2. The Man in the Dark

Jonas and Severian stand in a large crowd surrounding Barnoch’s house, the doors and windows of which have been sealed with masonry.  While they discuss this provincial form of imprisonment, Severian and Jonas are approached by the town’s mayor.

The politician remarks on Severian’s attire and describes the preparations for Barnoch’s impending removal.  He relays the tale of Mother Pyrexia, whose homebound incarceration transformed her into a creature inhuman.