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| The Rite of Spring: Fragment 47 | ||||
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| how the eyes have it | ||||
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| The Rite of Spring: Fragment 47 | ||||
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| how the eyes have it | ||||
1: Bre Skiary. I regret that we must conclude that Bre Skiary has been called to his Reward. I have myself examined the body recovered from the river by delta fishermen reported on the Day of the Nose, and confirm that it is his. The cause of death appears to have been drowning whilst concussed. We have no certain information on how he met his fate, but there are reports of a man of his description attacking a woman on the riverside steps adjacent to the Least House, and being thrown into the river. I fear we must conclude that this was Skiary. The killer was the woman; her exact identity is uncertain, for reasons which will become apparent later. There is no purpose in laying a complaint before the Ear, since the killer is apparently one of those who went up to the High Place.
2: The First of the Cock. The First of the Cock completed the ceremony in the Theatre. Later he appeared on the steps with a woman who some believe was the barbarian Aonan a'Aonach. This was the woman, and this the occasion, when the incident described above took place. Following the incident, the First of the Cock took the woman in his ceremonial skiff across to the steps. The skiff returned without them, and neither has returned since.
3: The Guard. Many of the Guard were slain in a melee which took place on the Doorstep immediately after the events described above. Of the survivors, many of whom appeared to be soiled with an unknown but most unpleasant substance, none would say anything about the cause or nature of this conflict. Following the summoning of the First of the Hand on the Day of the Foot, a detachment of the Hand has secured the Quay and Doorstep, and have the remaining Guard under arrest in the barracks.
Not all of the Guard were accounted for. A number of bodies have been recovered from the river, and the Foot is using grappling hooks to search for others whose armour may weight them down. However, counting the bodies and the prisoners, eleven of the Guard have yet to be found. Twelve female corpses, and fourteen live females, where also found in the barracks. However, none of these matches the description of Aonan a'Aonach.
The women who have been questioned say that a woman answering that description came to the barracks on ninth day evening. None of the surviving Guard will confirm this. This woman has not been found.
4: The woman Aonan a'Aonach and her apparent double. Reports regarding the woman Aonan a'Aonach during the period in question are most confusing. A woman answering to her description appeared at the barracks late on the evening of the day of the Cunt, and remained there at least until the evening of the following day. A woman, generally identified as Aonan, was seen by many people to take part in the Rite of the Plough during the afternoon of tenthday. Later, a similar woman appeared on the steps with the First of the Cock as related above. This woman went across the river and did not return. I should be prepared to identify her positively as Aonan were it not for the fact that the rowers of the skiff are unanimous in reporting that the reason she went across was stated to be 'to seek Aonan'. However, if this woman was Aonan, she is no longer a threat because she almost certainly took part in the rite.
The other woman, seen in the barracks, was apparently defiled by members of the Guard, including those of Aonan's own clan. We must suppose, therefor, that this was not Aonan. However, if it were, again she no longer poses any threat. It must be emphasised that neither of these women has been found.
If, however, we are to capitalise on the fact of the woman Aonan's dishonour, we must get news of it to the Coiremhiconicfhearchaorusduadh before they hear it from anyone else, and present it to them in such a light as to appear that this House bore a significant part in the achievement of it. With your consent I propose we state that (i) the woman at the Rite was indeed Aonan, and that any rumours to the contrary are lies; and (ii) that it was a secret brother of this House who denounced her to the Ear.
5: The Bridled Woman. The Bridled Woman is, as you know, an office of some mysterious significance within the Debauched House, although the present holder doesn't appear to be influential within that House. She was, however, a close confidant of the First of the Cock. It is certain that she knows a great deal regarding the matter of this report. The late Bre Skiary had some hold over her, and regularly used her as a source of valuable information; unfortunately, he neglected to inform anyone of it, and so I was unable to learn much from her when I interviewed her on the Day of the Foot.
I had planned to have her her brought to the Place of Sight this morning, and had arranged for a number of our secret brothers to carry out this interception, but regrettably, following a summons to the First of the Cunt on The Day Of The Nose, she was called to the High Place and has not returned.
6: Events on the Thousand Steps. Late on tenth day evening, persons were seen on the Thousand Steps. The moon was, as you recall, bright, and Bre Fannbh, on watch on the Tower here and noticing movement, used the great viewing glass to look more closely. He reports that a single person climbed first, followed by a group of two. Subsequently a much larger group followed, some of these appearing to wear barbarian arms. Shortly after all these people reached the head of the stair, a number of dragons was seen to fly low over the Front Gate. After this, a single large group descended.
I conclude that the woman from the barracks climbed first, alone. She was pursued by the First of the Cock and the woman from the Theatre. They in turn were pursued by the Guard. Later, at least some of the Guard returned, apparently without any of the first three.
7: Evidence in Favour of Assuming a New Incarnation. A number of points contribute to the conclusion that a new incarnation may have taken place. First is the alignment of the comet Glasalltshicfheardvreck, noted as a great harbinger of change, in the constellation Morverchorachaorverarder, long known to signify the High Place. The second is the flight of dragons. This is a most extraordinary event which must imply a divine act of great significance. The third is the contrast between the very quiet regimen to which we have become used over a number of years, with the very frequent summons to the Front Gate which have occurred in the past four days. The fourth is the fact that, now, at least four persons are known to have gone up to the Front Gate and have not returned. As far as we are able to ascertain, no-one has been called in this way for more than seven years.
8: Identity of the New Incarnation. I think there can be no doubt that the incarnation is the former First of the Cock, a handsome but undistinguished young man of peasant origin. The evidence in favour of this is that, on the basis of the evidence to hand, he is the only male amongst those who have not returned. You will recall that some thirty two years ago, a series of persons, mostly female, were called to the gate, and we concluded the installation of a male incarnation, although we were unable to identify whom this might be. The preponderence of females in the present group appears to me to imply a male incarnation stocking his harem.
9: Implications for this House. The new incarnation is closely allied to the Debauched House, and his choice of the Bridled Woman as the first person actually called up to him is undoubtedly an indication that this incarnation is unlikely to be this House. Of the others believed to be with them, the woman Aonan is a Rhiconicfhear. As such, she is likely to have some sympathy with this House, unless our alliance with her Clan's enemies is known. However, it is not known how much influence she may have; it is probable that she is merely a concubine.
In view of the libidinous nature which may safely be imputed to one of his former calling, I suggest that the best way this House might hope to achieve influence over the incarnation would be to find a young woman of remarkable charms but correct upbringing and alignment, and, by setting her up as a dancer, bring her attractions to widespread public attention. The First of this House would then be obliged to comment on her during audience, and we might hope that she would be called up to the Gate. Such an agent could be an influence only; we have never been successful in setting up communication with an agent in the High Place since the Shutting of the Eye. Although we have, over the past two thousand years, three times succeeded in insinuating an assassin into the High Place and apparently removing the current incarnation, this has never proved beneficial.
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