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earlier to arrange overland passage。 Taking a fast caravan were Bloor； the portraitist； and a petite exploser carrying dispatches for her guild。 Both were slight enough to ride donkeys all the way and with luck might reach the Glade in three days。 Prity and Pzora also went ashore at Kandu Landing to hire carts in case the Stranger must be taken before the High Sages…to be decided during this trip to Biblos。
As the fog cleared； there now reared to the right a wall of stone； rising from the water line； getting taller with each passing dura。 The cliff shimmered； almost glassy smooth； as though impervious to erosion or time。 Arguments raged as to whether it was natural or a Buyur relic。
Against these mirror…like cliffs； Ulgor had said the citizens of Dolo Village might see flames from burning books。 Two centuries ago； settlers had witnessed such a sight； horrible even from afar。 A disaster never equaled since； not by the massacre at Tolon； or when Uk…rann ambushed Drake the Elder at Bloody Ford。
But we saw no flames。
Still； tension reigned until the steamer turned a final bend。。。。
Sara let out a tense sigh。 The Archive。。。 it stands。
She stared for some time； awash in emotion； then hurried aft to fetch the Stranger and Ariana Foo。 Both of them would want to see this。
It was a castle； adamant； impervious； carved with tools that no longer existed。 Godlike tools； sent to the deep soon after they cut this stronghold。 A citadel of knowledge。
The original granite outcrop still jutted like a finger into the curving river； with its back braced against the shiny…smooth cliff。 From above； it probably looked much as it always had； with woody thickets disguising atrium openings that let filtered daylight into courtyards and reading groves below。 But from the dock where the gopher tied up； one saw imposing defensive battlements； then row after row of massive； sculpted pillars that held up the natural plateau； suspending its undermined weight as a roof against the sky。
Inside this abnormal cave； wooden buildings protected their precious contents against rain； wind； and snow…all except the inferno that once rocked the southern end； leaving rubble and ruin。 In a single night； fully a third of the wisdom left by the Great Printing had gone up in smoke and despair。
The sections that would have been most useful today。 Those devoted to Galactic society； its many races and clans。 What remained gave only sketchy outlines of the plex bio…social…political relationships that fluxed through the Five Galaxies。
Despite the crisis； dawn summoned a stream of pilgrims from hostelries in the nearby tree…shrouded village； scholars who joined the gopher passengers climbing a zigzag ramp toward the main gate。 Traeki and g'Kek students caught their breath at resting spots。 Red qheuens from the distant sea paused now and then to spray saltwater over their cupolas。 Ulgor and Blade gave them wide berth。
A donkey…caravan edged by the line of visitors； heading downhill。 Wax…sealed crates told of precious contents。 They're still evacuating； Sara realized。 Taking advantage of the sages' delaying tactics。
Would she find empty shelves inside； as far as the eye could see？
Impossible！ Even if they could somehow move so many volumes； where would they store them all？
The Stranger insisted on pushing Ariana's wheelchair； perhaps out of respect； or to show how far his physical recovery had e。 In fact； his dusky skin now had a healthy luster； and his deep laughter was hearty。 He stared in wonder at the mighty stone walls； then the drawbridge； portcullis； and militia guards。 Instead of the token detail Sara recalled； now a full platoon patrolled the parapets； equipped with spears； bows； and arbalests。
Ariana looked pleased by the Stranger's reaction。 The old woman glanced at Sara with an expression of satisfaction。
He's never been here before。 Even the damage he's suffered could not have erased a memory as vivid as Biblos。 Either he is a rube from the farthest； most rustic human settlements； or else。。。
They passed the final battlements； and the Stranger gazed in amazement at the buildings of the Archive itself。 Wooden structures； modeled after stone monuments of Earth's revered past…the Parthenon； Edo Castle； and even a miniature Taj Mahal； whose minarets merged into four heavy pillars holding up part of the roof…of…stone。 Clearly； the founders had a taste for the dramatically ironic； for all the ancient originals had been built to last； dedicated in their day to vain resistance against time； while these buildings had a different goal…to serve a function and then vanish； as if they had never been。
Even that was too much for some people。
〃Arrog'ance！〃 muttered Jop； the tree farmer； who had chosen to e along when he learned of this expedition。 〃It all has to go； if we're ever to be blessed。〃
〃In time； it must；〃 Ariana Foo nodded； leaving vague whether she meant next week； or in a thousand years。
Sara saw fresh clay smeared over holes at the base of several great pillars。 Just like back home； she realized。 The explosers are making sure all is ready。
She could not help turning to glance behind Jop。 Taking up the rear were the last two gopher passengers； young Jomah； Henrik's son； and his uncle； Kurt。 The elder exploser bent to point out structural features to the boy； using hand motions that made Sara think of tumbling chunks of ancient granite。 She wondered if the Stranger； staring about in apparent delight； had any idea how little it would take to turn all this into rubble； indistinguishable from a hundred other places demolished by the Buyur when they departed； leaving the planet to revert to nature。
Sara felt a return of the old tightness in her shoulder blades。 It hadn't been easy； at first； being a student in this place。 Even when she had taken her books to the forest up top； to read under the shade of a homey garu tree； she could never shake off a sense that the whole plateau might shudder and collapse beneath her。 For a while； the nervous fantasies had threatened her studies…until Joshu came along。
Sara winced。 She had known it would all e back if she returned to this place。 Memories。
〃Nothing lasts forever；〃 Jop added as they neared the Athenian portico of Central Hall； unaware how stingingly the words struck Sara's private thoughts。
Ariana agreed。 〃Ifni insists on it。 Nothing can resist the goddess of change。〃
If the elder sage meant the remark to be sardonic； Sara missed her point。 She was too deep in reminiscence to care； even as they neared the giant double doors…carved from the finest wood as a gift from the qheuen race； then bound with urrish bronze； lacquered by traeki secretions and painted by g'Kek artists。 The work towered ten meters high； depicting in ornate symbolism the thing most treasured by all； the latest； best； and most hard…won acplishment of Jijo's mons in Exile。
The Great Peace。
This time； Sara hardly noticed when the Stranger gasped in appreciation。 She couldn't share his pleasure。 Not when all she felt within this place was sadness。
Asx
THE PORTRAITIST DID NOT EVEN ASK TO REST after the long； hard trek from Kandu Landing。 He set to work at once； preparing his materials…caustic chemicals and hard metals whose imperviousness to time make them suspect under mons law…yet ideal for blackmail。
Others of his guild were already here； having e to Gathering in order to sell paper photographs of visitors； guildmasters； winners at the games…anyone vain enough to want a graven image keepsake to last out a lifetime； maybe two。 A few of these skilled likeness…peddlers had offered to secretly record the invaders； but to what purpose？ Paper portraits are designed to fade and rot； not last aeons。 Better not to risk the aliens catching them in the act； and so discovering some of our hidden arts。
But Ariana； Bloor； and young Sara Koolhan appear to have e up with something different； have they not； my rings？ Despite exhaustion from the road； Bloor appeared at once before us to show off the daguerreotype。 An implausibly precise image stored on etched metal； centuries in age。 Ur…Jah trembled as she fondled the ac