He began to worry that his gamble had not worked at all when Alain still appeared to be contemplating a decision.

"If you begin to kill indiscriminately, you betray wisdom itself."

He didn't exactly relax when Alain sighed, but he felt the tenseness in his shoulders lessen. He caught the mask on reflex. Good, some of his faculties were returning. He chanced sitting up and stowing it away.

"Have you ever killed a man without feeling anything? I have. I used to be afraid to feel. Even now I wonder if it does not simply bring me more suffering, but I cannot lose any more of my humanity. If I see a way to resolve a problem without bloodshed, I must take it. There are others here who would protect these children as well. We should use that to our advantage and secure safe places for them.

"I would protest the stealing of my weapon, but that thing is more danger than protection. Be sure not to take off any child's head with that."

If the "gun" in "gunslinger" was any indication, Alain had pegged him as a killer of some kind. Unlike a knife, such a weapon couldn't be for anything but killing. To hear Alain speak of him, it sounded like Roland was similarly trigger-happy.

"Roland is a good fighter. I will avoid him."