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<v Speaker 1>Chapter four of Anthem. This is a LibriVox recording. All

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<v Speaker 1>LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more information

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<v Speaker 1>or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording by

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<v Speaker 1>Kaden von Klegg Anthem by Einrand, Chapter four. Many days

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<v Speaker 1>passed before we could speak to the Golden One again.

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<v Speaker 1>But then came the day when the sky turned white,

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<v Speaker 1>as if the sun had burst and spread its flame

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<v Speaker 1>in the air, and the fields lay still without breath,

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<v Speaker 1>and the dust of the road was white in the glow.

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<v Speaker 1>So the women of the field were weary, and they

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<v Speaker 1>tarried over their work, and they were far from the

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<v Speaker 1>road when we came. But the Golden One stood alone

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<v Speaker 1>at the hedge, waiting. We stopped, and we saw that

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<v Speaker 1>their eyes, so hard and scornful to the world, were

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<v Speaker 1>looking at us, as if they would obey any word

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<v Speaker 1>we might speak. And we said, we have given you

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<v Speaker 1>a name in our thoughts, liberty five to us three

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<v Speaker 1>zero zero zero. What is our name? They asked the

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<v Speaker 1>Golden One, Nor do we call you equality seven dashed

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<v Speaker 1>two five two one When we think of you? What

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<v Speaker 1>name have you given us? They looked straight into our eyes,

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<v Speaker 1>and they held their head high, and they answered the unconquered.

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<v Speaker 1>For a long time we could not speak. Then we said,

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<v Speaker 1>such thoughts as these are forbidden, Golden One, But you

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<v Speaker 1>think such thoughts as these, and you wish us to

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<v Speaker 1>think them. We looked into their eyes and we could

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<v Speaker 1>not lie. Yes, we whispered, and they smiled, and then

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<v Speaker 1>we said, our dearest one, do not obey us. They

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<v Speaker 1>stepped back, and their eyes were wide, and still speak

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<v Speaker 1>these words. Again they whispered. Which words we asked, but

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<v Speaker 1>they did not answer, and we knew it. Our dearest one,

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<v Speaker 1>we whispered, Never have men said this to women. The

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<v Speaker 1>head of the Golden One bowed slightly, and they stood

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<v Speaker 1>still for us, their arms at their sides, the palms

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<v Speaker 1>of their hands turned to us, as if their body

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<v Speaker 1>were delivered in submission to our eyes. And we could

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<v Speaker 1>not speak. Then they raised their head and they spoke

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<v Speaker 1>simply and gently, as if they wished to forget some

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<v Speaker 1>anxiety of their own. The day is hot, they said,

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<v Speaker 1>and you have worked for many hours, and you must

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<v Speaker 1>be weary. No, we answered, It is cooler in the fields,

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<v Speaker 1>they said, and there is water to drink. Are you thirsty, yes,

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<v Speaker 1>we answered, but we cannot cross the hedge. We shall

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<v Speaker 1>bring the water to you, they said. Then they knelt

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<v Speaker 1>by the moat, they gathered water in their two hands.

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<v Speaker 1>They rose, and they held the water out to our lips.

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<v Speaker 1>We do not know if we drank that water. We

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<v Speaker 1>only knew suddenly that their hands were empty, but we

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<v Speaker 1>were still holding our lips to their hands, and that

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<v Speaker 1>they knew it but did not move. We raised our

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<v Speaker 1>head and stepped back, for we did not understand what

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<v Speaker 1>had made us do this, and we were afraid to

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<v Speaker 1>understand it. And the Golden One stepped back and stood,

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<v Speaker 1>looking upon their hands in wonder. Then the Golden One

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<v Speaker 1>moved away, even though no others were coming. And they moved,

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<v Speaker 1>stepping back as if they could not turn from us,

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<v Speaker 1>their arms bent before them, as if they could not

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<v Speaker 1>lower their hands. End of Chapter four. Recording by Kaden

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<v Speaker 1>von Klegg The Lunar Island dot blogspot dot com