ce as well.
You and Mathild have proven that it can be done. It's high time the rest
of you learned, too."

"Jarl, you think too little of these young people themselves," Adler
said. "Tell them what is in store for them. They are frightened."

"Of course, of course. It's obvious. Honath, you and Mathild are the
only living individuals of your race who know how to survive down there
on the surface. And we're not going to tell your people how to do that.
We aren't even going to drop them so much as a hint. That part of it is
up to you."

Honath's jaw dropped.

"It's up to you," Jarl Eleven repeated firmly. "We'll return you to your
tribe tomorrow, and we'll tell your people that you two know the rules
for successful life on the ground--and that everyone else has to go down
and live there too. We'll tell them nothing else but that. What do you
think they'll do then?"

"I don't know," Honath said dazedly. "Anything could happen. They might
even make us Spokesman and Spokeswoman--except that we're just common
criminals."

"Uncommon pioneers, Honath. The man and the woman to lead the humanity
of Tellura out of the attic, into the wide world." Jarl Eleven got to
his feet, the great light playing over him. Looking up after him, Honath
saw that there were at least a dozen other Giants standing just outside
the oval of light, listening intently to every word.

"But there's a little time to be passed before we begin," Jarl Eleven
said. "Perhaps you two would like to look over our ship."

Humbly, but with a soundless emotion much like music inside him, Honath
took Mathild's hand. Together they walked away from the chimney to Hell,
following the footsteps of the Giants.

End of Project Gutenberg's The Thing in the Attic, by James Benjamin Blish

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