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FOR PUBLIC DOMAIN ETEXTS*Ver.04.29.93*END*\n\n\n\n\n\nPrepared by David Reed haradda@aol.com or davidr@inconnect.com\n\n\n\nFaust Part 1\nby Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe\n\nINTRODUCTORY NOTE\n\nJOHANN WOLFGANG VON GOETHE, the greatest of German\nmen of letters, was born at Frank fort-on-the-Main, August 28,\n1749. His father was a man of means and position, and he\npersonally supervised the early education of his son. The young\nGoethe studied at the universities of Leipsic and Strasburg, and in\n1772 entered upon the practise of law at Wetzlar. At the invitation\nof Karl August, Duke of Saxe-Weimar, he went in 1775 to live in\nWeimar, where he held a succession of political offices, becoming\nthe Duke's chief adviser. From 1786 to 1788 he traveled in Italy,\nand from 179' to 1817 directed the ducal theater at Weimar. He\ntook part in the wars against France, 1792-3, and in the following\nyear began his friendship with Schiller, which lasted till the latter's\ndeath in 1805. In 1806 he married Christiane Vulpius. From about\n1794 he devoted himself chiefly to literature, and after a life of\nextraordinary productiveness died at Weimar, March 22, 1832.\nThe most important of Goethe's works produced before he went to\nWeimar were his tragedy \"Gotz von Berlichingen\" (1773), which\nfirst brought him fame, and \"The Sorrows of Young Werther,\" a\nnovel which obtained enormous popularity during the so-called\n\"Sturm und Drang\" period. During the years at Weimar before he\nknew Schiller he began \"Wilhelm Meister,\" wrote the dramas,\n\"Iphigenie,\" \"Egmont,\" and \"Torquato Tasso,\" and his \"Reinecke\nFuchs.\" To the period of his friendship with Schiller belong the\ncontinuation of \"Wilhelm Meister,\" the beautiful idyl of \"Hermann\nand Dorothea,\" and the \"Roman Elegies.\" In the last period,\nbetween Schiller's death in 1805 and his own, appeared \"Faust,\"\n\"Elective Affinities,\" his autobiographical \"Dichtung und\nWahrheit\" (\"Poetry and Truth\"), his \"Italian Journey,\" much\nscientific work, and a series of treatises on German Art.\n\nThough the foregoing enumeration contains but a selection front\nthe titles of Goethe's best known writings, it suffices to show the\nextraordinary fertility and versatility of his genius. Rarely has a\nman of letters had so full and varied a life, or been capable of so\nmany-sided a development. His political and scientific activities,\nthough dwarfed in the eyes of our generation by his artistic\nproduction, yet showed the adaptability of his talent in the most\ndiverse directions, and helped to give him that balance of temper\nand breadth of vision in which he has been surpassed by no genius\nof the ancient or modern world.\n\nThe greatest and most representative expression of Goethe's\npowers is without doubt to be found in his drama of \"Faust\"; but\nbefore dealing with Goethe's masterpiece, it is worth while to say\nsomething of the history of the story on which it is founded--the\nmost famous instance of the old and widespread legend of the man\nwho sold his soul to the devil. The historical Dr. Faust seems to\nhave been a self-called philosopher who traveled about Germany\nin the first half of the sixteenth century, making money by the\npractise of magic, fortune-telling, and pretended cures. He died\nmysteriously about 1540, and a legend soon sprang up that the\ndevil, by whose aid he wrought his wonders, had finally carried\nhim off. In 1587 a life of him appeared, in which are attributed to\nhim many marvelous exploits and in which he is held up as an\nawful warning against the excessive desire for secular learning and\nadmiration for antique beauty which characterized the humanist\nmovement of the time. In this aspect the Faust legend is an\nexpression of early popular Protestantism, and of its antagonism to\nthe scientific and classical tendencies of the Renaissance.\n\nWhile a succession of Faust books were appearing in Germany, the\noriginal life was translated into English and dramatized by\nMarlowe. English players brought Marlowe's work back to\nGermany, where it was copied by German actors, degenerated into\nspectacular farce, and finally into a puppet show. Through this\npuppet show Goethe made acquaintance with the legend.\n\nBy the time that Goethe was twenty, the Faust legend had\nfascinated his imagination; for three years before he went to\nWeimar he had been working on scattered scenes and bits of\ndialogue; and though he suspended actual composition on it during\nthree distinct periods, it was always to resume, and he closed his\nlabors upon it only with his life. Thus the period of time between\nhis first experiments and the final touches is more than sixty years.\nDuring this period the plans for the structure and the signification\nof the work inevitably underwent profound modifications, and\nthese have naturally affected the unity of the result; but, on the\nother hand, this long companionship and persistent recurrence to\nthe task from youth to old age have made it in a unique way the\nrecord of Goethe's personality in all its richness and diversity.\n\nThe drama was given to the public first as a fragment in 1790; then\nthe completed First Part appeared in 1808; and finally the Second\nPart was published in 1833, the year after the author's death.\nWriting in \"Dichtung und Wahrheit\" of the period about 1770,\nwhen he was in Strasburg with. Herder, Goethe says, \"The\nsignificant puppet-play legend . . . echoed and buzzed in many\ntones within me. I too had drifted about in all knowledge, and\nearly enough had been brought to feel the vanity of it. I too had\nmade all sorts of experiments in life, and had always come back\nmore unsatisfied and more tormented. I was now carrying these\nthings, like many others, about with me and delighting myself with\nthem in lonely hours, but without writing anything down.\" Without\ngoing into the details of the experience which underlies these\nwords, we can see the be ginning of that sympathy with the hero of\nthe old story that was the basis of its fascination and that\naccounted for Goethe's departure from the traditional catastrophe\nof Faust's damnation.\n\nOf the elements in the finished Faust that are derived from the\nlegend a rough idea may be obtained from the \"Doctor Faustus\" of\nMarlowe, printed in the present volume. As early as 1674 a life of\nFaust had contained the incident of the philosopher's falling in love\nwith a servant-girl; but the developed story of Gretchen is Goethe's\nown. The other elements added to the plot can be noted by a\ncomparison with Marlowe.\n\nIt need hardly be said that Goethe's \"Faust\" does not derive its\ngreatness from its conformity to the traditional standards of what a\ntragedy should be. He himself was accustomed to refer to it\ncynically as a monstrosity, and yet he put himself into it as\nintensely as Dante put himself into \"The Divine Comedy.\" A\npartial explanation of this apparent contradiction in the author's\nattitude is to be found in what has been said of its manner of\ncomposition. Goethe began it in his romantic youth, and availed\nhimself recklessly of the supernatural elements in the legend, with\nthe disregard of reason and plausibility characteristic of the\nromantic mood. When he returned to it in the beginning of the new\ncentury his artistic standards had changed, and the supernaturalism\ncould now be tolerated only by being made symbolic. Thus he\nmakes the career of Faust as a whole emblematic of the triumph of\nthe persistent striving for the ideal over the temptation to find\ncomplete satisfaction in the sense, and prepares the reader for this\ninterpretation by prefixing the \"Prologue in Heaven.\" The\nelaboration of this symbolic element is responsible for such scenes\nas the Walpurgis Night and the Intermezzo, scenes full of power\nand infinitely suggestive, but destructive of the unity of the play as\na tragedy of human life. Yet there remains in this First Part even in\nits final form much that is realistic in the best sense, the carousal\nin Auerbach's cellar, the portrait of Martha, the Easter-morning\nwalk, the character and fate of Margaret. It is such elements as\nthese that have appealed to the larger reading public and that have\nnaturally been emphasized by performance on the stage, and by\nvirtue of these alone \"Faust\" may rank as a great drama; but it is\nthe result of Goethe's broodings on the mystery of human life,\nshadowed forth in the symbolic parts and elaborated with still\ngreater complexity and still more far-reaching suggestiveness--and,\nit must be added, with deepening obscurity--in the Second Part,\nthat have given the work its place with \"Job,\" with the\n\"Prometheus Bound,\" with \"The Divine Comedy,\" and with\n\"Hamlet.\"\n\n\n\n\n\nDedication\n\nYE wavering shapes, again ye do enfold me,\nAs erst upon my troubled sight ye stole;\nShall I this time attempt to clasp, to hold ye?\nStill for the fond illusion yearns my soul?\nYe press around! Come then, your captive hold me,\nAs upward from the vapoury mist ye roll;\nWithin my breast youth's throbbing pulse is bounding,\nFann'd by the magic breath your march surrounding.\n\nShades fondly loved appear, your train attending,\nAnd visions fair of many a blissful day;\nFirst-love and friendship their fond accents blending,\nLike to some ancient, half-expiring lay;\nSorrow revives, her wail of anguish sending\nBack o'er life's devious labyrinthine way,\nAnd names the dear ones, they whom Fate bereaving\nOf life's fair hours, left me behind them grieving.\n\nThey hear me not my later cadence singing,\nThe souls to whom my earlier lays I sang;\nDispersed the throng, their severed flight now winging;\nMute are the voices that responsive rang.\nFor stranger crowds the Orphean lyre now stringing,\nE'en their applause is to my heart a pang;\nOf old who listened to my song, glad hearted,\nIf yet they live, now wander widely parted.\n\nA yearning long unfelt, each impulse swaying,\nTo yon calm spirit-realm uplifts my soul;\nIn faltering cadence, as when Zephyr playing,\nFans the Aeolian harp, my numbers roll;\nTear follows tear, my steadfast heart obeying\nThe tender impulse, loses its control;\nWhat I possess as from afar I see;\nThose I have lost become realities to me.\n\n\n\n\n\nPROLOGUE FOR THE THEATRE\n\nMANAGER. DRAMATIC POET. MERRYMAN.\n\nMANAGER\n\nYE twain, in trouble and distress\nTrue friends whom I so oft have found,\nSay, for our scheme on German ground,\nWhat prospect have we of success?\nFain would I please the public, win their thanks;\nThey live and let live, hence it is but meet.\nThe posts are now erected, and the planks,\nAnd all look forward to a festal treat.\nTheir places taken, they, with eyebrows rais'd,\nSit patiently, and fain would be amaz'd.\nI know the art to hit the public taste,\nYet ne'er of failure felt so keen a dread;\nTrue, they are not accustomed to the best,\nBut then appalling the amount they've read..\nHow make our entertainment striking, new,\nAnd yet significant and pleasing too?\nFor to be plain, I love to see the throng,\nAs to our booth the living tide progresses;\nAs wave on wave successive rolls along,\nAnd through heaven's narrow portal forceful presses;\nStill in broad daylight, ere the clock strikes four,\nWith blows their way towards the box they take;\nAnd, as for bread in famine, at the baker's door,\nFor tickets are content their necks to break.\nSuch various minds the bard alone can sway,\nMy friend, oh work this miracle to-day!\n\nPOET\n\nOh of the motley throng speak not before me,\nAt whose aspect the Spirit wings its flight!\n\nConceal the surging concourse, I implore thee,\nWhose vortex draws us with resistless might.\nNo, to some peaceful heavenly nook restore me,\nWhere only for the bard blooms pure delight,\nWhere love and friendship yield their choicest blessing,\nOur heart's true bliss, with god-like hand caressing.\n\nWhat in the spirit's depths was there created,\nWhat shyly there the lip shaped forth in sound;\nA failure now, with words now fitly mated,\nIn the wild tumult of the hour is drown'd;\nFull oft the poet's thought for years bath waited\nUntil at length with perfect form 'tis crowned;\nWhat dazzles, for the moment born, must perish;\nWhat genuine is posterity will cherish.\n\nMERRYMAN\n\nThis cant about posterity I hate;\nAbout posterity were I to prate,\nWho then the living would amuse? For they\nWill have diversion, ay, and 'tis their due.\nA sprightly fellow's presence at your play,\nMethinks should also count for something too;\nWhose genial wit the audience still inspires,\nKnows from their changeful mood no angry feeling;\nA wider circle he desires,\nTo their heart's depths more surely thus appealing.\nTo work, then! Give a master-piece, my friend;\nBring Fancy with her choral trains before us,\nSense, reason, feeling, passion, but attend!\nLet folly also swell the tragic chorus.\n\nMANAGER\n\nIn chief, of incident enough prepare!\nA show they want, they come to gape and stare.\nSpin for their eyes abundant occupation,\nSO that the multitude may wondering gaze,\nYou by sheer bulk have won your reputation,\n\nBy mass alone can you subdue the masses,\nEach then selects in time what suits his bent.\nBring much, you something bring for various classes,\nAnd from the house goes every one content.\nYou give a piece, abroad in pieces send it!\n'Tis a ragout--success most needs attend it;\n'Tis easy to serve up, as easy to invent.\nA finish'd whole what boots it to present!\nFull soon the public will in pieces rend it.\n\nPOET\n\nHow mean such handicraft as this you cannot feel!\nHow it revolts the genuine artist's mind!\nThe sorry trash in which these coxcombs deal,\nIs here approved on principle, I find.\n\nMANAGER\n\nSuch a reproof disturbs me not a whit!\nWho on efficient work is bent,\nMust choose the fittest instrument.\nConsider! 'tis soft wood you have to split;\nThink too for whom you write, I pray!\nOne comes to while an hour away;\nOne from the festive board, a sated guest;\nOthers, more dreaded than the rest,\nFrom journal-reading hurry to the play.\nAs to a masquerade, with absent minds, they press,\nSheer curiosity their footsteps winging;\nLadies display their persons and their dress,\nActors unpaid their service bringing.\nWhat dreams beguile you on your poet's height?\nWhat puts a full house in a merry mood?\nMore closely view your patrons of the night!\nThe half are cold, the half are rude.\nOne, the play over, craves a game of cards;\nAnother a wild night in wanton joy would spend.\nPoor fools the muses' fair regards.\nWhy court for such a paltry end?\nI tell you, give them more, still more, 'tis all I ask,\nThus you will ne'er stray widely from the goal;\nYour audience seek to mystify, cajole;--\nTo satisfy them--that's a harder task.\nWhat ails thee? art enraptured or distressed?\n\nPOET\n\nDepart! elsewhere another servant choose\nWhat! shall the bard his godlike power abuse?\nMan's loftiest right, kind nature's high bequest,\nFor your mean purpose basely sport away?\nWhence comes his mastery o'er the human breast,\nWhence o'er the elements his sway,\nBut from the harmony that, gushing from his soul,\nDraws back into his heart the wondrous whole?\nWith careless hand when round her spindle, Nature\nWinds the interminable thread of life;\nWhen 'mid the clash of Being every creature\nMingles in harsh inextricable strife;\nWho deals their course unvaried till it falleth,\nIn rhythmic flow to music's measur'd tone?\nEach solitary note whose genius calleth,\nTo swell the mighty choir in unison?\nWho in the raging storm sees passion low'ring?\nOr flush of earnest thought in evening's glow?\nWho every blossom in sweet spring-time flowering\nAlong the loved one's path would strow?\nWho, Nature's green familiar leaves entwining,\nWreathe's glory's garland, won on every field?\nMakes sure Olympus, heavenly powers combining?\nMan's mighty spirit, in the bard reveal'd!\n\nMERRYMAN\n\nCome then, employ your lofty inspiration,\nAnd carry on the poet's avocation,\nJust as we carry on a love affair.\nTwo meet by chance, are pleased, they linger there,\nInsensibly are link'd, they scarce know how;\nFortune seems now propitious, adverse now,\nThen come alternate rapture and despair;\nAnd 'tis a true romance ere one's aware.\nJust such a drama let us now compose.\nPlunge boldly into life--its depths disclose!\nEach lives it, not to many is it known,\n'Twill interest wheresoever seiz'd and shown;\nBright pictures, but obscure their meaning:\nA ray of truth through error gleaming,\nThus you the best elixir brew,\nTo charm mankind, and edify them too.\nThen youth's fair blossoms crowd to view your play,\nAnd wait as on an oracle; while they,\nThe tender souls, who love the melting mood,\nSuck from your work their melancholy food;\nNow this one, and now that, you deeply stir,\nEach sees the working of his heart laid bare.\nTheir tears, their laughter, you command with ease,\nThe lofty still they honour, the illusive love.\nYour finish'd gentlemen you ne'er can please;\nA growing mind alone will grateful prove.\n\nPOET\n\nThen give me back youth's golden prime,\nWhen my own spirit too was growing,\nWhen from my heart th' unbidden rhyme\nGush'd forth, a fount for ever flowing;\nThen shadowy mist the world conceal'd,\nAnd every bud sweet promise made,\nOf wonders yet to be reveal'd,\nAs through the vales, with blooms inlaid,\nCulling a thousand flowers I stray'd.\nNaught had I, yet a rich profusion!\nThe thirst for truth, joy in each fond illusion.\nGive me unquell'd those impulses to prove;--\nRapture so deep, its ecstasy was pain,\nThe power of hate, the energy of love,\nGive me, oh give me back my youth again!\n\nMERRYMAN\n\nYouth, my good friend, you certainly require\nWhen foes in battle round are pressing,\nWhen a fair maid, her heart on fire,\nHangs on your neck with fond caressing,\nWhen from afar, the victor's crown,\nTo reach the hard-won goal inciteth;\nWhen from the whirling dance, to drown\nYour sense, the night's carouse inviteth.\nBut the familiar chords among\nBoldly to sweep, with graceful cunning,\nWhile to its goal, the verse along\nIts winding path is sweetly running;\nThis task is yours, old gentlemen, to-day;\nNor are you therefore less in reverence held;\nAge does not make us childish, as folk say,\nIt finds us genuine children e'en in eld.\n\nMANAGER\n\nA truce to words, mere empty sound,\nLet deeds at length appear, my friends!\nWhile idle compliments you round,\nYou might achieve some useful ends.\nWhy talk of the poetic vein?\nWho hesitates will never know it;\nIf bards ye are, as ye maintain,\nNow let your inspiration show it.\nTo you is known what we require,\nStrong drink to sip is our desire;\nCome, brew me such without delay!\nTo-morrow sees undone, what happens not to-day\nStill forward press, nor ever tire!\nThe possible, with steadfast trust,\nResolve should by the forelock grasp;\nThen she will ne'er let go her clasp,\nAnd labours on, because she must.\nTherefore in bringing out your play,\nNor scenes nor mechanism spare!\nHeaven's lamps employ, the greatest and the least,\nBe lavish of the stellar lights,\nWater, and fire, and rocky heights,\nSpare not at all, nor birds, nor beast.\nThus let creation's ample sphere\nForthwith in this our narrow booth appear,\nAnd with considerate speed, through fancy's spell,\nJourney from heaven, thence through the world, to hell!\n\n\n\n\n\nPROLOGUE IN HEAVEN\n\nTHE LORD. THE HEAVENLY HOSTS.\nAfterwards MEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nTime three Archangels come forward\n\nRAPHAEL\n\nTHE Sun, in ancient guise, competing\nWith brother spheres in rival song,\nWith thunder-march, his orb completing,\nMoves his predestin'd course along;\nHis aspect to the powers supernal\nGives strength, though fathom him none may;\nTranscending thought, the works eternal\nAre fair as on the primal day.\n\nGABRIEL\n\nWith speed, thought baffling, unabating,\nEarth's splendour whirls in circling flight;\nIts Eden-brightness alternating\nWith solemn, awe-inspiring night;\nOcean's broad waves in wild commotion,\nAgainst the rocks' deep base are hurled;\nAnd with the spheres, both rock and ocean\nEternally are swiftly whirled.\n\nMICHAEL\n\nAnd tempests roar in emulation\nFrom sea to land, from land to sea,\nAnd raging form, without cessation,\nA chain of wondrous agency,\nFull in the thunder's path careering,\n\nFlaring the swift destructions play;\nBut, Lord, Thy servants are revering\nThe mild procession of thy day.\n\nTHE THREE\n\nThine aspect to the powers supernal\nGives strength, though fathom thee none may;\nAnd all thy works, sublime, eternal,\nAre fair as on the primal day.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nSince thou, O Lord, approachest us once more,\nAnd how it fares with us, to ask art fain,\nSince thou hast kindly welcom'd me of yore,\nThou see'st me also now among thy train.\nExcuse me, fine harangues I cannot make,\nThough all the circle look on me with scorn;\nMy pathos soon thy laughter would awake,\nHadst thou the laughing mood not long forsworn.\nOf suns and worlds I nothing have to say,\nI see alone mankind's self-torturing pains.\nThe little world-god still the self-same stamp retains,\nAnd is as wondrous now as on the primal day.\nBetter he might have fared, poor wight,\nHadst thou not given him a gleam of heavenly light;\nReason, he names it, and doth so\nUse it, than brutes more brutish still to grow.\nWith deference to your grace, he seems to me\nLike any long-legged grasshopper to be,\nWhich ever flies, and flying springs,\nAnd in the grass its ancient ditty sings.\nWould he but always in the grass repose!\nIn every heap of dung he thrusts his nose.\n\nTHE LORD\n\nHast thou naught else to say? Is blame\nIn coming here, as ever, thy sole aim?\nDoes nothing on the earth to thee seem right?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nNo, Lord! I find things there, as ever, in sad plight.\nMen, in their evil days, move my compassion;\nSuch sorry things to plague is nothing worth.\n\nTHE LORD\n\nKnow'st thou my servant, Faust?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThe doctor?\n\nTHE LORD\n\nRight.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nHe serves thee truly in a wondrous fashion.\nPoor fool! His food and drink are not of earth.\nAn inward impulse hurries him afar,\nHimself half conscious of his frenzied mood;\nFrom heaven claimeth he the fairest star,\nAnd from the earth craves every highest good,\nAnd all that's near, and all that's far,\nFails to allay the tumult in his blood.\n\nTHE LORD\n\nThough in perplexity he serves me now,\nI soon will lead him where more light appears;\nWhen buds the sapling, doth the gardener know\nThat flowers and fruit will deck the coming years.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWhat wilt thou wager? Him thou yet shall lose,\nIf leave to me thou wilt but give,\nGently to lead him as I choose!\n\nTHE LORD\n\nSo long as he on earth doth live,\nSo long 'tis not forbidden thee.\nMan still must err, while he doth strive.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI thank you; for not willingly\nI traffic with the dead, and still aver\nThat youth's plump blooming cheek I very much prefer.\nI'm not at home to corpses; 'tis my way,\nLike cats with captive mice to toy and play.\n\nTHE LORD\n\nEnough! 'tis granted thee! Divert\nThis mortal spirit from his primal source;\nHim, canst thou seize, thy power exert\nAnd lead him on thy downward course,\nThen stand abash'd, when thou perforce must own,\nA good man in his darkest aberration,\nOf the right path is conscious still.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\n'Tis done! Full soon thou'lt see my exultation;\nAs for my bet no fears I entertain.\nAnd if my end I finally should gain,\nExcuse my triumphing with all my soul.\nDust he shall eat, ay, and with relish take,\nAs did my cousin, the renowned snake.\n\nTHE LORD\n\nHere too thou'rt free to act without control;\nI ne'er have cherished hate for such as thee.\nOf all the spirits who deny,\nThe scoffer is least wearisome to me.\nEver too prone is man activity to shirk,\nIn unconditioned rest he fain would live;\nHence this companion purposely I give,\nWho stirs, excites, and must, as devil, work.\nBut ye, the genuine sons of heaven, rejoice!\nIn the full living beauty still rejoice!\nMay that which works and lives, the ever-growing,\nIn bonds of love enfold you, mercy-fraught,\nAnd Seeming's changeful forms, around you flowing,\nDo ye arrest, in ever-during thought!\n(Heaven closes, the Archangels disperse.)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (alone)\n\nThe ancient one I like sometimes to see,\nAnd not to break with him am always civil;\n'Tis courteous in so great a lord as he,\nTo speak so kindly even to the devil.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nTHE TRAGEDY OF FAUST\n\nDRAMATIS PERSONAE\n\nCharacters in the Prologue for the Theatre\n\nTHE MANAGER. THE DRAMATIC POET. MERRYMAN.\n\nCharacters in the Prologue in Heaven\n\nTHE LORD.\nRAPHAEL, GABRIEL, MICHAEL, (The Heavenly Host).\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nCharacters in the Tragedy\nFAUST. MEPHISTOPHELES. WAGNER, a Student.\nMARGARET. MARTHA, Margaret's Neighbour.\nVALENTINE, Margaret's Brother. OLD PEASANT. A\nSTUDENT. ELIZABETH, an Acquaintance of Margaret's.\nFaoscn, BRANDER, SIEBEL, ALTMAYER,\n(Guests in Auerbach's Wine Cellar).\nWitches; old and young; Wizards, Will-o'-the-Wisp, Witch Pedlar,\nProtophantasmist, Servibilis, Monkeys, Spirits, Journeymen,\nCountry-folk, Citizens, Beggar, Old Fortune-teller, Shepherd,\nSoldier, Students, &c.\n\nIn the Intermezzo\n\nOBERON. TITANIA. ARIEL. PUCK, &C, &C.\n\n\n\n\n\nPART I\n\nNIGHT\n\nA high vaulted narrow Gothic chamber.\nFAUST, restless, seated at his desk.\n\nFAUST\n\nI HAVE, alas! Philosophy,\nMedicine, Jurisprudence too,\nAnd to my cost Theology,\nWith ardent labour, studied through.\nAnd here I stand, with all my lore,\nPoor fool, no wiser than before.\nMagister, doctor styled, indeed,\nAlready these ten years I lead,\nUp, down, across, and to and fro,\nMy pupils by the nose,--and learn,\nThat we in truth can nothing know!\nThat in my heart like fire doth burn.\n'Tis true I've more cunning than all your dull tribe,\nMagister and doctor, priest, parson, and scribe;\nScruple or doubt comes not to enthrall me,\nNeither can devil nor hell now appal me--\nHence also my heart must all pleasure forego!\nI may not pretend, aught rightly to know,\nI may not pretend, through teaching, to find\nA means to improve or convert mankind.\nThen I have neither goods nor treasure,\nNo worldly honour, rank, or pleasure;\nNo dog in such fashion would longer live!\nTherefore myself to magic I give,\nIn hope, through spirit-voice and might,\nSecrets now veiled to bring to light,\nThat I no more, with aching brow,\nNeed speak of what I nothing know;\nThat I the force may recognise\nThat binds creation's inmost energies;\nHer vital powers, her embryo seeds survey,\nAnd fling the trade in empty words away.\nO full-orb'd moon, did but thy rays\nTheir last upon mine anguish gaze!\nBeside this desk, at dead of night,\nOft have I watched to hail thy light:\nThen, pensive friend! o'er book and scroll,\nWith soothing power, thy radiance stole!\nIn thy dear light, ah, might I climb,\nFreely, some mountain height sublime,\nRound mountain caves with spirits ride,\nIn thy mild haze o'er meadows glide,\nAnd, purged from knowledge-fumes, renew\nMy spirit, in thy healing dew!\nWoe's me! still prison'd in the gloom\nOf this abhorr'd and musty room!\nWhere heaven's dear light itself doth pass,\nBut dimly through the painted glass!\nHemmed in by book-heaps, piled around,\nWorm-eaten, hid 'neath dust and mould,\nWhich to the high vault's topmost bound,\nA smoke-stained paper doth enfold;\nWith boxes round thee piled, and glass,\nAnd many a useless instrument,\nWith old ancestral lumber blent--\nThis is thy world! a world! alas!\nAnd dost thou ask why heaves thy heart,\nWith tighten'd pressure in thy breast?\nWhy the dull ache will not depart,\nBy which thy life-pulse is oppress'd?\nInstead of nature's living sphere,\nCreated for mankind of old,\nBrute skeletons surround thee here,\nAnd dead men's bones in smoke and mould.\n\nUp! Forth into the distant land!\nIs not this book of mystery\nBy Nostradamus' proper hand,\nAn all-sufficient guide? Thou'lt see\nThe courses of the stars unroll'd;\nWhen nature doth her thoughts unfold\nTo thee, thy soul shall rise, and seek\nCommunion high with her to hold,\nAs spirit doth with spirit speak!\nVain by dull poring to divine\nThe meaning of each hallow'd sign.\nSpirits! I feel you hov'ring near;\nMake answer, if my voice ye hear!\n\n(He opens the book and perceives the sign of the Macrocosmos.)\n\nAh! at this spectacle through every sense,\nWhat sudden ecstasy of joy is flowing!\nI feel new rapture, hallow'd and intense,\nThrough every nerve and vein with ardour glowing.\nWas it a god who character'd this scroll,\nThe tumult in my spirit healing,\nO'er my sad heart with rapture stealing,\nAnd by a mystic impulse, to my soul,\nThe powers of nature all around revealing.\nAm I a God? What light intense!\nIn these pure symbols do I see,\nNature exert her vital energy.\nNow of the wise man's words I learn the sense;\n\n\"Unlock'd the spirit-world is lying,\nThy sense is shut, thy heart is dead!\nUp scholar, lave, with zeal undying,\nThine earthly breast in the morning-red!\"\n(He contemplates the sign.)\n\nHow all things live and work, and ever blending,\nWeave one vast whole from Being's ample range!\nHow powers celestial, rising and descending,\nTheir golden buckets ceaseless interchange!\nTheir flight on rapture-breathing pinions winging,\nFrom heaven to earth their genial influence bringing,\nThrough the wild sphere their chimes melodious ringing!\n\nA wondrous show! but ah! a show alone!\nWhere shall I grasp thee, infinite nature, where?\nYe breasts, ye fountains of all life, whereon\nHang heaven and earth, from which the withered heart\nFor solace yearns, ye still impart\nYour sweet and fostering tides--where are ye--where?\nYe gush, and must I languish in despair?\n(He turns over the leaves of the book impatiently, and perceives\nthe sign of the Earth-spirit.)\n\nHow all unlike the influence of this sign!\nEarth-spirit, thou to me art nigher,\nE'en now my strength is rising higher,\nE'en now I glow as with new wine;\nCourage I feel, abroad the world to dare,\n\nThe woe of earth, the bliss of earth to bear,\nWith storms to wrestle, brave the lightning's glare,\nAnd mid the crashing shipwreck not despair.\n\nClouds gather over me--\nThe moon conceals her light--\nThe lamp is quench'd--\nVapours are rising--\nQuiv'ring round my head\nFlash the red beams--\nDown from the vaulted roof\nA shuddering horror floats,\nAnd seizes me!\nI feel it, spirit, prayer-compell'd, 'tis thou\nArt hovering near!\nUnveil thyself!\nHa! How my heart is riven now!\nEach sense, with eager palpitation,\nIs strain'd to catch some new sensation!\nI feel my heart surrender'd unto thee!\nThou must! Thou must! Though life should be the fee!\n(He seizes the book, and pronounces mysteriously the sign\nof the spirit. A ruddy flame flashes up; the spirit appears in the\nflame.)\n\nSPIRIT\n\nWho calls me?\nFAUST (turning aside)\nDreadful shape!\n\nSPIRIT\n\nWith might, thou hast compelled me to appear,\nLong hast been sucking at my sphere,\nAnd now--\n\nFAUST\n\nWoe's me! I cannot bear the sight!\n\nSPIRIT\n\nTo see me thou dost breathe thine invocation,\nMy voice to hear, to gaze upon my brow;\nMe doth thy strong entreaty bow--\nLo! I am here I--What cowering agitation\nGrasps thee, the demigod! Where's now the soul's deep cry?\nWhere is the breast, which in its depths a world conceiv'd\nAnd bore and cherished? which, with ecstasy,\nTo rank itself with us, the spirits, heaved?\nWhere art thou, Faust? whose voice I heard resound,\nWho towards me press'd with energy profound?\nArt thou he? Thou,--who by my breath art blighted,\nWho, in his spirit's depths affrighted,\nTrembles, a crush'd and writhing worm!\n\nFAUST\n\nShall I yield, thing of flame, to thee?\nFaust, and thine equal, I am he!\n\nSPIRIT\n\nIn the currents of life, in action's storm,\nI float and I wave\nWith billowy motion!\nBirth and the grave\nA limitless ocean,\nA constant weaving\nWith change still rife,\nA restless heaving,\nA glowing life--\nThus time's whirring loom unceasing I ply,\nAnd weave the life-garment of deity.\n\nFAUST\n\nThou, restless spirit, dost from end to end\nO'ersweep the world; how near I feel to thee!\n\nSPIRIT\n\nThou'rt like the spirit, thou dost comprehend,\nNot me! (Vanishes.)\n\nFAUST (deeply moved)\n\nI, God's own image!\nAnd not rank with thee! (A knock.)\nOh death! I know it--'tis my famulus--\nMy fairest fortune now escapes!\nThat all these visionary shapes\nA soulless groveller should banish thus!\n(WAGNER in his dressing gown and night-cap, a lamp\nin his hand. FAUST turns round reluctantly.)\n\nWAGNER\n\nPardon! I heard you here declaim;\nA Grecian tragedy you doubtless read?\nImprovement in this art is now my aim,\nFor now-a-days it much avails. Indeed\nAn actor, oft I've heard it said, as teacher,\nMay give instruction to a preacher.\n\nFAUST\n\nAy, if your priest should be an actor too,\nAs not improbably may come to pass.\n\nWAGNER\n\nWhen in his study pent the whole year through,\nMan views the world, as through an optic glass,\nOn a chance holiday, and scarcely then,\nHow by persuasion can he govern men?\n\nFAUST\n\nIf feeling prompt not, if it doth not flow\nFresh from the spirit's depths, with strong control\nSwaying to rapture every listener's soul,\nIdle your toil; the chase you may forego!\nBrood o'er your task! Together glue,\nCook from another's feast your own ragout,\nStill prosecute your paltry game,\nAnd fan your ash-heaps into flame!\n'Thus children's wonder you'll excite,\nAnd apes', if such your appetite;\nBut that which issues from the heart alone,\nWill bend tile hearts of others to your own.\n\nWAGNER\n\nThe speaker in delivery will find\nSuccess alone; I still am far behind.\n\nFAUST\n\nA worthy object still pursue!\nBe not a hollow tinkling fool!\nSound understanding, judgment true,\nFind utterance without art or rule;\nAnd when in earnest you are moved to speak,\nThen is it needful cunning words to seek?\nYour fine harangues, so polish'd in their kind,\nWherein the shreds of human thought ye twist,\nAre unrefreshing as the empty wind,\nWhistling through wither'd leaves and autumn mist!\n\nWAGNER\n\nOh God! How long is art,\nOur life how short! With earnest zeal\nStill as I ply the critic's task, I feel\nA strange oppression both of head and heart.\nThe very means how hardly are they won,\nBy which we to the fountains rise!\nAnd haply, ere one half the course is run,\nCheck'd in his progress, the poor devil dies.\n\nFAUST\n\nParchment, is that the sacred fount whence roll\nWaters, he thirsteth not who once hath quaffed?\nOh, if it gush not from thine inmost soul,\nThou has not won the life-restoring draught.\n\nWAGNER\n\nYour pardon! 'tis delightful to transport\nOneself into the spirit of the past,\nTo see in times before us how a wise man thought,\nAnd what a glorious height we have achieved at last.\n\nFAUST\nAy truly! even to the loftiest star!\nTo us, my friend, the ages that are pass'd\nA book with seven seals, close-fasten'd, are;\nAnd what the spirit of the times men call,\nIs merely their own spirit after all,\nWherein, distorted oft, the times are glass'd.\nThen truly, 'tis a sight to grieve the soul!\nAt the first glance we fly it in dismay;\nA very lumber-room, a rubbish-hole;\nAt best a sort of mock-heroic play,\nWith saws pragmatical, and maxims sage,\nTo suit the puppets and their mimic stage.\n\nWAGNER\n\nBut then the world and man, his heart and brain!\nTouching these things all men would something know.\n\nFAUST\n\nAy! what ' men as knowledge doth obtain!\nWho on the child its true name dares bestow?\nThe few who somewhat of these things have known,\nWho their full hearts unguardedly reveal'd,\nNor thoughts, nor feelings, from the mob conceal'd,\nHave died on crosses, or in flames been thrown.--\nExcuse me, friend, far now the night is spent,\nFor this time we must say adieu.\n\nWAGNER\n\nStill to watch on I had been well content,\nThus to converse so learnedly with you.\nBut as to-morrow will be Easter-day,\nSome further questions grant, I pray;\nWith diligence to study still I fondly cling;\nAlready I know much, but would know everything.\n(Exit.)\n\nFAUST (alone)\n\nHow him alone all hope abandons never,\nTo empty trash who clings, with zeal untired,\nWith greed for treasure gropes, and, joy-inspir'd,\nExults if earth-worms second his endeavour.\n\nAnd dare a voice of merely human birth,\nE'en here, where shapes immortal throng'd, intrude?\nYet ah! thou poorest of the sons of earth,\nFor once, I e'en to thee feel gratitude.\nDespair the power of sense did well-nigh blast,\nAnd thou didst save me ere I sank dismay'd,\nSo giant-like the vision seem'd, so vast,\nI felt myself shrink dwarf'd as I survey'd!\n\nI, God's own image, from this toil of clay\nAlready freed, with eager joy who hail'd\nThe mirror of eternal truth unveil'd,\nMid light effulgent and celestial day:--\nI, more than cherub, whose unfetter'd soul\nWith penetrative glance aspir'd to flow\nThrough nature's veins, and, still creating, know\nThe life of gods,--how am I punish'd now!\nOne thunder-word hath hurl'd me from the goal!\n\nSpirit! I dare not lift me to thy sphere.\nWhat though my power compell'd thee to appear,\nMy art was powerless to detain thee here.\nIn that great moment, rapture-fraught,\nI felt myself so small, so great;\nFiercely didst thrust me from the realm of thought\nBack on humanity's uncertain fate!\nWho'll teach me now? What ought Ito forego?\nOught I that impulse to obey?\nAlas! our every deed, as well as every woe,\nImpedes the tenor of life's onward way!\n\nE'en to the noblest by the soul conceiv'd,\nSome feelings cling of baser quality;\nAnd when the goods of this world are achiev'd,\nEach nobler aim is termed a cheat, a lie.\nOur aspirations, our soul's genuine life,\nGrow torpid in the din of earthly strife.\n\nThough youthful phantasy, while hope inspires,\nStretch o'er the infinite her wing sublime,\nA narrow compass limits her desires,\nWhen wreck'd our fortunes in the gulf of time.\nIn the deep heart of man care builds her nest,\nO'er secret woes she broodeth there,\nSleepless she rocks herself and scareth joy and rest;\nStill is she wont some new disguise to wear,\nShe may as house and court, as wife and child appear,\nAs dagger, poison, fire and flood;\nImagined evils chill thy blood,\nAnd what thou ne'er shall lose, o'er that dost shed the tear.\nI am not like the gods! Feel it I must;\nI'm like the earth-worm, writhing in the dust,\nWhich, as on dust it feeds, its native fare,\nCrushed 'neath the passer's tread, lies buried there.\n\nIs it not dust, wherewith this lofty wall,\nWith hundred shelves, confines me round;\nRubbish, in thousand shapes, may I not call\nWhat in this moth-world doth my being bound?\nHere, what doth fail me, shall I find?\nRead in a thousand tomes that, everywhere,\nSelf-torture is the lot of human-kind,\nWith but one mortal happy, here and there?\nThou hollow skull, that grin, what should it say,\nBut that thy brain, like mine, of old perplexed,\nStill yearning for the truth, hath sought the light of day.\nAnd in the twilight wandered, sorely vexed?\nYe instruments, forsooth, ye mock at me,--\nWith wheel, and cog, and ring, and cylinder;\nTo nature's portals ye should be the key;\nCunning your wards, and yet the bolts ye fail to stir.\nInscrutable in broadest light,\nTo be unveil'd by force she doth refuse,\nWhat she reveals not to thy mental sight,\nThou wilt not wrest me from her with levers and with screws.\nOld useless furnitures, yet stand ye here,\nBecause my sire ye served, now dead and gone.\nOld scroll, the smoke of years dost wear,\nSo long as o'er this desk the sorry lamp hath shone.\nBetter my little means hath squandered quite away,\nThan burden'd by that little here to sweat and groan!\nWouldst thou possess thy heritage, essay,\nBy use to render it thine own!\nWhat we employ not, but impedes our way,\nThat which the hour creates, that can it use alone!\n\nBut wherefore to yon Spot is riveted my gaze?\nIs yonder flasket there a magnet to my sight?\nWhence this mild radiance that around me plays,\nAs when, 'mid forest gloom, reigneth the moon's soft light?\n\nHail precious phial! Thee, with reverent awe,\nDown from thine old receptacle I draw!\nScience in thee I hail and human art.\nEssence of deadliest powers, refin'd and sure,\nOf soothing anodynes abstraction pure,\nNow in thy master's need thy grace impart!\nI gaze on thee, my pain is lull'd to rest;\nI grasp thee, calm'd the tumult in my breast;\nThe flood-tide of my spirit ebbs away;\nOnward I'm summon'd o'er a boundless main,\nCalm at my feet expands the glassy plain,\nTo shores unknown allures a brighter day.\n\nLo, where a car of fire, on airy pinion,\nComes floating towards me I I'm prepar'd to fly\nBy a new track through ether's wide dominion,\nTo distant spheres of pure activity.\nThis life intense, this godlike ecstasy--\nWorm that thou art such rapture canst thou earn?\nOnly resolve with courage stern and high,\nThy visage from the radiant sun to turn!\nDare with determin'd will to burst the portals\nPast which in terror others fain would steal\nNow is the time, through deeds, to show that mortals\nThe calm sublimity of gods can feel;\nTo shudder not at yonder dark abyss,\nWhere phantasy creates her own self-torturing brood,\nRight onward to the yawning gulf to press,\nAround whose narrow jaws rolleth hell's fiery flood;\nWith glad resolve to take the fatal leap,\nThough danger threaten thee, to sink in endless sleep!\n\nPure crystal goblet! forth I draw thee now,\nFrom out thine antiquated case, where thou\nForgotten hast reposed for many a year!\nOft at my father's revels thou didst shine,\nTo glad the earnest guests was thine,\nAs each to other passed the generous cheer.\nThe gorgeous brede of figures, quaintly wrought,\nWhich he who quaff'd must first in rhyme expound,\nThen drain the goblet at one draught profound,\nHath nights of boyhood to fond memory brought.\nI to my neighbour shall not reach thee now,\nNor on thy rich device shall I my cunning show.\nHere is a juice, makes drunk without delay;\nIts dark brown flood thy crystal round doth fill;\nLet this last draught, the product of my skill,\nMy own free choice, be quaff'd with resolute will,\nA solemn festive greeting, to the coming day!\n(He places the goblet to his mouth.)\n(Tue ringing of bells, and choral voices.)\n\nChorus of ANGELS\n\nChrist is arisen!\nMortal, all hail to thee,\nThou whom mortality,\nEarth's sad reality,\nHeld as in prison.\n\nFAUST\n\nWhat hum melodious, what clear silvery chime\nThus draws the goblet from my lips away?\nYe deep-ton'd bells, do ye with voice sublime,\nAnnounce the solemn dawn of Easter-day?\nSweet choir! are ye the hymn of comfort singing,\nWhich once around the darkness of the grave,\nFrom seraph-voices, in glad triumph ringing,\nOf a new covenant assurance gave?\n\nCHORUS OF WOMEN\n\nWe, his true-hearted,\nWith spices and myrrh,\nEmbalmed the departed,\nAnd swathed him with care;\nHere we conveyed Him,\nOur Master, so dear;\nAlas! Where we laid Him,\nThe Christ is not here.\n\nCHORUS OF ANGELS\n\nChrist is arisen!\nBlessed the loving one,\nWho from earth's trial throes,\nHealing and strengthening woes,\nSoars as from prison.\n\nFAUST\n\nWherefore, ye tones celestial, sweet and strong,\nCome ye a dweller in the dust to seek?\nRing out your chimes believing crowds among,\nThe message well I hear, my faith alone is weak;\nFrom faith her darling, miracle, hath sprung.\nAloft to yonder spheres I dare not soar,\nWhence sound the tidings of great joy;\nAnd yet, with this sweet strain familiar when a boy,\nBack it recalleth me to life once more.\nThen would celestial love, with holy kiss,\nCome o'er me in the Sabbath's stilly hour,\nWhile, fraught with solemn meaning and mysterious\nChim'd the deep-sounding bell, and prayer was bliss;\nA yearning impulse, undefin'd yet dear,\nDrove me to wander on through wood and field;\nWith heaving breast and many a burning tear,\nI felt with holy joy a world reveal'd.\nGay sports and festive hours proclaim'd with joyous pealing,\nThis Easter hymn in days of old;\nAnd fond remembrance now doth me, with childlike feeling,\nBack from the last, the solemn step, withhold.\nO still sound on, thou sweet celestial strain!\nThe tear-drop flows,--Earth, I am thine again!\n\nCHORUS OF DISCIPLES\n\nHe whom we mourned as dead,\nLiving and glorious,\nFrom the dark grave bath fled,\nO'er death victorious;\nAlmost creative bliss\nWaits on his growing powers;\nAh! Him on earth we miss;\nSorrow and grief are ours.\nYearning he left his own,\nMid sore annoy;\nAh! we must needs bemoan.\nMaster, thy joy!\n\nCHORUS OF ANGELS\n\nChrist is arisen,\nRedeem'd from decay.\nThe bonds which imprison\nYour souls, rend away!\nPraising the Lord with zeal,\nBy deeds that love reveal,\nLike brethren true and leal\nSharing the daily meal,\nTo all that sorrow feel\nWhisp'ring of heaven's weal,\nStill is the master near,\nStill is he here!\n\nBEFORE THE GATE\nPromenaders of all sorts pass out.\n\nARTISANS\n\nWhy choose ye that direction, pray?\n\nOTHERS\n\nTo the hunting-lodge we're on our way.\n\nTHE FIRST\n\nWe towards the mill are strolling on.\n\nA MECHANIC\n\nA walk to Wasserhof were best.\n\nA SECOND\n\nThe road is not a pleasant one.\n\nTHE OTHERS\n\nWhat will you do?\n\nA THIRD\n\nI'll join the rest.\n\nA FOURTH\n\nLet's up to Burghof, there you'll find good cheer,\nThe prettiest maidens and the best of beer,\nAnd brawls of a prime sort.\n\nA FIFTH\n\nYou scapegrace! How;\nYour skin still itching for a row?\nThither I will not go, I loathe the place.\n\nSERVANT GIRL\n\nNo, no! I to the town my steps retrace.\n\nANOTHER\n\nNear yonder poplars he is sure to be.\n\nTHE FIRST\n\nAnd if he is, what matters it to me!\nWith you he'll walk, he'll dance with none but you,\nAnd with your pleasures what have I to do?\n\nTHE SECOND\n\nTo-day he will not be alone, he said\nHis friend would be with him, the curly-head.\n\nSTUDENT\n\nWhy how those buxom girls step on!\nCome, brother, we will follow them anon.\nStrong beer, a damsel smartly dress'd,\nStinging tobacco,--these I love the best.\n\nBURGHER'S DAUGHTER\n\nLook at those handsome fellows there!\n'Tis really shameful, I declare,\nThe very best society they shun,\nAfter those servant girls forsooth, to run.\n\nSECOND STUDENT (to the first)\n\nNot quite so fast! for in our rear,\nTwo girls, well-dress'd, are drawing near;\nNot far from us the one doth dwell,\nAnd sooth to say, II like her well.\nThey walk demurely, yet you'll see,\nThat they will let us join them presently.\n\nTHE FIRST\n\nNot I! restraints of all kinds I detest.\nQuick! let us catch the wild-game ere it flies,\nThe hand on Saturday the mop that plies,\nWill on the Sunday fondle you the best.\n\nBURGHER\n\nNo, this new Burgomaster, I like him not, God knows,\nNow, he's in office, daily more arrogant he grows;\nAnd for the town, what doth he do for it?\nAre not things worse from day to day?\nTo more restraints we must submit;\nAnd taxes more than ever pay.\n\nBEGGAR (sings)\n\nKind gentleman and ladies fair,\nSo rosy-cheek'd and trimly dress'd,\nBe pleas'd to listen to my prayer,\nRelieve and pity the distress'd.\nLet me not vainly sing my lay!\nHis heart's most glad whose hand is free.\nNow when all men keep holiday,\nShould be a harvest-day to me.\n\nANOTHER BURGHER\n\nOn holidays and Sundays naught know I more inviting\nThan chatting about war and war's alarms,\nWhen folk in Turkey, up in arms,\nFar off, are 'gainst each other fighting.\nWe at the window stand, our glasses drain,\nAnd watch adown the stream the painted vessels gliding,\nThen joyful we at eve come home again,\nAnd peaceful times we bless, peace long-abiding.\n\nTHIRD BURGHER\n\nAy, neighbour! So let matters stand for me!\nThere they may scatter one another's brains,\nAnd wild confusion round them see--\nSo here at home in quiet all remains!\n\nOLD WOMAN (to the BURGHERS' DAUGHTERS)\n\nHeyday! How smart! The fresh young blood!\nWho would not fall in love with you?\nNot quite so proud! 'Tis well and good!\nAnd what you wish, that I could help you to.\n\nBURGHER'S DAUGHTER\n\nCome, Agatha! I care not to be seen\nWalking in public with these witches. True,\nMy future lover, last St. Andrew's E'en,\nIn flesh and blood she brought before my view.\n\nANOTHER\n\nAnd mine she show'd me also in the glass,\nA soldier's figure, with companions bold;\nI look around, I seek him as I pass,\nIn vain, his form I nowhere can behold.\n\nSOLDIERS\n\nFortress with turrets\nAnd walls high in air,\nDamsel disdainful,\nHaughty and fair,\nThese be my prey!\nBold is the venture,\nCostly the pay!\n\nHark how the trumpet\nThither doth call us,\nWhere either pleasure\nOr death may befall us.\nHail to the tumult!\nLife's in the field!\nDamsel and fortress\nTo us must yield.\nBold is the venture,\nCostly the pay!\nGaily the soldier\nMarches away.\n\nFAUST and WAGNER\n\nFAUST\n\nLoosed from their fetters are streams and rills\nThrough the gracious spring-tide's all-quickening glow;\nHope's budding joy in the vale doth blow;\nOld Winter back to the savage hills\nWithdraweth his force, decrepid now.\nThence only impotent icy grains\nScatters he as he wings his flight,\nStriping with sleet the verdant plains;\nBut the sun endureth no trace of white;\nEverywhere growth and movement are rife,\nAll things investing with hues of life:\nThough flowers are lacking, varied of dye,\nTheir colours the motly throng supply.\nTurn thee around, and from this height,\nBack to the town direct thy sight.\nForth from the hollow, gloomy gate,\nStream forth the masses, in bright array.\nGladly seek they the sun to-day;\nThe Lord's Resurrection they celebrate:\nFor they themselves have risen, with joy,\n\nFrom tenement sordid, from cheerless room,\nFrom bonds of toil, from care and annoy,\nFrom gable and roof's o'er-hanging gloom,\nFrom crowded alley and narrow street,\nAnd from the churches' awe-breathing night,\nAll now have come forth into the light.\nLook, only look, on nimble feet,\nThrough garden and field how spread the throng,\nHow o'er the river's ample sheet,\nMany a gay wherry glides along;\nAnd see, deep sinking in the tide,\nPushes the last boat now away.\nE'en from yon far hill's path-worn side,\nFlash the bright hues of garments gay.\nHark! Sounds of village mirth arise;\nThis is the people's paradise.\n\nBoth great and small send up a cheer;\nHere am I man, I feel it here.\n\nWAGNER\n\nSir Doctor, in a walk with you\nThere's honour and instruction too;\nYet here alone I care not to resort,\nBecause I coarseness hate of every sort.\nThis fiddling, shouting, skittling, I detest;\nI hate the tumult of the vulgar throng;\nThey roar as by the evil one possess'd,\nAnd call it pleasure, call it song.\n\nPEASANTS (under the linden-tree)\nDance and song\nThe shepherd for the dance was dress'd,\nWith ribbon, wreath, and vest,\nA gallant show displaying.\nAnd round about the linden-trees,\nThey footed it right merrily. Juchhe! Juchhe!\nJuchheisa! Heisa! He!\nSo fiddle-bow was braying.\n\nOur swain amidst the circle press'd,\nHe push'd a maiden trimly dress'd,\nAnd jogg'd her with his elbow;\nThe buxom damsel turn'd her head,\n\"Now that's a stupid trick!\" she said, Juchhe! Juchhe!\nJuchhesia! Heisa! He!\nDon't be so rude, good fellow!\n\nSwift in the circle they advanced,\nThey danced to right, to left they danced,\nAnd all the skirts were swinging.\nAnd they grew red, and they grew warm,\nPanting, they rested arm in arm, Juchhe! Juchhe!\nJuchheisa! Heisa! He!\nTo hip their elbow bringing.\n\nDon't make so free! How many a maid\nHas been betroth'd and then betray'd;\nAnd has repented after!\nYet still he flatter'd her aside,\nAnd from the linden, far and wide, Juchhe! Juchhe!\nJuchheisa! Heisa! He!\nRang fiddle-bow and laughter.\n\nOLD PEASANT\n\nDoctor, 'tis really kind of you,\nTo condescend to come this way,\nA highly learned man like you,\nTo join our mirthful throng to-day.\nOur fairest cup I offer you,\nWhich we with sparkling drink have crown'd,\nAnd pledging you, I pray aloud,\nThat every drop within its round,\n\nWhile it your present thirst allays,\nMay swell the number of your days.\n\nFAUST\n\nI take the cup you kindly reach,\nThanks and prosperity to each!\n(The crowd gather round in a circle.)\n\nOLD PEASANT\n\nAy, truly! 'tis well done, that you\nOur festive meeting thus attend;\nYou, who in evil days of yore,\nSo often show'd yourself our friend!\nFull many a one stands living here,\nWho from the fever's deadly blast,\nYour father rescu'd, when his skill\nThe fatal sickness stay'd at last.\nA young man then, each house you sought,\nWhere reign'd the mortal pestilence.\nCorpse after corpse was carried forth,\nBut still unscath'd you issued thence.\n\nSore then your trials and severe;\nThe Helper yonder aids the helper here.\n\nALL\n\nHeaven bless the trusty friend, and long\nTo help the poor his life prolong!\n\nFAUST\n\nTo Him above in homage bend,\nWho prompts the helper and Who help doth send.\n(He proceeds with WAGNER.)\n\nWAGNER\n\nWhat feelings, great man, must thy breast inspire,\nAt homage paid thee by this crowd! Thrice blest\nWho from the gifts by him possessed\nSuch benefit can draw! The sire\nThee to his boy with reverence shows;\nThey press around, inquire, advance,\nHush'd is the fiddle, check'd the dance.\nWhere thou dost pass they stand in rows,\nAnd each aloft his bonnet throws,\nBut little fails and they to thee,\nAs though the Host came by, would bend the knee.\n\nFAUST\n\nA few steps further, up to yonder stone!\nHere rest we from our walk. In times long past,\nAbsorb'd in thought, here oft I sat alone,\nAnd disciplin'd myself with prayer and fast.\nThen rich in hope, with faith sincere,\nWith sighs, and hands in anguish press'd,\nThe end of that sore plague, with many a tear,\nFrom heaven's dread Lord, I sought to wrest.\nThe crowd's applause assumes a scornful tone.\nOh, could'st thou in my inner being read,\nHow little either sire or son,\nOf such renown deserves the meed!\nMy sire, of good repute, and sombre mood,\nO'er nature's powers and every mystic zone,\nWith honest zeal, but methods of his own,\nWith toil fantastic loved to brood;\nHis time in dark alchemic cell,\nWith brother adepts he would spend,\nAnd there antagonists compel,\nThrough numberless receipts to blend.\nA ruddy lion there, a suitor bold,\nIn tepid bath was with the lily wed.\nThence both, while open flames around them roll'd,\nWere tortur'd to another bridal bed.\nWas then the youthful queen descried\nWith varied colours in the flask\nThis was our medicine; the patients died,\n\"Who were restored?\" none cared to ask.\nWith our infernal mixture thus, ere long,\nThese hills and peaceful vales among,\nWe rag'd more fiercely than the pest;\nMyself the deadly poison did to thousands give;\nThey pined away, I yet must live,\nTo hear the reckless murderers blest.\n\nWAGNER\n\nWhy let this thought your soul o'ercast?\nCan man do more than with nice skill,\nWith firm and conscientious will,\nPractise the art transmitted from the past?\nIf thou thy sire dost honour in thy youth,\nHis lore thou gladly wilt receive;\nIn manhood, dost thou spread the bounds of truth,\nThen may thy son a higher goal achieve.\n\nFAUST\n\nHow blest, in whom the fond desire\nFrom error's sea to rise, hope still renews!\nWhat a man knows not, that he doth require,\nAnd what he knoweth, that he cannot use.\nBut let not moody thoughts their shadow throw\nO'er the calm beauty of this hour serene!\nIn the rich sunset see how brightly glow\nYon cottage homes, girt round with verdant green!\nSlow sinks the orb, the day is now no more;\nYonder he hastens to diffuse new life.\nOh for a pinion from the earth to soar,\nAnd after, ever after him to strive!\nThen should I see the world below,\nBathed in the deathless evening-beams,\nThe vales reposing, every height a-glow,\nThe silver brooklets meeting golden streams.\nThe savage mountain, with its cavern'd side,\nBars not my godlike progress. Lo, the ocean,\nIts warm bays heaving with a tranquil motion,\nTo my rapt vision opes its ample tide!\nBut now at length the god appears to sink;\nA new-born impulse wings my flight,\nOnward I press, his quenchless light to drink,\nThe day before me, and behind the night,\nThe pathless waves beneath, and over me the skies.\nFair dream, it vanish'd with the parting day!\nAlas! that when on spirit-wing we rise,\nNo wing material lifts our mortal clay.\nBut 'tis our inborn impulse, deep and strong,\nUpwards and onwards still to urge our flight,\nWhen far above us pours its thrilling song\nThe sky-lark, lost in azure light,\nWhen on extended wing amain\nO'er pine-crown'd height the eagle soars,\nAnd over moor and lake, the crane\nStill striveth towards its native shores.\n\nWAGNER\n\nTo strange conceits oft I myself must own,\nBut impulse such as this I ne'er have known:\nNor woods, nor fields, can long our thoughts engage,\nTheir wings I envy not the feather'd kind;\nFar otherwise the pleasures of the mind,\nBear us from book to book, from page to page!\nThen winter nights grow cheerful; keen delight\nWarms every limb; and ah! when we unroll\nSome old and precious parchment, at the sight\nAll heaven itself descends upon the soul.\n\nFAUST\n\nThy heart by one sole impulse is possess'd;\nUnconscious of the other still remain!\nTwo souls, alas! are lodg'd within my breast,\nWhich struggle there for undivided reign:\nOne to the world, with obstinate desire,\nAnd closely-cleaving organs, still adheres;\nAbove the mist, the other doth aspire,\nWith sacred vehemence, to purer spheres.\nOh, are there spirits in the air,\nWho float 'twixt heaven and earth dominion wielding,\nStoop hither from your golden atmosphere,\nLead me to scenes, new life and fuller yielding!\nA magic mantle did I but possess,\nAbroad to waft me as on viewless wings,\nI'd prize it far beyond the costliest dress,\nNor would I change it for the robe of kings.\n\nWAGNER\n\nCall not the spirits who on mischief wait!\nTheir troop familiar, streaming through the air,\nFrom every quarter threaten man's estate,\nAnd danger in a thousand forms prepare!\nThey drive impetuous from the frozen north,\nWith fangs sharp-piercing, and keen arrowy tongue\nFrom the ungenial east they issue forth,\nAnd prey, with parching breath, upon thy lungs;\nIf, waft'd on the desert's flaming wing,\nThey from the south heap fire upon the brain,\nRefreshment from the west at first they bring,\nAnon to drown thyself and field and plain.\nIn wait for mischief, they are prompt to hear;\nWith guileful purpose our behests obey;\nLike ministers of grace they oft appear,\nAnd lisp like angels, to betray.\nBut let us hence! Grey eve doth all things blend,\n\nThe air grows chill, the mists descend!\n'Tis in the evening first our home we prize--\nWhy stand you thus, and gaze with wondering eyes?\nWhat in the gloom thus moves you?\n\nFAUST\n\nYon black hound\nSee'st thou, through corn and stubble scampering round?\n\nWAGNER\n\nI've mark'd him long, naught strange in him I see!\n\nFAUST\n\nNote him! What takest thou the brute to be?\n\nWAGNER\n\nBut for a poodle, whom his instinct serves\nHis master's track to find once more.\n\nFAUST\n\nDost mark how round us, with wide spiral curves,\nHe wheels, each circle closer than before?\nAnd, if I err not, he appears to me\nA line of fire upon his track to leave.\n\nWAGNER\n\nNaught but a poodle black of hue I see;\n'Tis some illusion doth your sight deceive.\n\nFAUST\n\nMethinks a magic coil our feet around,\nHe for a future snare doth lightly spread.\n\nWAGNER\n\nFAUST\n\nThe circle narrows, he's already near!\n\nWAGNER\n\nA dog dost see, no spectre have we here;\nHe growls, doubts, lays him on his belly, too,\nAnd wags his tail--as dogs are wont to do.\n\nFAUST\n\nCome hither, Sirrah! join our company!\n\nWAGNER\n\nA very poodle, he appears to be!\nThou standest still, for thee he'll wait;\nThou speak'st to him, he fawns upon thee straight;\nAught thou mayst lose, again he'll bring,\nAnd for thy stick will into water spring.\n\nFAUST\n\nThou'rt right indeed; no traces now I see\nWhatever of a spirit's agency.\n'Tis training.--nothing more.\n\nWAGNER\n\nA dog well taught\nE'en by the wisest of us may be sought.\nAy, to your favour he's entitled too,\nApt scholar of the students, 'tis his due!\n(They enter the gate of the town.)\n\nSTUDY\nFAUST (entering with the poodle)\n\nNow field and meadow I've forsaken;\nO'er them deep night her veil doth draw;\nIn us the better soul doth waken,\nWith feelings of foreboding awe,\nAll lawless promptings, deeds unholy,\nNow slumber, and all wild desires;\nThe love of man doth sway us wholly,\nAnd love to God the soul inspires.\n\nPeace, poodle, peace! Scamper not thus; obey me!\nWhy at the threshold snuffest thou so?\nBehind the stove now quietly lay thee,\nMy softest cushion to thee I'll throw.\nAs thou, without, didst please and amuse me\nRunning and frisking about on the hill,\nSo tendance now I will not refuse thee;\nA welcome guest, if thou'lt be still.\n\nAh! when the friendly taper gloweth,\nOnce more within our narrow cell,\nThen in the heart itself that knoweth,\nA light the darkness doth dispel.\nReason her voice resumes; returneth\nHope's gracious bloom, with promise rife;\nFor streams of life the spirit yearneth,\nAh! for the very fount of life.\n\nPoodle, snarl not! with the tone that arises.\nHallow'd and peaceful, my soul within,\nAccords not thy growl, thy bestial din.\nWe find it not strange, that man despises\nWhat he conceives not;\nThat he the good and fair misprizes--\nFinding them often beyond his ken;\nWill the dog snarl at them like men?\n\nBut ah! Despite my will, it stands confessed,\nContentment welleth up no longer in my breast.\nYet wherefore must the stream, alas, so soon be dry,\nThat we once more athirst should lie?\nFull oft this sad experience hath been mine;\nNathless the want admits of compensation;\nFor things above the earth we learn to pine,\nOur spirits yearn for revelation,\nWhich nowhere burns with purer beauty blent,\n\nThan here in the New Testament.\nTo ope the ancient text an impulse strong\nImpels me, and its sacred lore,\nWith honest purpose to explore,\nAnd render into my loved German tongue.\n(He opens a volume, and applies himself to it.)\n'Tis writ, \"In the beginning was the Word!\"\nI pause, perplex'd! Who now will help afford?\nI cannot the mere Word so highly prize;\nI must translate it otherwise,\nIf by the spirit guided as I read.\n\"In the beginning was the Sense!\" Take heed,\nThe import of this primal sentence weigh,\nLest thy too hasty pen be led astray!\nIs force creative then of Sense the dower?\n\"In the beginning was the Power!\"\nThus should it stand: yet, while the line I trace.\nA something warns me, once more to efface.\nThe spirit aids! from anxious scruples freed,\nI write, \"In the beginning was the Deed!\"\n\nAm I with thee my room to share,\nPoodle, thy barking now forbear,\nForbear thy howling!\nComrade so noisy, ever growling,\nI cannot suffer here to dwell.\nOne or the other, mark me well,\nForthwith must leave the cell.\nI'm loath the guest-right to withhold;\nThe door's ajar, the passage clear;\nBut what must now mine eyes behold!\nAre nature's laws suspended here?\nReal is it, or a phantom show?\nIn length and breadth how doth my poodle grow!\nHe lifts himself with threat'ning mien,\nIn likeness of a dog no longer seen!\nWhat spectre have I harbour'd thus!\nHuge as a hippopotamus,\nWith fiery eye, terrific tooth!\nAh I now I know thee, sure enough!\nFor such a base, half-hellish brood,\nThe key of Solomon is good.\n\nSPIRITS (without)\nCaptur'd there within is one!\nStay without and follow none!\nLike a fox in iron snare,\nHell's old lynx is quaking there,\nBut take heed!\nHover round, above, below,\nTo and fro,\nThen from durance is he freed!\nCan ye aid him, spirits all,\nLeave him not in mortal thrall!\nMany a time and oft bath he\nServed us, when at liberty.\n\nFAUST\n\nThe monster to confront, at first,\nThe spell of Four must be rehears'd;\n\nSalamander shall kindle,\nWrithe nymph of the wave,\nIn air sylph shall dwindle,\nAnd Kobold shall slave.\n\nWho doth ignore\nThe primal Four,\nNor knows aright\nTheir use and might,\nO'er spirits will he\nNe'er master be!\n\nVanish in the fiery glow,\nSalamander!\nRushingly together flow.\nUndine!\nShimmer in the meteor's gleam,\nSylphide!\nHither bring thine homely aid,\n\nIncubus! Incubus!\nStep forth! I do adjure thee thus!\nNone of the Four\nLurks in the beast:\nHe grins at me, untroubled as before;\nI have not hurt him in the least.\nA spell of fear\nThou now shalt hear.\nArt thou, comrade fell,\nFugitive from hell?\n\nSee then this sign,\nBefore which incline\nThe murky troops of Hell!\nWith bristling hair now doth the creature swell.\n\nCanst thou, reprobate,\nRead the uncreate,\nUnspeakable, diffused\nThroughout the heavenly sphere,\nShamefully abused,\nTranspierced with nail and spear!\n\nBehind the stove, tam'd by my spells,\nLike an elephant he swells;\nWholly now he fills the room,\nHe into mist will melt away.\nAscend not to the ceiling! Come,\nThyself at the master's feet now lay!\nThou seest that mine is no idle threat.\nWith holy fire I will scorch thee yet!\nWait not the might\nThat lies in the triple-glowing light!\nWait not the might\nOf all my arts in fullest measure!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n(As the mist sinks, comes forward from behind the stove, in the\ndress of a travelling scholar)\n\nWhy all this uproar? What's the master's pleasure?\n\nFAUST\n\nThis then the kernel of the brute!\nA travelling scholar? Why I needs must smile.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nYour learned reverence humbly I salute!\nYou've made me swelter in a pretty style.\n\nFAUST\n\nThy name?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThe question trifling seems from one,\nWho it appears the Word doth rate so low;\nWho, undeluded by mere outward show,\nTo Being's depths would penetrate alone.\n\nFAUST\n\nWith gentlemen like you indeed\nThe inward essence from the name we read,\nAs all too plainly it doth appear,\nWhen Beelzebub, Destroyer, Liar, meets the ear.\nWho then art thou?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nPart of that power which still\nProduceth good, whilst ever scheming ill.\n\nFAUST\n\nWhat hidden mystery in this riddle lies?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThe spirit I, which evermore denies!\nAnd justly; for whate'er to light is brought\nDeserves again to be reduced to naught;\nThen better 'twere that naught should be.\nThus all the elements which ye\nDestruction, Sin, or briefly, Evil, name,\nAs my peculiar element I claim.\n\nFAUST\n\nThou nam'st thyself a part, and yet a whole I see.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThe modest truth I speak to thee.\nThough folly's microcosm, man, it seems,\nHimself to be a perfect whole esteems:\nPart of the part am I, which at the first was all,\nA part of darkness, which gave birth to light,\nProud light, who now his mother would enthrall,\nContesting space and ancient rank with night.\nYet he succeedeth not, for struggle as he will,\nTo forms material he adhereth still;\nFrom them he streameth, them he maketh fair,\nAnd still the progress of his beams they check;\nAnd so, I trust, when comes the final wreck,\nLight will, ere long, the doom of matter share.\n\nFAUST\n\nThy worthy avocation now I guess!\nWholesale annihilation won't prevail,\nSo thou'rt beginning on a smaller scale.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAnd, to say truth, as yet with small success.\nOppos'd to naught, this clumsy world,\nThe something--it subsisteth still;\nNot yet is it to ruin hurl'd,\nDespite the efforts of my will.\nTempests and earthquakes, fire and flood, I've tried;\nYet land and ocean still unchang'd abide!\nAnd then of humankind and beasts, brood,--\nNeither o'er them can I extend my sway.\nWhat countless myriads have I swept away!\nYet ever circulates the fresh young blood.\nthe accursed\n\nIt is enough to drive me to despair!\nAs in the earth, in water, and in air,\nA thousand germs burst forth spontaneously;\nIn moisture, drought, heat, cold, they still appear!\nHad I not flame selected as my sphere\nNothing apart had been reserved for me.\n\nFAUST\n\nSo thou with thy cold devil's fist\nStill clench'd in malice impotent\nDost the creative power resist,\nThe active, the beneficent!\nHenceforth some other task essay,\nOf Chaos thou the wondrous son!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWe will consider what you say,\nAnd talk about it more anon!\nFor this time have I leave to go?\n\nFAUST\n\nWhy thou shouldst ask, I cannot see.\nSince thee I now have learned to know,\nAt thy good pleasure, visit me.\nHere is the window, here the door,\nThe chimney, too, may serve thy need.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI must confess, my stepping o'er\nThy threshold a slight hindrance doth impede;\nThe wizard-foot doth me retain.\n\nFAUST\n\nThe pentagram thy peace doth mar?\nTo me, thou son of hell, explain,\nHow earnest thou in, if this thine exit bar?\nCould such a spirit aught ensnare?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nObserve it well, it is not drawn with care,\nOne of the angles, that which points without,\nIs, as thou seest, not quite closed.\n\nFAUST\n\nChance hath the matter happily dispos'd!\nSo thou my captive art? No doubt!\nBy accident thou thus art caught!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nIn sprang the dog, indeed, observing naught;\nThings now assume another shape,\nThe devil's in the house and can't escape.\n\nFAUST\n\nWhy through the window not withdraw?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nFor ghosts and f or the devil 'tis a law.\nWhere they stole in, there they must forth. We're free\nThe first to choose; as to the second, slaves are we.\n\nFAUST\n\nE'en hell hath its peculiar laws, I see!\nI'm glad of that! a pact may then be made,\nThe which you gentlemen will surely keep?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWhat e'er therein is promised thou shalt reap,\nNo tittle shall remain unpaid.\nBut such arrangements time require;\nWe'll speak of them when next we meet;\nMost earnestly I now entreat,\nThis once permission to retire.\n\nFAUST\n\nAnother moment prithee here remain,\nMe with some happy word to pleasure.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nNow let me go! ere long I'll come again,\nThen thou may'st question at thy leisure.\n\nFAUST\n\n'Twas not toy purpose thee to lime;\nThe snare hast entered of thine own free will:\nLet him who holds the devil, hold him still!\nSo soon he'll catch him not a second time.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nIf it so please thee, I'm at thy command;\nOnly on this condition, understand;\nThat worthily thy leisure to beguile,\nI here may exercise my arts awhile.\n\nFAUST\n\nThou'rt free to do so! Gladly I'll attend;\nBut be thine art a pleasant one!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\nMy friend,\nThis hour enjoyment more intense,\nShall captivate each ravish'd sense,\nThan thou could'st compass in the bound\nOf the whole year's unvarying round;\nAnd what the dainty spirits sing,\nThe lovely images they bring,\nAre no fantastic sorcery.\nRich odours shall regale your smell,\nOn choicest sweets your palate dwell,\nYour feelings thrill with ecstasy.\n\nNo preparation do we need,\nHere we together are. Proceed.\n\nSPIRITS\n\nHence overshadowing gloom,\nVanish from sight!\nO'er us thine azure dome,\nBend, beauteous light!\nDark clouds that o'er us spread,\nMelt in thin air!\nStars, your soft radiance shed,\nTender and fair.\nGirt with celestial might,\nWinging their airy flight,\nSpirits are thronging.\nFollows their forms of light\nInfinite longing!\nFlutter their vestures bright\nO'er field and grove!\nWhere in their leafy bower\nLovers the livelong hour\nVow deathless love.\nSoft bloometh bud and bower!\nBloometh the grove!\nGrapes from the spreading vine\nCrown the full measure;\nFountains of foaming wine\nGush from the pressure.\nStill where the currents wind,\nGems brightly gleam.\nLeaving the hills behind\nOn rolls the stream;\nNow into ample seas,\nSpreadeth the flood;\nLaying the sunny leas,\nMantled with wood.\nRapture the feather'd throng,\nGaily careering,\nSip as they float along;\nSunward they're steering;\nOn towards the isles of light\nWinging their way,\nThat on the waters bright\nDancingly play.\nHark to the choral strain,\nJoyfully ringing!\nWhile on the grassy plain\nDancers are springing;\nClimbing the steep hill's side,\nSkimming the glassy tide,\nWander they there;\nOthers on pinions wide\nWing the blue air;\nAll lifeward tending, upward still wending,\nTowards yonder stars that gleam,\nFar, far above;\nStars from whose tender beam\nRains blissful love.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWell done, my dainty spirits! now he slumbers!\nYe have entranc'd him fairly with your numbers!\nThis minstrelsy of yours I must repay,--\nThou art not yet the man to hold the devil fast!--\nWith fairest shapes your spells around him cast,\nAnd plunge him in a sea of dreams!\nBut that this charm be rent, the threshold passed,\nTooth of rat the way must clear.\nI need not conjure long it seems,\nOne rustles hitherward, and soon my voice will hear.\nThe master of the rats and mice,\nOf flies and frogs, of bugs and lice,\nCommands thy presence; without fear\nCome forth and gnaw the threshold here,\nWhere he with oil has smear'd it.--Thou\nCom'st hopping forth already! Now\nTo work! The point that holds me bound\nIs in the outer angle found.\nAnother bite--so--now 'tis done--\nNow, Faustus, till we meet again, dream on.\n\nFAUST (awaking)\nAm I once more deluded! must I deem\nThat thus the throng of spirits disappear?\nThe devil's presence, was it but a dream?\nHath but a poodle scap'd and left me here?\n\nSTUDY\nFAUST. MEPHISTOPHELES\n\nFAUST\n\nA knock? Come in! Who now would break my rest?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\n'Tis I!\n\nFAUST\n\nCome in!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThrice be the words express'd.\n\nFAUST\n\nThen I repeat, Come in!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\n'Tis well,\nI hope that we shall soon agree!\nFor now your fancies to expel,\nHere, as a youth of high degree,\nI come in gold-lac'd scarlet vest,\nAnd stiff-silk mantle richly dress'd,\nA cock's gay feather for a plume,\nA long and pointed rapier, too;\nAnd briefly I would counsel you\nTo don at once the same costume,\nAnd, free from trammels, speed away,\nThat what life is you may essay.\n\nFAUST\n\nIn every garb I needs must feel oppress'd,\nMy heart to earth's low cares a prey.\nToo old the trifler's part to play,\nToo young to live by no desire possess'd.\nWhat can the world to me afford?\nRenounce! renounce! is still the word;\nThis is the everlasting song\nIn every ear that ceaseless rings,\nAnd which, alas, our whole life long,\nHoarsely each passing moment sings.\nBut to new horror I awake each morn,\nAnd I could weep hot tears, to see the sun\nDawn on another day, whose round forlorn\nAccomplishes no wish of mine--not one.\nWhich still, with froward captiousness, impains\nE'en the presentiment of every joy,\nWhile low realities and paltry cares\nThe spirit's fond imaginings destroy.\nThen must I too, when falls the veil of night,\nStretch'd on my pallet languish in despair,\nAppalling dreams my soul affright;\nNo rest vouchsafed me even there.\nThe god, who throned within my breast resides,\nDeep in my soul can stir the springs;\nWith sovereign sway my energies he guides,\nHe cannot move external things;\nAnd so existence is to me a weight.\nDeath fondly I desire, and life I hate.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAnd yet, methinks, by most 'twill be confess'd\nThat Death is never quite a welcome guest.\n\nFAUST\n\nHappy the man around whose brow he binds\nThe bloodstain'd wreath in conquest's dazzling hour;\nOr whom, excited by the dance, he finds\nDissolv'd in bliss, in love's delicious bower!\nO that before the lofty spirit's might,\nEnraptured, I had rendered up my soul!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nYet did a certain man refrain one night,\nOf its brown juice to drain the crystal bowl.\n\nFAUST\n\nTo play the spy diverts you then?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI own,\nThough not omniscient, much to me is known.\n\nFAUST\n\nIf o'er my soul the tone familiar, stealing,\nDrew me from harrowing thought's bewild'ring maze,\nTouching the ling'ring chords of childlike feeling,\nWith sweet harmonies of happier days:\nSo curse I all, around the soul that windeth\nIts magic and alluring spell,\nAnd with delusive flattery bindeth\nIts victim to this dreary cell!\nCurs'd before all things be the high opinion,\nWherewith the spirit girds itself around!\nOf shows delusive curs'd be the dominion,\nWithin whose mocking sphere our sense is bound!\nAccurs'd of dreams the treacherous wiles,\nThe cheat of glory, deathless fame!\nAccurs'd what each as property beguiles,\nWife, child, slave, plough, whate'er its name!\nAccurs'd be mammon, when with treasure\nHe doth to daring deeds incite:\nOr when to steep the soul in pleasure,\nHe spreads the couch of soft delight!\nCurs'd be the grape's balsamic juice!\nAccurs'd love's dream, of joys the first!\nAccurs'd be hope! accurs'd be faith!\nAnd more than all, be patience curs'd!\n\nCHORUS OP SPIRITS (invisible)\n\nWoe! woe!\nThou hast destroy'd\nThe beautiful world\nWith violent blow;\n'Tis shiver'd! 'tis shatter'd!\nThe fragments abroad by a demigod scatter'd!\nNow we sweep\nThe wrecks into nothingness!\nFondly we weep\nThe beauty that's gone!\nThou, 'mongst the Sons of earth,\nLofty and mighty one,\nBuild it once more!\nIn thine own bosom the lost world restore!\nNow with unclouded sense\nEnter a new career;\nSongs shall salute thine ear,\nNe'er heard before!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nMy little ones these spirits be.\nHark! with shrewd intelligence,\nHow they recommend to thee\nAction, and the joys of sense!\nIn the busy world to dwell,\nFain they would allure thee hence:\nFor within this lonely cell,\nStagnate sap of life and sense.\n\nForbear to trifle longer with thy grief,\nWhich, vulture-like, consumes thee in this den.\nThe worst society is some relief,\nMaking thee feel thyself a man with men.\nNathless, it is not meant, I trow,\nTo thrust thee 'mid the vulgar throng.\n\nI to the upper ranks do not belong;\nYet if, by me companion'd, thou\nThy steps through life forthwith wilt take;\nUpon the spot myself I'll make\nThy comrade;-- Should it suit thy need,\nI am thy servant, am thy slave indeed!\n\nFAUST\n\nAnd how must I thy services repay?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThereto thou lengthen'd respite hast!\n\nFAUST\n\nNo! No!\nThe devil is an egoist I know:\nAnd, for Heaven's sake, 'tis not his way\nKindness to any one to show.\nLet the condition plainly be exprest!\nSuch a domestic is a dangerous guest.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI'll pledge myself to be thy servant here,\nStill at thy back alert and prompt to be;\nBut when together yonder we appear,\nThen shalt thou do the same for me.\n\nFAUST\n\nBut small concern I feel for yonder world;\nHast thou this system into ruin hurl'd,\nAnother may arise the void to fill.\nThis earth the fountain whence my pleasures flow,\nThis sun doth daily shine upon my woe,\nAnd if this world I must forego,\nLet happen then,--what can and will.\nI to this theme will close mine ears,\nIf men hereafter hate and love,\n\nFAUST\n\nAnd if there be in yonder spheres\nA depth below or height above.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nIn this mood thou mayst venture it. But make\nThe compact! I at once will undertake\nTo charm thee with mine arts. I'll give thee more\nThan mortal eye hath e'er beheld before.\n\nFAUST\n\nWhat, sorry Devil, hast thou to bestow?\nWas ever mortal spirit, in its high endeavour,\nFathom'd by Being such as thou?\nYet food thou hast which satisfieth never,\nHast ruddy gold, that still doth flow\nLike restless quicksilver away,\nA game thou hast, at which none win who play,\nA girl who would, with amorous eyen,\nE'en from my breast, a neighbour snare,\nLofty ambition's joy divine,\nThat, meteor-like, dissolves in air.\nShow me the fruit that, ere 'tis pluck'd, doth rot,\nAnd trees, whose verdure daily buds anew!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nSuch a commission scares me not,\nI can provide such treasures, it is true;\nBut, my good friend, a season will come round,\nWhen on what's good we may regale in peace.\n\nFAUST\n\nIf e'er upon my couch, stretched at my ease, I'm found,\nThen may my life that instant cease!\nMe canst thou cheat with glozing wile\nTill self-reproach away I cast,--\nMe with joy's lure canst thou beguile\nLet that day be for me the last!\nBe this our wager!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nSettled!\n\nFAUST\n\nSure and fast!\nWhen to the moment I shall say,\n\"Linger awhile! so fair thou art!