ÿWPC’ è349bÕ²K²Þ@ÔÃËÓ~ÛµK²NK„åtž#®hyHQI—D(ï;‚×Ã#Ý ü€°õaBµ‰¢µ‡ü® Ц—`6&ŽÇ@· úh`ÚÈàËn¦PÛKj¼)îû$ûè÷ÁiÓ0å$äÂùöCaXŸ¥à­hÞÜŠŒKso†e—Ø™ƒèuyï,Ï“ðË£ ‰XOå)d5 ¤Ìn_™°«þ²õ)8ÂIÒBäô‰Ó$®¡yð¿€V~ºpPE$ºw’ŽÁ•sCY¡²tWmA|ž@„A“nÛ\xêd‡í­?1ι¶•ØÛe(©a-‘Ã$$™yÒV£Izmܪ_€aÁ2©è‹„󍨧ìt³UYÛXmM\¹}Q¨÷3ë÷²¡Œ¨ç´˜mFåŸ/1‘¹7¸Çu „Yàå‚ÞÉùƒŒw7Ÿõ·K®µñÝi‹^@µ6g3w'ÇG²Ð ñտ̱‚"6AT8©Ò÷°ïÆ4´Ã8]ÊOz›Q™-¨Q¹7}÷àƒ‡êQõp€žË’_ÛÜ)"³@³$1ÌÌz«³<ˆèÔðžÝësÂOªÂgΊ,ŸK¿PŽfÝÊêª9—aÔtoøC&þ]I\ãÊ×1¦¦Ôì5/÷ U:¨ %âèn«ø 04£×w@×4+ m-UND< Œ 9`("Courier 10cpiX#|x/«< Œ 9`("Courier 10cpiXôx Œ @É“8çX@( ¤U$¡¡Ó  Ó &'H()D*D+,H-.H/»y/€˜‚LXŒ„ƒÿU‹ÿÀÀÀxÖÃ9 Z‹6Times New Roman RegularÝ ƒ¤U!ÝÓ  ÓÝ  ݛԇ XY±XXXÔØ}ØÓÓÑ8€XXdÔdÈ8Ññ$ñÑ  Ññ$ñÌÌÌÌà@(ìàò òXVIIó óˆÐ ¬ ` ÐÌÌÌà  àIt€was€the€two€of€them€there€drowned€in€the€roaring€of€the€waterfall.€€Sipped€the€tea€flameÏgazing€and€not€speak€the€while.€Dora€thought€about€all€her€walking€alone,€her€leaving€Letty€and€theÏvillage,€learning€to€feel€her€way€through€earth's€body€and€her€own.€€¢Sy£€did€not€think,€but€sat€like€a€birdÏstilling€her€feathers€among€the€flames.€€Every€now€and€then€they€would€smile,€sharing€their€thoughtsÏat€meeting€again.€€It€would€not€be€the€same€for€either,€not€ever.€€Ìà  àBut€now€and€here,€this€was€not€a€day€for€moving€on.€€They€lay€down€in€fact€where€the€sprayÏfrom€the€fall€misted€over€and€kept€them€just€short€of€baking,€looked€long€at€the€drapery€of€the€cliffÏabove€them.€€Fire€died.€€Swallows€came€and€went.€€Dora€went€to€sleep,€and€¢Sy£€sat€like€a€small€sharpÏobelisk€focused€on€far€away.Ìà  àEvening€found€them€unmoved.€€Dora€stretched€and€sat€up€as€the€shadows€reached€her.€€SheÏrose€slowly€to€her€feet€and€began€to€walk€along€the€foot€of€the€cliff€looking€for€greenery€to€add€toÏthe€dried€fare€she€had€carried€with€her€from€the€village.€€There€was€no€lack.€€Chickweed,€nettles,Ïshepherd's€purse,€land€cress,€dandelion.€€The€fire€she€built€again,€and€the€soup€with€dried€meat,€beansÏand€the€vegetables€bubbled€in€a€warm€corner.Ð -¸&* Ðà  à¢Sy£€was€still€gazing,€weaving€some€web€there,€bringing€the€ends€together.€€And€Dora€didn'tÏdisturb€her.€€As€easy€to€make€a€soup€for€two€as€for€one.€€They€ate€in€silence,€dark€by€now,€and€sippedÏthe€tea€again€as€they€had€in€the€morning.€€The€sun€had€gone€down€leaving€the€hot€earth€and€cool€sprayÏbehind,€the€scent€of€the€undergrowth€blowing€in€their€faces.€€¢Sy£€lay€down€and€fell€asleep.Ìà  àArcing€a€light€across€Dora's€face€the€moon,€drawing€the€finery€of€the€grasses€and€plumes€ofÏspray€up€there.€€¢Sy£€curled€into€the€cliff,€other€side€of€the€fire.€€And€Dora€sleepless,€staring€up,€backÏalong€the€path€of€the€journey,€forward€over€it.€€No€giants,€no€magic,€no€sudden€cures.€€Well€and€soÏmy€feet€firmly€earthen,€no€escaping€that.€€The€edge€now,€the€edge,€¢bringin£€it€fine€before€me,€whiplashÏto€dance€upon€with€these€feet€that€stick€deep€day€by€day.€€Do€¢ee£€mark€me€now,€tethered€like€an€¢ol£Ïcow€and€¢flyin£€high.Ìà  à¢Burnin£€about€me€the€wild€sun€in€this€dry€land.€€Sharp€stone,€thorn,€lizard€and€kin.€€But€¢tis£€¢yere£ÏI€must€pass,€so€I€feel€and€know€not€why.