Hut/Ultan's Library/Catherine

b sharp · 05 Apr 2009, 04:31 · from 2009-April.txt.gz

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From: bsharporflat at hotmail.com (b sharp)
Date: Sun, 5 Apr 2009 00:31:31 -0400
Subject: (urth) Hut/Ultan's Library/Catherine
Message-ID: <COL109-W203E9E25E77526A04FB504D7870 at phx.gbl>

Well a somewhat fruitful thread, for me at least.

Regarding Duko Rigoglio's rant, I too agree that it might describe
both the large natural size of Nessus and the Library and the magical
stuff. I just find the hints of magical stuff more interesting: 
"A city larger than the whorl on which it stands", "countless towers"
"tunnels without end" etc.

I liken Ultan's library to Rudesind's art gallery so I suspect a magical
portal between them and the House Absolute. I don't think we are 
meant to think Rudesind walked the same distance as Severian for their
second meeting in Father Inire's wing of the House Absolute. 
I don't think the mechanism is like the mirrors but more like a 
picture on the wall you step through. Tzadkiel uses something like this
to transport Severian from her Captain's Room to his stateroom. Severian
says of it, "We have such things in the House Absolute. I see whence 
Father Inire took his model, though ours are not so well contrived."

I've always wondered about why Severian sees the face of the dark haired,
pale gown wearing corpse from the Necropolis grave in Ultan's face. 
Ultan really likes the idea of eating the dead and that's what 
Vodalus and his followers did with that corpse. Something weird is going on 
there.  She must have been someone important for vodalus to go through so
much trouble to get that particular corpse.

On the day the House Absolute is drowned, Severian sees a woman being taken
on the Path of Air. She has dark hair and wears a pale gown like the corpse. 
She also has olive skin and an oval face, (like his mother Catherine,the Pellerine?
Same woman, all three?) Anyway, my only guess had been that the Path Of Air
led to the top of Valeria's tower allowing the dark haired woman to be brought 
back to the time of Severian's youth.

Jeff Wilson's reminder of the 49 floors of the Library allows me to consider
that the Path Of Air leads to an upper floor of the Library.  This could allow
for the connection between Ultan and the mysterious dark haired woman. 

-bsharp
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