The Piteous Gate

Roy C. Lackey · 25 Feb 2006, 20:22 · from 2006-February.txt.gz

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From: rclackey at stic.net (Roy C. Lackey)
Date: Sat, 25 Feb 2006 14:22:13 -0600
Subject: (urth) The Piteous Gate
Message-ID: <000e01c63a49$2d1aea00$643ec6d8 at rclackey.stic.net>

Jeff Wilson quoted and wrote:
>> You must be referring to the brief exchange Sev had with Baldanders after
>> escaping from the antechamber. It was only then that we learned that
>> Baldanders had been with Sev "in the forest beyond the Piteous Gate."
>> Baldanders left him there, presumably to search -- successfully -- for
>> Talos, Jolenta and Dorcas. And Baldanders was burdened with all the
troupe's
>> theatrical properties. It makes you wonder how hard Sev really tried to
find
>> Dorcas. If slow, dim Baldanders could do it, why not he?
>
>Is this sarcasm? As I recall, Baldanders is quite brainy on matters that
>engage him, and it's no surprise that he and Dr. Talos were able to
>locate one another, given their origin of their relationship.

In the passage in question (CLAW, XXII), Severian remarks on Baldanders'
slow speech and "dull eyes". He also writes, "I found it impossible to be
angry with this dim, gentle giant." Baldanders had completely forgotten that
Severian had even been with Talos and himself when they left the city via
the Piteous Gate.

-Roy

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