be infinitely dispersed so that it can never e together again。 The universe will be cold； still； silent； dark； and at last the Unmaker will be at rest。〃
Alvin tried to make sense out of what Taleswapper was saying。 It was the same thing he did whenever Thrower talked about religion in school； so Alvin thought of it as kind of a dangerous thing to do。 But he couldn't stop himself from doing it； and from asking his questions； even if they made people mad。 〃If things are breaking down faster than they're getting made； then how e anything's still around？ Why hasn't the Unmaker already won？ What are we doing here？〃
Taleswapper wasn't Reverend Thrower。 Alvin's question didn't make him angry。 He just knit his brow and shook his head。 〃I don't know。 You're right。 We can't be here。 Our existence is impossible。〃
〃Well we are here； in case you didn't notice；〃 said Alvin。 〃What kind of stupid tale is that； when we just have to look at each other to know it isn't true？〃
〃It has problems； I admit。〃
〃I thought you only told stories you believe。〃
〃I believed it while I was telling it。〃
Taleswapper looked so mournful that Alvin reached out and laid his hand on the man's shoulder； though his coat was so thick and Alvin's hand so small that he wasn't altogether sure Taleswapper felt his touch。 〃I believed it； too。 Parts of it。 For a while。〃
〃Then there is truth in it。 Maybe not much； but some。〃 Taleswapper looked relieved。
But Alvin couldn't leave well enough alone。 〃Just because you believe it doesn't make it so。〃
Taleswapper's eyes went wide。 Now I've done it； thought Alvin。 Now I've made him mad； just like I make Thrower mad。 I do it to everbody。 So he wasn't surprised when Taleswapper reached out both arms toward him； took Alvin's face between his hands； and spoke with such force as to drive the words deep into Alvin's forehead。 〃Everything possible to be believed is an image of truth。〃
And the words did pierce him； and he understood them； though he could not have put in words what it was he understood。 Everything possible to be believed is an image of truth。 If it feels true to me； then there is something true in it； even if it isn't all true。 And if I study it out in my mind； then maybe I can find what parts of it are true； and what parts are false； and And Alvin realized something else。 That all his arguments with Thrower came down to this： that if something just plain didn't make sense to Alvin； he didn't believe it； and no amount of quoting from the Bible would convince him。 Now Taleswapper was telling him that he was right to refuse to believe things that made no sense。 〃Taleswapper； does that mean that what I don't believe can't be true？〃
Taleswapper raised his eyebrows and came back with another proverb。 〃Truth can never be told so as to be understood； and not be believed。〃
Alvin was fed up with proverbs。 〃For once would you tell me straight！〃
〃The proverb is the straight truth； lad。 I refuse to twist it up to fit a confused mind。〃
〃Well； if my mind's confused； it's all your fault。 All your talk about bricks crumbling before the wall is built〃
〃Didn't you believe that？〃
〃Maybe I did。 I reckon if I set out to weave all the grass of this meadow into bug baskets； before I got to the far end of the meadow the grass would all have died and rotted to nothing。 I reckon if I set out to turn all the trees from here to Noisy River into barns； the trees'd all be dead and fell before I ever got to the last of them。 Can't build a house out of rotted logs。〃
〃I was going to say； 'Men cannot build permanent things out of impermanent pieces。' That is the law。 But the way you said it was the proverb of the law： 'You can't build a house out of rotted logs。'〃
〃I said a proverb？〃
〃And when we get back to the house； I'll write it in my book。〃
〃In the sealed part？〃 asked Alvin。 Then he remembered that he had only seen that book by peeking through a crack in his floor late at night when Taleswapper was writing by candlelight in the room below him。
Thleswapper looked at him sharp。 〃I hope you never tried to conjure open that seal。〃
Alvin was offended。 He might peek through a crack； but he'd never sneak。 〃Just knowing you don't want me to read that part is better than any old seal； and if you don't know that； you ain't my friend。 I don't pry into your secrets。〃
〃My secrets？〃 Taleswapper laughed。 〃I seal that back part because that's where my own writings go； and I simply don't want anyone else writing in that part of the book。〃
〃Do other people write in the front part？〃
〃They do。〃
〃Well； what do they write？ Can I write there？〃
〃They write one sentence about the most important thing they ever did or ever saw with their own eyes。 That one sentence is all I need from then on to remind me of their story。 So when I visit in another city； in another house； I can open the book； read the sentence； and tell the story。〃
Alvin thought of a remarkable possibility。 Taleswapper had lived with Ben Franklin； hadn't he？ 〃Did Ben Franklin write in your book？〃
〃He wrote the very first sentence。〃
〃He wrote down the most important thing he ever did？〃
〃That he did。〃
〃Well； what was it？〃
Taleswapper stood up。 〃e back to the house with me； lad； and I'll show you。 And on the way I'll tell you the story to explain what he wrote。〃
Alvin sprang up spry； and took the old man by his heavy sleeve； and fairly dragged him toward the path back down to the house。 〃e on； then！〃 Alvin didn't know if Taleswapper had decided not to go on to church； or if he plumb forgot that's where they were supposed to go whatever the reason； Alvin was happy enough with the result。 A Sunday with no church at all was a Sunday worth being alive。 Add to that Taleswapper's stories and Maker Ben's own writing in a book； and it was well nigh to being a perfect day。
〃There's no hurry； lad。 I won't die before noon； nor will you； and stories take some time to tell。〃
〃Was it something he made？〃 asked Alvin。 〃The most important thing？〃
〃As a matter of fact； it was。〃
〃I knew it！ The two…glass spectacles？ The stove？〃
〃People used to say to him all the time； Ben； you're a true Maker。 But he always denied it。 Just like he denied he was a wizard。 I've got no knack for hidden powers； he said。 I just take pieces of things and put them together in a better way。 There were stoves before I made my stove。 There were spectacles before I made my spectacles。 I never really made anything in my life； in the way a true Maker would do it。 I give you two…glass spectacles； but a Maker would give you new eyes。〃
〃He figured he never made anything？〃
〃I asked him that one day。 The very day that I was starting out with my book。 I said to him； Ben； what's the most important thing you ever made？ And he started in on what I just told you； about how he never really made anything； and I said to him； Ben； you don't believe that； and I don't believe that。 And he said； Bill； you found me out。 There's one thing I made； and it's the most important thing I ever did； and it's the most important thing I ever saw。〃
Taleswapper fell silent； just shambling down the slope through leaves that whispered loud underfoot。
〃Well； what was it？〃
〃Don't you want to wait till you get home and read it for yourself？〃
Alvin got real mad then； madder than he meant to。 〃I hate it when people know something and they won't say！〃
〃No need to get your dander up； lad。 I'll tell you。 What he wrote was this： The only thing I ever truly made was Americans。〃
〃That don't make sense。 Americans are born。〃
〃Well； now； that's not so； Alvin。 Babies are born。 In England the same as in America。 So it isn't being born that makes them American。〃
Alvin thought about that for a second。 〃It's being born in America。〃
〃Well； that's true enough。 But along about fifty years ago； a baby born in Philadelphia was never called an American baby。 It was a Pennsylvanian baby。 And babies born in New Amsterdam were Knickerbockers； and babies born in Boston were Yankees； and babies born in Charleston were Jacobians or Cavaliers or some such name。〃
〃They still are；〃