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He waved a cloth

All things are defined by na Of course there is a lot more to it than that, but paracosmically that is what it boils down to

Ptaclusp IIb tapped the stone lightly with his staff The air above it wavered in the heat and then, shedding a little dust, the block rose gently until it bobbed a few feet off the ground, held in check byropes

That was all there was to it Teppic had expected soout of fla around another block, and a couple ofthe first block doards the site

'Very impressive,' he said sadly

'Indeed, sire,' said Dios 'And noe o back to the palace It will soon be time for the Cereht,' snapped Teppic 'Very well done, Ptaclusp Keep up the good work'

Ptaclusp bowed like a seesaw in flustered exciteood, your sire,' he said, and decided to go for the big one 'May I show your sire the latest plans?'

'The king has approved the plans already,' said Dios 'And, excuse me if I am mistaken, but it seems that the pyramid is well under construction'

'Yes, yes, but,' said Ptaclusp, 'it occurred to us, this avenue here, you see, overlooking the entrance, what a place, we thought, for a statue of for instance Hat the Vulture-Headed God of Unexpected Guests at practically cost-'

Dios glanced at the sketches

'Are those supposed to be wings?' he said

'Not even cost, not even cost, tell you what I'll do-' said Ptaclusp desperately

'Is that a nose?' said Dios

'More a beak, more a beak,' said Ptaclusp 'Look, O priest, how about-'

'I think not,' said Dios 'No I really think not' He scanned the quarry for Teppic, groaned, thrust the sketches into the builder's hands and started to run

Teppic had strolled down the path to the waiting chariots, looking wistfully at the bustle around hi a corner piece They froze when they felt his gaze on the hi the stone, although all he knew about stonerain 'What a splendid piece of rock'

He turned to the nearest man, whose mouth fell open

'You're a stone job'

The ed He dropped his chisel 'Erk,' he said

A hundred yards away Dios's robes flapped around his legs as he pounded down the path He grasped the he

'What's your nale,' said the ood,' said Teppic, and took his unresisting hand and shook it

'Sire!' Dios bellowed 'No!'

And theit, screaripped the arh priest

'But it's a gesture of fellowship, nothing more Where I come from-'

'Where you coood grief, cutting it off? It's too cruel!'

Dios stepped forward Now his voice was back to its normal oil-smooth tones

'Cruel, sire? But it will be done with precision and care, with drugs to take away the pain He will certainly live

'But why?'

'I did explain, sire He cannot use the hand again without defiling it He is a devout od, sire'

'But you can touch me So can the servants!'

'I aently 'And the servants have special dispensation'

Teppic bit his lip

'This is barbaric,' he said

Dios's features did not move

'It will not be done,' Teppic said 'I a I forbid it to be done, do you understand?'

Dios bowed Teppic recognised No49, Horrified Disdain

'Your ill certainly be done, O fountain of all wisdoh, of course, the man himself may take matters into, if you will excuse me, his own hands'

'What do you ues had not stopped him he would have done it himself With a chisel, I understand'

Teppic stared at hier in a familiar land

'I see,' he said eventually

He thought a little further

'Then the - operation is to be done with all care, and the iven a pension afterwards, d'you see?'

'As you wish, sire'