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Evidently aware that he had jolted her out of gray despair into stark horror； Vess smiled again…and then turned his attention to her breakfast plate。 〃Do you intend to eat the rest of that？〃
〃No。〃
〃Then I'll have it。〃
He slid his empty plate aside and pulled hers in front of him。 Using her fork； he cut a bite…size piece of the cold omelet； put it in his； mouth； and moaned softly in delight。 Slowly； sensuously； Vess extracted the tines from his mouth； pressing his lips firmly around them as they slid loose； then reaching with his tongue for one last lick。
After he swallowed the bite of eggs； he said； 〃I could taste you on the fork。 Your saliva has a lovely flavor…except for a faint bitterness。 No doubt that's not a usual ponent； just the result of a sour stomach。〃
She could find no escape by closing her eyes； so she watched as he devoured the remains of her breakfast。
When he finished； she had a question of her own。 〃Last night 。。。 why did you eat the spider？〃
〃Why not？〃
〃That's no answer。〃
〃It's the best answer to any question。〃
〃Then give me second…best。〃
〃You think it was disgusting？〃
〃I'm just curious。〃
〃No doubt； you see it as a negative experience…eating an icky； squirmy spider。〃
〃No doubt。〃
〃But there are no negative experiences； Chyna。 Only sensations。 No values can be attached to pure sensation。〃
〃Of course they can。〃
〃If you think so； then you're in the wrong century。 Anyway； the spider had an interesting flavor； and now I understand spiders better for having absorbed one。 Do you know about flatworm leaming？〃
〃Flatworm？〃
〃You should have encountered it in a basic biology course along the way to being such a highly educated woman。 You see； certain flatworms can gradually learn to negotiate a maze…〃
She did remember； and interrupted： 〃Then if you grind them up and feed them to another batch of flatworms； batch number two can run the same maze on the first try。〃
〃Good。 Yes。〃 Vess nodded happily。 〃They absorb the knowledge with the flesh。〃
She didn't need to consider how to phrase her next question； for Vess could be neither insulted nor flattered。 〃Jesus； you don't actually believe you now know what it's like to be a spider； have all the knowledge of a spider； because you've eaten one？〃
〃Of course not； Chyna。 If I were that literal…minded； I'd be crazy。 Wouldn't I？ In an institution somewhere； talking to a crowd of imaginary friends。 But because of my sharp senses； I did absorb from the spider an ineffable quality of spiderness that you'll never be able to understand。 I heightened my awareness of the spider as a marvelously engineered little hunter； a creature of power。 Spider is a power word； you know； though it can't be formed from the letters of my name。〃 He hesitated； pondering； and then continued： 〃It can be formed from the letters of your name。〃
She didn't bother to remind him about her mother's precious spelling。 Only spyder could be found in Chyna Shepherd。
〃And it was risky； eating a spider； which added considerably to the appeal；〃 Vess continued。 〃Unless you're an entomologist； you can't be sure if any particular specimen is poisonous or not。 Some； like the brown recluse； are extremely dangerous。 A bite on the hand is one thing 。。。 but I had to be sure that I was quick and crushed it against the roof of my mouth before it could bite my tongue。〃
〃You like taking risks。〃
He shrugged。 〃I'm just that kind of guy。〃
〃On edge。〃
〃Words in my name；〃 he acknowledged。 〃And if you'd been bitten on the tongue？〃
〃Pain is the same as pleasure； just different。 Learn to enjoy it； and YOU 're happier with life。〃
〃Even pain is value neutral？〃
〃Sure。 Just sensation。 It helps grow the reef of the soul…if there is a soul。〃
She didn't know what the hell he was talking about…the reef of the soul…and she didn't ask。 She was weary of him。 Weary of fearing him； even weary of hating him。 With her questions； she was striving to understand； as she had striven all her life； and she was tired to death of this search for meaning。 She would never know why some people mitted countless little cruelties…or bigger ones…and the struggle to understand had only exhausted her and left her empty； cold； and gray inside。
Pointing to her red and swollen index finger； Vess said； 〃That must hurt。 And your neck。〃
〃The headache's the worst of it。 And none of it's anything like pleasure。〃
〃Well； I can't easily show you the way to enlightenment and prove you're wrong。 It takes time。 But there's a smaller lesson； quick to learn。 。 。 。 〃
He got up from his chair and went to a spice rack at the end of the kitchen cabinets。 Among the small bottles and tins of thyme； cloves； dill； nutineg； chili pepper； ginger； marjoram； and cinnamon was a bottle of aspirin。 〃I don't take this for headaches； because I like to savor the pain。 But I keep aspirin on hand because； once in a while； I like to chew on them for the taste。〃
〃They're vile。〃
〃Just bitter。 Bitterness can be as pleasing as sweetness when you learn that every experience； every sensation； is worthwhile。〃
He returned to the table with the bottle of aspirin。 He put it in front of her…and took away her glass of water。
〃No； thanks；〃 she said。
〃Bitterness has its place。〃
She ignored the bottle。
〃Suit yourself；〃 Vess said； clearing the plates off the table。 Although Chyna needed relief from her various pains； she refused to touch the aspirin。 Perhaps irrationally but nonetheless strongly she felt that by chewing a few of the tablets； even strictly for the medicinal effect； she would be stepping into the strange rooms of Edgler Vess's madness。 This was a threshold that she didn't care to cross for any purpose； even with one foot solidly anchored in the real world。
He hand…washed the breakfast plates； bowls； pans； and utensils。 He was efficient and fastidious； using steaming hot water and lots of lemon…scented dishwashing liquid。
Chyna had one more question that could not go unasked； and at last she said； 〃Why the Templetons？ Why choose them of all people？ It wasn't random； was it； not just the place you happened to stop in the night？ 〃
