With the thought came the recollection of a poem he had once heard read, about a mouse so frightened it went to the cat for love. - Robert Stone

It can't be an easy thing," Lucas said, "to make a country. It's tough enough to make a café. Or to make one be the way you imagined it. Unless you only let certain people in and keep the rest out.

Discretion came hard to Lucas, who tended to think slowly and aloud, but it was time to try a little harder.

One wore a brown army-style sweater, extensively darned and full of holes. The darning was old and unraveling; it looked as if someone had once cared enough to repair his sweaters and then just given up.