“But I see that you do want to conceal from me something. For example, you enumerated everything you saw beyond the Wall but you failed to mention one thing. You deny it? But don’t you remember that once, just in passing, just for a second you saw me there? Yes, yes me !”

Silence.

Suddenly, like a flash of lightning, it became shamelessly clear to me: he⁠—he too⁠—. And all myself, my torment, all that I brought here, crushed by the burden, plucking up my last strength as if performing a great feat, all appeared to me only funny⁠—like the ancient anecdote about Abraham and Isaac; Abraham all in a cold sweat, with the knife already raised over his son, over himself⁠—and suddenly a voice from above: “Never mind.⁠ ⁠… I was only joking.”