Date: Fri, 2 May 1997 12:16:05 -0700 (PDT) Subj: [Jeanne] 78 b > Louis began speaking in french. > > "We can continue with your reading and writing, if you wish. It is > unfortunate that we do not have a Bible here; I am sure you would relish > every word." > Jeanne began speaking in french. Jeanne's face lights up with delight. "I would indeed! Perhaps we might... reconstruct it? If we could fashion paper from the bamboo fibers, and a pen -- I know not how! But I do know some passage by heart, and I am sure Charles would know others. And Benjamin, he knows it even if he does not follow it." Plan: If Louis likes this idea, she will enlist his assistance in fashioning the items she will need. If not, she will seek out Benjamin, since he has shown some skill in the carving of artificial objects in the creation of his chess pieces. Plan: If she goes to Benjamin, she remain cagey about her intended use for the implements. "I wish to make writing utensils, Benjamin. You are skilled in the fashioning of items from the materials we have been given here. Could you show me how to carve a pen? Do you know how to make paper?" Plan: If neither of these two will help her, she will attempt to make them herself from shards of bamboo. She will shred other pieces of bamboo into fibers and from then into pulp, mixing these with water and then spreading the mush on a towel to dry on the floor of the chapel. Plan: If she gets this far :) she will try to talk to Mataoka about the paint on her face, to learn how she makes it and how permanent it is. Plan: If someone rightly points out that she ought to learn to crawl before she runs, well. She'll keep on running.