Queen Bee purse her lips. | { 505 } |
And here the Pickpocket's voice fell and he began to writhe on his chair, looking beseechingly at the Queen Bee. | { 507 } |
'Carry on,' she said, nodding approvingly, but this did not seem to calm the Pickpocket. | { 508 } |
'No, I can't, not with all these people listening,' he managed to mutter, gesturing at the other guests. | { 509 } |
'He has forgotten his memory!' came a shout, and another: 'That's not a happy memory at all!' | { 510 } |
'Come here,' ordered the Queen Bee. 'Whisper it in my ear. I shall consider the matter.' | { 511 } |
'Accepted!' acceded the Queen Bee, and to my horror she turned to look at me, and the lenses of her seeing tubes glittered with strange colours. | { 513 } |
And, dumbfounded by the superabundance of my life, I fell silent, and waited for the rap of the golden gavel. | { 519 } |
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