€€Be€it€over€these€great€lumps€of€rock€or€through€them€or€toÏend€¢yere£,€I€do€not€know.€€¢Tis£€no€adventure€this€I€would€have€chosen€had€I€seen€it.€€But€even€in€myÏdreams€now€ññI€ññññoy€ññbe€¢yere£,€no€¢runnin£.Ìà  àShe€turned€her€face€back€toward€the€cliff€and€looked€again,€let€her€mind€wander€as€she€soughtÏthe€way€up.€€The€dream€out€there€on€the€plain€had€a€path,€well„worn€and€clear.€€No€path€here.€€ButÏshe'd€up€and€look€all€the€same.€€Or€perhaps€not€look€but€feel.€€The€cliff€was€long,€stretching€a€mileÏon€either€side€of€the€fall,€and€Dora€began€by€walking€along€to€the€left,€denting€the€undergrowth€withÏher€arms€and€trailing€her€hands€through€the€vines.€€Her€body€would€search€now€and€no€moreÏpondering.Ìà  àEvery€now€and€then€she€stopped,€sensing€the€faint€line€of€a€way€upward€but€each€time€it€wasÏno€more€than€a€crack€in€the€rock.€€End€of€the€leftward€mile,€she€wandered€back€and€began€again€toÐ -¸&* Ðthe€right.€€As€she€walked,€she€could€feel€ññhññeññhññr€body€grow€more€keen,€a€hound€of€paths,€and€she€pulledÏback€further€from€the€line€of€the€cliff€as€she€followed€along.€€Now€the€cracks€were€distinct.€€ThoseÏshe€could€tell€and€leave€behind.€€And€here,€what€was€this?€€She€was€pulled€in€under€the€curtain€ofÏvines€just€at€that€place€where€the€spray€from€the€fall€no€longer€reached.€€She€lowered€herself€slowlyÏdown€onto€her€knees€and€waited€until€her€eyes€grew€used€to€the€gloom.Ìà  àThe€rocky€face€before€her€laid€itself€back€a€little€at€a€time,€a€smooth€surface€that€stepped€itselfÏup€slowly,€overgrown€and€tangled€but€clear€to€see.€€Steps,€not€just€a€goat€path€at€all,€but€steps€hewnÏand€smoothed€by€hands€and€feet.€€Dora€laid€her€face€down€against€the€first€ledge€and€smiled.€€SheÏbacked€out€through€the€thicket€of€plants€and€twirled€around,€dancing€her€joy€in€the€moonlight.€€WaitÏtill€¢Sy£€should€see€this.€€So€much€for€her€curl„lip€despising€of€paths.€€Dora€took€hold€of€the€vines€andÏbegan€pulling€them€away€to€each€side€so€she€could€see€more€clearly.€€And€she€wanted€to€make€sureÏthat€she€wouldn't€lose€the€place€come€morning€or€think€it€a€dream.Ìà  àShe€draped€the€vines€several€times€around€bushes€to€keep€them€fast€and€began€then€to€pull€upÏsome€of€the€plants€on€the€path€itself.€€Definite€and€for€sure,€worn€but€well€cut€the€footholds€thatÏclimbed€steadily€before€her.€€She€was€climbing€now€herself,€tying€back€the€vines€as€best€she€could€andÏclearing€the€steps€as€she€went.€€This€was€the€first€time€now€since€she€had€left€her€home€hearth€thatÏshe€was€joyful€finding€the€road€forward.€€It€was€hard€enough€work€but€work€she€knew€well,€slashingÏthe€way€through€thickets€where€old€paths€had€overgrown€or€clearing€stubble€from€the€fields,€brushÏfrom€old€fields.€€Her€heart€was€light,€and€she€began€to€sing.Ìà  àThe€sharp€whistle€behind€her€made€Dora€jump.€€"Well€and€bless€me,€look€at€this."€€¢Sy£€climbedÏup€and€put€her€hand€on€Dora's€shoulder.€€"You€are€one€right€enough.€€Me€snoring€away€down€thereÏand€you€are€the€leading€lady."€€Ð -¸&* Ðà  àWhat€was€she€on€about€now?€€Sometimes€the€way€¢Sy£€talked,€Dora€couldn't€understand€aÏword.