Is he still speaking? The arrow polisher cannot hear any more. He is staring in fear at the speaker: his eyes are glittering, as light and as hard as glass. The arrow polisher is trembling. What in the world has been playing in his mind? Any dealings with Stig would mean death. What a good thing I never got anywhere with that – Stig and all the dubious things he’s doing are merely hidden wickedness, after all.

‘Farewell!’ says the gilded man. It sounds sharp as a gunshot and cuts off all further conversation.

‘Farewell,’ stammers the arrow polisher.

The man is already on his way down the gleaming corridor. The arrow polisher watches how he cleaves the corridor in two as he walks straight down the middle. There is something hypnotic about the sight. See how strong he is, how he walks right in the middle of the path. Hear how good he is: everyone is to be rewarded – that’s what they’re working for in there.

The arrow polisher watches the gilded man as long as he is in sight. When he is about to begin polishing again a shadow falls across the ladder. Someone is standing between him and the nearest lamp. It is none other than Stig. Where has Stig come from all of a sudden? Has he heard anything?

The arrow polisher turns blindly to his work. I mustn’t look as if I notice Stig. What does he want? Has he seen and heard, and shall I be hearing from him?

He polishes with trembling hands.

Nothing happens. When he looks up Stig is on his way down the corridor. And there he disappears into the wall. He has gone. Was he here to keep an eye on this great gilded man, or was it only a chance meeting? I won’t have anything to do with him, I’ve got a different view of things now.

He must have seen who I was talking to; he goes sniffing into everything. He’ll pay for it one of these days, he can be sure of that. Why can’t he keep his mouth shut? If everyone kept quiet everything would be quiet. It’s as simple as that, he thinks, as he polishes the beautiful, long, gilded arrows.

No, I’ll keep away from Stig. Death dogs his steps and his companions’. And I mustn’t get mixed up in anything, I’ve got to live for Frank and Freda. What would happen to them if I were not here? It would be the end of them.

The good. That’s what those others want. Liberty for all, he said. What is good for all. Let me join them and strike a blow for that, instead of giving myself up to the dark passages where Stig and his men go planning sudden assault.

It’s a good thing you’re with us, he said. Against this wickedness, he said.

A good thing to be just sufficiently involved so that such words can be addressed to me. And by quite a powerful person like that. One of the ones who are allowed quite far in. And the reward will be great, he said.