224 lines
3.1 KiB
TeX
224 lines
3.1 KiB
TeX
\herosection{The Mirror That Knew}
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\dropstart{Iren} had spent seven years making the mirror.
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The glass came from white sand gathered at the winter sea.
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The silver had been melted three times.
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The frame was cedar, carved with a single inscription:
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\begin{quote}
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KNOW THYSELF.
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\end{quote}
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People said Iren's mirrors showed more than faces.
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He never corrected them.
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\medskip
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His apprentice Sela was polishing the frame when a merchant arrived.
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``I heard you have finished it.''
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``Nearly.''
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The merchant stood before the mirror.
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His reflection appeared at once.
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He smiled.
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``I had heard there was something unusual about it.''
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``There is.''
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The merchant waited.
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Iren said nothing.
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After he left, Sela asked:
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``What did it show?''
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``Apparently, a merchant.''
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She laughed.
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Iren did not.
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\medskip
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Others came.
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An old woman saw herself clearly and began to cry.
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A magistrate saw only the room behind him.
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A thief saw his own face and laughed until he had to sit down.
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A young mother looked into the glass for a long time.
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``What do you see?'' Iren asked.
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``Nothing.''
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Her child tugged at her sleeve.
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She smiled down at him.
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In the mirror, she remained absent.
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\medskip
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Iren kept notes.
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Age.
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Occupation.
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Temperament.
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Whether the person was married.
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Whether they prayed.
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Whether they were scoundrels.
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Whether they gave to beggars.
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He filled three books.
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No pattern emerged.
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Except one.
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His own reflection never appeared.
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Whenever Iren stood before the glass,\\
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there was only pale fog.
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\medskip
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He changed the silver.
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The fog remained.
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He remade the backing.
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Fog.
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He altered the angle of the frame.
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Fog.
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At last he stripped the mirror to bare glass and began again.
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Six months later,\\
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fog.
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\medskip
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``You've spoiled the mixture,'' he told Sela.
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She looked up from her work.
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``I haven't touched it.''
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``Something changed.''
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``Perhaps.''
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``What?''
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``I don't know.''
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He stared at her.
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``You stand before it.''
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Sela hesitated.
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Then she did.
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Pale fog covered the glass.
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Iren stepped closer.
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``But you---''
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``I know.''
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``What does that mean?''
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Sela looked at the mirror.
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``I don't know.''
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\medskip
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That night Iren remained in the workshop.
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He polished the glass until his shoulders ached.
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He measured the frame.
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Checked the backing.
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Lit another lamp.
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Then another.
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Near dawn, he found himself sitting on the floor.
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Seven years.
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Three notebooks.
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A mirror that showed thieves,\\
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hid mothers,\\
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and refused to show either its maker\\
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or the girl who had helped him make it.
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He began to laugh.
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He wasn't sure why.
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After a while, the laughter stopped.
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\medskip
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The lamps burned low.
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Iren stood once more before the mirror.
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He did not straighten his robe.
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He did not adjust the light.
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He did not look for fog.
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He simply stood there,\\
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too tired to ask the glass for anything.
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For an instant,\\
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a face flickered ---
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worn,\\
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uncertain,\\
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human ---
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and then was gone.
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Iren reached toward the glass.
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Then stopped.
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Behind him,\\
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morning entered the workshop.
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\reflectionshead
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What are we really looking for when we ask to see ourselves clearly?
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