\"\nThen mayst thou fetter me straightway,\nThen to the abyss will I depart!\nThen may the solemn death-bell sound,\nThen from thy service thou art free,\nThe index then may cease its round,\nAnd time be never more for me!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI shall remember: pause, ere 'tis too late.\n\nFAUST\n\nThereto a perfect right hast thou.\nMy strength I do not rashly overrate.\nSlave am I here, at any rate,\nIf thine, or whose, it matters not, I trow.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAt thine inaugural feast I will this day\nAttend, my duties to commence.--\nBut one thing!--Accidents may happen, hence\nA line or two in writing grant, I pray.\n\nFAUST\n\nA writing, Pedant! dost demand from me?\nMan, and man's plighted word, are these unknown to thee?\nIs't not enough, that by the word I gave,\nMy doom for evermore is cast?\nDoth not the world in all its currents rave,\nAnd must a promise hold me fast?\nYet fixed is this delusion in our heart;\nWho, of his own free will, therefrom would part?\nHow blest within whose breast truth reigneth pure!\nNo sacrifice will he repent when made!\nA formal deed, with seal and signature,\nA spectre this from which all shrink afraid.\nThe word its life resigneth in the pen,\nLeather and wax usurp the mastery then.\nSpirits of evil! what dost thou require?\nBrass, marble, parchment, paper, dost desire?\nShall I with chisel, pen, or graver write?\nThy choice is free; to me 'tis all the same.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWherefore thy passion so excite\nAnd thus thine eloquence inflame?\nA scrap is for our compact good.\nThou under-signest merely with a drop of blood.\n\nFAUST\n\nIf this will satisfy thy mind,\nThy whim I'll gratify, howe'er absurd.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nBlood is a juice of very special kind.\n\nFAUST\n\nBe not afraid that I shall break my word!\nThe scope of all my energy\nIs in exact accordance with my vow.\nVainly I have aspired too high;\nI'm on a level but with such as thou;\nMe the great spirit scorn'd, defied;\nNature from me herself doth hide;\nRent is the web of thought; my mind\nDoth knowledge loathe of every kind.\nIn depths of sensual pleasure drown'd,\nLet us our fiery passions still!\nEnwrapp'd in magic's veil profound,\nLet wondrous charms our senses thrill!\nPlunge we in time's tempestuous flow,\nStem we the rolling surge of chance!\nThere may alternate weal and woe,\nSuccess and failure, as they can,\nMingle and shift in changeful dance!\nExcitement is the sphere for man.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nNor goal, nor measure is prescrib'd to you,\nIf you desire to taste of every thing,\nTo snatch at joy while on the wing,\nMay your career amuse and profit too!\nOnly fall to and don't be over coy!\n\nFAUST\n\nHearken! The end I aim at is not joy;\nI crave excitement, agonizing bliss,\nEnamour'd hatred, quickening vexation.\nPurg'd from the love of knowledge, my vocation,\nThe scope of all my powers henceforth be this,\nTo bare my breast to every pang,--to know\nIn my heart's core all human weal and woe,\nTo grasp in thought the lofty and the deep,\nMen's various fortunes on my breast to heap,\nAnd thus to theirs dilate my individual mind,\nAnd share at length with them the shipwreck of mankind.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nOh, credit me, who still as ages roll,\nHave chew'd this bitter fare from year to year,\nNo mortal, from the cradle to the bier,\nDigests the ancient leaven! Know, this Whole\nDoth for the Deity alone subsist!\nHe in eternal brightness doth exist,\nUs unto darkness he hath brought, and here\nWhere day and night alternate, is your sphere.\n\nFAUST\n\nBut 'tis my will\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWell spoken, I admit!\nBut one thing puzzles me, my friend;\nTime's short, art long; methinks 'twere fit\nThat you to friendly counsel should attend.\nA poet choose as your ally!\nLet him thought's wide dominion sweep,\nEach good and noble quality,\nUpon your honoured brow to heap;\nThe lion's magnanimity,\nThe fleetness of the hind,\nThe fiery blood of Italy,\nThe Northern's stedfast mind.\nLet him to you the mystery show\nTo blend high aims and cunning low;\nAnd while youth's passions are aflame\nTo fall in love by rule and plan!\nI fain would meet with such a man;\nWould him Sir Microcosmus name.\n\nFAUST\n\nWhat then am I, if I aspire in vain\nThe crown of our humanity to gain,\nTowards which my every sense doth strain?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThou'rt after all--just what thou art.\nPut on thy head a wig with countless locks,\nAnd to a cubit's height upraise thy socks,\nStill thou remainest ever, what thou art.\n\nFAUST\n\nI feel it, I have heap'd upon my brain\nThe gather'd treasure of man's thought in vain;\nAnd when at length from studious toil I rest,\nNo power, new-born, springs up within my breast;\nA hair's breadth is not added to my height,\nI am no nearer to the infinite.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nGood sir, these things you view indeed,\nJust as by other men they're view'd;\nWe must more cleverly proceed,\nBefore life's joys our grasp elude.\nThe devil! thou hast hands and feet,\nAnd head and heart are also thine;\nWhat I enjoy with relish sweet,\nIs it on that account less mine?\nIf for six stallions I can pay,\nDo I not own their strength and speed?\nA proper man I dash away,\nAs their two dozen legs were mine indeed.\nUp then, from idle pondering free,\nAnd forth into the world with me!\nI tell you what;--your speculative churl\nIs like a beast which some ill spirit leads,\nOn barren wilderness, in ceaseless whirl,\n\nWhile all around lie fair and verdant meads.\n\nFAUST\n\nBut how shall we begin?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWe will go hence with speed,\nA place of torment this indeed!\nA precious life, thyself to bore,\nAnd some few youngsters evermore!\nLeave that to neighbour Paunch!--withdraw,\nWhy wilt thou plague thyself with thrashing straw?\nThe very best that thou dost know\nThou dar'st not to the striplings show.\nOne in the passage now doth wait!\n\nFAUST\n\nI'm in no mood to see him now,\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nPoor lad! He must be tired, I trow;\nHe must not go disconsolate.\nHand me thy cap and gown; the mask\nIs for my purpose quite first rate.\n(He changes his dress.)\nNow leave it to my wit! I ask\nBut quarter of an hour; meanwhile equip,\nAnd make all ready for our pleasant trip!\n(Exit FAUST.)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (in FAUST'S long gown)\n\nMortal! the loftiest attributes of men,\nReason and Knowledge, only thus contemn,\nStill let the Prince of lies, without control,\nWith shows, and mocking charms delude thy soul,\nI have thee unconditionally then!\nFate hath endow'd him with an ardent mind,\nWhich unrestrain'd still presses on for ever,\nAnd whose precipitate endeavour\nEarth's joys o'erleaping, leaveth them behind.\nHim will I drag through life's wild waste,\nThrough scenes of vapid dulness, where at last\nBewilder'd, he shall falter, and stick fast;\nAnd, still to mock his greedy haste,\nViands and drink shall float his craving lips beyond--\nVainly he'll seek refreshment, anguish-tost,\nAnd were he not the devil's by his bond,\nYet must his soul infallibly be lost!\n\nA STUDENT enters\n\nSTUDENT\n\nBut recently I've quitted home,\nFull of devotion am I come\nA man to know and hear, whose name\nWith reverence is known to fame.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nYour courtesy much flatters me!\nA man like other men you see;\nPray have you yet applied elsewhere?\n\nSTUDENT\n\nI would entreat your friendly care!\nI've youthful blood and courage high;\nOf gold I bring a fair supply;\nTo let me go my mother was not fain;\nBut here I longed true knowledge to attain.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nYou've hit upon the very place.\n\nSTUDENT\n\nAnd yet my steps I would retrace.\nThese walls, this melancholy room,\nO'erpower me with a sense of gloom;\nThe space is narrow, nothing green,\nNo friendly tree is to be seen:\nAnd in these halls, with benches filled, distraught,\nSight, hearing fail me, and the power of thought.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nIt all depends on habit. Thus at first\nThe infant takes not kindly to the breast,\nBut before long, its eager thirst\nIs fain to slake with hearty zest:\nThus at the breasts of wisdom day by day\nWith keener relish you'll your thirst allay.\n\nSTUDENT\n\nUpon her neck I fain would hang with joy;\nTo reach it, say, what means must I employ?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nExplain, ere further time we lose,\nWhat special faculty you choose?\n\nSTUDENT\n\nProfoundly learned I would grow,\nWhat heaven contains would comprehend,\nO'er earth's wide realm my gaze extend,\nNature and science I desire to know.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nYou are upon the proper track, I find;\nTake heed, let nothing dissipate your mind.\n\nSTUDENT\n\nMy heart and soul are in the chase!\nThough to be sure I fain would seize,\nOn pleasant summer holidays,\nA little liberty and careless ease.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nUse well your time, so rapidly it flies;\nMethod will teach you time to win;\nHence, my young friend, I would advise,\nWith college logic to begin!\nThen will your mind be so well braced,\nIn Spanish boots so tightly laced,\nThat on 'twill circumspectly creep,\nThought's beaten track securely keep,\nNor will it, ignis-fatuus like,\nInto the path of error strike.\nThen many a day they'll teach you how\nThe mind's spontaneous acts, till now\nAs eating and as drinking free,\nRequire a process;--one! two! three!\nIn truth the subtle web of thought\nIs like the weaver's fabric wrought:\nOne treadle moves a thousand lines,\nSwift dart the shuttles to and fro,\nUnseen the threads together flow,\nA thousand knots one stroke combines.\nThen forward steps your sage to show,\nAnd prove to you, it must be so;\nThe first being so, and so the second,\nThe third and fourth deduc'd we see;\nAnd if there were no first and second,\nNor third nor fourth would ever be.\nThis, scholars of all countries prize,--\nYet ' themselves no weavers rise.--\nHe who would know and treat of aught alive,\nSeeks first the living spirit thence to drive:\nThen are the lifeless fragments in his hand,\nThere only fails, alas the spirit-band.\nThis process, chemists name, in learned thesis,\nMocking themselves, Naturer encheiresis.\n\nSTUDENT\n\nYour words I cannot fully comprehend.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nIn a short time you will improve, my friend,\nWhen of scholastic forms you learn the use;\nAnd how by method all things to reduce.\n\nSTUDENT\n\nSo doth all this my brain confound,\nAs if a mill-wheel there were turning round.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAnd next, before aught else you learn,\nYou must with zeal to metaphysics turn!\nThere see that you profoundly comprehend,\nWhat doth the limit of man's brain transcend;\nFor that which is or is not in the head\nA sounding phrase will serve you in good stead.\nBut before all strive this half year\nFrom one fix'd order ne'er to swerve!\n\nFive lectures daily you must hear;\nThe hour still punctually observe!\nYourself with studious zeal prepare,\nAnd closely in your manual look,\nHereby may you be quite aware\nThat all he utters standeth in the book;\nYet write away without cessation,\nAs at the Holy Ghost's dictation!\n\nSTUDENT\n\nThis, Sir, a second time you need not say!\nYour counsel I appreciate quite;\nWhat we possess in black and white,\nWe can in peace and comfort bear away.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nA faculty I pray you name.\n\nSTUDENT\n\nFor jurisprudence, Some distaste I own.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nTo me this branch of science is well known,\nAnd hence I cannot your repugnance blame.\nCustoms and laws in every place,\nLike a disease, an heir-loom dread,\nStill trail their curse from race to race,\nAnd furtively abroad they spread.\nTo nonsense, reason's self they turn;\nBeneficence becomes a pest;\nWoe unto thee, that thou'rt a grandson born!\nAs for the law born with us, unexpressed;--\nThat law, alas, none careth to discern.\n\nSTUDENT\n\nYou deepen my dislike. The youth\nWhom you instruct, is blest in sooth!\nTo try theology I feel inclined.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI would not lead you willingly astray,\nBut as regards this science, you will find\nSo hard it is to shun the erring way,\nAnd so much hidden poison lies therein,\nWhich scarce can you discern from medicine.\nHere too it is the best, to listen but to one,\nAnd by the master's words to swear alone.\nTo sum up all--To words hold fast!\nThen the safe gate securely pass'd,\nYou'll reach the lane of certainty at last.\n\nSTUDENT\n\nBut then some meaning must the words convey.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nRight! But o'er-anxious thought, you'll find of no avail,\nFor there precisely where ideas fail,\nA word comes opportunely into play\nMost admirable weapons words are found,\nOn words a system we securely ground,\nIn words we can conveniently believe,\nNor of a single jot can we a word bereave.\n\nSTUDENT\n\nYour pardon for my importunity;\nYet once more must I trouble you:\nOn medicine, I'll thank you to supply\nA pregnant utterance or two!\nThree years! how brief the appointed tide!\nThe field, heaven knows, is all too wide!\nIf but a friendly hint be thrown,\n'Tis easier then to feel one's way.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (aside)\n\nI'm weary of the dry pedantic tone,\nAnd must again the genuine devil play.\n\n(Aloud)\nOf medicine the spirit's caught with ease,\nThe great and little world you study through,\nThat things may then their course pursue,\nAs heaven may please.\nIn vain abroad you range through science' ample space,\nEach man learns only that which learn he can;\nWho knows the moment to embrace,\nHe is your proper man.\nIn person you are tolerably made,\nNor in assurance will you be deficient:\nSelf-confidence acquire, be not afraid,\nOthers will then esteem you a proficient.\nLearn chiefly with the sex to deal!\nTheir thousands ahs and ohs,\nThese the sage doctor knows,\nHe only from one point can heal.\nAssume a decent tone of courteous ease,\nYou have them then to humour as you please.\nFirst a diploma must belief infuse,\nThat you in your profession take the lead:\nYou then at once those easy freedoms use\nFor which another many a year must plead;\nLearn how to feel with nice address\nThe dainty wrist;--and how to press,\nWith ardent furtive glance, the slender waist,\nTo feel how tightly it is laced.\n\nSTUDENT\n\nThere is some sense in that! one sees the how and why.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nGrey is, young friend, all theory:\nAnd green of life the golden tree.\n\nSTUDENT\n\nI swear it seemeth like a dream to me.\nMay I some future time repeat my visit,\nTo hear on what your wisdom grounds your views?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nCommand my humble service when you choose.\n\nSTUDENT\n\nEre I retire, one boon I must solicit:\nHere is my album, do not, Sir, deny\nThis token of your favour!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWillingly!\n(He writes and returns the book.)\n\nSTUDENT (reads)\n\nERITIS SICUT DEUS, SCIENTES BONUM ET MALUM\n(He reverently closes the book and retires.)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nLet but this ancient proverb be your rule,\nMy cousin follow still, the wily snake,\nAnd with your likeness to the gods, poor fool,\nEre long be sure your poor sick heart will quake!\n\nFAUST (enters)\nWhither away?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\n'Tis thine our course to steer.\nThe little world, and then the great we'll view.\nWith what delight, what profit too,\nThou'lt revel through thy gay career!\n\nFAUST\nDespite my length of beard I need\nThe easy manners that insure success;\nTh' attempt I fear can ne'er succeed;\nTo mingle in the world I want address;\nI still have an embarrass'd air, and then\nI feel myself so small with other men.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\nTime, my good friend, will all that's needful give;\nBe only self-possessed, and thou hast learn'd to live.\n\nFAUST\n\nBut how are we to start, I pray?\nSteeds, servants, carriage, where are they?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWe've but to spread this mantle wide,\n'Twill serve whereon through air to ride,\nNo heavy baggage need you take,\nWhen we our bold excursion make,\nA little gas, which I will soon prepare,\nLifts us from earth; aloft through air,\nLight laden, we shall swiftly steer;--\nI wish you joy of your new life-career.\n\nAUERBACH'S CELLAR IN LEIPZIG\nA Drinking Party\n\nFROSCH\n\nNo drinking? Naught a laugh to raise?\nNone of your gloomy looks, I pray!\nYou, who so bright were wont to blaze,\nAre dull as wetted straw to-day.\n\nBRANDER\n\n'Tis all your fault; your part you do not bear,\nNo beastliness, no folly.\n\nFROSCH\n(pours a glass of wine over his head)\n\nThere,\nYou have them both!\n\nBRANDER\n\nYou double beast!\n\nFROSCH\n\n'Tis what you ask'd me for, at least!\n\nSIEBEL\n\nWhoever quarrels, turn him out!\nWith open throat drink, roar, and shout.\nHollo! Hollo! Ho!\n\nALTMAYER\n\nZounds, fellow, cease your deaf'ning cheers!\nBring cotton-wool! He splits my ears.\n\nSIEBEL\n\n'Tis when the roof rings back the tone,\nThen first the full power of the bass is known.\n\nFROSCH\n\nRight! out with him who takes offence!\nA! tara lara da!\n\nALTMAYER\n\nA! tara lara da!\n\nFROSCH\n\nOur throats are tuned. Come let's commence!\n\n(Sings)\nThe holy Roman empire now,\nHow holds it still together?\n\nBRANDER\n\nAn ugly song! a song political!\nA song offensive! Thank God, every morn\nTo rule the Roman empire, that you were not born!\nI bless my stars at least that mine is not\nEither a kaiser's or a chancellor's lot.\nYet ' ourselves should one still lord it o'er the rest;\nThat we elect a pope I now suggest.\nYe know, what quality ensures\nA man's success, his rise secures.\n\nFaoscn (sings)\nBear, lady nightingale above,\nTen thousand greetings to my love.\n\nSIESEL\n\nNo greetings to a sweetheart!\nNo love-songs shall there be!\n\nFROSCH\n\nLove-greetings and love-kisses! Thou shalt not hinder me!\n\n(Sings)\nUndo the bolt! in silly night,\nUndo the bolt! the lover wakes.\nShut to the bolt! when morning breaks,\n\nSIEBEL\n\nAy, sing, sing on, praise her with all, thy might!!\nMy turn to laugh will come some day.\nMe hath she jilted once, you the same trick she'll play.\nSome gnome her lover be! where cross-roads meet,\nWith her to play the fool; or old he-goat,\nFrom Blocksberg coming in swift gallop, bleat\nA good night to her, from his hairy throat!\nA proper lad of genuine flesh and blood,\nIs for the damsel far too good;\nThe greeting she shall have from me,\nTo smash her window-panes will be!\n\nBRANDER (striking on the table)\n\nSilence! Attend! to me give ear!\nConfess, sirs, I know how to live:\nSome love-sick folk are sitting here!\nHence, 'tis but fit, their hearts to cheer,\nThat I a good-night strain to them should give.\nHark! of the newest fashion is my song!\nStrike boldly in the chorus, clear and strong!\n\n(He sings)\nOnce in a cellar lived a rat,\nHe feasted there on butter,\nUntil his paunch became as fat\nAs that of Doctor Luther,\nThe cook laid poison for the guest,\nThen was his heart with pangs oppress'd,\nAs if his frame love wasted.\n\nChorus (shouting)\nAs if his frame love wasted.\n\nBRANDER\n\nHe ran around, he ran abroad,\nOf every puddle drinking.\nThe house with rage he scratch'd and gnaw'd,\nIn vain,--he fast was Sinking;\nFull many an anguish'd bound he gave,\nNothing the hapless brute could save,\nAs if his frame love wasted.\n\nCHORUS\n\nAs if his frame love wasted.\n\nBRANDER\n\nBy torture driven, in open day,\nThe kitchen he invaded,\nConvulsed upon the hearth he lay,\nWith anguish sorely jaded;\nThe poisoner laugh'd, Ha! ha! quoth she,\nHis life is ebbing fast, I see,\nAs if his frame love wasted.\n\nCHORUS\n\nAs if his frame love wasted.\n\nSIEBEL\n\nHow the dull boors exulting shout!\nPoison for the poor rats to strew\nA fine exploit it is no doubt.\n\nBRANDER\n\nThey, as it seems, stand well with you!\n\nALTMAYER\n\nOld bald-pate! with the paunch profound!\nThe rat's mishap hath tamed his nature;\nFor he his counterpart bath found\nDepicted in the swollen creature.\n\nFAUST AND MEPHISTOPHELES\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI now must introduce to you\nBefore aught else, this jovial crew,\nTo show how lightly life may glide away;\nWith the folk here each day's a holiday.\nWith little wit and much content,\n\nEach on his own small round intent,\nLike sportive kitten with its tail;\nWhile no sick-headache they bewail,\nAnd while their host will credit give,\nJoyous and free from care they live.\n\nBRANDER\n\nThey're off a journey, that is clear,--\nFrom their strange manners; they have scarce been here\nAn hour.\n\nFROSCH\n\nYou're right! Leipzig's the place for me\n'Tis quite a little Paris; people there\nAcquire a certain easy finish'd air.\n\nSIEBEL\n\nWhat take you now these travellers to be?\n\nFROSCH\n\nLet me alone! O'er a full glass you'll see,\nAs easily I'll worm their secret out,\nAs draw an infant's tooth. I've not a doubt\nThat my two gentlemen are nobly born,\nThey look dissatisfied and full of scorn.\n\nBRANDER\n\nThey are but mountebanks, I'll lay a bet!\n\nALTMAYER\n\nMost like.\n\nFROSCH\n\nMark me, I'll screw it from them yet!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (to FAUST)\n\nThese fellows would not scent the devil out,\nE'en though he had them by the very throat!\n\nFAUST\n\nSIEBEL\n\nThanks for your fair salute.\n(Aside, glancing at MEPHISTOPHELES.)\nHow! goes the fellow on a halting foot?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nIs it permitted here with you to sit?\nThen though good wine is not forthcoming here,\nGood company at least our hearts will cheer.\n\nALTMAYER\n\nA dainty gentleman, no doubt of it.\n\nFROSCH\n\nYou're doubtless recently from Rippach? Pray,\nDid you with Master Hans there chance to sup?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nTo-day we pass'd him, but we did not stop!\nWhen last we met him he had much to say\nTouching his cousins, and to each he sent\nFull many a greeting and kind compliment.\n(With an inclination towards FROSCH.)\n\nALTMAYER (aside to FROSCH)\n\nYou have it there!\n\nSIEBEL\n\nFaith! he's a knowing one!\n\nFROSCH\n\nHave patience! I will show him up anon!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWe heard erewhile, unless I'm wrong,\nVoices well trained in chorus pealing?\nCertes, most choicely here must song\nRe-echo from this vaulted ceiling!\n\nFROSCH\n\nThat you're an amateur one plainly sees!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nOh no, though strong the love, I cannot boast much skill.\n\nALTMAYER\n\nGive us a song!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAs many as you will.\n\nSIEBEL\n\nBut be it a brand new one, if you please!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nBut recently returned from Spain are we,\nThe pleasant land of wine and minstrelsy.\n\n(Sings)\nA king there was once reigning,\nWho had a goodly flea--\n\nFROSCH\n\nHark! did you rightly catch the words? a flea!\nAn odd sort of a guest he needs must be.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (sings)\n\nA king there was once reigning,\nWho had a goodly flea,\nHim loved he without feigning,\nAs his own son were he!\nHis tailor then he summon'd,\nThe tailor to him goes:\nNow measure me the youngster\nFor jerkin and for hose!\n\nBRANDER\n\nTake proper heed, the tailor strictly charge,\nThe nicest measurement to take,\nAnd as he loves his head, to make\nThe hose quite smooth and not too large!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nIn satin and in velvet,\nBehold the yonker dressed;\nBedizen'd o'er with ribbons,\nA cross upon his breast.\nPrime minister they made him,\nHe wore a star of state;\nAnd all his poor relations\nWere courtiers, rich and great.\n\nThe gentlemen and ladies\nAt court were sore distressed;\nThe queen and all her maidens\nWere bitten by the pest,\nAnd yet they dared not scratch them,\nOr chase the fleas away.\nIf we are bit, we catch them,\nAnd crack without delay.\n\nCHORUS (shouting)\n\nIf we are bit, &c.\n\nFROSCH\n\nBravo! That's the song for me!\n\nSIEBEL\n\nSuch be the fate of every flea!\n\nBRANDER\n\nWith Clever finger catch and Kill!\n\nALTMAYER\n\nHurrah for wine and freedom still!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWere but your wine a trifle better, friend,\nA glass to freedom I would gladly drain.\n\nSIEBEL\n\nYou'd better not repeat those words again t\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI am afraid the landlord to offend;\nElse freely I would treat each worthy guest\nFrom our own cellar to the very best.\n\nSIEBEL\n\nOut with it then! Your doings I'll defend.\n\nFROSCH\n\nGive a good glass, and straight we'll praise you, one and all.\nOnly let not your samples be too small;\nFor if my judgment you desire,\nCertes, an ample mouthful I require.\n\nALTMAYER (aside)\n\nI guess they're from the Rhenish land.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nFetch me a gimlet here!\n\nBRANDER\n\nSay, what therewith to bore?\nYou cannot have the wine-casks at the door?\n\nALTMAYER\n\nOur landlord's tool-basket behind doth yonder stand.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (takes the gimlet)\n\n(To FROSCH)\n\nNow only say! what liquor will you take?\n\nFROSCH\n\nHow mean you that? have you of every sort?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nEach may his own selection make.\n\nALTMAYER (to FROSCH)\n\nHa! Ha! You lick your lips already at the thought.\n\nFROSCH\n\nGood, if I have my choice, the Rhenish I propose;\nFor still the fairest gifts the fatherland bestows.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\n(boring a hole in the edge of the table opposite to where FROSCH\nis sitting)\n\nGive me a little wax--and make some stoppers--quick!\n\nALTMAYER\n\nWhy, this is nothing but a juggler's trick!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (to BRANDER)\n\nAnd you?\n\nBRANDER\n\nChampagne's the wine for me;\nRight brisk, and sparkling let it be!\n\n(MEPHISTOPHELES bores; one of the party has in the meantime\nprepared the wax-stoppers and stopped the holes.)\n\nBRANDER\n\nWhat foreign is one always can't decline,\nWhat's good is often scatter'd far apart.\nThe French your genuine German hates with all his heart,\nYet has a relish for their wine.\n\nSIEBEL.\n\n(as MEPHISTOPHELES approaches him)\n\nI like not acid wine, I must allow,\nGive me a glass of genuine sweet!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (bored)\n\nTokay\nShall, if you wish it, flow without delay.\n\nALTMAYER\n\nCome! look me in the face! no fooling now!\nYou are but making fun of us, I trow.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAh! ah! that would indeed be making free\nWith such distinguished guests. Come, no delay;\nWhat liquor can I serve you with, I pray?\n\nALTMAYER\n\nOnly be quick, it matters not to me.\n(After the holes are bored and stopped.)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (with strange gestures)\n\nGrapes the vine-stock bears,\nHorns the buck-goat wears!\nWine is sap, the vine is wood,\nThe wooden board yields wine as good.\nWith a deeper glance and true\nThe mysteries of nature view!\nHave faith and here's a miracle!\nYour stoppers draw and drink your fill!\n\nALL.\n\n(as they draw the stoppers and the wine chosen by each runs into\nhis glass)\nOh beauteous spring, which flows so far!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\nSpill not a single drop, of this beware! (They drink repeatedly.)\n\nALL (sing)\n\nHappy as cannibals are we,\nOr as five hundred swine.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThey're in their glory, mark their elevation!\n\nFAUST\n\nLet's hence, nor here our stay prolong.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAttend, of brutishness ere long\nYou'll see a glorious revelation.\n\nSIEBEL\n\n(drinks carelessly; the wine is spilt upon the ground, and turns to\nflame)\nHelp! fire! help! Hell is burning!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\n(addressing the flames)\n\nStop,\nKind element, be still, I say!\n\n(To the Company.)\n\nSIEBEL\n\nWhat means the knave! For this you'll dearly pay!\nUs, it appears, you do not know.\n\nFROSCH\n\nSuch tricks a second time he'd better show!\n\nALTMAYER\n\nMethinks 'twere well we pack'd him quietly away.\n\nSIEBEL\n\nWhat, sir! with us your hocus-pocus play!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nSilence, old wine-cask!\n\nSIEBEL\n\nHow! add insult, too!\nVile broomstick!\n\nBRANDER\n\nHold, or blows shall rain on you!\n\nALTMAYER\n\n(draws a stopper out of the table; fire springs out against him)\nI burn! I burn!\n\nSIEBEL\n\n'Tis sorcery, I vow!\nStrike home! The fellow is fair game, I trow!\n(They draw their knives and attack MEPHISTOPHELES.)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (with solemn gestures)\n\nVisionary scenes appear!\nWords delusive cheat the ear! Be ye there, and be ye here!\n(They stand amazed and gaze at each other.)\n\nALTMAYER\n\nWhere am I? What a beauteous land!\n\nFROSCH\n\nVineyards! unless my sight deceives?\n\nSIEBEL\n\nAnd clust'ring grapes too, close at hand!\n\nBRANDER\n\nAnd underneath the spreading leaves,\nWhat stems there be! What grapes I see!\n(He senses SIEBEL by the nose.\nThe others reciprocally do the same, and raise their knives.)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (as above)\n\nDelusion, from their eyes the bandage take!\nNote how the devil loves a jest to break!\n(He disappears with FAUST; the fellows draw back from one\nanother.)\n\nSIEBEL\n\nWhat was it?\n\nALTMAYER\n\nHow?\n\nFROSCH\n\nWas that your nose?\n\nBRANDER (to SIEBEL)\n\nAnd look, my hand doth thine enclose!\n\nALTMAYER\n\nI felt a shock, it went through every limb!\nA chair! I'm fainting! All things swim!\n\nFROSCH\n\nSay what has happened, what's it all about?\n\nSIEBEL\n\nWhere is the fellow? Could I scent him out,\nHis body from his soul I'd soon divide!\n\nALTMAYER\n\nWith my own eyes, upon a cask astride,\nForth through the cellar-door I saw him ride--\nHeavy as lead my feet are growing.\n(Turning to the table.)\nI wonder is the wine still flowing!\n\nSIEBEL\n\n'Twas all delusion, cheat and lie.\n\nFROSCH\n\n'Twas wine I drank, most certainly.\n\nBRANDER\n\nBut with the grapes how was it, pray?\n\nALTMAYER\n\nThat none may miracles believe, who now will say?\n\nWITCHES' KITCHEN\n\nA large caldron hangs over the fire on a low hearth; various figures\nappear in the vapour rising from it. A FEMALE MONKEY sits\nbeside the caldron to skim it, and watch that it does not boil over.\nThe MALE MONKEY with the young ones is seated near,\nwarming himself. The walls and ceiling are adorned with the\nstrangest articles of witch-furniture.\n\nFAUST, MEPHISTOPHELES\n\nFAUST\n\nThis senseless, juggling witchcraft I detest!\nDost promise that in this foul nest\nOf madness, I shall be restored?\nMust I seek counsel from an ancient dame?\nAnd can she, by these rites abhorred,\nTake thirty winters from my frame?\nWoe's me, if thou naught better canst suggest!\nHope has already fled my breast.\nHas neither nature nor a noble mind\nA balsam yet devis'd of any kind?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nMy friend, you now speak sensibly. In truth,\nNature a method giveth to renew thy youth:\nBut in another book the lesson's writ;--\nIt forms a curious chapter, I admit.\n\nFAUST\n\nI fain would know it.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nGood! A remedy\nWithout physician, gold, or sorcery:\nAway forthwith, and to the fields repair,\nBegin to delve, to cultivate the ground,\nThy senses and thyself confine\nWithin the very narrowest round,\nSupport thyself upon the simplest fare,\nLive like a very brute the brutes among,\nNeither esteem it robbery\nThe acre thou dost reap, thyself to dung;\nThis is the best method, credit me,\nAgain at eighty to grow hale and young.\n\nFAUST\n\nI am not used to it, nor can myself degrade\nSo far, as in my hand to take the spade.\nThis narrow life would suit me not at all.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThen we the witch must summon after all.\n\nFAUST\n\nWill none but this old beldame do?\nCanst not thyself the potion brew?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nA pretty play our leisure to beguile!\nA thousand bridges I could build meanwhile.\nNot science only and consummate art,\nPatience must also bear her part.\nA quiet spirit worketh whole years long;\nTime only makes the subtle ferment strong.\nAnd all things that belong thereto,\nAre wondrous and exceeding rare!\nThe devil taught her, it is true;\nBut yet the draught the devil can't prepare.\n(Perceiving the beasts.)\nLook yonder, what a dainty pair!\nHere is the maid! the knave is there!\n(To the beasts)\nIt seems your dame is not at home?\n\nTHE MONKEYS\n\nGone to carouse,\nOut of the house,\nThro' the chimney and away!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nHow long is it her wont to roam?\n\nTHE MONKEYS\n\nWhile we can warm our paws she'll stay.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (to FAUST)\n\nWhat think you of the charming creature?\n\nFAUST\n\nI loathe alike their form and features!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nNay, such discourse, be it confessed,\nIs just the thing that pleases me the best.\n\n(To the MONKEYS)\n\nTell me, ye whelps, accursed crew!\nWhat Stir ye in the broth about?\n\nMONKEYS\n\nCoarse beggar's gruel here we stew.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nOf customers you'll have a rout.\n\nTHE HE-MONKEY\n(approaching and fawning on MEPHISTOPHELES)\n\nQuick! quick! throw the dice,\nMake me rich in a trice,\nOh give me the prize!\nAlas, for myself!\nHad I plenty of pelf,\nI then should be wise.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nHow blest the ape would think himself, if he\nCould only put into the lottery!\n\n(In the meantime the young MONKEYS have been playing with a\nlarge globe, which they roll forwards)\n\nTHE HE-MONKEY\nThe world behold;\nUnceasingly roll'd,\nIt riseth and falleth ever;\nIt ringeth like glass!\nHow brittle, alas!\n'Tis hollow, and resteth never.\nHow bright the sphere,\nStill brighter here!\nNow living am I!\nDear son, beware!\nNor venture there!\nThou too must die!\nIt is of clay;\n'Twill crumble away;\nThere fragments lie.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nOf what use is the sieve?\n\nTHE HE-MONKEY (taking it dozen)\n\nThe sieve would show,\nIf thou wert a thief or no?\n(He runs to the SHE-MONKEY, and makes her look through it.)\nLook through the sieve!\nDost know him the thief,\nAnd dar'st thou not call him so?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (approaching the fire)\n\nAnd then this pot?\n\nTHE MONKEYS\n\nThe half-witted sot!\nHe knows not the pot!\nHe knows not the kettle!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nUnmannerly beast!\nBe civil at least!\n\nTHE HE-MONKEY\n\nTake the whisk and sit down in the settle!\n(He makes MEPHISTOPHELES sit down.)\n\nFAUST\n\n(who all this time has been standing before a looking-glass,\nnow approaching, and now retiring from it)\n\nWhat do I see? what form, whose charms transcend\nThe loveliness of earth, is mirror'd here!\nO Love, to waft me to her sphere,\nTo me the swiftest of thy pinions lend!\nAlas! If I remain not rooted to this place,\nIf to approach more near I'm fondly lur'd,\nHer image fades, in veiling mist obscur'd\nModel of beauty both in form and face!\nIs't possible? Hath woman charms so rare?\nIn this recumbent form, supremely fair,\nThe essence must I see of heavenly grace?\nCan aught so exquisite on earth be found?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThe six days' labour of a god, my friend,\nWho doth himself cry bravo, at the end,\nBy something clever doubtless should be crown'd.\nFor this time gaze your fill, and when you please\nJust such a prize for you I can provide;\nHow blest is he to whom kind fate decrees,\nTo take her to his home, a lovely bride!\n\n(FAUST continues to gaze into the mirror. MEPHISTOPHELES\nstretching himself on the settle and playing with the whisk,\ncontinues to speak.)\n\nHere sit I, like a king upon his throne;\nMy sceptre this;--the crown I want alone.\n\nTHE MONKEYS\n\n(who have hitherto been making all sorts of strange gestures, bring\nMEPHISTOPHELES a crown, with loud cries)\n\nOh, be so good,\nWith Sweat and with blood\nThe crown to lime!\n\n(They handle the crown awkwardly and break it in two\npieces, with which they skip about.)\n\n'Twas fate's decree!\nWe speak and see!\nWe hear and rhyme.\n\nFAUST (before the mirror)\n\nWoe's me! well-nigh distraught I feel!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n(pointing to the beasts)\n\nAnd even my own head almost begins to reel.\n\nTHE MONKEYS\n\nIf good luck attend,\nIf fitly things blend,\nOur jargon with thought\nAnd with reason is fraught!\n\nFAUST (as above)\n\nA flame is kindled in my breast!\nLet us begone! nor linger here!\n\nMEPHISTOPT'IELES\n(in the same position)\n\nIt now at least must be confessed,\nThat poets sometimes are sincere.\n\n(The caldron begins to boil over; a great flame arises,\nwhich streams up the chimney. The WITCH comes down the\nchimney with horrible cries.)\n\nTHE WITCH\n\nOugh! ough! ough! ough!\nAccursed brute! accursed SOW!\nThe caldron dost neglect, for shame!\nAccursed brute to scorch the dame!\n\n(Perceiving FAUST and MEPHISTOPHELES)\n\nWhom have we here?\nWho's sneaking here?\nWhence are ye come?\nWith what desire?\nThe plague of fire\nYour bones consume!\n\n(She dips the skimming-ladle into the caldron and\nthrows flames at FAUST, MEPHISTOPHELES, and\nthe MONKEYS. The MONKEYS whimper.)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n(twirling the whisk which he holds in his hand, and striking among\nthe glasses and pots)\n\nDash! Smash!\nThere lies the glass!\nThere lies the slime!\n'Tis but a jest;\nI but keep time,\nThou hellish pest,\nTo thine own chime!\n\n(While the WITCH steps back in rage aind astonishment.)\n\nDost know me! Skeleton! Vile scarecrow, thou!\nThy lord and master dost thou know?\nWhat holds me, that I deal not now\nThee and thine apes a stunning blow?\nNo more respect to my red vest dost pay?\nDoes my cock's feather no allegiance claim?\nHave I my visage masked to-day?\nMust I be forced myself to name?\n\nTHE WITCH\n\nMaster, forgive this rude salute!\nBut I perceive no cloven foot.\nAnd your two ravens, where are they?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThis once I must admit your plea;--\nFor truly I must own that we\nEach other have not seen for many a day.\nThe culture, too, that shapes the world, at last\nHath e'en the devil in its sphere embraced;\nThe northern phantom from the scene hath pass'd,\nTail, talons, horns, are nowhere to be traced!\nAs for the foot, with which I can't dispense,\n'Twould injure me in company, and hence,\nLike many a youthful cavalier,\nFalse calves I now have worn for many a year.\n\nTHE WITCH (dancing)\n\nI am beside myself with joy,\nTo see once more the gallant Satan here!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWoman, no more that name employ!\n\nTHE WITCH\n\nBut why? what mischief hath it done?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nTo fable-books it now doth appertain;\nBut people from the change have nothing won.\nRid of the evil one, the evil ones remain.\nLord Baron call thou me, so is the matter good;\nOf other cavaliers the mien I wear.\nDost make no question of my gentle blood;\nSee here, this is the scutcheon that I bear!\n(He makes an unseemly gesture.)\n\nTHE WITCH\n(laughing immoderately)\n\nHa! Ha Just like yourself! You are, I ween,\nThe same mad wag that you have ever been!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (to FAUST)\n\nMy friend, learn this to understand, I pray!\nTo deal with witches this is still the way.\n\nTHE WITCH\n\nNow tell me, gentlemen, what you desire?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nOf your known juice a goblet we require.\nBut for the very oldest let me ask;\nDouble its strength with years doth grow.\n\nTHE WITCH\n\nMost willingly! And here I have a flask,\nFrom which I've sipp'd myself ere now;\nWhat's more, it doth no longer stink;\nTo you a glass I joyfully will give.\n(Aside.)\n\nIf unprepar'd, however, this man drink,\nHe hath not, as you know, an hour to live.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nHe's my good friend, with whom 'twill prosper well;\nI grudge him not the choicest of thy store.\nNow draw thy circle, speak thy spell,\nAnd straight a bumper for him pour!\n\n(The WITCH, with extraordinary gestures, describes a circle, and\nplaces strange things within it. The glasses meanwhile begin to\nring, the caldron to sound, and to make music. Lastly, she brings a\ngreat book; places the MONKEYS in the circle to serve her as a\ndesk, and to hold the torches. She beckons FAUST to approach.)\n\nFAUST (to MEPHISTOPHELES)\n\nTell me, to what doth all this tend?\nWhere will these frantic gestures end?\nThis loathsome cheat, this senseless stuff\nI've known and hated long enough.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nMere mummery, a laugh to raise!\nPray don't be so fastidious! She\nBut as a leech, her hocus-pocus plays,\nThat well with you her potion may agree.\n(He compels FAUST to enter the circle.)\n\n(The WITCH, with great emphasis, begins to declaim the book.)\n\nThis must thou ken:\nOf one make ten,\nPass two, and then\nMake square the three,\nSo rich thou'lt be.\nDrop out the four!\nFrom five and six,\nThus says the witch,\nMake seven and eight.\nSo all is straight!\nAnd nine is one,\nAnd ten is none,\nThis is the witch's one-time-one!\n\nFAUST\n\nThe hag doth as in fever rave.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nTo these will follow many a stave.\nI know it well, so rings the book throughout;\nMuch time I've lost in puzzling o'er its pages,\nFor downright paradox, no doubt,\nA mystery remains alike to fools and sages.\nAncient the art and modern too, my friend.\n'Tis still the fashion as it used to be,\nError instead of truth abroad to send\nBy means of three and one, and one and three.\n'Tis ever taught and babbled in the schools.\nWho'd take the trouble to dispute with fools?\nWhen words men hear, in sooth, they usually believe.\nThat there must needs therein be something to conceive.\n\nTHE WITCH (continues)\nThe lofty power\nOf wisdom's dower,\nFrom all the world conceal'd!\nWho thinketh not,\nTo him I wot,\nUnsought it is reveal'd.\n\nFAUST\n\nWhat nonsense doth the hag propound?\nMy brain it doth well-nigh confound.\nA hundred thousand fools or more,\nMethinks I hear in chorus roar.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nIncomparable Sibyl cease, I pray!\nHand us thy liquor without more delay.\nAnd to the very brim the goblet crown!\nMy friend he is, and need not be afraid;\nBesides, he is a man of many a grade,\nWho bath drunk deep already.\n\n(The WITCH, with many ceremonies, pours the liquor into a cup;\nas FAUST lifts it to his mouth, a light flame arises.)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nGulp it down!\nNo hesitation! It will prove\nA cordial, and your heart inspire!\nWhat! with the devil hand and glove,\nAnd yet shrink back afraid of fire?\n\n(The WITCH dissolves the circle. FAUST steps Out.)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nNow forth at once! thou dar'st not rest.\n\nWITCH\n\nAnd much, sir, may the liquor profit you!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (to the WITCH)\n\nAnd if to pleasure thee I aught can do,\nPray on Walpurgis mention thy request.\n\nWITCH\n\nHere is a song, sung o'er, sometimes you'll see,\nThat 'twill a singular effect produce.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (to FAUST)\n\nCome, quick, and let thyself be led by me;\nThou must perspire, in order that the juice\nThy frame may penetrate through every part.\nThen noble idleness I thee will teach to prize,\nAnd soon with ecstasy thou'lt recognise\nHow Cupid stirs and gambols in thy heart.\n\nFAUST\n\nLet me but gaze one moment in the glass!\nToo lovely was that female form!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nNay! nay!\n\nA model which all women shall surpass,\nIn flesh and blood ere long thou shalt survey.\nAs works the draught, thou presently shalt greet\nA Helen in each woman thou dost meet.\n\nA STREET\n\nFAUST (MARGARET passing by)\n\nFAUST\n\nFair lady, may I thus make free\nTo offer you my arm and company?\n\nMARGARET\n\nI am no lady, am not fair,\nCan without escort home repair.\n(She disengages herself and exit.)\n\nFAUST\n\nBy heaven! This girl is fair indeed!\nNo form like hers can I recall.\nVirtue she hath, and modest heed,\nIs piquant too, and sharp withal.\nHer cheek's soft light, her rosy lips,\nNo length of time will e'er eclipse!\nHer downward glance in passing by,\nDeep in my heart is stamp'd for aye;\nHow curt and sharp her answer too,\nTo ecstasy the feeling grew!\n\n(MEPHISTOPHZLES enters.)\n\nFAUST\n\nThis girl must win for me! Dost hear?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWhich?\n\nFAUST\n\nShe who but now passed.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nShe from confession coineth here,\nFrom every sin absolved and free;\nI crept near the confessor's chair.\nAll innocence her virgin soul,\nFor next to nothing went she there;\nO'er such as she I've no control!\n\nFAUST\n\nShe's past fourteen.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nYou really talk\nLike any gay Lothario,\nWho every floweret from its stalk\nWould pluck, and deems nor grace, nor truth,\nSecure against his arts, forsooth!\nThis ne'er the less won't always do.\n\nFAUST\n\nSir Moralizer, prithee, pause;\nNor plague me with your tiresome laws!\nTo cut the matter short, my friend,\nShe must this very night be mine,--\nAnd if to help me you decline,\nMidnight shall see our compact end.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWhat may occur just bear in mind!\nA fortnight's space, at least, I need,\nA fit occasion but to find.\n\nFAUST\n\nWith but Seven hours I could succeed;\nNor should I want the devil's wile,\nSo young a creature to beguile.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nLike any Frenchman now you speak,\nBut do not fret, I pray; why seek\nTo hurry to enjoyment straight?\nThe pleasure is not half so great,\nAs when at first around, above,\nWith all the fooleries of love,\nThe puppet you can knead and mould\nAs in Italian story oft is told.\n\nFAUST\n\nNo such incentives do I need.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nBut now, without offence or jest!\nYou cannot quickly, I protest,\nIn winning this sweet child succeed.\nBy storm we cannot take the fort,\nTo stratagem we must resort.\n\nFAUST\n\nConduct me to her place of rest!\nSome token of the angel bring!\nA kerchief from her snowy breast,\nA garter bring me,--any thing!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThat I my anxious zeal may prove,\nYour pangs to sooth and aid your love,\nA single moment will we not delay,\nWill lead you to her room this very day.\n\nFAUST\n\nAnd shall I see her ?--Have her?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nNo!\nShe to a neighbour's house will go;\nBut in her atmosphere alone,\nThe tedious hours meanwhile you may employ,\nIn blissful dreams of future joy.\n\nFAUST\n\nCan we go now?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\n'Tis yet too soon.\n\nFAUST\n\nSome present for my love procure!\n(Exit.)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nPresents so soon! 'tis well! success is sure!\nFull many a goodly place I know,\nAnd treasures buried long ago;\nI must a bit o'erlook them now.\n(Exit.)\n\nEVENING. A SMALL AND NEAT ROOM\n\nMARGARET\n(braiding and binding up her hair)\n\nI would give something now to know,\nWho yonder gentleman could be!\nHe had a gallant air, I trow,\nAnd doubtless was of high degree:\nThat written on his brow was seen--\nNor else would lie so bold have been.\n(Exit.)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nCome in! tread softly! be discreet!\n\nFAUST (after a pause)\n\nBegone and leave me, I entreat!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (looking round)\n\nNot every maiden is so neat.\n\nFAUST (gazing round)\n\nWelcome sweet twilight, calm and blest,\nThat in this hallow'd precinct reigns!\nFond yearning love, inspire my breast,\nFeeding on hope's sweet dew thy blissful pains!\nWhat stillness here environs me!\nContent and order brood around.\nWhat fulness in this poverty!\nIn this small cell what bliss profound!\n(He throws himself on the leather arm-chair beside\nthe bed.)\n\nReceive me thou, who hast in thine embrace,\nWelcom'd in joy and grief the ages flown!\nHow oft the children of a by-gone race\nHave cluster'd round this patriarchal throne!\nHaply she, also, whom I hold so dear,\nFor Christmas gift, with grateful joy possess'd,\nHath with the full round cheek of childhood, here,\nHer grandsire's wither'd hand devoutly press'd.\nMaiden! I feel thy spirit haunt the place,\nBreathing of order and abounding grace.\nAs with a mother's voice it prompteth thee,\nThe pure white cover o'er the board to spread,\nTo strew the crisping sand beneath thy tread.\nDear hand! so godlike in its ministry!\nThe hut becomes a paradise through thee!\nAnd here\n(He raises the bed-curtain.)\nHow thrills my pulse with strange delight!\nHere could I linger hours untold;\nThou, Nature, didst in vision bright,\nThe embryo angel here unfold.\nHere lay the child, her bosom warm\nWith life; while steeped in slumber's dew,\nTo perfect grace, her godlike form,\nWith pure and hallow'd weavings grew!\n\nAnd thou! ah here what seekest thou?\nHow quails mine inmost being now!\nWhat wouldst thou here? what makes thy heart so sore?\nUnhappy Faust! I know thee now no more.\n\nDo I a magic atmosphere inhale?\nErewhile, my passion would not brook delay!\nNow in a pure love-dream I melt away.\nAre we the sport of every passing gale?\n\nShould she return and enter now,\nHow wouldst thou rue thy guilty flame!\nProud vaunter--thou wouldst hide thy brow,--\nAnd at her feet sink down with shame.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nQuick! quick! below I see her there.\n\nFAUST\n\nAway! I will return no more!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nHere is a casket, with a store\nOf jewels, which I got elsewhere.\nJust lay it in the press; make haste!\nI swear to you, 'twill turn her brain;\nTherein some trifles I have placed,\nWherewith another to obtain.\nBut child is child, and play is play.\n\nFAUST\n\nI know not--shall I?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nDo you ask?\nPerchance you would retain the treasure?\nIf such your wish, why then, I say,\nHenceforth absolve me from my task,\nNor longer waste your hours of leisure.\nI trust you're not by avarice led!\nI rub my hands, I scratch my head,--\n(He places the casket in the press and closes the lock,)\nNow quick! Away!\nThat soon the sweet young creature may\nThe wish and purpose of your heart obey;\nYet stand you there\nAs would you to the lecture-room repair,\nAs if before you stood,\nArrayed in flesh and blood,\nPhysics and metaphysics weird and grey!--\nAway! (Exeunt.)\n\nMARGARET (with a lamp)\nHere 'tis so close, so sultry now,\n(She opens the window.)\nYet out of doors 'tis not so warm.\nI feel so strange, I know not how--\nI wish my mother would come home.\nThrough me there runs a shuddering--\nI'm but a foolish timid thing!\n(While undressing herself she begins to sing.)\n\nThere was a king in Thule,\nTrue even to the grave;\nTo whom his dying mistress\nA golden beaker gave.\n\nAt every feast he drained it,\nNaught was to him so dear,\nAnd often as he drained it,\nGush'd from his eyes the tear.\n\nWhen death came, unrepining\nHis cities o'er he told;\nAll to his heir resigning,\nExcept his cup of gold.\n\nWith many a knightly vassal\nAt a royal feast sat he,\nIn yon proud ball ancestral,\nIn his castle o'er the sea.\n\nUp stood the jovial monarch,\nAnd quaff'd his last life's glow,\nThen hurled the hallow'd goblet\nInto the flood below.\n\nHe saw it splashing, drinking,\nAnd plunging hi the sea;\nHis eyes meanwhile were sinking,\nAnd never again drank he.\n(She opens the press to put away her clothes, and perceives the\ncasket.)\n\nHow comes this lovely casket here? The press\nI locked, of that I'm confident.\n'Tis very wonderful! What's in it I can't guess;\nPerhaps 'twas brought by some one in distress.\nAnd left in pledge for loan my mother lent.\nHere by a ribbon hangs a little key!\nI have a mind to open it and see!\nHeavens! only look! what have we here!\nIn all my days ne'er saw I such a sight!\nJewels! which any noble dame might wear,\nFor some high pageant richly dight!\nThis chain--how would it look on me!\nThese splendid gems, whose may they be?\n(She puts them on and steps before the glass.)\n\nWere but the ear-rings only mine!\nThus one has quite another air.\nWhat hoots it to be young and fair?\nIt doubtless may be very flue;\nBut then, alas, none cares for you,\nAnd praise sounds half like pity too.\nGold all doth lure,\nGold doth secure\nAll things. Alas, we poor!\n\nPROMENADE\n\nFAUST walking thoughtfully up and down. To him\nMEPHISTOPHELES.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nBy all rejected love! By hellish fire I curse,\nWould I knew aught to make my imprecation worse!\n\nFAUST\n\nWhat aileth thee? what chafes thee now so sore?\nA face like that I never saw before!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI'd yield me to the devil instantly,\nDid it not happen that myself am he!\n\nFAUST\n\nThere must be some disorder in thy wit!\nTo rave thus like a madman, is it fit?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThink! only think! The gems for Gretchen brought,\nThem hath a priest now made his own!--\nA glimpse of them the mother caught,\nAnd 'gan with secret fear to groan.\nThe woman's scent is keen enough;\nDoth ever in the prayer-book snuff;\nSmells every article to ascertain\nWhether the thing is holy or profane,\nAnd scented in the jewels rare,\nThat there was not much blessing there.\n\"My child,\" she cries, \"ill-gotten good\nEnsnares the soul, consumes the blood;\nWith them we'll deck our Lady's shrine,\nShe'll cheer our souls with bread divine!\"\nAt this poor Gretchen 'gan to pout;\n'Tis a gift-horse, at least, she thought,\nAnd sure, he godless cannot be,\nWho brought them here so cleverly.\nStraight for a priest the mother sent,\nWho, when he understood the jest,\nWith what he saw was well content.\n\"This shows a pious mind!\" Quoth he:\n\"Self-conquest is true victory.\nThe Church bath a good stomach, she, with zest,\nWhole countries hath swallow'd down,\nAnd never yet a surfeit known.\nThe Church alone, be it confessed,\nDaughters, can ill-got wealth digest.\"\n\nFAUST\n\nIt is a general custom, too.\nPractised alike by king and jew.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWith that, clasp, chain, and ring, he swept\nAs they were mushrooms; and the casket,\nWithout one word of thanks, he kept,\nAs if of nuts it were a basket.\nPromised reward in heaven, then forth he hied--\nAnd greatly they were edified.\n\nFAUST\n\nAnd Gretchen!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nIn unquiet mood\nKnows neither what she would or should;\nThe trinkets night and day thinks o'er,\nOn him who brought them, dwells still more.\n\nFAUST\n\nThe darling's sorrow grieves me, bring\nAnother set without delay!\nThe first, methinks, was no great thing.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAll's to my gentleman child's play!\n\nFAUST\n\nPlan all things to achieve my end!\nEngage the attention of her friend!\nNo milk-and-water devil be,\nAnd bring fresh jewels instantly!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAy, sir! Most gladly I'll obey.\n(FAUST exit.)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nYour doting love-sick fool, with ease,\nMerely his lady-love to please,\nSun, moon, and stars in sport would puff away.\n(Exit.)\n\nTHE NEIGHBOUR'S HOUSE\nMARTHA (alone)\n\nGod pardon my dear husband, he\nDoth not in truth act well by me!\nForth in the world abroad to roam,\nAnd leave me on the straw at home.\nAnd yet his will I ne'er did thwart,\nGod knows, I lov'd him from my heart.\n(She weeps.)\n\nPerchance he's dead!--oh wretched state!--\nHad I but a certificate!\n\n(MARGARET comes)\n\nMARGARET\n\nDame Martha!\n\nMARTHA\n\nGretchen?\n\nMARGARET\n\nOnly think!\nMy knees beneath me well-nigh sink!\nWithin my press I've found to-day,\nAnother case, of ebony.\nAnd things--magnificent they are,\nMore costly than the first, by far.\n\nMARTHA\n\nYou must not name it to your mother!\nIt would to shrift, just like the other.\n\nMARGARET\n\nNay look at them! now only see!\n\nMARTHA (dresses her up)\n\nThou happy creature!\n\nMARGARET\n\nWoe is me!\nThem in the street I cannot wear,\nOr in the church, or any where.\n\nMARTHA\n\nCome often over here to me,\nThe gems put on quite privately;\nAnd then before the mirror walk an hour or so,\nThus we shall have our pleasure too.\nThen suitable occasions we must seize,\nAs at a feast, to show them by degrees:\nA chain at first, pearl ear-drops then,--your mother\nWon't see them, or we'll coin some tale or other.\n\nMARGARET\n\nBut, who, I wonder, could the caskets bring?\nI fear there's something wrong about the thing!\n(a knock,)\n\nMARTHA (peering through the blind)\n\n'Tis a strange gentleman, I see.\nCome in!\n\n(MEPHISTOPHELES enters)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI've ventur'd to intrude to-day.\nLadies, excuse the liberty, I pray.\n(He steps back respectfully before MARGARET.)\n\nAfter dame Martha Schwerdtlein I inquire!\n\nMARTHA\n\n'Tis I. Pray what have you to say to me?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (aside to her)\n\nI know you now,--and therefore will retire;\nAt present you've distinguished company.\nPardon the freedom, Madam, with your leave,\nI will make free to call again at eve.\n\nMARTHA (aloud)\n\nWhy, child, of all strange notions, he\nFor some grand lady taketh thee!\n\nMARGARET\n\nI am, in truth, of humble blood--\nThe gentleman is far too good--\nNor gems nor trinkets are my own.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nOh 'tis not the mere ornaments alone;\nHer glance and mien far more betray.\nRejoiced I am that I may stay.\n\nMARTHA\n\nYour business, Sir? I long to know\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWould I could happier tidings show!\nI trust mine errand you'll not let me rue;\nYour husband's dead, and greeteth you.\n\nMARTHA\n\nIs dead? True heart! Oh misery!\nMy husband dead! Oh, I shall die!\n\nMARGARET\n\nAlas! good Martha! don't despair!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nNow listen to the sad affair!\n\nMARGARET\n\nI for this cause should fear to love.\nThe loss my certain death would prove.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nJoy still must sorrow, sorrow joy attend.\n\nMARTHA\n\nProceed, and tell the story of his end!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAt Padua, in St. Anthony's,\nIn holy ground his body lies;\nQuiet and cool his place of rest,\nWith pious ceremonials blest.\n\nMARTHA\n\nAnd had you naught besides to bring?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nOh yes! one grave and solemn prayer;\nLet them for him three hundred masses sing!\nBut in my pockets, I have nothing there.\n\nMARTHA\n\nNo trinket! no love-token did he send!\nWhat every journeyman safe in his pouch will hoard\nThere for remembrance fondly stored,\nAnd rather hungers, rather begs than spend!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nMadam, in truth, it grieves me sore,\nBut he his gold not lavishly bath spent.\nHis failings too he deeply did repent,\nAy! and his evil plight bewail'd still more.\n\nMARGARET\n\nAlas! That men should thus be doomed to woe!\nI for his soul will many a requiem pray.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nA husband you deserve this very day;\nA child so worthy to be loved.\n\nMARGARET\n\nAh no,\nThat time bath not yet come for me.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nIf not a spouse, a gallant let it be.\nAmong heaven's choicest gifts, I place,\nSo sweet a darling to embrace.\n\nMARGARET\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nUsage or not, it happens so.\n\nMARTHA\n\nGo on, I pray!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI stood by his bedside. Something less foul it was than dung;\n'Twas straw half rotten; yet, he as a Christian died.\nAnd sorely hath remorse his conscience wrung.\n\"Wretch that I was,\" quoth he, with parting breath,\n\"So to forsake my business and my wife!\nAh! the remembrance is my death,\nCould I but have her pardon in this life! \"--\n\nMARTHA (weeping)\n\nDear soul! I've long forgiven him, indeed!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\n\"Though she, God knows, was more to blame than I.\"\n\nMARTHA\n\nHe lied! What, on the brink of death to lie!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nIf I am skill'd the countenance to read,\nHe doubtless fabled as he parted hence.--\n\"No time had I to gape, or take my ease,\" he said,\n\"First to get children, and then get them bread;\nAnd bread, too, in the very widest sense;\nNor could I eat in peace even my proper share.\"\n\nMARTHA\n\nWhat, all my truth, my love forgotten quite?\nMy weary drudgery by day and night!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nNot so! He thought of you with tender care.\nQuoth he: \"Heaven knows how fervently I prayed,\nFor wife and children when from Malta bound;--\nThe prayer hath heaven with favour crowned;\nWe took a Turkish vessel which conveyed\nRich store of treasure for the Sultan's court;\nIt's own reward our gallant action brought;\nThe captur'd prize was shared among the crew\nAnd of the treasure I received my due.\"\n\nMARTHA\n\nHow? Where? The treasure hath he buried, pray?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWhere the four winds have blown it, who can say?\nIn Naples as he stroll'd, a stranger there,--\nA comely maid took pity on my friend;\nAnd gave such tokens of her love and care,\nThat he retained them to his blessed end.\n\nMARTHA\n\nScoundrel! to rob his children of their bread!\nAnd all this misery, this bitter need,\nCould not his course of recklessness impede!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWell, he bath paid the forfeit, and is dead.\nNow were I in your place, my counsel hear;\nMy weeds I'd wear for one chaste year,\nAnd for another lover meanwhile would look out.\n\nMARTHA\n\nAlas, I might search far and near,\nNot quickly should I find another like my first!\nThere could not be a fonder fool than mine,\nOnly he loved too well abroad to roam;\nLoved foreign women too, and foreign wine.\nAnd loved besides the dice accurs'd.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAll had gone swimmingly, no doubt,\nHad he but given you at home,\nOn his side, just as wide a range.\nUpon such terms, to you I swear,\nMyself with you would gladly rings exchange!\n\nMARTHA\n\nThe gentleman is surely pleas'd to jest!\n\nMEPHISTOPIIELES (aside)\n\nNow to be off in time, were best!\nShe'd make the very devil marry her.\n(To MARGARET.)\n\nHow fares it with your heart?\n\nMARGARET\n\nHow mean you, Sir?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (aside)\n\nThe sweet young innocent!\n(aloud)\n\nLadies, farewell!\n\nMARGARET\n\nFarewell!\n\nMARTHA\n\nBut ere you leave us, quickly tell!\nI from a witness fain had heard,\nWhere, how, and when my husband died and was interr'd.\nTo forms I've always been attached indeed,\nHis death I fain would in the journals read.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAy, madam, what two witnesses declare\nIs held as valid everywhere;\nA gallant friend I have, not far from here,\nWho will for you before the judge appear.\nI'll bring him straight.\n\nMARTHA\n\nI pray you do!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAnd this young lady, we shall find her too?\nA noble youth, far travelled, he\nShows to the sex all courtesy.\n\nMARGARET\n\nI in his presence needs must blush for shame.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nNot in the presence of a crowned king!\n\nMARTH A\n\nThe garden, then, behind my house, we'll name,\nThere we'll await you both this evening.\n\nA STREET\n\nFAUST. MEPHISTOPHELES\n\nFAUST\n\nHow is it now? How speeds it? Is't in train?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nBravo! I find you all aflame!\nGretchen full soon your own you'll name.\nThis eve, at neighbour Martha's, her you'll meet again;\nThe woman seems expressly made\nTo drive the pimp and gipsy's trade.\n\nFAUST\n\nGood!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nBut from us she something would request.\n\nFAUST\n\nA favour claims return as this world goes.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWe have on oath but duly to attest,\nThat her dead husband's limbs, outstretch'd, repose\nIn holy ground at Padua.\n\nFAUST\n\nSage indeed!\nSo I suppose we straight must journey there!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nSancta simplicitas! For that no need!\nWithout much knowledge we have but to swear.\n\nFAUST\n\nIf you have nothing better to suggest,\nAgainst your plan I must at once protest.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nOh, holy man! methinks I have you there!\nIn all your life say, have you ne'er\nFalse witness borne, until this hour?\nHave you of God, the world, and all it doth contain,\nOf man, and that which worketh in his heart and brain,\nNot definitions given, in words of weight and power,\nWith front unblushing, and a dauntless breast?\nYet, if into the depth of things you go,\nTouching these matters, it must be confess'd,\nAs much as of Herr Schwerdtlein's death you know!\n\nFAUST\n\nThou art and dost remain liar and sophist too.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAy, if one did not take a somewhat deeper view!\nTo-morrow, in all honour, thou\nPoor Gretchen wilt befool, and vow\nThy soul's deep love, in lover's fashion.\n\nFAUST\n\nAnd from my heart.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAll good and fair!\nThen deathless constancy thou'lt swear;\nSpeak of one all o'ermastering passion,--\nWill that too issue from the heart?\n\nFAUST\n\nForbear!\nWhen passion sways me, and I seek to frame\nFit utterance for feeling, deep, intense,\nAnd for my frenzy finding no fit name,\nSweep round the ample world with every sense,\nGrasp at the loftiest words to speak my flame,\nAnd call the glow, wherewith I burn,\nQuenchless, eternal, yea, eterne--\nIs that of sophistry a devilish play?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nYet am I right!\n\nFAUST\n\nMark this, my friend,\nAnd spare my lungs; who would the right maintain,\nAnd hath a tongue wherewith his point to gain,\nWill gain it in the end.\nBut come, of gossip I am weary quite;\nBecause I've no resource, thou'rt in the right.\n\nGARDEN\n\nMARGARET on FAUST'S arm. MARTHA with\nMEPHISTOPHELES walking up and down\n\nMARGARET\n\nI feel it, you but spare my ignorance,\nThe gentleman to shame me stoops thus low.\nA traveller from complaisance,\nStill makes the best of things; I know\nToo well, my humble prattle never can\nHave power to entertain so wise a man.\n\nFAUST\n\nOne glance, one word from thee doth charm me more,\nThan the world's wisdom or the sage's lore.\n(He kisses her hand.)\n\nMARGARET\n\nNay! trouble not yourself! A hand so coarse,\nSo rude as mine, how can you kiss!\nWhat constant work at home must I not do perforce!\nMy mother too exacting is.\n(They pass on.)\n\nMARTHA\n\nThus, sir, unceasing travel is your lot?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nTraffic and duty urge us! With what pain\nAre we compelled to leave full many a spot,\nWhere yet we dare not once remain!\n\nMARTHA\n\nIn youth's wild years, with vigour crown'd,\n'Tis not amiss thus through the world to sweep;\nBut ah, the evil days come round!\nAnd to a lonely grave as bachelor to creep,\nA pleasant thing has no one found.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThe prospect fills me with dismay.\n\nMARTHA\n\nTherefore in time, dear sir, reflect, I pray.\n(They pass on.)\n\nMARGARET\n\nAy, out of sight is out of mind!\nPoliteness easy is to you;\nFriends everywhere, and not a few,\nWiser than I am, you will find.\n\nFAUST\n\nO dearest, trust me, what doth pass for sense\nFull oft is self-conceit and blindness!\n\nMARGARET\n\nHow?\n\nFAUST\n\nSimplicity and holy innocence,--\nWhen will ye learn your hallow'ed worth to know!\nAh, when will meekness and humility,\nKind and all-bounteous nature's loftiest dower--\n\nMARGARET\n\nOnly one little moment think of me!\nTo think of you I shall have many an hour.\n\nFAUST\n\nYou are perhaps much alone?\n\nMARGARET\n\nYes, small our household is, I own,\nYet must I see to it. No maid we keep,\nAnd I must cook, sew, knit, and Sweep,\nStill early on my feet and late;\nMy mother is in all things, great and small,\nSo accurate!\nNot that for thrift there is such pressing need;\nThan others we might make more show indeed;\nMy father left behind a small estate,\nA house and garden near the city-wall.\nBut fairly quiet now my days, I own;\nAs soldier is my brother gone;\nMy little sister's dead; the babe to rear\nOccasion'd me some care and fond annoy;\nBut I would go through all again with joy,\nThe darling was to me so dear.\n\nFAUST\n\nAn angel, sweet, if it resembled thee!\n\nMARGARET\n\nI reared it up, and it grew fond of me.\nAfter my father's death it saw the day;\nWe gave my mother up for lost, she lay\nIn such a wretched plight, and then at length\nSo very slowly she regain'd her strength.\nWeak as she was, 'twas vain for her to try\nHerself to suckle the poor babe, so I\nReared it on milk and water all alone;\nAnd thus the child became as 'twere roy own;\nWithin my arms it stretched itself and grew,\nAnd smiling, nestled in my bosom too.\n\nFAUST\n\nDoubtless the purest happiness was thine.\n\nMARGARET\n\nBut many weary hours, in sooth, were also mine.\nAt night its little cradle stood\nClose to my bed; so was I wide awake\nIf it but stirred;\nOne while I was obliged to give it food,\nOr to my arms the darling take;\nFrom bed full oft must rise, whene'er its cry I heard,\nAnd, dancing it, must pace the chamber to and fro;\nStand at the wash-tub early; forthwith go\nTo market, and then mind the cooking too--\nTo-morrow like to-day, the whole year through.\nAh, sir, thus living, it must be confess'd\nOne's spirits are not always of the best;\nYet it a relish gives to food and rest.\n(They pass on.)\n\nMARTHA\n\nPoor women! we are badly off, I own;\nA bachelor's conversion's hard, indeed!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nMadam, with one like you it rests alone,\nTo tutor me a better course to lead.\n\nMARTHA\n\nSpeak frankly, sir, none is there you have met?\nHas your heart ne'er attach'd itself as yet?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nOne's own fire-side and a good wife are gold\nAnd pearls of price, so says the proverb old.\n\nMARTHA\n\nI mean, has passion never stirred your breast?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI've everywhere been well received, I own.\n\nMARTHA\n\nYet hath your heart no earnest preference known?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWith ladies one should ne'er presume to jest.\n\nMARTHA\n\nAh! you mistake!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI'm sorry I'm so blind!\nBut this I know--that you are very kind.\n(They pass on.)\n\nFAUST\n\nMe, little angel, didst thou recognise,\nWhen in the garden first I came?\n\nMARGARET\nDid you not see it? I cast down my eyes.\n\nFAUST\nThou dost forgive my boldness, dost not blame\nThe liberty I took that day,\nWhen thou from church didst lately wend thy way?\n\nMARGARET\n\nI was confused. So had it never been;\nNo one of me could any evil say.\nAlas, thought I, he doubtless in thy mien,\nSomething unmaidenly or bold hath seen?\nIt seemed as if it struck him suddenly,\nHere's just a girl with whom one may make free!\nYet I must own that then I scarcely knew\nWhat in your favour here began at once to plead;\nYet I was angry with myself indeed,\nThat I more angry could not feel with you.\n\nFAUST\n\nSweet love!\n\nMARGARET\n\nJust wait awhile!\n(She gathers a star-flower and plucks off the leaves one after\nanother.)\n\nFAUST\n\nA nosegay may that be?\n\nMARGARET\n\nNo! It is but a game.\n\nFAUST\n\nHow?\n\nMARGARET\n\nGo, you'll laugh at me!\n(She plucks off the leaves and murmurs to herself.)\n\nFAUST\n\nWhat murmurest thou?\n\nMARGARET (half aloud)'\n\nHe loves me--loves me not.\n\nFAUST\n\nSweet angel, with thy face of heavenly bliss!\n\nMARGARET (continues)\n\nHe loves me--not--he loves me--not--\n(Plucking off the last leaf with fond joy.)\n\nHe loves me!\n\nFAUST\n\nYes!\nAnd this flower-language, darling, let it be,\nA heavenly oracle! He loveth thee!\nKnow'st thou the meaning of, He loveth thee?\n(He seizes both her hands.)\n\nMARGARET\n\nI tremble so!\n\nFAUST\n\nNay! Do not tremble, love!\nLet this hand-pressure, let this glance reveal\nFeelings, all power of speech above;\nTo give oneself up wholly and to feel\nA joy that must eternal prove!\nEternal!--Yes, its end would be despair.\nNo end!--It cannot end!\n(MARGARET presses his hand, extricates herself,\nand runs away. He stands a moment in thought, and then follows\nher.)\n\n\nMARTHA (approaching)\n\nNight's closing.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nYes, we'll presently away.\n\nMARTHA\n\nI would entreat you longer yet to stay;\nBut 'tis a wicked place, just here about;\nIt is as if the folk had nothing else to do,\nNothing to think of too,\nBut gaping watch their neighbours, who goes in and out;\nAnd scandal's busy still, do whatsoe'er one may.\nAnd our young couple?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThey have flown up there.\nThe wanton butterflies!\n\nMARTHA\n\nHe seems to take to her.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAnd she to him. 'Tis of the world the way!\n\nA SUMMER-HOUSE\n\n(MARGARET runs in, hides behind the door, holds the tip of her\nfinger to her lip, and peeps through the crevice.)\n\nMARGARET\n\nHe comes!\n\nFAUST\n\nAh, little rogue, so thou\nThink'st to provoke me! I have caught thee now!\n(He kisses her.)\n\nMARGARET\n\n(embracing him, and returning the kiss)\n\nDearest of men! I love thee from my heart!\n(MEPHISTOPHELES knocks.)\n\nWho's there?\n\nFAUST (stamping)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nA friend!\n\nFAUST\n\nA brute!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nMARTHA (comes)\n\nAy, it is late, good sir.\n\nFAUST\n\nMayn't I attend you, then?\n\nMARGARET\n\nOh no--my mother would--adieu, adieu!\n\nFAUST\n\nAnd must I really then take leave of you? Farewell!\n\nMARTHA\n\nGood-bye!\n\nMARGARET\n\nEre long to meet again!\n\n(Exeunt FAUST and MEPHISTOPHELES.)\n\nMARGARET\n\nGood heavens! how all things far and near\nMust fill his mind,--a man like this!\nAbash'd before him I appear,\nAnd say to all things only, yes.\nPoor simple child, I cannot see,\nWhat 'tis that he can find in me.\n(Exit.)\n\nFOREST AND CAVERN\n\nFAUST (alone)\n\nSpirit sublime! Thou gav'st me, gav'st me all\nFor which I prayed! Not vainly hast thou turn'd\nTo me thy countenance in flaming fire:\nGayest me glorious nature for my realm,\nAnd also power to feel her and enjoy;\nNot merely with a cold and wondering glance,\nThou dost permit me in her depths profound,\nAs in the bosom of a friend to gaze.\nBefore me thou dost lead her living tribes,\nAnd dost in silent grove, in air and stream\nTeach me to know my kindred. And when roars\nThe howling storm-blast through the groaning wood,\nWrenching the giant pine, which in its fall\nCrashing sweeps down its neighbour trunks and boughs,\nWhile hollow thunder from the hill resounds;\nThen thou dost lead me to some shelter'd cave,\nDost there reveal me to myself, and show\nOf my own bosom the mysterious depths.\nAnd when with soothing beam, the moon's pale orb\nFull in my view climbs up the pathless sky,\nFrom crag and dewy grove, the silvery forms\nOf by-gone ages hover, and assuage\nThe joy austere of contemplative thought.\n\nOh, that naught perfect is assign'd to man,\nI feel, alas! With this exalted joy,\nWhich lifts me near and nearer to the gods,\nThou gav'st me this companion, unto whom\nI needs must cling, though cold and insolent,\nHe still degrades me to myself, and turns\nThy glorious gifts to nothing, with a breath.\nHe in my bosom with malicious zeal\nFor that fair image fans a raging fire;\nFrom craving to enjoyment thus I reel,\nAnd in enjoyment languish for desire. (MEPHISTOPHELES\nenters.)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nOf this lone life have you not had your fill?\nHow for so long can it have charms for you?\n'Tis well enough to try it if you will;\nBut then away again to something new!\n\nFAUST\n\nWould you could better occupy your leisure,\nThan in disturbing thus my hours of joy.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWell! Well! I'll leave you to yourself with pleasure,\nA serious tone you hardly dare employ.\nTo part from one so crazy, harsh, and cross,\nWere not in truth a grievous loss.\nThe live-long day, for you I toil and fret;\nNe'er from his worship's face a hint I get,\nWhat pleases him, or what to let alone.\n\nFAUST\n\nAy truly! that is just the proper tone!\nHe wearies me, and would with thanks be paid\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nPoor Son of Earth, without my aid,\nHow would thy weary days have flown?\nThee of thy foolish whims I've cured,\nThy vain imaginations banished,\nAnd but for me, be well assured,\nThou from this sphere must soon have vanished.\nIn rocky hollows and in caverns drear,\nWhy like an owl sit moping here?\nWherefore from dripping stones and moss with ooze embued,\nDost suck, like any toad, thy food?\nA rare, sweet pastime. Verily!\nThe doctor cleaveth still to thee.\n\nFAUST\n\nDost comprehend what bliss without alloy\nFrom this wild wand'ring in the desert springs?--\nCouldst thou but guess the new life-power it brings,\nThou wouldst be fiend enough to envy me my joy.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWhat super-earthly ecstasy! at night,\nTo lie in darkness on the dewy height,\nEmbracing heaven and earth in rapture high,\nThe soul dilating to a deity;\nWith prescient yearnings pierce the core of earth,\nFeel in your labouring breast the six-days' birth,\nEnjoy, in proud delight what no one knows,\nWhile your love-rapture o'er creation flows,--\nThe earthly lost in beatific vision,\nAnd then the lofty intuition--.\n(With a gesture.)\n\nI need not tell you how--to close!\n\nFAUST\n\nFie on you!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThis displeases you? \"For shame!\"\nYou are forsooth entitled to exclaim;\nWe to chaste ears it seems must not pronounce\nWhat, nathless, the chaste heart cannot renounce.\nWell, to be brief, the joy as fit occasions rise,\nI grudge you not, of specious lies.\nBut long this mood thou'lt not retain.\nAlready thou'rt again outworn,\nAnd should this last, thou wilt be torn\nBy frenzy or remorse and pain.\nEnough of this! Thy true love dwells apart,\nAnd all to her seems flat and tame;\nAlone thine image fills her heart,\nShe loves thee with an all-devouring flame.\nFirst came thy passion with o'erpowering rush,\nLike mountain torrent, swollen by the melted snow;\nPull in her heart didst pour the sudden gush,\nNow has thy brookiet ceased to flow.\nInstead of sitting throned midst forests wild,\nIt would become so great a lord\nTo comfort the enamour'd child,\nAnd the young monkey for her love reward.\nTo her the hours seem miserably long;\nShe from the window sees the clouds float by\nAs o'er the lofty city-walls they fly,\n\"If I a birdie were!\" so runs her song,\nHalf through the night and all day long.\nCheerful sometimes, more oft at heart full sore;\nFairly outwept seem now her tears,\nAnon she tranquil is, or so appears,\nAnd love-sick evermore.\n\nFAUST\n\nSnake! Serpent vile!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (aside)\n\nGood! If I catch thee with my guile!\n\nFAUST\n\nVile reprobate! go get thee hence;\nForbear the lovely girl to name!\nNor in my half-distracted sense,\nKindle anew the smouldering flame!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWhat wouldest thou! She thinks you've taken flight;\nIt seems, she's partly in the right.\n\nFAUST\nI'm near her still--and should I distant rove,\nHer I can ne'er forget, ne'er lose her love;\nAnd all things touch'd by those sweet lips of hers,\nEven the very Host, my envy stirs.