by Donn Kushner
But, of course, he has no thought of leaving the Book of Hours. He remembers his grandmother’s comments, which once led him to believe that the continued existence of our galaxy might depend on the safeguarding of this book. Now
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that he lives in the present day, in what might be considered a more rational environment, he does not know if he should really believe his grandmother. Perhaps she was only recounting a grandiose myth, as an old lady dragon might do. But he does not think it wise to take a chance: he has lost enough homes already, and he realizes that conditions that will keep his Book of Hows safe will also preserve the bookshop in which it is lodged.
For the same reason - since it may be very important to all of us that Nonesuch not be disturbed—the exact location of the bookshop cannot be revealed, nor its name, though DISTANT VOYAGES is a close approximation. If you wish to know more about this shop, you can pass over the northeast coastline of North America with the wings of your imagination and scan all the islands, bays, and promontories. If you find a likely spot and look at it very closely indeed, you may see a small dragon perching among the bookshelves.
THE END