Exiting it, we turned down a short, closed hallway that
opened into the concealed area behind the podium that I spoke of
earlier. On the sofa where I had fallen asleep was seated Wagner and on
a circle of smaller chairs around the edges of the area were seated
about ten stately looking Canitaurs, clean and well dressed, according
to their customs. They greeted me amorously, with a mixture of
eagerness, excitement, and hope painted on their purloined countenances,
taken from the sleepless spirits of several departed generations of war-
hardened veterans.
Standing as we entered, they greeted me cordially, and, once the formal
greeting of a short bow and a blessing was finished, we all sat down,
they in their previous seats, I next to Wagner, and Bernibus in a small
chair in the corner, away from the circle of the delegates. He, that is,
Wagner, then opened our dialog:
"Welcome to the council, Jehu," he said.
"I was under the impression that the council was much larger," I replied
candidly.
"It is, but this is the leadership; we felt that the clamors of a full
legislature would be overwhelming to you at first. I know it still
overwhelms me sometimes," he laughed, and the others with him.
Pages:
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74