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\n'Tis well! I oft have envied you indeed,\nThe twin-pair that among the roses feed.\n\nFAUST\n\nPander, avaunt!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nGo to! I laugh, the while you rail,\nThe power which fashion'd youth and maid,\nWell understood the noble trade;\nSo neither shall occasion fail.\nBut hence!--A mighty grief I trow!\nUnto thy lov'd one's chamber thou\nAnd not to death shouldst go.\n\nFAUST\n\nWhat is to me heaven's joy within her arms?\nWhat though my life her bosom warms!--\nDo I not ever feel her woe?\nThe outcast am I not, unhoused, unblest,\nInhuman monster, without aim or rest,\nWho, like the greedy surge, from rock to rock,\nSweeps down the dread abyss with desperate shock?\nWhile she, within her lowly cot, which graced\nThe Alpine , beside the waters wild,\nHer homely cares in that small world embraced,\nSecluded lived, a simple, artless child.\nWas't not enough, in thy delirious whirl\nTo blast the stedfast rocks;\nHer, and her peace as well,\nMust I, God-hated one, to ruin hurl!\nDost claim this holocaust, remorseless Hell!\nFiend, help me to cut short the hours of dread!\nLet what must happen, happen speedily!\nHer direful doom fall crushing on my head,\nAnd into ruin let her plunge with me!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWhy how again it seethes and glows!\nAway, thou fool! Her torment ease!\nWhen such a head no issue sees,\nIt pictures straight the final close.\nLong life to him who boldly dares!\nA devil's pluck thou'rt wont to show;\nAs for a devil who despairs,\nNothing I find so mawkish here below.\n\nMARGARET'S ROOM\n\nMARGARET\n(alone at her spinning wheel)\n\nMy peace is gone,\nMy heart is Sore,\nI find it never,\nAnd nevermore!\n\nWhere him I have not,\nIs the grave; and all\nThe world to me\nIs turned to gall.\n\nMy wilder'd brain\nIs overwrought;\nMy feeble senses\nAre distraught.\n\nMy peace is gone,\nMy heart is sore,\nI find it never,\nAnd nevermore!\n\nFor him from the window\nI gaze, at home;\nFor him and him only\nAbroad I roam.\n\nHis lofty step,\nHis bearing high,\nThe smile of his lip,\nThe power of his eye,\n\nHis witching words,\nTheir tones of bliss,\nHis hand's fond pressure,\nAnd ah--his kiss!\n\nMy peace is gone,\nMy heart is sore,\nI find it never,\nAnd nevermore.\n\nMy bosom aches\nTo feel him near;\nAh, could I clasp\nAnd fold him here!\n\nKiss him and kiss him\nAgain would I,\nAnd on his kisses\nI fain would die.\n\nMARTHA'S GARDEN\n\nMARGARET and FAUST\n\nMARGARET\n\nPromise me, Henry!\n\nFAUST\n\nWhat I can!\n\nMARGARET\n\nHow thy religion fares, I fain would hear.\nThou art a good kind-hearted man,\nOnly that way not well-disposed, I fear.\n\nFAUST\n\nForbear, my child! Thou feelest thee I love;\nMy heart, my blood I'd give, my love to prove,\nAnd none would of their faith or church bereave.\n\nMARGARET\n\nThat's not enough, we must ourselves believe!\n\nFAUST\n\nMust we?\n\nMARGARET\n\nAh, could I but thy soul inspire!\nThou honourest not the sacraments, alas!\n\nFAUST\n\nI honour them.\n\nMARGARET\n\nBut yet without desire;\n'Tis long since thou hast been either to shrift or mass.\nDost thou believe in God?\n\nFAUST\n\nMy darling, who dares say,\nYes, I in God believe?\nQuestion or priest or sage, and they\nSeem, in the answer you receive,\nTo mock the questioner.\n\nMARGARET\n\nThen thou dost not believe?\n\nFAUST\n\nSweet one! my meaning do not misconceive!\nHim who dare name?\nAnd who proclaim,\nHim I believe?\nWho that can feel,\nHis heart can steel,\nTo say: I believe him not?\nThe All-embracer,\nAll-sustainer,\n\nHolds and sustains he not\nThee, me, himself?\nLifts not the Heaven its dome above?\nDoth not the firm-set earth beneath us lie?\nAnd beaming tenderly with looks of love,\nClimb not the everlasting stars on high?\nDo we not gaze into each other's eyes?\nNature's impenetrable agencies,\nAre they not thronging on thy heart and brain,\nViewless, or visible to mortal ken,\nAround thee weaving their mysterious chain?\nFill thence thy heart, how large soe'er it be;\nAnd in the feeling when thou utterly art blest,\nThen call it, what thou wilt,--\nCall it Bliss! Heart! Love! God!\nI have no name for it!\n'Tis feeling all;\nName is but sound and smoke\nShrouding the glow of heaven.\n\nMARGARET\n\nAll this is doubtless good and fair;\nAlmost the same the parson says,\nOnly in slightly different phrase.\n\nFAUST\n\nBeneath Heaven's sunshine, everywhere,\nThis is the utterance of the human heart;\nEach in his language doth the like impart;\nThen why not I in mine?\n\nMARGARET\n\nWhat thus I hear\nSounds plausible, yet I'm not reconciled;\nThere's something wrong about it; much I fear\nThat thou art not a Christian.\n\nFAUST\n\nMy sweet child!\n\nMARGARET\n\nAlas! it long bath sorely troubled me,\nTo see thee in such odious company.\n\nFAUST\n\nHow so?\n\nMARGARET\n\nThe man who comes with thee, I hate,\nYea, in my spirit's inmost depths abhor;\nAs his loath'd visage, in my life before,\nNaught to my heart e'er gave a pang so great.\n\nFAUST\n\nHim fear not, my sweet love!\n\nMARGARET\n\nHis presence chills my blood.\nTowards all beside I have a kindly mood;\nYet, though I yearn to gaze on thee, I feel\nAt sight of him strange horror o'er me steal;\nThat he's a villain my conviction's strong.\nMay Heaven forgive me, if I do him wrong!\n\nFAUST\n\nYet such strange fellows in the world must be!\n\nMARGARET\n\nI would not live with such an one as he.\nIf for a moment he but enter here,\nHe looks around him with a mocking sneer,\nAnd malice ill-conceal'd;\nThat he with naught on earth can sympathize is clear;\nUpon his brow 'tis legibly revealed,\nThat to his heart no living soul is dear.\nSo blest I feel, within thine arms,\nSo warm and happy,--free from all alarms;\nAnd still my heart doth close when he comes near.\n\nFAUST\n\nForeboding angel! check thy fear!\n\nMARGARET\n\nIt so o'ermasters me, that when,\nOr wheresoe'er, his step I hear,\nI almost think, no more I love thee then.\nBesides, when he is near, I ne'er could pray.\nThis eats into my heart; with thee\nThe same, my Henry, it must be.\n\nFAUST\n\nThis is antipathy!\n\nMARGARET\n\nI must away.\n\nFAUST\n\nFor one brief hour then may I never rest,\nAnd heart to heart, and soul to soul be pressed?\n\nMARGARET\n\nAh, if I slept alone! To-night\nThe bolt I fain would leave undrawn for thee;\nBut then my mother's sleep is light,\nWere we surprised by her, ah me!\nUpon the spot I should be dead.\n\nFAUST\n\nDear angel! there's no cause for dread.\nHere is a little phial,--if she take\nMixed in her drink three drops, 'twill steep\nHer nature in a deep and soothing sleep.\n\nMARGARET\n\nWhat Do I not for thy dear sake!\nTo her it will not harmful prove?\n\nFAUST\n\nShould I advise it else, sweet love?\n\nMARGARET\n\nI know not, dearest, when thy face I see,\nWhat doth my spirit to thy will constrain;\nAlready I have done so much for thee,\nThat scarcely more to do doth now remain.\n(Exit,)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (enters)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThe monkey! Is she gone?\n\nFAUST\n\nAgain hast played the spy?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nOf all that pass'd I'm well apprized,\nI heard the doctor catechised,\nAnd trust he'll profit much thereby!\nFain would the girls inquire indeed\nTouching their lover's faith and creed,\nAnd whether pious in the good old way;\nThey think, if pliant there, us too he will obey.\n\nFAUST\n\nThou monster, does not see that this\nPure soul, possessed by ardent love,\nFull of the living faith,\nTo her of bliss\nThe only pledge, must holy anguish prove,\nHolding the man she loves, Fore-doomed to endless death!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nMost sensual, supersensualist? The while\nA damsel leads thee by the nose!\n\nFAUST\n\nOf filth and fire abortion vile!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nIn physiognomy strange skill she shows;\nShe in my presence feels she knows not how;\nMy mask it seems a hidden sense reveals;\nThat I'm a genius she must needs allow,\nThat I'm the very devil perhaps she feels.\nSo then to-night--\n\nFAUST\n\nWhat's that to you?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI've my amusement in it too!\n\nAT THE WELL\n\nMARGARET and BESSY, with pitchers\n\nBESSY\n\nOf Barbara hast nothing heard?\n\nMARGARET\n\nI rarely go from home,--no, not a word\n\nBESSY\n\n'Tis true: Sybilla told me so to-day!\nThat comes of being proud, methinks;\nShe played the fool at last,\n\nMARGARET\n\nHow so?\n\nBESSY\n\nThey say\nThat two she feedeth when she eats and drinks.\n\nMARGARET\n\nAlas!\n\nBESSY\n\nShe's rightly served, in sooth,\nHow long she hung upon the youth!\nWhat promenades, what jaunts there were,\nTo dancing booth and village fair!\nThe first she everywhere must shine,\nHe always treating her to pastry and to wine.\nOf her good looks she was so vain,\nSo shameless too, that to retain\nHis presents, she did not disdain;\nSweet words and kisses came anon--\nAnd then the virgin flower was gone.\n\nMARGARET\n\nPoor thing!\n\nBESSY\n\nForsooth dost pity her?\nAt night, when at our wheels we sat,\nAbroad our mothers ne'er would let us stir.\nThen with her lover she must chat,\nOr on the bench or in the dusky walk,\nThinking the hours too brief for their Sweet talk;\nHer proud head she will have to bow,\nAnd in white sheet do penance now!\n\nMARGARET\n\nBut he will surely marry her?\n\nBESSY\n\nNot he!\nHe won't be such a fool! a gallant lad\nLike him, can roam o'er land and sea,\nBesides, he's off.\n\nMARGARET\nThat is not fair!\n\nBESSY\n\nIf she should get him, 'twere almost as bad!\nHer myrtle wreath the boys would tear;\nAnd then we girls would plague her too,\nFor we chopp'd straw before her door would strew!\n(Exit.)\n\nMARGARET (walking towards home)\n\nHow stoutly once I could inveigh,\nIf a poor maiden went astray;\nNot words enough my tongue could find,\n'Gainst others' sin to speak my mind!\nBlack as it seemed, I blacken'd it still more,\nAnd strove to make it blacker than before.\nAnd did myself securely bless--\nNow my own trespass doth appear!\nYet ah!--what urg'd me to transgress,\nGod knows, it was so sweet, so dear!\n\nZWINGER\n\nEnclosure between the City-wall and the Gate.\n(In the niche of the wall a devotional image of the Mater\ndolorosa, with flower-pots before it.)\n\nMARGARET\n(putting fresh flowers in the pots)\n\nAh, rich in sorrow, thou,\nStoop thy maternal brow,\nAnd mark with pitying eye my misery!\nThe sword in thy pierced heart,\nThou dost with bitter smart,\nGaze upwards on thy Son's death agony.\nTo the dear God on high,\nAscends thy piteous sigh,\nPleading for his and thy sore misery.\nAh, who can know\nThe torturing woe,\nThe pangs that rack me to the bone?\nHow my poor heart, without relief,\nTrembles and throbs, its yearning grief\nThou knowest, thou alone!\nAh, wheresoe'er I go,\nWith woe, with woe, with woe,\nMy anguish'd breast is aching!\nWhen all alone I creep,\nI weep, I weep, I weep,\nAlas! my heart is breaking!\nThe flower-pots at my window\nWere wet with tears of mine,\nThe while I pluck'd these blossoms,\nAt dawn to deck thy shrine!\nWhen early in my chamber\nShone bright the rising morn,\nI sat there on my pallet,\nMy heart with anguish torn.\nHelp! from disgrace and death deliver me!\nAh! rich in sorrow, thou,\nStoop thy maternal brow,\nAnd mark with pitying eye my misery!\n\nNIGHT. STREET BEFORE MARGARET'S DOOR\n\nVALENTINE\n(a soldier, MARGARET'S brother)\n\nWhen seated ' the jovial crowd,\nWhere merry comrades boasting loud\nEach named with pride his favourite lass,\nAnd in her honour drain'd his glass;\nUpon my elbows I would lean,\nWith easy quiet view the scene,\nNor give my tongue the rein until\nEach swaggering blade had talked his fill.\nThen smiling I my beard would stroke,\nThe while, with brimming glass, I spoke;\n\"Each to his taste!--but to my mind,\nWhere in the country will you find,\nA maid, as my dear Gretchen fair,\nWho with my sister can compare?\"\nCling! Clang! so rang the jovial sound!\nShouts of assent went circling round;\nPride of her sex is she!--cried some;\nThen were the noisy boasters dumb.\n\nAnd now I--I could tear out my hair,\nOr dash my brains out in despair!--\nMe every scurvy knave may twit,\nWith stinging jest and taunting sneer!\nLike skulking debtor I must sit,\nAnd sweat each casual word to hear!\nAnd though I smash'd them one and all,--\nYet them I could not liars call.\nWho comes this way? who's sneaking here?\nIf I mistake not, two draw near.\nIf he be one, have at him;--well I wot\nAlive he shall not leave this spot!\n\nFAUST. MEPHISTOPHELES\n\nFAUST\n\nHow from yon sacristy, athwart the night,\nIts beams the ever-burning taper throws,\nWhile ever waning, fades the glimmering light,\nAs gathering darkness doth around it close!\nSo night-like gloom doth in my bosom reign.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI'm like a tom-cat in a thievish vein,\nThat up fire-ladders tall and steep,\nAnd round the walls doth slyly creep;\nVirtuous withal, I feel, with, I confess,\nA touch of thievish joy and wantonness.\nThus through my limbs already burns\nThe glorious Walpurgis night!\nAfter to-morrow it returns,\nThen why one wakes, one knows aright!\n\nFAUST\n\nMeanwhile, the treasure I see glimmering there,\nWill it ascend into the open air?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nEre long thou wilt proceed with pleasure,\nTo raise the casket with its treasure;\nI took a peep, therein are stored,\nOf lion-dollars a rich hoard.\n\nFAUST\n\nAnd not a trinket? not a ring?\nWherewith my lovely girl to deck?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI saw among them some such thing,\nA string of pearls to grace her neck.\n\nFAUST\n\n'Tis well! I'm always loath to go,\nWithout some gift my love to show.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nSome pleasures gratis to enjoy,\nShould surely cause you no annoy.\nWhile bright with stars the heavens appear,\nI'll sing a masterpiece of art:\nA moral song shall charm her ear,\nMore surely to beguile her heart.\n(Sings to the guitar.)'\n\nKathrina say,\nWhy lingering stay\nAt dawn of day\nBefore your lover's door?\nMaiden, beware,\nNor enter there,\nLest forth you fare,\nA maiden never more.\n\nMaiden take heed!\nReck well my rede!\nIs't done, the deed?\nGood night, you poor, poor thing!\nThe spoiler's lies, His arts despise,\nNor yield your prize,\nWithout the marriage ring!\n\nVALENTINE (steps forward)\nWhom are you luring here? I'll give it you!\nAccursed rat-catchers, your strains I'll end!\nFirst, to the devil the guitar I'll send!\nThen to the devil with the singer too!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThe poor guitar! 'tis done for now.\n\nVALENTINE\n\nYour skull shall follow next, I trow!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (to FAUST)\n\nDoctor, stand fast! your strength collect!\nBe prompt, and do as I direct.\nOut with your whisk, keep close, I pray,\nI'll parry I do you thrust away!\n\nVALENTINE\n\nThen parry that!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWhy not?\n\nVALENTINE\n\nThat too!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWith ease!\n\nVALENTINE\n\nThe devil fights for you!\nWhy how is this? my hand's already lamed!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (to FAUST)\n\nThrust home!\n\nVALENTINE (falls)\n\nAlas!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThere! Now the lubber's tamed!\nBut quick, away! We must at once take wing;\nA cry of murder strikes upon the ear;\nWith the police I know my course to steer,\nBut with the blood-ban 'tis another thing.\n\nMARTHA (at the window)\n\nWithout! without!\n\nMARGARET (at the window)\n\nQuick, bring a light!\n\nMARTHA (as above)\n\nThey rail and scuffle, scream and fight!\n\nPEOPLE\n\nOne lieth here already dead!\n\nMARTHA (coming out)\n\nWhere are the murderers? are they fled?\n\nMARGARET (coming out)\n\nWho lieth here?\n\nPEOPLE\n\nThy mother's son.\n\nMARGARET\n\nAlmighty God! I am undone!\n\nVALENTINE\nI'm dying--'tis a soon-told tale,\nAnd sooner done the deed.\nWhy, women, do ye howl and wail?\nTo my last words give heed! (All gather round him.)\nMy Gretchen, see! still young art thou,\nArt not discreet enough, I trow,\nThou dost thy matters ill;\nLet this in confidence be said:\nSince thou the path of shame dost tread,\nTread it with right good will!\n\nMARGARET\n\nMy brother! God! what can this mean?\n\nVALENTINE\n\nAbstain,\nNor dare God's holy name profane!\nWhat's done, alas, is done and past!\nMatters will take their course at last;\nBy stealth thou dost begin with one,\nOthers will follow him anon;\nAnd when a dozen thee have known,\nThou'lt common be to all the town.\nWhen infamy is newly born,\nIn secret she is brought to light,\nAnd the mysterious veil of night\nO'er head and ears is drawn;\nThe loathsome birth men fain would slay;\nBut soon, full grown, she waxes bold,\nAnd though not fairer to behold,\nWith brazen front insults the day:\nThe more abhorrent to the sight,\nThe more she courts the day's pure light.\n\nThe time already I discern,\nWhen thee all honest folk will spurn,\nAnd shun thy hated form to meet,\nAs when a corpse infects the street.\nThy heart will sink in blank despair,\nWhen they shall look thee in the face!\nA golden chain no more thou'lt wear!\nNor near the altar take in church thy place!\nIn fair lace collar simply dight\nThou'lt dance no more with spirits light!\nIn darksome corners thou wilt bide,\nWhere beggars vile and s hide,\nAnd e'en though God thy crime forgive,\nOn earth, a thing accursed, thou'lt live!\n\nMARTHA\n\nYour parting soul to God commend!\nYour dying breath in slander will you spend?\n\nVALENTINE\n\nCould I but reach thy wither'd frame,\nThou wretched beldame, void of shame!\nFull measure I might hope to win\nOf pardon then for every sin.\n\nMARGARET\n\nVALENTINE\n\nI tell thee, from vain tears abstain!\n'Twas thy dishonour pierced my heart,\nThy fall the fatal death-stab gave.\nThrough the death-sleep I now depart\nTo God, a soldier true and brave.\n(dies.)\n\nCATHEDRAL\n\nService, Organ, and Anthem\n\nMARGARET amongst a number of people\n\nEVIL-SPIRIT behind MARGARET\n\nEVIL-SPIRIT\n\nHow different, Gretchen, was it once with thee,\nWhen thou, still full of innocence,\nHere to the altar camest,\nAnd from the small and well-conn'd book\nDidst lisp thy prayer,\nHalf childish sport,\nHalf God in thy young heart!\nGretchen!\nWhat thoughts are thine?\nWhat deed of shame\nLurks in thy sinful heart?\nIs thy prayer utter'd for thy mother's soul,\nWho into long, long torment slept through thee?\nWhose blood is on thy threshold?\n--And stirs there not already 'neath thy heart\nAnother quick'ning pulse, that even now\nTortures itself and thee\nWith its foreboding presence?\n\nMARGARET\n\nWoe! Woe!\nOh could I free me from the thoughts\nThat hither, thither, crowd upon my brain,\nAgainst my will!\n\nCHORUS\n\nDies irae, dies illa,\nSolvet saeclum in favilla.\n(The organ sounds.)\n\nEVIL-SPIRIT\n\nGrim horror seizes thee!\nThe trumpet sounds!\nThe graves are shaken!\nAnd thy heart\nFrom ashy rest\nFor torturing flames\nAnew created,\nTrembles into life!\n\nMARGARET\n\nWould I were hence!\nIt is as if the organ\nChoked my breath,\nAs if the choir\nMelted my inmost heart!\n\nCHORUS\n\nJudex ergo cum sedebit,\nQuidquid latet adparebit!\nNil inultunt remanebit.\n\nMARGARET\n\nI feel oppressed!\nThe pillars of the wall\nImprison me!\nThe vaulted roof\nWeighs down upon me I--air!\n\nEVIL-SPIRIT\n\nWouldst hide thee? sin and shame\nRemain not hidden!\nAir! light!\nWoe's thee!\n\nCHORUS\n\nQuid sum miser tunc dicturus?\nQuem patronum rogaturus!\nCum vix justus sit securus.\n\nEVIL-SPIRIT\n\nThe glorified their faces turn\nAway from thee!\nShudder the pure to reach\nTheir hands to thee!\nWoe!\n\nCHORUS\n\nQuid sum miser tunc dicturus--\n\nMARGARET\n\nNeighbour! your smelling bottle!\n(She swoons away.)\n\nWALPURGIS-NIGHT\n\nTHE HARTZ MOUNTAINS. DISTRICT OF SCHIERKE\nAND ELEND\n\nFAUST and MEPHISTOPHELES\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nA broomstick dost thou not at least desire?\nThe roughest he-goat fain would I bestride,\nBy this road from our goal we're still far wide.\n\nFAUST\n\nWhile fresh upon my legs, so long I naught require,\nExcept this knotty staff. Beside,\nWhat boots it to abridge a pleasant way?\nAlong the labyrinth of these vales to creep,\nThen scale these rocks, whence, in eternal spray,\nAdown the cliffs the silvery fountains leap:\nSuch is the joy that seasons paths like these!\nSpring weaves already in the birchen trees;\nE'en the late pine-grove feels her quickening powers;\nShould she not work within these limbs of ours?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nNaught of this genial influence do I know!\nWithin me all is wintry. Frost and snow\nI should prefer my dismal path to bound.\nHow sadly, yonder, with belated glow\nRises the ruddy moon's imperfect round,\nShedding so faint a light, at every tread\nOne's sure to stumble 'gainst a rock or tree!\nAn Ignis Fatuus I must call instead.\nYonder one burning merrily, I see.\nHolla! my friend! may I request your light?\nWhy should you flare away so uselessly?\nBe kind enough to show us up the height!\n\nIGNIS FATUUS\n\nThrough reverence, I hope I may subdue\nThe lightness of my nature; true,\nOur course is but a zigzag one.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nHo! ho!\nSo men, forsooth, he thinks to imitate!\nNow, in the devil's name, for once go straight!\nOr out at once your flickering life I'll blow.\n\nIGNIS FAPUUS\n\nThat you are master here it obvious quite;\nTo do your will, I'll cordially essay;\nOnly reflect! The hill is magic-mad to-night;\nAnd if to show the path you choose a meteor's light,\nYou must not wonder should we go astray.\n\nFAUST, MEPHISTOPHELES, IGNIS FATUUS\n(in alternate song)\n\nThrough the dream and magic-sphere\nAs it seems, we now are speeding;\nHonour win, us rightly leading,\nThat betimes we may appear\nIn yon wide and desert region!\n\nTrees on trees, a stalwart legion,\nSwiftly past us are retreating,\nAnd the cliffs with lowly greeting;\nRocks long-snouted, row on row,\nHow they snort, and how they blow!\n\nThrough the stones and heather springing,\nBrook and brooklet haste below;\nHark the rustling! Hark the singing!\nHearken to love's plaintive lays;\nVoices of those heavenly days--\nWhat we hope, and what we love!\nLike a tale of olden time,\nEcho's voice prolongs the chime.\n\nTo-whit! To-whoo! It sounds more near;\nPlover, owl, and jay appear,\nAll awake, around, above?\nPaunchy salamanders too\nPeer, long-limbed, the bushes through!\nAnd, like snakes, the roots of trees\nCoil themselves from rock and sand,\nStretching many a wondrous band,\nUs to frighten, us to seize;\nFrom rude knots with life embued,\nPolyp-fangs abroad they spread,\nTo snare the wanderer! 'Neath our tread,\nMice, in myriads, thousand-hued,\nThrough the heath and through the moss!\nAnd the fire-flies' glittering throng,\nWildering escort, whirls along,\nHere and there, our path across.\n\nTell me, stand we motionless,\nOr still forward do we press?\nAll things round us whirl and fly;\nRocks and trees make strange grimaces,\nDazzling meteors change their places,\nHow they puff and multiply!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nNow grasp my doublet--we at last\nA central peak have reached, which shows,\nIf round a wondering glance we cast,\nHow in the mountain Mammon glows.\n\nFAUST\n\nHow through the chasms strangely gleams,\nA lurid light, like dawn's red glow,\nPervading with its quivering beams,\nThe gorges of the gulf below!\nHere vapours rise, there clouds float by,\nHere through the mist the light doth shine;\nNow, like a fount, it bursts on high,\nMeanders now, a slender line;\nFar reaching, with a hundred veins,\nHere through the valley see it glide;\nHere, where its force the gorge restrains,\nAt once it scatters, far and wide;\nAnear, like showers of golden sand\nStrewn broadcast, sputter sparks of light:\nAnd mark yon rocky walls that stand\nAblaze, in all their towering height!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nDoth not Sir Mammon for this fete\nGrandly illume his palace! Thou\nArt lucky to have seen it; now,\nThe boisterous guests, I feel, are coming straight.\n\nFAUST\n\nHow through the air the storm doth whirl!\nUpon my neck it strikes with sudden shock.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nCling to these ancient ribs of granite rock,\nElse to yon depths profound it you will hurl.\nA murky vapour thickens night.\nHark! Through the woods the tempests roar!\nThe owlets flit in wild affright.\nHark! Splinter'd are the columns that upbore\nThe leafy palace, green for aye:\nThe shivered branches whirr and sigh,\nYawn the huge trunks with mighty groan.\nThe roots upriven, creak and moan!\nIn fearful and entangled fall,\nOne crashing ruin whelms them all,\nWhile through the desolate abyss,\nSweeping the, wreck-strewn precipice,\nThe raging storm-blasts howl and hiss!\nAloft strange voices dost thou hear?\nDistant now and now more near?\nHark! the mountain ridge along,\nStreameth a raving magic-song!\n\nWITCHES (in chorus)\n\nNow to the Brocken the witches hie,\nThe stubble is yellow, the corn is green;\nThither the gathering legions fly,\nAnd sitting aloft is Sir Urial seen:\nO'er stick and o'er stone they go whirling along,\nWitches and he-goats, a motley throng.\n\nVOICES\n\nAlone old Baubo's coming now;\nShe rides upon a farrow sow.\n\nCHORUS\n\nHonour to her, to whom honour is due!\nForward, Dame Baubo! Honour to you!\nA goodly sow and mother thereon,\nThe whole witch chorus follows anon.\n\nVOICE\n\nWhich way didst come?\n\nVOICE\n\nO'er Ilsenstein!\nThere I peep'd in an owlet's nest.\nWith her broad eye she gazed in mine!\n\nVOICE\n\nDrive to the devil, thou hellish pest!\nWhy ride so hard?\n\nVOICE\n\nShe has graz'd my side,\nLook at the wounds, how deep and how wide!\n\nWITCHES (in chorus)\n\nThe way is broad, the way is long;\nWhat mad pursuit! What tumult wild!\nScratches the besom and sticks the prong;\nCrush'd is the mother, and stifled the child.\n\nWIZARDS (half chorus)\n\nLike house-encumber'd Snail we creep;\nWhile far ahead the women keep,\nFor when to the devil's house we speed,\nBy a thousand steps they take the lead.\n\nTHE OTHER HALF\n\nNot so, precisely do we view it;----\nThey with a thousand steps may do it;\n\nBut let them hasten as they can,\nWith one long bound 'tis clear'd by man.\n\nVOICES (above)\n\nCome with us, come with us from Felsensee.\n\nVOICES (from below)\n\nAloft to you we would mount with glee!\nWe wash, and free from all stain are we,\nYet barren evermore must be!\n\nBOTH CHORUSES\n\nThe wind is hushed, the stars grow pale,\nThe pensive moon her light doth veil;\nAnd whirling on, the magic choir\nSputters forth sparks of drizzling fire.\n\nVOICE (from below)\n\nStay! stay!\n\nVOICE (from above)\n\nWhat voice of woe\nCalls from the cavern'd depths below?\n\nVOICE (from below)\n\nTake me with you! Oh take me too!\nThree centuries I climb in vain,\nAnd yet can ne'er the summit gain!\nTo be with my kindred I am fain.\n\nBOTH CHORUSES\n\nBroom and pitch-fork, goat and prong,\nMounted on these we whirl along;\nWho vainly strives to climb to-night,\nIs evermore a luckless wight!\n\nDEMI-WITCH (below)\n\nI hobble after, many a day;\nAlready the others are far away!\n\nNo rest at home can I obtain--\nHere too my efforts are in vain!\n\nCHORUS OF WITCHES\n\nSalve gives the witches strength to rise;\nA rag for a sail does well enough;\nA goodly ship is every trough;\nTo-night who flies not, never flies.\n\nBOTH CHORUSES\n\nAnd when the topmost peak we round,\nThen alight ye on the ground;\nThe heath's wide regions cover ye\nWith your mad swarms of witchery!\n(They let themselves down.)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThey crowd and jostle, whirl and flutter!\nThey whisper, babble, twirl, and splutter!\nThey glimmer, sparkle, stink and flare--\nA true witch-element!\nBeware!\nStick close! else we shall severed be.\nWhere art thou?\n\nFAUST (in the distance)\n\nHere!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAlready, whirl'd so far away!\nThe master then indeed I needs must play.\nGive ground! Squire Voland comes!\nSweet folk, give ground!\nHere, doctor, grasp me! With a single bound\nLet us escape this ceaseless jar;\nEven for me too mad these people are.\nHard by there shineth something with peculiar glare,\nYon brake allureth me; it is not far;\nCome, come along with me! we'll slip in there.\n\nFAUST\n\nSpirit of contradiction! Lead! I'll follow straight!\n'Twas wisely done, however, to repair\nOn May-night to the Brocken, and when there\nBy our own choice ourselves to isolate!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nMurk, of those flames the motley glare!\nA merry club assembles there.\nIn a small circle one is not alone,\n\nFAUST\n\nI'd rather be above, though, I must own!\nAlready fire and eddying smoke I view;\nThe impetuous millions to the devil ride;\nFull many a riddle will be there untied.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAy! and full many a riddle tied anew.\nBut let the great world rave and riot!\nHere will we house ourselves in quiet.\nA custom 'tis of ancient date,\nOur lesser worlds within the great world to create!\nYoung witches there I see, naked and bare,\nAnd old ones, veil'd more prudently.\nFor my sake only courteous be!\nThe trouble's small, the sport is rare.\nOf instruments I hear the cursed din--\nOne must get used to it.\nCome in! come in!\nThere's now no help for it. I'll step before\nAnd introducing you as my good friend,\nConfer on you one obligation more.\nHow say you now? 'Tis no such paltry room\nWhy only look, you scarce can see the end.\nA hundred fires in rows disperse the gloom;\nThey dance, they talk, they cook, make love, and drink:\nWhere could we find aught better, do you think?\n\nFAUST\n\nTo introduce us, do you purpose here\nAs devil or as wizard to appear?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nThough I am wont indeed to strict incognito,\nYet upon gala-days one must one's orders show.\nNo garter have I to distinguish me,\nNathless the cloven foot doth here give dignity.\nSeest thou yonder snail? Crawling this way she hies:\nWith searching feelers, she, no doubt,\nHath me already scented out;\nHere, even if I would, for me there's no disguise.\nFrom fire to fire, we'll saunter at our leisure,\nThe gallant you, I'll cater for your pleasure.\n(To a party seated round some expiring embers.)\nOld gentleman, apart, why sit ye moping here?\nYe in the midst should be of all this jovial cheer,\nGirt round with noise and youthful riot;\nAt home one surely has enough of quiet.\n\nGENERAL\n\nIn nations put his trust, who may,\nWhate'er for them one may have done;\nFor with the people, as with women, they\nHonour your rising stars alone!\n\nMINISTER\n\nNow all too far they wander from the right;\nI praise the good old ways, to them I hold,\nThen was the genuine age of gold,\nWhen we ourselves were foremost in men's sight.\n\nPARVENU\n\nNe'er were we ' your dullards found,\nAnd what we ought not, that to do were fair;\n\nYet now are all things turning round and round,\nWhen on firm basis we would them maintain.\n\nAUTHOR\n\nWho, as a rule, a treatise now would care\nTo read, of even moderate sense?\nAs for the rising generation, ne'er\nHas youth displayed such arrogant pretence.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n(suddenly appearing very old)\n\nSince for the last time I the Brocken scale,\nThat folk are ripe for doomsday, now one sees;\nAnd just because my cask begins to fail,\nSo the whole world is also on the lees.\n\nHUCKSTER-WITCH\n\nStop, gentlemen, nor pass me by,\nOf wares I have a choice collection:\nPray honour them with your inspection.\nLose not this opportunity\nYet nothing in my booth you'll find\nWithout its counterpart on earth; there's naught,\nWhich to the world, and to mankind,\nHath not some direful mischief wrought.\nNo dagger here, which bath not flow'd with blood,\nNo chalice, whence, into some healthy frame\nHath not been poured hot poison's wasting flood.\nNo trinket, but bath wrought some woman's shame,\nNo weapon but bath cut some sacred tie,\nOr from behind bath stabb'd an enemy.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nGossip! For wares like these the time's gone by,\nWhat's done is past! what's past is done!\nWith novelties your booth supply;\nUs novelties attract alone.\n\nFAUST\n\nMay this wild scene my senses spare!\nThis, may in truth be called a fair!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nUpward the eddying concourse throng;\nThinking to push, thyself art push'd along.\n\nFAUST\n\nWho's that, pray?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nMark her well! That's Lilith.\n\nFAUST\n\nWho?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAdam's first wife. Of her rich locks beware!\nThat charm in which she's parallel'd by few;\nWhen in its toils a youth she doth ensnare,\nHe will not soon escape, I promise you.\n\nFAUST\n\nThere sit a pair, the old one with the young;\nAlready they have bravely danced and sprung!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nHere there is no repose to-day.\nAnother dance begins; we'll join it, come away!\n\nFAUST\n(dancing with the young one)\n\nOnce a fair vision came to me;\nTherein I saw an apple-tree,\nTwo beauteous apples charmed mine eyes;\nI climb'd forthwith to reach the prize.\n\nTHE FAIR ONE.\n\nApples still fondly ye desire,\nFrom paradise it bath been so.\nFeelings of joy my breast inspire\nThat such too in my garden grow.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (with the old one)\n\nOnce a weird vision came to me;\nTherein I saw a rifted tree.\nI had a . . . . .have ready here,\nBut as it was it pleased me too.\n\nTHE OLD ONE\n\nI beg most humbly to salute\nThe gallant with the cloven foot!\nLet him a . . . have ready here,\nIf he a . . . does not fear.\n\nPROCTOPHANTASMIST\n\nAccursed mob! How dare ye thus to meet?\nHave I not shown and demonstrated too,\nThat ghosts stand not on ordinary feet?\nYet here ye dance, as other mortals do!\n\nTHE FAIR ONE (dancing)\n\nThen at our ball, what doth he here?\n\nFAUST (dancing)\n\nOh! He must everywhere appear.\nHe must adjudge, when others dance;\nIf on each step his say's not said,\nSo is that step as good as never made.\nHe's most annoyed, so soon as we advance;\nIf ye would circle in one narrow round,\nAs he in his old mill, then doubtless he\nYour dancing would approve,--especially\nIf ye forthwith salute him with respect profound!\n\nPROCTOPHANTASMIST\n\nStill here! what arrogance! unheard of quite!\nVanish; we now have fill'd the world with light!\nLaws are unheeded by the devil's host;\nWise as we are, yet Tegel hath its ghost!\nHow long at this conceit I've swept with all my might,\nLost is the labour: 'tis unheard of quite!\n\nTHE FAIR ONE\n\nCease here to teaze us any more, I pray.\n\nPROCTOPHANTASMIST\n\nSpirits, I plainly to your face declare:\nNo spiritual control myself will bear,\nSince my own spirit can exert no sway.\n(The dancing continues.)\n\nTo-night, I see, I shall in naught succeed;\nBut I'm prepar'd my travels to pursue,\nAnd hope, before my final step indeed,\nTo triumph over bards and devils too.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nNow in some puddle will he take his station,\nSuch is his mode of seeking consolation;\nWhere leeches, feasting on his rump, will drain\nSpirits alike and spirit from his brain.\n(To FAUST, who has left the dance.)\n\nBut why the charming damsel leave, I pray,\nWho to you in the dance so sweetly sang?\n\nFAUST\n\nAh, in the very middle of her lay,\nOut of her mouth a small red mouse there sprang.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nSuppose there did! One must not be too nice.\n'Twas well it was not grey, let that suffice.\nWho 'mid his pleasures for a trifle cares?\n\nFAUST\n\nThen saw I--\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWhat?\n\nFAUST\n\nMephisto, seest thou there\nStanding far off, a lone child, pale and fair?\nSlow from the spot her drooping form she tears,\nAnd seems with shackled feet to move along;\nI own, within me the delusion's strong,\nThat she the likeness of my Gretchen wears.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nGaze not upon her! 'Tis not good! Forbear!\n'Tis lifeless, magical, a shape of air,\nAn idol. Such to meet with, bodes no good;\nThat rigid look of hers doth freeze man's blood,\nAnd well-nigh petrifies his heart to stone:--\nThe story of Medusa thou hast known.\n\nFAUST\n\nAy, verily! a corpse's eyes are those,\nWhich there was no fond loving hand to close.\nThat is the bosom I so fondly press'd,\nThat my sweet Gretchen's form, so oft caress'd!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nDeluded fool! 'Tis magic, I declare!\nTo each she doth his lov'd\none's image wear.\n\nFAUST\n\nWhat bliss! what torture! vainly I essay\nTo turn me from that piteous look away.\nHow strangely doth a single crimson line\nAround that lovely neck its coil entwine,\nIt shows no broader than a knife's blunt edge!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nQuite right. I see it also, and allege\nThat she beneath her arm her head can bear,\nSince Perseus cut it off.--But you I swear\nAre craving for illusion still!\nCome then, ascend yon little hill!\nAs on the Prater all is gay,\nAnd if my senses are not gone,\nI see a theatre,--what's going on?\n\nSERVIRILIS\n\nThey are about to recommence;--the play\nWill be the last of seven, and spick-span new--'\n'Tis usual here that number to present.\nA dilettante did the piece invent,\nAnd dilettanti will enact it too.\nExcuse me, gentlemen; to me's assign'd\nAs dilettante to uplift the curtain.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nYou on the Blocksberg I'm rejoiced to find,\nThat 'tis your most appropriate sphere is certain.\n\nWALPURGIS-NIGHT'S DREAM\nOR OBERON AND TITANIA'S GOLDEN WEDDING-FEAST\n\nIntermezzo\n\nTHEATRE\n\nMANAGER\n\nVales, where mists still shift and play,\nTo ancient hills succeeding,--\nThese our scenes;--so we, to-day,\nMay rest, brave sons of Mieding.\n\nHERALD\n\nThat the marriage golden be,\nMust fifty years be ended;\nMore dear this feast of gold to me,\nContention now suspended.\n\nOBERON\n\nSpirits, if present, grace the scene,\nAnd if with me united,\nThen gratulate the king and queen,\nTheir troth thus newly plighted!\n\nPUCK\n\nPuck draws near and wheels about,\nIn mazy circles dancing!\nHundreds swell his joyous shout,\nBehind him still advancing.\n\nARIEL\n\nAriel wakes his dainty air,\nHis lyre celestial stringing.--\nFools he lureth, and the fair,\nWith his celestial singing.\n\nOBERON\n\nWedded ones, would ye agree,\nWe court your imitation:\nWould ye fondly love as we,\nWe counsel separation.\n\nTITANIA\n\nIf husband scold and wife retort,\nThen bear them far asunder;\nHer to the burning south transport,\nAnd him the North Pole under.\n\nTHE WHOLE ORCHESTRA (fortissimo)\n\nFlies and midges all unite\nWith frog and chirping cricket,\nOur orchestra throughout the night,\nResounding in the thicket!\n\n(Solo)\nYonder doth the bagpipe come!\nIts sack an airy bubble.\nSchnick, schnick, schnack, with nasal hum,\nIts notes it doth redouble.\n\nEMBRYO SPIRIT\n\nSpider's foot and midge's wing,\nA toad in form and feature;\nTogether verses it can string,\nThough scarce n living creature.\n\nA LITTLE PAIR\n\nTiny step and lofty bound,\nThrough dew and exhalation;\nYe trip it deftly on the ground,\nBut gain no elevation.\n\nINQUISITIVE TRAVELLER\n\nCan I indeed believe my eyes?\nIs't not mere masquerading?\nWhat! Oberon in beauteous step\nAmong the groups parading!\n\nORTHODOX\n\nNo claws, no tail to whisk about,\nTo fright us at our revel;--\nYet like the gods of Greece, no doubt,\nHe too's a genuine devil.\n\nNORTHERN ARTIST\n\nThese that I'm hitting off to-day\nAre sketches unpretending;\nTowards Italy without delay,\nMy steps I think of bending.\n\nPURIST\n\nAlas! ill-fortune leads me here,\nWhere riot still grows louder;\nAnd ' the witches gather'd here\nBut two alone wear powder!\n\nYOUNG WITCH\n\nYour powder and your petticoat,\nSuit hags, there's no gainsaying;\nHence I sit fearless on my goat,\nMy naked charms displaying.\n\nMATRON\n\nWe're too well-bred to squabble here,\nOr insult back to render;\nBut may you wither soon, my dear,\nAlthough so young and tender.\n\nLEADER OF THE BAND\n\nNose of fly and gnat's proboscis,\nThrong not the naked beauty!\nFrogs and crickets in the mosses,\nKeep time and do your duty!\n\nWEATHERCOCK (towards one side)\n\nWhat charming company I view\nTogether here collected!\nGay bachelors, a hopeful crew.\nAnd brides so unaffected!\n\nWEATHERCOCK (towards the other side)\n\nUnless indeed the yawning ground\nShould open to receive them,\nFrom this vile crew, with sudden bound,\nTo Hell I'd jump and leave them.\n\nXENIEN\n\nWith small sharp shears, in insect guise\nBehold us at your revel!\nThat we may tender, filial-wise,\nOur homage to the devil.\n\nHENNINGS\n\nLook now at yonder eager crew,\nHow naively they're jesting!\nThat they have tender hearts and true,\nThey stoutly keep protesting!\n\nMUSAGET\n\nOneself amid this witchery\nHow pleasantly one loses;\nFor witches easier are to me\nTo govern than the Muses!\n\nCI-DEVANT GENIUS OF THE AGE\n\nWith proper folks when we appear,\nNo one can then surpass us!\nKeep close, wide is the Blocksberg here\nAs Germany's Parnassus.\n\nINQUISITIVE TRAVELLER\n\nHow name ye that stiff formal man,\nWho strides with lofty paces?\nHe tracks the game where'er he can,\n\"He scents the Jesuits' traces.\"\n\nCRANE\n\nWhere waters troubled are or clear,\nTo fish I am delighted;\nThus pious gentlemen appear\nWith devils here united.\n\nWORLDLING\n\nBy pious people, it is true,\nNo medium is rejected;\nConventicles, and not a few,\nOn Blocksberg are erected.\n\nDANCER\n\nAnother chorus now succeeds,\nFar off the drums are beating.\nBe still! The bitterns ' the reeds\nTheir one note are repeating.\n\nDANCING MASTER\n\nEach twirls about and never stops,\nAnd as he can he fareth.\nThe crooked leaps, the clumsy hops,\nNor for appearance careth.\n\nFIDDLER\n\nTo take each other's life, I trow,\nWould cordially delight them!\nAs Orpheus' lyre the beasts, so now\nThe bagpipe doth unite them.\n\nDOGMATIST\n\nMy views, in spite of doubt and sneer,\nI hold with stout persistence,\nInferring from the devils here,\nThe evil one's existence.\n\nIDEALIST\n\nMy every sense rules Phantasy\nWith sway quite too potential;\nSure I'm demented if the I\nAlone is the essential.\n\nREALIST\n\nThis entity's a dreadful bore,\nAnd cannot choose but vex me;\nThe ground beneath me ne'er before\nThus totter'd to perplex me.\n\nSUPERNATURALIST\n\nWell pleased assembled here I view\nOf spirits this profusion;\nFrom devils, touching angels too,\nI gather some conclusion.\n\nSCEPTIC\n\nThe ignis fatuus they track out,\nAnd think they're near the treasure,\nDevil alliterates with doubt,\nHere I abide with pleasure.\n\nLEADER OF THE BAND\n\nFrog and cricket in the mosses,--\nConfound your gasconading!\nNose of fly and gnat's proboscis;--\nMost tuneful serenading!\n\nTHE KNOWING ONES\n\nSans-souci, so this host we greet,\nTheir jovial humour showing;\nThere's now no walking on our feet,\nSo on our heads we're going.\n\nTHE AWKWARD ONES\n\nIn seasons past we snatch'd, 'tis true,\nSome tit-bits by our cunning;\nOur shoes, alas, are now danced through,\nOn our bare soles we're running.\n\nWILL-O'-THE-WISPS\n\nFrom marshy bogs we sprang to light,\nYet here behold us dancing;\nThe gayest gallants of the night,\nIn glitt'ring rows advancing.\n\nSHOOTING STAR\n\nWith rapid motion from on high,\nI shot in starry splendour;\nNow prostrate on the grass I lie;--\nWho aid will kindly render?\n\nTHE MASSIVE ONES\n\nRoom! wheel round! They're coming lo!\nDown sink the bending grasses.\nThough spirits, yet their limbs, we know,\nAre huge substantial masses.\n\nPUCK\n\nDon't stamp so heavily, I pray;\nLike elephants you're treading!\nAnd ' the elves be Puck to-day,\nThe stoutest at the wedding!\n\nARIEL\n\nIf nature boon, or subtle sprite,\nEndow your soul with pinions;--\nThen follow to yon rosy height,\nThrough ether's calm dominions!\n\nORCHESTRA (pianissimo)\n\nDrifting cloud and misty wreathes\nAre fill'd with light elysian;\nO'er reed and leaf the zephyr breathes--\nSo fades the fairy vision!\n\nA GLOOMY DAY. A PLAIN\n\nFAUST and MEPHISTOPHELES\n\nFAUST\n\nIn misery! despairing! long wandering pitifully on the face of the\nearth and now imprisoned! This gentle hapless creature, immured\nin the dungeon as a malefactor and reserved for horrid tortures!\nThat it should come to this! To this!--Perfidious, worthless spirit,\nand this thou hast concealed from me!--Stand! ay, stand! roll in\nmalicious rage thy fiendish eyes! Stand and brave me with thine\ninsupportable presence! Imprisoned! In hopeless misery! Delivered\nover to the power of evil spirits and the judgment of unpitying\nhumanity I--And me, the while, thou wert lulling with tasteless\ndissipations, concealing from me her growing anguish, and leaving\nher to perish without help!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nShe is not the first.\n\nFAUST\n\nHound! Execrable monster!--Back with him, oh thou infinite\nspirit! back with the reptile into his dog's shape, in which it was his\nwont to scamper before me at eventide, to roll before the feet of\nthe harmless wanderer, and to fasten on his shoulders when he fell!\nChange him again into his favourite shape, that he may crouch on\nhis belly before me in the dust, whilst I spurn him with my foot,\nthe reprobate!--Not the first!--Woe! Woe! By no human soul is it\nconceivable, that more than one human creature has ever sunk into\na depth of wretchedness like this, or that the first in her writhing\ndeath-agony should not have atoned in the sight of all-pardoning\nHeaven for the guilt of all the rest! The misery of this one pierces\nme to the very marrow, and harrows up my soul; thou art grinning\ncalmly over the doom of thousands!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nNow we are once again at our wit's end, just where the reason of\nyou mortals snaps! Why dost thou seek our fellowship, if thou\ncanst not go through with it? Wilt fly, and art not proof against\ndizziness? Did we force ourselves on thee, or thou on us?\n\nFAUST\n\nCease thus to gnash thy ravenous fangs at me! I loathe thee!--Great\nand glorious spirit, thou who didst vouchsafe to reveal thyself unto\nme, thou who dost know my very heart and soul, why hast thou\nlinked me with this base associate, who feeds on mischief and\nrevels in destruction?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nHast done?\n\nFAUST\n\nSave her!--or woe to thee! The direst of curses on thee for\nthousands of years!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI cannot loose the bands of the avenger, nor withdraw his\nbolts.--Save her!--Who was it plunged her into perdition? I or\nthou?\n\n(FAUST looks wildly around.)\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nWould'st grasp the thunder? Well for you, poor mortals, that 'tis\nnot yours to wield! To smite to atoms the being however innocent,\nwho obstructs his path, such is the tyrant's fashion of relieving\nhimself in difficulties!\n\nFAUST\n\nConvey me thither! She shall be free!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nAnd the danger to which thou dust expose thyself? Know, the guilt\nof blood, shed by thy hand, lies yet upon the town. Over the place\nwhere fell the murdered one, avenging spirits hover and watch for\nthe returning murderer.\n\nFAUST\n\nThis too from thee? The death and downfall of a world be on thee,\nmonster I Conduct me thither, I say, and set\nher free!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI will conduct thee. And what I can do,--hear! Have I all power in\nheaven and upon earth? I'll cloud the senses of the warder,--do\nthou possess thyself of the keys and lead her forth with human\nhand! I will keep watch! The magic steeds are waiting, I bear thee\noff. Thus much is in my power.\n\nFAUST\n\nTip and sway!\n\nNIGHT. OPEN COUNTRY\n\nFAUST. MEPHISTOPHELES\n\n(Rushing along on black horses)\n\nFAUST\n\nWhat weave they yonder round the Ravenstone?\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nI know not what they shape and brew.\n\nFAUST\n\nThey're soaring, swooping, betiding, stooping.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nA witches' pack.\n\nFAUST\n\nThey charm, they strew.\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nOn! On!\n\nDUNGEON\n\nFAUST\n(with a bunch of keys and a lamp before a small iron door)\n\nA fear unwonted o'er my spirit falls;\nMan's concentrated woe o'erwhelms me here!\nShe dwells immur'd within these dripping walls;\nHer only trespass a delusion dear!\nThou lingerest at the fatal door,\nThou dread'st to see her face once more?\nOn! While thou dalliest, draws her death-hour near.\n(He seizes the lock. Singing within.)\nMy mother, the harlot,\nShe took me and slew!\nMy father, the scoundrel,\nHath eaten me too!\nMy sweet little sister\nHath all my bones laid,\nWhere soft breezes whisper\nAll in the cool shade!\nThen became I a wood-bird, and sang on the spray,\nFly away! little bird, fly away! fly away!\n\nFAUST (opening the lock)\n\nAh! she forebodes not that her lover's near,\nThe clanking chains, the rustling straw, to hear.\n(He enters.)\n\nMARGARET\n(hiding her face in the bed of straw)\n\nWoe! woe! they come! oh bitter 'tis to die!\n\nFAUST (softly)\n\nHush! hush! be still! I come to set thee free!\n\nMARGARET\n(throwing herself at his feet)\n\nIf thou art human, feel my misery!\n\nFAUST\n\nThou wilt awake the jailor with thy cry!\n(He grasps the chains to unlock them.)\n\nMARGARET (on her knees)\n\nWho, headsman, unto thee this power\nO'er me could give?\nThou com'st for me at midnight-hour.\nBe merciful, and let me live!\nIs morrow's dawn not time enough?\n(She stands up.)\n\nI'm still so young, so young--\nAnd must so early die!\nFair was I too, and that was my undoing.\nMy love is now afar, he then was nigh;\nTorn lies the garland, the fair blossoms strew'd.\nNay, seize me not with hand so rude!\nSpare me! What harm have I e'er done to thee?\nOh let me not in vain implore!\nI ne'er have seen thee in my life before!\n\nFAUST\nCan I endure this bitter agony?\n\nMARGARET\n\nI now am at thy mercy quite.\nLet me my babe but suckle once again!\nI fondled it the live-long night;\nThey took it from me but to give me pain,\nAnd now, they say that I my child have slain.\nGladness I ne'er again shall know.\nThen they sing songs about me,--'tis wicked of the throng--\nAn ancient ballad endeth so;\nWho bade them thus apply the song?\n\nFAUST\n(throwing himself on the ground)\n\nA lover at thy feet bends low,\nTo loose the bonds of wretchedness and woe.\n\nMARGARET\n(throws herself beside him)\n\nOh, let us kneel and move the saints by prayer!\nLook! look! yon stairs below,\nUnder the threshold there,\nHell's flames are all aglow!\nBeneath the floor,\nWith hideous noise,\nThe devils roar!\n\nFAUST (aloud)\n\nGretchen! Gretchen!\n\nMARGARET (listening)\n\nThat was my lov'd one's voice!\n(She springs up, the chains fall off.)\n\nWhere is he? I heard him calling me.\nFree am I! There's none shall hinder me.\nTo his neck will I fly,\nOn his bosom will lie!\n\nGretchen, he called!--\nOn yon threshold he stood;\nAmidst all the howling of hell's fiery flood,\nThe scoff and the scorn of its devilish crew,\nThe tones of his voice, sweet and loving, I knew.\n\nFAUST\n\n'Tis I!\n\nMARGARET\n\n'Tis thou! O say so once again!\n(embracing him.)\n\n'Tis he! 'Tis he! where's now the torturing pain?\nWhere are the fetters? where the dungeon's gloom?\n'Tis thou! To save me thou art come!\nAnd I am sav'd!--\nAlready now the street I see\nWhere the first time I caught a glimpse of thee.\nThere too the pleasant garden shade,\nWhere I and Martha for thy coming stay'd.\n\nFAUST\n(endeavouring to lead her away,)\n\nCome! come away!\n\nMARGARET\n\nOh do not haste!\nI love to linger where thou stayest. (caressing him.)\n\nFAUST\n\nAh haste! For if thou still delayest,\nOur lingering we shall both deplore.\n\nMARGARET\n\nHow, dearest? canst thou kiss no more!\nSo short a time away from me, and yet,\nTo kiss thou couldst so soon forget!\nWhy on thy neck so anxious do I feel--\nWhen formerly a perfect heaven of bliss\nFrom thy dear looks and words would o'er me steal?\nAs thou wouldst stifle me thou then didst kiss!--\nKiss me!\nOr I'll kiss thee! (She embraces him.)\n\nWoe! woe! Thy lips are cold,-- Are dumb!\nThy love where hast thou left?\nWho bath me of thy love bereft?\n(She turns away from him.)\n\nFAUST\n\nCome! Follow me, my dearest love, be bold!\nI'll cherish thee with ardour thousand-fold;\nI but entreat thee now to follow me!\n\nMARGARET\n(turning towards him)\n\nAnd art thou he? and art thou really he?\n\nFAUST\n\n'Tis I! O come!\n\nMARGARET\n\nThou wilt strike off my chain,\nAnd thou wilt take me to thine arms again.\nHow comes it that thou dost not shrink from me?--\nAnd dost thou know, love, whom thou wouldst set free?\n\nFAUST\n\nCome! come! already night begins to wane.\n\nMARGARET\n\nI sent my mother to her grave,\nI drown'd my child beneath the wave.\nWas it not given to thee and me--thee too?\n'Tis thou thyself! I scarce believe it yet.\nGive me thy hand! It is no dream! 'Tis true!\nThine own dear hand!--But how is this? 'Tis wet?\nQuick, wipe it off! Meseems that yet\nThere's blood thereon.\nAh God! what hast thou done?\nPut up thy sword, I beg of thee!\n\nFAUST\n\nOh, dearest, let the past forgotten be!\nDeath is in every word.\n\nMARGARET\n\nNo, thou must linger here in sorrow!\nThe graves I will describe to thee,\nAnd thou to them must see\nTo-morrow:\nThe best place give to my mother,\nClose at her side my brother,\nMe at some distance lay--\nBut not too far away!\nAnd the little one place on my right breast.\nNobody else will near me lie!\nTo nestle beside thee so lovingly,\nThat was a rapture, gracious and sweet!\nA rapture I never again shall prove;\nMethinks I would force myself on thee, love,\nAnd thou dost spurn me, and back retreat--\nYet 'tis thyself, thy fond kind looks I see.\n\nFAUST\n\nIf thou dost feel 'tis I, then come with me!\n\nMARGARET\n\nWhat, there? without?\n\nFAUST\n\nYes, forth in the free air.\n\nMARGARET\n\nAy, if the grave's without,--\nIf death lurk there!\nHence to the everlasting resting-place,\nAnd not one step beyond!--\nThou'rt leaving me?\nOh Henry! would that I could go with thee!\n\nFAUST\n\nThou canst! But will it!\nOpen stands the door.\n\nMARGARET\n\nI dare not go! I've naught to hope for more.\nWhat boots it to escape? They lurk for me!\n'Tis wretched to beg, as I must do,\nAnd with an evil conscience thereto!\n'Tis wretched, in foreign lands to stray.\nAnd me they will catch, do what I may.\n\nFAUST\n\nWith thee will I abide.\n\nMARGARET\n\nQuick! Quick!\nSave thy poor child!\nKeep to the path\nThe brook along,\nOver the bridge\nTo the wood beyond,\nTo the left, where the plank is,\nIn the pond.\nSeize it at once!\nIt fain would rise,\nIt struggles still!\nSave it. Oh save!\n\nFAUST\n\nDear Gretchen, more collected be!\nOne little step, and thou art free!\n\nMARGARET\n\nWere we but only past the hill!\nThere sits my mother upon a stone--\nMy brain, alas, is cold with dread!--\nThere sits my mother upon a stone,\nAnd to and fro she shakes her head;\nShe winks not, she nods not, her head it droops sore;\nShe slept so long, she waked no more;\nShe slept, that we might taste of bliss:\nAh! those were happy times, I wis!\n\nFAUST\n\nSince here avails nor argument nor prayer,\nThee hence by force I needs must bear.\n\nMARGARET\n\nLoose me! I will not suffer violence!\nWith murderous hand hold not so fast!\nI have done all to please thee in the past!\n\nFAUST\n\nDay dawns! My love! My love!\n\nMARGARET\n\nYes! day draws near.\nThe day of judgment too will soon appear!\nIt should have been my bridal! No one tell,\nThat thy poor Gretchen thou hast known too well.\nWoe to my garland!\nIts bloom is o'er!\nThough not at the dance--\nWe shall meet once more.\nThe crowd doth gather, in silence it rolls;\nThe squares, the streets,\nScarce hold the throng.\nThe staff is broken,--the death-bell tolls,--\nThey bind and seize me!\nI'm hurried along,\nTo the seat of blood already I'm bound!\nQuivers each neck as the naked steel\nQuivers on mine the blow to deal--\nThe silence of the grave now broods around!\n\nFAUST\n\nWould I had never been born!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (appears without)\n\nUp! or you're lost.\nVain hesitation! Babbling, quaking!\nMy steeds are shivering,\nMorn is breaking.\n\nMARGARET\n\nWhat from the floor ascendeth like a ghost?\n'Tis he! 'Tis he! Him from my presence chase!\nWhat would he in this holy place?\nIt is for me he cometh!\n\nFAUST\n\nThou shalt live!\n\nMARGARET\n\nJudgment of God! To thee my soul I give!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (to FAUST)\n\nCome, come! With her I'll else abandon thee!\n\nMARGARET\n\nFather, I'm thine! Do thou deliver me!\nYe angels! Ye angelic hosts! descend,\nEncamp around to guard me and defend!--\nHenry! I shudder now to look on thee!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES\n\nShe now is judged!\n\nVOICES (from above)\n\nIs saved!\n\nMEPHISTOPHELES (to FAUST)\n\nCome thou with me!\n(Vanishes with FAUST)\n\nVOICE (from within, dying away)\n\nHenry! Henry!\n\n\n\n\nEnd of the Project Gutenberg Etext of Faust Part 1,\nby Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe\n\n","meta":{"redpajama_set_name":"RedPajamaBook"}} +{"text":"\n\n\n\nProduced by Robert Cicconetti, Sue Fleming and the Online\nDistributed Proofreading Team at http:\/\/www.pgdp.net (This\nfile was produced from images generously made available\nby The Internet Archive)\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n MORTOMLEY'S ESTATE.\n\n A Novel.\n\n BY\n\n MRS. RIDDELL,\n\n AUTHOR OF\n \"GEORGE GEITH,\" \"TOO MUCH ALONE,\" \"HOME, SWEET HOME,\"\n \"THE EARL'S PROMISE,\" ETC. ETC.\n\n _IN THREE VOLUMES._\n\n VOL. II.\n\n LONDON:\n TINSLEY BROTHERS, 8, CATHERINE STREET, STRAND.\n 1874.\n\n _All rights of Translation and Reproduction are Reserved_.\n\n\n\n PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND CO.,\n LITTLE QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS.\n\n\n\n TO\n\n Emma Martin,\n\n OF\n\n WADESMILL, HERTS,\n\n THIS STORY IS DEDICATED,\n\n AS A TOKEN OF THE AUTHOR'S RESPECT AND AFFECTION.\n\n\n\n\n\n CONTENTS.\n\n\n CHAP. PAGE\n\n I. MR. FORDE AT HOMEWOOD 1\n\n II. KLEINWORT AND CO. IN CONSULTATION 18\n\n III. MR. DEAN AND HIS FUTURE RELATIVES 50\n\n IV. PREVISION 70\n\n V. MR. DEAN GLORIFIES HIMSELF 85\n\n VI. MR. GIBBONS' OPINION ON THE STATE OF AFFAIRS 107\n\n VII. STRAWS 123\n\n VIII. MR. SWANLAND STIRS HIS TEA 147\n\n IX. IN THE 'TIMES' 169\n\n X. MR. SWANLAND WISHES TO BE INFORMED 186\n\n XI. MRS. MORTOMLEY'S FORTUNE 208\n\n XII. LEAVING HOMEWOOD 223\n\n XIII. DOLLY WRITES A LETTER 251\n\n XIV. THE BEGINNING OF A NEW LIFE 277\n\n XV. MR. FORDE MAKES A MISTAKE 292\n\n\n\n\n MORTOMLEY'S ESTATE.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER I.\n\n MR. FORDE AT HOMEWOOD.\n\n\nSaid Mrs. Mortomley to Lenore,\n\n\"Run away, love, I do not want you here. I am busy.\"\n\n\"Shall I take her?\" asked Rupert, seeing a little trouble in the child's\neyes, a pucker about the corners of her mouth.\n\n\"Thank you, yes,\" answered Dolly; and so, without leave-taking of any\nkind, the little girl and Rupert departed through one of the French\nwindows already mentioned.\n\n\"Should you like to go to the Forest with me?\" he asked, when they\nturned the gable of the house and were sauntering across the side lawn\nwhere the great walnut-tree, which was the talk of all that part of the\ncountry, grew.\n\nAs they walked under the spreading branches, Rupert looked up and\nsighed. He had a prevision that no Mortomley for ever should eat of the\nfruit again.\n\nThere is an instinct which is as far beyond knowledge as omnipresence is\nbeyond sight, and from the moment Mortomley succumbed to Mr. Forde, and\nadopted his tactics, Rupert felt his uncle's days of prosperity were at\nan end.\n\nPersonally, he, Rupert Halling, could do no more good for any one by\nintermeddling in his uncle's affairs.\n\nAnd it was quite time he considered his own more fully, even than had\nbeen the case latterly.\n\nIn his selfishness, however, he was good-natured, and offered to allow\nLenore to accompany him, while he pursued his meditations and perfected\nhis plans; at which offer Lenore, who had latterly been somewhat\nneglected by every one about the house, delightedly clapped her hands\nand shouted for joy.\n\nThere had been a time when Mrs. Mortomley would have dreaded taking upon\nherself the responsibility of an interview with Messrs. Forde and\nKleinwort. But that dread was over now.\n\nShe was in the middle of the battle, and the Gerace nature knew no\nfaltering when the trumpet sounded, and every man (or in default of man,\nwoman) was called to do his best.\n\nAfter Lenore's departure there ensued a moment's silence.\n\nMr. Forde was so lost in astonishment at the audacity of the whole\nfamily that he lacked power to give expression to his feelings.\n\nMr. Kleinwort, having spoken, was thinking what he should say next, and\nMrs. Mortomley was struggling between her repulsion against the man and\nher desire to offer some apology for a rudeness which had been as\ninvoluntary as irresistible.\n\n\"I beg you to pardon my incivility,\" she began at last, bringing out her\nwords with a slow reluctance which was almost perceptible. \"Trouble does\nnot tend to increase politeness.\"\n\n\"That is indeed true,\" agreed Mr. Kleinwort, \"but you must remember,\nmadam, other people also are troubled with your troubles.\"\n\n\"What is the use of talking in that way,\" interrupted Mr. Forde. \"Do you\nsuppose they care for anything or person but themselves? Do you imagine\nif Mr. Mortomley had the smallest consideration for us, he would be laid\nup at such a time as this?\"\n\n\"Do you think he is not really ill, then?\" inquired Mrs. Mortomley.\n\n\"I neither know nor care what he is,\" was the answer. \"It is enough for\nus to be told we cannot see him,--and he will find it more than enough\nfor him,--and you can tell him with my compliments that I say so.\"\n\n\"Yes, bankruptcy is not all pleasure,\" remarked Mr. Kleinwort with a\nsolemn shake of his round head.\n\n\"At least it must be freedom,\" suggested Dolly.\n\n\"You think so?\" said Mr. Forde with a nasty laugh. \"They'll know more\nabout that in six months' time. Eh! Kleinwort?\"\n\n\"Most like,\" agreed the German. \"No, madame, a man had better by much\nbe dead than bankrupt. I, Kleinwort, tell you no lie. You do not\nunderstand; how should you? Mr. Mortomley does not understand neither;\nhow should he? You talk to him. You say, it is best we should use our\ntwo brains to avoid so great disgrace; you think over all the good\nfriends who you own; you see what money can be found. That will be\nbetter than bankruptcy; that word so ugly, bankruptcy--bad--bad.\"\n\n\"Let us go into the works, Kleinwort,\" suggested Mr. Forde at this\njuncture, and he walked out into the garden followed by his friend.\n\n\"I will fetch the key,\" said Mrs. Mortomley, and having done so, she\nwould have given it to them, but Mr. Forde asked,\n\n\"Is there no person who can go with us?\"\n\n\"I--I will go with you myself,\" she hesitated, not liking to confess\nRupert was not about the grounds, which fact she had learned during her\nabsence from the room; \"I thought perhaps you wished to be alone.\"\n\n\nUp the laurel walk they paced, Mr. Kleinwort going into ecstasies over\nthe flowers; Mr. Forde muttering, \"Pretty penny it must cost to keep up\nthis place;\" while the scent of heliotrope and late mignonette pervading\nthe air, made Dolly feel faint and sick as did the very peace and beauty\nof the scene.\n\n\"Where are all the men?\" asked Mr. Forde, as he beheld the deserted\nbuildings.\n\n\"They have gone for the evening,\" Mrs. Mortomley answered. \"Excepting at\nvery busy times, they never work later than half-past five.\"\n\n\"Nice management!\" commented Mr. Forde.\n\n\"I believe that is the usual hour in most factories,\" she ventured.\n\nHe did not contradict her, but contented himself with shaking his head\nas though he would imply that it was useless further to comment on the\nbad management of Homewood, and walked about the premises, peering into\nthis vat and that cask, as if he expected to come suddenly upon a mine\nof silver, or a heap of gold dust.\n\nAnything funnier to an uninterested spectator than Mr. Forde looking\nabout the colour works, to see what Mortomley had done with his money,\ncould not possibly be conceived; but, then, there chanced to be no\nuninterested spectator,--not even Messrs Lang and Hankins, who happened\nto be making up some goods accounts in a little sentry-box of an office\nthat stood near the outer gates.\n\n\"Who are they?\" asked Hankins of his companion, who, while thrusting his\narms into his coat which he had thrown off for greater convenience\nduring his arithmetical calculations, answered,\n\n\"One of them, the biggest, is Forde. Let me get away before they see us!\nhe asks as many questions as an Old Bailey lawyer and about as civilly,\nand I am afraid his being here means no good to our governor!\"\n\n\"Oh! that's the chap, is it?\" replied Mr. Hankins. \"Well, he may ask me\nas many questions as he likes;\" and as one who smelleth the battle afar\noff, Mr. Hankins stepped out of his sentry-box, and walked in a\n_debonnaire_ manner across the yard to meet the visitors.\n\n\"Who was that went out just now?\" inquired Mr. Forde.\n\n\"Our manager, sir.\"\n\n\"Fetch him back. I want him.\"\n\nMr. Hankins went rapidly enough to the outer gate, and passed into the\nroad, where he saw Lang turning a not remote corner.\n\nHearing the gate slam, Lang looked round and would have paused, but\nHankins made him a sign to proceed. Then Hankins, having hurried to the\ncorner, took up a position which commanded a good view of his friend's\nretreating figure; and it was only when Lang was out of sight that he\nretraced his steps to the door where, as he expected, Mr. Forde was\nwaiting for him.\n\n\"I couldn't overtake him, sir,\" he said, panting a little as if he had\nmade mighty efforts to do so.\n\n\"Humph!\" exclaimed Mr. Forde; \"I'll be bound I could have overtaken\nhim.\"\n\n\"I don't think you could, sir.\"\n\n\"And who asked you to think, pray?\" inquired Mr. Forde.\n\n\"No one, sir. I beg your pardon; I won't do it again.\"\n\nMr. Forde looked at the man to see if he was making game of him, but\nthere was not a suspicion of a smile on Mr. Hankins' self-sufficient\nface.\n\n\"And who are you, sir?\" inquired Mr. Forde, in the tone of a man who\nmeant, \"Now don't try to trifle with me or it will be the worse for\nyou.\"\n\n\"Oh! I am foreman here,\" answered Mr. Hankins.\n\nWhen he repeated this conversation afterwards, which he did many and\nmany a time to admiring and appreciative audiences, he stated that when\nMr. Forde began to \"sir\" him, he said to himself, \"If you are going to\nget up it's time I got down, as the Irishman said when his pony got his\nfoot in the stirrup.\"\n\n\"This seems a remarkably well-conducted business,\" observed Mr. Forde\nwith a sneer.\n\n\"Well, I don't think it is what it once was,\" admitted Mr. Hankins with\na touching modesty. \"We do what we can, but since the governor's health\nhas taken to failing, I am free to confess our colours ain't what they\nused to be.\"\n\nAnd Mr. Hankins picked up a leaf and began to chew the stalk in a manner\ncalculated to inspire confidence in his companion's bosom.\n\n\"Your colours are not what they used to be, then?\" remarked Mr. Forde,\nimagining he was leading the man on.\n\n\"No, they ain't, sir. Not a day passes but we have a complaint or\nreturns or a deuce of a row about the change in quality. And things were\nnever like that when the governor was at his best. Ay, it was a bad day\nfor Homewood when he quitted his old connection and took up with new\npeople.\"\n\nNow Mr. Forde believed this remark referred to Mr. Mortomley's new\ncustomers, and Mr. Kleinwort having by this time approached the pair,\ndrew by a look his attention to the conversation.\n\n\"You don't think the new people so good as the old, then,\" he said,\nitalicizing the observation for Mr. Kleinwort's benefit with a wink.\n\n\n\"I can't say for the 'people,'\" answered Mr. Hankins. \"It's the goods\nI'm speaking about. We never used to have our materials from any but\ntip-top houses, Marshalls, Humphries, and the like, but of late the\ngovernor has dealt at some place in Thames Street, and of all the rot\nthat ever I saw theirs is the worst. I have often told the governor he\nought not to ask any man to take in the rubbish, but somehow or another\nhe ain't what he used to be, and there is no use in talking sense to\nhim.\"\n\nWith a very red face Mr. Forde turned and walked through the factory all\nby himself, while Kleinwort, who enjoyed and appreciated the position as\nonly a foreigner could, continued to discourse with Mr. Hankins, asking\nhim about the value of the stock, the cost of the plant, whether the\ntrade could not be extended almost indefinitely, whether he was aware of\nthe nature of Mr. Mortomley's illness and so forth, until Mr. Forde, who\nsoon grew weary of his fruitless search after the concealed treasure,\nshouted in his most strident tones,\n\n\"What is the good of talking to that fool, Kleinwort? Let us be getting\nback again.\"\n\nAnd he strode through the postern door into the laurel walk without\nwaiting for Mrs. Mortomley, who stood leaning against a desk in the\noffice as they passed through.\n\n\"I will follow you in a moment,\" she said to Mr. Kleinwort, who, all\nsmiles and politeness, made way hat in hand for her to precede him;\nthen, as the foreigner passed out through one of the arches into the\npleasant, peaceful-looking garden, she turned to Hankins, and saying,\n\"Get me some water--quick,\" fell back in a faint so suddenly that the\nman had barely time to prevent her dropping to the floor.\n\n\"By jingo, she's as light as a feather!\" exclaimed Mr. Hankins, and the\nremark as he uttered it almost attained the dignity of an affidavit.\n\nAs it happened there stood on the desk a water-bath used for copying\nletters. The contents of this sprinkled not too carefully over Dolly,\nbrought her back to consciousness more rapidly than might have been\nexpected, but she could not stand alone for a minute or so, during\nwhich time she supported herself by clinging to the office stool.\n\n\"Are you better, ma'am?\" asked Hankins anxiously. He had beheld his own\nwife, when he or worldly affairs did not do according to her mind, taken\nwith a \"turn;\" but he had never seen a woman's face look like Mrs.\nMortomley's before.\n\n\"Yes, yes, thank you, I am well,\" she said. \"And if you believe me,\"\ncontinued Mr. Hankins, addressing a select assemblage of his mates, \"she\nwalked straight out of that office and across the court like a man\nblind, it is true, but still straight with a sort of run, and shut the\ndoor after her, and locked it; and that a woman, who looked like a\ncorpse, and was as near being one as she'll ever be, till she's laid in\nher coffin. I wish I had pitched it heavier into Forde. I would if I had\n'ave known she was going to turn up in that way.\"\n\nMeantime, Mr. Forde was back in the drawing-room pishing and pshawing at\nthe furniture and effects, and Mr. Kleinwort was walking about the lawn\nfeeling, spite of his anxiety, almost a childish pleasure in treading\nthe velvet turf, in looking at the flowers which were still blooming\nluxuriantly.\n\nTo him came Mrs. Mortomley.\n\n\"Ah! dear madame,\" he said, \"this thing must not be; such a place, such\na plant, such a business. You think and see what can be done to prevent\nso great misfortune. You have but to tell Bertram Kleinwort what to do,\nand he will strive his best to fulfil.\"\n\nIt might have had its effect once, but Dolly, like her husband, was now\ntoo ill to temporize.\n\n\"This must end,\" she said, \"for good or for evil; I say we can strive no\nmore. We are tired--so tired of pouring water into a sieve.\"\n\n\"You will not like bankruptcy,\" he answered.\n\n\"We must take our chance,\" she said, and then they re-entered the house.\n\n\"Had not we better see those men,\" asked Mr. Forde of his friend.\n\n\"Well, yes,\" agreed Mr. Kleinwort.\n\n\n\"Shall I tell them to come to you,\" asked Mrs. Mortomley, but Mr. Forde\nput her aside.\n\n\"I will go and find them myself,\" he answered, evidently under the\nimpression they were apocryphal creatures conjured up for the occasion.\n\nMrs. Mortomley sat down again. For five minutes--five blessed minutes\nshe imagined Messrs. Forde and Kleinwort were going to pay out the men,\nand rid Homewood of their presence. Then romance gave way to reality,\nand she heard Mr. Kleinwort ask,\n\n\"Well, what is your say now?\"\n\n\"Stop,\" answered Mr. Forde, drawing on his gloves.\n\n\"You say that?\"\n\n\"Yes, but,\" turning to Mrs. Mortomley, \"your lawyer must not take the\norder out; ours shall. There is no objection, I suppose?\"\n\n\"I suppose not,\" she answered.\n\n\"If you leave the matter with us, we will not oppose,\" he observed.\n\n\"That will be a great relief to my husband,\" she said. \"He did not think\nany one else would.\"\n\n\"Well, well, we shall not, I am sure,\" was the unlooked-for reply. \"You\nshall hear from me to-morrow.\"\n\n\"Thank you,\" was Dolly's humble answer.\n\n\"Good day. I hope we shall all have better times hereafter,\" and he held\nout his hand.\n\n\"Good day, madame,\" added Kleinwort, dropping a little behind. \"Your\ndear husband must make health, and, you madame, I shall trust ere long\ntime, to see red and not white. You must not mind Forde,\" he said,\nalmost in a whisper. \"He is rough, he is, that is why I comed; but\ngood--so good when you get under his crust.\"\n\nMrs. Mortomley put her cold hand in Kleinwort's as she had put it into\nthat of Forde, and said good-bye to the one man as she had said it to\nthe other, with a wintry smile.\n\nSo they parted. Never--for ever did she see either of the two again.\n\nMeantime, they drove back to London together in silence--silence broken\nonly once.\n\n\"What are you doing, Kleinwort; why don't you speak?\" asked Mr. Forde.\n\n\"I am thinking--thinking, my friend,\" was the reply.\n\n\"Then I wish to Heaven you would not think,\" said the unfortunate\nmanager. \"It is deucedly unpleasant, you know.\"\n\n\"You are so what you call droll,\" observed Mr. Kleinwort with cheerful\ncalmness.\n\nAn Englishman must be artificially iced before he can ever hope to\nattain to a foreigner's degree of coolness.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER II.\n\n KLEINWORT AND CO. IN CONSULTATION.\n\n\nDrowning men catch at straws. It is not the fault of the straws that\nthey fail to save, and assuredly it is not the fault of the drowning men\nthat they carry the straws to destruction with them.\n\nThe General Chemical Company on that Friday evening when Mr. Kleinwort\nwas asked to bring his persuasive powers to bear on the recusant family\nat Homewood, chanced to be in precisely the state of a drowning man\nmaking frantic clutches at safety, and Mr. Forde's worst enemy might\nhave pitied him had he understood all Mr. Mortomley's \"going\" meant to\nthe manager of St. Vedast Wharf.\n\nHe had driven out to Homewood vowing that Mortomley, willing or\nunwilling, should not stop, and it was only when he found affairs had\npassed beyond his control, that he began to think whether there was no\nway out of the difficulty.\n\nLike an inspiration the idea of keeping the whole thing quiet, of\nhoodwinking his directors, and of holding the ball still at his feet,\noccurred to him.\n\nHe had to do with fools, and he humoured them according to their folly,\nand indeed the notion of suggesting the substitution of the Company's\nsolicitor for the solicitor of Mr. Mortomley amounted almost to a stroke\nof genius.\n\nTo Kleinwort there was a certain humour in the idea of first gibbeting a\nman as a rogue, and then treating him as a simpleton. It was a feat the\nGerman performed mentally every day, but then he kept the affair secret\nbetween himself and his brains. He did not possess the frankness of that\n\"so droll Forde,\" and the tactics of his friend tickled him extremely.\n\nAnd yet, truth to say, Mrs. Mortomley was not so supreme an idiot as\nthe autocrat of St. Vedast's Wharf imagined.\n\nShe had her misgivings, which Rupert pooh-poohed, declaring that peace\nwas well purchased at so small a price, and that for such a purpose one\nlawyer was quite as good as another.\n\n\"Still, I should like to speak to Archie's solicitor about it,\" she\npersisted.\n\n\"That is what you cannot do, for he is out of town,\" answered the young\nman; \"and very fortunate that he is, for if you went to him and he went\nto Forde there would only be another row, and the whole affair perhaps\nknocked on the head again.\"\n\n\"I thought no one could prevent Archie petitioning,\" she remarked.\n\n\"Neither can any one,\" was the reply; \"but it might be made confoundedly\nunpleasant for him after he had petitioned.\"\n\nWhich all sounded very well, and was possibly very true, but it failed\nto satisfy Dolly.\n\nSleep had not for many a long month previously been a constant visitor\nat Homewood, and whenever Mrs. Mortomley awoke, which she did twenty\ntimes through that night, the vexed question of Mr. Benning's\ninterposition recurred to her.\n\nLook at it in whatever light she would, her mind misgave her. If it made\nno difference in the end, if it were no advantage to the Chemical\nCompany, she could not understand the object of so strange a proposal.\nRupert had indeed explained the matter by saying, \"Forde wanted the\nthing kept quiet;\" but then why should the thing be kept quiet. In whose\ninterests and for whose benefit was it that such secrecy had to be\nmaintained. Pestered as her husband had been with demands for money,\nwith writs, and with sheriff's officers and their men, it seemed to Mrs.\nMortomley that all the world must already be acquainted with the\nposition of their affairs.\n\n\"What can the object be they have in view?\" she asked over and over\nagain whilst she lay thinking--thinking through the long dark hours.\n\"How I wish Mr. Leigh were in town?\" And then all at once she bethought\nher that within a walk of Homewood there resided a gentleman with whose\nfamily she had some slight acquaintance, and who chanced himself to be a\nsolicitor.\n\nThis fact had been stamped on Dolly's mind by hearing of the unearthly\nhours at which even in the dead of winter he was in the habit of\nbreakfasting so as to admit of his reaching his offices, situated\nsomewhere at the west, by nine o'clock.\n\n\"I will ask him, and be guided by his reply,\" she decided, and\naccordingly she rose at cock-crow and, dressing herself in all haste,\nwent across the fields, along the lanes to that sweet residence the\nlawyer prized so much, and of which he saw so little.\n\nShe met him at his own gate, and asked permission to walk a little way\nwith him towards the station. \"She wanted to ask only one question,\" she\nsaid, \"but it was necessary to preface that by a little explanation.\"\n\nIn as few words as sufficed for the purpose--and Heaven knows very few\nsuffice to tell a man is ruined--Mrs. Mortomley laid the state of the\ncase before her acquaintance.\n\n\"Will it make any difference to my husband if Mr. Benning applies to the\nBankruptcy Court instead of Mr. Leigh?\" she finished by inquiring.\n\n\"None whatever,\" was the unhesitating reply.\n\n\"You are certain?\" she persisted.\n\n\"Yes; I cannot see why it should alter his position or injure him in the\nslightest degree.\"\n\n\"Does it not strike you as a very extraordinary proposition?\"\n\n\"Well, yes,\" he agreed, \"but no doubt it will be desirable for Mr.\nMortomley to raise no obstacle against their wishes. It is always\nadvantageous for a man to have a large creditor on his side.\"\n\n\"Mr. Halling says they want to keep the affair quiet,\" she went on. \"Why\nshould they want that, and how should employing their own solicitor\nenable them to do it?\"\n\n\"I can only conjecture,\" was the answer, \"that they desire the extent of\ntheir own loss not to be made public, and by employing their own\nsolicitor they will manage to keep the application out of the papers.\"\n\n\"I am very, very much obliged to you,\" she said as they shook hands.\n\n\"Not at all,\" he replied. \"Command me at any time if I can be of service\nto you,\" and they parted; but she had not retraced a dozen steps before\nhe ran after her and said,\n\n\"I think, Mrs. Mortomley, were I in your place I should see Mr. Leigh\nwhenever he returns to town.\"\n\nWhich in all human probability Mrs. Mortomley would have done without\nhis recommendation. Nevertheless, the hint was kindly meant, as his\nprevious opinion, spoken by an utterly honourable man, had been honestly\ngiven.