I:
‘And where’s the round pebble that’s eternity?’
He:
‘Ah, I threw that away. Stuck it in my pocket and went for a walk. There was a pond there. Eternity skipped on the water a couple of times, then went plop, and there was nothing left behind but circles, and then not for long.’
I:
‘Let’s go!’
He:
‘Hang on! Just a moment. There was something I wanted to tell you, but I can’t remember what now. Ah, that’s it – don’t listen to Democritus! Bodies can touch, and there isn’t any gap between souls either. And people become what they always were – warmth and light. Now let’s go. It’s time. Check to see you haven’t forgotten anything. I’m just finishing up. That’s it. The pen squeaks across the paper like clean-washed hair between fingers. My weary hand hastens and lingers, tracing out at the last: Happy as the ship having passed over the depths of the sea is the scribe on reaching the end of his book.’
The Light and the Dark Page 34