| This man is at the door of hell… somehow it seems to be his destination after
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| a life of subtle stubbornness. |
| he doesnt expect to find himself waking up out
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| of a dream… he doesnt expect to pi Imself and wake up and that kind of thing… in fact, the thought of that
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| happening makes him smile. |
| hes just mildly surprised to find himself there at the door of hell.
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| To all accounts, the kindly old man who is the doorman (and who conceivably
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| reminds him of his father) is sat reading a book… but he gets up smartly and
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| without time for either of them to feel
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| Theyre standing on ceremony says, «hold my book for a minute, would you,
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| while I get the door open!"(presumably, you know, you need two hands to open
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| the door.) for some reason the o N doesnt just put his book down on the chair
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| It all happens quite quickly… he finds that hes made a decision and is already
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| holding the old mans book… as just about anybody else would have,
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| but it seems a bit curious because… in howev
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| All a way you like to consider it… it is as if hes helping himself enter hell.
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| .the path of least resistance. |
| of course, at the same time he suddenly thinks.
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| even as he finally grips the book.
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| Ot;this is my chance for a reprieve… the final test… the straw which will tip
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| the good deeds over the bad.»
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| Next thing he knows, they have exchanged opinions on the book and he has handed
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| it back to the old man and is being shown into hell. |