\n\nUpon the whole, however, I am not quite sure, seeing what one sees,\nwhether honourable men and thoroughly conscientious lawyers are exactly\nthe fittest people to help and counsel those who have reached the crises\nof their lives.\n\nThrough the years to come, at all events,\nDolly carried a certain agonised memory of that morning walk, and the\nconsequences her adviser's words ensured to her and hers.\n\nIt was a fine September morning, the last fine morning that month held\nin the especial year to which I refer. Had she been able to shake an\ninstinctive dread off her mind, she would, escaping for the hour from\nthe sight of sickness and the haunting feeling of men in possession,\nhave thoroughly enjoyed the calm landscape, the long stretches of\ncountry across which her eyes, wearied though they were with night\nwatching, could roam freely. To right and to left lay the flat rich\nEssex lands on which cattle were browsing peacefully, whilst at no great\ndistance were patches and pieces of woodland left still to tell Epping\nonce was more than a near neighbour to all the hamlets that formerly\nnestled under its leafy shadows, and which are now becoming part and\nparcel of the Great Babylon itself. In the distance she beheld dark\nmasses of foliage standing out darkly against the sky, showing that\nthere the monarchs of the forest still held the axe and the lords of the\nsoil at defiance, whilst ever and anon the light, rapid feet tripping\nalong field-paths, bordered by grass still wet and heavy with dew,\npassed close by some stately park over which the silence and peace of\nriches seemed brooding.\n\nBut as matters stood, the fresh morning air and the silence and the\npeace conferred upon other people by the riches possessed by them\nbrought little balm to Dolly.\n\nShe had been told there was but one course for her to pursue, and she\nhad pursued it. She had been told it would lead to such comfort as was\nnow an utter stranger at Homewood, but she did not feel satisfied on\nthat point.\n\nA woman's instincts are always keener than her reason, and by instinct\nDolly vaguely comprehended there were dangers and difficulties ahead.\nSunken rocks and treacherous sandbanks, of which the amateur pilots\nwho advised the management of the business craft knew nothing.\n\nAnd yet she felt any sacrifice which could rid the house of its late,\nand present, unwelcome guests would be worth making. In the centre of a\ngreat field she stood still clasping her hands above her head and\nbreathed a luxurious sigh of relief at the idea of having Homewood to\nherself and family once more.\n\n\"Without those dreadful creatures,\" she said quite aloud, and then she\ngave her fancy wing and planned a course of papering, painting, and\nwhite-washing after their departure, as she might have done had fever or\ncholera taken up its abode for a time in the house.\n\nWhich was perhaps ungrateful in Mrs. Mortomley, seeing the obnoxious\nvisitors had tried to respect her feelings in every possible\nmanner--kept themselves as much out of sight as possible--smoked their\npipes so as to give the smallest amount of annoyance--offered such\nassistance as their physical and mental habits of laziness rendered\navailable when Cook and Jane departed, and said to each other, they had\nnever seen a \"house go on so regular under similar circumstances as\nHomewood, nor a lady who took it all so quiet as the mistress of that\nestablishment.\"\n\nAnd this was true. No one connected with Homewood \"took it so quiet\" as\nMrs. Mortomley.\n\nI have a fancy that on those who turn the bravest and brightest face to\nmisfortune, the evil presence leaves the most permanent marks of its\npassage. I think oftentimes while the face wreathes itself with smiles,\nthe cruel foot-prints are impressing themselves on the heart.\n\nWhether this be so or not, it is quite certain that although Dolly never\nonce, never showed through all that weary campaign a sign of the white\nfeather, the whole thing was to her as the single drop torture.\n\nIt wore in upon her nature, it made a deep rugged channel through her\nsoul. And she was powerless to act. When Mortomley consented at Mr.\nForde's bidding to \"go on\" after he himself had decided to stop, when\nDolly consented that Mr. Benning should step into the shoes of their own\nsolicitor, they virtually threw up their cards and gave the game to\ntheir adversaries.\n\nNot less did Samson, when he confided to the keeping of a woman the\nsecret of his strength, dream of the dungeon and the tormentors than did\nMortomley and his wife, when they so blindly surrendered their future,\ndream of the misery and poverty in store.\n\nAnd yet Dolly had a prevision that evil must ensue. Well, not even the\ngift of second sight can avert a man's doom when the hour draws near,\nbut it may help him to meet it bravely.\n\nMrs. Mortomley herself often thought that vague dread and uneasiness\nwhich oppressed her when all things seemed going as they wished,\nprepared her in some sort for the future she was called upon to\nencounter.\n\nCould she have been present at an interview which a couple of hours\nlater took place in Mr. Kleinwort's offices she would have faintly\ncomprehended how he and his friends wished to liquidate Mortomley's\nestate.\n\nThey desired to get the whole matter into their own hands, and \"keep it\nquiet,\" but when the pros and cons of how this could be managed came to\nbe discussed, unforeseen difficulties arose at each stage of the\nconversation.\n\n\"You had better be trustee,\" said Mr. Forde, turning to Henry Werner,\nwho for reasons best known to himself and Kleinwort and Co., had been\nrequested to grace the interview.\n\n\"What the devil should I be trustee for?\" asked that amiable individual.\n\"The man does not owe me sixpence.\"\n\n\"All the better for you,\" was the reply, whereat all the rest of those\npresent laughed. At such times laughter does go round, and it certainly\nwas not unlike the sound of \"thorns crackling under a pot.\"\n\n\"And all the better for us and those others, the rest of the creditors,\nbecause you must be so much disinterested,\" added Kleinwort, in his\ncaressing manner, laying a fat and insinuating hand on Mr. Werner's\nshoulder.\n\nMr. Werner shook it off as if it had been a toad.\n\n\"Don't be a fool, Kleinwort. You know I am not going to be trustee to\nany estate in which the General Chemical Company is interested. And if\nthat Company had no interest in Mortomley, I still should refuse to take\npart in the matter. I have known Mrs. Mortomley ever since her\nmarriage, and I would have nothing to do with anything in which she is\nconcerned directly or indirectly. Between her and my own wife, and you\nand the other creditors, I should lead a nice life. I thank you very\nmuch, but I do not see it at all.\"\n\n\"That is all very fine,\" remarked Mr. Forde, \"considering it was through\nyou I knew this Mortomley, and through him we are all let into this\nhole.\"\n\n\"If you happen to have made a mistake about either statement,\" observed\nMr. Werner, \"you can correct it in a few days. I am in no hurry.\"\n\nThe manager opened his mouth to reply, but thinking better of the matter\nshut it again. Whilst Mr. Benning who had been surveying the trio with\nan expression of the most impartial distrust, said sharply,\n\n\"Come, gentlemen, defer the settlement of your differences to some more\nsuitable opportunity. I cannot stay here all day whilst you discuss\nextraneous matters. Whom shall we propose for trustee?\"\n\n\"Hadn't we better have Nelson,\" suggested Mr. Forde, with a quick glance\nat Mr. Kleinwort.\n\n\"Who is Nelson,\" asked Mr. Werner.\n\n\"One of our clerks; don't you remember?\" answered the manager\ndeprecatingly.\n\n\"Hadn't you better recommend the nearest crossing-sweeper?\" commented\nMr. Werner. \"He would do quite as well, and perhaps be considered far\nmore respectable.\"\n\n\"You come here, Forde. I know the very person. I want to tell you. Just\nnot for more than one second;\" and with that Mr. Kleinwort, with an\napologetic smile to his other visitors, drew Mr. Forde out of the\noffice, and whispered a considerable amount of diplomatic advice in his\near while they stood together on the landing.\n\n\"I cannot think it is a good thing for you to appear as Mortomley's\nsolicitor in this, Benning,\" said Mr. Werner when he and that gentleman\nwere left alone.\n\n\"I do not see any way in which it can be a bad thing for me,\" was the\ncalm reply. \"Of course I shall keep myself safe.\"\n\n\"I am sure you will do that so long as you are able,\" argued Mr. Werner.\n\"The question is can you keep your employers safe?\"\n\n\"I shall do the best in my power, of course, for Mr. Mortomley,\"\nanswered Mr. Benning.\n\n\"Because if there should be any bother about the matter hereafter,\"\ncontinued Mr. Werner, as coolly as if the lawyer had not spoken, \"it may\nbe deuced awkward for the St. Vedast Wharf folks--and--and--some other\npeople.\"\n\n\"I do not imagine there will be any bother,\" said Mr. Benning.\n\n\"There is no help for it if you allow Kleinwort to dictate to you.\"\n\n\"I do not intend to allow him to dictate to me,\" was the reply.\n\n\"It was such folly the pair starting off to Homewood yesterday evening\nand setting Mrs. Mortomley's mane up at once.\"\n\n\"I do not attach much importance to that, but still I am surprised at\nKleinwort committing such a mistake; a man who thinks himself so\nconfoundedly clever, too.\"\n\n\"He is clever; he is the cleverest man I knew,\" commented Mr. Werner.\n\n\"I dare say he is,\" agreed Mr. Benning; \"but you remember those who live\nlongest see most of the game, and some one, I doubt not, will live to\nknow how many trumps our little friend really holds.\"\n\nMr. Werner laughed--not pleasantly.\n\n\"You try to see the cards of all other men, Benning, but you do not show\nyour own.\"\n\n\"I have none to show,\" was the reply. \"A man in my position cannot\nafford to play at pitch and toss with fortune. Great gains and great\nlosses, great risks and great successes I am forced to leave to--well,\nsay Kleinwort. His name is as good as that of any other man with which\nto finish the sentence.\"\n\n\"And yet to look at his office,\" began Mr. Werner.\n\nMr. Benning had been in it a dozen times before, and knew every article\nit contained. Nevertheless, he apparently accepted his companion's\nremark as an invitation to have still another glance, and his eyes\nwandered slowly and thoughtfully over every object in the room.\n\nWhen he had quite finished his scrutiny, he said,\n\n\"You are quite right. To look around his office, Mr. Kleinwort ought\nnever to have had a transaction with the General Chemical Company, and\nif I had any young client in whom I was interested, I should advise him\nnever to have a transaction with Mr. Kleinwort.\"\n\n\"Indeed, you are mistaken,\" remarked Mr. Werner eagerly. \"I never meant\nto imply anything of the kind.\"\n\n\"Oh! indeed,\" replied the lawyer. \"Well, it does not signify, but I\nthought you did.\"\n\n\"I never do attempt conversation with any one of these fellows but I\nhave reason to repent it,\" Mr. Werner observed thoughtfully to himself,\nand there was a considerable amount of truth in the remark. Conversation\nin the City, if a man have anything to conceal, is about as safe and\npleasant an exercise as walking through a field set with spring guns.\n\nKleinwort's _pour-parler_ kept him safe enough, skirting with pleasant\nphrases and apparently foolish devices round and about dangerous ground,\nbut Werner did not chance to be quite so great a rogue as his friend,\nand he certainly regarded life and its successes much more seriously,\nthough not more earnestly, than the man who was good enough to \"make use\nof England.\"\n\nUpon the whole Mr. Werner felt relieved that before Mr. Benning could\ntake up his parable again the door opened, and Messrs. Forde and\nKleinwort reappeared, the latter exclaiming,\n\n\"We have got him now; the right man for the right place; Duncombe, you\nknow Duncombe.\"\n\n\"I cannot say that I do,\" answered Mr. Benning, while Henry Werner, with\nan impatient \"Pshaw,\" turned on his heel, and walked to the window,\nagainst the panes of which a fine drizzling rain was beginning to beat.\n\n\"It seems to me, sir,\" began Mr. Forde irritably, \"that as you are\nunwilling to make any suggestion yourself, you might find some better\nemployment than objecting to the suggestions of others.\"\n\n\"That is enough,\" was the reply. \"Manage the affair after your own\nlights, and see where they will ultimately land you.\"\n\n\"Who is Duncombe?\" inquired Mr. Benning.\n\n\"A most respectable man; A1, sir,\" explained Mr. Forde. \"The London\nrepresentative of Fleck, Handley and Company, whose works are at\nOldbury, Staffordshire.\"\n\n\"Oh!\" said Mr. Benning. He was beginning to recollect something about\nFleck, Handley and Co., and their London representative also.\n\n\"A large firm in a large way,\" continued Mr. Forde. \"They have extensive\ntransactions with the G. C. C. Limited.\"\n\n\"Which fact in itself is a proof of respectability and solvency,\" added\nWerner with his bitter tongue.\n\n\"Ah! but they are not accountants,\" commented Mr. Benning, affecting\nunconsciousness of the sneer. \"And we must have an accountant, or we\nshall meet with no end of difficulty. The position of affairs, as I\nunderstand it, is this: Mr. Mortomley is either unable to go on or else\nwishes to stop. The result is the same, let the cause be which it may.\nHe wishes the affair kept quiet or some of his creditors do. To effect\nthis object he wishes me to act for him in the matter. Now, if I am to\ndo so effectually, it is needful for us to have a trustee about whose\n_bona fides_ there can be no question. It is not enough for us that a\nman is a very honest fellow or useful or expedient. We must have some\none with a known name accustomed to this sort of work. It is perfect\nwaste of time racking our brains to think which Dick or Tom or Harry\nwill answer our purpose best. We can have no Dick or Tom or Harry. This\nis not a small affair, and the Court will require some responsible man\nto take the management of such an estate.\"\n\n\"There is no estate to manage,\" interposed Mr. Forde. \"The whole thing\nhas been muddled away, or made away with.\"\n\n\"If that be your real opinion, the whole thing had better go into\nbankruptcy at once,\" said Mr. Benning.\n\n\"No--no--no--no, not at all; by no means, no,\" exclaimed Mr. Kleinwort\nas the lawyer rose as if intending to depart. \"That must not be. I,\nKleinwort, say no. Forde is rash--rash. He knows not what is good or\nbest. He talks beyond the mark.\"\n\n\"Come, Forde, reckon up your respectable acquaintances, and tell us the\nname of the blackest sheep you know amongst the accountant tribe,\"\nsuggested Mr. Werner. \"Your experience has been large enough, Heaven\nknows.\"\n\n\"Will you stop jeering or not?\" asked Mr. Forde. \"Considering Mr.\nMortomley is your bosom friend, I think the way you talk of this matter\nscarcely decent.\"\n\n\"Nay,\" answered Mr. Werner. \"Mortomley has been your bosom friend it\nseems to me. Certainly, had he asked my advice a few years ago, we four\nwould not have had the arrangement of his destiny to-day. And as for\nbosom friends,\" he added in a lower tone, \"a businessman has none, and\nno friends either for that matter. Such luxuries are not for us.\"\n\n\"Do, for heaven's sake, let us keep to the matter in hand,\" exclaimed\nMr. Benning. \"Will you name an accountant or shall I?\"\n\nThe manager looked at Mr. Kleinwort, and then once again the German led\nhis, so good friend, out of the room.\n\nMr. Benning watched the pair till the door closed behind them, and then\nturning to Mr. Werner, said,\n\n\"Will you allow me to ask you one question? How does it happen so astute\na man as you has anything to do with St. Vedast Wharf?\"\n\n\"Trade, like poverty, makes one acquainted with strange bedfellows,\" was\nthe reply.\n\n\"That is very true; but why are you mixing yourself up with this man\nMortomley?\"\n\nMr. Werner paused a moment before he answered, and a dull red streak\nappeared on each side his face, while he hesitated about his answer.\n\nThen he looked his interlocutor straight in the eyes and said,\n\n\"Because I want to keep Forde at St. Vedast Wharf for another\ntwelvemonth.\"\n\nMr. Benning, between his teeth, gave vent to a low but most\nunlawyer-like whistle.\n\n\"That's it, is it,\" he commented.\n\n\"That is it,\" agreed Mr. Werner.\n\n\"And Kleinwort ditto?\" said the lawyer, inquiringly.\n\n\"So far as I know,\" was the reply.\n\nThen observed Mr. Benning,\n\n\"I am infinitely obliged by your frankness. I could not see my way\nbefore, but I think I can discern daylight now.\"\n\n\"It must be through a very dark tunnel then,\" remarked Mr. Werner\nbitterly.\n\n\"We must keep Mortomley's business moving.\"\n\n\"That is what Kleinwort says, but I confess I do not see how it is to be\ndone.\"\n\n\"Where there is a will there is always a way,\" was the calm rejoinder.\n\"Well, gentlemen,\" he added, as Mr. Kleinwort returned leading his\nfriend with him. \"Have you found a suitable man; because if not, I\nmust.\"\n\n\"Yes, yes,\" answered Kleinwort irritably, for he and Mr. Forde had been\narguing a little hotly over the trustee question. \"Do you happen to know\none very good man, one true dear Christian who makes long prayers, and\nhas snow hair hanging loose, and wears a white neckhandkerchief so pure\nand faultless--\"\n\n\"What is his name?\" interrupted Mr. Benning.\n\n\"Asherill,\" answered Mr. Forde.\n\n\"You mean the old humbug in Salisbury House I suppose,\" commented Mr.\nBenning, after a moment's pause. \"Well, I don't know but that he might\nserve our purpose as well as any one if he will undertake the business.\nBut you know, in spite of its sheep's clothing, what a cunning old wolf\nit is. He understands it behoves him to be careful, and he is. Give him\na straightforward case, however small, and he is satisfied.\n\n\"He will strip the debtor clean as a whistle, and then sympathize with\nthe creditors over the depravity of debtors in general, and that\nespecial sinner of a debtor in particular. But take any estate to him,\nno matter how large the liquidation of which _may_ subsequently be\ncalled in question, and he says, even while his mouth is watering for\nthe _bonne bouche_,\n\n\"'No, no, thank you, my dear kind friend, very much, but I have my\nprejudices, foolish no doubt, but insurmountable. Other men have not\nthose prejudices, and will do your work better--far better. Thank you so\nvery, very much. Good-bye. God bless you.'\"\n\nIt was not in Kleinwort--who always loved hearing one Englishmen\nridicule or anathematize another--to refrain from laughing at the\nforegoing sentence which the lawyer delivered with a solemn pomposity\nMr. Asherill himself might have envied, and even Mr. Werner smiled at\nthe imitation. But Mr. Forde, who could never see a joke unless he\nchanced to be easy in his mind, which of late was an event of infrequent\noccurrence, looked upon Kleinwort's merriment as unseemly, and telling\nhim not to be an ass, took up the broken thread of conversation by\nremarking,\n\n\"I do not think Asherill will make any objection in this case. In the\nfirst place there is nothing doubtful about the transaction, and in the\nsecond place Mr. Samuel Witney, who is--in religion--a friend of his,\nand who has often done him a good turn, happens to be one of our\ndirectors.\"\n\n\"I should not feel inclined to place much dependence on either fact,\"\nsaid Mr. Benning. \"But as I suppose you understand your own\nbusiness--let us try Asherill. I have to attend a meeting of creditors,\nand shall not be able to see him to-day; but you,\" turning to Messrs.\nKleinwort and Werner, \"had better do so, and take a note from me at the\nsame time.\"\n\n\"I have got my own business to attend to,\" remarked Mr. Werner.\n\n\"And so have I in most good truth,\" echoed Kleinwort piteously.\n\n\"Well, attend to your own and Mortomley's also for to-day. After that I\npromise you shall be troubled no more about Mortomley or his estate.\" So\nspoke Mr. Benning, and his words recommended themselves to Henry Werner.\n\n\"On that understanding,\" he said, \"I will do what you wish.\"\n\n\"I must stay here till twelve,\" pleaded Kleinwort. \"After that, any\ntime, anywhere.\"\n\n\"I will be here at quarter past twelve;\" and having made this\nappointment, Mr. Werner bade good morning to the lawyer and the manager,\nand ran down the stone stairs leading from Kleinwort's office as if the\nplague had been after him.\n\n\"There is nothing more to say I suppose,\" nervously suggested Mr. Forde\nas the lawyer buttoned up his coat, and requested the loan of an\numbrella.\n\n\"We are going to have a nasty day,\" he remarked. \"I will send the\numbrella back directly I get to my place. No. I don't think there is\nanything more to say. I understand the position, and hope everything may\ngo on satisfactorily.\"\n\nMr. Forde buttoned up his coat, walked to the window, looked out at the\nsky, which was by this time leaden, and at the rain, which had begun to\ncome down in good earnest. Then he grasped his umbrella, and after\nsaying, \"I shall wait at the wharf till I see you, Kleinwort,\" heaved a\nweary sigh, and departed likewise.\n\n\"My dear, dear friend, how I should like to keep you waiting there for\nme, for ever,\" soliloquised Kleinwort, in his native tongue, which was a\nvery cruel speech, inasmuch as if Mr. Forde had any strong belief, it\nwas a faith in Kleinwort's personal attachment to himself.\n\nIn moments of confidence indeed he had told those far-seeing friends\nwhose confidence in the German was of that description which objects to\ntrust a man out of its sight, \"I dare say he is a little thief, but I am\nquite sure of one thing; he may swindle other people, but he will never\nlet in ME.\" A touching proof of the simplicity some persons are able to\nretain in spite of their knowledge of the wickedness of their\nfellow-creatures. Faith is perhaps the worst commodity with which to set\nup in business in the City, since it is so seldom justified by works.\n\nWhen Mr. Werner returned to keep his appointment he found Mr. Kleinwort,\nhis coat off, a huge cigar in his mouth, busily engaged in writing\nletters.\n\n\"Just one, two minutes,\" he said, \"then I am yours to command. Sit\ndown.\"\n\n\"No; thank you. I will wait for you outside. I wonder what you think I\nam made of if you expect me to breathe in this atmosphere.\"\n\nAnd he walked on to the landing, where Kleinwort soon joined him.\n\n\"I must have some brandy,\" remarked that gentleman. \"I am worn out,\nexhausted, faint. Look at me,\" and he held up his hands, which were\nshaking, and pointed to his cheeks, which were livid.\n\nMr. Werner did look at him, though with little apparent pleasure in the\noperation.\n\n\"Have what you want, then,\" he said. \"Can't you get it there?\" and he\npointed to a place on the opposite side of the street where bottles were\nranged conspicuously against the window-glass.\n\n\"There! My good Werner, of what are your thoughts made? The spirits\nthere sold are so bad no water was never no worse.\"\n\n\"I should not have thought you a judge of the quality of any water\nexcept soda-water,\" answered Werner grimly.\n\n\"Ah!\" was the reply; \"but you are English. You have inherited nothing\ngood, imaginative, poetic, from your father's fatherland.\"\n\n\"If by that you mean I have no knowledge of the quality of every tap in\nthe metropolis, you are right, and, what is more, I do not want to have\nanything to do with poetry or imagination if either assumes that\nparticular development.\"\n\n\"We put all those things on one side for an instant,\" suggested\nKleinwort, making a sudden dive into a tavern which occupied a\nnon-conspicuous position in an alley through which they were passing,\nleaving Werner standing on the pavement wet as a brook from the torrents\nof rain that were at last coming down as if a second deluge had\ncommenced.\n\nWhen Kleinwort reappeared, which he did almost immediately, his cheeks\nhad resumed their natural hue, and the hand which grasped his umbrella\nwas steady enough.\n\n\"If I drank as much as you,\" commented Mr. Werner, \"I should go mad.\"\n\n\"And if I drank as you so little I should go mad,\" was the answer. \"You\nhave got in your lovely English some vulgar saying about meat and\npoison.\"\n\n\"Yes, and you will have something which is called _delirium tremens_ one\nof these days if you do not mind what you are about.\"\n\n\"Shall I? No, I think not. When the engine has not need to work no\nlonger, it will be that I lower the steam. Some day, some blessed day, I\nshall return to mine own land to there take mine ease.\"\n\n\"I wish to God you had never left it,\" muttered Henry Werner, and it was\nafter the exchange of these amenities that the pair ascended to the\noffices of Asherill and Swanland, Salisbury House.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER III.\n\n MR. DEAN AND HIS FUTURE RELATIVES.\n\n\nIt was quite dark by the time Mr. Swanland's clerks reached Homewood on\nthe rainy Saturday in question.\n\nIn the first place they lost their train by about half a minute, which\nwas not of much consequence as another started in less than half an hour\nafterwards, but Mr. Bailey chose to lose his temper, and exchanged some\npleasant words first with a porter who shut the door in his face, and\nafterwards with a burly policeman big enough to have carried the little\nclerk off in his arms like a baby.\n\nThe young gentlemen, engaged at a few shillings a week to perform\nliquidation drudgery in Messrs. Asherill and Swanland's offices, were\nso accustomed to regard the members of their firm as autocrats that they\naffected the airs of autocrats themselves when out of the presence\nchamber, and were consequently indignant if the outer world, happily\nignorant of the nature of accountants, treated them as if they were very\nordinary mortals indeed.\n\nHaving nothing to do for half an hour save kick their heels in that\ndingy, dirty, fusty, comfortless hall which the Great Eastern Railway\nCompany generously offers for the use of the travellers on its line who\nrepair to London Street, Mr. Bailey improved the occasion by delivering\na series of orations on the folly of that old sinner Asherill, who\ndetained them talking humbug till they lost the train, and having eased\nhis feelings so far, he next proceeded to relieve them further by\nanathematizing Mortomley, who chose Saturday of all days in the week,\nand that Saturday of all Saturdays in the year, to take up his residence\nin Queer Street.\n\n\"I won't stand it,\" finished Mr. Bailey, while his eyes wandered over\nthat cheerful expanse of country which greets the traveller who journeys\nby train from London to Stratford, as he nears the latter station. \"I'll\ngive them notice on Monday. They could not get on without me. I'd like\nto know where they could possibly find a man able to work as I can who\nwould put up with such treatment. On Monday I will give them a piece of\nmy mind they won't relish as much as they will their cut of roast beef\nto-morrow.\"\n\nWhich was all very well, but as Mr. Bailey had been in the habit of\nmaking the same statement about once a fortnight upon an average, since\nliquidation came into fashion, his companion attached less importance to\nit than might otherwise have been the case.\n\n\"What a day it has turned out!\" was all the comment he made.\n\n\"Yes, and they are at home safe and snug before this, or on their way to\nit. Well, it is of no use talking.\"\n\n\"I wonder if we shall have far to walk,\" said the junior, whose name was\nMerle.\n\n\"Miles no doubt,\" answered Mr. Bailey, \"and get drenched to the skin.\nBut what do they care! We are not flesh and blood to them. We are only\npounds shillings and pence.\"\n\nWhich was indeed a very true remark, although it emanated from Mr.\nBailey. Had he been aware how exactly his words defined his employers'\nfeelings, he would not perhaps have been so ready to give utterance to\nthem.\n\nAs matters stood, he grumbled on until they were turned out in the\ndrenching rain to get from Leytonstone Station to Whip's Cross as best\nthey could. Green Grove Lane was still leafy, and flowers bloomed gaily\nin the railway gardens, and Leytonstone church stood in its graveyard a\npicturesque object in the landscape, and there was a great peace about\nthat quiet country station with its level crossing and air of utter\nrepose which might have been pleasant to some people.\n\nBut it did not prove agreeable to Mr. Bailey. A soaking rain. An\nindefinite goal. An unknown amount of work to be got through!\n\nVery comprehensively and concisely Mr. Bailey read a short commination\nservice over Mr. Mortomley and his affairs, whilst he and Merle stood on\nthe down platform waiting the departure of the train ere crossing the\nline.\n\nHe had got his directions from the station master, and they did not\nagree with those issued at head-quarters.\n\n\"He should have gone to Snaresbrook. That was the nearest point, but,\nhowever, he could not miss his way. It was straight as an arrow after he\nget to the 'Green Man,' still keeping main road to the left.\"\n\nWhich instructions he followed so implicitly that the pair found\nthemselves finally at Leyton Green.\n\nFrom thence they had to make their way back into the Newmarket Road, and\nas that way lay along darksome lanes under the shade of arching trees,\nthrough patches of Epping Forest, while all the time the rain continued\nto pour down, steadily and determinedly, it may be imagined how much\nMr. Bailey was enamoured of Mortomley and his estate by the time the two\nclerks reached Homewood.\n\nBut once within the portals of that place, circumstances put on a more\ncheerful aspect. A bright fire blazed in the old-fashioned hall,\nglimpses were caught of well lighted and comfortably furnished rooms.\nRupert, with a rare civility, addressed them with a polite hope that\nthey were not very wet, and Mrs. Mortomley, after reading Mr. Swanland's\nnote, sent to inquire if they would not like some tea.\n\nWith which, Mr. Bailey having readily responded in the affirmative, they\nwere provided presently. Rupert in the meantime having recommended half\na glass of brandy, which Merle gulped down thankfully, and Mr. Bailey\nsipped sullenly, angry a whole one had not been advised.\n\nWhen the dining-room door was shut, and the pair had made an onslaught\non the cold fowl and ham sent in with tea for their delectation, Merle\nremarked,\n\n\"What a stunning place, ain't it!\"\n\n\"Ay, it is a snug crib enough,\" replied the other, who had already\nbeheld wreck and ruin wrought in much finer abodes.\n\n\"They don't seem a bad sort,\" observed Merle, who, being young to the\nbusiness, still thought a bankrupt might be a gentleman, and who\nmoreover was not a tip-top swell like Bailey, whose father rented a\nhouse at fifty pounds a year, and only let off the first floor in order\nto make the two obstinate ends meet.\n\n\"What do you mean?\" inquired Bailey.\n\n\"Why, asking us to have tea and all that,\" was the innocent answer.\n\n\"Pooh!\" replied his companion. \"Why, it is all over now. They don't know\nit, but the whole place belongs to us, I mean to our governors. The tea\nis ours, and the bread and butter and the ham, and not this fowl alone,\nbut every hen and chicken on the premises. Hand me over the loaf, I am\nas hungry as a hunter.\"\n\nHad little Mrs. Mortomley understood matters at that moment as she\nunderstood them afterwards, she would, hospitable as was her\ndisposition, have turned those two nice young clerks out into the\nweather, and told them to make up their accounts in the Works or Thames\nStreet, as they should never enter the house at Homewood so long as she\nremained in it.\n\nBut she did not understand, and accordingly after tea the making out of\nthe liabilities proceeded under Rupert's superintendence, Mrs.\nMortomley's presence being occasionally required when any question\nconnected with her own department had to be answered.\n\n\"I do not see why these debts should be put down,\" said Dolly at last.\n\"Of course, all household liabilities I shall defray out of my own\nmoney.\"\n\n\"No, you won't,\" replied Rupert brusquely. \"You will want every penny of\nyour money for yourself, or I am much mistaken.\"\n\nAt length Mr. Bailey bethought him of asking Rupert about the return\ntrains, and finding that the last was due in three quarters of an hour,\nstated that as it seemed impossible the work could be finished then, he\nand Merle would be down at about eight o'clock on Monday morning.\n\nHaving given which promise he went out into the night, followed by his\njunior, and Homewood was shortly after shut up, and every member of the\nhousehold, tired out with the events of the day, went early to bed, and\nwoke the next morning with a sense of rest and ease as strange as it\nproved transitory.\n\nIn the afternoon Mr. Dean called and asked specially for Mrs. Mortomley,\nand when Dolly went down to him, she found that he wished to tell her in\nhis own formal way that the idea of Miss Halling, his promised wife, the\nfuture mistress of Elm Park remaining in a house where bailiffs were\nunhappily located, had troubled and was troubling him exceedingly. Of\ncourse, he felt every sympathy for Mrs. Mortomley in her sad position,\nand for Mr. Mortomley in his present unfortunate circumstances, but--\n\n\"In a word,\" broke in Dolly, \"you want Antonia to leave Homewood and go\nto your sister. That is it, is it not, Mr. Dean? Of course I can make\nno objection, and when affairs are arranged here she can return to be\nmarried from her uncle's house.\"\n\nFor a moment Mr. Dean was touched. He saw Dolly believed matters would\nbe so arranged that Homewood should still belong to Mortomley, and that\nshe offered hospitality to a woman she cordially disliked on this\nsupposition. And he thought it rather nice of the little woman, whose\nface he could not avoid noticing was very white and pinched, though she\ncarried the trouble lightly, and, in his opinion, with almost unbecoming\nindifference. But Mr. Dean quickly recovered his balance. These people\nwere paupers. Great heavens! literally paupers, except for the few\nthousands left of Mrs. Mortomley's fortune. They might ask him to lend\nthem money. Presuming upon their relationship to Miss Halling, they\nmight even expect to be asked to stay at his house--at Elm Park--a\ngentleman's mansion, across the threshold of which no bankrupt's foot\nhad ever passed. At the bare idea of such complications, Mr. Dean turned\nhot and cold alternately.\n\nHe had done much for these Mortomley people already. He had broke the\nnews of the impending catastrophe to Mr. Forde, and after that act of\nweakness what might they not expect in the future!\n\nWhen Mr. Dean thought of this he felt horrified at the possible\nconsequences resulting from his extraordinary amiability. Indeed, he\nfelt so horrified that dismay for a minute or two tied his tongue, and\nit was Dolly who at last broke the silence. Leaning back in an\neasy-chair, her thin white hands clasped together, her eyes too large\nand bright, but still looking happy and restful, she said, \"I should\nlike very much, Mr. Dean, to know where your thoughts are wandering?\"\n\nMr. Dean, thus aroused, answered with a diplomatic truthfulness which\nafterwards amazed himself.\n\n\"I was thinking of you and Mr. Mortomley, and Miss Halling and myself.\"\n\n\"Yes?\" Dolly said inquiringly. There had been a time when she would have\nremarked all four were interesting subjects, but on that especial\nSunday she was a different woman from the Mrs. Mortomley of Mr. Dean's\nearlier recollection.\n\n\"To a lady possessed of your powers of observation,\" began Mr. Dean, \"I\nneed scarcely remark that difficulties might arise were Miss Halling to\ntake up even a temporary abode with my sister, and therefore--\"\n\n\"I comprehend what you mean, and I know why you hesitate,\" said Mrs.\nMortomley, as her visitor paused and cast about how to finish his\nsentence, \"but I really do not see what can be done. I am afraid,\" she\nadded, with a pucker of her forehead, which had latterly grown habitual\nwhen she was troubled or perplexed. \"Antonia would not like my Aunt\nCelia. My aunt is goodness itself, but a very little eccentric. Still,\nif she understood the position--\"\n\n\"I hope you do not think me capable of adding to your anxiety at such a\ntime as this,\" interposed Mr. Dean pompously.\n\nAll unconsciously Mrs. Mortomley had managed to offend his dignity as\nshe had never offended it before when she suggested the idea of\nquartering the future mistress of Elm Park on a spinster living upon an\nextremely limited income in some remote wilds.\n\n\"I should not for a moment entertain the idea of asking any of your\nrelations or friends to receive the lady whom I hope soon to call my\nwife. I have anxiously considered the whole matter, and after mature\ndeliberation have arrived at the conclusion that Mr. Rupert Halling is\nthe only relative with whom Miss Halling can now with propriety reside\nuntil she gives me the right to take her to Elm Park.\"\n\n\"You propose then that Rupert shall leave Homewood also,\" said Mrs.\nMortomley. She wore a shawl thrown over her shoulders, for the rain had\nmade her feel chilly, and Mr. Dean did not notice that under it she\nclasped both hands tightly across her heart as she spoke.\n\n\"With that view,\" he answered, \"I took suitable apartments yesterday in\nthe immediate vicinity of his studio.\"\n\n\"I did not know he had a studio,\" she remarked.\n\n\"With commendable prudence and foresight he secured one a couple of\nmonths back in the neighbourhood of the Regent's Park.\"\n\n\"And it was there I suppose he painted that picture he sold for twenty\npounds.\"\n\n\"Twenty guineas,\" amended Mr. Dean. \"A friend of mine did pay him that\nvery handsome amount for a sketch of a little girl which the purchaser\nimagined bore some resemblance to a deceased daughter of his own.\"\n\n\"His model being Lenore, doubtless.\"\n\n\"I should say most probably.\"\n\nDolly did not answer. She sat for a minute or two looking out at the\nleaves littering the lawn, at the sodden earth, at the late blooming\nflowers beaten almost into the earth by reason of the violence of the\nrain--then she said,\n\n\"And so they, Antonia and Rupert, go to those lodgings you spoke of?\"\n\n\"Yes, on Tuesday next, if Miss Halling can complete her preparations in\nthe time.\"\n\n\"Rats leave a sinking ship,\" murmured Mrs. Mortomley to herself.\n\n\"I beg your pardon,\" observed Mr. Dean, not catching the drift of her\npleasant sentence.\n\n\"I said,\" explained Dolly, speaking very slowly and distinctly, \"that\nrats leave a sinking ship. So the story goes at all events, and I, for\none, see no reason to doubt its truthfulness. If you think of it, what\nmore natural than that they should go. They are detestable creatures in\nprosperity. Why should they alter their natures in adversity?\"\n\n\"I am very stupid I fear,\" said Mr. Dean; \"but I confess I fail to see\nthe drift of your remark.\"\n\n\"I can make it plain enough,\" she retorted. \"Here are a man and a woman\nwho must have starved unless we or you had provided them with the\nnecessaries of life. It was not very pleasant for me to have Antonia\nHalling here, but she has had the best we could give her; and never a\ncross look or grudging word to mar her enjoyment of the good things of\nthis life--things she prizes very highly.\n\n\"As for Rupert, he has been treated by my husband as a brother or a son.\nWe made no difference between them and Lenore, except that I have\ndenied my child what she wanted sometimes, and they have never been\ndenied.\n\n\"And the end of it all is that when my husband's affairs go wrong, they\nleave us, and allow a stranger to break the tidings. That is why I call\nthem rats, Mr. Dean--your _fiancee_ and her brother. I am sure heaven\nmade Antonia Halling a helpmate--meet for you--for she is as selfish, as\nworldly, as calculating, and as cold as even Mr. Dean, of Elm Park.\"\n\nHaving finished which explicit speech, Dolly rose and gathered her shawl\nmore closely about her figure, bowed, and would have left the room had\nMr. Dean not hindered her departure.\n\n\"Mrs. Mortomley,\" he said, \"I can make allowances for a lady placed as\nyou are; but I beg leave to say you are utterly mistaken in your\nestimate of me.\"\n\n\"I am not mistaken,\" she replied. \"I understand you better than you\nunderstand yourself. Do you think I cannot see to the bottom of so\nshallow a stream? Do you imagine for a moment I fail to understand, that\nlast Thursday night you turned the question over and over in your mind\nas to whether you could give up Antonia Halling when I made you\nunderstand the position of her uncle's affairs? You have decided and\nrightly you cannot give her up. No jury would hold the non-success of a\nrelation a sufficient reason for jilting a woman.\n\n\"And I really believe Antonia is so thoroughly alive to her own\ninterests that she would take the matter into court. Good-bye, Mr. Dean.\nYou and your future wife are a representative couple.\"\n\n\"What an awful woman,\" said Mr. Dean, addressing himself after her\ndeparture. \"I declare,\" he added, speaking to Rupert, who immediately\nafter entered the room, \"I would not marry Mrs. Mortomley if she had\ntwenty thousand a year.\"\n\n\"How rare it is to find two people so unanimous in opinion,\" remarked\nRupert with a sneer. He did not like Mr. Dean at the best of times, and\nat that moment he had a grudge against him, because he knew it was Mr.\nDean who must have told Mr. Forde about that twenty guineas for a\nsketch of the small Lenore. \"I am sure poor mistaken Dolly would not\nmarry you if you settled fifty thousand per annum on her. But what has\nshe been saying to cause such vehement expression of opinion?\"\n\n\"She says you and your sister are rats; that you have eaten of the best\nin the ship, and leave it now it is sinking.\"\n\n\"Upon my honour I am afraid Mrs. Mortomley is right,\" was the reply.\n\"Hers is a view of the question which did not strike me before; but it\nis not open to dispute. Still what would the dear little soul have one\ndo? Stay with the vessel till it disappears? If she speak the word, I\nfor one am willing to do so.\"\n\n\"I hoped to hear common sense from one member of this household at all\nevents,\" was Mr. Dean's reply, uttered loftily and contemptuously.\n\n\"So you would from me if I were not in love with my aunt,\" Rupert\nanswered tranquilly. \"More or less, less sometimes than more, I have\nalways been in love with Dolly. She is not pretty, except occasionally,\nand she can be very disagreeable; and she is some years older than\nmyself; and she is an adept at spending money; and upon the whole she is\nnot what the world considers a desirable wife for a struggling man. But\nshe has--to use a very vulgar expression--pluck, and by Jove if I live\nto be a hundred, I shall never see a woman I admire so thoroughly as my\nuncle's wife. But this is sentimental,\" Mr. Halling proceeded. \"And I\nstifle it at the command of common sense. On Tuesday I leave Homewood\nfor those desirable apartments in which you wish me to play propriety to\nthe future lady of The Elms.\"\n\nThrough the rain Mr. Dean drove away foaming with rage. Could he have\nlived his time over again, no Miss Halling would ever have been asked to\ngrace his abode. No young person, with a vagabond brother in a velvet\nsuit, should ever have been mistress of The Elms.\n\nBut Mrs. Mortomley had put the case in a nutshell. He must marry\nAntonia, though Mortomley were bankrupt ten thousand times over.\n\nAnd Antonia knew it, and under the roof which had sheltered her for so\nmany a long night, she returned thanks for the fact to whatever deity\nshe actually worshipped.\n\nIt is not for me to state what god hers chanced to be, but certainly it\nwas not that One of whom Christians speak reverently.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER IV.\n\n PREVISION.\n\n\nAlong the front and one end of the house at Homewood ran a wide low\nverandah, over which trailed masses of clematis, clustres of roses, long\nsprays of honeysuckle, and delicate branches of jasmine. In the summer\nand autumn so thick was the foliage, hanging in festoons from the tops\nof the light iron pillars depending from the fretwork which formed the\narches, that the verandah was converted into a shaded bower, the\nsunbeams only reaching it through a tracery of leaves.\n\nUp and down under the shelter of this verandah, Rupert paced impatiently\nfor a few minutes after Mr. Dean's departure, the sound of the rain\npouring on the roof making a suitable accompaniment to thoughts that\nwere about the most anxious the young man's mind had ever held.\n\nNow that the step had been taken and the die cast, liquidation assumed a\ndifferent aspect to that it had worn when viewed from a distance.\nSomething he could not have defined in the manner of the two clerks\nfilled him with a vague uneasiness, whilst Mr. Dean's determination that\nhis _fiancee_ should be exposed no longer to the contaminating\nassociations of Homewood annoyed him beyond expression. True, for some\ntime previously he had been drifting away from his uncle. Whilst Dolly\nthought he was assisting her husband and still devoting himself to the\ntown business, he was really working for many hours a week in his new\npainting-room, which he reached by taking advantage of that funny little\nrailway between Stratford and Victoria Park, which connects the Great\nEastern and the North London lines.\n\nHe had never entered the offices of the General Chemical Company since\nthe day when he opened his lips to warn his uncle of the probable\nconsequences of that weakness which induced him to struggle on long\nafter he ought to have stopped. He very rarely honoured the Thames\nStreet Warehouse with his presence, and he never interfered in the\nbusiness unless Mortomley asked him to arrange a disputed account or\ncall upon the representative of some country house who might chance when\nin town to take up his quarters at a West-end hotel.\n\nNevertheless, he did not like the idea of cutting himself utterly adrift\nfrom his relatives. Homewood had been home to him, more truly home than\nhis father's house ever proved. Spite of all the anxiety of the later\ntime, his residence under Mortomley's roof had been a happy period. He\nliked his uncle and his wife, and the little Lenore, and--well there was\nno use in looking back--the happy days were gone and past, and he must\nlook out for himself. He could not afford to quarrel with Mr. Dean, and\nDolly's bitter speech still rankled in his memory, but yet he had not\nmeant to give up Homewood entirely, and Mr. Dean must have blundered in\nsome way to leave such an impression on Mrs. Mortomley's mind.\n\n\"I will have it out with her at once,\" he decided, and he threw away his\ncigar, girt up his loins for the coming struggle, and re-entered the\nhouse.\n\nHe found Dolly in the library writing a letter. When he entered, she\nraised her head to see who it was, but immediately and without remark\nresumed her occupation.\n\nThere was a bright red spot flaming on each cheek, and a dangerous\nsparkle in her eyes, which assured Rupert the air was not yet clear, and\nthat the storm might come round again at any moment.\n\nBut he knew the sooner they commenced their quarrel the more speedily it\nwould be over, and so plunged into the matter at once.\n\n\"Dolly, what have you been doing to Mr. Dean? He has gone off looking as\nblack as a thunder-cloud.\"\n\n\"I have been giving him a piece of my mind,\" she answered without\nlooking up, and her pen flew more rapidly over the paper.\n\n\"Your explanation is not lady-like, but it is explicit,\" remarked\nRupert, \"I am afraid you will soon not have any mind left if you are so\ngenerous in disposing of it.\"\n\n\"If my mind proves of no more use to me in the future than it has in the\npast, the sooner I dispose of it all the better,\" was the reply.\n\n\"Do you think you are wise in commencing your present campaign by\nquarrelling with everybody?\" he inquired.\n\n\"Yes, if every one is like Mr. Dean and--and other people.\"\n\n\"Meaning me?\"\n\n\"Meaning you, if you choose to take the cap and wear it.\"\n\n\"Do you know Mr. Dean says he would not marry you if you had twenty\nthousand a year?\"\n\n\"It is a matter of the utmost indifference to me what Mr. Dean says or\nthinks either.\"\n\n\"He told me you considered Antonia and myself little, if at all, better\nthan rats.\"\n\n\"Did he happen to tell you what I thought of him?\"\n\nThere was no shaming or threatening Dolly into a good temper when a mood\nlike this was on her. So Rupert changed his tactics.\n\n\"Do put down your pen and let us talk this matter over quietly\ntogether.\"\n\n\"You had better go away and not ask me to talk at all,\" she answered;\nbut she ceased writing nevertheless.\n\n\"Do you want that letter posted?\" he inquired.\n\n\"No, I shall send it by a messenger.\"\n\n\"It is not to Mr. Dean, is it?\"\n\n\"To Mr. Dean,\" she repeated. \"What should I write to Mr. Dean for? It is\nto no one connected with Mr. Dean or you.\"\n\n\"Well, lay it aside for a few minutes and tell me in what way we have\nannoyed you.\"\n\n\"You have annoyed me by want of straightforwardness. Mr. Dean has\nannoyed me by his insolence, unintentional though I believe it to have\nbeen. But that only makes the sting the sharper. Who is he that his\nfuture wife should be taken away from Homewood the moment misfortune\nthreatens it? What is Antonia that she should be treated as though she\nwere one of the blood royal?\"\n\n\"Mr. Dean is one of the most intolerable bores I ever met,\" replied\nRupert calmly. \"And Antonia is, in my opinion, an extremely calculating\nand commonplace young person. But Mr. Dean has money and his prejudices,\nand I am sure you do not wish to prevent Antonia marrying the only rich\nman who is ever likely to make her an offer.\n\n\"Now Mr. Dean regards a man who fails to meet his engagements as a\nlittle lower than a felon. I believe he would quite as soon ask a\nticket-of-leave fellow to Elm Park as a merchant whose affairs are\nembarrassed, and there is no use in trying to argue him out of his\nnotions. We must take people as they are, Dolly.\"\n\n\"Yes, if it is necessary to take them at all,\" she agreed.\n\n\"It is very necessary for me,\" he said. \"I cannot afford to quarrel with\nMr. Dean, or to have Antonia thrown on my hands, as she would be if he\nrefused to marry her.\"\n\n\"He will not refuse,\" observed Dolly. \"He has thought that subject over,\nand decided it is too late to draw back now.\"\n\n\"How do you know?\" asked Rupert in amazement.\n\n\"Because I taxed him with having done so, and he could not deny it. Pray\nassure him next time you meet he need not fear Archie or myself\npresuming on the relationship and asking him for help, and scheming for\ninvitations to Elm Park. So far as I am concerned I should be glad never\nto see him or his wife (that is to be) again.\"\n\n\"Good heavens!\" ejaculated Rupert. Over what awful perils he had been\ngliding all unconsciously. If her conversation were as she reported it,\nmight not Mr. Dean well call little Mrs. Mortomley a dreadful woman.\nCertainly the sooner Antonia was away from Homewood, the better for all\nparties concerned.\n\nHe had been imprudent himself, but how could he imagine the nature of\nthe interview which preceded his own; he must see Mr. Dean again\nimmediately. He must carry a fictitious apology from Dolly to that\ngentleman, and then arrange for their eternal separation. All these\nthings raced through his mind, and then he said,\n\n\"You are a perfect Ishmael, Dolly.\"\n\n\"Am I?\" she retorted. \"Well I am content. The idea pleases me, for I\nalways considered Ishmael's mother a much more attractive sort of woman\nthan Sarah, and I have no doubt Abraham thought so too.\"\n\nShe was recovering her good temper by slow degrees, it is true; but\nstill Rupert understood that the wind was shifting round to a more\ngenial quarter.\n\n\"Why should we--you and I--quarrel?\" he suddenly asked, stretching out\nhis hand across the table towards her.\n\nShe did not give him hers as he evidently expected she would, but\nanswered,\n\n\"Because I do hate people who are secret and deceitful and not\nstraightforward.\"\n\n\"You mean about that picture?\" he said.\n\n\"Yes,\" she agreed; \"the picture was the first thing which shocked me,\nand since that you leave a stranger to say you intend that I shall be\nall alone through this trouble--all alone!\"\n\nThere was an unconscious pathos in the way she repeated those two last\nwords which wrung Rupert's heart.\n\n\"I never intended to leave you alone,\" he replied. \"I do not intend to\ndo so now. I must go to these confounded lodgings with Antonia, because\nthe powers that be insist on my going, but neither she nor Mr. Dean can\nexpect me to stay with her the whole day. She must get some one of her\ninnumerable female friends to bear her company; and I shall be here\nalmost continually. Upon my soul, Dolly, if I dare offend Mr. Dean,\nnothing should induce me to leave Homewood at this juncture; indeed, I\ntold him in so many words, that if you wished me to stay I would\nremain.\"\n\nShe did not answer for a few moments, then she said,\n\n\"You were quite safe in telling him that, Rupert. You knew I would\nnever ask anyone to sacrifice his own interests to my fancies.\"\n\n\"You are angry with me still!\" he remarked, then finding she remained\nsilent, he went on,\n\n\"I confess I did wrong about that picture, but I did not sin\nintentionally, with any idea of concealment, or separating my interests\nfrom yours. I only held my peace, because I did not want Forde to know;\nand no harm would have been done had that pompous old idiot held his\ntongue, and not considered it necessary to explain that the brother of\nhis future wife was able to earn money for his own wants.\n\n\"The moment this liquidation business was settled, I meant to tell you\nconcerning that and the studio, but I was so vexed about Dean's wish for\nAntonia to leave here, that I felt I could not talk to you freely. Do\nyou believe me? Indeed what I have said is the literal truth.\"\n\n\"It may be,\" she answered, \"but it is not quite the whole truth. However\nthat does not signify very much. No doubt you are wise in making\nprovision for yourself,--but oh!\"\n\nAnd covering her face with her hands, she ended her sentence with a\nparoxysm of tearless grief.\n\nIn a moment Rupert was beside her, \"What is it, what is the matter,\nDolly? Dolly, speak to me; there is nothing on earth I will not do for\nyou if you only tell me what you want.\"\n\nShe lifted her head and looked at him as a person might who had just\nreturned from a journey through some strange and troubled land.\n\nFor many a day that look haunted Rupert Halling; it will haunt him at\nintervals through the remainder of his life. She put back her hair which\nhad fallen over her face, with a painful slowness of movement foreign to\nher temperament. She opened her lips to speak, but her tongue refused\nits office.\n\nThen Rupert frightened ran into the dining-room, and brought her wine,\nbut she put it aside, and he fetched her water, and held the tumbler\nfor her to drink.\n\nAs if there had been some virtue in the draught, her eyes filled with\ntears--heavy tears that gathered on her lashes and then fell lingeringly\ndrop by drop; but soon the trouble found quicker vent, and she broke\ninto an almost hysterical fit of weeping.\n\n\"Cry, dear, cry, it will do you good,\" he said as she strove vainly to\ncheck her sobs. \"Do not try to speak at present, you will only make\nyourself worse.\"\n\nBut Dolly would speak.\n\n\"I am so sorry you should have seen me like this\" she panted. \"I did not\nmean to be so stupid.\"\n\nHe was standing beside her bathing her hair and forehead with _eau de\ncologne_, but his hand shook as he poured out the scent, and he felt\naltogether, as he defined the sensation to himself, \"nervous as a\nwoman.\"\n\n\"Dolly,\" he began when she grew calm again, \"what was the trouble--the\nspecial trouble I mean--which caused all this. Do try to tell me. If it\nwas anything I said or did, forgive me; for I never meant to say or do\nanything to hurt you.\"\n\n\"It was not that,\" she replied; then after a moment's hesitation she\nwent on. \"A dreadful feeling came over me, Rupert, that this liquidation\nwill turn out badly. I have had the feeling at intervals ever since\nFriday evening, and it seemed just then to overwhelm me. It may be\nfolly, but I cannot shake off the notion that my poor husband will be\nruined. If liquidation is what we thought, why should Mr. Dean want\nAntonia to leave here? Why, if we are only asking for time in which to\npay our debts, should such disgrace attach itself to us?\"\n\nNow this was just the question Rupert had been vainly asking himself,\nand he stood silent, unable to answer.\n\n\"Think it over until to-morrow,\" she added, noticing his hesitation. \"I\nam afraid you are worldly and selfish, Rupert, but I do not think you\nare unfeeling, or quite ungrateful. Think it over for the sake of poor\nArchie and me and little Lenore, and--I won't insult you by saying for\nyour own sake too. Put yourself quite out of the question, and consider\nus alone. There was a time when we considered you, and though that time\nis past, still I hope you can never quite forget.\"\n\nShe rose and stretched out both hands to him, in token of reconciliation\nand her own woman's weakness which dreaded facing the dark future all\nalone.\n\n\"Dolly dear,\" he answered, holding her hands tight, \"you are so true, a\nman must be a wretch to cheat you.\"\n\nFor evermore till Eternity Rupert Halling can never quite forget\nuttering those words, nor the way in which he failed to keep the promise\nthey contained.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER V.\n\n MR. DEAN GLORIFIES HIMSELF.\n\n\nFor the sake of the servants an early dinner on Sunday had always been a\ncustom at Homewood, and although other customs might be broken through\nor forgotten in consequence of Mortomley's illness and the troubles\nsurrounding the household, this still obtained.\n\nTherefore Rupert Halling had to make no comment on his intended absence,\nto leave no message about his return being uncertain, when, after making\nhis peace with Dolly, he went straight from the library to a sort of\nlittle cloak-room, where he donned knickerbockers, a waterproof coat, a\nstiff felt hat, and selected a plain light riding-whip.\n\nThus armed against the weather he walked round to the stables, clapped a\nsaddle on the back of Mr. Mortomley's favourite black mare, Bess,\nunloosed her headstall, put on her bridle, led her through the side\ngate, which he closed behind him, looked once again to the girths and\ndrew them up a hole tighter; then after a pat and a \"Gently, my beauty,\nstand quiet, pet,\" he put one foot in the stirrup, and next instant was\nsquare in his seat.\n\nMadam Bess hated rain as cordially as some human beings, and tossed her\nhead and made a little play with her heels, and quivered a little all\nover with indignation at being taken out in such weather by any one\nexcept her master; but Rupert was a good as well as a merciful rider,\nand he humoured the pretty creature's whims till she forgot to show\nthem, and after plunging, shying, cantering with a sideway motion,\nintended to express rebellion and disgust, she settled down into a long\neasy trot, which in about three quarters of an hour brought Rupert to\nthe gates of Elm Park.\n\nThere, one of the ostlers chancing to be at the lodge talking to the\nold woman whose duty and pleasure it was to curtsey to Mr. Dean each\ntime he came in or went out, he dismounted and gave Bess to the man,\nwith strict orders to rub her down and give her a feed.\n\n\"I must take her a good round after I leave here,\" he remarked, \"and it\nis nasty weather for horses as well as men.\"\n\nNow Master Rupert had always been very free of his money at Elm Park,\nand no rumours of coming misfortune at Homewood had reached the people\nconnected with Mr. Dean's elegant mansion, so Bess was rubbed till her\ncoat shone like a looking-glass, and she herself kicked short impatient\nkicks with one heel at a time; and she had a great feed of corn and a\nlong draught of water, and her heart was refreshed within her.\n\nMeantime her rider, instead of proceeding along the avenue, which took\nmany and unnecessary turns, so as to give the appearance of greater\nextent to Mr. Dean's domain, selected a short cut through the shrubbery\nand flower-garden, finally reaching the west front of the house by\nmeans of a light iron gate which gave entrance to a small lawn, kept\ntrim and smooth as a bowling-green.\n\nAt a glass door on this side of the house Rupert caught sight of a\nfamiliar face, which brightened up as its owner recognised in the\nhalf-drowned visitor a favourite of the house.\n\n\"Well, Mr. Housden, and how are you?\" said the young man, standing\noutside and shaking the wet off him after the fashion of a Newfoundland\ndog.\n\n\"I keep my health wonderful considering, thank you, Mr. Rupert,\"\nanswered the butler, for it was that functionary who stood at the glass\ndoor contemplating the weather. \"And how is the family at Homewood,\nsir?\"\n\n\"My uncle is very ill,\" was the reply; \"he has not been able to be out\nof his room for the last three weeks. Mrs. Mortomley and my sister and\nMiss Lenore are as usual. Governor is at dinner I suppose?\"\n\n\"No, sir, Mr. Dean has finished dinner, or I should not be disengaged.\nHe is sitting over his dessert, sir, with a bottle of his very\nparticular old port.\"\n\n\"The thermometer was so low it took that to raise it,\" muttered Rupert\nto himself; then added, \"Ask Rigby to step this way and take these\ndripping things of mine, will you, Housden? I want to see Mr. Dean.\"\n\n\"Allow me, Mr. Rupert. Let me relieve you of your coat.\" And Mr.\nHousden, who would have been grievously insulted had the young man\nseemed to suppose he could condescend so far, took the waterproof, and\nthe knickerbockers, and the hat, and the whip, and conveyed them himself\nto Rigby, after which he announced Mr. Halling's arrival to his master,\nand received orders to show him in.\n\nWhat with dinner and its accompaniments, Mr. Dean had been half dozing\nin his arm-chair when his butler informed him of Mr. Halling's presence,\nand he arose to meet his visitor with a stupid confusion of manner which\nat once gave Rupert an advantage over him.\n\nIf he had not dined and been quite awake, and in full possession of his\nbusiness senses, he would not have greeted Rupert with that awkward--\n\n\"Yes, to be sure, Mr. Halling. Did not expect to see you again so soon;\nnot such an evening as this I mean.\"\n\n\"Oh! I don't care for rain,\" Rupert answered. \"I ride between the\ndrops.\"\n\n\"Will you take a glass of port or what?\" asked Mr. Dean, touching the\nwine decanter tenderly.\n\n\"Thank you,\" the young man answered, \"I will have some, or 'what,'\nsupposing it assume the shape of a tumbler of hot brandy-and-water, if\nyou have no objection, for I have still far to ride to-night, and I do\nnot want to be laid up; and besides,\" he added with a smile, \"your port\nis too strong for me, my head won't stand it.\"\n\n\"Housden, bring the brandy and some boiling water, boiling remember, at\nonce,\" said Mr. Dean relieved that his visitor refused to partake of the\nwonderful port for which he had paid such a price per bottle that\nordinary mortals would not have dared to swallow it except in\nteaspoonfuls.\n\n\"You are really very good and very generous to receive me so courteously\nafter the way in which we parted,\" remarked Rupert when they were left\nalone. \"The fact is I was put out to-day and I said what I ought not to\nhave said, and Mrs. Mortomley was put out and she said what she ought\nnot to have said, and we both want to apologise to you. She is sorry and\nI am sorry, and I think, sir, as it was you who told Mr. Forde about\nthat picture your friend kindly purchased from me, which confidence in\nfact caused the whole disturbance, you ought to forgive us both.\"\n\nEven Mr. Dean could not swallow this sentence at one gulp.\n\n\"Do you mean,\" he asked doubtfully, \"to say Mrs. Mortomley has expressed\nher regret for the improper--yes,\"--continued Mr. Dean after a pause\ndevoted to considering whether he had employed the right word,--\"most\nimproper remark she made this afternoon.\"\n\n\"I mean to say,\" returned Rupert, \"that Mrs. Mortomley has retracted\nthose observations which pointed to my being a rat, that I have\nexplained everything in our conduct which seem to need explanation to\nher satisfaction, that we are now perfectly good friends again, and that\nshe has commissioned me to say she hopes you will not attach any\nimportance to words spoken in a time of great trouble by a woman placed\nin a position of such difficulty as she is at present.\"\n\n\"Then upon my honour,\" exclaimed Mr. Dean, \"the message does Mrs.\nMortomley credit. I could not have believed her capable of sending it.\"\n\n\"Neither could I,\" thought Rupert, but he added aloud. \"You do not quite\nknow Mrs. Mortomley yet, I see. She is very impulsive, and often says a\nvast deal more than she really means; but when she calms down, she is as\nready to confess she was wrong as she proved to give offence. I do not\nthink any human being could live in the same house with my uncle's wife\nand not love her.\"\n\n\"Young man,\" said Mr. Dean with a solemn shake of his head while he\npoured himself out yet another glass of that particular port, \"were I in\nyour place I should not talk so glibly about love. There are people--yes\nindeed there are who might think you meant something not quite right.\"\n\nIf Rupert had yielded to the impulse strongest upon him at that moment,\nhe would have leaned back in his chair and laughed aloud at the idea\nthis moral old sinner evidently attached to his words, but he had a\npurpose to serve, and so with surprise not altogether simulated he said,\n\n\"Is that really your opinion, sir? then I will never use the expression\nagain. Esteem is a good serviceable word. Do you approve of it.\"\n\nMr. Dean looked hard at Rupert to ascertain whether the young man were\nmaking game of him or not, but no sign of levity rewarding his scrutiny,\nhe answered,\n\n\"It is a very good word indeed, but one I do not consider applicable in\nthe present case. I am perfectly well aware that I do not possess that\nfacility of expression and power of repartee possessed by those persons\nwhose society Mrs. Mortomley at one time so much enjoyed, but I can see\nas far through a millstone as any one with whom I am acquainted, and\nesteem is not the word I should employ myself in this case.\"\n\n\"Perhaps you are right,\" replied Rupert carelessly; \"but to return to\nthe original subject, she is sorry for having said what she did, and so\nam I, and I have come here to apologise. When, however, I stated that if\nMrs. Mortomley wished me to remain at Homewood I would do so, I spoke\neven at the risk of offending you, the literal truth. We have been\ntreated generously at Homewood, and on thinking the matter over, it\nseemed to me that I at all events ought not to desert the ship if Mrs.\nMortomley wished me to remain on board.\n\n\"But,\" he continued seeing Mr. Dean's face grow dark with passion at the\nprospect of his will being disputed, \"she does not wish me to remain.\nShe sees the reasonableness of your wishing Antonia to leave Homewood\nimmediately, and she feels it only just that you should know she\nconsiders under my uncle's altered circumstances, it would be better for\nall communication between Elm Park and Homewood to cease.\"\n\nMr. Dean paused before he answered. Of course if he married Antonia\nHalling, this was precisely the point he wished to carry, and yet there\nwas something in this sudden change of policy which filled him with\ndoubt and surprise.\n\nHad Rupert said in so many words that Mrs. Mortomley declared she never\nwished to see the owner of Elm Park again, the position would not have\nbeen so unintelligible; but this tone of submission and conciliation was\nso unlike anything he had ever associated with Mrs. Mortomley that he\ncould not avoid expressing his astonishment at it.\n\n\"I am quite at a loss,\" he said at length, \"to understand the reasons\nwhich could have induced Mrs. Mortomley to alter her course of conduct\nand withdraw her expressed opinions with such rapidity.\"\n\nIn a moment Rupert saw his error, and hastened to repair it.\n\n\"To be quite frank,\" he confessed, \"I put the matter rather strongly to\nher, and not to weary your patience, if Mrs. Mortomley can on occasion\nbe stormy she can also be unselfish. She does not want to mar my\nsister's prospects. She does not desire that my uncle's past kindness to\nus shall ever be considered to constitute a claim upon _you_ in the\nfuture. There is the case in a nutshell. Of course we had a much longer\nconversation than that I have condensed. In a word, till my uncle has\npaid his creditors and is prosperous again, you need never fear that he\nor his wife will wish to renew their acquaintance with you.\"\n\nMr. Dean shook his head.\n\n\"Your uncle will never be prosperous again,\" he remarked.\n\n\"I hope matters are not so bad as that,\" answered Rupert.\n\n\"When a man,\" continued Mr. Dean, \"lets things go so far as he has\ndone, he is, to all intents and purposes, commercially dead. No, Mr.\nMortomley will never hold up his head again in the business world. It is\nwell he has his wife's money to fall back upon, and I hope her friends\nwill advise him to use it prudently--\"\n\n\"Do you really say, sir, you think my uncle will not be able to pull\nthrough?\"\n\n\"I do not exactly understand what you mean by pulling through,\" answered\nMr. Dean, \"but if you have any expectation of seeing his creditors paid,\nand he occupying his old standing, you will be very much disappointed,\nthat is all.\"\n\n\"But, good heavens! the business is a fine business, and there is stock\nand plant and book debts, and--\"\n\n\"I don't care what there is,\" interrupted Mr. Dean, \"once an estate goes\ninto liquidation or bankruptcy, stock and plant and good-will and book\ndebts and everything else are really as valueless as old rubbish. What\nis the good of machinery if it is standing still? What is the use of a\nbusiness unless it is worked, and that by somebody who understands it?\nWhat do you suppose Homewood, and every stick of furniture in the house,\nand every ounce of stock in the works would fetch under the hammer?\nPooh! don't talk to me about creditors ever being paid when once affairs\npass out of a man's own hands. There is where your uncle made his\nmistake. If he had come to me for advice a couple of years ago, I could\nhave told him what to do.\"\n\n\"What ought he to have done?\" asked Rupert.\n\n\"Why, faced his affairs, and then called a private and friendly meeting\nof his creditors. If there were one or two who opposed, he should, with\nthe consent of those who did not oppose, have offered a sum to be rid of\nthem altogether. He should then, furnished with authentic data, have\nsaid, \"Now, here is a business worth so much a year. In so many years\nyou can be paid in full. I must have a small income out of the concern\nfor my services, and you can appoint an accountant to examine the books,\ncheck the accounts, and divide the money every three months.\" He would\nhave been as much master in his own works as a man ever can be who is in\ndebt. All these writs and other disgraceful embarrassments would have\nbeen avoided; but what is the use of talking of all this now?\nMortomley's Estate has been allowed to go to the dogs, and the dogs have\ngot it, and it will be a very clever creditor indeed who manages to\nsnatch even a morsel out of their mouths.\"\n\n\"But, sir,\" pleaded Rupert, \"you advised the present course to be\nadopted.\"\n\n\"I said there was no other course now to be adopted,\" amended Mr. Dean.\n\"Could any man in his right senses say there was another way out of the\ndifficulty, with men in possession and hungry creditors waiting\nimpatiently to sweep the place clear? It is better that none should have\nmoney than that one should, to the exclusion of others; and this is\nwhere your uncle will be blamed, for paying out the men who proceeded to\nextremity, and not paying those who were patient and gave him time. No\ndoubt he will get his discharge in due course, but how will that benefit\nhim? He is done for commercially. He can never do any more good for\nhimself or those belonging to him.\"\n\n\"I cannot see that exactly,\" answered Rupert. \"If he were stripped\nto-morrow of every worldly effect, he could, given ordinary health, earn\na very respectable income by means of his genius.\"\n\n\"What is genius?\" inquired Mr. Dean, who was by this time standing\nbefore the fire and laying down the law in that manner which makes so\nmany very commonplace gentlemen considered oracles by their wives and\nacquaintances. \"Ah! you cannot tell me, I see; but I can tell you.\nGenius is success. It is of no use declaring a man is clever or has\ngreat talents or exceptional abilities. I say prove it. How are you to\nprove it? Show me his banker's book, show me the receipts signed by his\ntradesmen, show me the style in which he lives, show me these things,\nand I will then believe he has possessed either the genius to make money\nor the genius to keep money when made by his father before him.\"\n\n\"Then you think the man who paints a picture can have no genius unless\nhe is able to sell it likewise?\"\n\n\"I am sure of it. That person is an idiot who, possessing a certain\namount of sense, requires as much more to make use of it. Take your\nuncle's case. According to your statement he possesses genius. Well,\nwhat has it done for him, wherein is he better at this moment than one\nof his own workmen? He began life with a good business. Where is that\nbusiness now? He had a respectable connection, and what must he do but\nallow himself to be drawn into a connection--pray do not suppose I mean\nto speak harshly of your father, who first introduced him to it--which\nseems to have been anything but respectable. Once entangled, his genius\nfailed to show him any way out of the net he had allowed to enclose him.\nHis genius cannot enable him to make good articles out of bad. He\nmarries a woman with money, and he tries to patch up his tottering\ncredit with part of her fortune. If that is what genius does for a man,\nbetter have none say I. Now look at me,\" added Mr. Dean, after he had\npaused to take breath, and Rupert did look at him with as strong a\nfeeling of repulsion as Dolly had ever felt. \"No one ever accounted me\nclever. My father called me plodding Billy, and said I would never do\nmuch for myself or anybody else. What has the result been?\"\n\nIf all his future had depended upon holding his peace at that moment,\nRupert must have answered,\n\n\"That you seem to have done remarkably well for yourself at any rate.\"\n\n\"You are right,\" said Mr. Dean briskly, appropriating the remark as a\ncompliment. \"And in doing well for myself, I have done well for others.\nI have employed clerks and servants. I have paid good salaries. I have\nnever set myself up as being ashamed of my business, and my business has\nnot been ashamed of me. I have never tried to push out of my own rank in\nlife, but I have sat at banquets side by side with a lord, and many a\ntime I have spoken after an earl at a public meeting. I might have stood\nfor member of parliament, and may yet be in the House if after a year or\ntwo I feel disposed to interest myself in politics. Contrast my position\nwith that of your clever uncle and say whether you do not agree with me\nthat the true meaning of genius is success. Will not your sister be a\nvast deal better off at Elm Park with everything money can buy, than\nyour little Mrs. Mortomley at Homewood with the sheriff's officer in\npossession? Am not I right in what I say? Have not I reason on my side?\"\n\n\"You have so much reason,\" answered Rupert a little sadly, \"that before\nlong I shall come and ask your advice as to how I am to compass success.\nTo-night I have to take Leytonstone on my way back to Whip's Cross, a\nride all round Robin Hood's Barn, is it not?\"\n\n\"What are you going to Leytonstone for?\" asked Mr. Dean.\n\n\"I--I have to see a man about a picture he wants me to paint for him,\"\nhesitated Rupert, for he did not wish to state the real errand on which\nhe was bound, and, plausible romancer though he could be on occasion,\nMr. Dean's question took him by surprise.\n\n\"Ah!\" remarked Mr. Dean, a comfortable feeling of conscious\nrighteousness diffusing a heightened colour over his face, already\nhighly with the glow of virtue and thirty-four port. \"You must\ngive up all that sort of work if you wish to be successful. I have never\nopened a ledger on Sunday, and I have tried to put business out of my\nmind altogether. If a man is to be successful, he must conform to all\nthe usages of the country in which he happens to be placed. Now we are\nplaced in England, and I do not know any country in which religion is\nmade so easy; and if you think of it, religion is a most useful\ninstitution. It teaches the poor their proper place, and--\"\n\nRupert could stand no more of this. \"I have lived in a house, Mr. Dean,\"\nhe answered, \"where, I think, there was one genuine Christian at any\nrate, and I agree with you and him, that Sunday labour for gentle or\nsimple is a thing to be avoided; but my work to-night is a work of\nnecessity, and the Bible pronounces no curse on our performing it in\nsuch a case as that!\"\n\n\"No, no, certainly not; I suppose you are short of money. Well, good\nevening; tell Mrs. Mortomley I will try to forget all she said to-day.\"\n\n\"Yes, I will tell her,\" answered Rupert, \"and thank you very much for\nyour kindness. Don't come out with me pray,\" he added,--which was an\nutterly unnecessary entreaty as Mr. Dean had no intention of doing so.\n\"I can find my way quite well. Good-night,\" and he went.\n\nBut when he had reached the middle of the hall, he paused, and drew a\nlong deep breath.\n\n\"If I were in Antonia's place,\" he murmured, \"sooner than marry that\nself-sufficient cad, I would go down to the Lea and drown myself, or\nelse take poison.\"\n\nRupert really felt at the minute what he said, but the worst of it was\nthat such minutes never, in the young man's nature, lengthened\nthemselves into hours.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER VI.\n\n MR. GIBBONS' OPINION ON THE STATE OF\n AFFAIRS.\n\n\nFurnished by Rigby with his coat and hat, assisted by that personage to\nput on his knickerbockers, Mr. Rupert Halling stood at the hall door\nwaiting for Madam Bess to be brought round.\n\nHe had wished to mount in the stable-yard, but neither Housden nor Rigby\nwould hear of such a thing.\n\n\"Well, it is coming down,\" ejaculated the butler; \"Mr. Halling, sir, why\ndon't you send the mare back to her comfortable stall, and stay here for\nthe night.\"\n\n\"I do not mind the weather,\" answered Rupert, which was fortunate, for\nthe rain was pouring in such torrents that the noise made by the mare's\nhoofs was inaudible through the rushing tempest, and it was only by help\nof the ostler's lanthorn that Rupert could tell where Bess stood\nshivering and cringing, as the drops pelted like hail-stones upon her.\n\nBut if the night had been ten times worse than was the case, Rupert\nwould still have persisted in his intention of riding round by\nLeytonstone. Comfort and assurance he felt he must have, some accurate\nknowledge of their actual position he was determined to obtain for\nDolly, and so he proceeded through the darkness, with the rain sweeping\nin gusts up from the south-east, and expending the full force of its\nfury upon horse and horseman wherever an opening in the forest glades\nexposed both to its violence.\n\nA lonely ride, lonely and dreary, the road now winding through common\nlands covered with gorse, and broom and heather, now leading through\npatches of the forest, now skirting gravel and sand pits, and again\npassing by skeletons of new houses run up hastily and prematurely by\nspeculative builders.\n\nAnd wherever any other road which could possibly lead back to Homewood\ncrossed that Rupert desired to pursue, a difference of opinion took\nplace between him and Bess, she being quite satisfied that the way they\nought to go was the way which led to her stable; Rupert, on the\ncontrary, being quite determined that she should carry him to\nLeytonstone.\n\nAt length the violence of the storm somewhat abated, and as he passed\nthe 'Eagle,' at Snaresbrook, from behind a bank of wild watery-looking\nclouds the moon rose slowly and as if reluctantly, whilst the wind grew\nhigher and swept over the lonely country lying towards and beyond\nBarkingside in blasts that almost took away the young man's breath.