flog him another mile." But he smiled as he said it, and
she kissed his brow.
Tak leaped into the air and bounced upon the bed.
"Mankind rejoices," observed the Buddha.
Yama banded him, a robe and Ratri fitted him with
slippers.
20 ROGER ZELAZNY
Recovering from the peace which passefh under-
standing takes time. Sam slept. Sleeping, he dreamed;
dreaming, he cried out, or just cried. He had no appe-
tite; but Yama had found him a body both sturdy and
in perfect health, one well able to bear the psychoso-
matic conversion from divine withdrawal.
But he would sit for an hour, unmoving, staring at a
pebble or a seed or a leaf. And on these occasions, he
could not be aroused.
Yama saw in this a danger, and he spoke of it with
Ratri and Tak. "It is not good that he withdraw from
the world in this way, now," he said. "I have spoken
with him, but it is as if I addressed the wind. He
cannot recover that which he has left behind. The very
attempt is costing him his strength."
"Perhaps you misread his efforts," said Tak.
"What mean you?"
"See how he regards the seed he has set before him?
Consider the wrinkling at the edges of his eyes."
"Yes? What of it?"
"He squints. Is his vision impaired?"
"It is not."
"Then why does he squint?"
"To better study the seed."
