finally he speaks'if you come into my cave, childyou will not come out again unchanged'his hands gesture beyond himtrying vainly to describesomething greater than him 'if you come into this deep cave,down halls few feet have ever trod,you will not be you againyou will be another you,a newer youa blinded yet unblinded being,footsteps following the footsteps of thosewho have painted here beforewill you come?

in case we ever lose each otheralways remember thisour signand i will find you againas i go to find my brother'the painter promises

i painted it because i dreamed itbecause we all dreamed it

why do you paint in the dark'i ask himand he looks not at mebut away'because i cannot bear my own darknessin the light'he is quiet for some time'but inwardly i am told wherethere is paint to beand i paint it there in the darkso none can see myself trulyburning in the sun