\n\nOn the whole he was not sorry when he reached that great public-house\nwhich stands where three roads meet near the pond at Leytonstone. There\nhe dismounted, and giving Bess in charge of a man who knew the mare and\nher rider well, he walked on past the church, down the little bye-street\nleading to the picturesque station, across the line, and so to a new\nroad intersecting an estate that had been recently cut up for building,\nand where already houses were dotting the fields, where two or three\nyears previously there was no sign of human habitation.\n\nOne of these houses belonged to Mr. Gibbons; he had bought it for a very\nlow price, and nobly indifferent to the horrible newness of its\nappearance, to the nakedness of its garden, and that general misery of\naspect peculiar to a suburb while in its transition state from country\nto town, he removed his household goods from Islington, where he had\npreviously resided, and set himself at work to make a home in the\nwilderness.\n\nHe was a man content to wait for trees to grow, and shrubs to mature,\nand creepers to climb. His was the order of mind which can plant an\nasparagus bed and believe the three years needful for it to come to\nperfection will really pass away in regular course. He procured a\nmulberry-tree and set it, and he would have done the same with a walnut\nhad the size of his garden justified the proceeding.\n\nAs it was, he looked forward to eating fruit grown on his own walls and\nespaliers; he directed the formation and stocking of his garden with\ngreat contentment. He built a greenhouse; he ordered in a Virginia\ncreeper and a Wistaria, which he hoped eventually to see cover the front\nof his house; he put up a run for his fowls; and he talked with\nunconcealed pride of his \"place near the forest,\" where his children\ngrew so strong and healthy, he declared that the butcher's bills\nfrightened him.\n\nTo men of this sort, men who are willing to sow in the spring, and\npatient enough to wait for the ripening in the autumn, England owes most\nof her prosperity; but ordinary humanity may well be excused if it\nshrink from the idea of settling down in a -and-span new house in an\nunfinished neighbourhood.\n\nRupert's humanity, at all events, accustomed as it was to the wealth of\nfoliage at Homewood, to the stately trees and bushy shrubs, and matured\ngardens, and lawns covered with soft old turf, recoiled with horror\nfrom the naked coldness of Mr. Gibbon's residence, and his teeth\nchattered as the uncertain moonbeams glanced hither and thither over new\nbrick walls, and stuccoed pillars, and British plate-glass, and all\nthose other items which go to compose a British villa in the nineteenth\ncentury.\n\nThe wind, sweeping over the Essex marshes and across Wanstead flats,\nbrought with it heavy gusts of showers, and one of these pursued Rupert\nas he ploughed his way over the loose stones and gravel which had been\nlaid upon the road.\n\n\"It is a nice night and a nice hour for a visit,\" he reflected. \"I\nwonder what Gibbons will say to my intruding on his privacy on the\nSabbath-day.\" And he paused for a moment before applying his hand to the\nknocker, and listened to the vocal strength of the family, which was\nemployed at the moment in singing psalms in that peculiar style which\nthe clergy assure us is especially pleasing to the Almighty.\n\nThey, it is to be presumed, must know something about the matter.\nCertainly, the performance affords pleasure to no one of God's creatures\nexcept to the vocalists themselves. In a lull of the wind Rupert could\nhear the shrill trebles of the young ladies, the cracked voice of their\nmother, the gruff growling of the two sons, and the deep bass of Mr.\nGibbons himself, all engaged in singing spiritual songs in unison.\n\n\"It will be a charity to interrupt that before they bring the ceiling\ndown,\" said the visitor, and he forthwith gave such a thundering double\nknock that the music ceased as if a cannon had been fired amongst the\nvocalists.\n\nMiss Amy's hands dropped powerless from the keyboard of the piano, and\nMr. Gibbons, forgetful of the sacred exercises in which he had been\nengaged, first exclaimed,\n\n\"Who the devil can that be?\" and then proceeded to ascertain who it was\nfor himself.\n\n\"I beg ten thousand pardons for intruding upon you,\" Rupert was\nbeginning, but Mr. Gibbons would listen to no apology.\n\n\"Bless my soul!\" he exclaimed, \"what can have brought you out such a\nnight? Come in and have some supper. We were just going to have supper.\nThe rain came down in such buckets we could not get to church, so the\nyoung people were having a little music. (\"Music!\" thought Rupert.) Come\nin, there is no one here except ourselves.\"\n\n\"You are very kind,\" Rupert answered, \"but I cannot stop. I am wet, and\nhave had a long, miserable ride. I only want to ask you half-a-dozen\nquestions, and then I must get home. I left my mare at the 'Green Man,'\nand she is drowned, poor old girl.\"\n\n\"Well, you must take something,\" said Mr. Gibbons, who in trade insisted\nupon his pound of flesh if he saw the slightest hope of getting it, but\nwho out of trade was liberal and hospitable to a commendable degree.\n\n\"I will take nothing, thank you,\" Rupert replied decidedly, \"except\nhope, if you are able to give me that. I have been drinking\nbrandy-and-water at the house of my respected brother-in-law that is to\nbe, and I can't stand much of that sort of thing. I wonder how it is\nprosperous men are able to drink what they do after dinner and never\nturn a hair, whilst poor wretches who never knew what it was to have a\nfive-pound note between them and beggary are knocked over by a few\nglasses.\"\n\nThey were standing by this time in a small room covered with oil-cloth,\nwhich Mrs. Gibbons, who was a notable manager, used for cutting out her\nchildren's garments. She neutralised the cold of the oilcloth by\nstanding on a wool mat; and then, as she remarked to her friends, there\nwas no trouble in sweeping up the clippings, as there would have been\nhad she laid down a carpet.\n\nThe apartment did not look cheerful. It was on a piece with the outside\nof the house; but Rupert had a confidence in Mr. Gibbons which proved\nmore consolatory at the moment than any amount of luxurious furniture\ncould have done.\n\n\"What is the matter? What has gone wrong now?\" asked Mr. Gibbons,\nignoring the young man's irrelevant statement, which, indeed, having a\nwider experience, he did not in the least believe.\n\nIn a few sentences Rupert told him the events of the last two days.\nThere was no person living to whom Rupert Halling could talk so freely\nas to this sharp, shrewd man of business, whom he did not like, with\nwhom he had not an idea in common, who he knew could, to quote an old\nproverb, \"lie as fast as a dog can trot,\" but in whose judgment he\ntrusted as if he had been a prophet.\n\nMr. Gibbons sat beside the table, his arms crossed on it, looking at\nRupert, and Rupert sat at a little distance, and spoke right on, never\nstopping till he had said his say.\n\nWhen the story was told Mr. Gibbons rose and took a few turns up and\ndown the room.\n\n\"If you think of it, Forde has not made a bad move,\" he remarked at\nlast, stopping in his walk. \"He can keep the matter as quiet as he\nlikes, he can tell his directors what he pleases, and if there is any\ngame left to play he can play it without much interference. I did not\nthink he had it in him to devise such a scheme, but perhaps it was not\nhe, only Kleinwort. There is nothing that little thief could not do\nexcept be honest.\"\n\n\"Will it make any difference to us?\" asked Rupert, impatient of this\ndigression.\n\n\"That is just what I have been wondering,\" answered Mr. Gibbons. \"I\ndon't see that it can. I know nothing of Swanland personally (of course,\neverybody knows his partner, Asherill, the most thoroughfaced old humbug\nin the City), but in his position he dare not play into Forde's hand. It\nis impossible for him to make fish of one creditor and fowl of another.\nHad they chosen a creature of their own for trustee, the case would have\nbeen different; but, upon my honour, I think the matter could not stand\nbetter than it does. If Forde does not oppose, nobody else will, I\nshould imagine; and all your uncle has to do now is to get well as fast\nas he can, so as to push business along and pay us all a good dividend.\"\n\n\"Mr. Gibbons,\" said Rupert slowly, \"what is liquidation?\"\n\n\"That is rather a difficult question to answer,\" was the reply. \"I have\nunderstood that its object is to enable a man who really means honestly\nto repay his creditors to do so. You see, the new Bankruptcy Act has\nbeen passed so recently that we have not much knowledge of its working.\nIn the only case of which I have had experience, it seems to go smoothly\nenough. A pianoforte-maker, who had taken out some new patent got\nhimself into difficulties, and the creditors asked me to look into his\naffairs, and see what chance there was of their ever being repaid. I did\nso, and found the estate could never pay sixpence if it was compulsorily\nrealised, but that there was a probability of twenty shillings if the\nman could be allowed to work on without the fear of writs.\n\n\"The fellow seemed honest enough, and the creditors were inclined to be\npatient--all except one fellow, who wanted to get the business into his\nown hands. I soon shut his mouth; and we arranged to throw the payment\nof ten shillings in the pound over three years; the rest was left to his\nhonour. Well, so far as I can see, every creditor will get his money in\nfull, and the debtor is as happy as possible, working away to pay all he\nowes. He is allowed so much out of the business for his household\nexpenses; and, of course, I do not look him and his books up for\nnothing, but still when the affair comes to be closed, it will prove\nbetter than bankruptcy for every one concerned; and if I had been\nappointed trustee to your uncle's estate, I have no doubt we might, out\nof such a business as his, have arranged ten pounds a week for his\nservices, and paid everybody in full, with interest, in four years.\"\n\n\"I wish to God you had been the trustee,\" said Rupert earnestly.\n\n\"I echo the wish. I could have made it easy for your uncle and\nbeneficial to myself; but Forde does not like me. He can't take me in as\nhe takes in other people. However,\" added Mr. Gibbons, \"it is a great\nmatter to have him with you, since, unless you were able to produce good\nproof of what you have hinted to me, his opposition might be dangerous.\"\n\n\n\"Do you know,\" said Rupert, \"Mr. Dean really frightened me to-night. He\ndeclared my uncle was commercially dead, that he could never hold up his\nhead again in the City, that his estate had been allowed to go to the\ndogs, and that the dogs had got it, with much more to the same effect.\"\n\n\"Mr. Dean is a pompous old ass,\" commented Mr. Gibbons.\n\n\"Please remember he is going to marry my sister,\" entreated Rupert.\n\n\"In that at all events he shows his sense,\" returned Mr. Gibbons with\nready courtesy, \"but what should he know about liquidation? If Mr. Dean\nthought a poor wretch were shaky, he would serve him with a trading\ndebtors' summons at once, and if the amount were not paid, make him\nbankrupt before he could know what had happened. That is how Elm Park is\nmaintained. Please heaven,\" added Mr. Gibbons piously, \"a more liberal\npolicy shall supply the more modest requirements of Forest View.\"\n\nWhich was the appropriate name of the -and-span new mansion, since\nnot a glimpse of the forest could be obtained even from its attic\nwindows.\n\n\"Thank you,\" said Rupert, rising and holding out his hand to Mr.\nGibbons, \"you have relieved my mind greatly. I do not know I ever felt\nmore miserable than I have done to-night. Mrs. Mortomley quite unnerved\nme. She has a fancy that her husband is going to be ruined.\"\n\n\"My dear fellow,\" was the reply, \"when you have lived as long as I have\nlived, and been married as many years as I have been married you will\nknow women are always having fancies. No better creature than my wife\never breathed, but she has a prophetic feeling about some matter or\nperson every day of her life.\"\n\n\"It is quite a new thing for Dolly to be among the prophets, however,\"\nremarked Rupert almost involuntarily.\n\n\"I beg your pardon,\" said Mr. Gibbons, not understanding.\n\n\"Oh! I was speaking of Mrs. Mortomley. We always call her Dolly. Absurd,\nis it not? but it is better than Dollabella.\"\n\nThe connection of ideas between her name and her fortune did not seem\nvery plain, nevertheless, as if one suggested the other, Mr. Gibbons\nsaid,\n\n\"I suppose Mrs. Mortomley's money is all right.\"\n\n\"What do you mean,\" Rupert inquired.\n\n\"Settled on herself of course.\"\n\n\"Of course,\" the young man answered.\n\n\"That is well,\" answered Mr. Gibbons. \"I wish you would stay and have\nsome supper. No? Then good night and keep up your spirits, all will turn\nout for the best, be sure of that.\"\n\nAnd so they shook hands and parted. Mr. Gibbons to return to his\npsalmody, and Rupert to retrace his steps to the 'Green Man,' where he\nre-mounted Bess and rode back, moonlight accompanying him, drifting rain\nfollowing his horse's heels to Whip's Cross.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER VII.\n\n STRAWS.\n\n\nWhen Rupert reached Homewood he rode direct to the stables, expecting to\nfind a groom waiting his arrival.\n\nDisappointed in this expectation he hitched the mare's bridle to a hook\nin the wall, flung a cloth over her, and walking round the house entered\nit through the conservatory doors, which always remained hospitably\nunlocked.\n\nAs he entered the hall, Esther was crossing from the direction of the\nkitchens. At sight of him she started back with a \"Lor', Mr. Rupert, how\nyou did frighten me; who ever would have thought of seeing you!\"\n\n\"Why, who did you expect to see?\" retorted Mr. Rupert, \"and where, when\nall that is settled, is Fisher?\"\n\n\"He left at seven, sir. He came in to do up the horses as usual, and he\nsaid, sir, when he was going out that he should not be back again, for\nthat Hankins had seen you on the road to Elm Park, and you were sure not\nto be back such a night as this.\"\n\n\"I wish Hankins would attend to his own business and not attempt to\nmanage mine,\" muttered Rupert. \"Get me a lantern, Esther. I must see to\nthat unfortunate mare myself.\"\n\nEsther fetched him a lantern, and one of the men in possession, who had\nhimself formerly been the owner of some livery stables, offered to see\nto the well-being of Madam Bess, but Rupert would not hear of it.\n\n\"You can bring the light if you will be so good,\" he said, for it was no\npart of the policy at Homewood for the inhabitants to give themselves\nairs above those sent to keep watch and ward over their chattels.\n\n\"But I will rub her down myself; I should not care about it, only I am\nso confoundedly wet,\" he added, with his frank pleasant laugh.\n\n\"However, she is wetter, poor beast;\" and as he spoke he passed his hand\nover the mare's neck and shoulder, which attention she acknowledged by\ntrying to get it in her mouth.\n\n\"Frisky still, old lady,\" Rupert remarked; \"I should have thought your\njourney to-night might have taken that out of you. Come on,\" and he\nslipped off her bridle, and holding her mane walked beside her into the\nstall, where he put on her halter.\n\n\"It is too wet still to make your toilette out of doors,\" he went on;\n\"so you must be quiet while I rub you down here.\"\n\nAnd after having taken off his hat and coat and waistcoat, Rupert set\ntoo and groomed that mare \"proper,\" to quote the expression of Turner,\nthe man who held the light.\n\nAnd then he brought her a warm mash, and forked her up a comfortable\nbed, which Bess at once devoted herself to pawing out behind her; having\naccomplished which feat, and vaunted herself to her stable companions\nabout the evening's work she had performed, she lay down to sleep on the\nbare pavement.\n\nThis was her pleasant fancy, which is shared by many a dog.\n\nAfter all, there was much of a dog's nature about Bess--notably as far\nas faithfulness and affection were concerned.\n\nRupert walked back to the house and asked Esther to make him some\ncoffee. Whilst she was preparing it, he went softly to his own room,\nchanged his wet clothes, washed, brushed his curly hair, and otherwise\nmade himself presentable; then he went downstairs again and entered the\nlibrary, where he found coffee awaiting his arrival.\n\n\"My sister is gone to bed, I suppose,\" he said to Esther.\n\n\"Yes, sir, Miss Halling was very tired, and thought you would not be\nback to-night.\"\n\n\"And Mrs. Mortomley?\"\n\n\"She is up still, sir.\"\n\n\"I must see her to-night. Will you tell her that I want to speak to her\nvery particularly.\"\n\n\"Yes, sir.\"\n\n\"What have you been crying about?\" asked Rupert suddenly, but the girl\nturned her head away and made no answer.\n\n\"Has Mrs. Mortomley been scolding you?\" he persisted. At this question\nEsther broke down altogether.\n\n\"It--it--is--th--first time my--mistress ever spoke cross to me, sir--,\"\nshe sobbed.\n\n\"Well, you needn't allow that fact to vex you,\" Rupert answered, \"for if\nthings go on as they have been doing, you may be very sure it will not\nbe the last. Now go and give her my message, and you will sleep all the\nbetter for seeing your mistress again. Depend upon it, she is far more\nsorry than you by this time.\"\n\n\"What a spit-fire temper Dolly is developing,\" thought the young man,\nlooking uneasily into the blazing fire. \"Though it is rather turning the\nproprieties upside down, I fear I must lecture my aunt,\" but when Mrs.\nMortomley came into the room there was an expression on her face which\nchanged his intention.\n\nShe had taken off the elaborate dress in which he last beheld her, and\nexchanged it for a dressing-gown of brilliant scarlet, confined round\nthe waist by a belt of its own material, and showing, in every fold and\nplait which hung loosely about her figure, how the plump shapeliness\nwhich once needed no padding, no adventitious assistance from her\ndressmaker, had changed to leanness and angles.\n\nShe had unloosed her hair, she had taken away the great pads and\nenormous frizettes in which her soul once found such pleasure, and the\nstraight locks fell over her shoulders in a manner as natural as it was\nunwonted.\n\n\"Good Heavens, Dolly,\" exclaimed Rupert, at sight of her, \"why do you\never wear scarlet, it makes you look like a ghost, or a corpse.\"\n\n\"It is warm,\" she answered, \"and I was very cold. You wanted to see me\nand I wanted to see you; but tell me your story first.\"\n\n\"I have been to Elm Park,\" he replied, \"in order to make up friends with\nthat whited sepulchre, Mr. Dean; and I have succeeded. So much for that\nwhich immediately concerns Antonia and myself. After I left Elm Park, I\nrode round by Leytonstone and called upon Mr. Gibbons. He says that\nSwanland must act fairly by you and all the creditors; that, in fact, so\nfar as that goes we need feel no uneasiness.\"\n\n\"Then, where is the cause for uneasiness?\" she enquired.\n\n\"Nowhere so far as he can see,\" Rupert answered evasively, \"but I will\ntell you what I have been thinking as I came home. Of course, once this\norder, whatever it may be, is taken out, we shall have no more trouble\nfrom writs and so forth, and we need not be anxious about the business,\nbut we shall, I fear, want ready money. Of course there will be an\nallowance to Archie, but we may not be able to get that immediately. Now\nwe had better look this matter in the face. How much money is there in\nthe house?\"\n\nDolly put her hand in her pocket and pulled forth her purse, turning its\ncontents out on the table.\n\n\"I had the June interest from my money on Friday night,\" she remarked.\n\"For the first time I wrote to ask for it, and I was so thankful it\ncame, as otherwise the wages here could not have been paid yesterday.\"\n\n\"Surely, Dolly, you never paid them out of your money?\"\n\n\"Not the whole amount. Lang told me he was five-and-twenty pounds short,\nso I sent him to town to get the cheque changed, and gave him what he\nrequired.\"\n\n\"I must see Lang about this the first thing to-morrow,\" Rupert remarked.\n\"Dolly, give me your money and let me keep it.\"\n\nShe gathered up the notes and gold and handed them to him. He counted\nboth over. \"Why, Dolly,\" he said, \"there is only thirty pounds left.\"\n\nShe laughed, in reply, that frank guileless laugh which never rings out\nsave when a woman has concealed nothing--has nothing she wishes to\nconceal.\n\n\"Oh! I paid off such a number of worries yesterday. Of course, had there\nbeen enough to get rid of even one of our distinguished visitors, I\nshould have done so, but as there was not, I killed such a host of\ngnats. See,\" and going to her desk she produced a perfect packet of\nreceipts. \"I am so thankful those little things are settled,\" she went\non, \"if I had kept the money it would only have gone somehow--not this\n'how,' I am quite certain.\"\n\n\"Will nothing teach her common sense?\" but even as he thought, Dolly's\neyes suddenly uplifted surprised his--her brown eyes looking out from a\nvery white face and a confused mass of dark hair.\n\n\"What is the matter,\" she inquired; \"of what are you thinking?\"\n\n\"Of you,\" he answered; \"I wish you were more prudent.\"\n\n\"I wish I were--perhaps I shall be some day,\" she said humbly.\n\nThinking of the manner in which she had without question turned her\nmoney over to him Rupert felt doubtful.\n\n\"You had better keep two or three sovereigns,\" he observed.\n\n\"I fancy so,\" she agreed. \"There is always money wanting now, and you\nmight not be in the way.\"\n\nHe looked at her across the table, and then bent down his head over the\nnotes and gold.\n\nIncredible as it may seem, there was something in the woman's\nface--though she was utterly ignorant of its presence--which touched\nRupert's nature to its best and deepest depths, wringing his\nheart-strings.\n\nIf he had known what that something prefigured, if God had only for one\nmoment given him prescience that night, the man's memory might have\nfailed to hold something which shall never depart from him now till life\nis extinguished with it.\n\nAs it was he exclaimed,\n\n\"I would to Heaven, Dolly, I had passed all my life with you and Archie.\nI should in that case have been as unmercenary and unselfish as you.\"\n\n\"Rather,\" said Dolly sententiously, \"you should thank Heaven for having\nplaced you in one of this world's strictest schools. Otherwise you might\nhave been a simpleton like myself, or a clever idiot like dear Archie,\nbut you would never have been a man who shall make his way to success as\nyou intend to do.\"\n\n\"How shall I make my way to success?\" he inquired.\n\n\"I do not quite like to say out my thought,\" she replied. \"It is Sunday\nnight, and what I feel may seem profane when rendered into speech.\nNevertheless, Rupert, Providence does take care of men like you. I\ncannot at all tell why, since I know you are no better, indeed a great\ndeal worse than myself. You will get on, never fear; just as if the\nvision were realized, I can see you now in a fine place, with a rich\nwife.\"\n\n\"Stay,\" interrupted Rupert; \"wherein this vision comes the skeleton?\"\n\n\"To my imagination,\" she answered, \"the skeleton ceases not by day or\nnight; it is ever present,--it is Homewood with you and your sister,\nprosperous in your plans, and my husband, who sheltered you--dying.\"\n\n\"How you talk, Dolly? Archie is no worse.\"\n\n\"Is he not?\" she replied. \"If things do not soon change here, the whole\nquestion will be settled in the simplest manner possible. He will die,\nand there will be a funeral, and people will say,\n\n\"'Poor fellow! he held out as long as he could, and died just in the\nnick of time.'\"\n\n\"I know one man, at any rate, who would say nothing of the kind,\"\nremarked Rupert, \"who would be quite certain to observe, 'Have you heard\nabout that fellow Mortomley? No. Well, he has taken it into his head to\ndie, and left me in the lurch. And after all my kindness to him too. I\ndeclare, sir, if that man had been my brother, I could not have done\nmore for him--but there, that is just the return I meet with from, every\none.'\"\n\nThe imitation was so admirable, and the words so exactly similar to\nthose she had heard used, that Dolly could not choose but laugh.\n\nThen she stopped suddenly and said, \"It is no laughing matter though.\"\n\n\"What makes you think Archie is worse?\" asked her companion.\n\n\"He would try to get up for a short time this afternoon, and\nunfortunately elected to have his chair wheeled up close to the side\nwindow. He had not been seated there ten minutes before he saw one of\nthose men crossing from the kitchen-garden. He asked me who he was, and\nI was obliged to tell him. He did not make any remark at the time, but\nshortly afterwards said he would lie down again, and since that time he\nhas not dozed for a moment; he has refused to touch any nourishment, and\nhe scarcely answers when I speak to him. After the doctor saw him, he\nasked me whether Archie had received any shock, and when I explained the\nmatter to him, he looked very grave and said,\n\n\"Unless his mind can be kept easy, I will not answer for the\nconsequences.\"\n\n\"Then he was an idiot to say anything of the sort,\" Rupert angrily\ncommented. \"Never mind, Dolly, such a _contretemps_ shall not occur\nagain. I will warn these fellows that if I catch one of them prowling\nabout the grounds, I will horsewhip him, let the consequence be what it\nmay. Now, have you anything more to say, for it is growing late?\"\n\n\"Yes,\" Mrs. Mortomley answered. \"I am going to send Lenore away\nto-morrow; my aunt Celia will take charge of her until things are\nsettled here.\"\n\n\"Surely this is a very sudden idea.\"\n\n\"It never occurred to me until this afternoon. She has wearied and\nworried me, poor little mite; but I did not know what to do with her,\nand I probably never should have known what to do with her, had Mr.\nDean's effusion about the impossibility of his future wife remaining at\nHomewood, not opened my eyes.\"\n\n\"I understand,\" remarked Rupert. \"You decided at once that if Homewood\nwere an unfit residence for Miss Halling, it was still more unfit for\nMiss Mortomley, and I really think you are right. But who is to go with\nthe child; am I?\"\n\n\"No, Esther is to take her. I have arranged all that. They start by an\nearly train to-morrow, and I hope Esther may be able to get back\nto-morrow night.\"\n\n\"Why cannot I take Lenore?\" he asked.\n\n\"Because you ought to be here,\" Mrs. Mortomley replied. \"Those two young\nmen have to finish the accounts remember, and I know little or nothing\nabout our affairs.\"\n\n\"I had forgotten,\" he remarked. \"Perhaps I ought not to be away. Now,\nDolly, have we finished business for to-night?\"\n\n\"No, I have something more to tell you,\" she answered. \"After you went\nout this afternoon, and while I was finishing my letter to aunt Celia,\nEsther came in and said 'Mr. Turner hoped I would excuse the liberty,\nbut could he be allowed to speak to me?'\n\n\"Naturally I asked who Mr. Turner was, when it transpired that one of\nthose creatures is so named. I did not know what he might want, and so\ntold her to send him in.\n\n\"'I trust you will pardon me, ma'am,' he began, 'I have not always been\nin as low a position as that I now occupy, and--'\n\n\"I misunderstood his meaning, and told him that of course he must know\nthe whole affair was miserable for us, but that I was aware if a man\nchose such a vocation, he must discharge the duties connected with it;\nand that we did not want in any way to make the discharge of those\nduties unpleasant to him. He waited quietly and respectfully till I had\nquite finished, when he first thanked me for my kindness, and then said\nI had mistaken his meaning.\n\n\"'I understand' he finished, 'that Mr. Mortomley intends to go into\nliquidation.'\n\n\"I was a little surprised at this, but told him yes, Mr. Mortomley did.\nThere was nothing secret about the matter.\n\n\"Then in so many words he told me he was bound to write and inform his\nemployer that such was the case; but he went on and then paused, while\nI waited curiously, I must confess, for the man's manner and the\nexpression of his face perplexed me.\n\n\"'The truth is, ma'am,' he gathered up courage to say at last, 'I have\nbeen very well treated here, and I am very sorry to see things going\nwrong in a house like this, and as I have seen a great deal of\nbankruptcy and arrangements and all the rest of it, I thought I would\njust make so bold as to say that if there are any things about the house\nfor which you have a particular fancy, the sooner you put them on one\nside or ask some of your friends to take charge of them for you the\nbetter.'\n\n\"I declare, Rupert, I did not comprehend at first what he meant, and\nwhen at last he explained himself more at length, I was so amazed I\ncould only say we did not think of leaving Homewood or selling the\nfurniture, that all Mr. Mortomley wanted was time, and of course things\nwould remain as they were and the business be continued just as usual.\n\n\"He said he was sure he hoped all might turn out as I expected, but that\nhe trusted I would excuse his still recommending me to make\narrangements for the worst.\n\n\"'And do you propose that we should do that by stealing from ourselves?'\nI asked.\n\n\"'Well, everything in the place is yours to-night, ma'am, certainly,' he\nanswered; 'that is, except for the amounts I and my companion are here\nfor, but that will not be the case for long when once the other man\ncomes in.'\n\n\"'What other man?' I said.\n\n\"'Why the trustee's man.'\n\n\"Then I got annoyed and told him he was talking nonsense, that once the\npetition was granted there would be no more 'men' at Homewood; that\nsince the passing of the new Bankruptcy Act everything was made\ncomparatively pleasant for people who wanted to act honestly.\n\n\"'If you will excuse my saying so, ma'am,' he persisted, 'I think you\nknow even less about the working of the new Act than I do.'\n\n\"At that point I lost my temper.\n\n\"'Whether I do or not I shall not follow your advice, though I suppose\nyou mean it kindly. If my husband's creditors want every article in\nHomewood, why, they must take even to the last chair, that is all. If I\nhad to turn out to-night without a shelter or a penny I would not do\nwhat you suggest.'\n\n\"He bowed and went away without speaking another word, and of course I\nthought the subject was ended.\n\n\"Quite by accident I went an hour ago to Lenore's room, and there to my\nastonishment I found piled up on the drawers and tables all the\nknick-knacks out of the drawing-room; the timepieces, the vases, the\nstatuettes, the little genuine silver we have not parted with, and a\nwhole tribe of other articles.\n\n\"Then I rang for Esther and asked what it meant. Turner, it appeared,\nafter leaving me, told her I understood nothing whatever of our real\nposition, and that the greatest service she could do me was to send as\nmuch as possible to some safe place of keeping without mentioning the\nmatter to me.\n\n\"And acting on this, she had intended to get up about four o'clock and\npack up all she could, and take the spoil with her to Great Dassell.\n\n\"I was so angry I said sharp things to the girl I ought not to have\nsaid. I believe I frightened her to death, and I know I have made myself\nquite ill and hysterical with the passion I got into.\"\n\n\"Esther is happy enough now. She did it all for the best, and I have\ntold her how sorry I am to have spoken sharply; but, Rupert, Rupert,\nwhat is the meaning of all this? There is something in liquidation we do\nnot understand.\"\n\n\"I do not think there is,\" was the reply. \"This man only spoke according\nto his light, which seems to be a very poor one. He simply advised that\ncourse to be taken which would be taken by ninety-nine people out of a\nhundred.\"\n\n\"Then if such is the case, I cannot wonder at Mr. Forde's idea that\ndebtors are thieves.\"\n\n\"And at the same time there may be some reason for the debtors' belief\nthat creditors are robbers.\"\n\n\"Oh!\" cried Dolly, \"that it were all ended.\"\n\n\"It will be some day, please God,\" he answered. \"And now, Dolly, do get\nto bed; your white face will disturb my dreams. When had you anything to\neat?\"\n\n\"I don't think I have eaten anything since Thursday,\" she answered;\n\"anything, I mean, worth calling a meal.\"\n\n\"You will kill yourself if you go on as you are doing,\" he said, but she\nshook her head.\n\n\"I am going to live to a hundred and forty, like the Countess of\nDesmond, who died in consequence of a fall from a cherry-tree,\" Dolly\nexplained. \"I shall be a great-great-great-grandmother, and I shall\ninculcate upon the first, second, third, and fourth generations the\ntruth of that old proverb, 'Take care of the pence, and the pounds will\ntake care of themselves.'\"\n\n\"Never mind pence or pounds either, Dolly. I wish you would take care of\nyourself.\"\n\n\"Why?\" she asked; then went on, \"I wonder if on the face of the earth\nbesides Archie and Lenore, and Esther and Mrs. Werner, and perhaps my\nAunt Celia, there is a creature who would be really sorry if I died\nto-night?\"\n\n\"Do you exclude me?\" Rupert marvelled.\n\n\"You have not lived long enough to be very sorry about anything except\nyour own affairs--about any trouble coming to those connected with you\nunless their sorrow means loss of comfort to yourself.\"\n\n\"Do you think I am not sorry for Archie and you now?\"\n\n\"I am quite sure you are,\" she replied bitterly. \"Homewood has been a\npleasant house for you to live in; far pleasanter than Elm Park can ever\nprove.\"\n\n\"Dolly,\" he interrupted, \"I do not mean to call you ungrateful, but\nconsidering how I have been working on your behalf to-day--\"\n\n\"We need not discuss the question,\" she remarked as he stopped and\npaused. \"There is no necessity now for us to go into our accounts and\nput down, 'I have done this, and Archie has done the other.' Before\nthis liquidation business is ended we shall have ample opportunity of\ndoing full justice each to the other--only--Rupert, I do not think you\nwould have been quite so ready to leave Homewood had your opinion and\nthat of the man Turner not to a certain extent coincided.\"\n\n\"You wrong me greatly,\" he answered, \"but as you say there is no\nnecessity for us to discuss these questions now. Do go to bed, dear; you\nwill knock yourself up if you neither rest nor sleep, and then who can\nsee to Archie?\"\n\n\"Good night,\" she said holding out her hand, \"if I have misjudged you I\nam sorry.\"\n\nHe held the door open for her to pass out, and watched her as she\nflitted up the staircase.\n\nHad she misjudged him Rupert wondered. No. Her instinct guided her\naright when reason might have failed to do so.\n\n\"I suppose I am a rat,\" he thought, \"and that by some curious intuition\nI did guess the ship was sinking. Knowledge and calculation had,\nhowever, nothing to do with the matter. That I can declare. Now it will\nperhaps be well for me to calculate. I do not much relish hearing a list\nof benefits conferred, recited at each interview.\"\n\nIn his heart Rupert felt very angry. An individual must be remarkably\ngood looking to approve of a mirror which reflects him feature by\nfeature, wrinkle by wrinkle, exactly as he is!\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER VIII.\n\n MR. SWANLAND STIRS HIS TEA.\n\n\nAt a few minutes before six next morning, as Messrs. Lang and Hankins\nwere coming up the road, still sleepy after the long rest afforded by\nthe previous day, they saw Rupert Halling advancing to meet them.\n\nIt was a miserable morning, raining a fine drizzling rain with a cold\nwind blowing at the same time, but Rupert, careless as usual of the\nstate of the weather, walked along under the trees, his cap a little on\none side, his shooting-jacket flying open, whistling a low soft melody\nconfidentially to himself.\n\n\"Good morning,\" he said to the men. \"No one could call this a fine one.\nLang, give the keys to Hankins and walk with me a little way; I want to\nspeak to you.\"\n\nIn a few words Mr. Halling explained his difficulty, and asked Lang to\nhelp him out of it.\n\n\"I can manage that easily enough,\" was the answer. \"Luckily I did not\nmake up my books on Saturday as I generally do. Now, sir, remember you\nknow nothing except that you understood I was short twenty-five pounds\nfor the wages. Leave all the rest to me.\"\n\n\"You are sure, Lang, you do not mind interfering in this.\"\n\nMr. Lang laughed a short laugh, more like a snort than an evidence of\nmerriment.\n\n\"Mind!\" he echoed, \"have I not been through the fire myself? but then I\nknew what was coming and arranged accordingly. Otherwise me and my wife\nand the children would not have had a bed to lie on. Mind! If the\ngovernor or you had only told me things were coming to this pass, we\nmight have had a snug business at work some place else by this time, and\nsnapped our fingers at them all. By Heavens, to think of it!\" added Mr.\nLang, stopping to look at Homewood. \"I wish it had been bankruptcy\nthough, if it must be anything, and then we should have had some chance\nof speaking out our minds about that rubbish from the General Chemical\nCompany.\"\n\n\"I did not know you had ever been bankrupt,\" said Rupert.\n\n\"Yes, sir; I had to fail; after the old gentleman's death,\" with a jerk\nof his head he indicated that he meant Mr. Mortomley, senior. \"I must\nneeds go as working partner into a firm who promised to do wonders for\nme. When they had picked my skull clean, they wanted to pitch me over,\nand they did pitch me over, thinking to have all the road to themselves,\nbut that was not good enough for me, not at all,\" added Mr. Lang\nsarcastically. \"I had a little money and I got a place and I set to\nwork, and I could have done well only there was not an article I dealt\nin they did not offer at a lower price.\n\n\"Seeing their game I lowered my prices, then they cut theirs still\nlower, and so we went on till at last what we charged did not pay men's\nwages, let alone material and rent and all the rest of it.\n\n\"I being a practical man, and able to work myself, had a little the\nadvantage of them; and besides I knew what must come, sooner or later,\nand so managed matters that when the brokers came in at last--and I was\nsick to death of expecting them before they did come--there was not\nenough in my house to pay the expenses of levying.\n\n\"At the works of course everything remained as usual, for there was not\nan article in them ever likely to be of use to me again.\n\n\"My old partners and me smashed up about the same time, and they have\nnever done any good since. I met one of them only the other day and he\nsays,\n\n\"'Lang,' he says, 'I wish we could have agreed and stayed together,' he\nsays, 'we might all have been independent by this time.'\n\n\"'I wish,' I says, 'you could have acted honourable by me. It might have\nbeen better for you in the long run. For myself, I'm pretty\ncomfortable, thank you. I have a good berth at Mortomley's, and needn't\nlie awake half my nights thinking about the wages for Saturday.'\n\n\"And then I asked him if he would take a glass of sherry; and though he\nwas once a high and mighty sort of gentleman, he thanked me and did take\nit. That's the fruits of competition, sir, which some people think is so\ngood for trade.\"\n\nTurning the corner of the road sharply at this juncture, they came upon\na man who stood leaning over the close fence which on that side enclosed\nthe kitchen gardens at Homewood.\n\nIt was early to meet a stranger in such a neighbourhood, more especially\na stranger who not being a working man had evidently no better\nemployment than to stand out in damp weather surveying local landmarks.\n\nHe did not take any notice of either Rupert or his companion, continuing\nto lounge against the fence and contemplate vegetable-marrows, cabbages,\nand parsley.\n\nRupert, however, turned twice or thrice and took a long steady survey\non each occasion.\n\n\"Who is that man, Lang?\" he inquired.\n\n\"Never saw him before. He looks up to no good,\" answered Mr. Lang.\n\nRupert and the manager walked a few steps further, and then began to\nretrace their steps.\n\nAs they did so, they beheld the stranger lounging slowly before them,\nstopping at intervals to inspect the appearance of Homewood from\ndifferent points of view, and giving the two an opportunity to pass him\nagain.\n\n\"Beg pardon,\" he said, when they were close upon him, \"but can you\noblige me with a light?\"\n\nHe addressed Lang, but Rupert answered him by producing a box of\nmatches.\n\n\"I wonder who that man can be,\" remarked Rupert once they were out of\nearshot.\n\n\"He _is_ up to no good,\" said Mr. Lang emphatically.\n\n\"I don't think he is,\" agreed Rupert uneasily, but neither he nor Lang\ncould have defined the precise form of evil they believed the stranger\nhad set himself to compass.\n\nHad any one at Homewood kept a diary, however, which no one did with the\nexception of Lang, who prided himself not a little on the neatness and\naccuracy of his day-book, there would have been little in the events of\nthe next eight-and-forty hours worth chronicling.\n\nThe clerks arrived as arranged, and before they had finished their work\nMr. Benning appeared to see how they were getting on and have a look\nround the place, and ask a few questions of Rupert and Mrs. Mortomley,\nand a great many when he got the chance of wandering about the works\nunaccompanied, of Lang, Hankins, and even the rank and file of the\nworking men.\n\nHe came, though Rupert was unaware of the fact, to try and find out\nsomething, but whatever that something might be he failed to make any\ndiscovery, excepting that the extent of Mr. Mortomley's trade had not\nbeen exaggerated, and that about the serious and possibly dangerous\nnature of his illness no rational doubt could be entertained.\n\nHaving satisfied his mind on these points, he and the clerks returned\nto town, taking as accurate a list of the liabilities as could be\nprepared in the time with them.\n\nThe same night Esther returned from Great Dassell, eloquent in praise of\nMiss Gerace, who had sadly wanted her to remain at all events till the\nfollowing morning, and from whom she brought a very kind little note,\nsaying she would gladly take charge of Lenore until Mr. Mortomley was\nbetter, and their difficulties of whatever nature they might be,\novercome.\n\nNext day Mr. Benning reappeared, accompanied by a Commissioner, to take\nMr. Mortomley's affidavit that to the best of his belief the accounts\nfurnished were accurate.\n\nThis ceremony occupied about half a minute, but under the circumstances\nit did prove an exhilarating performance, and to any one superstitious\nabout such matters, the steady downfall of rain which had commenced on\nthe previous Saturday, and never really left off since it began, was\nsuggestive of a considerable amount of bad weather in the business\njourney Mortomley had been compelled to undertake.\n\nLate in the afternoon Miss Halling and her brother took their departure.\nThe young lady's luggage had all been despatched earlier in the day, and\nRupert's seemed to consist merely of a black leather bag. Nevertheless,\nwhen Dolly went into his room she found it stripped of every article\nbelonging to him, even to the sketch of Lenore at five years of age\nwhich always hung over the mantel-piece.\n\nThe young man had made sure of the safety of his own possessions, and\nMrs. Mortomley had sense enough to commend his wisdom.\n\nNevertheless there is a wisdom which hurts, and Rupert's hurt her.\n\n\"I was right,\" she thought, \"they are rats and the ship is sinking.\" And\nfrom that hour she braced up her courage to meet whatever fate might be\ncoming, bravely--as she certainly would have done had she in fact stood\non the deck of a vessel foundering in the midst of a wild and cruel sea.\n\nTowards evening there arrived at Homewood a respectable looking sort of\nindividual, who announcing that he was the bearer of a note from Mr.\nSwanland to Mrs. Mortomley, was asked without delay into the library.\n\nMrs. Mortomley looked at him and felt relieved. Here was a middle-aged\nconfidential clerk, not at all like a man in possession, and she greeted\nhim with civility, not to say cordiality.\n\n\"Pray sit down,\" she said, and Mr. Meadows seated himself with an\napparent show of deference, all the time he understood quite as well as\nMr. Bailey, there was not a chair in Homewood which did not already\nbelong of right, not exactly perhaps to him, but his employer.\n\nThen Mrs. Mortomley opened the note and read--\n\n \"Dear Madam,\n\n \"The bearer, Mr. Meadows, will inform you that everything is going\n on satisfactorily. He may be able, I trust, to relieve you from all\n anxiety and responsibility, and I have directed him to make his\n presence as little irksome as possible. To-morrow, if possible, I\n hope to call at Homewood, in order to make arrangements for the\n future. In the meantime, dear madam,\n\n \"I have the honour to remain,\n \"Yours faithfully,\n \"V. S. SWANLAND.\n\n \"To Mrs. Mortomley,\n \"Homewood,\n \"Whip's Cross.\"\n\nMrs. Mortomley read this epistle over three times. If she had not been\nenlightened on the point, it would never have occurred to her that Mr.\nMeadows was to be located at Homewood.\n\nHaving been enlightened, however, she asked,\n\n\"Do I understand you are to remain here?\"\n\n\"It will be necessary for me to do so, madam,\" he answered, \"until the\npreliminaries are settled. In fact, it is quite possible I may have to\nstay here until after the meeting of creditors.\"\n\nMrs. Mortomley paused and reflected. She did not know he was letting her\ndown easily, and there was a feasibility about his statements which to\nher mind stamped them with a certain authenticity.\n\n\"Should you like tea or supper?\" she asked after that mental\nconference--unconscious still, poor Dolly! that there sat the\nrepresentative of the legal owner of Homewood and all it contained.\n\"Either can be sent to you here immediately.\"\n\n\"If you have no objection ma'am,\" he answered, \"I will go into the\nkitchen out of the way--and I can take share of what is going--\"\n\n\"You are very thoughtful,\" said Mrs. Mortomley, \"but I could not really\nthink of allowing such a thing. You can have your own rooms here and--\"\n\n\"I would rather go into the kitchen, ma'am,\" he persisted. \"In these\ncases I like to be out of the way and give no trouble.\"\n\n\"That's extremely kind of you,\" said Mrs. Mortomley, and he failed, for\na reason, to hear the ring of sarcasm in her tone. \"You shall be made\ncomfortable wherever you are, for I suppose now you are come--the men in\npossession will go out.\"\n\n\"Not to-night,\" he answered; \"I have no instructions in the matter.\nTo-morrow, Mr. Swanland purposes to be here, and then no doubt,\neverything will be gone into and arranged.\"\n\nSo on Tuesday evening a third man joined the kitchen family circle at\nHomewood, and added the smoke of his pipe to the smoke of those already\nin possession. Wednesday came, the morning and the noon and the\nafternoon passed without incident.\n\nDolly had been much with her husband. Mr. Meadows took occasion to\nwander into the works, and was treated at first with much respect.\nReally anywhere Mr. Meadows might have passed--to those who did not know\nhe elected to live in the kitchen--for a small manufacturer--for a\nmaster reduced to take a clerk's place.\n\nAnd Mr. Meadows had once occupied a very different position to that of\nan accountant's bailiff, and how he ever chanced to occupy himself in\nMr. Swanland's service astonished all the people employed about\nHomewood.\n\nHe had a good, not to say superior, address. He spoke very fair English,\nhe wrote a capital hand, and possessed a considerable amount of\neducation. The routine of business was evidently familiar to him, though\nhe was of course utterly ignorant of every detail of the colour trade.\nStill he asked a sufficient number of pertinent questions, to convince\nLang he felt determined to acquire such a smattering of knowledge as\nmight enable him to talk glibly on the subject hereafter to people who\ndid understand about the matter.\n\nAt the end of two days Mr. Lang had taken the \"new man's\" measure, but\nstill he was puzzled to imagine what he could have been originally, and\nhow he ever came to adopt so low a calling.\n\nWith Hankins the first question of interest was, whether the chemicals\nwere still to be had from St. Vedast Wharf.\n\n\"You had better ask Mr. Swanland about that,\" was the answer. \"He will\nbe here this evening.\"\n\n\"What does he know about chemicals or colours either?\" inquired Hankins.\n\n\"Well, he is obliged to know something about everything,\" replied Mr.\nMeadows. \"He is an uncommonly clever gentleman.\"\n\n\"One of those who can learn without being taught, I suppose,\" suggested\nHankins.\n\n\"You have hit it pretty nearly,\" answered the other, in a tone which\nchecked any further inquiries at that moment on the part of Mr. Hankins.\n\nIn the evening Mr. Swanland accompanied by Mr. Benning arrived, to make,\nin his double capacity of trustee and manager, arrangements for carrying\non a business of which he knew almost as much as Mrs. Mortomley did of\nalgebra.\n\nLang and Hankins and a subordinate foreman had been instructed to wait\nhis coming, and perhaps to this trial of patience the remark of the\nlatter, that \"Swanland was the greatest swell for a man in possession he\nhad ever seen,\" might be ascribed.\n\nAnd indeed in one way his observation was strictly true, for whereas the\nindividuals sent from time to time by descendants of all the twelve sons\nof Jacob, to keep watch and ward over the Mortomley goods and chattels,\nonly came in for a slice of the estate, Mr. Swanland came for all.\n\nAt one swoop he had everything in his hand; without inventory or\nformality of any kind, save announcing himself as manager and trustee,\nhe took a comprehensive grasp of Homewood and all it contained. The\nhorses in the stables, the chemicals and colours in the works, the bed\nthe sick man lay upon, the flowers in the garden, the exotics in the\ngreenhouse, the cat curled up before the hall fire, the dogs raving at\nthe length of their chains at the intruder, the pigeons in the dovecote,\nand the monarch of the dunghill, all belonged to Mr. Swanland. On the\nSaturday morning previously he had scarcely been aware that such a man\nas Mortomley was in existence. If he had accidentally heard his name, no\nmemory of it remained; whilst as for Homewood, the place might have been\na station in Australia for aught he knew about it.\n\nAnd now he was master. Nominally the servant of the creditors, and\nostensibly acting for the bankrupt, he was as truly the lord of\nMortomley, the controller of his temporal destiny, as any southern\nplanter ever proved of that of his slaves.\n\nWhether the gentlemen, commercial and legal no doubt, who concocted the\nBankruptcy Act of 1869, and the other gentlemen of the Upper and Lower\nHouses who made it law, ever contemplated that an utterly irresponsible\nperson should be placed in a responsible position it is not for me to\nsay, but I cannot think that any body of men out of Hanwell could have\nproposed to themselves that the whole future of a bankrupt's life should\nbe made dependent on the choice of a trustee, since it is simple\nnonsense to suppose a committee selected virtually by him and the\npetitioning creditor have the slightest voice in the matter.\n\nAnd if any man in business whose affairs are going at all wrong should\nhappen to read these lines, which unhappily is not at all probable,\nsince literature at such a time chiefly assumes the form of manuscript,\nlet him remember liquidation means no appeal, no chance of ever having\njustice done him, nor even, remote contingency,--supposing the trustee a\ncool hand like Mr. Swanland,--of setting himself right with the business\nworld.\n\nHe who goes into liquidation without first being sure of his trustee,\nhis lawyer, and his committee passes into an earthly hell, over the\nportals of which are engraved the same words as those surmounting\nDante's 'Inferno.'\n\nHe has left hope behind. God help him, for nothing save a miracle can\never enable him to retrace the path to the spot where she sits immortal.\n\nAt Homewood Mr. Swanland was in possession, and yet Dolly never\nsuspected the fact. Her first uneasiness arose from a few words uttered\nby Mr. Benning.\n\n\"I suppose the business will be carried on,\" he remarked, sitting in the\npleasant drawing-room with his feet stretched out towards the fire and\nhis hands plunged in his pockets. Dolly could not avoid noticing that\nall these dreadful men did keep their hands in their pockets, as if they\nhad no use for them anywhere else. \"We must get a manager, I suppose.\"\n\nNow was Dolly's opportunity.\n\n\"The business cannot be carried on except by some one who understands it\nthoroughly,\" she said.\n\n\"I do not suppose there will be any difficulty about that,\" he answered.\n\"Competent people are always to be had if one knows how to look for\nthem.\"\n\n\"Do you mean,\" she inquired, \"that my husband will not have the\nmanagement of his own business. Under Mr. Swanland I mean of course,\"\nshe added.\n\n\"Mr. Mortomley's health seems quite broken up,\" said Mr. Benning. \"It\nwould be simple cruelty to ask him to attend to business. After the\nmeeting of creditors the best thing he can do will be to go to some\npretty seaside place in Devonshire or Cornwall, and live there\ncomfortable upon your money.\"\n\nFor a minute the wretched woman sat silent facing her misery. Leave\nHomewood! leave the business of which her husband thought so much!\nPerhaps it was not true, perhaps she had not understood him.\n\n\"Do you really think we had better go away, away altogether,\" she\ngasped.\n\n\"Certainly,\" he answered.\n\nAt that moment, that critical moment, when she was about to ask if such\na proposal were possible what the meaning of liquidation could be, Mr.\nSwanland, pale, bland, pleasant, courteous, Mr. Asherill's perfect\ngentleman the accountant cat, with his claws sheathed in velvet, folded\nin his muff, purring complacently, re-entered the room.\n\n\"Well, Mrs. Mortomley,\" he said, \"everything seems most satisfactory.\nThe trade appears good and the men employed respectable. Yes, thank you;\nI will take a cup of tea.\"\n\nThis was between the lines, and when Mrs. Mortomley handed him the tea\nshe noticed how he stirred it, not at all as Mr. Asherill's perfect\ngentleman should have done, but holding the spoon upright.\n\n\"It is a shame for me to be so hypercritical,\" she thought. \"I dare say\nhe is a far honester man than this dreadful lawyer.\"\n\nAnd so she inclined her ear to his pleasant words.\n\n\"Do not think, Mrs. Mortomley,\" he said, as he was leaving, with a\nsudden uplifting of his Albino eyes, \"that because I am placed here in a\ndisagreeable position I wish to make matters disagreeable to you. Pray\nlet me hear from you when you want anything, and be quite sure it is my\ndesire to act towards you as a friend in every way.\"\n\nAnd he put out his hand.\n\nDolly took it, and thought she must by some accident have got hold of a\nfrog.\n\nKleinwort was right. Mr. Asherill's partner had no digestion and no\nheart.\n\nThe more Mrs. Mortomley thought about Mr. Swanland the less she\nbelieved in him, spite of his plausible manner and his pleasant\nutterances, and when she crept into bed that night she caught herself\nwondering whether there could be any good in a person whose hand was\nlike wet clay and who stirred his tea as the accountant stirred his.\n\nMr. Swanland left Homewood with an instinctive knowledge that the\n_quondam_ mistress of that place disliked him, which knowledge touched\nthe trustee in no vulnerable point.\n\nIt made, however, some slight difference to Mrs. Mortomley in the\nfuture, that future which, lying awake in the darkness, she vainly tried\nto forecast.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER IX.\n\n IN THE 'TIMES.'\n\n\nIf there was trouble at Homewood on that especial Wednesday, it had not\nbeen a day of unmixed pleasure to two people in the city.\n\nHis worst enemy might have pitied Mr. Forde when on opening the 'Times,'\nlying over the back of the official chair at St. Vedast Wharf, the first\nsentence which met his eye was,\n\n\"Before Mr. Commissioner Blank.\" \"_Re_ Archibald Mortomley,\" and all the\nrest of it.\n\nThe paragraph was not altogether an inch long, but it proved enough to\nmake Mr. Forde turn as faint and sick as many a man brave enough and\nhonest enough had turned before in that very office.\n\nIn imagination he saw looming in the distance ruin and beggary. He heard\nthe gates of St. Vedast Wharf close behind him for the last time. Things\nwere worse with him, much worse than they had been when Mortomley's\nnephew came to say his uncle meant to go into liquidation, and Mr. Forde\nfelt impelled once again to take his hat.\n\n\"I wish I had left then,\" he muttered.\n\nIf a house be tottering, the removal of even a single stone may hasten\nthe impending catastrophe. As Mr. Forde believed, Mortomley was a most\nimportant stone in the edifice of his own safety, and yet even at that\njuncture it never occurred to him it was his own mad sledge-hammer blows\nhad driven it so completely out of place that no one could ever hope to\nmake it available at St. Vedast Wharf again.\n\nReally the manager was to be pitied. If there chanced to be one thing\nmore than another on which he piqued himself, it was his genius for\ndiplomacy, and, as Mr. Gibbons said, he had done a neat thing when he\nemployed his own solicitor to do Mortomley's work.\n\nIf everything could have been prevailed upon to work as he intended it\nshould, Mr. Forde would have been comparatively at ease; but edged tools\nhave sometimes a knack of cutting those who play with them, and already\none of Mr. Forde's tools had inflicted upon him a nasty wound.\n\n\"I will go round to Basinghall Street,\" he said almost aloud, as though\nsome balm of Gilead might be extracted even from Salisbury House, and he\nwent round to find Mr. Swanland out, Mr. Asherill urbane and unctuous as\never.\n\nDeriving little consolation from his unsatisfactory interview with the\nlatter gentleman, he walked on to Kleinwort's office, only to find him\nabsent also, and the time of his return uncertain.\n\nThen, because he was able to think of no other person to whom he could\nspeak on the subject, he turned into Werner's counting-house.\n\nAs usual, Mr. Werner was within and visible.\n\n\"Have you seen the 'Times'?\" asked Mr. Forde, after the first greetings\nwere exchanged.\n\n\"Yes,\" was the short reply.\n\n\"Were you not surprised?\"\n\n\"I do not know. I suppose I was. I thought you would have expressed your\nwishes more clearly.\"\n\n\"Clearly!\" No italics and no number of interjections could convey an\nidea of the tone in which Mr. Forde uttered this word. \"Why, sir, I told\nBenning as plainly as I could speak I wanted the matter kept out of the\npapers, and if that was not sufficiently explicit, I repeated the same\nthing to Swanland, and now just see the mess they have got me into.\"\n\n\"What do your directors say?\"\n\n\"I have not seen any of them yet. What I shall say to them I cannot\nimagine.\"\n\nAnd Mr. Forde beat a dismal tattoo on the corner of the desk as he\nspoke.\n\nThen ensued a pause, during which Werner looked out at the weather,\nwhich was wet and cheerless, and Mr. Forde looked at him.\n\n\"What do you think?\" asked the manager at length.\n\n\"I do not think. What is the good of thinking? If you had not been so\ndecided on having your own way and insisting on Benning taking out the\norder, this need never have happened; but you always imagine yourself\ncleverer than anybody else, and so overshot the mark. Have you been to\nSwanland?\"\n\n\"Yes, he was out. I saw Asherill, however, who repudiated all knowledge\nof Mortomley and his affairs and Swanland and his doings. He blessed me\nand gave me a tract, and said he was going to speak at a meeting this\nevening on behalf of a mission to some hopeful heathens in Africa. He\npresented me with tickets and asked me to give them to any friend if I\ncould not make use of them myself. Here they are.\"\n\nHenry Werner took the tickets and tore them into small atoms, flinging\nthese contemptuously into his waste basket.\n\n\"If he would speak on behalf of a mission to the heathens of the City of\nLondon, I could furnish him with some anecdotes calculated to adorn his\naddress,\" he remarked. \"But to return to Mortomley. In your place I\nshould meet the difficulty boldly. There is nothing disgraceful about\nMortomley's debt to you; nothing disgraceful about the man, spite of all\nthe mud with which you have been pleased to bespatter him. His worst\ncrime is illness, and that illness leaves you at liberty to make good\nany story you like to tell. If it were Kleinwort now--\"\n\n\"Kleinwort would never serve me as Mortomley has done,\" interrupted Mr.\nForde.\n\n\"It is very hard to tell what any man would do till he is tried,\" said\nMr. Werner sententiously.\n\n\"_You_ would not fail me. _You_ would always consider me. _You_ would\nremember I have a wife and family depending upon me,\" observed Mr. Forde\nentreatingly.\n\n\"If I were in a corner myself, I am quite certain I should do nothing of\nthe kind,\" was the frank reply. \"My dear fellow bring the case home. Do\n_you_ never fail other people? Do _you_ always consider me for instance?\nHave _you_ given throughout the whole of this affair of Mortomley's one\nthought to his wife or child? No you have not, and no man in business\ndoes. You would pitch Kleinwort and me and a score more over to-morrow\nif you could do so safely, and we would pitch you over if any\nextraordinary temptation came in our way. You do not believe in us, and\nwe do not believe in you; but we do believe we have amongst us got into\nsuch a cursed muddle we cannot afford to throw anybody overboard who\nmight swim to land and tell the story of our voyage. That is the state\nof the case, my friend. It is not a cheerful view of the position, but\nit is the true one.\"\n\n\"I have no doubt you would throw anybody overboard and jeer him while he\nwas drowning,\" said Mr. Forde bitterly. \"Now let Kleinwort be what he\nmay, he has a heart. He is not like you, Werner.\"\n\n\"Well that is a comfort at any rate,\" remarked Mr. Werner. \"I do not\nthink I should care to be like Kleinwort.\"\n\nMr. Forde did not reply. He always got the worst of the game when he\nengaged in a verbal duel with Mr. Werner, so he remained leaning against\nthe corner of the desk for a minute or so in silence thinking how\nextremely disagreeable Werner was and how hardly every one dealt with\nhim.\n\nAt length he roused himself and said, \"I suppose there is no good in my\nstaying here any longer.\"\n\n\"You are quite welcome to stay\" was the reply; \"but I agree with you\nthat there is no good purpose to be served by your doing so.\"\n\n\"What a Job's comforter you are,\" sighed poor Mr. Forde.\n\n\"Job came all right in the end, if you remember,\" Mr. Werner replied.\n\"If you only fare ultimately half so well as he did you will not have\nmuch cause to complain.\"\n\n\"Yes, to-morrow must come, no matter how much sorrow to-day holds,\"\nanswered Mr. Forde unconsciously paraphrasing one of Kleinwort's\nutterances. \"If you see any of my people, Werner, do try to make things\na little pleasant for me.\"\n\n\"You had better explain what you propose telling them, so that I may\nknow the statement I am expected to back up,\" said Mr. Werner. \"These\nthings ought to be arranged beforehand.\"\n\nBut Mr. Forde had already banged the door and departed, so that the last\nutterance failed to reach his ears.\n\nWhen Mr. Werner went out during the afternoon he met Mr. Kleinwort.\n\n\"Have not you some shares in that Spanish mine Green promoted,\" he\ninquired.\n\nThe German nodded.\n\n\"Well, I heard this morning from good authority that the mine will never\npay, that the whole thing is a swindle, and was a swindle from the\nbeginning.\"\n\n\"Ah! what a world is this,\" said Kleinwort with a pious and resigned\nexpression of countenance.\n\n\"I do not think it is too late for you to sell,\" suggested Mr. Werner.\n\nThe German shrugged his shoulders.\n\n\"It matters not to me,\" he replied.\n\n\"I thought you said you had shares,\" remarked his companion.\n\n\"So I have; but they are in pledge don't you call it. That dear Forde\nwanted them and he has got them. How nice it is when a man has got what\nhe wants.\"\n\n\"Kleinwort, I am afraid you are a great rogue,\" observed Mr. Werner\nseverely.\n\n\"Ditto to you half countryman of mine own,\" answered the other raising\nhis hat with a gesture of mock deference. \"Have you been to St. Vedast\nto-day? No. Neither have I. Seemed best, I thought, to leave poor Forde\nto digest that neat little paragraph in the 'Times' without\ndisturbance!\"\n\n\"It will be a bad thing for him, I am afraid,\" remarked Werner.\n\n\"It will be a bad thing for me, which is matter of much more interest to\nBertram Kleinwort,\" was the answer. \"That accursed Benning and\nthrice-accursed partner of the Christian wolf,--how I wish they were\nboth hanging on a gibbet higher than Haman's, and that I was big man\nenough to pull their legs!\"\n\nHaving giving utterance to which Christian desire Mr. Kleinwort\ndeparted, leaving even Werner astonished at the tone of deadly hatred he\nconcentrated in one sentence.\n\n\"I believe you would do it too, you little devil,\" he decided. \"Well, I\nwill go and tell Forde about the mine, and give him a chance of\nselling.\"\n\nBut Mr. Forde was not at the wharf.\n\n\"He had received a letter by the second post,\" explained one of the\nclerks, \"which obliged him to start at once for Newcastle.\"\n\nMr. Werner smiled. He understood the cause of that sudden journey, but\nhe only said, \"I will look round again on Friday.\"\n\nBut when Friday came, it was useless for him to do so. The shares in\nthat especial mine were a drug in the market. Every one was hastening to\nsell, and no man could be found to buy.\n\nMeantime, however, fortune, which never proves more utterly capricious\nthan when we believe ourselves down for life in her black books, had\nrelented and done Mr. Forde a gracious turn.\n\nOn the occasion of that meeting in behalf of the heathen, to which Mr.\nForde referred so contemptuously, Samuel Witney, Esq., took the chair,\nand after various missionaries and others interested in the good work\nhad addressed the assemblage, and votes of thanks had been returned to\neverybody for something, proposed to his dear brother in religion that,\nas they must return to their respective homes from the Waterloo Station,\nthey should walk thither together.\n\nPerfectly well Mr. Asherill understood the reason of this suggestion,\nand for one moment he hesitated whether he should not charter a cab to\nthe City and tell Mr. Witney the literal truth, namely, that he\ngenerally travelled to and from his snug villa residence _via_ the North\nLondon Railway.\n\nBut immediately he decided to face the difficulty. Sooner or later his\nfellow Christian was certain to question him about Mortomley, and the\nsooner he did so, the less difficulty there might be in answering his\ninquiries.\n\n\"I was very much surprised to see in the 'Times' this morning that Mr.\nMortomley had gone into liquidation,\" began Mr. Witney.\n\n\"Sad affair, is it not?\" said Mr. Asherill, feeling his way.\n\n\"It is sad for us. We are creditors, as of course you are aware.\"\n\n\"I have been given to understand as much, but I am glad to know that you\nare not creditors for any large amount, that is, I mean for anything\nserious. A few thousands is of course a bagatelle, to a great concern\nlike the General Chemical Company.\"\n\n\"Humph!\" ejaculated Mr. Witney. He did not care to say the loss if total\nwould mean half dividend or none at all, and yet still he was too much\nexercised in spirit to be able to remain silent under the grievance.\n\"One does not like to lose even a comparatively small sum,\" he observed\nat length.\n\n\"That is quite true,\" agreed Mr. Asherill, casting about in his own\nmind to find the real reason why Forde, Werner, and Kleinwort had all\nbeen so desirous to keep Mortomley on his feet.\n\nAccording to Mr. Witney, the state of whose feelings Mr. Asherill read\nlike a book, the colour-maker did not owe the Company such an amount as\nto warrant the fuss made over and the anxiety exhibited about his\naffairs.\n\n\"What is your opinion on the subject of dividend?\" asked Mr. Witney\nafter a pause.\n\n\"Well, I can scarcely be said to have an opinion,\" was the reply. \"I\nhave nothing to do with the matter. My young partner has it all in his\nown hands. I did not wish our firm to undertake the management of the\naffair.\"\n\n\"Why?\" inquired Mr. Witney.\n\n\"I really could scarcely tell you why,\" answered Mr. Asherill, \"except\nthat I have my whims and fancies, as some people would call them.\nMortomley's father was a friend of mine, and although a member of the\nChurch of England, a thorough Christian. He was, I assure you,\"\ncontinued Mr. Asherill, as his companion shook his head in a manner\nwhich might either have expressed disbelief or a desire to imply that\nwonders would never cease. \"He gave me a helping hand once, when help\nmeant more than it usually does\" ('more than you would have given your\nbrother,' added Mr. Asherill mentally) \"and I did not like the notion of\nwinding up the son. One never knows how sadly these things may end, and\nof course a trustee ought to have no personal feeling towards a\nbankrupt. He ought to be as impartial as justice herself. Mr. Swanland,\nhowever, has got the management of the estate, which from what I hear is\na good estate, a very good estate indeed,\" finished Mr. Asherill\nunctuously, as though he were saying grace before partaking of a\nplenteous and well-served dinner.\n\n\"You think there will be a good dividend then?\" suggested Mr. Witney.\n\n\"Well, I did hear,\" was the cautious answer, \"some talk of twenty\nshillings in the pound, but that I do not credit. The expenses, go to\nwork as we may, must be considerable, and then things may not fetch the\nprices expected; and, further, poor Mortomley is ill, and that is always\na drawback; but if you get fifteen shillings, come now, you would not\ngrumble then?\"\n\n\"No, certainly; but we should like to see twenty,\" said Mr. Witney. \"I\nwill call round and have a talk with Mr. Swanland on the subject.\"\n\n\"Do,\" said Mr. Asherill cordially. \"He will be able to tell you all\nabout it, much better than I,\" and the two men having by this time\narrived at Waterloo, they shook hands and blessed one another and\nproceeded to their respective trains, Mr. Asherill thinking as he went,\n\"You do not know any more than I why your manager wanted this affair\nkept quiet, but you will know to your cost some day, or I am greatly\nmistaken.\"\n\nAfter all, it is never the straws which know so well the way the wind is\nblowing as those who see them swept along with the gale.\n\n\"I give the Chemical Company another year,\" went on Mr. Asherill,\nmentally continuing the subject. \"That I fancy will be about long\nenough for them.\"\n\nAnd then he fell to considering whether he should like to have the\nwinding up of the St. Vedast Wharf estate, and decided he should not,\nfor the simple reason that he did not think there would be much estate\nleft to wind up.\n\nThere is often a touching directness about the secret motives of\nprofessing Christians. Perhaps this may be the reason why carnal and\nunconverted creatures love so little those who love themselves and\nworldly prosperity so much.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER X.\n\n MR. SWANLAND WISHES TO BE INFORMED.\n\n\nMeantime at Homewood a nice little storm was coming up against the wind.\n\nConcerning misfortune, Kleinwort's theory may be accepted as correct. It\nis rarely the expected rain-fall, rarely the anticipated storm, which\nbeats down the hopes of a man's life, destroys all the fair prospect of\nhis future. In nine cases out of ten the tempest creeps out of some\ntotally unlooked-for quarter; and behold ere one can quite understand\nthat the morning sunshine is overcast, or the mid-day glory clouded, the\nheavens are opened, and out of them proceed lightnings and thunder and\nblinding tempests which blast every bud and flower and fruit a man has\nlooked on with hope and pride, before he can realise the nature of the\nmisfortune that has fallen upon him.\n\nNow something of this kind occurred at Homewood, and it assumed the\nshape first of a most polite note from Mr. Swanland, asking Mrs.\nMortomley if she could oblige him by calling at his office at eleven\no'clock on the next morning, Saturday, as he was unable to go to\nHomewood, and there were two or three matters about which it was\nnecessary for him to see her, and next of the following:\n\n \"St. Swithin's Lane, E.C.\n \"September 29th, 187--.\n\n \"Mrs. Mortomley,\n \"Homewood.\n\n \"Madam,\n\n \"A Mr. Benning has been with us to make some inquiries concerning\n the moneys bequeathed to you by Miss Dollabella Chippendale, of\n which our Mr. Daniells is trustee. In Mr. Daniells' absence we have\n deferred answering these inquiries, but we think it might be\n advisable for you to request your solicitor to call upon us with\n reference to this matter, Mr. Benning, as we understand, being only\n engaged about some liquidation affair in which Mr. Mortomley is\n concerned.\n\n \"Your obedient Servants,\n \"HERSON, DANIELLS, AND CO.\"\n\nDolly sat and pondered over these letters as she had sat and pondered\nover the letter signed John Jones, mentioned in a very early chapter.\n\nThat epistle she had regarded in the light of a gratuitous piece of\nimpertinence emanating either from Mr. Kleinwort or Mr. Forde, and under\nthis impression she worded the advertisement which so annoyed Mr.\nAsherill; but when the last post of the next day brought those two\nmissives, she began to wonder whether John Jones might not really have\nbeen some humble friend gifted with greater prescience than she\npossessed, who, unknowing of the remnant of her quarter's income she\nstill possessed, might imagine her so short of money that even two\npounds four shillings might prove acceptable.\n\nMoved by some incomprehensible impulse, she, the most careless of\ncreated beings, searched for that letter and locked it away in her\ndressing-case.\n\nThere was no Rupert to talk to now. Twice since his departure he had\nappeared at Homewood, the first time to say Antonia was busy purchasing\nher trousseau, and that old Dean had acted most generously in the matter\nof money, on the next occasion to ask Dolly not to expect to see him\nbefore Monday, as he was obliged to go down to Bath; the real truth\nbeing Rupert had thought the Homewood matter over, and decided that\nuntil Antonia had become Mrs. Dean, the less he saw of that place the\nbetter.\n\nOn the occasion of his first visit, Turner, the man already mentioned as\nhaving incited Esther to remove those vases and statuettes which seemed\nto them both desirable possessions, stopped him on his way to the gate.\n\n\"You and Mr. Lang, sir, saw a man the other morning looking over the\nfence, I believe?\"\n\nRupert nodded assent.\n\n\"And you asked Lang who he was, and Lang could not tell you?\"\n\n\"Yes,\" agreed Mr. Halling.\n\n\"Well, I know, sir; he's a detective, and there are more of them about.\"\n\nRupert stepped back as if he had received a blow, he stepped back so far\nhe was brought up by a tree of _arbor vitae_, out of which he emerged\ndripping with wet.\n\n\"Detectives?\" he repeated, taking off his hat and smoothing it\nmechanically. \"What can they want here?\"\n\n\"If I am not greatly out in my calculation, sir, there are those in this\nbusiness who would cheerfully give a hundred pounds to catch Mr.\nMortomley tripping, or to be able to prove he ever did trip.\"\n\n\"Mr. Mortomley may safely defy them then,\" said Rupert, but he did not\nturn back and warn Dolly there were spies round and about watching the\nold familiar place.\n\nMr. Turner stood contemplating his retreating figure.\n\n\"A fine young man,\" he thought, \"but cut out and made up after the\nworld's pattern. And so he won't tell her. Well, then, I will; for a\nlady like Mrs. Mortomley ought not to be kept in the dark. And her\nhusband too ill to look after aught for himself,\" added Mr. Turner, who\nin truth was with the Mortomleys heart and soul, so far as the\nexigencies of his delightful profession allowed him to have sympathy for\nany one beyond the \"one\" who had put him in possession.\n\nSo he told Esther, who told her mistress, who was naturally incredulous\nof, and indignant at, Turner's statement.\n\n\"Detectives!\" she repeated scornfully. \"Does the man suppose we are\nthieves or murderers?\"\n\n\"No, ma'am, but I--I do really think he is sorry for you--and--the\nmaster.\"\n\nEsther was brushing Mrs. Mortomley's hair, as she uttered this sentence\nslowly, and with considerable hesitation.\n\nIn the glass she could see reflected her mistress's downcast face--the\nsudden compression of her lips--the quiver about her mouth.\n\nThey had sunk very low Dolly felt, when even the bailiffs pitied them!\n\nThat was her first thought. Her next was, that in his way Turner was\ntrying to do his best for her and her husband, but she could not trust\nherself to speak upon the subject, so she refrained from answering, and\nthe brushing proceeded in silence.\n\nNext morning Esther detected some white hairs amongst the brown. Of late\nthis had been a matter of no rare occurrence.\n\n\"What does it signify?\" Mrs. Mortomley exclaimed. \"If these men stay\nhere much longer my hair will be white as snow. Oh! I wish!--I wish--I\nwish!\" she added passionately, \"we had a house to ourselves once again.\nIf it were the humblest cottage in England in which I could shut the\ndoor and feel we were alone, I should thank God for his mercy--\"\n\n\"It cannot be for long, ma'am, Turner says--\" Esther was beginning,\nwhen Mrs. Mortomley faced round upon her.\n\n\"If you mention that man's name again, I will give you notice.\"\n\nWhich certainly most servants so situated would have taken without\nfurther ceremony on the spot.\n\nIf Mrs. Mortomley had possessed the wisdom of the serpent, she would not\nhave arrayed herself in the gorgeous attire she selected as especially\nsuitable for a visit to Mr. Swanland's offices; but Dolly could not yet\nrealize the fact that her husband was bankrupt, that a trustee ruled at\nHomewood, that the last man in possession was his lord-lieutenant, that\nthe men were no longer Mortomley's men, but belonged to Mr. Swanland, as\ndid the works and everything else, themselves scarcely excepted, about\nthe place.\n\nSo, arrayed like the Queen of Sheba, Dolly started away on foot to catch\nthe train from Leytonstone which should enable her to reach Mr.\nSwanland's office by eleven.\n\nThere were horses in the stable, but Mrs. Mortomley forbade them being\nharnessed for her benefit.\n\n\"It was a fine morning and she preferred walking,\" she said; though Mr.\nMeadows with some effusion of manner assured her, if she wished, he\nwould have the carriage brought round directly, and he continued to\npress his offer till she cut him short by saying,\n\n\"As it seems I can no longer order my carriage for myself, I shall walk.\nYou have taken very good care, Mr. Meadows, during the course of the\nlast two days to let me know I am not mistress here or my husband\nmaster. Kindly stand aside and let me pass. I have to see your employer\nat eleven o'clock.\"\n\nAnd she opened the gate for herself, and walked out into the road as if\nnot Homewood alone but all the stately homes of England had belonged to\nher of right; walked out to hear the worst which could befall.\n\nIt was a splendid morning. After raining for a whole week with scarcely\na moment's intermission, the weather that day seemed to have made up\nits mind to turn over a new leaf and to be bright for evermore.\n\nAthwart all the forest glades sunbeams fell in golden bars on the vivid\nturf; the trees were still in full leaf, the songs of birds sounded in\nDolly's ears; all nature seemed careless and happy and prodigal; and as\nthe woman upon whom such trouble had fallen so suddenly looked first on\nthis side and on that, she thanked God involuntarily for the beauty of\nthis beautiful world, and then exclaimed almost aloud,\n\n\"And there _must_ be some way into the sunshine for us, if I could only\nsee which turning to take.