〃Not just random；〃 he agreed； scrubbing the omelet pan with a plastic scouring pad。 〃A few weeks back； Paul Templeton was up this way on business； and when…〃
〃You knew him？〃
〃Not really。 He was in town； the county seat； on business like I said； and as he was taking something from his wallet to show me； a set of those little hinged plastic windows fell out； you know； with little wallet…size photographs； and I picked them up for him。 One of the pictures was his wife。 Another was Laura。 She looked so 。。。 fresh； unspoiled。 I said something like 'That's a pretty girl；' and Paul was off and running about her； every inch the proud papa。 Told me she was soon going to have her master's degree in psychology； three…pointeight grade average and everything。 He told me how he really missed her away at school； even after six years of getting used to it； and how he couldn't wait for the end of the month； because Laura was ing home for a three…day weekend。 He didn't mention she was bringing along a friend。〃
An accident。 Photos dropped。 A casual exchange； mere idle conversation。
The arbitrariness of it was breathtaking and almost more than Chyna could bear。
Then； as she watched Vess thoroughly wiping off the counters and rinsing the dishpan and scrubbing the sink； Chyna began to feel that what had happened to the Templeton family was worse than merely arbitrary。 All this violent death began to seem fated； an inexorable spiral into lasting darkness； as if they had been born and had lived only for Edgler Vess。
It was as if she too had been born and had struggled this far only for the purpose of bringing one moment of sick satisfaction to this soulless predator。
The worst horror of his rampages was not the pain and fear that he inflicted； not the blood； not the mutilated cadavers。 The pain and the fear were paratively brief； considering all the routine pain and anxiety of life。 The blood and bodies were merely aftermath。 The worst horror was that he stole meaning from the unfinished lives of those people he killed； made himse4（the primary purpose of their existence； robbed them not of time but of fulfillment。
His base sins were envy of beauty； of happiness and pride； bending the whole world to his view of creation； and these were the greatest sins of all； the same transgressions over which the devil himself； once an archangel； had stumbled and fallen a long way out of Heaven。
Hand…drying the plates； pans； and flatware in the drainage rack； returning each piece to the proper shelf or drawer； Edgler Vess looked as pink…clean as a freshly bathed baby and as innocent as the stillborn。 He smelled of soap； a good bracing aftershave； and lemon…scented dishwashing liquid。 But in spite of all this； Chyna found herself superstitiously expecting to detect a whiff of brimstone。
Every life led to a series of quiet epiphanies or at least to opportunities for epiphanies and Chyna was washed by a poignant new grief when she thought about this grim aspect of the Templeton family's interrupted journeys。 The kindnesses they might have done for others。 The love they might have given。 The things they might have e to understand in their hearts。
Vess finished the breakfast clean…up and returned to the table。 〃I have a few things to do upstairs； outside…and then I'll have to sleep four or five hours if I can。 I've got to go to work this evening。 I need my rest。〃
She wondered what work he did； but she didn't ask。 He might be talking about a job…or about his dogged assault on Ariel's sanity。 If the latter； Chyna didn't want to know what was ing。
〃When you shift around in the chair； do it easy。 Those chains will scrape the wood if you're not careful。〃
〃I'd hate to mar the furniture；〃 she said。
He stared at her for perhaps half a minute and then said； 〃If you're stupid enough to think you can get free； I'll hear the chains rattling； and I'll have to e back in here to quiet you。 If that's necessary； you won't like what I'll do。〃
She said nothing。 She was hopelessly hobbled and chained down。 She couldn't possibly escape。
〃Even if you somehow get free of the table and chairs； you can't move fast。 And attack dogs patrol the grounds。〃
〃I've seen them；〃 she assured him。
〃If you weren't chained； they'd still drag you down and kill you before you'd gone ten steps from the door。〃
She believed him but she didn't understand why he felt the need to press the point so hard。
〃I once turned a young man loose in the yard；〃 Vess said。 〃He raced straight to the nearest tree and got up and out of harm's way with only one bad bite in his right calf and a nip on the left ankle。 He braced himself in the branches and thought he would be safe for a little while； with the dogs circling below and watching him； but I got a twenty…two rifle and went out on the back porch and shot him in the leg from there。 He fell out of the tree； and then it was all over in maybe a minute。〃
Chyna said nothing。 There were moments when municating with this hateful thing seemed no more possible than discussing the merits of Mozart with a shark。 This was one of those moments。
〃You were invisible to me last night；〃 he said。
She waited。 His gaze traveled over her； and he seemed to be looking for a loose link in one of the chains or a handcuff left open and unnoticed until now。
〃Like a spirit。〃
She was not sure that it was ever possible to discern what this thing was thinking…but right now； by God； it seemed to be vaguely uneasy about leaving her alone。 She couldn't for the life of her imagine why。
〃Stay？〃 he said。
She nodded。
〃Good girl。〃
He went to the door between the kitchen and the living room。
Realizing that they had one more issue to discuss； she said； 〃Before you go 。。。
He turned to look at her。
〃Could you take me to a bathroom？〃 she asked。
〃It's too much trouble to undo the chains just now；〃 he said。 〃Piss in your pants if you have to。 I'm going to clean you up later anyway。 And I can buy new chair cushions。〃
He pushed through the door into the living room and was gone。 Chyna was determined not to endure the humiliation of sitting in her own waste。 She had a f