€€"Come€on€¢darlin£€dear€and€lend€a€hand€¢yere£.€€I€know€¢ee£€¢bain't£€farm€handy€¢oermuch£€but€ñ!ñoyñ!ññ"ñIñ"ññ#ññ"ñ€ñ"ññ#ñ'll€larnÏ¢ee£."Ìà  àTogether€they€bent€to€the€work,€ducking€under€the€vines€and€pushing€them€up€and€out€of€theÏway,€twisting€them€about€the€many€bushes.€€A€weaving.€€And€the€plants€that€they€pulled€up€fromÏbetween€the€stones€they€pushed€in€among€the€twisted€vines€to€make€a€firmer€hold.Ìà  àThey€worked€and€didn't€think€to€look€back€for€a€good€time.€€When€Dora€did€turn€to€rest€sheÏsat€down€quite€suddenly€and€pulled€¢Sy£'s€skirt€to€make€her€look.€€They€were€a€good€ñ&ñeighty€ñ&ññ%ñforty€ñ%ñfeet€up€theÏcliff,€too€far€for€Dora's€stomach.€€Their€little€camp€looked€to€her€like€a€mouse's€nest€in€the€moonlight,Ïand€she€felt€the€urge€to€lean€forward€slowly€¢slowly£€and€fall€from€this€perch€where€no€human€shouldÏbe.€€¢Sy£'s€hand€grabbed€her€shoulder€and€shook€it.€€Ìà  à"Lean€back€here€and€don't€go€doing€bird€dances€on€me.€€This€is€not€even€the€beginning.€€You'dÏbest€get€used€to€it."€€She€spoke€sharply€but€stroked€Dora's€hair€which€was€trembling€along€with€DoraÏunder€it.Ìà  àThey€sat€there€a€goodly€time,€bathing€in€the€silver€light,€gazing€out€over€that€huge€plain,Ïshadow€and€shining€back€to€the€gully€Dora€had€labored€up€in€a€time€that€seemed€so€long€ago.€€DoraÏhad€never€asked€¢Sy£€how€she€had€come€to€be€at€this€place,€what€ways€she€had€found€pathless€up€theÏsame€mountainside€to€find€Dora€here€as€though€she€knew.€€Some€time€she€would€get€to€know.€€Ìà  à"It'€be€best,€sleep€aside,€to€start€¢climbin£€now,€¢don'ee£€think?€€No€more€¢marchin£€by€day€in€theseÏparts€for€ñ(ñI.€€ñ(ññ'ñoy.€€ñ'ñDo€we€go€down€and€pack€up."€€¢Sy£€nodded.Ìâ âñ)ñÌà@ìì*ìàñ)ñà  à.à ` à.à ¸ à.Ð ,+à$( Ðñ*ñÐ -¸&* Ðñ*ñà  àThe€climbing€was€harder€of€course€with€their€packs,€but€not€impossible.€€More€annoying€thanÏâ âarduous,€the€vines€would€wrap€themselves€like€fingers€around€anything€that€stuck€out.€€They€had€toÏset€themselves€down€several€times€and€rearrange.€€They€wrapped€scarves€around€their€hair€for€theÏsame€reason,€Dora€muttering€and€cursing€at€every€¢viney£€grasp.€€At€least€so€far€there€was€nothingÏthorny€or€stinging€to€make€them€jump€and€dance.€€¢Sy£€began€singing€in€a€high€bird€voice,€and€sheÏseemed€to€have€a€way€of€plaiting€back€the€plants€like€hair,€layer€upon€layer€behind€her.Ìà  àDora€tried€not€to€look€back,€but€every€now€and€then€had€to€turn€to€see€how€far€they€hadÏcome.€€It€frightened€her€at€first€to€be€clinging€like€a€beetle,€nothing€seeming€between€her€and€sky.€€ButÏas€she€climbed€and€looked,€climbed€and€looked,€the€view€from€above€took€her€over€as€strongly€as€theÏview€from€below€had€when€she€first€saw€those€peaks€at€the€meeting€with€Ham.€€Then€the€sweet€andÏheavy,€pungent€smells€of€the€plants€she€was€pulling€up€and€pushing€to€the€sides€filled€her€body€andÏlightened€her€foot.€€And€she€sang€too,€a€different€song€but€one€that€curtseyed€in€and€out€of€¢Sy£'s€likeÏthe€low€hum€of€bees€behind€a€mistle€thrush.Ìà  àWhen€morning€came€they€were€still€toiling€up.