\"\n\nThere was, my dear, and you had taken the turning. All unconsciously\nyour feet were already treading a path leading into the\nsunshine--through dreary wastes it is true--along places stony and\nthorny; across wilds hard to traverse, but still a path conducting to\nthe sunshine, out of the blind, maddening, perplexing darkness, into\nlight.\n\nIt has always been a puzzle to me why the newest offices in London are\nthose which seem most frequently under the hand of the house decorator.\n\nIf you happen to have an account at an old banking establishment, to\nhave entrusted your affairs to the management of an old-fashioned\nsolicitor, or to be acquainted with a broker who is one of a firm known\nin the City for years, you may call upon each and all of them, season\nafter season, without fearing to encounter that villainous smell of\npaint which meet those who do business with new people at every turn, on\nevery landing.\n\nAs for Salisbury House, painters, white-washers, paper-hangers, and\nvarnishers pervaded it with a perpetual presence.\n\nA man given to punning once suggested the reason for this was--the\ndreadful cases taken in there--but Mr. Asherill, to whom the remark was\nmade, would not see the intended joke, and observed it might be well for\nsome people, who did not possess a saving faith, if men were able to\nperform a similar cleansing operation on their souls.\n\nOn the occasion of Mrs. Mortomley's first visit to Salisbury House, Mr.\nSwanland's own office was undergoing a course of purification, and he\nwas therefore compelled to receive her in the room where a week\npreviously Messrs. Kleinwort and Werner had been admitted to an audience\nwith the senior partner.\n\nIn acknowledgment of his own comparatively subordinate standing in the\nfirm, Mr. Swanland's papers were ranged upon a table covered with green\nbaize, drawn close beside the window, while Mr. Asherill maintained his\nposition at the ponderous mass of mahogany and morocco leather which\noccupied the centre of the room.\n\nWhen Mrs. Mortomley entered, Mr. Asherill rose, and, with a profound bow\nand studied courtesy of manner, handed her a chair.\n\nMr. Swanland availed himself of this opportunity of feebly indicating\nhis senior as \"my partner;\" then, while Mr. Benning who was present\nadvanced to shake hands, Mr. Asherill resumed his seat and his\noccupation with an air which said plainly to all who cared to\nunderstand,\n\n\"Now don't interrupt me or trouble me about your trumpery business. Here\nam I with the whole future of mercantile London on my shoulders, and it\nis absurd to expect me to give the smallest attention to this\nridiculously poor affair.\"\n\nAt intervals he touched his office bell, and sent the clerk who appeared\nin answer, to Mr. So-and-So, to know about such and such an affair; or\nhad a book big enough to have contained lengthy biographies of all the\nLord Mayors of London from the time of Fitz Alwyn downwards brought in,\nfrom which he made a feint of extracting some useful information; but\nreally all the time he was watching Mrs. Mortomley.\n\nWithout appearing to do so, he took her in from the enormous rolls and\nplaits on the very summit of which her bonnet was perched to the\nhigh-heeled boots, the tops of which reached high above her ankles.\nThere was not a flower or ruche or frill or furbelow or bow about her\ndress of which he did not make a mental inventory. He noted the lace on\nher mantle, and the fit and colour of her gloves; and while he thus\nnoticed her face, dress, manner, and tried to piece a consistent whole\nout of the woman's appearance, her position, and Kleinwort's account of\nher, the talk went on smoothly and easily enough at first.\n\n\"It will be necessary for us, Mrs. Mortomley, to know something about\nyour own money in the event of any questions being asked at the meeting\nof creditors,\" began Mr. Swanland, after he had asked after Mr.\nMortomley and apologised for bringing her to town. \"It was left to you\nby a relation, I believe?\"\n\n\"No,\" Dolly explained, \"not a relation exactly. By my godmother, Miss\nChippendale.\"\n\n\"Before or after your marriage?\"\n\n\"You need not trouble Mrs. Mortomley with all those questions,\" Mr.\nBenning here interrupted. \"I have been to Doctors' Commons and\nascertained all the particulars.\"\n\nDolly turned and looked at him as he said this; turned sharply and\nsuddenly, and then for the first time Mr. Asherill decided she was not\na person whom it might be quite safe to offend.\n\nAlready he saw that there was secret war between her and Mr. Benning;\nalready he understood she scented danger afar off, and was standing at\nbay waiting for its coming.\n\n\"I am sure,\" said Mr. Swanland in his smoothest tone, with his blandest\nand falsest smile, \"I do not want to trouble Mrs. Mortomley\nunnecessarily about anything; but it is for the interest of all\nconcerned that we should know at first precisely how we are placed. How\nwe are placed,\" repeated Mr. Swanland with some self-satisfaction at the\nneatness of his sentence.\n\n\"That is just what I want to know,\" agreed Dolly, \"though it seems to me\nwe could scarcely be in a more miserable position than is the case at\npresent.\"\n\nAt this juncture Mr. Asherill cleared his throat vehemently. Mr. Benning\nseated with his legs stretched out crossed one foot over the other and\ncontemplated the polish on his boots while Mr. Swanland remarked,\n\"Ladies are always so hasty. They jump at conclusions so rapidly, and I\nmust say, if you will forgive me, Mrs. Mortomley, frequently so\nerroneously.\"\n\n\"You mean, I suppose, that we may find ourselves in a more miserable\nposition still?\" said Dolly flushing a little. \"If that be your meaning,\nlet me know at once whether this fresh trouble refers to my money.\"\n\n\"I assure you--\" began Mr. Swanland.\n\nBut she interrupted him by a quick impatient gesture.\n\n\"Why did you ask me to come here this morning? What is it you wish to be\ntold that Mr. Benning cannot tell you better than I?\"\n\nMr. Asherill laid down his pen and began to turn over the leaves of his\ndiary softly and with a great show of interest. Mr. Benning lifted his\neyes from his boots to stare at Mrs. Mortomley, while Mr. Swanland\nlooking across at him asked,\n\n\"Was there anything to that effect in the will?\"\n\n\"No. If you had given me five minutes' interview, as I asked, I could\nhave told you there was not.\"\n\n\"And Herson?\"\n\n\"Knows nothing, or will know nothing, except the fact that money has\nbeen withdrawn for business purposes, and that Daniells refused to allow\nany more to be used, which all tallies with Forde's statements.\"\n\n\"Mrs. Mortomley,\" asked Mr. Swanland, \"you can save us a vast amount of\ntrouble if you will kindly inform us whether there has been any\nsettlement made upon you of this money.\"\n\n\"I do not know,\" she answered. \"I suppose so; however, the money is\nmine, it was left to me.\"\n\n\"Of course, of course, we understand all that,\" said Mr. Swanland. \"What\nI want you to tell me is whether Mr. Mortomley ever made any settlement\nof this money on you.\"\n\n\"No. It did not come from any of his relations or friends; it was\nbequeathed to me as I have already stated by--\"\n\n\"She does not know,\" suggested Mr. Swanland, speaking across Dolly to\nMr. Benning.\n\n\"No; but I think we may draw our own conclusions. Was the subject of\nsettlements ever discussed between you and your husband?\" he inquired,\nturning to Mrs. Mortomley.\n\n\"No; certainly not. We never had separate purses, we never could have.\nWhat was his was mine, and what is mine shall of course always be his.\"\n\n\"We do not mean to suggest that you and Mr. Mortomley ever were or ever\nwill be on other than the most affectionate terms,\" retorted Mr. Benning\nwith a slight sneer.\n\n\"Fortunately the domestic happiness or unhappiness of our clients is not\na matter we are called upon to investigate,\" said Mr. Swanland with a\nlight laugh. \"Eh, Asherill?\"\n\nMr. Asherill looked up with an expression of face which implied he had\ncome up from the profoundest depths of thought to hearken to his\npartner's babble.\n\n\"No, no, no,\" he agreed hastily. \"Matrimony is an account out of which\nit would take wiser heads than ours to make a fair balance-sheet,\" and\nhe was resuming his occupation, when Mrs. Mortomley addressed him.\n\n\"Sir,\" she said, his white hair and large head inspiring her with a\nmomentary confidence in his integrity and straightforwardness, \"you look\nlike a gentleman who might have daughters of your own, daughters as old\nas I am, and who may yet be--though I earnestly hope not--in as great\ndifficulty and perplexity as I am this day. Will you tell me what is the\nmeaning of all this--why do they ask so many questions about my money?\"\n\n\"I do not know anything about the matter, my dear,\" he answered, in his\nmost patriarchal manner. \"I have not the faintest idea what it is my\nyoung partner has in his mind, but you may be quite certain it is\nnothing except what will turn out for your good eventually. You may\ntrust him implicitly.\"\n\nDolly surveyed the trio while Mr. Asherill was speaking, and when he\nfinished she felt she had never seen at one time three men together\nbefore less calculated to inspire confidence.\n\n\"The days of highwaymen are over,\" she said when describing the\ninterview subsequently to Mrs. Werner, \"but I felt instinctively I had\ngot amongst banditti.\"\n\n\"Supposing,\" she said, turning to Mr. Swanland, \"that there were no\nsettlements, how will it affect me?\"\n\n\"How will it affect Mrs. Mortomley, Benning?\" inquired Mr. Swanland\ninnocently.\n\n\"What is the use of asking such a question of me?\" exclaimed Mr. Benning\nirritably. \"You know as well as I that in such a case what is hers is\nher husband's, and--\"\n\n\"Go on please,\" said Dolly, as he paused.\n\n\"And what is your husband's, I was going to say,\" he proceeded, spite of\nMr. Swanland's look of entreaty, \"is his creditors'.\"\n\n\"Then you mean to have my money?\" she said, \"you mean to take the only\nthing left to us?\"\n\n\"There may be a settlement you know,\" observed Mr. Swanland in a\nsoothing voice.\n\n\"There is not, I feel there is not,\" she interrupted.\n\n\"And in any case,\" continued Mr. Swanland, \"it is not we who take, but\nthe law; it is not we who have, but the creditors. We must hope for the\nbest, however, Mrs. Mortomley. No one will be more truly rejoiced than I\nto know this money is secured to you.\"\n\nShe seemed as if she had not heard his sentence, but sat for a minute\nlike one stunned. Then she said bitterly,\n\n\"A 'Well Wisher' sent me two pounds four the other day, and I forwarded\nthe amount to the London Hospital. It seems to me I may yet have reason\nto repent of my haste at my leisure.\"\n\nIn an airy manner Mr. Swanland, apparently treating her words as a mere\njest, remarked, \"I am not quite sure, Mrs. Mortomley, that in my\ncapacity as trustee the two pounds four you mention ought not to have\nbeen handed over to me.\"\n\nIf his words conveyed any meaning to her she made no sign of\nunderstanding it. After sitting for a few moments lost in thought she\nrose, and saying \"I shall go at once to a solicitor,\" inclined her head\nto the accountants and Mr. Benning, and left the office, before Mr.\nAsherill could open the door for her to pass out.\n\nThat same evening Mr. Meadows received a note from his employer\ncontaining various directions and instructions. After the signature came\na postscript, \"How does it happen _Mrs._ Mortomley's letters have not\nbeen forwarded to me? See to this _at once_, and never let me have to\ncomplain of such negligence again.\"\n\nFor with all the flocks and herds of the Mortomley\nEstate held in his hand, Mr. Swanland's\nsoul sickened, because of that two pounds four\nshillings he could never now hope to liquidate.\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XI.\n\n MRS. MORTOMLEY'S FORTUNE.\n\n\nMr. Leigh, Mortomley's solicitor, was all that in an early chapter of\nthis story Mr. Asherill stated him to be, and perhaps a little more.\n\nHe was honest and honourable, a kind father, a devoted husband, an\naffectionate son, and a staunch friend, but he was human, and being\nhuman his reception of Mrs. Mortomley proved cool and formal.\n\nNo one knew more of Mortomley's estate than he--not even Mortomley\nhimself. His father had managed the legal affairs of Mortomley's father,\nand he personally had been _au fait_ with every in and out of the son's\nhopes and disappointments, successes and failures, gains and losses,\nliabilities and expectations, until the death of Richard Halling.\n\nAt that time, some outspoken advice was given on the one side, which\ncaused a certain amount of vexation on the other; and although Mr. Leigh\nhad never ceased to act as the colour-maker's solicitor, still from the\nday that grievous connection--so madly continued with the General\nChemical Company began--he knew so little of the actual position of his\nformer friend, that when Mortomley walked into his office, out of which\nhe was subsequently dragged by a clerk from St. Vedast Wharf, and stated\nit was absolutely necessary for him to lay the state of his affairs\nbefore his creditors, the lawyer stared at him aghast.\n\nThen after that patched up truce with fate, the terms of which were\nevolved out of the workings of Mr. Forde's ingenuity, things went on as\nbefore, and he had no more idea his client was on the verge of\nbankruptcy, until he saw that paragraph previously mentioned in the\n'Times,' than he had of going into the 'Gazette' himself.\n\nWell might Mr. Leigh consider he had been hardly done by. At least he\nwas an honest man, and yet Mr. Mortomley evidently preferred that a\nblack sheep should manage his affairs.\n\nFaithfully, through every chance and change of life, he had dealt by his\nclient; and now when he really might have made some amount of money\nworth having out of his estate, that client pitched him over.\n\nAnd finally, as if all these injuries were not enough, here was Mrs.\nMortomley herself, a woman he had never taken to or understood, sitting\nin his office, dressed out as if liquidation by arrangement meant\nsuccession to an earldom and a hundred thousand a year.\n\nHe sat and looked at her, not speculatively, as Mr. Asherill had done,\nbut disapprovingly.\n\nMr. Leigh entertained some old-fashioned ideas, and one of these\nhappened to be that a woman who, at such a juncture, could think of her\ndress, was not likely to be of much assistance when the evil days\narrived in which pence should take the place of pounds,--and stuffs, of\nsilks and satins.\n\nNor did he, of course, incline more favourably to Mortomley's wife, when\nshe explained how small a share her husband had in the selection of Mr.\nBenning.\n\nIf Mortomley had not been ungrateful, she had proved herself so little\nbetter than a simpleton, that he could not find an excuse for her folly,\nin her ignorance.\n\nAll this made it hard for Dolly to tell her tale; indeed for ever Mr.\nLeigh had only a hazy idea that, in the event of his having happened to\nbe in town instead of absent from it, things might have turned out\ndifferently.\n\nA week only had elapsed since Mrs. Mortomley took her early walk to seek\nthat vague advice and assistance, which last is never given, which first\nis always utterly useless; but so many events had crowded themselves\ninto the space of eight days, that the incident slipped out of the\nsequence of her story, and was only mentioned accidently by her.\n\nIndeed, she was so full of the horrible idea suggested by the interview\nat Salisbury House that she began at the end of her narrative, instead\nof the beginning. She asked questions, and failed to answer questions\nwhich were put to her.\n\n\"What was a settlement--had any been made--was it true, as Mr. Benning\nsaid, that if there were no settlement, everything went to the\ncreditors. If so, what was to become of her husband, Lenore, and\nherself?\"\n\nMr. Leigh replied to her last inquiry first.\n\n\"There will be an allowance made out of the estate, of course,\" he said.\n\n\"Are you certain,\" she persisted; \"for if they can avoid doing so, I am\nsure we shall not have a penny.\"\n\nWhereupon, Mr. Leigh read her a mild lecture warning her of the danger\nof being prejudiced, and making enemies instead of friends. He gave her\nto understand that Mr. Swanland was a member of a most respectable\nprofession, and that she had not the smallest reason to suppose he was\ninimical to her husband, or disposed to act in other than the kindest\nand most honourable manner.\n\nWith an impatient gesture Mrs. Mortomley averted her head.\n\n\"I shall never be able to make any one comprehend my meaning,\" she said\nwearily, \"until events have verified my forebodings. It seems of no use\nyour talking to me, Mr. Leigh, or my talking to you, for you think me\nfoolish and prejudiced, and I think you know just about as much of what\nliquidation by arrangement really is as I did a week ago.\"\n\n\"In that case--\" he began coldly.\n\n\"You think I ought to say good morning, and refrain from wasting your\nvaluable time,\" she interrupted.\n\n\"My dear Mrs. Mortomley,\" he said gently, for he saw that her eyes were\nfull of tears, and that her trouble was very genuine, \"pray compose\nyourself, and try to look calmly at your situation. You are frightening\nyourself with a bugbear of your own creation, I assure you. The new\nBankruptcy Act was framed for the express purpose of relieving honest\ndebtors from many hardships to which they were formerly exposed, and to\nassist creditors to obtain their money by a cheaper and more simple mode\nthan was practicable previously. You cannot suppose a trustee has the\npower to act contrary to law, and the law never contemplated beggaring a\nman merely because he chanced to be unfortunate. You may make your mind\nquite easy about money matters. I do not say you will be able to have\nthe luxuries you have hitherto enjoyed;\" here he made a slight stop, as\nif to emphasise the fact on her comprehension, \"but you will have\neverything needful for your position. And with respect to your own\nfortune, which I am afraid cannot be saved, there are two sides to\neverything, and there are two sides to this. As a lawyer of course I\nthink every husband ought to secure the pecuniary future of his wife and\nfamily, but really my unprofessional opinion is that settlements which\nplace a woman in a position of affluence, and consequently provide a\nhandsome income for a man, no matter how reckless or improvident he has\nbeen, can scarcely be defended on any ground of right or reason. Do you\nfollow my meaning?\"\n\nShe looked up at him as he made this inquiry, and answered,\n\n\"Do not think me rude. I cannot give my mind to what you are saying.\nPossibly you are right. I heard your words, and I shall remember them\nsufficiently, I have no doubt, to be able to argue the matter out by\nmyself at some future time--if--if we ever get into smooth water again;\nbut I cannot think of anything but ourselves now, I cannot. While you\nare speaking my thoughts run back to Homewood, and I wonder what has\nhappened there, and whether, if I told this great trouble to Archie, it\nwould kill him outright. Through everything, I know, he has calculated\non that money for me and Lenore. If he had not been satisfied, if he had\never doubted my right to it for a moment, do you suppose he would have\nrun such a risk? Do you think he would have failed to make any necessary\narrangement to keep us beyond the possibility of want?\"\n\n\"I am certain he would if he could have foreseen a time like this,\" the\nlawyer answered. \"But you must remember men do not anticipate bankruptcy\nas a rule. When they do, it is far too late to talk of settlements. If\nevery one were prudent and foreseeing, misfortunes such as these could\nnot occur; but bankruptcy is not a pleasant eventuality for a person to\ncontemplate, though it is undoubtedly true that every business man ought\nto order his course just as if he expected to go into the 'Gazette'\nwithin a week.\"\n\n\"We hear something like that every Sunday about living as if we were\ndying, don't we, Mr. Leigh?\" she asked, with a little gasping sob, \"but\nwe none of us practise what we are told. I wonder now,\" Dolly added,\naddressing no one in particular, but speaking her thoughts out loud,\n\"whether the clergy are right after all, whether, if we all go on as we\nare going, we shall, men and women alike, prove utter bankrupts at the\nJudgment-day. An immortality of insolvency is not a pleasant future to\ncontemplate; but it may be true. I dare say it will be perfectly true\nfor some of us.\"\n\nMr. Leigh was eminently a safe man--safe in morals, religion, politics,\nand money matters, and nothing offended his ideas more than wild\nutterances and random talk, for which reason Mrs. Mortomley's last\nsentence proved more distasteful than even her candidly expressed doubt\nas to his thorough acquaintance with the new Bankruptcy Act.\n\nBut he was kind, and if his visitor had occasionally a curious and\nunpleasant way of communicating her ideas, he could see underlying all\nexternal eccentricities that she was in fearful trouble, not because she\ndreaded being unable to renew her laces and replace her silks--truth\nbeing, Dolly had never descended even mentally to such details--but\nbecause she had taken a phantom to nurse and reared it into a giant.\n\nSome one, it was necessary, should adopt measures to destroy the giant,\nhe decided, ere it destroyed her.\n\n\"Mrs. Mortomley,\" he began, \"you ought to get out of town for a short\ntime--\"\n\n\"And leave my husband?\"\n\n\"No, take him with you.\"\n\nShe shook her head. \"You do not know how ill he is. No one knows how ill\nhe is but me, not even the doctors.\"\n\n\"He would get stronger if he were away, and he must be strong before the\nmeeting of creditors. Ask the doctors, and be guided by their advice.\nNow let me entreat of you to be influenced by what they may say.\"\n\n\"If it were possible to move him it might be better,\" she said\nthoughtfully, \"but he could not go without me, and I suppose I ought to\nbe at Homewood.\"\n\n\"Why, are Miss Halling and her brother and all those men you told me\nabout not sufficient to take care of the place?\" asked Mr. Leigh.\n\nShe opened her lips to tell him that Rupert and Antonia had left, but\nclosed them again, feeling ashamed to say how utterly desolate she and\nher husband were in their extremity.\n\n\"I think I ought to stay,\" she remarked at last.\n\n\"Really I cannot see the necessity. The presence of Mr. Swanland's clerk\nof course relieves you from all real responsibility.\"\n\n\"I suppose so--but still--\"\n\n\"But still what?\"\n\n\"When we leave Homewood we shall leave it for good. I feel that. I mean\nwe shall leave it altogether, whether for good or for ill, whichever may\nbefall.\"\n\n\"If you were to go from home for a few weeks, you would look at your\nposition much more cheerfully,\" answered Mr. Leigh, who was not himself\nutterly unacquainted with some of the moods and tenses of a woman's\nmind.\n\n\"Mr. Benning said we should be quite free to go when once the meeting of\ncreditors was over,\" Mrs. Mortomley remarked.\n\n\"That was an absurd observation,\" returned Mr. Leigh, \"for you are\nperfectly free to go now.\"\n\n\"Yes; but he meant _for ever_,\" Dolly explained. \"I am not mistaken,\"\nshe went on. \"He said they could get a manager, that my husband's\nhealth was broken, and that the best thing we could do was to go to some\npretty seaside place and live there comfortably upon my money.\"\n\nMr. Leigh's face darkened. \"I must see to this,\" he said, speaking\napparently to himself; then added, \"Trust me, Mrs. Mortomley, I will do\nall in my power for you. I am afraid you have made one false step, but\nwe must try to remedy it as far as possible. In the meantime most\ncertainly I should get Mr. Mortomley away for a time. The state of his\nhealth complicates matters very much. Have you--excuse the question, but\nI know how suddenly these things sometimes come upon men of\nbusiness--have you money?\"\n\n\"Yes, thank you,\" she answered. \"I have enough for the present; at\nleast, Rupert has money of mine, and I can get it from him.\"\n\n\"And you will try to remove Mr. Mortomley,\" he went on, \"and pray let me\nhear from you, and send me your address. Do not be so despondent, Mrs.\nMortomley. Only get your husband well and everything will yet be right.\"\n\n\nShe smiled, but shook her head incredulously.\n\n\"You are very kind, Mr. Leigh,\" she said, \"and I only hope your pleasant\nwords may prove true prophecies. If they do not, when once we know the\nworst, whatever that may prove, we must try to bear it. I think we shall\nbe able,\" added Dolly a little defiantly, drawing herself up about a\nquarter of an inch. She was so little she had generally to go about the\nworld stretched out as much as possible.\n\n\"She is not a bad specimen of a woman, if she only knew how to dress\nherself suitably,\" thought Mr. Leigh after her departure, \"but I am\nafraid she is not the wife poor Mortomley ought to have had at a crisis\nlike this.\"\n\nWhich was really very hard upon Dolly, who had not the slightest\nintention of ever reproaching Mortomley--as a model wife might have\ndone--because of the ruin that had come upon them.\n\nRather she was considering as she walked to Fenchurch Street how she\nshould keep knowledge of this latest misfortune from him.\n\nAnd then as regarded her dress, so objectionable in the eyes of a man\nwho knew exactly the sort of sad- garments appropriate for such\nan errand as Mrs. Mortomley's, does any intelligent reader suppose it\nwas one atom too rich or too rare in the opinion of those four young\nladies from Chigwell with whom Mrs. Mortomley travelled on her return\njourney?\n\nNay, rather they reported when they reached their own home, that Mrs.\nMortomley looked nicer than usual, was pleasanter and more talkative\neven than her wont, and _beautifully dressed_, they added as the\ncrowning point in her perfections.\n\nIf they had known what Dolly thought about them, they might not have\nbeen so enthusiastic in her praise.\n\nHaving no one near at hand in whom she could confide, she marvelled to\nherself,\n\n\"I wonder whether on the face of the earth there is any creature so\nutterly wearisome as a human being.\"\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XII.\n\n LEAVING HOMEWOOD.\n\n\nDays passed--days longer than had ever previously been known at\nHomewood--the weather, which brightened up for Mrs. Mortomley's visit to\nSalisbury House, became on the Sunday as bad as ever again, and\ncontinued rainy and miserable during the early part of the week. The men\nin possession did not leave. It was understood they were to be paid. Mr.\nSwanland had hoped to get rid of them without going through this\nceremony, but finding the law against him, and having an objection to\npart with money, arranged for them to stay on till he had \"sufficient in\nhand,\" to quote his own phrase, to settle their claims.\n\nMeantime on the Saturday there had been almost a turn out of the\nworkmen, who were kept waiting for their wages until it suited Mr.\nBailey's convenience to go down from London to pay them.\n\nThey grumbled pretty freely concerning this irregularity; so freely,\nindeed, that Mr. Bailey told them if they did not like Mr. Swanland's\nmanagement they had better leave. Whereupon they said they did not like\nMr. Swanland's management if it kept them kicking their heels for five\nhours when they might have been at home, and that they would leave.\n\nOn hearing this, Mr. Bailey drew in his horns, and said they had better\nnot be hasty, and that he would speak to Mr. Swanland. To both of which\nsuggestions they agreed somewhat sullenly, and so ended that week.\n\nThe next opened with the valuation of the Homewood furniture and other\neffects--as a \"mere matter of form,\" so Mr. Swanland declared--but, like\nthe trustee's, the auctioneer's men took possession of the place as if\nit belonged to them, and without either with your leave or by your\nleave, walked from room to room making their inventory.\n\nUp to the time of their arrival Dolly had entertained hopes of inducing\nher husband to make an effort to get downstairs. For days previously she\nhad been artfully striving to make him believe his presence in the works\nwas earnestly needed. She had suggested his spending an evening in the\ndrawing-room. She had on Sunday drawn a picture of the conservatory\nsufficient to have tempted any ordinary invalid to hazard the\nundertaking, but Mortomley's malady was as much mental as physical, and\nnot any medicine she could administer was able to cure that mind\ndiseased, which, no less than bodily illness, had stricken him with a\nblow so sudden and so sharp.\n\n\"We will see to-morrow, dear,\" was all the answer she could ever elicit.\n\nAll in vain she guaranteed him immunity from indignant creditors, who\nwould persist in visiting Homewood in order to recite their wrongs, and\nto hope Mr. Mortomley would see _them_ safe at all events; in vain she\npromised that not a man in possession should cross his sight; in vain\nshe spoke of the brighter days dawning before them; in vain she employed\neloquence, and it may be a little deceit.\n\nIt was always, \"We will see to-morrow;\" but once the morrow came, the\nevil hour was again deferred when Mortomley should look on the face of\nhis fair house dishonoured, when he should nerve himself up to pass\nwhere sacrilegious feet had trodden down the beauty and the grace,\ndestroyed all the sweet memories which once clustered round and about\nthe place where his father had lived, where he himself was born.\n\nAnd sometimes Dolly felt angry and sometimes sad, but she never felt\nhopeless until those men intruding into the very room where Mortomley\nsat listlessly looking out at the gloomy sky, taught him the precise\nposition he occupied.\n\nWith a white face Dolly watched their movements, and when in a short\ntime they shut the door behind them, she went up to her husband and\nkissed his forehead.\n\n\"Should you not like to be away from all this?\" she asked.\n\n\"Yes, if there were any place to which we could go away,\" was the\nanswer.\n\n\"We must leave,\" said Dolly, and then--for she was growing wise--she sat\ndown to calculate the cost.\n\nShe wanted to take him to the seaside, but she failed to see how that\nwas to be managed.\n\nShe could have done it by running into debt, for her credit was good at\nthose seaside places where she had been the idol of landlords and where\ntradespeople had delighted at her reappearance. But she had no intention\nof going into debt unless she saw some means of being able to repay\nthose who put trust in her honesty.\n\nShe could not take her husband to the seaside, and yet she felt he must\nbe got away from Homewood. The changed atmosphere of that once charming\nhome was killing him. With the rare sympathy which women like Dolly,\ncapable of putting themselves and their interests entirely on one side,\npossess, she understood that air breathed by those dreadful men was\ndeath to a person in his state of health; and she racked her brains to\nthink of some plan by which she might get him away, even for a\nfortnight, from the sound of strange voices, from the haunting presence\nof Messrs. Turner and Meadows, and the other more insignificant\nsheriff's officer.\n\nNot in the worst time they ever previously passed through, had Mrs.\nMortomley experienced such utter misery as that which fell to her lot\nafter Mr. Swanland took the reins of government.\n\nShe knew utter anarchy prevailed in the works. She knew the men were at\ndaggers drawn with each other, unanimous only in one desire viz., that\nof circumventing Mr. Meadows and outwitting his vigilance. She knew the\nhorses were not properly attended to; and when Lang justly indignant at\nthe proceeding, told her Bess had been put in one of the carts and sent\nout with a load for the docks, Mrs. Mortomley was fain to make an excuse\nto get rid of the man, that he might not see the passion of grief his\nnews excited in her.\n\nHelpless they were, both Mortomley and his wife. Ciphers where they had\nonce had authority; mere paupers, living on sufferance in a house no\nlonger theirs; by rapid degrees Dolly was learning what liquidation by\narrangement really meant, and why Mr. Kleinwort had said her husband\nwould find bankruptcy not all pleasure.\n\nWhile she was pondering how to get away from it all, how to escape from\nthe sight of ills she was powerless to cure, and the sound of complaints\nto which she was weary of listening, Thursday came, and with a, to her,\nstartling discovery. Mr. Meadows, who after the first morning or so,\ndecided it was more comfortable to lie in bed late than to get up early,\nhad on the Wednesday evening left on Mr. Lang's desk a memorandum\nconcerning some account-books which he wished sent up to Salisbury\nHouse, said memorandum being pencilled on the back of part of the very\nnote at the end of which Mr. Swanland had made that inquiry concerning\nMr. Mortomley's letters previously recorded.\n\nThis precious morsel Lang carried to Esther, who carried it to her\nmistress, who in her turn demanded from Mr. Meadows an explanation as to\nhow it happened his employer dared to intercept her letters.\n\nMr. Meadows was civil but firm. He told her Mr. Swanland had a right to\neverything about the place or that came into the place. He had a right\nto Mr. Mortomley's letters, and inclusively Mrs. Mortomley's. Mr.\nMeadows did not think it was usual for a lady's letters to be opened;\nbut Mr. Swanland had law on his side. He had also law on his side when\nhe refused to pay the corn-chandler for oats sent in for the horses the\nday before the petition was presented. Mr. Meadows had no doubt the man\nthought himself hardly done by in the matter, but he must be regarded as\na creditor like every one else.\n\nFurther, Mr. Meadows admitted--for Mrs. Mortomley having at length\ncommenced to speak concerning her grievances, thought it too good an\nopportunity to be lost about airing them all--that there might be an\nappearance of injustice in setting down small country traders who had\npaid for their colours in advance as creditors, but Mr. Swanland could\nonly deal with the estate as he found it, and if he sent on the goods\nordered, he might have to make up the different amounts out of his own\npocket. Moreover, after various indignant questions had been asked and\nanswered in a similar manner, Mr. Meadows professed himself unable to\nimagine why Mrs. Mortomley had paid, and was paying for the maintenance\nof himself and the other two gentlemen in waiting. He was quite certain\nMr. Swanland would not be able to satisfy the creditors if he repaid her\nthe amount so disbursed.\n\n\"I assure you, ma'am,\" finished Mr. Meadows, \"I have often felt that I\nshould like to mention this matter to you, and would have done so, but\nthat I feared to give offence. I know you imagine I have taken too much\nupon me since I came here; but indeed I have endeavoured to keep\nunpleasantnesses from you. In cases like these, if a lady and gentleman\nwill remain in the house, as you and Mr. Mortomley have done, it is\nimpossible they should find things agreeable. As I have often said to\nyour servants, you ought to have left the morning after Mr. Swanland\ncame down, and then you would have been out of the way of all this.\"\n\nHaving delivered himself of which speech, spoken quietly and\nrespectfully, Mr. Meadows waited for any observation which it might\nplease Mrs. Mortomley to make.\n\nShe made none. She stood perfectly silent for about a minute.\n\nThen she said--\"You can go,\" and quite satisfied with his morning's\nwork, Mr. Meadows bowed and--went.\n\nWhen he had closed the door after him, Mrs. Mortomley rang the bell.\n\n\"Esther,\" she began as the girl appeared, \"directly you are at leisure\nbegin to pack.\"\n\n\"You are going to leave then, ma'am?\" said Esther interrogatively.\n\n\"Yes, at once. I do not know where we shall go,\" she added,\nunderstanding the unspoken question. \"I must think, but upon one thing\nI am determined, and that is not to stop another night in this house\nuntil Mr. Mortomley is master of it again. And if he never is again--\"\n\n\"Oh! ma'am,\" exclaimed the girl in protest, and then she burst into\ntears.\n\n\"Don't cry,\" commanded her mistress imperiously. \"We shall all of us\nhave plenty of time for crying hereafter; but there are other things to\nbe done now. Pack your own clothes as well as mine. I will see to your\nmaster's, and tell Susan to put up hers also.\"\n\n\"Do you mean, ma'am, that you mean to leave the house with no one in it\nbut those men. What will become of all the things?\"\n\n\"I do not care what becomes of them,\" was the answer. \"Now go and do as\nI have told you.\"\n\nOn her way upstairs Esther encountered Mr. Meadows, who about that house\nseemed indeed ubiquitous.\n\n\"She is a good deal cut up, ain't she?\" he said confidentially.\n\n\"It is no business of yours whether she is or not,\" Esther retorted\nindignantly.\n\n\"Whether she is or not,\" mimicked Mr. Meadows, \"you need not fly out at\na fellow like that. It is none so pleasant for me being planted in such\na beastly dull hole as this. The governor might as well have sent me to\ntake charge of a church and churchyard. That job would have been about\nas lively as this precious Homewood place.\"\n\n\"Pity you and your governor are not in a churchyard together,\" said\nEsther, with her nose very much turned up, and the corners of her mouth\nvery much drawn down, and her cheeks very red and her chin held very\nhigh. \"If there wasn't another trade in the world, I would rather starve\nthan take to yours.\"\n\nHaving fired which shot--one she knew would hit the bull's eye--Esther\nwent swiftly on her way, while Mr. Meadows proceeded, the weather being\nstill wet, to solace himself by smoking a pipe in the conservatory; the\nconsequence being that when Mrs. Werner, a couple of hours later came to\ncall upon Mrs. Mortomley, she found the drawing-room reeking of\ntobacco.\n\n\"They will bring their beer in here next,\" observed Dolly when she\nentered the apartment, and then she flung open the windows and commenced\ntelling her story, for which Mrs. Werner was utterly unprepared.\n\nShe told it with dry eyes, with two red spots burning on her cheeks,\nwith parched lips and a hard unnatural voice.\n\nShe did not break down when Mrs. Werner took her to her heart and cried\nover her as a mother might have done.\n\n\"Oh! Dolly,\" she sobbed. \"Dolly, my poor darling--oh! the happy days we\nhave spent together,\" and then she checked herself, and holding Dolly a\nlittle way off looked at her through a mist of tears.\n\n\"Why did I know nothing of this?\" she went on. \"Dolly, why did you not\nwrite and tell me? I thought everything was going to be straight and\ncomfortable. I had not an idea you were in such trouble. Yes, you are\nright, you must leave Homewood. You have remained here too long\nalready--where do you think of going?\"\n\n\"I have not been able to think,\" Mrs. Mortomley answered. \"Advise me,\nLenny. I will do whatever you say is best.\"\n\n\"Will you really, darling, follow my advice for once?\"\n\n\"Yes--really and truly--unless you wish us to go to Dassell. I should\nnot like, I could not bear to take Archie there now.\"\n\n\"No, dear, I do not wish you to go to Dassell. We have taken a house at\nBrighton for a couple of months, and I am going down with the children\nto-morrow. Come home with me this afternoon, and we can all travel\ntogether. That is if Mr. Mortomley is fit to travel. If not you and he\nmust stay for a few days in town till he is able to follow. That is\nsettled, is not it Dolly? I have to pay a visit at Walthamstow and will\nreturn for you in less than an hour. You will come, dear.\"\n\nDolly did not answer verbally. She only put her arms round Mrs. Werner's\nneck and drawing down her face, kissed it in utter silence.\n\nThere was no need for much speech between those two women. Dolly had\nknown Leonora Trebasson ever since she herself was born. They had grown\nup together. They had been friends always, and Mortomley's wife felt no\nmore hesitation about accepting a kindness from Mrs. Werner in her need\nthan Mrs. Werner would have experienced had it been needful for her in\nthe halcyon days of old to ask for shelter and welcome at Homewood.\n\nAnd as the visit was to be paid at Brighton, Dolly did not find the\ncontemplation of Mr. Werner a drawback to the brightness of the picture.\n\nPerfectly well she understood that when his wife and family were out of\ntown, he never favoured them with much of his society.\n\nMr. Werner's god was business, and he did not care to absent himself\nfor any lengthened period from the shrine at which he worshipped.\n\n\"I must just mention this to Archie,\" Mrs. Mortomley said at last.\n\n\"I will mention it to him,\" proposed Mrs. Werner. \"We shall never get\nhim to come for his own sake, but he will do so for yours.\"\n\n\"Thank you, Lenny,\" answered Mrs. Mortomley. \"It does not signify for\nwhose sake the move is made, so that it is made.\"\n\n\"Upon second thoughts,\" observed Mrs. Werner, \"I shall not go on to\nWalthamstow to-day. I will stay and carry you off with me. You can give\nme some luncheon and let the horses have a feed, and that will be a far\npleasanter arrangement in every way.\"\n\nDolly laughed and summoned Esther. \"Mrs. Werner will lunch here,\" she\nsaid; \"and find Mr. Meadows and send him to me.\"\n\n\"What do you want with that creature,\" asked her friend, and Dolly\nanswered, \"You shall hear.\"\n\nMr. Meadows entered the room and bowed solemnly to its occupants.\n\n\"You wanted me, ma'am,\" he said, standing just inside the doorway and\naddressing Mrs. Mortomley.\n\n\"Yes. I wished to know if you think Mr. Swanland can answer any\nquestions that my husband's creditors may put to him, if Mrs. Werner's\nhorses have a feed of corn--because if not, I must ask her coachman to\nput up at the public-house.\"\n\nMr. Meadows turned white with rage at this cool question and the sneer\nwhich accompanied it.\n\n\"That woman is a fiend,\" he thought, \"and will trouble some of our\npeople yet, and serve them right too;\" but he answered quietly enough,\n\n\"I am certain, madam, that Mr. Swanland would wish every consideration\nto be paid to you and your friends, and I can take it upon myself to\ntell this lady's coachman to put up his horses here.\"\n\n\"You are very good,\" remarked Dolly. She could not have said, \"Thank\nyou,\" had the salvation of Homewood depended on her uttering the words.\n\n\n\n\"Has it come to that?\" asked Mrs. Werner as Mr. Meadows retired, and\nMrs. Mortomley answered--\n\n\"It has come to that.\"\n\nMrs. Werner found it a more difficult task to induce Mortomley to accept\nher invitation than she had expected it would prove; but eventually her\narguments and his love for Dolly carried the day, and he agreed to go to\nBrighton, and stay with his wife's friend for a week, or perhaps ten\ndays.\n\n\"I must get well,\" he said, \"before the meeting of creditors, and I feel\nI can never get well here. You are very, very kind, Mrs. Werner. Dolly\nand I will be but dull guests I fear; but you must put up with\nour--stupidity.\"\n\nAnd he stretched out his thin wasted hand which she took in hers, and\nthere came before them both a vision of the old house at Dassell,\nembowered in trees, with its green lawns and stately park, its low,\nspacious rooms, its quiet and its peace, where he first met Dolly in the\nsummer days gone by.\n\nLooking back over one's experience of life, it seems marvellous to\nrecollect how few words one ever has heard spoken in times of danger or\nof trial; how the once fluent tongue is paralysed by the overflowing\nheart; how trouble stands sentinel beside the lips, and bars the\nutterance of sentences which in happier times ran glibly and smoothly\non.\n\nIn the time of their agony, Mortomley had nothing to say, and his wife\nbut little.\n\nHe made no lamentation nor did she. Ruin had come upon them, and how\nthey should make their way through it no man could tell; but they were\nsilent about their griefs. It was upon the most ordinary topics Mrs.\nWerner and Mortomley discoursed, whilst Dolly's utterances to Esther\nwere of the most commonplace description. How a portion of their luggage\nwas to be sent to Brighton, and the remainder, except the small amount\nDolly proposed taking with her, left at Homewood until further orders.\n\nHow Esther was to be certain to look after her own comforts, and\npurchase trifling luxuries for herself, how Mrs. Mortomley depended on\nher writing every day, and trusting the posting of the letters only to\nLang or Hankins--with fifty other such little charges--this was all she\nfound to say while packing up to leave the dear home of all her happy\nmarried life in the possession of strangers. _And such strangers._\n\nAs she thought of it, Dolly flung open the window and looked out.\n\nOh! fair--fair home--smiling with your wealth of flowers under the dark\nautumnal sky, can it be that when those whose hearts have been entwined\nabout you are gone, who have loved you with perhaps too earthly a love,\nare departed, you shall turn as sweet a face and give as tender a\ngreeting to the future men and women destined to look upon your beauty\nas you did to those who are leaving you for ever?\n\nNo, thank God, there comes a desolation of place as there comes a wreck\nof person; nature seems to sympathize with humanity, and when the old\nowners have been torn from the soil, the soil as if in sympathy grows\nweeds instead of flowers--grows a tangle of discontent where sweet buds\nwere wont to climb.\n\nIf in prophetic vision Dolly had been able at that moment to see\nHomewood as it appeared six months after, she would have felt comforted.\nAs it was, she looked forth over the sweet modest home which had been\nhers and his with a terrible despair, but she bore the pain in silence.\n\n\"First or last,\" as Esther said afterwards, \"she never heard a murmur\nfrom husband or wife.\"\n\nWhich was perhaps why she loved them both so well. With every vein in\nher heart that simple country girl, who was not very clever, but whose\nheart stood her amply instead of brains, loved the master and mistress\nupon whom misfortune had fallen so suddenly, and to her thinking so\ninexplicably.\n\nPhysically she was not brave, but she would have faced death to keep\ntrouble from them. She was not possessed of much courage; no, not the\ncourage which will go downstairs alone if it hears a noise in the\nnight, but she would have encountered any danger had Dolly asked her to\ndo so.\n\nIt was well Mrs. Mortomley possessed a larger amount of common sense\nthan any one gave her credit for, otherwise she might have incited her\nmaid to deeds the execution of which would have filled Mr. Forde's soul\nwith rejoicing. Dolly sternly prohibited all looting from the premises.\nNot a trunk she packed or saw packed, but might have borne the scrutiny\nof Mr. Swanland himself, and yet the modest bonnet-box and portmanteau\ncarried down into the hall failed to meet with the approbation of Mr.\nSwanland's man.\n\n\"I am very sorry, ma'am,\" he said, \"but I cannot allow these things to\nleave the house without Mr. Swanland's permission.\"\n\nDolly turned and looked at him. I think if a look could have struck him\ndead where he stood, he had never spoken more.\n\nWith all the authority of Salisbury House behind him, Meadows quailed at\nsight of her face, wondering what should follow.\n\nBut nothing followed except this:\n\n\"Take those things upstairs at once,\" she said, turning to Esther and\nLang, \"put them in my dressing-room with the other boxes, and bring me\nthe key of the door.\"\n\n\"I do not know, madam,\" remarked Mr. Meadows, emboldened by what he\nconsidered her previous submission, \"whether you are aware that if you\nlock the door we can break it open.\"\n\nThen Dolly found tongue.\n\n\"Do it,\" she said; \"only break open _any_ door I choose to lock, and I\nwill make things unpleasant for you and your master too. I have endured\nat your hands and his what I believe no woman ever endured before, but\nif you presume another inch I will have justice if I carry our case into\nevery court in England.\"\n\nShe did not know, poor soul, her cause had been settled in a court\nwhence there is no appeal, and for that very reason speaking fearlessly\nher words carried weight.\n\nMr. Meadows shrank out of the hall as if she had struck him a blow, and\nDolly leaning against the lintel of the porch and looking at Mrs.\nWerner's carriage and horses, which were framed to her by a wreath of\nclematis and roses, felt for the moment as if she had won a victory.\n\nAnd by her retreat she had; but it is only after the battle any one\nengaged can tell when the tide of war began to turn.\n\nIt turned for the Mortomleys then. It turned when Mrs. Mortomley lifted\nup her voice and defied Mr. Swanland's bailiff. In that moment she\nensured ultimate success for her husband--at a price.\n\nThe years are before him still--the years of his life full of promise,\nfull of hope--that past of bankruptcy, recent though it may be, is,\nnevertheless, an old story, and the name of Mortomley is a power once\nmore.\n\nThere is nothing the man is capable of he need despair of achieving,\nnothing this world can give him he need fail to grasp, and yet--and\nyet--I think, I know, that rather than go forth and gather the pleasant\nfruits ripening for him in distant vineyards, rather than pay the price\nsuccess exacted ultimately for her wares, the man would have laid him\ndown upon the bed a man in possession held in trust for his employer,\nand died a pauper, entitled only to a pauper's grave.\n\nBut no man can foresee. Happily, or else how many would live miserable.\n\nDolly could not foresee; she could not foretell the events of even\nfour-and-twenty hours.\n\nBut she was nice to others in that her time of trial, and the fact\nserved her in good stead in the evil hours to come.\n\n\"I think,\" she had said to Esther, \"that Lang and Hankins would like to\nsee Mr. Mortomley before we go. Lang had better give my husband his arm\ndownstairs, and Hankins can help him into the carriage.\"\n\nIt was nice of Dolly, it was never forgotten about her for ever. It\nnever will be till the children's children are greyheaded. By the\ncarriage door stood the pair, hats in hand, tears running down their\ncheeks, speaking across Mrs. Werner to their master; their master whom\nthey had loved and robbed, cheated and served honestly, believed in and\ngrumbled concerning through years too long to count. And away in the\nbackground were a group of men, the faces of whom appalled Mr. Meadows,\nmen who would have pumped on him had Mrs. Mortomley given the signal,\nwho loved their master, though it might be they had not acted always\nhonestly or straightforwardly by him, and who would at that moment have\ndone any wickedness in his service, had he only pleased to show them the\nway.\n\nWith a mighty effort Dolly choked back her tears.\n\nShe heard the men say,\n\n\"And we wish you back, sir, better.\"\n\nTo which Mortomley replied,\n\n\"I hope I shall be better, but you will see me here no more.\"\n\n\"No more.\" Lang opened the door of the carriage for Dolly, who shook\nhands with him and his colleague ere the vehicle drove off.\n\n\"No more.\" Mortomley had said in those two words farewell to Homewood.\n\nNo more for ever did a Mortomley pace the familiar walks, or cross the\nremembered rooms. No more--no more--with the wail of that dirge in their\nears the men went back to their labour exceedingly sad in spirit.\n\nMr. Meadows, however, was not sad. He sought out Esther crying in a\nconvenient corner.\n\n\"Well, I am glad they are gone,\" he exclaimed, \"and shall I tell you\nwhy?\"\n\n\"You can if you like,\" Esther agreed, wiping her eyes with her muslin\napron, which she had donned in honour of Mrs. Werner, \"though for my\npart I do not care whether you are glad or sorry.\"\n\n\"Well, when I came here I was told to _watch your mistress_, and it has\nnot been a pleasant occupation. I told Swanland it was all gammon\nthinking she was not on the square. Of course we know all about that,\nbut he said his information from some one--Forde, I suppose, was clear,\nand that money was put away, and I must find out where. As if,\" added\nMr. Meadows, with a gesture of ineffable contempt, \"people like your\npeople did not fight to the last shot, did not eat the last biscuit\nbefore surrendering. Of course I understand the whole thing, and I have\nbut to repeat, so far as I am concerned, I am----glad they are gone.\"\n\n\"Let me pass, please,\" said Esther with a shudder. \"I do not want to\nhear anything more about you or your master, or Mr. Forde--or--anybody,\"\nand her tone was so decided, he stepped aside and allowed her to pass\nwithout uttering another word.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XIII.\n\nDOLLY WRITES A LETTER.\n\n\nIt may be questioned whether that particular member of the Mortomley\nfamily, who made ducks and drakes of the Dassell ancestral acres, felt\nanything like the grief at losing his patrimony which Archibald\nMortomley endured when he stepped across the threshold of Homewood with\nthe conviction strong upon him that he should return there no more.\n\nEverything in this world is comparative. To lords temporal and\nspiritual, and to honourable gentlemen of the House of Commons, and to\nmillionaires east of Temple Bar, that clinging of the Irish peasant to\nhis mud cabin and couple of acres of bog, would seem a most ridiculous\npiece of foolery were it not for the bullets with which Patrick\ncontrives to make such a tragedy out of his comical surroundings.\nNevertheless, eviction means as much misery to the shiftless Hibernian\nas his cup is well capable of holding.\n\nThis is a fact, I think, we are all rather too apt to lose sight of when\nconsidering the extent of our neighbour's misfortunes.\n\nBecause the house is not grand, or the furniture nice, or the wife\nbeautiful, or the children winning to our imaginations, we are apt to\nthink the man's loss has been light to him.\n\nWhereas his modest home set about with gods of his own making and\ncreating, may have been more desirable in his eyes than Chatsworth\nitself, and he may mourn over his dead with a grief less palpable, it is\ntrue, because the work-a-day world is intolerant of grief among the poor\nand lowly, but as real as that our Sovereign Lady feels for her husband,\nor as that wherein the sweet singer of Israel indulged when the\nmessenger came swiftly and told him though not in words, \"Absalom is\nslain.\"\n\nTo a business man especially the world is in this respect hard and\nunsympathetic.\n\nBecause we do not understand his trade, and should not care for it if we\ndid, we fancy he has regarded his mills, his works, his factory as we\nlook upon such erections. And yet the place where he has made his money,\nor lost it, has been most part of his world to him; as much his world as\ncamps to the soldier, courts to the diplomatist, ball-rooms to the\nbeauty, Africa to Livingstone.\n\nA man cannot continue year after year to exercise any calling, if it be\neven the culture of watercresses, and not centre a large portion of his\ninterest in it, and to a man like Mortomley it was a simple\nimpossibility for his laboratory, his home, his works, his men, his\ncolours to become matters of indifference to him.\n\nThere had been a time when it would have well-nigh broken his heart to\nleave Homewood and all its associations behind, but there were bitter\nmemories now superadded to the sweet recollections of the olden time,\nmemories which, throughout all the future, he should never be able to\nrecall save with a galling sense of pain.\n\nThe old Homewood was dead to him, and in its place there was a new\nHomewood, the thought of which could never cross his mind save with a\nsense of shame and degradation.\n\nIt had been bad enough for the sheriffs' officers to hold the place in\ntemporary possession, but when Mr. Swanland sent in his man Mortomley\nfelt all hope had departed out of his life. If he was ever to do any\ngood for himself and those belonging to him again, he must first go to\nsome quiet place where he should have a chance of getting strong once\nmore, and then having given up Homewood and everything belonging to him,\ncompulsorily it might be, but still most thoroughly, commence life anew,\ncommence at the very foot of the business ladder, and strive to work his\nway upward to success.\n\nTo both husband and wife the sensation of driving for their own mere\nease and comfort through the suburbs of London was strange as though\nthey had been labouring upon the pecuniary treadmill all the years of\ntheir life. Money anxieties had so long been present with them at bed\nand at board, that they found it difficult to realise the fact that they\nwere free from these fetters.\n\nBy comparison beggary seemed heaven to the misery of their late\nexistence; and Mortomley, weak as he was, seemed benefited by the\nchange, whilst Dolly, all the time she had a strange feeling upon her of\nhaving started on a pilgrimage without the faintest idea of what her\nultimate destination might prove, still experienced a sense of relief as\nmile after mile lengthened itself out between her and Homewood.\n\nHad Mrs. Mortomley and her husband been royal guests, Mrs. Werner could\nnot have paid them more devoted attention than was the case.\n\nIn a great airy bedchamber a fire blazed cheerfully, and on a sofa drawn\nclose up to the hearth she insisted on Mortomley taking his ease, where\nno one could intrude to disturb him.\n\nIn the same room she and Dolly had their afternoon cup of tea, and then\nDolly and her hostess repaired to Mrs. Werner's dressing-room, and sat\nchatting there until it was time for one of them to dress for dinner, to\nwhich a select party had been invited.\n\nMrs. Mortomley declined to join that party, but sat idly in a great\narm-chair, watching the progress of her friend's toilette, and thinking\nthat Leonora grew handsomer as she grew older.\n\nWhen she was fully arrayed in all the grand apparel in which it rejoiced\nMr. Werner's heart to see her decked, Dolly put her arms round her neck\nand kissed and bade her good-night.\n\n\"For I shall not see you again till the morning, dear,\" she said. \"If I\nwant anything I will ask your maid to get it for me. No; I shall not be\nhungry, or thirsty, or anything, except thankful to remember we have\nmade a wise move at last and left Homewood.\"\n\n\"Very well, Dolly,\" answered Mrs. Werner, humouring her fancy. \"You\nshall be called in good time to-morrow, so as not to be hurried; and if\nyou want to write any letters you will find everything you want in my\nlittle room,\" saying which she pushed aside a curtain and passed into an\napartment scarcely larger than a closet, but fitted up with dainty\nfurniture, pretty inlaid cabinets, and a few water-colour drawings.\n\n\"No one ever comes in here except myself,\" said Mrs. Werner, \"and you\nwill be quite uninterrupted. See here is note-paper and there are\nenvelopes. And--\"\n\n\"Thank you,\" interrupted Dolly, \"but I shall not want to write any\nletters again for ever,\" and with one more good-night and one more\nlingering look at the stately figure, which in the pier-glass she had\nmentally balanced against her own, Dolly opened the door which gave\negress on to the landing, and stepped swiftly and lightly along the\npassage leading to the apartment where she had left her husband.\n\nOn the thick carpet the sound of her tread fell noiseless, and failed to\ndisturb the sound sleep into which Mortomley had sunk. When before had\nshe seen him slumber so quietly? Dolly sat down before the fire, and\nstill full of thankfulness for the deliverance from Homewood and its\nthousand and one petty annoyances, tried to look out over the future and\nshape her plans.\n\nAfter she had been thus occupied for about half an hour, she suddenly\nrecollected she had not left with Esther an address which should find\nher at Brighton, and vexed at an omission which might cause even a\nnight's anxiety to a girl who had been so faithful to her, she stole\nquietly out of the room, intending not merely to send a note to Esther,\nbut also a few lines to Rupert and a letter to Miss Gerace, whose\nepistles probably had been intercepted by Mr. Swanland.\n\nIn the apartment of which Mrs. Werner had made her free, the gas was\nlighted. Dolly turned it up a little, and after searching for a pen to\nsuit her, began her correspondence.\n\nFor some time she wrote on without interruption. She finished her short\nnote to Esther; she scribbled a few hasty words to \"My dear little\ngirl,\" and was half way through her rambling epistle to Miss Gerace,\nwhen her attention was distracted by the sound of a door shut violently,\nand by hearing Mr. Werner pronounce her husband's name in a tone of the\nkeenest annoyance.\n\n\"Mortomley!\" he exclaimed. \"Damn Mortomley!\" which, though perhaps not\nan unusual form of expression, fell cruelly on Dolly's ear.\n\nWith the pen still in her fingers, she rose from her chair while he went\non.\n\n\"I would rather have lost five hundred pounds than that you should have\nbrought either of them here. A man in business cannot afford to be\nQuixotic, and I cannot afford to be mixed up with Mortomley or his\naffairs. They must not stay here, that is flat, and they must not go to\nBrighton. Make what excuse you like, only get them out of the house.\"\n\n\"I presume you do not mean to-night,\" said Mrs. Werner, in a voice Dolly\ncould have scarcely recognized as belonging to her friend.\n\n\"Hang it, Leonora,\" he retorted, \"you need not look at me like that. I\nsuppose I am master in my own house, and have a right to say who shall\nand who shall not visit here.\"\n\n\"A perfect right,\" she replied. \"I merely asked a question, and I wait\nfor your answer. Am I to turn _my friend_ and her husband out of _your_\nhouse to-night?\"\n\n\"I suppose not. I suppose they must stay,\" he said; \"but, good Heavens,\nLeonora, what could you have been thinking of to bring a bankrupt and\nhis penniless wife here! And I involved as I am with that infernal\nChemical Company, and Forde full of the notion that as Mrs. Mortomley's\nmoney is condemned, at any rate, he can get her to sign some antedated\npaper, securing the bulk of her husband's so called debt to him. Upon my\nsoul it is enough to drive a fellow mad. I tell you I will not be mixed\nup with the affairs of people too foolish or stupid to take care of\nthemselves.\n\n\"Forde will get them into some mess they will not readily extricate\nthemselves from; Mortomley either wants sufficient moral pluck or\nphysical energy to face the difficulty, and yet you bring them here!\"\n\n\"They shall not trouble you after to-night,\" she answered.\n\n\"They had better not,\" exclaimed Mr. Werner, infuriated by her tone.\n\n\"And still you used to speak of Mr. Mortomley as your friend,\" remarked\nhis wife.\n\n\"How often am I to tell you a business man can have no friends except\nthose capable of advancing his interests, and bankruptcy cuts all ties\nof that sort. If Mortomley had been possessed of sufficient common sense\nto secure his flighty wife's fortune, there might have been some faint\nhope for him; but as matters stand there is none. If her friends do not\ncome forward, they will have to apply to the parish within six months,\nand serve them right too.\"\n\nDolly gathered up her letters and laid down her pen, and stole from the\nroom.\n\nShe had heard enough--she had heard how they stood--where lay their\ndanger--what they had to guard against; and she stood for a moment in\nthe passage leading to the apartments Mrs. Werner had selected for them,\nwith her hand pressed tightly over her heart, trying to realize that she\nhad listened to Mr. Werner's words in her waking moments instead of in a\ndream.\n\nAnd then next moment came the question, \"When were they to go.\"\n\nThey could not remain another hour in Mr. Werner's house, that was\ncertain. She could not take her husband back to Homewood, that seemed\nmore impossible still. She doubted, though her experience was small,\nwhether any hotel-keeper would beam with smiles at sight of a sick man\naccompanied by his wife and destitute of luggage.\n\nDolly sat down on the mat outside the bedroom door to think it all over.\n\nThey must go somewhere, and at once, where should it be?\n\nShe sat there plucking the wool out of the mat in her restless\nimaginings, while her head grew hot and her eyes heavy with weary\nself-communing; she heard Mr. and Mrs. Werner go down stairs; she heard\nthe stir and bustle of arriving guests; she listened to the buzz of\ntalking and the light rippling of laughter, as one drifting out to sea\nin a rudderless boat might listen to the voices and the merriment of\nthose safe on a shore fading away in the distance; she heard the rustle\nof the ladies' dresses as they passed in to dinner, and then it came to\nher like an inspiration--where she should go.\n\n\"I will do it. I will,\" she said almost audibly, and she turned the\nhandle of the door gently, and crossing the room caught up her hat and\nshawl, and then closing the door behind her, went carefully down stairs,\nsurveying the country she had to pass through over the bannisters.\n\nStrange waiters were about and she passed through them unobserved, and\nsped off to the nearest cab-stand.\n\nThere she hired a vehicle, which she left waiting her return some\nhalf-dozen yards from Mr. Werner's house.\n\nThe door was fortunately open to admit of some guests invited to \"come\nin the evening,\" and she entered with them and, unnoticed save by Mr.\nWerner's butler, crossed the hall and ran up stairs.\n\nArrived at her husband's side she touched him gently.\n\n\"Are you rested dear, at all? It is time for us to be going.\"\n\n\"Going!\" he repeated, between sleeping and waking, \"are we not at home?\"\n\n\"No love, at Mr. Werner's.\"\n\nHe raised himself a little and looked at her.\n\n\"I think I have been asleep,\" he said. \"Oh! now I remember, but I\nthought we were to stay here all night. It was arranged that we were,\nwas it not?\"\n\n\"Yes, dear, but I find it is not convenient for us to do so. Visitors\nhave come, and we ought not to intrude under the circumstances. There is\na cab at the door. Can you walk with my arm or shall I ring for\nassistance?\"\n\nHe rose, still looking dazed and bewildered, and she put her arm round\nhis body and he placed his arm round her neck; it was thus he had with\nweak and uncertain steps often paced his room at Homewood.\n\nTrembling over the descent of each stair, she got him at length to the\nbottom of the last flight, and then beckoning one of the waiters, she\nasked him to help her husband to the door, while she herself searched\nfor his top-coat and hat.\n\nWhilst she was so engaged the butler appeared,\n\n\"Why, ma'am,\" he said, \"you are surely never going back to Homewood\nto-night?\"\n\n\"I find we must go,\" she answered; \"I had forgotten something. I have\nleft a note for Mrs. Werner upstairs, but do not tell her we have left\nuntil all the company have left. She--she--might be uneasy. I have\nborrowed a rug, tell her I will return it in a few days; and help Mr.\nMortomley to the cab. Thank you, good night, Williams,\" and she put\nhalf-a-crown in his hand.\n\nPoor Dolly! and half-crowns were not plentiful, and likely to be less\nso.\n\nThe driver touched his horse, and the hansom was out of sight in a\nminute.\n\n\"I wonder what _that_ means,\" thought Mr. Williams. \"For certain the\ngovernor was in a rare taking when he heard they were here.\"\n\nBut all the \"takings\" in which Mr. Werner had ever been were as nothing\ncompared with that which overwhelmed Mrs. Werner when she heard of\nDolly's departure.\n\nShe heard of that sooner than Dolly intended; for Messrs. Forde and\nKleinwort, having driven down in the evening to see what pressure could\nbe put upon Mrs. Mortomley to induce her to do what ought in Mr. Forde's\nformula \"to have been done long before, make the St. Vedast Wharf people\nsecure,\" came straight onto Mr. Werner's house in quest of the missing\nlady.\n\n\"Mr. and Mrs. Mortomley have gone, sir,\" explained the butler, who knew\nthe manager as an occasional guest at his master's table.\n\n\"Gone, nonsense!\" repeated Mr. Forde, pushing his way into the hall, and\nlooking askance at the signs of feasting pervading the Werner\nestablishment with an expression which said plainly,\n\n'Just like all the rest of them. He can give parties while I am standing\non the edge of a precipice. He has no thought for _me_.'\n\n\"I assure you, sir,\" answered the man, \"Mr. and Mrs. Mortomley left here\nmore than an hour ago. I assisted Mr. Mortomley into the cab myself.\"\n\n\"Then I must see Mr. Werner,\" said Mr. Forde determinedly.\n\n\"I am afraid--that he is engaged. We have company to-night, sir.\"\n\nMr. Forde turned as if he would have annihilated the speaker.\n\n\"He will see me,\" he shouted; \"tell him I am here.\" And he strode into\nthe so-called library, the door of which stood open, followed by\nKleinwort, who, perhaps because he felt ashamed, perhaps because he was\ncold, looked curiously small and down-hearted.\n\nAfter all, as he confided subsequently to Mr. Werner, it was none so\npleasant being dragged across country and through town like a dog on the\nchain by even a companion charming as Forde.\n\n\"Shall I take your hat,\" inquired Williams, whose ideas of propriety\nwere outraged by the sight of Mr. Forde seated in Mr. Werner's own chair\nin that sacred and solemn chamber, his hat on, his fingers beating the\ndevil's own tattoo on the table.\n\n\"No,\" he growled, and the man retreated, catching sight as he went of a\nsignificant shrug of Mr. Kleinwort's shoulders.\n\nAlmost instantly Mr. Werner appeared. The butler opened the door for him\nto enter and forgot to shut it again.\n\n\"I want to see Mortomley,\" began Mr. Forde, without preface of any kind;\n\"if he is well enough to travel, he is well enough to face his\ncreditors.\"\n\n\"I will send and tell him you are here,\" answered Mr. Werner.\n\n\"No, I will go to him without any first message being delivered,\" said\nthe other with an angry sneer.\n\n\"Pardon me,\" interposed Mr. Werner, \"but you will do no such thing. It\nis not with any good-will of mine that Mr. Mortomley is my guest, but\nsince he is my guest he shall not be treated by you or anybody else like\na criminal. If he choose to see you he can do so, if he do not choose\nyou shall not see him.\"\n\n\"Do you dare say that to me?\" asked Mr. Forde.\n\n\"Yes,\" was the reply, \"and if you speak in that tone to me, I shall say\na good deal more which you may not like to hear.\"\n\n\"Now--now--now--Werner,\" interposed Kleinwort, \"you are always so much\nin too great haste. He meant it not. He would not order about in your\nhouse for ten thousand worlds.\"\n\n\"He had better not,\" Mr. Werner said, cutting short the thread of Mr.\nKleinwort's eloquence, for he was indignant at being taken from his\nguests, and furious at the fact of Mortomley having taken shelter under\nhis roof, and being instantly hunted there by Mr. Forde. \"Williams,\" he\ncontinued going to the door, and addressing his butler, who was bustling\nabout the hall,\n\n\"Let Mr. Mortomley know Mr. Forde is here, and desires a few minutes'\nconversation with him. Now, gentlemen, _I_ must bid you good-night.\nWilliams will bring you wine or brandy if you only tell him which you\nprefer.\"\n\n\"Beg pardon, sir,\" interposed Williams at this juncture, \"but--\"\n\n\"Did you not hear me tell you to let Mr. Mortomley know Mr. Forde wishes\nto see him?\" said Mr. Werner, emphasising each word with painful\ndistinctness.\n\n\"Yes, sir, but Mr. Mortomley is gone.\"\n\n\"Gone!\" repeated Mr. Werner, while Mr. Forde remarked audibly, \"I do not\nbelieve a word of it.\"\n\nAnd Kleinwort, pulling his companion's sleeve, entreated him piteously,\n\"To be impulsive not so much.\"\n\n\"Yes, sir, went away with Mrs. Mortomley in a cab an hour and a half\nago.\"\n\n\"Where did he go to?\" asked Mr. Werner.\n\n\"Don't know, sir. No orders were given to the cabman in my presence or\nhearing.\"\n\nMr. Werner stood silent for an instant, then he said, turning to\nWilliams,\n\n\"Ask your mistress to come down here. Say I will not detain her a\nmoment.\" And while the man went to do his bidding, he walked up and down\nthe room evidently as ill at ease as his visitors.\n\nInto the room Mrs. Werner walked stately and beautiful, her rich dress\nrustling over the carpet, jewels sparkling on her snowy neck, amid her\ndark hair, and on her white arms.\n\nShe started at sight of the two visitors, but quickly recovering\nherself, gave her hand frigidly to each in succession.\n\n\"Ah! but, madam, we have no need to ask if your health be admirable,\"\nKleinwort was beginning, when Mr. Werner interrupted his ecstacy with\nruthless abruptness.\n\n\"Leonora,\" he said, \"these gentlemen want to know where Mr. and Mrs.\nMortomley have gone. If it is no secret, pray inform them.\"\n\n\"They are here,\" she instantly replied.\n\n\"No, they are not; they left in a cab an hour ago or more. Can you\nimagine where they have gone?\"\n\n\"I cannot imagine that they have left,\" she answered. \"You must be\nmistaken.\"\n\n\"If you please, ma'am,\" here interrupted Williams, who had remained\nstanding at the door after Mrs. Werner's entrance, with an apologetic\ngrasp upon the handle, \"Mrs. Mortomley left a note for you. She told me\nnot to mention this till all the company had left, but I suppose, under\npresent circumstances, it is correct for me to do so.\"\n\n\"I will go for it,\" Mrs. Werner said, with a little gasp, but Mr. Werner\nprevented her intention. \"Let your maid do so.\"\n\nThere ensued an awkward pause, during which Mr. Kleinwort, with much\n_empressement_, handed Mrs. Werner a chair.\n\n\"No, thank you,\" she remarked, and the pause continued, and the depth\nand gloom of the silence increased minute by minute.\n\nAt length the maid, having found the note, brought it into the room.\n\n\"Give it to me,\" exclaimed Mr. Forde, trying to snatch it off the\nsalver, but Mrs. Werner's face warned him of the impropriety he had\ncommitted.\n\n\"The note is intended for me, Mr. Forde, I think,\" she said quietly, and\nopened the envelope after a courteous \"Pray excuse me.\"\n\nAs she read her face darkened.\n\n\"Where are they, where have they gone?\" demanded Mr. Forde eagerly.\n\nMrs. Werner lifted her eyes and looked at him slowly and absently, as if\nshe had forgotten his existence.\n\n\"I do not know,\" she answered. \"Mrs. Mortomley does not say, and I have\nnot an idea unless they have returned to Homewood. Mrs. Mortomley\nunfortunately understood Mr. Werner objected to my having invited her\nand her husband here, and she hastened to leave a house where their\npresence was unwelcome.\"\n\nHaving unburdened herself of which statement, Mrs. Werner gathered up\nher ample skirt, and with a distant bow to both gentlemen left the room.\n\nMr. Werner went after her.\n\n\"Leonora,\" he said as she ascended the staircase, but she never answered\nhim. \"Leonora,\" he repeated, but still she made no more sign than if\nshe had been deaf.\n\nThen following rapidly, he stood beside her on the landing.\n\n\"Leonora,\" he entreated, laying his hand on her arm with a pleading\ngentleness difficult to associate with Henry Werner.\n\nShe stood quite still and looked at him with an expression he had never\nseen on her face before through all their married life, which God pity\nany man who ever sees it in the face of his wife, in the face of the\nmother of his children.\n\n\"Do not speak to me about them to-night,\" she said. \"Hereafter perhaps,\nbut not now,\" and her voice was changed and hard as Dolly had heard it.\n\n\"Will you give me her note?\" he asked.\n\n\"Yes, it is your right,\" and she gave him the paper she held crushed in\nher hand, a paper on which Dolly had traced mad words in wonderful\nhieroglyphics.\n\nAfter his guests had all departed, when the house was silent and quiet\nand lonely, and he was quite by himself, Henry Werner smoothed out that\ncrumpled manuscript and read the sentences Dolly had written in her\nhaste.\n\nThere was much she had better have left unwritten, as there is in all\nsuch effusions, much that was feminine and foolish, and passionate and\nexaggerated. But it ended with two sentences which burned themselves on\nMr. Werner's brain.\n\n \"If it were not for your sake, darling, I would wish that the man\n you have had the misfortune to marry might be beggared and ruined\n to-morrow--beggared, more completely ruined, more utterly even than\n we have been.\n\n \"As it is, I shall never forgive him--never for ever--never.\n\n \"DOLLY.\"\n\nWith a shiver Mr. Werner folded up Dolly's epistle and placed it in his\npocket-book. Then he did a most unwonted thing for him; indeed, I might\nsay unprecedented,--he poured out nearly a glass of brandy and drank it\noff.\n\n\"After all,\" he thought, \"there is more in having a wife who is fond of\nher husband than most fellows think. That little woman is as brave over\nher sick husband as a hen about a brood of young chickens. I wonder if\nshe has taken him back to Homewood; or rather I do not wonder, for I\nknow she would sooner do anything than that.\"\n\nAnd in this idea he was perfectly correct; Dolly had found a shelter\nfor her sick husband, but not at Homewood.\n\n\n\n\nCHAPTER XIV.\n\nTHE BEGINNING OF A NEW LIFE.\n\n\nOff one of the cross roads leading from Stoke Newington and Stamford\nHill to Upper Clapton, there stood a few years back, and still stand,\nfor aught the writer knows to the contrary, a few pairs of semi-detached\nhouses, undoubtedly respectable as to position and appearance, but\npainfully small in their internal arrangement--houses suitable both as\nregarded rent and position for a couple of maiden ladies, for a widow\nand her son, for a newly married couple, or for any one in fact whose\nfamily chanced to be as circumscribed in number as his income in amount.\n\nAll told, these desirable residences contained only seven rooms; but\nthe windows of those rooms overlooked, both back and front, pleasant\ngardens, and the road in which they stood ended in a brick wall covered\nwith ivy, so that the inmates were crazed with no noise of passing\nvehicles. Altogether a quiet out-of-the-world little Grove, for by that\nname it was called, which a person might have wandered about Stamford\nHill and Clapton for ever without discovering, had he not chanced upon\nit by accident, or happened to know some one resident in it.\n\nBut Dolly Mortomley was familiar with that out-of-the-way nook.\n\nA widow with whom she had been well acquainted in the old Dassell days,\ncoming to London for the sake of being near her only son, had asked Mrs.\nMortomley to look her out a house, _small_, _genteel_, _cheap_, in a\n_respectable neighbourhood_, _readily accessible to the City_--all these\nrequirements being italicised; and after weary searching, Dolly wrote\ndown triumphantly that she had found and taken the very residence\ndescribed, and that if her friend would send up her furniture, and come\nand stay for a week at Homewood while the place was put in order,\neverything should be made comfortable for her, so that she might walk,\nwithout any fuss or trouble, into her new home.\n\nMrs. Baker was the name of the new tenant who took possession of number\neight, in which she lived for nearly two years,--to the great\ncontentment of tradespeople, tax-collectors, and landlord, for she lived\nregularly and paid regularly, as only persons possessed of a fixed\nincome punctually received, can do.\n\nAt the end of that time, however, her son fell ill, and the doctors\nadvised that she should take him abroad for the winter.\n\nThen ensued a difficulty. She had taken the house on a three years'\nagreement, and she did not wish to sell her furniture.\n\nClearly then, as all her friends said, the best thing for her to do was\nto let the house furnished until the end of her term, by which time she\nwould be able to arrange her future plans.\n\nThis was in July. October had now come, and the house was still on\nview. Keys to be had at Mr. Stilton's, Blank Street, Clapton, while once\na week the rooms were swept, the furniture rubbed and dusted, and fires\nlighted, by a former servant, who having married only a few months\npreviously, resided in the neighbourhood.\n\nThe house would not let furnished. The class of people who require\nfurnished houses are not those desirous of renting one at about a pound\nor five-and-twenty shillings a week, and Dolly had already written to\ninquire whether the chairs and tables and other effects had not better\nbe stored, and the residence let unfurnished.\n\nAs she sat plucking the wool out of Mr. Werner's mat, the memory of this\nhouse had recurred to her. They would be quiet there. She could pay Mrs.