24. The Corpse

The boy and Severian explore the domed building, which is filled with unfamiliar machines.  Although vacant, the space is ominous and Severian feels uneasy.

A red couch at the center of the room is occupied by a shriveled corpse with two heads.  Severian understands the nearby mechanisms to have provided nourishment to the body and attempts to operate them without success.  Little Severian and Severian speculate about the death of the man.

The pair leave the roundhouse and resolve to depart the town the following morning.  In the meantime, Severian determines that they should locate the mountain’s hand and its gold ring.  Little Severian observes the city’s metal guardians tracking the sun across the sky.