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Tibicen wrote: One anecdote to add to Tibicen's harrowing account of the SECRET STAIR, from a Gentleman Server's perspective: Andre (nee Adele) and I also "discovered" the back door of the upstairs hall, but early in the working day. Being enterprising young men blessed with a moment of leisure, we took the opportunity to skulk into the hall, down the aforementioned staircase, and into the nave by the bright light of afternoon. The nave by stained-glass multicolored daylight is magical and still. We were properly awed and retreated upstairs after only cursory looks 'round. ...So I was primed for adventure when a few dinner candles went out in the upper hall later that night, and there was need to go back. One of the other servers told me the extras were stored in the "back closet" behind the sotelties, banquet screen, musicians, and High Table -- and that to fetch them would necessitate a trip 'round the back. Remembering the staircase, I agreed to make the trip. As I left, Leonor (nee Eleanor) asked a particular favor: "please find Isabella's knife, which has a black handle." Primed for adventure AND a Lady's favor, I set out: down the main staircase, through the merry lower hall -- filled to brimming with bright colors, happy faces, and excellent food -- through the church hallways, past the lower kitchen, through the huge door and into the sanctuary. It being nighttime, the sanctuary was now magical, still, and filled with INKY, PITCH BLACK DARKNESS. I left the door wide open to let in light from the hall, steeled myself, and walked out of the strip of light into the vast nave. (Those of you who know that the light switch is in plain sight right outside the sanctuary door, please remember that as Lucien I am utterly unaware of what a light switch is, and a little dim besides that. Thank you for your patience.) Luckily, the center aisle was clear of debris, dead bodies, wolves, snakes, and grabbing hands (hey -- did I say it was DARK?) and I made it through the back doors, across the entrance lobby, around the podium (whoops!), and up the back staircase. As I climbed, music and laughter from the upper hall grew louder and finally I was wrapped in light again. Candles and knife. The "back closet" turned out to be the (pitch dark) rear balcony of the church, stacked high with empty boxes and bins. Backstage, as it were, of the banquet screen, I messily rifled each of them -- down to the bottom-most, dustiest, messiest box -- and found what felt like candles. There was no knife of any variety. I grabbed the nearest small container, a wine box, pulled out the cardboard waffle, and threw in all of the candles. Figuring the knife would turn up when the lights were back on, I trekked back. The trip back, returning to the open sanctuary door, was less trying. In the end the candles were replaced, the lights were lit, our diners could see their marvelous food once more, and I promptly forgot about the trip. A little later I found Leonor to apologize for not finding the knife. "Oh, that's okay," she said. "We found it a minute ago at the bottom of a wine box full of candles." Best to all who -- before and behind curtain -- made the day exciting and true, |