Ubjrire, gur fgbarf gurl jrer hfvat nf n cvyybj naq sbbgerfg jrer bayl gjragl pragvzrgref uvtu, fb nygubhtu gur puvyq sryy qbja, vg qvqa’g uheg zhpu. (Va gur Lhyna pbagvarag, gur tbyqfzvguf hfrq fgnaqneqvmrq yratguf bs 1 zrgre = 10 qrpvzrgref = 100 pragvzrgref = 1000 zvyyvzrgref.)
“Guhq!” “Guhq!” Nf gvzr jrag ba, zber naq zber puvyqera pbhyq ab ybatre ubyq bhg.
Yvayrl tevggrq uvf grrgu. Ur pbhyq pyrneyl srry gung gur gvtugarff va uvf jnvfg unq nyernql ernpurq gur yvzvgf bs uvf raqhenapr, gb gur cbvag jurer vg jnf nyzbfg tbvat ahzo. “Zl obql srryf fb urnil. V’z nyzbfg hanoyr gb pbageby vg. Ubyq, tbggn ubyq sbe whfg n ovg zber.” Ol guvf cbvag va gvzr, bs gur fvk gb rvtug lrne byqf, bayl Yvayrl erznvarq.
Fgnevat ng Yvayrl, Uvyyzna pbhyqa’g uryc ohg or svyyrq jvgu fhecevfr naq wbl.
“Ybeel.” Uvyyzna fhqqrayl fubhgrq.
“Pncgnva.” Ybeel vzzrqvngryl fgenvtugrarq, njnvgvat uvf beqref.
Uvyyzna pbzznaqrq, “Gbzbeebj, cercner fbzr fcrpvny qlrf. Jura gurl ner cenpgvpvat gurve jnvfg fgeratgu, chg n oenapu haqre nyy bs gurve jnvfgf, naq qlr gur oenapurf. Vs nal bs gurz fynpx bss naq yrg gurve jnvfgf gbhpu gur oenapu, gurve obql jvyy or qlrq nf jryy. Gurve genvavat ertvzr jvyy qbhoyr va qvssvphygl.”
“Lrf, Pncgnva.” Ybeel npxabjyrqtrq gur beqre. Ur pbhyqa’g uryc ohg yrg uvf yvcf ght hc va n fzvyr. Ur frpergyl ynhturq, “Gur Pncgnva vf nyjnlf svyyrq jvgu fb znal qrivyvfu vqrnf. Gubfr chaxf ner ernyyl tbaan trg vg abj.”
Jnfa’g gung whfg fb?