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How dared you think that your mind held greater wisdom than the
minds of your brothers？ And if the Councils had decreed that you should
be a Street Sweeper； how dared you think that you could be of greater use
to men than in sweeping the streets？〃
〃How dared you； gutter cleaner；〃 spoke Fraternity 9…3452； 〃to hold
yourself as one alone and with the thoughts of the one and not of the
many？〃
〃You shall be burned at the stake；〃 said Democracy 4…6998。
〃No； they shall be lashed；〃 said Unanimity 7…3304； 〃till there is
nothing left under the lashes。〃
〃No；〃 said Collective 0…0009； 〃we cannot decide upon this； our
brothers。 No such crime has ever been committed； and it is not for us to
judge。 Nor for any small Council。 We shall deliver this creature to the
World Council itself and let their will be done。〃
We looked upon them and we pleaded：
〃Our brothers！ You are right。 Let the will of the Council be done
upon our body。 We do not care。 But the light？ What will you do with
the light？〃
Collective 0…0009 looked upon us； and they smiled。
〃So you think that you have found a new power；〃 said Collective 0…
0009。 〃Do all your brothers think that？〃
〃No；〃 we answered。
〃What is not thought by all men cannot be true；〃 said Collective 0…
0009。
〃You have worked on this alone？〃 asked International 1…5537。
〃Many men in the Homes of the Scholars have had strange new ideas
in the past；〃 said Solidarity 8…1164； 〃but when the majority of their brother
Scholars voted against them； they abandoned their ideas； as all men must。〃
〃This box is useless；〃 said Alliance 6…7349。
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〃Should it be what they claim of it；〃 said Harmony 9…2642； 〃then it
would bring ruin to the Department of Candles。 The Candle is a great boon
to mankind； as approved by all men。 Therefore it cannot be destroyed by
the whim of one。〃
〃This would wreck the Plans of the World Council；〃 said Unanimity 2…
9913； 〃and without the Plans of the World Council the sun cannot rise。 It
took fifty years to secure the approval of all the Councils for the Candle；
and to decide upon the number needed； and to re…fit the Plans so as to
make candles instead of torches。 This touched upon thousands and
thousands of men working in scores of States。 We cannot alter the Plans
again so soon。〃
〃And if this should lighten the toil of men；〃 said Similarity 5…0306；
〃then it is a great evil； for men have no cause to exist save in toiling for
other men。〃
Then Collective 0…0009 rose and pointed at our box。
〃This thing；〃 they said； 〃must be destroyed。〃
And all the others cried as one：
〃It must be destroyed！〃
Then we leapt to the table。
We seized our box； we shoved them aside； and we ran to the window。
We turned and we looked at them for the last time； and a rage； such as it is
not fit for humans to know； choked our voice in our throat。
〃You fools！〃 we cried。 〃You fools！ You thrice…damned fools！〃
We swung our fist through the windowpane； and we leapt out in a
ringing rain of glass。
We fell； but we never let the box fall from our hands。 Then we ran。
We ran blindly； and men and houses streaked past us in a torrent without
shape。 And the road seemed not to be flat before us； but as if it were
leaping up to meet us； and we waited for the earth to rise and strike us in
the face。 But we ran。 We knew not where we were going。 We knew
only that we must run； run to the end of the world； to the end of our days。
Then we knew suddenly that we were lying on a soft earth and that we
had stopped。 Trees taller than we had ever seen before stood over us in
great silence。 Then we knew。 We were in the Uncharted Forest。 We had
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not thought of coming here； but our legs had carried our wisdom； and our
legs had brought us to the Uncharted Forest against our will。
Our glass box lay beside us。 We crawled to it； we fell upon it； our
face in our arms； and we lay still。
We lay thus for a long time。 Then we rose； we took our box and
walked on into the forest。
It mattered not where we went。 We knew that men would not follow
us； for they never enter the Uncharted Forest。 We had nothing to fear
from them。 The forest disposes of its own victims。 This gave us no fear
either。 Only we wished to be away； away from the City and from the air
that touches upon the air of the City。 So we walked on； our box in our
arms； our heart empty。
We are doomed。 Whatever days are left to us； we shall spend them
alone。 And we have heard of the corruption to be found in solitude。 We
have torn ourselves from the truth which is our brother men； and there is
no road back for us； and no redemption。
We know these things； but we do not care。 We care for nothing on
earth。 We are tired。
Only the glass box in our arms is like a living heart that gives us
strength。 We have lied to ourselves。 We have not built this box for the
good of our brothers。 We built it for its own sake。 It is above all our
brothers to us； and its truth above their truth。 Why wonder about this？
We have not many days to live。 We are walking to the fangs awaiting us
somewhere among the great； silent trees。 There is not a thing behind us
to regret。
Then a blow of pain struck us； our first and our only。 We thought of the
Golden One。 We thought of the Golden One whom we shall never see
again。 Then the pain passed。 It is best。 We are one of the Damned。 It
is best if the Golden One forget our name and the body which bore that
name。
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PART EIGHT
It has been a day of wonder； this； our first day in the forest。
We awoke when a ray of sunlight fell across our face。 We wanted to
leap to our feet； as we have had to l