€€The€foot€of€the€cliff€had€disappeared€as€theyÏcurved€inward€on€the€climb.€€Early€swallows€darted€around€their€heads€as€the€sun€came€up€red€andÏflat€behind€them,€and€while€it€was€still€cool,€they€burrowed€under€the€next€tier€of€vines€and€bushes€toÏmake€themselves€a€camp€for€the€heat€of€the€day.€€The€roar€of€the€waterfall€was€always€beside€them,Ïand€every€now€and€then€as€they€worked€their€way€upward€a€waft€of€cold,€soft€spray€had€blown€overÏthem,€dripping€down€their€faces€together€with€the€sweat€of€the€climb.Ìà  àThe€steps€were€broad€enough€just€here€to€make€a€comfortable€stopping€place.€€There€had€beenÏsome„„mere€holes€dug€in€the€rocky€face„„that€wñ+ñoñ+ñuld€have€been€too€precarious€even€for€¢Sy£€to€perchÏon€for€the€day.€€They€sat€and€spread€out€food.€€On€the€step€below€them€clear€of€the€greenery,€DoraÐ -¸&* Ðlaid€out€a€small€fire,€just€big€enough€to€boil€a€pan€of€water€and€light€her€pipe€by.€€They€ate€andÏsmoked,€drank€tea€and€talked.€€¢Sy£€told€Dora€how€she€had€crept€back€into€the€grove€while€Dora€sleptÏand€given€her€protection€on€her€path.€€Dora€looked€at€the€bottom€of€her€pipe€and€there€still,€faint€butÏclear,€was€the€bird€¢Sy£€had€carved€into€it.€€The€same€bird,€Dora€was€sure€now,€that€had€led€her€hereÏand€was€always€her€eye€toward€the€mountain.Ìà  à"Well,€and€how€¢be'd£€¢ee£€¢yere£€so€timely€woman€dear?€€Did€¢ee£€know€my€path€and€ñ-ñI€ñ-ññ,ñoy€ñ,ñallÏ¢unknowin£?€€Twas€a€dark€way€for€me€sure€¢nough£.€€Hardly€a€step€ñ/ñI€ñ/ññ.ñoy€¢ñ.ññ/ñ¢ñ/ñ¢didn£ñ/ñ£ñ/ññ.ñ£ñ.ñ'€ave€to€trick€myself€into."€ÏDora€made€face,€both€rueful€and€sad,€the€deep€sadness€as€she€remembered€the€old€man€and€herÏchildren€she'd€never€see€again.Ìà  àBut€¢Sy£€didn't€answer€for€a€long€time.€€She€was€bent€over€her€pack,€reordering€it€and€mutteringÏto€herself,€picking€over€this€and€that€in€her€bird€way.€€Dora€thought€she€wasn't€going€to€answer€at€allÏand€was€getting€ready€to€ask€again€when€¢Sy£€held€up€a€finger,€slender€as€a€girl's€and€not€¢workworn£€likeÏDora's€old€stubs.Ìà  à¢Sy£€kept€her€face€turned€away€and€lifted€up€the€other€hand.€€Her€fingers€began€to€dance,Ïstrange€and€fantastic€movements,€back€and€forth,€weaving€and€bending,€sometimes€slowly€andÏsometimes€in€a€frenzy,€clawlike€in€the€air.€€¢Sy£'s€head€and€body€moved€not€at€all.€€She€stayed€bent€over,Ïher€face€down€to€the€side,€her€arms€raised€and€fingers€dipping€and€flashing€with€life€of€their€own.€€ItÏwas€a€story.€€Dora€could€see€that.€€But€what€it€told€was€nothing€clear€to€her.€€The€journey€perhaps.€ÏWas€¢Sy£€trying€to€answer€her€question€with€this€cavort€of€fingers?Ìà  àAs€the€dancing€went€on,€Dora€stopped€thinking€and€stilled.€€Her€body€followed€the€movementÏas€her€mind€could€not.€€Her€body€drank€and€understood.€€¢Sy£'s€hands€fluttered€down€in€a€series€ofÏfalling€waves€and€landed€like€leaves€by€her€sides.€€The€silence€was€long€then,€stretched€into€theÐ -¸&* Мafternoon,€lengthened€into€the€sleep€and€dreams€of€the€two€women€as€they€slumped€and€stirred€andÏlay€finally€on€the€wide€steps€under€the€tangle€of€vines€and€bushes€by€the€waterfall.ÌññÔ#†XXX XY±,#Ôññ