\nBaker's rent without saying who were her tenants. Mr. Stilton knew her\nwell, and would let her have the keys at once if she said the house was\ntaken. She would have Susan over, and she would tell no one, except\nEsther and Mr. Leigh, and perhaps Rupert Halling, where she and her\nhusband had taken refuge, and she would nurse him back to health in that\nquiet house where not a sound would disturb his rest, for she remembered\nMrs. Baker telling her the people next door had neither chick nor\nchild--nor piano.\n\nIt all came back to her like a vision of safety and peace. There Messrs.\nForde and Kleinwort could not intrude; there they might shut their door\nand bar out the world, and not even Mr. Swanland could compel them to\nshelter a man in possession; there she could go into her kitchen\nundeterred by the thought of strangers loafing around the fire; there\nthey might have their dry morsel in quietness; there she would be free\nfrom the scrutiny of Mr. Meadows, and the eternal bickering of workmen;\nthere Mr. Bayley would have no right to come at early morn and dewy eve,\nand neither would Mr. Swanland's head and confidential clerk, who\nappeared perpetually at Homewood to hear Mr. Meadows' report, and to\nmake sure the Mortomleys were not interfering with the business, or\nmaking away with goods, or inciting the men to rebellion, or, in a\nword, misconducting themselves in any way which should authorise Mr.\nSwanland in taking active steps to teach them their true position.\n\nAs for Mr. Werner and all their former acquaintances, she tried to\nforget she had ever called a human being friend.\n\n\"What I have to do now I must do for myself,\" she decided, as she drove\nthrough the night, her husband's head pillowed on her shoulder. \"If we\nmust pass through the valley of humiliation, it shall henceforth be\nalone. We have trod it long enough in sight of the public.\"\n\nPerhaps she underrated the extent of the responsibility she thus\nassumed; perhaps in her anger against Mr. Werner, and her remembrance of\nall the misery she had endured at Homewood, she omitted to look on the\nother side of the canvas, and see the picture of solitude, anxiety,\npoverty, and lingering illness ultimately painted there; but spite of\nthis, though she took her bold step in haste, she never repented it had\nbeen forced upon her--never, not even when she was weary and\ndownhearted, not even when the burden seemed greater than she could\nbear, did Dolly regret she decided not to take her husband back to\nHomewood.\n\nAnd yet, as she stood at the gate struggling with an unknown lock, her\nheart did sink within her for a moment.\n\nIt was only for a moment, however, for when after another fight with the\nkey of the hall-door, she entered the house and lighted the gas with\nsome matches she had been wise enough to purchase on her way, together\nwith some other articles, a great sense of security and contentment came\nover her, and she felt, so far as she was concerned, if there had not\nbeen a bed or table in the house, if she had been compelled to sleep on\nthe bare boards, she would cheerfully have done so rather than pass\nanother night under the same roof with Mr. Meadows or any person of his\nprofession.\n\nFull of this feeling she returned to the cab, and asked the driver to\nassist her husband to alight. Fortunately, he was a strong, capable\nfellow, or they must have sent for further assistance.\n\nTo her utter dismay, Dolly found it impossible to rouse the sick man to\na sense of what was required from him, the moderate exertion of\nstruggling to a standing position, and almost in despair she strove with\nall her strength to lift him from his seat.\n\n\"Let me try, ma'am,\" said Cabby, and he took Mortomley in his arms, and\nthe moment after was supporting him on the side-path; then the strange\nman and she managed between them to lead him up the short walk and the\nlittle flight of steps leading to the hall door.\n\n\"Can we get him upstairs?\" Dolly asked in despair, for one look at his\nface under the gaslight showed her his illness had returned, that he was\nas bad as he could well be.\n\n\"We can try, ma'am,\" was the answer.\n\n\"You must stay with him while I run up and light the gas,\" she remarked.\n\nThe man looked at the unpromising staircase, and at Mrs. Mortomley,\npanting and out of breath, and shook his head.\n\n\"I wouldn't try it if I was you,\" he said.\n\nThey placed him in an arm-chair, and then with mattresses brought from\nupstairs, made a comfortable enough couch in the back drawing-room.\n\nWhen these preparations were completed, Dolly motioned the cabman to\nfollow her into the hall.\n\n\"Haven't you got anybody here with you, ma'am?\" he asked, with a rough\nsympathy in his voice and manner.\n\n\"I am all alone for the present,\" she answered. \"Will you do something\nfor me?\"\n\n\"Aye, that I will, if so be I can,\" was the ready answer.\n\n\"First, how much do I owe you?\" and when that pecuniary matter was\nsettled to his entire satisfaction, Mrs. Mortomley said,\n\n\"I want you to fetch a doctor. Find one and bring him here as soon as\nyou can. We won't quarrel about your fare.\"\n\n\"I am not afraid of that,\" he replied, muttering to himself as he\nclimbed up to his box, \"but I am afraid it is an undertaker rather than\na doctor you will be wanting soon.\"\n\nHe was not absent more than half an hour, but in that time Dolly had\narranged matters somewhat to her mind.\n\nShe discovered coals in the cellar, and a few pieces of wood in the\nkitchen-grate, and so managed to light a fire in the sick-room. She\ncarried the chairs, upholstered in damask, and other items of\ndrawing-room furniture into the front room, and substituted in their\nplace articles from the upper rooms, which proved that Dolly had no\nintention of moving her husband to the first floor for some time to\ncome.\n\nFrom the contents of a travelling-bag, which having been taken straight\nout to Mrs. Werner's carriage, had escaped Mr. Meadows' scrutiny, she\nset out the dressing-table with a few toilet necessaries, and thus it\ncame to pass that when the doctor arrived he found the house inhabited\nnot merely by human beings, but by that subtle essence of womanhood\nwhich may be felt but never described.\n\nAlready the house was a home, and this man who entered so many houses\nwhich were not homes did involuntarily homage to her achievement.\n\nWith a quiet tread he walked to the side of his patient, and stooping\ndown over him felt his pulse, pulled up his eyelids, drew down the\ncoverings, and laid his hand on his heart, then placed his own cool palm\non the sick man's forehead. Then leaning his elbow on the mantelpiece,\nhe proceeded to question Dolly.\n\n\"How long has he been ill?\"\n\n\"Several weeks. I cannot now remember how many,\" she answered, making a\nmovement as if to leave the room.\n\n\"He won't hear us,\" said the doctor. \"You need not trouble yourself\nabout that. Some one has been attending him, I suppose?\"\n\n\"Yes,\" she answered, \"but not in this neighbourhood; we have only just\ncome here.\"\n\n\"So the cabman told me,\" he replied. \"Has he,\" indicating Mortomley\nwith a turn of his head, \"been living low?\"\n\n\"He has had everything the doctor told me to give him.\"\n\n\"Beef-tea, wine, and so forth?\"\n\n\"Yes, all sorts of wine, and everything we could think of or imagine.\"\n\n\"Just as I supposed,\" remarked the doctor. \"And medicine, of course,\ndraughts and drops, and those sort of things?\"\n\n\"Yes; all that was ordered.\"\n\n\"And how does it happen a man in his state of health was out at such a\ntime of night--out, in fact, at all?\" asked the doctor suddenly.\n\n\"Because where we lived was killing him,\" Dolly answered; \"because a\ndear friend wanted to take us to Brighton with her. And--and--well if I\nmust tell you, other members of her family did not make us welcome when\nwe got to her house in London, and I was obliged to bring him here.\"\n\n\"That is right,\" he said, nodding approvingly. \"Always tell the truth to\nyour doctor. In return I will be frank with you. What your husband\nwants is not so much wine, or meat, or change, or anything of that sort\nusually recommended, but sleep. If he can rest, and I think he can, that\nmay save him; but I tell you candidly his recovery will be tedious, and\nnothing except rest _can_ save him. Good night. I will not send you any\nmedicine at present, but I will look round early in the morning, and see\nwhat sort of a night he has passed.\"\n\nAnd he held out his hand and departed, and Dolly was left alone.\n\nWhen she paid the cabman for his second journey she gave him a letter,\nand put him upon honour to post it at some pillar-box where the\ncollections were made at three in the morning.\n\nThat letter, written hurriedly and directed in pencil, ran as follows:--\n\n \"Thursday night.\n\n \"Dear Esther,--I have decided _not_ to go with Mrs. Werner to\n Brighton. Directly you receive this, please send Susan to Mrs.\n Baker's. You know the address. I will try to get over to Homewood\n to-morrow, but cannot do so till Susan comes here. Mr. Mortomley is\n very ill. Do not mention where we are to any one till I have seen\n you.\n\n \"Yours,\n \"D. MORTOMLEY.\"\n\nThe cabman was faithful. Though he might never see Mrs. Mortomley again,\nhe honestly did her bidding, and accordingly about half-past ten o'clock\nthe next morning Susan arrived, bringing the following note with her\nfrom Esther:--\n\n \"Friday morning.\n\n \"Dear Madam,--I have not kept Susan to take any of her clothes, as\n I wanted to get her away before Meadows was up. I think you will be\n quieter at Mrs. Baker's than any place else.\n\n \"Susan will tell you about Mr. Forde and Mr. Kleinwort; but perhaps\n you have seen them.\n\n \"They were greatly put out at finding you gone. I would not have\n told them where, but Meadows he did. No more at present from\n\n \"Your humble servant,\n \"E. HUMMERSON.\n\n \"Dear Madam,--I am sorry to hear Mr. Mortomley is so ill again.\n Please do not send Susan here, as Meadows might get talking to\n her.\"\n\nAfter reading and re-reading this epistle, Mrs. Mortomley decided not to\nvisit Homewood for some time to come.\n\n\n\n\n\n CHAPTER XV.\n\n MR. FORDE MAKES A MISTAKE.\n\n\nMatters were not progressing pleasantly at Homewood. Relieved from his\ntask of watching Mrs. Mortomley's movements, Mr. Meadows had spent the\nevening of her departure in the company of Messrs. Lang and Hankins at\nthe public-house which they patronised, and the consequence was that he\ncame downstairs next morning very late, and feeling, after a debauch\nfollowing a period of enforced sobriety, not at all himself.\n\nAnd there was nothing prepared for breakfast which he liked. Turner and\nthe other man having been first in the field, had finished such\ndelicacies as Esther had seen fit to set before them, and when at\nlength Mr. Meadows appeared he found to his disgust nothing to tempt his\nappetite. A pot of tea, with sugar and milk accompaniments, a boiled\negg, a loaf, and a small quantity of butter, alone graced the board.\n\n\"I can't eat this, you know,\" said Mr. Meadows, pushing away the egg\nwith an expression of loathing.\n\n\"Well, you can leave it then?\" retorted Esther.\n\n\"Bring me some ham,\" he commanded.\n\n\"There is not any,\" she answered.\n\n\"Then send for some.\"\n\n\"Send for some yourself, and send the money with it,\" replied Esther,\nwho was not destitute of that spice of the virago which gives flavour\nand variety to a woman's character.\n\nMr. Meadows looked at her darkly, then put his hand in his\nwaistcoat-pocket, and produced some silver.\n\n\"Where is Susan?\" he inquired.\n\n\"She is out,\" was the curt reply.\n\n\"When will she be in?\"\n\n\"I do not know,\" Esther answered. \"Never perhaps. She has gone after a\nfresh place, and that is what I intend to do before long.\"\n\n\"And that is just what you won't do, my fine young woman,\" he declared,\n\"for you cannot leave without a month's notice.\"\n\n\"Well, we will see,\" she replied. \"I have not to give notice to you\nanyhow. I am not your servant.\"\n\n\"You are Mr. Swanland's, which is about the same thing,\" was the answer.\n\"You chose to stay on after he took possession here for your own\npleasure, and you will stay on now for mine, or else we will go before\nthe nearest magistrate and know what he says on the subject.\"\n\nBut he spoke to space, for Esther, too indignant to listen further, had\nalready left the kitchen, and he was compelled himself to go out into\nthe works and send a lad for the viands his soul desired.\n\nHe had not finished his repast before a cab drove up, containing Messrs.\nForde and Kleinwort.\n\nTurner, sauntering idly about the lawn, was accosted by them.\n\n\"I want to see Mrs. Mortomley,\" Mr. Forde exclaimed.\n\n\"She has not returned. She left yesterday, as Mr. Meadows told you, sir,\nwith Mrs. Werner.\"\n\n\"Yes; but she has come back here.\"\n\n\"That she certainly has not,\" was the quiet reply.\n\nThe two men looked at each other; then Mr. Kleinwort said,\n\n\"We should like to speak just one word with that bright little maid,\nEsther I think you call her. Will you tell her so?\"\n\n\"I will find her myself,\" said Mr. Forde, and he strode into the house,\nfollowed by Kleinwort. As they entered the kitchen, Meadows, looking\nlittle better for his breakfast, rose to meet them.\n\n\"Where is Mrs. Mortomley?\" repeated Mr. Forde, evidently believing that\niteration would bring him knowledge.\n\n\"At Mr. Werner's sir,\" Mr. Forde muttered an impatient oath.\n\n\"Where is that girl?--Esther, I mean.\"\n\nMr. Meadows went in search of her, and when she appeared, Mr. Forde\nremarked once again, that he wanted to see Mrs. Mortomley.\n\n\"She is not here, sir, she went away with Mrs. Werner yesterday.\"\n\n\"Yes, but she left Mrs. Werner's last night, and you know where she is\nnow.\"\n\nThe arrow was shot at a venture, but it told. Esther and looked\nconfused.\n\n\"Come now, tell us where she is,\" said Mr. Forde in his mildest accents.\n\nIt was not of the slightest use trying to fence with the difficulty, so\nEsther grappled it.\n\n\"I do not know, sir,\" she answered; thinking she might as well tell a\nsufficient falsehood when she was about it.\n\n\"That is not the truth,\" remarked Mr. Forde.\n\n\"And if I did know where she was, sir,\" continued Esther, \"I should not\ngive her address to you or any one else without her permission.\"\n\n\"You are all a pack of thieves and swindlers together,\" observed Mr.\nForde; including, with a comprehensive glance, Meadows and the two men\nand Esther, in the statement levelled against the Mortomley\nestablishment; \"and I don't know that I ought not to give you all in\ncharge for conspiracy. I will send for a policeman, and see if he cannot\ninduce some of you to find your tongues.\"\n\n\"I wish you would hold yours for a while,\" interposed Kleinwort. \"Fact\nis, my good peoples, we want to see that dear, distressed Mrs.\nMortomley, and do much good to her and that poor invalid husband, and\nafter a day or two it will be too late by far. You come with me,\" he\nadded, addressing Turner; \"you, I see, have brains and can understand;\nlet me talk with you.\"\n\nAnd so he and Turner walked into the conservatory.\n\n\"I will give you one--two--dree--foar--five gold pounds, if you get me\nthe place where to find our little lady,\" he remarked.\n\nBut Turner shook his head.\n\n\"I can't get it for you,\" he said.\n\n\"But that maid so nice knows where she is. You worm it out of her. You\nextract that knowledge.\"\n\n\"No, sir,\" answered Turner. \"I will not. I am not aware she has the\nslightest idea where her mistress is; but if she has, I am not going to\npump her to please you. Put up your money, sir. God knows I have always\nthought badly enough of our calling, but I think it respectable in\ncomparison to the callings I have seen followed by rich people since I\ncame here; and badly as I want five pounds, if I could take it to play\nthe spy on a lady like Mrs. Mortomley, I ought to be shot--that is what\nought to be done with me; and I have no more to say.\"\n\n\"What can these beastly English brutes see in that Mrs. Mortomley to\nmake them loyal so senselessly,\" considered Mr. Kleinwort. \"She has not\ngolden hair like mine dear wife, nor eyes so blue; nor presence so\nimposing; nor that red and white so lovely; neither is she\nhouse-mistress so clever; nor big brains as have some women. All she\nseems to be owned of is a sharp tongue and a big temper. But these Bulls\nare so stupid, they like to be goaded; they need not repose at home, as\ndo we whose heads know no rest abroad.\"\n\nFor above an hour the pair remained at Homewood, thinking what could be\ndone, but every one about the place they found either senselessly honest\nor stupid beyond belief; and at last, wearied and angry, Mr. Forde\nreturned to the kitchen, and addressing Esther, remarked, \"I suppose if\nI leave a note here, Mrs. Mortomley will have it?\"\n\nThen answered Esther demurely, \"I'm sure I don't know, sir; you had\nbetter ask Mr. Meadows.\"\n\n\"What the ---- has Mr. Meadows to do with the matter,\" inquired Mr. Forde.\n\n\"Only, sir, that he sends all my mistress' letters to Mr. Swanland,\"\nexplained Esther, delighted at a chance of at last airing that\ngrievance.\n\n\"What does she mean?\" inquired Mr. Forde, turning to Meadows.\n\n\"Nothing, sir, only that Mr. Swanland, as trustee, of course opens _all_\nletters.\"\n\nWhereupon Mr. Forde made some remarks about Mr. Swanland, which, though\na true chronicler, I must refrain from setting forth in print.\n\n\"I should think, sir,\" suggested Esther, when the storm had blown over a\nlittle, \"that, if you sent a note either to Mr. Leigh or to Mrs. Werner,\nmy mistress would have it. She is quite certain to send her address to\nthem.\"\n\n\"Look here, my girl,\" said Mr. Forde, \"I will give the note to you, and\ntrust to chance. If Mrs. Mortomley has not given her address to you,\nwhich I believe she has, she will within twenty-four hours. Give me pen,\nink, and paper.\"\n\nAnd though letter-writing was against all Mr. Forde's principles, he\nthereupon sat down and wrote a note to Mrs. Mortomley, stating with what\nregret he had heard of her consulting a solicitor, and asking for an\ninterview which he had no doubt would prove of ultimate advantage to\nall concerned, \"including Mr. Mortomley himself.\"\n\nWhen he had finished, he laid the envelope and a florin on the table and\nsummoned Esther.\n\n\"That is the letter,\" he remarked.\n\nShe took the letter and pushed aside the florin.\n\n\"My mistress left me enough money, thank you, sir,\" she said; \"and I\nwould rather not take any more from any one.\"\n\nMr. Kleinwort shrugged his shoulders as she retreated, and his friend\npocketed the florin.\n\n\"Asherill had reason,\" remarked the German.\n\n\"What reason, and for what?\" asked Mr. Forde.\n\n\"He would do nothing with those people,\" was the reply; \"and, my faith,\nbefore you have finished, I think it may come to pass you shall wish you\nhad let them choose their own lawyer, their own trustee, and liquidated\ntheir own estate for their own selves.\"\n\n\"But you yourself advised--\" began Mr. Forde.\n\n\"Advised on your story which you swore was true. You said Mortomley was\nshamming sick; that the nephew was a rogue and fool combined; that the\nlittle woman had her own fortune secure; that besides, they had made one\ngreat _coup_, and put away money beyond count. Ah! bah! you great,\nstupid head--these two, man and wife, have been as senselessly honest as\nfoolish, as even I, looking around, using my eyes, using my ears, can\nsee, and you had better have treated them as such. Now I have said my\nsay, now do as you like for the future.\"\n\n\"You are a clever fellow, Kleinwort, but you do not understand England\nor English people.\"\n\n\"That may be well,\" agreed Mr. Kleinwort, with a face like a judge, all\nthe time he was laughing to himself at the innocence of his companion.\nAs for Mr. Forde, what he liked to do in the future was this.\n\nWhen Mrs. Mortomley received his letter she sent it to Mr. Leigh,\nrequesting him to attend to it; and although the lawyer considered it a\nsomewhat curious and involved epistle, he repaired forthwith to St.\nVedast Wharf.\n\nMr. Forde was within and visible.\n\n\"I have called,\" said Mr. Leigh, after the first ordinary courtesies had\nbeen exchanged, \"to speak about a letter you sent to Mrs. Mortomley a\nfew days ago.\"\n\nMr. Forde rose and put his hands in his pockets. \"You will not speak to\nme about it, my good sir; depend upon that,\" he observed.\n\n\"I think you must have misunderstood me,\" ventured Mr. Leigh in\namazement.\n\n\"No, sir, I have not,\" was the reply. \"I wrote a friendly letter to Mrs.\nMortomley, and instead of coming to me herself she sends a lawyer. I\nwill have nothing to do with you, sir. There is the door; be kind\nenough, as you came through it, to go out through it.\"\n\n\"Certainly,\" agreed Mr. Leigh, \"but--\"\n\n\"Leave the room, sir,\" roared Mr. Forde. \"Will you go out of the\npremises peaceably, or must I put you out?\"\n\n\"Mr. Forde,\" remarked the lawyer, \"you must be mad or drunk. In either\ncase I can have no wish to remain in your company. Good morning.\"\n\n\"Leave the room, sir,\" repeated Mr. Forde. He was one of those men who\nthink some charm lies in shouting out a certain form of words so long as\nany one can be found to listen to it.\n\n\"Good morning,\" said Mr. Leigh again in reply, and he left St. Vedast\nWharf boiling over with rage.\n\nAs he proceeded up the lane he met a man with whom he had some\nacquaintance--a man recently elected one of the directors of the General\nChemical Company, Limited.\n\n\"Why, Leigh,\" said this gentleman, \"where are you coming from?\"\n\n\"I am coming from being ordered off your premises by your manager,\"\nreplied Mr. Leigh, still white with passion.\n\n\"My dear fellow, impossible--\"\n\n\"Not merely possible, but true,\" was the answer. \"I have a client of the\nname of Mortomley, who, some years ago, became acquainted with your\nfirm, and who has never done a day's good since. He is now in\nliquidation, and Mr. Forde wrote a note to Mrs. Mortomley, which I can\nshow you if you are at all interested in so small an affair, wanting to\nsee her. She did not want to see him, and so sent his communication on\nto me; but when I went to speak to him he flamed out on me as if I had\nbeen a pickpocket, ordered me off the premises, and behaved, as I told\nhim, as if he were either mad or drunk.\"\n\n\"Humph!\" said the new director. Mr. Forde had within the previous\nhalf-hour dealt himself a worse card than had ever before lain in his\nhand. \"If you want an apology, Leigh, the idiot shall send you\none--but--\"\n\n\"Apology!\" repeated the lawyer, \"do you suppose I would accept one if\nthe maniac sent it; but look to yourself, Agnew. There is something\nawfully rotten about your company, or I am much mistaken.\"\n\n\"I quite agree with you,\" was the reply; and the pair parted company;\nbut instead of entering St. Vedast Wharf, Mr. Agnew turned along a\ncross lane, and thought Mr. Forde over quietly and at his leisure.\n\nWhen he had thought him over he retraced his steps, and entered the\noffices, where Mr. Forde greeted him as though he had never spoken an\ninsolent or unkind word to any one.\n\n\"Fine morning, sir,\" he declared. It was a curious fact that the moment\nthe Mortomleys left Homewood the rain ceased.\n\n\"Yes, very fine,\" Mr. Agnew agreed, walking to the window. He was the\nmost silent person Mr. Forde had ever encountered. He wore his hair\nparted down the middle, he used scent, his hands were very small and\nwhite, his clothes came from a West-end tailor, and he had married the\ndaughter of some country magnate. Altogether, every one liked him at the\nboard, because he did not interfere, because he was a gentleman, and\nbecause, as one of his fellow-directors said,\n\n\"He is a HASS. If you want my opinion of him, that's what he is--a\nHASS.\"\n\nAnd so nobody feared and no one cultivated him, and he moaned about the\npremises at various hours, asking unconnected questions, looking at the\nbooks in a desultory sort of way, tolerated at the wharf as a simpleton\nmight have been, and seeing much more than any one gave him credit for.\n\nOne of the questions he asked Mr. Forde quietly and in a corner on that\nespecial day related to the estate Mr. Swanland was liquidating.\n\n\"About Mortomley now,\" he said confidentially.\n\n\"I am sorry to tell you, sir, I have been entirely deceived in that\nblackguard,\" answered Mr. Forde. \"I trusted him as I would my own\nbrother, and he has run away with I should be sorry to say what amount\nof money; but we shall catch him yet I hope,\" added Mr. Forde; \"and\nSwanland says there will be a capital dividend. But one does not know\nwho is honest, one does not, indeed. I shall never advise giving another\nman time.\"\n\n\"I really do not think I should were I you,\" said Mr. Agnew. \"It makes\nmatters unpleasant if things go wrong.\"\n\n\"Aye, that it does,\" said Mr. Forde, \"though that would not matter much\nif all my directors were such Zanies as you,\" he added mentally.\n\nFor it was a curious fact that Mr. Forde conscientiously believed if he\ncould only be rid of the interference of his directors for a month, or\nobtain an entirely new set whom he could direct as he pleased, fashioned\nperhaps upon the model of Mr. Agnew, he should be able to make such play\nwith the resources of the Chemical Company, that he might raise it to\nthe pinnacle of commercial success.\n\nBeyond keeping his situation he had really very little good for himself,\nnotwithstanding his man[oe]uvring, notwithstanding the risks he had run,\nthe almost maddening anxieties in which he had managed to entangle\nhimself.\n\nHeaven knows the game had not been worth the candle, but then, when a\nman begins a game, he cannot tell the end; and when the game is ended,\nit is too late to fret about the cost.\n\nIf ever an essentially round person had the misfortune to be placed in a\nsquare hole, that person was Mr. Forde; and not all his loud talk and\nvehement self-exertion could fill the vacant corners or give him any\nreal sense of security in his position.\n\nNevertheless, to that position he held on as a man might cling to the\nlast to a sinking vessel.\n\nSo long as he could keep his head above water at St. Vedast Wharf, there\nwas hope that some friendly ship might rescue and bear him off to\nsafety.\n\n\"You wait,\" said Kleinwort to him, when they were discussing the\npig-headedness of the directors and the general and disgusting\ningratitude of small customers, who would keep failing, and thus drew\nattention to those accounts which were of regal magnitude. \"You wait; do\nnot inquiet yourself more than you can avoid. I have one idea that we\nshould be able to do much good together. Once I make a great _coup_ that\nis in mine head, then we shall see much. Amongst more if Bertrand\nKleinwort cannot put a fortune in the way of his friend.\"\n\n\"Thank you, Kleinwort,\" replied Mr. Forde gratefully. \"I know I can\ntrust _you_.\"\n\nWhich showed an amount of faith difficult to conceive of any one\npossessing in the sceptical nineteenth century.\n\nBut Mr. Forde had an enormous capacity for believing in things he\ndesired should come to pass.\n\nAnd this was really a great pity.\n\n\n\n END OF VOL. II.\n\n\n\n PRINTED BY TAYLOR AND CO.,\n LITTLE QUEEN STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS.\n\n\n\n\nTranscriber's Note: Minor changes have been made to spelling and\npunctuation. For example, the word hold was changed to holding and\nneighbourood to neighbourhood. The oe ligature is shown as [oe].\n\n\n\n\n\nEnd of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Mortomley's Estate, Vol. II (of 3), by\nCharlotte Elizabeth Lawson Cowan Riddell\n\n*** ","meta":{"redpajama_set_name":"RedPajamaBook"}} +{"text":" \n# Table of Contents\n\n 1. Cover\n 2. Title Page\n 3. About the Editors\n 4. List of Contributors\n 5. Series Editor's Foreword\n 6. Preface\n 7. Acknowledgments\n 8. 1 Introduction\n 1. 1.1 Overview of this Book\n 2. 1.2 Background\n 3. 1.3 Summary of Each Chapter\n 4. References\n 9. 2 Device Physics of CAAC\u2010IGZO FET\n 1. 2.1 Introduction\n 2. 2.2 Off\u2010State Current\n 3. 2.3 Subthreshold Characteristics\n 4. 2.4 Technique for Controlling Threshold Voltage ( _V_ th)\n 5. 2.5 On\u2010State Characteristics\n 6. 2.6 Short\u2010Channel Effect\n 7. 2.7 20\u2010nm\u2010Node CAAC\u2010IGZO FET\n 8. 2.8 Hybrid Structure\n 9. Appendix: Comparison between CAAC\u2010IGZO and Si\n 10. References\n 10. 3 NOSRAM\n 1. 3.1 Introduction\n 2. 3.2 Memory Characteristics\n 3. 3.3 Application of CAAC-IGZO FETs to Memory and their Operation\n 4. 3.4 Configuration and Operation of NOSRAM Module\n 5. 3.5 Multilevel NOSRAM\n 6. 3.6 Prototype and Characterization\n 7. References\n 11. 4 DOSRAM\n 1. 4.1 Introduction\n 2. 4.2 Characteristics and Problems of DRAM\n 3. 4.3 Operations and Characteristics of DOSRAM Memory Cell\n 4. 4.4 Configuration and Basic Operation of DOSRAM\n 5. 4.5 Operation of Sense Amplifier\n 6. 4.6 Characteristic Measurement\n 7. 4.7 Prototype DOSRAM Using 60\u2010nm Technology Node\n 8. 4.8 Conclusion\n 9. References\n 12. 5 CPU\n 1. 5.1 Introduction\n 2. 5.2 Normally\u2010Off Computing\n 3. 5.3 CPUs\n 4. 5.4 CAAC\u2010IGZO Cache Memory\n 5. References\n 13. 6 FPGA\n 1. 6.1 Introduction\n 2. 6.2 CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA\n 3. 6.3 Multicontext FPGA Realizing Fine\u2010Grained Power Gating\n 4. 6.4 Subthreshold Operation of FPGA\n 5. 6.5 CPU + FPGA\n 6. References\n 14. 7 Image Sensor\n 1. 7.1 Introduction\n 2. 7.2 Global Shutter Image Sensor\n 3. 7.3 Image Sensor Conducting High\u2010Speed Continuous Image Capture\n 4. 7.4 Motion Sensor\n 5. References\n 15. 8 Future Applications\/Developments\n 1. 8.1 Introduction\n 2. 8.2 RF Devices\n 3. 8.3 X\u2010Ray Detector\n 4. 8.4 CODEC\n 5. 8.5 DC\u2013DC Converters\n 6. 8.6 Analog Programmable Devices\n 7. 8.7 Neural Networks\n 8. 8.8 Memory\u2010Based Computing\n 9. 8.9 Backtracking Programs with Power Gating\n 10. References\n 16. Appendix\n 1. FET Symbols\n 2. Unit Prefixes\n 17. Index\n 18. End User License Agreement\n\n## List of Tables\n\n 1. Chapter 02\n 1. Table 2.1 Measurement result of leakage current. \n 2. Table 2.2 Physical properties of CAAC\u2010IGZO and tungsten, and their respective measurement method. UPS stands for ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy. \n 3. Table 2.3 Effective mass of holes and electrons in IGZO and Si. \n 4. Table 2.4 Parameters of the IGZO FET in device simulation. \n 5. Table 2.5 Parameters in Table 2.2 for tunneling current density _J_. \n 6. Table 2.6 Hole tunneling current densities of the IGZO and Si FET. \n 7. Table 2.7 Device simulation conditions\n 8. Table 2.8 Features of _V_ th control methods \n 9. Table 2.9 Velocity of phonons in a single\u2010crystalline IGZO. \n 10. Table 2.10 Physical properties for calculating the drift velocities and field\u2010effect mobilities of FETs. \n 11. Table 2.11 Fitting parameters of S&G models for both electrons and holes. \n 12. Table 2.12 DFT calculation results of the relative dielectric constants of single\u2010crystal InGaZnO4. \n 13. Table 2.13 Definitions and values of physical quantities \n 14. Table 2.14 Comparison between TGTC and TGSA. \n 15. Table 2.15 Comparison between CAAC\u2010IGZO and crystalline Si. \n 16. Table 2.16 Comparison between a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and a Si FET \u2013 device physics. \n 17. Table 2.17 Comparison between a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and an Nch\u2010Si FET. \n 2. Chapter 03\n 1. Table 3.1 Write\/read operation of multilevel cell NOSRAM \n 2. Table 3.2 Specifications of 1-Mbit NOSRAM. \n 3. Table 3.3 Peak of _V_ read and calculated values of 3 _\u03c3_ in _V_ read distribution (Figure 3.30). \n 4. Table 3.4 Distribution peak values of _V_ read and 3 _\u03c3_ of 8-level NOSRAM. \n 5. Table 3.5 Specifications of 8-level NOSRAM cell. \n 6. Table 3.6 Peak of _V_ read and 3 _\u03c3_ of 16-level NOSRAM. \n 7. Table 3.7 Capacitances in NOSRAM (Cp are parasitic capacitances). \n 8. Table 3.8 Calculation results of _V_ read. \n 9. Table 3.9 Specification of 16-level NOSRAM. \n 10. Table 3.10 Specifications of NOSRAM \n 3. Chapter 04\n 1. Table 4.1 Specifications of the 8\u2010kbit DOSRAM. \n 4. Chapter 05\n 1. Table 5.1 Simulation results of backup FF (FF1, FF2). \n 2. Table 5.2 Specifications of 8\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU \n 3. Table 5.3 Specifications of the 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU \n 4. Table 5.4 Comparisons of 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU and an MCU with ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM) reported at a conference. \n 5. Table 5.5 Comparison of CPU simulated using a hybrid process of 45\u2010nm Si and 180\u2010nm CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs with CPU using a hybrid process of 350\u2010nm Si and 180\u2010nm CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. \n 6. Table 5.6 Specifications of the 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU (ARM\u00ae Cortex\u00ae\u2010M0) \n 7. Table 5.7 Comparison between a CAAC\u2010IGZO\u2010based normally\u2010off CPU and an MCU with ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM). \n 8. Table 5.8 Simulation results of the CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM cell. \n 9. Table 5.9 Characteristics of the 32\u2010kbit CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM. \n 10. Table 5.10 Comparison of various power\u2010gating technologies. \n 5. Chapter 06\n 1. Table 6.1 Specifications of CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA \n 2. Table 6.2 Specifications of CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA \n 3. Table 6.3 Specifications of CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA designed for subthreshold operation \n 4. Table 6.4 Characteristic comparison between FPGAs. \n 6. Chapter 07\n 1. Table 7.1 Classification of image sensors \n 2. Table 7.2 Specifications of the global shutter image sensor [3] \n 3. Table 7.3 Specifications of the global shutter image sensor \n 4. Table 7.4 Specifications of the image sensor. \n 5. Table 7.5 Measurement condition of power consumption by the image sensor \n 6. Table 7.6 Power consumption by the image sensor \n 7. Table 7.7 Specifications of image sensor. \n 8. Table 7.8 Specifications of motion sensor. \n 9. Table 7.9 Comparison of figure of merit. \n 10. Table 7.10 Specifications of motion sensor. \n 7. Chapter 08\n 1. Table 8.1 Specifications of NOSRAM wireless IC tag \n 2. Table 8.2 Specifications of the CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detector \n 3. Table 8.3 Simulated current consumption in quiescent state by analog circuits in ICs of converter A and proposed DC\u2013DC converter\n\n## List of Illustrations\n\n 1. Chapter 01\n 1. Figure 1.1 Framework and summary of the book series\n 2. Figure 1.2 Scope of this book. The symbol F2 means the square of the feature size F, used as an index of the memory cell size\n 3. Figure 1.3 Market size of ICs in 2014. \n 4. Figure 1.4 Comparison of scaling between CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs and Si FET.\n 5. Figure 1.5 (a) CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, an active element with four terminals (source S, drain D, gate G, back gate BG); (b) resistive element, a passive element with two terminals; and (c) diode, a two\u2010terminal passive element with non\u2010linear characteristics\n 6. Figure 1.6 Examples of CAAC\u2010IGZO LSIs fabricated between 2011 and 2015.\n 7. Figure 1.7 Application examples of IoT. \n 2. Chapter 02\n 1. Figure 2.1 Crystal structure of IGZO [InGaO3(ZnO) _m_ ]. InO2 layers and (GaZn)O layers are periodically stacked to form a layered structure\n 2. Figure 2.2 XRD spectra of CAAC\u2010IGZO. \n 3. Figure 2.3 Comparison of off\u2010state current between (a) Si FET with and (b) CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with . \n 4. Figure 2.4 Applications of CAAC\u2010IGZO FET technology to various devices. \n 5. Figure 2.5 Micrographs of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with . \n 6. Figure 2.6 Cross\u2010sectional view of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET\n 7. Figure 2.7 _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with . _T_ ox denotes the thickness of the gate insulator. \n 8. Figure 2.8 Conceptual diagrams of measurement method utilizing voltage drop: (a) circuit diagram; (b) behavior of _V_ F. \n 9. Figure 2.9 Circuit configuration used for measurement. \n 10. Figure 2.10 Cross\u2010sectional view of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with offset structure\n 11. Figure 2.11 Timing diagram: (a) read and (b) program. \n 12. Figure 2.12 Change in the output potential _V_ out: (a) , (b) , and (c) . \n 13. Figure 2.13 Measurement result of leakage current and plot of the fitted function _f_ ( _W_ ). \n 14. Figure 2.14 Arrhenius plot of off\u2010state currents of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. \n 15. Figure 2.15 Schematic band diagram of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in an off state. The black and white circles denote an electron and a hole, respectively. \n 16. Figure 2.16 Crystal structure of IGZO\n 17. Figure 2.17 Energy band diagram of crystalline IGZO. \n 18. Figure 2.18 Band diagram of the IGZO FET. \n 19. Figure 2.19 Conceptual graph of _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. The subthreshold leakage is the main contributor in a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET down to an extremely small drain current of 1 yA. Shifting _V_ th in a positive direction can lower the _I_ cut determined by subthreshold leakage\n 20. Figure 2.20 Cross\u2010sectional STEM image of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. \n 21. Figure 2.21 (a) Cross\u2010sectional TEM image of CAAC\u2010IGZO film; (b) schematic diagram of InGaZnO4 crystal structure. \n 22. Figure 2.22 Measured _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs with . The broken line is an extrapolation of a current below the lower detection limit by _SS_\n 23. Figure 2.23 (a) Circuit diagram and (b) timing diagram of a memory cell having a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with \n 24. Figure 2.24 Time change in _V_ RM in memory retention\n 25. Figure 2.25 Schematic diagram of the measured _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics (with electron trap levels) and ideal _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics (without electron trap levels). \n 26. Figure 2.26 Schematic structure used for device simulation\n 27. Figure 2.27 (a) _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with . This is one of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g curves at in Figure 2.22. Crosses denote measured data points at a _V_ g step of 0.1 V. (b) The number of electrons _N_ trap trapped by interface levels per unit area and unit energy (circles) and fitted curve (solid line). _N_ trap is extracted from the measured data points shown by the crosses using Equation (2.5). The vertical axis is the Fermi energy _E_ f from the conduction band minimum _E_ c of the CAAC\u2010IGZO. \n 28. Figure 2.28 Relationship between the DOS of the interface trap levels, _N_ it, and the electron number, _N_ trap, trapped by interface levels per unit area and unit energy. _N_ it has a tail distribution with a peak value _N_ ta of 1.67 \u00d7 1013 eV\u22121\u2010cm\u22122 and a characteristic width _W_ ta of 0.105 eV\n 29. Figure 2.29 Comparison between the measured _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics and the calculated _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics by device simulation with extracted tail level. _SS_ at is 126 mV\/decade. At , _SS_ is 82 mV\/decade, which is coincident with the ideal value of Equation (2.8). \n 30. Figure 2.30 Cross\u2010sectional schematic view of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in a TGTC structure with a back gate (in the channel\u2010length direction)\n 31. Figure 2.31 _V_ bg\u2010dependence of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ tg curve\n 32. Figure 2.32 The graph for defining _V_ sh and the subthreshold leakage\n 33. Figure 2.33 _V_ bg \u2010dependence of _V_ th and _V_ sh\n 34. Figure 2.34 _V_ sh time\u2010dependence at 125\u00b0C with back\u2010gate bias\n 35. Figure 2.35 Back\u2010gate bias\u2010retention circuit\n 36. Figure 2.36 Back\u2010gate bias\u2010retention circuit with an IGZO FET\n 37. Figure 2.37 Back\u2010gate bias\u2010retention circuit with serially connected IGZO FETs\n 38. Figure 2.38 Back\u2010gate bias\u2010retention circuit with IGZO FET and trap layer\n 39. Figure 2.39 Schematic cross\u2010sectional view of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in a TGTC structure with a back gate and a CT layer (in the channel\u2010length direction)\n 40. Figure 2.40 Energy band diagram for the CT layer\n 41. Figure 2.41 Charge injection time dependence of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ tg curve\n 42. Figure 2.42 Charge injection time dependence of \u0394 _V_ sh ( , R.T.)\n 43. Figure 2.43 _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET (a) before and (b) after charge injection into the CT layer ( , 3 s, R.T.)\n 44. Figure 2.44 Normal probability distribution plot of _V_ sh (a) before and (b) after charge injection ( , 3 s, R.T.)\n 45. Figure 2.45 _V_ sh time dependence at 150\u00b0C after charge injection ( , 200 ms, R.T.)\n 46. Figure 2.46 Procedure for measuring temperature stability\n 47. Figure 2.47 S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET: (a) schematic view, (b) STEM cross\u2010sectional image (plane is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the channel), (c) STEM cross\u2010sectional image (plane is normal relative to the longitudinal axis of the channel). \n 48. Figure 2.48 Channel\u2010length dependence of field\u2010effect mobility: (a) CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, (b) Si FETs. \n 49. Figure 2.49 (a) Phonon\u2010dispersion relation for InGaO3(ZnO), (b) reciprocal lattice of InGaO3(ZnO) in a 28\u2010atom cell. \n 50. Figure 2.50 Calculated drift velocity _v_ d as a function of electric field intensity _E_. \n 51. Figure 2.51 Simulation results of the velocity overshoot of electrons in bulk Si\n 52. Figure 2.52 Comparison of the Monte Carlo simulation results and the S&G mobility model. (a) The dependence of the _v_ d of electrons on _E_ ; (b) the dependence of the electron mobility on _E_\n 53. Figure 2.53 Monte Carlo simulation model\n 54. Figure 2.54 The distribution of electron drift velocity just beneath the GI film ( , , , )\n 55. Figure 2.55 Channel\u2010length dependence of electron mobility derived by Monte Carlo simulation and the S&G model\n 56. Figure 2.56 RF gains vs. the frequency of a S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with . \n 57. Figure 2.57 _g_ m Characteristics of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with . \n 58. Figure 2.58 Measurement results of the cut\u2010off frequency of IGZO FETs\n 59. Figure 2.59 Graphs explaining the short\u2010channel effect: (a) _V_ th roll\u2010off, increase in _SS_ and (b) _DIBL_ , increase in _I_ off\n 60. Figure 2.60 S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET using CAAC\u2010IGZO film as active layer: (a) schematic view; (b) plane view; (c) cross\u2010sectional STEM image in channel\u2010length direction; and (d) cross\u2010sectional STEM image in channel\u2010width direction.\n 61. Figure 2.61 (a) Out\u2010of\u2010plane XRD spectrum of the CAAC\u2010IGZO film; (b) cross\u2010sectional TEM image of CAAC\u2010IGZO film. \n 62. Figure 2.62 (a) Dependence on drain voltage ( _V_ d) of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristic and (b) dependence on _V_ d of the _V_ sh and _SS_ of an S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with a _W_ \/ _L_ of _W_ \/ _L_ of 47 nm\/56 nm ( ). \n 63. Figure 2.63 (a) Dependence on _W_ of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristic and (b) dependence on _W_ of the _V_ sh and _SS_ of an S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with _W_ \/ _L_ of 47 nm\/56 nm ( _n_ = 9), _V_ d of 1 V. \n 64. Figure 2.64 (a) Dependence on _L_ of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristic and (b) dependence on _L_ of _V_ sh and _SS_ of an S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET ( ) with a channel length of 56 nm, _V_ d of 1 V. \n 65. Figure 2.65 (a) Cross\u2010sectional STEM image in channel\u2010length direction and (b) cross\u2010sectional STEM image in channel\u2010width direction of an S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with . \n 66. Figure 2.66 (a) _I_ d\u2013 _V_ d characteristics and (b) _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of an S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with . \n 67. Figure 2.67 (a) Dependence on _L_ of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ d characteristics and (b) _L_ dependence of the _SS_ ( ) and _V_ th ( ) of an S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with . \n 68. Figure 2.68 (a) Diagram of a circuit using the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with ; (b) retention characteristics at 125\u00b0C. \n 69. Figure 2.69 Electron current\u2013density distribution of active layer in the _W_ cross\u2010section of a S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET at (a) and (b) \n 70. Figure 2.70 Schematic view of a FET structure. \n 71. Figure 2.71 Schematic view of the FET structure and conduction band showing the relationship between and . \n 72. Figure 2.72 InGaZnO4 model used for the DFT calculation. \n 73. Figure 2.73 Influence of dielectric anisotropy in the active layer upon _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics (calculation results of two\u2010dimensional device simulation): (a) dielectric constant along _a_ \u2010 or _b_ \u2010axes; (b) dielectric constant along _c\u2010_ axis. \n 74. Figure 2.74 Comparison of band diagrams at \n 75. Figure 2.75 Minimum conduction band energy of a FET with in the channel direction (comparison between an accumulation\u2010mode FET and an inversion\u2010mode FET)\n 76. Figure 2.76 Dependence of EBH on channel length (comparison between inversion\u2010 and accumulation\u2010mode FETs)\n 77. Figure 2.77 Dependence of EBH on channel length (impact of dielectric anisotropy)\n 78. Figure 2.78 Dependence of EBH on channel length (impact of thickness of active layer)\n 79. Figure 2.79 Dependence of EBH on channel length (impact of S-ch structure)\n 80. Figure 2.80 Dependence of EBH on channel length (impact of thinning of GI film)\n 81. Figure 2.81 Fabrication process of TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. \n 82. Figure 2.82 (a) Perspective and (b) planar view of the TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET; (c) planar view of the TGTC structure. \n 83. Figure 2.83 Cross\u2010sectional STEM images in the channel\u2010length direction (a) and the channel\u2010width direction (b) of the TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. \n 84. Figure 2.84 (a) Out\u2010of\u2010plane XRD spectrum of the CAAC\u2010IGZO film and (b) cross\u2010sectional TEM image of CAAC\u2010IGZO film. \n 85. Figure 2.85 (a) _I_ d\u2013 _V_ d characteristics and (b) _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of the TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with . \n 86. Figure 2.86 Result of the +DBT stress test ( , , 150\u00b0C, 1 h) of a TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with . \n 87. Figure 2.87 Dependences on channel length _L_ of (a) threshold voltage _V_ th and (b) shift voltage _V_ sh (comparison between ). \n 88. Figure 2.88 Dependences of _SS_ upon channel length _L_ : (a) and (b) . \n 89. Figure 2.89 Current density distribution in cross\u2010section in the channel\u2010width direction of the TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET: (a) and (b) . \n 90. Figure 2.90 Dependence of _I_ on on channel length _L_ at and (comparison between ). \n 91. Figure 2.91 (a) Transconductance _g_ m and (b) current gain of 300 parallelized TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs with channels connected in parallel. \n 92. Figure 2.92 Channel\u2010length dependence of cut\u2010off frequency for . \n 93. Figure 2.93 (a) Circuit diagram of memory using a TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with and (b) memory retention characteristics at 125\u00b0C and . \n 94. Figure 2.94 Arrhenius plot of the relaxation time _\u03c4_ of the memory using the TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. \n 95. Figure 2.95 Cross-sectional STEM image of a prototype with two CAAC\u2010IGZO FET layers stacked on Si FET. Channel lengths of the Si and CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are 0.2 \u00b5m and 0.4 \u00b5m, respectively. The image is retouched by filling voids in the interlayer film.\n 96. Figure 2.96 Process flow of the TGTC structure (left: channel\u2010length _L_ direction, right: channel\u2010width _W_ direction): (a) CAAC\u2010IGZO patterning, (b) source\/drain (S\/D) electrode formation, (c) gate insulator and gate electrode formation, (d) insulating film and contact hole formation, (e) via formation\n 97. Figure 2.97 Process flow of the TGSA structure: (a) CAAC\u2010IGZO patterning, (b) trench and source\/drain (S\/D) electrode formation, (c) gate insulator and gate electrode formation, (d) insulating film and contact hole formation, (e) via formation\n 98. Figure 2.98 (a) Hybrid structure of the Si FET and CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, (b) CAAC\u2010IGZO FET\n 99. Figure 2.99 Cross-sectional STEM image of hybrid structure of Si FET with channel length of 65 nm and CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with channel length of 60 nm (cooperative work with UMC).\n 3. Chapter 03\n 1. Figure 3.1 Relationship between write endurance and write energy\n 2. Figure 3.2 Structure of floating-gate flash memory\n 3. Figure 3.3 Current characteristics of floating-gate flash memory\n 4. Figure 3.4 Memory cell using CAAC-IGZO FET. \n 5. Figure 3.5 Timing diagram of memory cell: (a) write operation; (b) read operation\n 6. Figure 3.6 Relationship between the voltage of CWL ( _V_ CWL) and _I_ d\n 7. Figure 3.7 Block diagram of 1-Mbit NOSRAM module. \n 8. Figure 3.8 Circuit diagram of page buffer. \n 9. Figure 3.9 Timing diagram of NOSRAM module: (a) write operation; (b) read operation\n 10. Figure 3.10 Block diagram of 4-level NOSRAM module. \n 11. Figure 3.11 Timing diagram of 4-level NOSRAM module: (a) write operation; (b) read operation\n 12. Figure 3.12 Block diagram of 8-level NOSRAM. \n 13. Figure 3.13 Timing diagram of 8-level NOSRAM module: (a) write operation; (b) read operation. \n 14. Figure 3.14 Write method for multilevel NOSRAM: (a) BL write method; (b) _V_ t cancel-write method. \n 15. Figure 3.15 Capacitor and parasitic capacitances (Cp) in NOSRAM memory cell. \n 16. Figure 3.16 Block diagram of 128-kbit 16-level NOSRAM. \n 17. Figure 3.17 Timing diagram of 16-level NOSRAM: (a) write waveform; (b) readout waveform. \n 18. Figure 3.18 Conceptual diagram of word-processing NOSRAM\n 19. Figure 3.19 Scaling of NOSRAM, where _N_ is the number of stacked layers\n 20. Figure 3.20 NOSRAM memory cell. \n 21. Figure 3.21 _I_ d\u2013 _V_ CWL characteristics when the NOSRAM memory cell receives data 1 and data 0. \n 22. Figure 3.22 Write time of NOSRAM memory cell. \n 23. Figure 3.23 Write endurance of NOSRAM memory cell. \n 24. Figure 3.24 Operation waveform of 1-Mbit NOSRAM module: (a) write operation; (b) read operation. \n 25. Figure 3.25 Shmoo plot for write time of 1-Mbit NOSRAM module. \n 26. Figure 3.26 Distribution in readout of data 1 in 1-Mbit NOSRAM module. \n 27. Figure 3.27 Photograph of fabricated 1-Mbit NOSRAM.\n 28. Figure 3.28 (a) Memory cell circuit of a 1-kbit NOSRAM and (b) its timing diagram. \n 29. Figure 3.29 Distributions of voltages for retention in 2-level NOSRAM. \n 30. Figure 3.30 Distributions of _V_ read of 4-level NOSRAM. \n 31. Figure 3.31 Distributions of _V_ read of 8-level NOSRAM. \n 32. Figure 3.32 Photograph of prototype of 8-level NOSRAM cell.\n 33. Figure 3.33 Distributions of _V_ read of 16-level NOSRAM. \n 34. Figure 3.34 Shift depending on temperature of _V_ read distribution: (a) BL write method; (b) _V_ t cancel-write method. \n 35. Figure 3.35 Temperature dependence of _V_ read peak. \n 36. Figure 3.36 Photograph of prototype of 16-level NOSRAM.\n 4. Chapter 04\n 1. Figure 4.1 Circuit diagram of DOSRAM cell.\n 2. Figure 4.2 Block diagram of DOSRAM.\n 3. Figure 4.3 Hybrid structure of Si FET layer and CAAC\u2010IGZO FET layer\n 4. Figure 4.4 Cross\u2010sectional view of stacked layers of DOSRAM.\n 5. Figure 4.5 Basic circuit diagram of sense amplifier connected to cell array with folded BLs\n 6. Figure 4.6 Writing\u2010operation waveforms.\n 7. Figure 4.7 Shmoo plot of write time.\n 8. Figure 4.8 Reading\u2010operation waveforms.\n 9. Figure 4.9 Shmoo plot of read time.\n 10. Figure 4.10 Data\u2010retention characteristics at 85\u00b0C.\n 11. Figure 4.11 Die photograph of the 8\u2010kbit DOSRAM.\n 12. Figure 4.12 Circuit configuration of DOSRAM with 60\u2010nm technology node.\n 13. Figure 4.13 Die photograph of DOSRAM with 60\u2010nm technology node\n 14. Figure 4.14 Writing\u2010operation waveforms.\n 15. Figure 4.15 Reading\u2010operation waveforms.\n 16. Figure 4.16 Relationship between _V_ sig and operation speed (read time = write time).\n 17. Figure 4.17 Data\u2010retention test at 27\u00b0C and 85\u00b0C.\n 5. Chapter 05\n 1. Figure 5.1 Power\u2010reducing schemes of clock and power gating compared with normally\u2010off computing (bottom)\n 2. Figure 5.2 Schematic view of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs stacked on Si FETs\n 3. Figure 5.3 Memory hierarchy of normally\u2010off computing\n 4. Figure 5.4 Schematic diagram of the break\u2010even time\n 5. Figure 5.5 Basic configuration of a computer\n 6. Figure 5.6 Simplified diagram of a CPU\n 7. Figure 5.7 Circuit diagram of Type\u2010A backup FF. \n 8. Figure 5.8 Timing diagram of Type\u2010A backup FF. \n 9. Figure 5.9 Photograph of a Type\u2010A backup FF. \n 10. Figure 5.10 Assumed layout with 30\u2010nm Si FET. \n 11. Figure 5.11 Circuit diagram of Type\u2010B backup FF. \n 12. Figure 5.12 Backup sequence of Type\u2010B backup FF. \n 13. Figure 5.13 Circuit diagram of a serial backup FF. \n 14. Figure 5.14 Timing diagram of a serial backup FF. \n 15. Figure 5.15 Layout of a serial backup FF. \n 16. Figure 5.16 Circuit diagram of the two\u2010step backup FF. \n 17. Figure 5.17 Timing diagram of the two\u2010step backup FF. \n 18. Figure 5.18 Photograph of the normally\u2010off CPU. \n 19. Figure 5.19 Block diagram of an 8\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU. \n 20. Figure 5.20 State transition diagram of normally\u2010off CPU. \n 21. Figure 5.21 Measured waveforms of the 8\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU. \n 22. Figure 5.22 Screenshot of retention characteristics after approximately 40 days. \n 23. Figure 5.23 Data\u2010retention characteristics of Type\u2010A backup FF at 85\u00b0C. \n 24. Figure 5.24 Block diagram of the 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU. \n 25. Figure 5.25 Photograph of the 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU. \n 26. Figure 5.26 (a) Measured waveforms and (b) measured retention time of the first\u2010stage backup circuit in power gating. \n 27. Figure 5.27 (a) Measured waveforms and (b) measured retention time of the second\u2010stage backup circuit in power gating. \n 28. Figure 5.28 Measured overhead energies of SRC1 and SRC2. \n 29. Figure 5.29 Layout of simulated FF with a hybrid process of 45\u2010nm Si and 180\u2010nm CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. \n 30. Figure 5.30 Micrograph of the 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU (ARM\u00ae Cortex\u00ae\u2010M0). \n 31. Figure 5.31 Cross\u2010sectional view of SRAM formed by a hybrid process of 180\u2010nm Si and 60\u2010nm CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. \n 32. Figure 5.32 Block diagram of the 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU (ARM\u00ae Cortex\u00ae\u2010M0). \n 33. Figure 5.33 Measured waveforms of the Type\u2010B backup flip\u2010flop during operation. \n 34. Figure 5.34 Evaluation program of alternating active and sleep modes. \n 35. Figure 5.35 Evaluation results of power reduction. \n 36. Figure 5.36 (a) Circuit diagram and (b) power\u2010gating sequence of the CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM. \n 37. Figure 5.37 Mask layout and layer structure of the CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM. \n 38. Figure 5.38 Estimation of the BET. \n 39. Figure 5.39 Static noise margins of CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM and standard SRAM during read (a), write (b), and hold (c) operations. The voltages are those in node _Q_ and shown in Figure 5.36(a). \n 40. Figure 5.40 Optical micrograph of a 32\u2010kbit CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM die\n 41. Figure 5.41 Circuit diagram of the backup and restoration driver\n 42. Figure 5.42 Block diagram of 32\u2010kbit CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM. \n 43. Figure 5.43 Data backup\/restoration time\n 44. Figure 5.44 Waveforms measured in power gating. \n 45. Figure 5.45 Reduction of standby power in 32\u2010kbit CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM without power gating (w\/o PG) and with bit-line floating, power gating in the peripheral circuits (peri. PG), power gating in the memory array (array PG), and power gating in some or all domains. \n 46. Figure 5.46 Dependence of total power savings on idle time. \n 47. Figure 5.47 State transitions in multiple PG\n 48. Figure 5.48 Block diagram of system for measuring the power consumption in SRAM\n 49. Figure 5.49 Total power consumption of 32\u2010kbit SRAM in various low\u2010standby power modes (the wait time obeys a Gamma distribution)\n 6. Chapter 06\n 1. Figure 6.1 Schematic structures of (a) FPGA, (b) PLE, and (c) PRS. CM denotes a configuration memory\n 2. Figure 6.2 Circuit configuration of the pass gate. \n 3. Figure 6.3 Circuit configuration of a pass gate with overdriving. \n 4. Figure 6.4 Circuit configuration and timing diagram of conventional boosting pass gate. \n 5. Figure 6.5 Circuit configuration and timing diagram of the CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate. \n 6. Figure 6.6 (a) Block diagram of the PLE composed of an LUT, carry logic, scan logic, and a register; (b) configuration memory in the PLE; and (c) non\u2010volatile register. The \"register\" in (a) is a non\u2010volatile register in the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA. The configuration memory is denoted by CM. \n 7. Figure 6.7 Entire block diagram of prototype FPGA. PRSs denote groups of PRSs selecting output from PLE to user I\/O, from user I\/O to PLE, and from PLE to PLE. \n 8. Figure 6.8 Circuit diagram of routing fabric in the prototype FPGA, where a CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate is used for PRS. \n 9. Figure 6.9 Operational waveforms at 1 MHz of (a) up\/down counter and (b) shift circuit. Each circuit is configured by a CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA. , . \n 10. Figure 6.10 CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA micrographs of (a) core and (b) PRS, and SRAM FPGA micrographs of (c) core and (d) PRS.\n 11. Figure 6.11 Demonstration of performing the power ( _V_ DD) on\/off for the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA in an up\/down counter configuration. A store\/load signal controls the register data store in\/load from the non\u2010volatile block in the non\u2010volatile register, and D[4:0] corresponds to outputs of the up\/down counter. The OUT is the output of an A\/D converter whose inputs are D[4:0]. \n 12. Figure 6.12 Relationship between the source voltage and the highest operational frequency in counter circuits of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA (solid line) and SRAM FPGA (dotted line). and . \n 13. Figure 6.13 Change in oscillation frequency in the long\u2010term operation test. The CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA has the configuration of a 13\u2010stage ring oscillator circuit with 13 PLEs. and . \n 14. Figure 6.14 Conceptual diagram of dynamic reconfiguration FPGA\n 15. Figure 6.15 (a) Conceptual diagram of the multicontext method; (b) fine\u2010grained power gating\n 16. Figure 6.16 Operational sequence example of normally\u2010off computing in FPGA. \n 17. Figure 6.17 Circuit configurations of (a) PRS set and (b) PRS. \n 18. Figure 6.18 (a) PLE block diagram and (b) configuration memory set diagram. The configuration memory is denoted by CM. \n 19. Figure 6.19 Circuit configurations of (a) configuration memory set, (b) configuration memory, and (c) SRAM\u2010based configuration memory. \n 20. Figure 6.20 (a) Register circuit configuration and (b) register timing diagram. The timing diagram shows the timing of storage and loading with the _i_ th shadow register. \n 21. Figure 6.21 Entire block diagram of prototype FPGA. \n 22. Figure 6.22 Store time and load time of register data in non\u2010volatile shadow register. \n 23. Figure 6.23 Micrograph of a prototype fabricated by a hybrid process. \n 24. Figure 6.24 Normally\u2010off computing and other driving methods of executing tasks. A gray area in the \"Total usage\" column represents a region including unused PLE. A gray area in the \"Power\u2010on area\" columns represents a region including PLEs subjected to power gating. SR: shadow register, PG: power gating, MC: multicontexts. \n 25. Figure 6.25 Operational waveforms and event schedule in testing the fabricated FPGA. \n 26. Figure 6.26 PLE power consumption during (a) task [1] and (b) task [2]. \n 27. Figure 6.27 Principles of overdriving PRS: (a) circuit configuration and (b) timing diagram. \n 28. Figure 6.28 Principles of overdriving PPS: (a) circuit configuration and (b) timing diagram. \n 29. Figure 6.29 (a) Five\u2010stage ring oscillator (RO5) and (b) dependence of RO5 operational frequency ratio on source voltage _V_ DDL and Npps. The operational frequency ratio is normalized by the frequency at an Npps of 0 mV. \n 30. Figure 6.30 Micrograph of CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA designed for subthreshold operation.\n 31. Figure 6.31 Block diagram of the FPGA. \n 32. Figure 6.32 Circuit diagram of PRS. \n 33. Figure 6.33 Connection relationship between PRSs. \n 34. Figure 6.34 Circuit diagrams of (a) PLE and (b) configuration memory. \n 35. Figure 6.35 Timing diagram of configuration memory. \n 36. Figure 6.36 Input\/output waveforms of PLE TEG with 4\u2010input AND or 4\u2010input OR. \n 37. Figure 6.37 Power consumption, operational frequency, and dependence of the power delay product on operational voltage in a CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA with the RO3 configuration. \n 38. Figure 6.38 Dependence of power consumption, maximum operational frequency, and PDP on operational voltage in a CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA with the configuration of a CNT4 and SRAM FPGA . \n 39. Figure 6.39 Difference in dependence of PDP on operational voltage between the cases with and without overdriving in the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA of CNT4. \n 40. Figure 6.40 Operational waveforms of context switching from CNT3 to CNT4. \n 41. Figure 6.41 Time change in RO3 oscillation frequency at a source voltage _V_ DDL of 180 mV. _V_ DDLh is 1200 mV only at the instance of context switching. \n 42. Figure 6.42 Operational procedure of a CPU. The control unit (CU) reads an instruction from the instruction memory (IM). After decoding the instruction, the execution unit (EU) reads the data to be processed from the data memory (DM), and the processed data are stored in the memory. The operation is repeated\n 43. Figure 6.43 Operational procedure of a GPU. The CU reads an instruction from the IM. After decoding the instruction, EUs read multiple types of data to be processed from the DM. After processing, the data are stored in the DM. The operation is repeated\n 44. Figure 6.44 Operational procedure in a deep\u2010pipeline FPGA. The FPGA comprises multiple EUs. The EUs are connected to form a pipeline. There are multiple pipelines. When data to be processed, which are read out from the DM, are input into the head of each pipeline, the pipeline executes the data processing. After processing, the data are stored in the DM. The operation is repeated\n 45. Figure 6.45 Example of a CAAC\u2010IGZO CPU + CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA computing system. CPUs are connected by a common link, a CPU and an FPGA forming a pair are connected by a high\u2010speed link, and adjacent FPGAs are connected by a dedicated link. Mem denotes memory\n 46. Figure 6.46 Example of dynamic reconfiguration in multicontext FPGA, having two contexts. CFG1, CFG2, CFG3, and CFG4 denote configuration data. At time T0, the operation starts from the initial state with context 0 of CFG1, context 1 of CFG2, active context of context 0, and active configuration of CFG1. At time T1, the active context is changed from context 0 to context 1, and accordingly the active configuration is changed from CFG1 to CFG2. At time T2, non\u2010active configuration data of context 0 are changed to CFG3. At time T3, the active context is changed from context 1 to context 0, and accordingly the active configuration is changed from CFG2 to CFG3. At time T4, non\u2010active configuration data of context 1 are changed to CFG4. At time T5, the active context is changed from context 0 to context 1, and accordingly the active configuration is changed from CFG3 to CFG4\n 7. Chapter 07\n 1. Figure 7.1 Relationship between circuit configuration and storage node in (a) DOSRAM memory element, (b) NOSRAM memory element, and (c) CIS sensor pixel with a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET\n 2. Figure 7.2 Driving timing diagram of a sensor pixel in Figure 7.1(c)\n 3. Figure 7.3 Block diagram of a general CIS\n 4. Figure 7.4 Comparison between image capturing by a rolling shutter (a) and a global shutter (b)\n 5. Figure 7.5 Timing diagrams of mechanical global shutter mode (a) and electronic global shutter mode with high\u2010speed readout (b)\n 6. Figure 7.6 Sensor pixel circuit: (a) T is a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET; (b) T is a Si FET. The transistors other than T are Si FETs. (c) Driving timing diagram of the sensor pixel.\n 7. Figure 7.7 Target to be captured and simulated captured images\n 8. Figure 7.8 Device structure.\n 9. Figure 7.9 Charge\u2010retention characteristics of floating diffusion (FD) at 0 to 1000 lx in a structure with (a) a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET [Figure 7.6(a)] and (b) only Si FETs [Figure 7.6(b)].\n 10. Figure 7.10 Photograph of the global shutter image sensor\n 11. Figure 7.11 Image of a rotating object.\n 12. Figure 7.12 Micrograph of the global shutter image sensor\n 13. Figure 7.13 Images of a rotating object [above left: image of resting object, (a) image taken with rolling shutter using a commercial smartphone and (b) image taken with global shutter using a fabricated prototype]\n 14. Figure 7.14 Circuit diagram of a sensor pixel.\n 15. Figure 7.15 Timing diagram of the high\u2010speed continuous\u2010capture method.\n 16. Figure 7.16 Block diagram of the image sensor.\n 17. Figure 7.17 Micrograph of the image sensor\n 18. Figure 7.18 Method for calculating average value and standard deviation\n 19. Figure 7.19 Readout frame rate dependence of the image quality degradation: (a) average pixel value difference between the target and reference images; (b) standard deviation of the pixel value difference between target and reference images (\u25cb, TX1C; \u25a1, TX2C; +, TX1G; \u00d7, TX2G)\n 20. Figure 7.20 Capture interval dependence of image quality degradation: (a) average pixel value difference between the target and reference images; (b) standard deviation of the pixel value difference between target and reference images (\u25cb, TX1C; \u25a1, TX2C)\n 21. Figure 7.21 Waveforms at a readout frame rate of 1 fps and capture interval of 100 \u00b5s\n 22. Figure 7.22 Images of rotating fans (the left\u2010hand fan rotates at 6500 rpm and the right\u2010hand fan rotates at 10000 rpm): (a) TX1C image (capture interval 100 \u00b5s); (b) TX2C image (capture interval 100 \u00b5s); (c) TX1C image (capture interval 1000 \u00b5s); (d) TX2C image (capture interval 1000 \u00b5s)\n 23. Figure 7.23 Characteristics of FETs formed by hybrid process: (a) curve ( ) (solid line: CAAC\u2010IGZO, ; dotted line: Nch\u2010Si, ; dashed line: Pch\u2010Si, ); (b) 1\/f noise (solid line: CAAC\u2010IGZO, ; dotted line: Nch\u2010Si, ; dashed line: Pch\u2010Si, ); and (c) 1\/f noise in case of using scaled\u2010down CAAC\u2010IGZO FET (solid line: CAAC\u2010IGZO, ; dotted line: Nch\u2010Si, ; dashed line: Pch\u2010Si, ). _W_ denotes the channel width.\n 24. Figure 7.24 Micrograph of image sensor\n 25. Figure 7.25 Hybrid structure of image sensor\n 26. Figure 7.26 Micrograph of sub\u2010sensor pixel in image sensor.\n 27. Figure 7.27 Measured waveforms of the column driver in the image sensor.\n 28. Figure 7.28 Images of a rotating fan: (a) TX1C image; (b) TX2C image\n 29. Figure 7.29 Block diagram of an optical flow system\n 30. Figure 7.30 Optical flow: (a) at a capture interval of 100 \u00b5s; (b) at a capture interval of 1000 \u00b5s\n 31. Figure 7.31 Block diagram of the motion sensor and operational states of each block at each operation mode. Gray indicates a deactivated (wait) mode.\n 32. Figure 7.32 Sensor pixel circuit diagram (a), timing diagram during differential data capture (b), and timing diagram during normal image capture (c).\n 33. Figure 7.33 Circuit diagram of analog processor and timing diagram of event\u2010triggered motion\u2010capture period.\n 34. Figure 7.34 Micrograph of motion sensor.\n 35. Figure 7.35 Target images to be captured and displays showing differential data.\n 36. Figure 7.36 Motion\u2010capture result (gray indicates a wait state).\n 37. Figure 7.37 (a) Sensor pixel circuit with threshold\u2010compensation circuit and (b) timing diagram.\n 38. Figure 7.38 (a) Output variations (dashed line: without _V_ th compensation circuit, solid line: with _V_ th compensation circuit) and (b) threshold\u2010compensation effect of motion\u2010capture range \u0394VREF (unfilled circles: without _V_ th compensation circuit, filled circles: with _V_ th compensation circuit).\n 39. Figure 7.39 Comparison of motion\u2010capture results with or without threshold compensation.\n 8. Chapter 08\n 1. Figure 8.1 Block diagram of wireless IC tag\n 2. Figure 8.2 Photograph of NOSRAM wireless IC tag: (a) whole area and (b) die\n 3. Figure 8.3 Data\u2010retention characteristics of wireless IC tag at 130\u00b0C\n 4. Figure 8.4 Writing times of (a) NOSRAM\u2010based and (b) EEPROM\u2010based wireless IC tags\n 5. Figure 8.5 Block diagram of NOSRAM wireless IC tag with sensor function\n 6. Figure 8.6 System for checking degree of deterioration in train tunnel. System employs NOSRAM wireless IC tag with sensor function\n 7. Figure 8.7 Flow diagram of system illustrated in Figure 8.6\n 8. Figure 8.8 Block diagram of NOSRAM wireless IC tag with sensor function and secondary battery\n 9. Figure 8.9 Flow diagram of system for checking degree of deterioration in buildings. System uses NOSRAM wireless IC tag with sensor function and secondary battery\n 10. Figure 8.10 Mechanisms of X\u2010ray detection in (a) direct\u2010conversion mode and (b) indirect\u2010conversion mode\n 11. Figure 8.11 Circuit configuration of sensor pixel\n 12. Figure 8.12 Device structure of a CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detector in (a) direct\u2010conversion mode and (b) indirect\u2010conversion mode\n 13. Figure 8.13 (a) Block diagram of X\u2010ray detector and (b) circuit diagram of pixel configuration and MUX\n 14. Figure 8.14 Timing chart of entire operation of X\u2010ray detector\n 15. Figure 8.15 Photograph of a CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detector panel (scintillator not shown)\n 16. Figure 8.16 Objects captured by the CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detector\n 17. Figure 8.17 8K Broadcasting system: (a) data transmission and (b) data reception (8K TV system)\n 18. Figure 8.18 Conceptual diagram of a satellite broadcasting system based on data compression\u2013extension by H.265\/HEVC\n 19. Figure 8.19 Block diagrams of (a) H.265\/HEVC encoder and (b) H.265\/HEVC decoder\n 20. Figure 8.20 Data reference relationships among frames (I, P, and B denote I picture, P picture, and B picture, respectively. Numbers indicate order in which data are displayed)\n 21. Figure 8.21 Circuit diagram of non\u2010hybrid DC\u2013DC converter fabricated with a 0.35\u2010\u00b5m CMOS process technology (converter A). This hysteretic\u2010controlled boost DC\u2013DC converter is designed for low power consumption\n 22. Figure 8.22 Fabricated CAAC\u2010IGZO bias voltage sampling circuit with an amplifier and its timing diagram\n 23. Figure 8.23 Micrograph of CAAC\u2010IGZO bias voltage sampling circuit with an amplifier fabricated by the hybrid process\n 24. Figure 8.24 Measured output voltage (left) and current consumption (right) of the circuit fabricated by the hybrid process\n 25. Figure 8.25 Measured average current consumption of the bias generator and bias circuit in the circuit fabricated by the hybrid process\n 26. Figure 8.26 Comparator using CAAC\u2010IGZO bias voltage sampling circuit (S\/H)\n 27. Figure 8.27 Hysteresis comparator configured by the comparator in Figure 8.26\n 28. Figure 8.28 CLK generator fabricated by the CAAC\u2010IGZO bias voltage sample and hold circuit (S\/H)\n 29. Figure 8.29 Circuit diagram of the proposed DC\u2013DC converter where the circuits shown in Figures 8.26\u20138.28 are used in the reference circuit, and a timer circuit is added to converter A\n 30. Figure 8.30 Measured power\u2010conversion efficiency of converter A and simulated power efficiency of the proposed DC\u2013DC converter\n 31. Figure 8.31 Circuit diagram of the proposed VCO including CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs and Si FETs\n 32. Figure 8.32 Fabricated layout of VCO with two VCEs ( ): (a) die photograph and (b) simplified diagram\n 33. Figure 8.33 Relationship between frequency and AVD in proposed VCO with two VCEs on (a) linear scale and (b) log scale\n 34. Figure 8.34 Data\u2010retention characteristics of VCO ( ) with different _V_ SS values ( , )\n 35. Figure 8.35 Data\u2010retention characteristics of VCO ( ) with different AVDs ( , ): (a) and (b) \n 36. Figure 8.36 Output waveforms from power\u2010off to reboot: (a) overall view and (b) enlarged view immediately after reboot\n 37. Figure 8.37 Output waveforms during switching between selected VCEs ( )\n 38. Figure 8.38 Linear threshold model of neurons and synapses\n 39. Figure 8.39 Step function\n 40. Figure 8.40 Multilayer perceptron neural network\n 41. Figure 8.41 Recurrent neural network\n 42. Figure 8.42 Unit layer of multilayer perceptron neural network constructed by CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs\n 43. Figure 8.43 Synapse unit in multilayer perceptron neural network constructed from CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs; \u2297 denotes multiplier\n 44. Figure 8.44 Recurrent neural network constructed from CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs\n 45. Figure 8.45 Synapse unit of recurrent neural network constructed from CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs\n 46. Figure 8.46 Programmable circuit: (a) with programmable wiring; (b) with fixed routing\n 47. Figure 8.47 Circuits with the same topology can be transformed into an adder or a subtractor: (a) programmable functions set for one\u2010bit full adder; (b) programmable functions set for one\u2010bit full subtractor\n 48. Figure 8.48 Implementation of 12\u2010input logic functions with LUTs: (a) schematic diagram indicating that all 12\u2010input logic functions can be implemented with a LUT having 4096 bits of storage; (b) example of a 12\u2010input circuit having a set of 4\u2010input LUTs and their connections. The circuit in (b) needs only 272 bits of storage for all LUTs\n 49. Figure 8.49 Disjoint support decomposition of logic functions\n 50. Figure 8.50 Different fixed topology of networks of 3\u2010input and 4\u2010input LUTs\n 51. Figure 8.51 Percentages of implementable functions out of the extracted 12\u2010input logic functions (solid line: DSD; dashed line: partial DSD; chain line: non\u2010DSD)\n 52. Figure 8.52 Program that includes power\u2010gating operations. \n 53. Figure 8.53 Use of power gating for quick and efficient backtracking in programming.\n\n## Guide\n\n 1. Cover\n 2. Table of Contents\n 3. Begin Reading\n\n## Pages\n\n 1. ii\n 2. iii\n 3. iv\n 4. x\n 5. xi\n 6. xii\n 7. xiii\n 8. xiv\n 9. xv\n 10. xvi\n 11. xvii\n 12. xviii\n 13. \n 14. \n 15. \n 16. \n 17. \n 18. \n 19. \n 20. \n 21. \n 22. \n 23. \n 24. \n 25. \n 26. \n 27. \n 28. \n 29. \n 30. \n 31. \n 32. \n 33. \n 34. \n 35. \n 36. \n 37. \n 38. \n 39. \n 40. \n 41. \n 42. \n 43. \n 44. \n 45. \n 46. \n 47. \n 48. \n 49. \n 50. \n 51. \n 52. \n 53. \n 54. \n 55. \n 56. \n 57. \n 58. \n 59. \n 60. \n 61. \n 62. \n 63. \n 64. \n 65. \n 66. \n 67. \n 68. \n 69. \n 70. \n 71. \n 72. \n 73. \n 74. \n 75. \n 76. \n 77. \n 78. \n 79. \n 80. \n 81. \n 82. \n 83. \n 84. \n 85. \n 86. \n 87. \n 88. \n 89. \n 90. \n 91. \n 92. \n 93. \n 94. \n 95. \n 96. \n 97. \n 98. \n 99. \n 100. \n 101. \n 102. \n 103. \n 104. \n 105. \n 106. \n 107. \n 108. \n 109. \n 110. \n 111. \n 112. \n 113. \n 114. \n 115. \n 116. \n 117. \n 118. \n 119. \n 120. \n 121. \n 122. \n 123. \n 124. \n 125. \n 126. \n 127. \n 128. \n 129. \n 130. \n 131. \n 132. \n 133. \n 134. \n 135. \n 136. \n 137. \n 138. \n 139. \n 140. \n 141. \n 142. \n 143. \n 144. \n 145. \n 146. \n 147. \n 148. \n 149. \n 150. \n 151. \n 152. \n 153. \n 154. \n 155. \n 156. \n 157. \n 158. \n 159. \n 160. \n 161. \n 162. \n 163. \n 164. \n 165. \n 166. \n 167. \n 168. \n 169. \n 170. \n 171. \n 172. \n 173. \n 174. \n 175. \n 176. \n 177. \n 178. \n 179. \n 180. \n 181. \n 182. \n 183. \n 184. \n 185. \n 186. \n 187. \n 188. \n 189. \n 190. \n 191. \n 192. \n 193. \n 194. \n 195. \n 196. \n 197. \n 198. \n 199. \n 200. \n 201. \n 202. \n 203. \n 204. \n 205. \n 206. \n 207. \n 208. \n 209. \n 210. \n 211. \n 212. \n 213. \n 214. \n 215. \n 216. \n 217. \n 218. \n 219. \n 220. \n 221. \n 222. \n 223. \n 224. \n 225. \n 226. \n 227. \n 228. \n 229. \n 230. \n 231. \n 232. \n 233. \n 234. \n 235. \n 236. \n 237. \n 238. \n 239. \n 240. \n 241. \n 242. \n 243. \n 244. \n 245. \n 246. \n 247. \n 248. \n 249. \n 250. \n 251. \n 252. \n 253. \n 254. \n 255. \n 256. \n 257. \n 258. \n 259. \n 260. \n 261. \n 262. \n 263. \n 264. \n 265. \n 266. \n 267. \n 268. \n 269. \n 270. \n 271. \n 272. \n 273. \n 274. \n 275. \n 276. \n 277. \n 278. \n 279. \n 280. \n 281. \n 282. \n 283. \n 284. \n 285. \n 286. \n 287. \n 288. \n 289. \n 290. \n 291. \n 292. \n 293. \n 294. \n 295. \n 296. \n 297. \n 298. \n 299. \n 300. \n 301. \n 302. \n 303. \n 304. \n 305. \n 306. \n 307. \n 308. \n 309. \n 310. \n 311. \n 312. \n 313. \n 314. \n 315. \n 316. \n 317. \n 318. \n 319. \n 320. \n 321. \n 322. \n 323. \n 324. \n 325. \n 326. \n 327. \n 328. \n 329. \n 330. \n 331. \n 332. \n 333. \n 334. \n 335. \n 336. \n 337. \n 338. \n 339. \n 340. \n 341. \n 342. \n 343. \n 344. \n 345. \n 346. \n 347. \n 348. \n 349. \n 350. \n 351. \n 352. \n 353. \n 354. \n 355. \n 356. \n 357. \n 358. \n 359. \n 360. \n 361. \n 362. \n 363.\n\n# Wiley\u2010SID Series in Display Technology\n\nSeries Editors: \n **Anthony C. Lowe and Ian Sage**\n\nDisplay Systems: Design and Applications \n _Lindsay W. MacDonald and Anthony C. Lowe (Eds.)_\n\nElectronic Display Measurement: Concepts, Techniques, and Instrumentation \n _Peter A. Keller_\n\nReflective Liquid Crystal Displays \n _Shin\u2010Tson Wu and Deng\u2010Ke Yang_\n\nColour Engineering: Achieving Device Independent Colour \n _Phil Green and Lindsay MacDonald (Eds.)_\n\nDisplay Interfaces: Fundamentals and Standards \n _Robert L. Myers_\n\nDigital Image Display: Algorithms and Implementation \n _Gheorghe Berbecel_\n\nFlexible Flat Panel Displays \n _Gregory Crawford (Ed.)_\n\nPolarization Engineering for LCD Projection \n _Michael G. Robinson, Jianmin Chen, and Gary D. Sharp_\n\nIntroduction to Microdisplays \n _David Armitage, Ian Underwood, and Shin\u2010Tson Wu_\n\nMobile Displays: Technology and Applications \n _Achintya K. Bhowmik, Zili Li, and Philip Bos (Eds.)