2. Upon the Cataract

In the morning, Dorcas cuts her hair short and departs the Vincula.  Severian dons plainclothes and sets out into the city hoping to locate her.

Severian observes the stratified society of Thrax, with the wealthy living along the low banks of the River Acis and the poor in the high elevations of the canyon.  He navigates a shopping district and notices a diverse crowd of natives and foreigners.