to say that your hands held them.”
“More lies!”
“Needles found in your house fit the furrows, Seth.”
“They were not mineor they were stolen! I demand to be
freed!”
“You will be freed,” the Spokesman said coldly. .There was
no possible doubt as to what he meant. Seth began to weep
and to shout at the same time. Hands closed over his mouth
again. “Mathild the Forager, your plea may be heard.”
The young woman stood up hesitantly. Her fur Was nearly
dry now, but she was still shivering.
“Spokesman,” she said, “I saw the things which Charl the
Reader showed me. I doubted, but what Honath said restored
my belief. I see no harm in his teachings. They remove doubt,
instead of fostering it, as you say they do. I see no evil in
them, and I don’t understand why this is a crime.”
Honath looked over to her with new admiration. The
Spokesman sighed heavily.
“I am sorry for you,” he said, “but as Spokesman we can-
not allow ignorance of the Law as a plea. We will be merci-
ful to you all, however. Renounce your heresy, affirm your
belief in the Book as it is written from bark to bark, and you
shall be no more than cast out of the tribe.”
“I renounce it!” Seth said. “I never shared it! It’s all blas-
phemy and every word is a lie! I believe in the Book, all of
it!”
“You, Needlesmith,” the Spokesman said, “have lied before
this Judgment, and are probably lying now. You are not in-
cluded in the dispensation.”
“Snake-spotted caterpillar! May yoururnmulph.”
“Purse-Maker, what is your answer?”
“It is. No,” Honath said stonily. “I’ve spoken the truth.