_\n\nPhotoalignment of Liquid Crystalline Materials: Physics and Applications \n _Vladimir G. Chigrinov, Vladimir M. Kozenkov, and Hoi\u2010Sing Kwok_\n\nProjection Displays, Second Edition \n _Matthew S. Brennesholtz and Edward H. Stupp_\n\nIntroduction to Flat Panel Displays \n _Jiun\u2010Haw Lee, David N. Liu, and Shin\u2010Tson Wu_\n\nLCD Backlights \n _Shunsuke Kobayashi, Shigeo Mikoshiba, and Sungkyoo Lim (Eds.)_\n\nLiquid Crystal Displays: Addressing Schemes and Electro\u2010Optical Effects, Second Edition \n _Ernst Lueder_\n\nTransflective Liquid Crystal Displays \n _Zhibing Ge and Shin\u2010Tson Wu_\n\nLiquid Crystal Displays: Fundamental Physics and Technology \n _Robert H. Chen_\n\n3D Displays \n _Ernst Lueder_\n\nOLED Display Fundamentals and Applications \n _Takatoshi Tsujimura_\n\nIllumination, Color and Imaging: Evaluation and Optimization of Visual Displays \n _Peter Bodrogi and Tran Quoc Khanh_\n\nInteractive Displays: Natural Human\u2010Interface Technologies \n _Achintya K. Bhowmik (Ed.)_\n\nAddressing Techniques of Liquid Crystal Displays \n _Temkar N. Ruckmongathan_\n\nFundamentals of Liquid Crystal Devices, Second Edition \n _Deng\u2010Ke Yang and Shin\u2010Tson Wu_\n\nModeling and Optimization of LCD Optical Performance \n _Dmitry A. Yakovlev, Vladimir G. Chigrinov, and Hoi\u2010Sing Kwok_\n\n# PHYSICS AND TECHNOLOGY OF CRYSTALLINE OXIDE SEMICONDUCTOR CAAC\u2010IGZO\n\n## APPLICATION TO LSI\n\nEdited by\n\n**Shunpei Yamazaki**\n\n_Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd, Japan_\n\n**Masahiro Fujita**\n\n_University of Tokyo, Japan_\n\nThis edition first published 2017 \n\u00a9 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd\n\n_Registered Office_ \nJohn Wiley & Sons, Ltd, The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, United Kingdom\n\nFor details of our global editorial offices, for customer services and for information about how to apply for permission to reuse the copyright material in this book please see our website at www.wiley.com.\n\nThe right of the authors to be identified as the authors of this work has been asserted in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.\n\nAll rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, without the prior permission of the publisher.\n\nWiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books.\n\nDesignations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publisher is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book.\n\nLimit of Liability\/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and authors have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. It is sold on the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services and neither the publisher nor the authors shall be liable for damages arising herefrom. If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought\n\n_Library of Congress Cataloging\u2010in\u2010Publication Data_\n\nNames: Yamazaki, Shunpei, 1942\u2013 author. | Fujita, Masahiro, 1956\u2013 author. \nTitle: Physics and technology of crystalline oxide semiconductor CAAC-IGZO. \nApplication to LSI \/ Shunpei Yamazaki, Masahiro Fujita. \nDescription: Chichester, West Sussex, United Kingdom : John Wiley & Sons, Ltd \nRegistered office John Wiley & Sons Ltd, [2017] | Includes bibliographical references and index. \nIdentifiers: LCCN 2016025860 | ISBN 9781119247340 (cloth) | ISBN 9781119247432 (epub) | ISBN 9781119247425 (Adobe PDF) \nSubjects: LCSH: Semiconductors\u2013Materials. | Semiconductors\u2013Characterization. | Gallium compounds. | Zinc compounds. \nClassification: LCC TK7871.85 .Y357598 2016 | DDC 621.39\/5\u2013dc23 \nLC record available at \n\nA catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.\n\n# About the Editors\n\n**Shunpei Yamazaki** received his Ph.D., ME, BE, and honorary degrees from Doshisha University, Japan, in 1971, 1967, 1965, and 2011, respectively, and is the founder and president of Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. He invented a basic device structure of non\u2010volatile memory known as \"flash memory\" in 1970 during his Ph.D. program. Yamazaki is a distinguished foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences and a founder of Kato & Yamazaki Educational Foundation. Yamazaki has published or co\u2010published over 400 papers and conference presentations and is the inventor or co\u2010inventor of over 6314 patents (Guinness World Record in 2011).\n\n1967| Completed Master's Degree Program at Doshisha University Graduate School of Engineering \n---|--- \n1970| Invented a basic device of flash memory (Japanese Patent No. 886343; Japanese Examined Patent Application Publication No. Sho50\u201036955) \n1971| Received Ph.D. in Engineering from Doshisha University Graduate School Doctoral Program \nJoined TDK Corporation (formerly TDK Electronics Co., Ltd.) \n1980| Established Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. and assumed position as president \n1984| Awarded the Richard M. Fulrath Award by the American Ceramic Society (for research on MIS structure) \n1995| Awarded the Medal with Dark Blue Ribbon from the Cabinet Office of the Japanese government (proceeds given to Japanese Red Cross Society) (awarded 6 times since 2015) \n1997| Awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon from the Cabinet Office of the Japanese government (for development of MOS LSI element technology) \n2009| IVA (Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Science) Foreign Member \n2010| Awarded Okochi Memorial Technology Award from Okochi Memorial Foundation \n2011| IEEE Life Fellow \nReceived Honorary Doctor Degree of Culture from Doshisha University \nRenewed his first Guinness World Record in 2004 (man holding the most patents in the world) \n2015| Granted the title of \"Friend of Doshisha\" by Doshisha University \n2015| SID Special Recognition Award for \"discovering CAAC\u2010IGZO semiconductors, leading their practical application, and paving the way to next\u2010generation displays by developing new information\u2010display devices such as foldable or 8K \u00d7 4K displays\"\n\n **Masahiro Fujita** received his Ph.D. in Information Engineering from the University of Tokyo in 1985 on his work on model checking of hardware designs by using logic programming languages. In 1985, he joined Fujitsu as a researcher and started to work on hardware automatic synthesis as well as formal verification methods and tools, including enhancements of BDD\/SAT-based techniques. From 1993 to 2000, he was director at Fujitsu Laboratories of America and headed a hardware formal verification group which was developing a formal verifier for real-life designs having more than several millions of gates. The developed tool has been used in production internally at Fujitsu and externally as well. Since March 2000, he has been a professor at VLSI Design and Education Center in the University of Tokyo. He has done innovative works in the areas of hardware verification, synthesis, testing, and software verification mostly targeting embedded software and web-based programs. He has been involved in a Japanese governmental research project for dependable system designs and has developed a formal verifier for C programs that could be used for both hardware and embedded software designs. The tool is now under evaluation jointly with industry with governmental support. He has authored and co-authored 10 books, and has more than 300 publications and has been given several awards from scientific societies. He has been involved as program and steering committee members in many prestigious conferences on CAD, VLSI designs, software engineering, and more. His current research interests include synthesis and verification of SoC (System on Chip), hardware\/software co-designs targeting embedded systems and cyber physical systems, digital\/analog co-designs, and formal analysis, verification, and synthesis of embedded programs.\n\n# List of Contributors\n\n**Shunpei Yamazaki (editor)** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n---|--- \n**Masahiro Fujita (editor)** | The University of Tokyo\n\nIn alphabetical order:\n\n**Takeshi Aoki** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n---|--- \n**Masami Endo** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Hiroki Inoue** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Takahiko Ishizu** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Masayuki Kimura** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Munehiro Kozuma** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Yoshiyuki Kurokawa** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Shuhei Maeda** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Daisuke Matsubayashi** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Shinpei Matsuda** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Takanori Matsuzaki** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Shuhei Nagatsuka** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Satoru Okamoto** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Yuki Okamoto** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Tatsuya Onuki** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Takashi Shingu** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Yutaka Shionoiri** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Kei Takahashi** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Toshihiko Takeuchi** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Masashi Tsubuku** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Naoaki Tsutsui** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. \n**Seiichi Yoneda** | Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.\n\n# Series Editor's Foreword\n\nThe convergence of personal electronic devices towards small, powerful and multifunctional platforms throws into relief the conflict for resources between the display and other system electronics. On the one hand, high\u2010quality, high\u2010resolution and bright displays not only provide an essential human interface, but are one of the decisive factors in attracting users to purchase a device and differentiate between different models. On the other hand, the display has no purpose without the electronic systems which control and supply content to it \u2013 functions which now require powerful, fast data processing and information storage capabilities. Both display and system electronics must share the limited energy stored in a small, lightweight battery, and achieving excellent performance from the whole device, combined with adequate battery life from a small package, is a central challenge.\n\nIn this volume, Dr. Yamazaki and Professor Fujita bring together a comprehensive account of how CAAC oxide semiconductors can contribute to the ecosystem of large\u2010scale integrated electronics. Many of the developments presented here provide routes to making major power\u2010consumption savings in the operation of electronic systems. In other cases, performance improvements or new capabilities arise from the use of these CAAC oxide components: this is the case, for example, in the imaging sensors presented in Chapter 7 of this book.\n\nThe book you are holding is one of the three volumes planned by Dr. Yamazaki and his colleagues, to give a comprehensive overview of CAAC\u2010IGZO technology. The first volume presents the basic science and technology of the materials: deposition conditions, structure, physical properties, and the physics and performance of the semiconductor devices using them. The origin of high carrier mobility and the exceptional low leakage current in CAAC\u2010IGZO TFTs, as well as techniques for measuring it, are presented.\n\nThe third volume will describe in detail the application of CAAC oxides to display devices \u2013 LCD and OLED active matrix circuits, driver circuits and new technologies which apply particularly to flexible displays. Issues of stability and light sensitivity, which are of particular importance in displays, are thoroughly explored and routes to their solution are presented.\n\nIn the present volume, the application of CAAC\u2010IGZO to LSI is presented. The book includes a thorough account of the TFT structures exploited and their fabrication, threshold control and switching characteristics, including their extremely low off\u2010state current and relative immunity to short\u2010channel effects. Then, the application of these components to the most important and relevant electronic subsystems is described: memory, CPUs and FPGAs. The benefits available from CAAC devices in these systems are described \u2013 long\u2010term data storage without refresh, higher memory densities and power reduction through adoption of normally\u2010off logic. The design changes which can realise these benefits and the actual performance of circuits are described. In imaging sensors, the low leakage current of CAAC devices allows high\u2010performance global shuttering and on\u2010sensor image processing to be realised, bringing new capabilities to the devices. The volume concludes with an overview of further application fields, including RF tags, X\u2010ray imaging and CODEC systems.\n\nThe authors and editors bring to their subject an outstanding breadth of expertise in the research and development of CAAC\u2010IGZO materials, devices and systems, and their account of the subject should provide a definitive source for those seeking to understand and exploit the impact of this developing technology on modern electronics.\n\nIan Sage \nMalvern, UK, 2016\n\n# Preface\n\nEntering the 21st century, it seems that the growth of the electronics industry is hitting saturation level, even though it is the largest industry in the world. This is because the amount of energy used by people, which has already become enormous \u2013 as reflected in the abrupt climate change in recent years \u2013 is going to increase even more with its growth. Especially, the energy consumptions of cloud computing and electronic devices such as smartphones and supercomputers will continue to increase. Therefore, it is not an exaggeration to say that the development of new energy\u2010saving devices has a direct influence on the continued existence of all mankind.\n\nFor this reason, we started extensive research on crystalline oxide semiconductors (OS), especially on a _c_ \u2010axis\u2010aligned crystalline indium \u2212 gallium \u2212 zinc oxide (CAAC\u2010IGZO) semiconductor. Due to the economic downturn in the aftermath of the Lehman Brothers' bankruptcy in the autumn of 2008, many companies withdrew from research on this subject, but I never gave up and our research in this area has continued to the present day. One of the most important characteristics of a field\u2010effect transistor (FET) using this wide\u2010gap semiconductor is that the off\u2010state current is on the order of yoctoamp\u00e8re per centimeter (10\u201324A\/cm) (yocto is the smallest SI prefix), which is smaller than that of any other device measured so far. This characteristic effectively reduces the energy consumption, and thus we believe that it coincides with society's need to save energy.\n\nIt has been less than 10 years since I started researching and developing oxide semiconductors, but I think that proposing their effectiveness without delay is the first step toward a contribution to humanity. That is why I would like to introduce this book series _Physics and Technology of Crystalline Oxide Semiconductor_ , consisting of _Fundamentals_ , _Application to LSI_ , and _Application to Displays_ , even though I know that it cannot be said that every detail is completely covered in the book series.\n\nThe book series contains the discovery of CAAC\u2010IGZO by me, Shunpei Yamazaki, one of the editors and authors thereof, as well as the research results on its application obtained at Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd. (SEL), where I serve as president. We have decided to write the experimental facts down in as much detail as possible, and publish models whose principles have not yet been verified. The reason is that I would like to give a couple of hints to readers \u2013 graduate students, on\u2010site researchers, and developers \u2013 so that they can conduct further R&D as soon as possible. For these reasons, as well as the limited number of pages, I would like you to accept my deepest apologies for not being able to publish all of the data in these books. Even after the publication of these three books about crystalline oxide semiconductors, I would like to continue making our CAAC\u2010IGZO technology known to the public by conducting further research on it from both engineering and academic points of view.\n\nThis book covers a wide range of topics, such as the device physics of FETs using CAAC\u2010IGZO and their applications to LSI.\n\nIn the past, Bell Laboratories published a set of books called _The Bell Telephone Laboratories series_ about the invention of transistors and research results thereof, which accordingly spread the current concept of transistors throughout the world. We sincerely hope that our books will help to spread the CAAC\u2010IGZO technology just as _The Bell Telephone Laboratories series_ helped to popularize the concept of transistors. I think that CAAC\u2010OS, especially CAAC\u2010IGZO, still has many unexplored possibilities and thus more institutions and scientists should research it in cooperation with each other. I am expecting that the CAAC\u2010IGZO which we discovered will flourish in the 21st century by publishing its physical properties and principles, as well as by applying it in the display and LSI fields, especially in energy\u2010saving devices.\n\nSo far, we have made some efforts by submitting papers and giving presentations at various conferences about crystalline oxide semiconductors and OS FETs. However, we have never heard of another case where a ceramic was used for an active element on a mass\u2010production basis in Si LSI or displays; thus, many companies (with the exception of Sharp Corporation) will face a lot of difficulties in terms of mass production. Note that a ceramic with an amorphous structure has been proposed before, but it was not put into practical use due to reliability problems. Especially, the great depression following 2008 made many companies quit their R&D of ceramics with an amorphous structure, which was deemed to be fruitless because a FET utilizing amorphous ceramic lacks reliability.\n\nI, Shunpei Yamazaki, observed a TEM image of an IGZO film in front of a TEM screen to find a solution for the reliability issue. At that time, I discovered that a CAAC structure existed in the IGZO film. I thought that the problem of reliability could be solved by using this kind of material, and thus shifted the focus of our R&D to CAAC\u2010IGZO. A FET using this CAAC\u2010IGZO has a high level of reliability, which cannot be said of a FET which uses amorphous IGZO. Thus, a FET with CAAC\u2010IGZO is excellent from a repeatability point of view in that it can be measured and evaluated stably, both on the material and device level. As a result of the stable measurement and evaluation, we discovered that the off\u2010state current is on the order of yoctoamps per centimeter (10\u201324A\/cm), as mentioned above. Additionally, since IGZO has a wide solid\u2010solution phase, we succeeded in fabricating FETs using CAAC\u2010IGZOs having high mobilities of 30 \u2212 70 cm2\/V\u2010s, thus exceeding 50 cm2\/V\u2010s, by changing the composition ratio and the device structure. A mobility equaling that of an LTPS\u2010FET means that the CAAC\u2010IGZO might be able to not only fight evenly with an LTPS\u2010FET, but also outperform it in the industry. Furthermore, we tried to apply CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs to LSI, something which has never been done before, and discovered that such a FET can operate with a channel length of just 20 \u2212 60 nm.\n\nOur data has been reviewed by many specialists, but it seems that to help people understand _the true value of the crystalline oxide semiconductor_ , there is still a need to further explain the numerous issues concerning fundamental properties, which have not yet been fully understood. Moreover, a lot of people gave us the same advice: to help intellectuals grasp the whole picture of the technology by publishing a series of at least three books ( _Fundamentals_ , _Application to LSI_ , and _Application to Displays_ ). Accordingly, I decided to publish them. Note that almost the whole content of these books is based on our experimental data. Hence, please acknowledge SEL and Advanced Film Device Inc. (AFD Inc.), a subsidiary of SEL, as the sources of these books, unless otherwise specified.\n\nDuring the creation of this book, many people helped and guided us. I would like to express my deepest appreciation especially to Dr. Masahiro Fujita, who has improved the research environment in the field of OS LSI, for being a co\u2010editor of this book, _Application to LSI_ , and for training the employees of SEL.\n\nMoreover, during the research and development on which these books are based, as well as during the writing process, many young researchers at SEL also contributed. The names of all the authors involved can be found in the List of Contributors.\n\nWe would also like to extend our heartfelt thanks to Dr. Johan Bergquist, Dr. Michio Tajima, Mr. Yukio Maehashi, Mr. Takashi Okuda, and Mr. Jun Koyama for helping us with the writing of this book \u2013 by checking for errors and giving us a great deal of advice on how to improve the text.\n\nI was blessed with support and cooperation from many outstanding individuals. I would like to add that I could not have finished these books in such a short period of time without the efforts of Dr. Ian Sage, a Wiley\u2010SID book series editor, who suggested the publication of the books within this time, as well as Ms. Alexandra Jackson and Ms. Nithya Sechin of John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Last but not least, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to those publishers and authors who allowed us to use their figures as references in these books.\n\nShunpei Yamazaki \nPresident of Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.\n\n# Acknowledgments\n\nFirst of all, we would like to thank **Dr. Johan Bergquist** , **Dr. Michio Tajima** , **Mr. Yukio Maehashi** , **Mr. Takashi Okuda** , and **Mr. Jun Koyama** , who encouraged us and gave valuable advice on writing manuscripts.\n\nFurthermore, we would also like to thank many people in a variety of fields for providing data, cooperation in writing manuscripts and English translation, and all other aspects of this book.\n\nOur heartfelt thanks to (in alphabetical order):\n\nMs. Mayumi Adachi | Ms. Yuko Konno | Ms. Yu Sasaki \n---|---|--- \nMs. Yukari Amano | Mr. Masaki Koyama | Mr. Yuichi Sato \nMr. Yoshinobu Asami | Mr. Motomu Kurata | Mr. Akihisa Shimomura \nMr. Yuji Egi | Mr. Tetsunori Maruyama | Ms. Erika Takahashi \nMr. Toshiya Endo | Ms. Michiyo Mashiyama | Ms. Tamae Takano \nMs. Nana Fujii | Mr. Hidekazu Miyairi | Mr. Yasuhiko Takemura \nMs. Ai Hattori | Ms. Tomoko Nakagawa | Mr. Hikaru Tamura \nMr. Shinji Hayakawa | Mr. Hasumi Nomaguchi | Mr. Tetsuhiro Tanaka \nMr. Atsushi Hirose | Mr. Takuro Ohmaru | Ms. Mika Tatsumi \nMr. Ryota Hodo | Mr. Naoki Okuno | Ms. Yukiko Tojo \nMr. Mitsuhiro Ichijo | Ms. Yoko Otake | Mr. Ryo Tokumaru \nMs. Yasuko Iharakumi | Ms. Shiori Saga | Ms. Hitomi Tsurui \nDr. Kiyoshi Kato | Mr. Masayuki Sakakura | Mr. Yuto Yakubo \nDr. Shuichi Katsui | Mr. Naoya Sakamoto | Mr. Naoto Yamade \nMr. Hajime Kimura | Mr. Yujiro Sakurada | Ms. Chiaki Yamura \nMs. Kyoko Kitada | Mr. Shinya Sasagawa | and many others\n\nShunpei Yamazaki \nMasahiro Fujita\n\n# 1 \nIntroduction\n\n## 1.1 Overview of this Book\n\nThe three books in this series deal with _c_ \u2010axis\u2010aligned crystalline indium\u2013gallium\u2013zinc oxide (CAAC\u2010IGZO), an oxide semiconductor (see Figure 1.1): _Physics and Technology of Crystalline Oxide Semiconductor CAAC\u2010IGZO: Fundamentals_ (hereinafter referred to as _Fundamentals_ ) [1], _Physics and Technology of Crystalline Oxide Semiconductor CAAC\u2010IGZO: Application to LSI_ (this book, hereinafter referred to as _Application to LSI_ ), and _Physics and Technology of Crystalline Oxide Semiconductor CAAC\u2010IGZO: Application to Displays_ (hereinafter referred to as _Application to Displays_ ) [2]. _Fundamentals_ describes, for example, the material properties of oxide semiconductors, the formation mechanism and crystal structure analysis of IGZO, the fundamental physical properties of CAAC\u2010IGZO, the electrical characteristics of field\u2010effect transistors (FETs) with CAAC\u2010IGZO active layer (hereinafter referred to as CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs), and comparisons between CAAC\u2010IGZO and silicon (Si) FETs. _Application to Displays_ introduces applications of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET technology to liquid crystal and organic light\u2010emitting diode displays, describing the process flows and characteristics of the FETs, the driver circuits for displays, the technologies for high\u2010definition, low\u2010power, flexible displays, and so on.\n\n**Figure 1.1** Framework and summary of the book series\n\nThis volume, _Application to LSI_ , aims to introduce the applications of CAAC\u2010IGZO FET technology to large\u2010scale integration (LSI) and broadly and concisely review the device physics of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. On the basis of the distinct material features of these FETs disclosed in _Fundamentals_ , such FETs have an attractive application field in LSIs, in addition to the display applications described in _Application to Displays_. Not only focusing on oxide semiconductor material aspects, this book will also describe device design and fabrication using such materials, combination with other technologies, and specific applications (see Figure 1.2). Application examples of CAAC\u2010IGZO FET technologies to LSIs are specifically described in the subsequent chapters.\n\n**Figure 1.2** Scope of this book. The symbol F2 means the square of the feature size F, used as an index of the memory cell size\n\n## 1.2 Background\n\nThe integrated circuit (IC) has a huge market [3]. As shown in Figure 1.3, the total market size, including analog, micro, logic, and memory applications, is worth approximately 278 billion US dollars. Here, \"micro\" applications are microprocessor units (MPUs), microcontroller units (MCUs), and digital signal processors (DSPs); \"logic\" applications include specified logic and custom logic, such as field\u2010programmable gate arrays (FPGAs) and application\u2010specific integrated circuits (ASICs). CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs address this vast IC market.\n\n**Figure 1.3** Market size of ICs in 2014.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [3]\n\n### _1.2.1 Typical Characteristics of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs_\n\nIn the LSI field, reduction of power consumption has so far been achieved mainly by scaling down the FETs, employing advanced power management schemes, and more recently, subthreshold driving. Si FETs are currently scaled down to very small technology nodes, for example, gate lengths as small as 14 and 16 nm [4]. Such aggressive downscaling causes an increase in the FET off\u2010state current (leakage current in the FET in the off state), which poses new obstacles to further reduction of system power [5].\n\nAs reported by Kato _et al._ [6], CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs exhibit extremely low off\u2010state current, for example, A\/\u03bcm (135 yA\/\u03bcm, where y stands for yocto) for a FET with channel length\/width of 3\/50 \u03bcm. In contrast, the off\u2010state current in a single\u2010crystal Si (sc\u2010Si) FET of the same structure and dimensions has an off\u2010state current of A\/\u03bcm (1 pA\/\u03bcm), i.e., 10 orders of magnitude larger. When CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are used in LSI devices, such as dynamic random access memory (DRAM), non\u2010volatile memories, and central processing units (CPUs), their extremely low off\u2010state current will therefore reduce the system power consumption tremendously.\n\nAs reported by Matsubayashi _et al_. [7], CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs with a channel node of 20 nm maintain the extremely low off\u2010state current, despite the aggressive downscaling. Figure 1.4 shows the miniaturization progress of CAAC\u2010IGZO and Si FETs during the past four to five years [8]. In the graph, the upper gray band corresponds to the achieved scaling values of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, whereas the lower solid line shows the target scaling values of Si FETs disclosed by International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors [9]. CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs for processors, memories, and devices are denoted by diamond shapes, squares, and triangles, respectively. The number next to each mark corresponds to the conference shown below the graph where the device was disclosed. As shown, the scaling of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs gradually approaches that of Si FETs in recent years, so if the scaling continues to progress at this speed, it will catch up with that of Si FETs later in 2016 or 2017.\n\n**Figure 1.4** Comparison of scaling between CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs and Si FET.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [8]\n\n### _1.2.2 Possible Applications of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs_\n\nCAAC\u2010IGZO FETs can be used in various LSIs (hereinafter called CAAC\u2010IGZO LSIs), for example, in non\u2010volatile memories [10\u201313], DRAMs [14], normally\u2010off CPUs [15\u201317], FPGAs [18,19], and image sensors [20,21]. Non\u2010volatile memories and DRAMs employing CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are called non\u2010volatile oxide semiconductor random access memory (NOSRAM) and dynamic oxide semiconductor random access memory (DOSRAM), respectively.\n\nA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is an active element with four terminals: source, drain, gate, and back gate, as shown in Figure 1.5. New memory technologies that have recently attracted attention include magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM), resistive random access memory (ReRAM), phase change random access memory (PCRAM), and ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM). These are all passive elements with two terminals, whereas CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs with their four terminals may lead to new applications.\n\n**Figure 1.5** (a) CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, an active element with four terminals (source S, drain D, gate G, back gate BG); (b) resistive element, a passive element with two terminals; and (c) diode, a two\u2010terminal passive element with non\u2010linear characteristics\n\nFigure 1.6 shows photographs of LSIs with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs that have been fabricated so far. Below each photograph, the type of LSI and the name of the conference where it was presented are written.\n\n**Figure 1.6** Examples of CAAC\u2010IGZO LSIs fabricated between 2011 and 2015.\n\nThe concept of Internet of Things (IoT) is likely to be realized in the near future. In IoT, LSIs are used in various things to control them and collect and process information through the Internet. LSIs used for IoT should be inexpensive and autonomously powered, i.e., small in size and driven with low power, particularly in the idling state. It is therefore expected that CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, with their extremely low off\u2010state current, will meet those requirements.\n\nJanusz Bryzek, an advocate of IoT, proposes possible applications of IoT such as logistics, retail, security emergencies, and others (see Figure 1.7) [22,23]. He predicts that a total of one trillion sensors will be used in 2023 (i.e., he forecasts a huge possible market not only for the sensors themselves, but also for the necessary peripheral semiconductor circuits for preprocessing, temporary storage, and wireless transmission).\n\n**Figure 1.7** Application examples of IoT.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [22,23]\n\n## 1.3 Summary of Each Chapter\n\nThe device physics, structure, and fabrication process of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are briefly explained in Chapter 2, whereas application examples in LSIs and the like are described in and after Chapter 3.\n\nChapter 2 also includes a review of _Fundamentals_ , followed by a description of various CAAC\u2010IGZO FET structures and their basic electrical characteristics, both in general and with emphasis on the low off\u2010state current. CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are resistant to the downsizing\u2010induced reduction in field\u2010effect mobility or short\u2010channel effect, and unlike sc\u2010Si FETs, the off\u2010state current of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs does not increase at high temperatures. The possibility of downscaling is illustrated, with results of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with channel node of 20 nm [7]. The fabrication process flow of an actual CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with a typical structure is also explained. A hybrid structure that vertically combines Si and CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs is also introduced.\n\nChapter 3 deals with NOSRAM, where the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET technology is applied to non\u2010volatile memories [10\u201313]. This non\u2010volatile memory relies on the extremely low off\u2010state current, and can operate at approximately 5 V (i.e., a quarter of the voltage of conventional flash memories). NOSRAM also exhibits an excellent write endurance. While conventional flash memory has a write endurance of approximately 10,000 cycles, NOSRAM endures one trillion writes, achieving a ten\u2010million\u2010fold increase. In addition, the electric potentials can be applied directly to the memory cell during data writing, thus providing accurate control over the accumulated electric charge. Therefore, NOSRAM enables multiple bits in one cell.\n\nChapter 4 presents DOSRAM in which the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET technology is applied to the DRAM memory cell [14]. Compared with DRAM involving Si, DOSRAM features a long data retention period because the charge stored in the capacitor is hardly lost owing to the extremely low off\u2010state current. Consequently, it requires less frequent refresh operations and therefore consumes less power than its Si FET\u2010based equivalent. For the same reason, electric charges in a capacitor can be stored for a long time even at low capacitance. Accordingly, the capacitance required for data retention may be reduced, which is advantageous in miniaturization.\n\nChapter 5 describes a normally\u2010off CPU deploying CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs [15\u201317]. Similar to power gating, the power supply to a circuit stops when unused (the circuit switches to sleep mode) in a normally\u2010off CPU, resulting in low power consumption. When a CPU circuit comprising Si FETs is subject to a power gating operation, there is an overhead in power consumption and performance due to saving and restoring of storage elements in the circuit. Consequently, power gating in short intervals has been problematic because the average CPU power consumption would increase instead. In contrast, a normally\u2010off CPU implemented with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs reduces the overhead power consumption dramatically by exploiting the extremely low off\u2010state current characteristics of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, and shortens the time required for backup and recovery.\n\nChapter 6 provides an example wherein CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are applied to FPGAs 18,19]. An FPGA is an LSI that a user can configure after manufacture. In conventional FPGAs, the circuit configuration information is stored in a static random access memory (SRAM) that is used as configuration memory, but SRAM data are generally lost when the power is turned off. Consequently, setting information needs to be stored in the configuration memory every time the power is back on. If a non\u2010volatile memory using a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET replaces this SRAM, setting information is retained even when the power is turned off; thus, the memory does not need restoring in the configuration memory. Moreover, the area and power consumption compared with SRAM may be reduced. Therefore, the incorporation of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is expected to produce an FPGA with higher density and lower power consumption. A power gating function can easily be implemented in FPGAs; consequently, turning off unused circuits may further reduce power consumption. Normally\u2010off operation suitable for fine\u2010grained multicontext structures is also possible by developing the above\u2010mentioned features. [Chapter 6 also introduces FPGAs with subthreshold operation, further reducing the power consumption via the lower operating voltage. Finally, the potential development of high\u2010performance computing by combining an FPGA and a CPU, which has recently attracted extensive interest, is discussed.\n\nChapter 7 presents an example of an image sensor that uses CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs [20,21]. Many of the existing complementary metal\u2013oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors use a rolling shutter mode whereby sensor pixels sequentially capture imaging data row by row. However, this mode exhibits a delay between first and last capturing sensor pixels. Therefore, a fast\u2010moving object yields a distorted image. This delay occurs because captured data get leaked over time and are required to be read out immediately after their capture. When CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are introduced in an image sensor, the extremely low off\u2010state current of the FETs enables the implementation of a global shutter mode whereby all sensor pixels simultaneously capture data. This off\u2010state current also allows sensor pixels to retain captured data until readout, regardless of any difference in readout timing. Using multiple retention nodes in each sensor pixel allows multiple capture with very short shutter times, an attractive feature in machine vision. Adding an image difference detection function to the sensor pixel gives a motion sensor that performs detection of changes with respect to a reference frame in addition to normal imaging.\n\nChapter 8 presents other examples of CAAC\u2010IGZO FET applications, demonstrating the versatility of this device. These examples include radio\u2010frequency devices, X\u2010ray detectors, encoder\u2013decoders (CODECs), DC\u2013DC converters (DC denotes direct current), analog programmable devices, and neural networks that may find use in various environments. Further, memory\u2010based computing and an ultra\u2010efficient power gating mechanism are presented.\n\nLSIs with CAAC\u2010IGZO have characteristics of very low off\u2010state current and the associated reduction in system power consumption suggests that CAAC\u2010IGZO LSIs may entirely replace Si LSIs in some applications.\n\n## References\n\n 1. [1] Yamazaki, S. and Kimizuka, N. (in press) _Physics and Technology of Crystalline Oxide Semiconductor CAAC\u2010IGZO: Fundamentals_. New York: John Wiley.\n 2. [2] Yamazaki, S. and Tsutsui, T. (in press) _Physics and Technology of Crystalline Oxide Semiconductor CAAC\u2010IGZO: Application to Displays_. New York: John Wiley.\n 3. [3] WSTS (2015) _The Final Semiconductor Market Figures for 2014_. World Semiconductor Trade Statistics.\n 4. [4] ITRS (2013) _Overall Roadmap Technology Characteristics (ORTC) Table_. International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors.\n 5. [5] ITRS (2013) _Process Integration, Devices, and Structures Summary_. International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors.\n 6. [6] Kato, K., Shionoiri, Y., Sekine, Y., Furutani, K., Hatano, T., Aoki, T., _et al._ (2012) \"Evaluation of off\u2010state current characteristics of transistor using oxide semiconductor material, indium\u2013gallium\u2013zinc oxide,\" _Jpn. J. Appl. Phys._ , **51** , 021201. \n 7. 7] Matsubayashi, D., Asami, Y., Okazaki, Y., Kurata, M., Sasagawa, S., Okamoto, S., _et al._ (2015) \"20\u2010nm\u2010Node trench\u2010gate\u2010self\u2010aligned crystalline In\u2013Ga\u2013Zn\u2010oxide FET with high frequency and low off\u2010state current,\" _IEEE IEDM Tech. Dig._ , 141. [http:\/\/doi.org\/10.1109\/IEDM.2015.7409641 \n 8. 8] Yamazaki, S. (2016) \"Unique technology from Japan to the world \u2013 super low power LSI using CAAC\u2010OS.\" Available at: [www.umc.com\/2015_japan_forum\/pdf\/20150527_shunpei_yamazaki_eng.pdf [accessed February 11, 2016].\n 9. 9] ITRS (2009) _Table FEP2: High Performance Device Technical Requirements_. Available at: [www.dropbox.com\/sh\/ia1jkem3v708hx1\/AAB6fSsJmdHaQNEu538i9gKNa\/2009%20Tables%20%26%20Graphs\/FEP\/2009Tables_ FEP2.xls?dl=0 [accessed February 19, 2016].\n 10. [10] Matsuzaki, T., Inoue, H., Nagatsuka, S., Okazaki, Y., Sasaki, T., Noda, K., _et al._ (2011) \"1Mb Non\u2010volatile random access memory using oxide semiconductor,\" _Proc. IEEE Int. Memory Workshop_ , 185. \n 11. [11] Inoue, H., Matsuzaki, T., Nagatsuka, S., Okazaki, Y., Sasaki, T., Noda, K., _et al._ (2012) \"Nonvolatile memory with extremely low\u2010leakage indium\u2013gallium\u2013zinc\u2010oxide thin\u2010film transistor,\" _IEEE J. Solid\u2010State Circuits._ , **47** , 2258. \n 12. [12] Nagatsuka, S., Matsuzaki, T., Inoue, H., Ishizu, T., Onuki, T., Ando, Y., _et al._ (2013) \"A 3bit\/cell nonvolatile memory with crystalline In\u2013Ga\u2013Zn\u2013O TFT,\" _Proc. IEEE Int. Memory Workshop_ , 188. \n 13. [13] Matsuzaki, T., Onuki, T., Nagatsuka, S., Inoue, H., Ishizu, T., Ieda, Y., _et al._ (2015) \"A 128kb 4b\/cell nonvolatile memory with crystalline In\u2013Ga\u2013Zn Oxide FET using Vt cancel write method,\" _Int. Solid\u2010State Circuits Conf. Dig. Tech. Pap._ , 306. \n 14. [14] Atsumi, T., Nagatsuka, S., Inoue, H., Onuki, T., Saito, T., Ieda, Y., _et al._ (2012) \"DRAM using crystalline oxide semiconductor for access transistors and not requiring refresh for more than ten days,\" _Proc. IEEE Int. Memory Workshop_ , 99. \n 15. [15] Ohmaru, T., Yoneda, S., Nishijima, T., Endo, M., Dembo, H., Fujita, M., _et al._ (2012) \"Eight\u2010bit CPU with nonvolatile registers capable of holding data for 40 days at 85\u00b0C using crystalline In\u2013Ga\u2013Zn oxide thin film transistors,\" _Ext. Abstr. Solid. State. Dev. Mater._ , 1144. \n 16. [16] Sj\u00f6kvist, N., Ohmaru, T., Furutani, K., Isobe, A., Tsutsui, N., Tamura, H., _et al._ (2013) \"Zero area overhead state retention flip flop utilizing crystalline In\u2013Ga\u2013Zn oxide thin film transistor with simple power control implemented in a 32\u2010bit CPU,\" _Ext. Abstr. Solid. State. Dev. Mater._ , 1088. \n 17. [17] Tamura, H., Kato, K., Ishizu, T., Uesugi, W., Isobe, A., Tsutsui, N., _et al._ (2014) \"Embedded SRAM and Cortex\u2010M0 core using a 60\u2010nm crystalline oxide semiconductor,\" _IEEE Micro_ , **34** , 42. \n 18. [18] Aoki, T., Okamoto, Y., Nakagawa, T., Ikeda, M., Kozuma, M., Osada, T., _et al._ (2014) \"Normally\u2010off computing with crystalline InGaZnO\u2010based FPGA,\" _IEEE Int. Solid\u2010State Circuits Conf. Dig. Tech. Pap._ , 502. \n 19. [19] Kozuma, M., Okamoto, Y., Nakagawa, T., Aoki, T., Kurokawa, Y., Ikeda, T., _et al._ (2015) \"180\u2010mV Subthreshold operation of crystalline oxide semiconductor FPGA realized by overdrive programmable power switch and programmable routing switch,\" _Ext. Abstr. Solid State Dev. Mater_., 1174.\n 20. [20] Aoki, T., Ikeda, M., Kozuma, M., Tamura, H., Kurokawa, Y., Ikeda, T., _et al._ (2011) \"Electronic global shutter CMOS image sensor using oxide semiconductor FET with extremely low off\u2010state current,\" _Symp. IEEE Symp. VLSI Technol. Dig. Tech. Pap._ , 175.\n 21. [21] Ohmaru, T., Nakagawa, T., Maeda, S., Okamoto, Y., Kozuma, M., Yoneda, S., _et al._ (2015) \"25.3 \u03bcW at 60 fps 240 \u00d7 160\u2010Pixel vision sensor for motion capturing with in\u2010pixel non\u2010volatile analog memory using crystalline oxide semiconductor FET,\" _IEEE Int. Solid\u2010State Circuits Conf. Dig. Tech. Pap._ , 118.\n 22. 22] TSenser Summit (2016) Genesis of TSensor. Available at: [www.tsensorssummit.org\/genesisoftsensor.html [accessed February 11, 2016].\n 23. 23] Libelium Comunicaciones Distribuidas S.L. (2016) 50 Sensor applications for a smarter world. Available at: [www.libelium.com\/top_50_iot_sensor_applications_ranking [accessed February 11, 2016].\n\n# 2 \nDevice Physics of CAAC\u2010IGZO FET\n\n## 2.1 Introduction\n\nKimizuka and Mohri [1] first synthesized an indium\u2013gallium\u2013zinc oxide (InGaZn oxide, hereinafter referred to as IGZO) in the 1980s, and revealed its crystal structure. In an IGZO crystal, repeat units, each having an InO2 layer and a (GaZn)O layer, are periodically stacked to form a layered structure in a phase\u2010equilibrium state (see Figure 2.1) [2]. In 1995, Orita _et al._ [3] examined the conduction characteristics and bandgap of a bulk InGaZnO4 crystal with an ytterbium iron oxide (YbFe2O4) structure and reported that InGaZnO4 is preferable as a transparent conductive material. Furthermore, Nomura _et al_. [4\u20136] made a single\u2010crystal IGZO film on an yttria\u2010stabilized zirconia (YSZ) substrate using reactive solid\u2010phase epitaxy with heat treatment at 1400\u00b0C; they used the film as an active layer of a field\u2010effect transistor (FET) and reported the FET characteristics. However, a FET with single\u2010crystal IGZO as an active layer has not been put into practical use as of 2016.\n\n**Figure 2.1** Crystal structure of IGZO [InGaO3(ZnO) _m_ ]. InO2 layers and (GaZn)O layers are periodically stacked to form a layered structure\n\nYamazaki _et al._ [7] reported a unique IGZO film with a crystal structure different from that of a single\u2010crystal or polycrystalline IGZO, called a _c_ \u2010axis\u2010aligned crystalline IGZO (CAAC\u2010IGZO) film. An InGaO3(ZnO) crystal in the CAAC\u2010IGZO film has the YbFe2O4 structure (see _Physics and Technology of Crystalline Oxide Semiconductor CAAC\u2010IGZO: Fundamentals_ [8] (hereinafter referred to as _Fundamentals_ ) for the details). In CAAC\u2010IGZO, the _c_ \u2010axes of the crystals are aligned almost perpendicular to the CAAC\u2010IGZO film surface, while the _a\u2013b_ planes are randomly oriented. In addition, there are no clear grain boundaries between the crystals. Formation of CAAC\u2010IGZO does not require the high temperature of single\u2010crystalline IGZO synthesis (1400\u00b0C, see Nomura _et al._ [4]). In addition, instead of epitaxial growth that slowly forms a film, high\u2010speed sputtering can be used for the formation of CAAC\u2010IGZO. A FET having CAAC\u2010IGZO as an active layer (hereinafter referred to as a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET) is characterized by: (1) a low density of defect states due to its crystallinity [9], which offers stable characteristics; (2) an extremely low off\u2010state current of yoctoamp order (yA\/\u00b5m, ) [10]; and (3) strength against the short\u2010channel effect [11] (here, \"off\u2010state current\" means the leakage current in the off state). Liquid crystal displays using CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs in the backplanes are already being mass produced [12].\n\nFigure 2.2 shows X\u2010ray diffraction (XRD) spectra of a CAAC\u2010IGZO film. The XRD spectrum in Figure 2.2(a) shows a peak of (009) indicating alignment of the _c_ \u2010axes of InGaO3(ZnO) crystals almost perpendicular to the film surface. In Figure 2.2(b), no diffraction peak is observed in the _a\u2013b_ plane, suggesting no orientation of the crystal _a\u2013b_ planes with respect to the film surface (see _Fundamentals_ [8] for further details on XRD).\n\n**Figure 2.2** XRD spectra of CAAC\u2010IGZO.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [7], with permission from Wiley\n\nThe use of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs in LSIs proceeds similarly in the display field [13\u201316]. Miniaturized CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs in an LSI also have the above\u2010mentioned characteristics. The off\u2010state current of a CAAC\u2010IGZO switching FET can be extremely low, which leads to extremely low power consumption by the LSI.\n\nThis chapter explains the device physics of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. In Section 2.2, its extremely low off\u2010state current will be described. In addition to the basic electrical characteristics, a comparison with a silicon (Si) FET is shown to demonstrate how low the off\u2010state current of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is. In fact, it is lower than the detection limit of a normal current\u2010measurement instrument (10\u221213 A), so an original measurement method had to be developed to measure this ultra\u2010low off\u2010state current.\n\nIn Section 2.3, a calculation method for estimating off\u2010state currents lower than the detection limit of conventional devices, on the basis of transfer characteristics, is described. This method enables the estimation of _I_ cut (a drain current value _I_ d at a gate voltage _V_ g of 0 V) below the detection limit (10\u221213 A). Here, shifting the threshold voltage _V_ th of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET allows the acquisition of a lower _I_ cut value. The calculation method can be used to find out how much _V_ th should be shifted to obtain a desired _I_ cut value (i.e., the value required for a particular CAAC\u2010IGZO FET application).\n\nIn Section 2.4, a technique for controlling the threshold voltage ( _V_ th) of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is described. The dynamic control of the FET's _V_ th is important not only for a reduction in variation of FET characteristics, but also for use of the extremely low off\u2010state current of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in LSI.\n\nSection 2.5 explains the on\u2010state current characteristics of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. Although the electron mobility of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is much lower than that of a Si FET, the difference in field\u2010effect mobility is reduced for downscaled FETs. While a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with a channel length ( _L_ ) of 1 \u00b5m has a field\u2010effect mobility of approximately 10 cm2\/ _V\u2010_ s (i.e., 100 times lower than that of a Si FET), miniaturized Si FETs exhibit an increased drift field strength, which accelerates electrons, hence turning them into hot electrons. Hot electrons, in turn, generate phonons, and their drift velocity becomes saturated. That is, the speed of the electrons becomes saturated in a Si FET as the channel gets shorter. In CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, on the contrary, electrons are not easily accelerated, and do not easily become hot electrons; therefore, a saturation in drift velocity does not occur to the same extent as in a Si FET. As a result, the difference in field\u2010effect mobility versus Si decreases by downscaling. This suggests that CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, if sufficiently small, can replace Si FETs in LSIs.\n\nIn Section 2.6, we present a measure to be used against the short\u2010channel effect of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. A surrounded\u2010channel (S\u2010ch) structure gives small characteristic degradation. For example, even when a FET has a channel as short as 30 nm and its gate insulator has a thickness as large as 11 nm in equivalent oxide thickness (EOT), characteristic degradation hardly occurs with the S\u2010ch structure.\n\nSection 2.7 introduces a recent scaled\u2010down CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. The CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with a 20\u2010nm node has a cut\u2010off frequency of 34 GHz. In addition, even in the scaled\u2010down FET, the off\u2010state current is extremely low.\n\nThe process technology to fabricate LSI devices is introduced in Section 2.8. First, the methods used to fabricate CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs with top\u2010gate top\u2010contact (TGTC) and trench\u2010gate self\u2010aligned (TGSA) structures are explained; then, a hybrid structure in which a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is placed over a Si FET is described.\n\n## 2.2 Off\u2010State Current\n\nThis section discusses how low the off\u2010state current (leakage current in an off state) of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is, compared with that of a conventional Si FET. A CAAC\u2010IGZO FET has an off\u2010state current on the order of yoctoamps (10\u221224 A), below the detection limit of common current measurement (0.1 pA). As possibilities for measuring the off\u2010state current, methods utilizing a FET with increased channel width ( _W_ ) and the voltage drop of a capacitor are discussed. The reason for the extremely low off\u2010state current of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is also discussed theoretically with reference to an energy band diagram.\n\n### _2.2.1 Off\u2010State Current Comparison between Si and CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs_\n\nThe off\u2010state currents of Si and CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are compared with each other (see Figure 2.3). Their drain current\u2013gate voltage ( _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g) characteristics are obtained under \u221225\u00b0C, room temperature (R.T.), and 150\u00b0C at a drain voltage _V_ d of 1 V. As shown in Figure 2.3(a), the off\u2010state current of the Si FET is not lower than the detection limit of 0.1 pA (10\u221213 A), and increases with the measurement temperature. Possible reasons for the off\u2010state current in the Si FET are _p\u2013n_ junction leakage and current generated by interband thermal transition. In contrast, the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET has an off\u2010state current lower than the detection limit regardless of the temperature, as shown in Figure 2.3(b). Because the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET operates in an _n_ \u2010channel accumulation mode, _p\u2013n_ junction leakage does not occur. In addition, CAAC\u2010IGZO has a wide bandgap of approximately 3 eV and few mid\u2010gap levels, so the conduction band carrier generation by interband transitions or excitations from deep levels is also negligible. The detailed mechanisms of the off\u2010state leakage current of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are theoretically discussed in Subsection 2.2.3. Measurement methods developed to detect the yoctoamp\u2010order off\u2010state current of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET are described in Subsection 2.2.2.\n\n**Figure 2.3** Comparison of off\u2010state current between (a) Si FET with and (b) CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with .\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [17]\n\nSuch an extremely low off\u2010state current, which cannot be obtained in Si FETs, leads to an ultra\u2010low\u2010power device. Various device applications of CAAC\u2010IGZO FET technology have been reported (see Figure 2.4) [18].\n\n**Figure 2.4** Applications of CAAC\u2010IGZO FET technology to various devices.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [18]\n\n### _2.2.2 Measurement of Extremely Low Off\u2010State Current_\n\nThe extremely low off\u2010state current of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is on the order of 10\u221224 A, which is lower than the detection limit (0.1 pA) of common current measurement methods. The off\u2010state current, flowing between a source and a drain when the FET is off, increases in proportion to the channel width. To allow an off\u2010state current measurement, the channel width of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is increased to be as wide as 1 m.\n\nFigure 2.5 shows micrographs of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with channel length _L_ of 3 \u00b5m and channel width _W_ of 1 m [10]. In the left photograph, 20,000 (200 \u00d7 100) CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, each having , are aligned in the 6806 \u00b5m \u00d7 6878 \u00b5m region. The right photograph is an enlarged view of the region enclosed in a square in the left photograph. These CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are parallel\u2010connected, forming a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with a total channel width of 1 m.\n\n**Figure 2.5** Micrographs of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with .\n\n_Source_ : Reproduced from [10], with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\nThe cross\u2010sectional structure of one CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is shown in Figure 2.6. This FET has a TGTC structure and employs an overlap structure whereby the gate electrode overlaps with the source and drain electrodes (the overlap width is 2 \u00b5m). On a glass substrate, the following films are formed in the order they are listed.\n\n * Base insulating film: 300\u2010nm\u2010thick silicon oxide (amorphous)\n * Active layer: 30\u2010nm\u2010thick CAAC\u2010IGZO film\n * Source and drain electrodes: 100\u2010nm\u2010thick tungsten\n * Gate insulator (sometimes referred to as GI): 100\u2010nm\u2010thick silicon oxide\n * Gate electrode: stack of 15\u2010nm\u2010thick tantalum nitride and 135\u2010nm\u2010thick tungsten\n * Passivation layer: 300\u2010nm\u2010thick silicon oxide (not shown)\n\n**Figure 2.6** Cross\u2010sectional view of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET\n\nThe _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with at are shown in Figure 2.7. For the measurement, an Agilent 4156C Precision Semiconductor Parameter Analyzer is used. According to Figure 2.7, even though the channel width is as wide as 1 m, the off\u2010state current of the fabricated CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is lower than the detection limit of 0.1 pA.\n\n**Figure 2.7** _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with . _T_ ox denotes the thickness of the gate insulator.\n\n_Source_ : Reproduced from [10], with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\nIn order to obtain the off\u2010state current, another method has therefore been developed. To measure the minute current, the small amount of charge moved by the current should be increased to a detectable level. Then, a method of estimating the current by measuring the change in the charge over a long time is developed. Figure 2.8 shows the conceptual diagram of this measurement method. A device under test (here, a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET), which is the element to be measured, is denoted by \"DUT.\" Figure 2.8(a) shows a configuration used to measure the current of the DUT, and Figure 2.8(b) shows the time change of the potential _V_ F of node F connected to the DUT. The leakage current _I_ of the DUT is expressed by the following equation:\n\n(2.1)\n\n**Figure 2.8** Conceptual diagrams of measurement method utilizing voltage drop: (a) circuit diagram; (b) behavior of _V_ F.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [10]\n\nwhere _t_ and _C_ F denote the time and capacitance of node F, respectively. The measurement of the time change in potential _V_ F enables estimation of the off\u2010state current of the DUT.\n\nEquation (2.1) shows the following three important factors for obtaining high measurement accuracy: reduction in _C_ F, suppression of measurement noise for _V_ F, and long\u2010term stable measurement. In light of these factors, the circuit configuration, device structure, and measurement environment are constructed.\n\nThe constructed circuit configuration comprises the DUT, a reading circuit (source follower), and a programming circuit (see Figure 2.9). In the drawing, GW and DW denote the gate and drain electrodes of the programming circuit, respectively; G and S denote the gate and source electrodes of the DUT, respectively; F denotes the floating node; GR, DR, and SR denote the gate, drain, and source electrodes of the reading circuit, respectively; and _V_ out denotes the output potential.\n\n**Figure 2.9** Circuit configuration used for measurement.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [10]\n\nTo reduce the leakage current or the contribution to the capacitance _C_ F from sources other than the DUT, _W_ is set as high as 1 m. The DUT structure itself also has some features. The overlap structure in Figure 2.6 has a large capacitance between the gate and the drain, causing _C_ F to be large. Thus, the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET for the DUT adopts an offset structure as shown in Figure 2.10. The offset structure lacks the overlap of the gate and source\/drain electrodes. The distance between the gate electrode and the source\/drain electrode shown in the figure is referred to as an offset width. When the structure is changed from the overlap structure (overlap width 2 \u00b5m) to the offset structure (offset width 2 \u00b5m), the _C_ F per micrometer of channel width decreases greatly from 1 fF\/\u00b5m to 0.07 fF\/\u00b5m.\n\n**Figure 2.10** Cross\u2010sectional view of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with offset structure\n\nThe timing diagrams for reading and programming are shown in Figure 2.11. To ensure that the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET (DUT) is turned off, the gate voltage ( _V_ G) and source voltage ( _V_ S) of the DUT are set to \u22123 V and 0 V, respectively. In the diagrams, _V_ DR, _V_ GR, and _V_ SR denote the potentials applied to the drain electrode (DR), gate electrode (GR), and source electrode (SR) of the reading circuit, respectively; _V_ DW and _V_ GW denote the potentials applied to the drain electrode (DW) and gate electrode (GW) of the programming circuit, respectively.\n\n**Figure 2.11** Timing diagram: (a) read and (b) program.\n\n_Source_ : Reproduced from [10], with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\nIn reading, as shown in Figure 2.11(a), a _V_ GR of 0.5 V, _V_ DR of 5 V, and _V_ SR of 0 V are applied to the reading circuit for 10 s every 5 min. In this period, the output potential _V_ out is read out. During other periods, the voltages applied to the source follower are suppressed with .\n\nIn programming, as shown in Figure 2.11(b), the programming circuit is supplied with _V_ DW of 3 V for 20 s and _V_ GW of 5 V for 10 s. During those 10 s, the output potential _V_ out is read out as in the reading operation. During other periods, _V_ GW is set to \u22123 V so as to turn off the programming CAAC\u2010IGZO FET.\n\nA set of off\u2010state current measurements contains 2\u2010time programming and 72\u2010time reading operations conducted over approximately 6 h. The programming operation is conducted twice continuously to observe the saturation of the output potential _V_ out and confirm that 3 V is written in node F. To confirm the reproducibility, this set is repeated three or more times.\n\nIt is important to suppress various types of noise and to conduct stable measurements over a long period of time. Since the electric characteristics of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET are influenced by temperature, humidity, and light, these factors are controlled. In particular, the measurement is conducted at 85\u00b0C, and in dry air with a dew point of \u221260\u00b0C or lower in a dark room. In addition, an uninterruptible power supply is used to reduce power\u2010supply noise, and an anti\u2010vibration table is provided for the stage to reduce vibration. Accordingly, the measurement variation in _V_ out is suppressed to within \u00b11 mV over the long\u2010term measurement period.\n\nThe measurement results are shown in Figure 2.12. The channel width of the DUT is 1 m in Figure 2.12(a), 100 mm in Figure 2.12(b), and 10 mm in Figure 2.12(c). The first vertical axis in the graph represents the output potential _V_ out. The graph shows that _V_ out decreases linearly in each set and that the leakage current flows at a constant rate.\n\n**Figure 2.12** Change in the output potential _V_ out: (a) , (b) , and (c) .\n\n_Source_ : Reproduced from [10], with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\nThe leakage current is calculated as follows. First, the slope of the output potential (\u0394 _V_ out\/\u0394 _t_ ) is calculated from least\u2010squares fitting of the measurement data over the last 3 h of each set. The second vertical axis in each graph of Figure 2.12 represents the deviation between the fitted line and the measurement data. The plotted differences show that the output potential _V_ out exhibits high linearity and the measurement noise falls within a range of \u00b11 mV.\n\nNext, the time change of the node\u2010F potential is calculated from , where _S_ SF is the output potential slope of the source follower with respect to the input potential (here, ). \u0394 _V_ out0\/\u0394 _t_ is the slope of the output potential during programming ( _V_ out0), shown by the dotted line in Figure 2.12. Since the voltage _V_ F is fixed at 3 V during programming, it is assumed that the change in the output voltage \u0394 _V_ out0 is affected by the source follower and is not related to the leakage current of the DUT. Thus, a slope \u0394 _V_ out0\/\u0394 _t_ is reasonably subtracted from a slope \u0394 _V_ out\/\u0394 _t_.\n\nThe leakage current in each case is calculated from Equation (2.1) ( ), and the results are shown in Table 2.1. Focusing on the channel width dependence, the leakage current per micrometer of channel width ( _i_ leak) is obtained in the following manner: When the channel width is denoted by _W_ _j_ , the measured value of the leakage current ( _x_ _j_ ) is estimated to be the sum of the leakage component of the DUT ( ) and the other leakage component _I_ cut (here, _j_ indicates an arbitrary number): in other words, . The _i_ leak and _I_ cut values that minimize are thus obtained, with the results in Table 2.1. Figure 2.13 shows the measurement results and the fitted function _f_ ( _W_ ). The off\u2010state current per micrometer of channel width is calculated to be 135 yA\/\u00b5m at 85\u00b0C, being extremely low [10].\n\n**Table 2.1** Measurement result of leakage current.\n\n_Source_ : Reproduced from [10], with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\n**Time [s]** | ** [A]** | ** \n[A] ** | ** \n[A] ** \n---|---|---|--- \n10,800\u201321,600 | 1.36 \u00d7 10\u221216 | 1.38 \u00d7 10\u221217 | 1.55 \u00d7 10\u221218 \n32,400\u201343,200 | 1.30 \u00d7 10\u221216 | 1.40 \u00d7 10\u221217 | 1.52 \u00d7 10\u221218 \n54,000\u201364,800 | 1.30 \u00d7 10\u221216 | 1.41 \u00d7 10\u221217 | 1.54 \u00d7 10\u221218\n\n**Figure 2.13** Measurement result of leakage current and plot of the fitted function _f_ ( _W_ ).\n\n_Source_ : Reproduced from [10], with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\nWith use of the above measurement method, the off\u2010state current of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET was successfully measured in 2011 [27]. The off\u2010state currents of various CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs have been measured based on an estimation of the amount of decrease in the charge stored in the capacitor over a long period. Figure 2.14 is an Arrhenius plot of the off\u2010state current of two CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. As shown in the graph, the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET (B) with an off\u2010state current of 6 yA\/\u00b5m at 85\u00b0C was obtained in the spring of 2014 [28].\n\n**Figure 2.14** Arrhenius plot of off\u2010state currents of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [28]\n\nThis subsection has described the extremely low off\u2010state current of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and the method for measuring it. The long\u2010term measurement of a change in the charge amount shows that the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET has an extremely low off\u2010state current \u2013 on the order of yoctoamps. In 2014, an off\u2010state current of 6 yA\/\u00b5m at 85\u00b0C, which was the lowest value recorded among CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs tested so far, was obtained. Such a low off\u2010state current is promising when the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is to be used in a memory. The application to memory is described in Chapters 3 and . Other applications are described in later chapters.\n\n### _2.2.3 Theoretical Discussion with Energy Band Diagram_\n\nWhat contributes to the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET's extremely low off\u2010state current? This low off\u2010state current is probably because of the wide bandgap. Revealing this mechanism will facilitate research on possible low\u2010power technologies and new materials with low off\u2010state current. In this subsection, the reason for the very low off\u2010state current is theoretically discussed compared with a Si FET. In particular, the tunneling of holes from the drain to the channel is discussed as the main mechanism for the off\u2010state current of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET.\n\nIn a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, the channel is connected directly to the source and drain electrodes. The junction characteristics are determined by the work functions of the source and drain electrodes, and the electron affinity and bandgap of CAAC\u2010IGZO. Table 2.2 shows the physical properties of CAAC\u2010IGZO and tungsten, and their measurement methods. CAAC\u2010IGZO has a bandgap of 3.2 eV, which is three times wider than that of Si (1.1 eV). From the difference between the ionization potential and the bandgap, the electron affinity of CAAC\u2010IGZO is calculated to be 4.6 eV. Tungsten, a metal with a work function close to that value, is used for calculation as the source and drain electrodes.\n\n**Table 2.2** Physical properties of CAAC\u2010IGZO and tungsten, and their respective measurement method. UPS stands for ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [29]. Copyright 2012 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n****| **Measured \nvalue [eV] ** | **Measurement \nmethod ** \n---|---|--- \nIonization potential of CAAC\u2010IGZO | 7.8 | UPS \nBandgap of CAAC\u2010IGZO | 3.2 | Ellipsometer \nWork function of tungsten | 5.0 | UPS\n\nThe schematic band diagram of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in an off state ( ) supplied with a positive drain voltage ( ) is shown in Figure 2.15. The Fermi level of the source electrode is denoted by _E_ F, and the energies of the conduction band minimum and valence band maximum around the channel center are denoted by _E_ C and _E_ V, respectively. In addition, the bandgap represented by a difference between _E_ C and _E_ V is denoted by _E_ g. As shown in Figure 2.15, the following three factors may contribute to the off\u2010state current:\n\n 1. injection of thermally excited electrons from the source to the channel;\n 2. injection of thermally excited holes from the drain to the channel;\n 3. tunneling of holes from the drain to the channel.\n\n**Figure 2.15** Schematic band diagram of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in an off state. The black and white circles denote an electron and a hole, respectively.\n\n_Source_ : Reproduced from [30], with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\nIn the discussion below, IGZO is assumed to be a perfect crystal and an intrinsic semiconductor. This is because the off\u2010state current is determined not by the mobility but by the potential barrier, as indicated by the above three factors. While impurities significantly affect the mobility, they do not significantly affect the potential barrier. In that regard, the discussion of the off\u2010state current is different from that of the on\u2010state current which relies on mobility.\n\nThe leakage current by (1) thermally excited electrons is proportional to . Here, _E_ ele ( ) is the electron potential barrier, which becomes approximately equivalent to the bandgap as the gate voltage decreases. _k_ B is a Boltzmann constant. In that case, the ratio of exponential factors between an IGZO FET and a Si FET is estimated to be ~ 10\u221235. This indicates that the leakage current due to the thermally excited electrons is practically negligible in the IGZO FET.\n\nThe leakage current by (2) thermally excited holes is proportional to . Here, _E_ hole is the potential barrier at the junction in case of the IGZO FET, calculated to be 2.8 eV from Table 2.2. The Si FET has . The ratio of the exponential factors between the IGZO and Si FETs is estimated to be . The leakage current due to the thermally excited holes is also negligible in the IGZO FET.\n\nThe leakage current by (3) tunneling of holes from the drain to the channel is discussed below. To simplify the tunneling situation, the case where particles tunnel across a one\u2010dimensional triangular potential barrier with a height of _V_ 0 and width of _a_ is assumed. The effective mass of the particle in case of and that in case of are denoted by _m_ and _m_ *, respectively. The tunneling current density _J_ when the particle enters the barrier from the region of and tunnels through the barrier in the region of to the region of is obtained by the Fowler\u2013Nordheim equation under the assumptions of the Wentzel\u2013Kramers\u2013Brillouin (WKB) approximation and absolute zero [31]:\n\n(2.2)\n\nIn this equation, , _h_ , and _q_ represent the electric field strength, Planck's constant, and elementary charge, respectively. In this case, the particle, the region , and the region correspond to a hole, a drain, and a channel, respectively. Thus, _m_ * appearing in the exponential part corresponds to the hole effective mass. The effective mass _m_ * is calculated from the first\u2010principles calculation based on density functional theory (DFT), and _V_ 0 and _a_ are calculated by device simulation, to find the tunneling current density _J_.\n\nFirst, the effective mass of a hole is calculated. The energy band structure of the crystalline IGZO is obtained by the first\u2010principles calculation, and the hole effective mass is estimated from the structure of the valence band maximum. The IGZO used in the calculation is a perfect crystal.\n\nThe IGZO crystal with the YbFe2O4 structure is shown in Figure 2.16. The crystal has a layered structure, and the number of atoms in the unit cell is 84. The norm\u2010conserving pseudo\u2010potential DFT introduced in OpenMX [32] is applied to the unit cell, and the Perdew\u2013Burke\u2013Ernzerhof (PBE)\u2010type generalized gradient approximation (GGA) is applied to the exchange interaction potential of the electrons. The cut\u2010off energy of the localized basis function is set to 200 Ry, and the _k_ point is sampled with a mesh.\n\n**Figure 2.16** Crystal structure of IGZO\n\nFigure 2.17 shows the calculated energy band diagram of the crystalline IGZO together with the Brillouin zone. Compared with the dispersion of the conduction band, the dispersion of the valence band is very flat. This means that the hole effective mass is larger than the electron effective mass.\n\n**Figure 2.17** Energy band diagram of crystalline IGZO.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [29]. Copyright 2012 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\nThe effective masses of holes and electrons in crystalline IGZO and those in Si [30] are shown in Table 2.3. The hole effective mass in the IGZO is above 10, which is more than 50 times higher than the effective mass of light holes in Si. This suggests that the heavy holes strongly suppress the tunneling current in crystalline IGZO.\n\n**Table 2.3** Effective mass of holes and electrons in IGZO and Si.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [29]. Copyright 2012 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n**Material** | **IGZO** | **Si** \n---|---|--- \nEffective mass of electrons ( ) | 0.25( _b_ 1) \n0.25( _b_ 2) \n0.23( _b_ 3) | 0.19 (transverse) \n0.98 (longitudinal) \nEffective mass of holes ( ) | 21( _b_ 1) \n41( _b_ 2) \n11( _b_ 3) | 0.16 (light) \n0.49 (heavy)\n\nNext, the band bending of the IGZO FET is calculated by device simulation to estimate the height and width of the potential barrier. The Synopsys Sentaurus Device [33] is used as the simulator. The parameters used for the calculation are shown in Table 2.4. The assumed IGZO is practically an intrinsic semiconductor. The voltages _V_ g and _V_ d are set to \u221210 V and 7.5 V, respectively. The calculated band diagram is shown in Figure 2.18. The graph shows that the above\u2010assumed one\u2010dimensional triangular potential barrier is appropriate.\n\n**Table 2.4** Parameters of the IGZO FET in device simulation.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [18]. Copyright 2012 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\nChannel length [\u00b5m] | 3 \n---|--- \nGate insulator thickness [nm] | 200 \nDielectric constant | 15 \nDonor concentration [cm\u22123] | 10\u221210\n\n**Figure 2.18** Band diagram of the IGZO FET.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [29]. Copyright 2012 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\nThe calculated height _V_ 0, width _a_ of the potential barrier, and electric field _F_ of the IGZO FET and of the Si FET are shown in Table 2.5. In the calculation for the Si FET, the acceptor concentration of the channel and the dielectric constant are set to 1016 cm\u22123 and 11.9, respectively. The potential barrier of the IGZO FET reflects the bandgap difference, being three times as high as that of the Si FET.\n\n**Table 2.5** Parameters in Table 2.2 for tunneling current density _J_.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [29]. Copyright 2012 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n****| **IGZO FET** | **Si FET** \n---|---|--- \n_V_ 0 [eV] | 2.8 | 1.1 \n_a_ [nm] | 25 | 7 \n [MV\/m] | 112 | 157\n\nFrom the above calculation result, the hole tunneling current density is obtained (see Table 2.6). In the case of the Si FET, _m_ h* is set to 0.16 as the light holes affect the hole effective mass. As shown in the table, the hole tunneling current density in the IGZO FET is almost zero, which is significantly smaller than that of the Si FET.\n\n**Table 2.6** Hole tunneling current densities of the IGZO and Si FET.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [29]. Copyright 2012 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n****| **IGZO FET** | **Si FET** \n---|---|--- \nTunneling current density _J_ [yA\/\u00b5m2] | ~ exp (\u2212900) | 1.8 \u00d7 1014\n\n### _2.2.4 Conclusion_\n\nA change in the charge amount in a node connected to a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET was measured for a long period, revealing that this FET has an extremely low off\u2010state current (on the order of yoctoamps). Possible reasons for such a low off\u2010state current are given below. Since a crystalline IGZO FET has a wide bandgap, leakage current due to thermally excited electrons and holes practically does not flow. Furthermore, the hole effective mass in the channel is as high as approximately 10, and thus the hole tunneling current does not flow either. In addition to the above explanations based on band theory, the small number of recombination centers in the bandgap of a CAAC\u2010IGZO film is also an important factor. Such features should be basically maintained, even when the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is scaled down. CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs with such low off\u2010state current can be used for low\u2010power LSIs, as described in Chapter 3 and after.\n\n## 2.3 Subthreshold Characteristics\n\nAs shown in Section 2.2, a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET has an extremely low off\u2010state current ( _I_ off), on the order of yoctoamps per micrometer [10]. The application of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs to low\u2010power LSI, taking advantage of the low\u2010 _I_ off property, has been proposed in [13\u201316]. For example, if a cut\u2010off current, _I_ cut (a drain current _I_ d at a gate voltage _V_ g of 0 V) is lowered to this extremely low off\u2010state current, a capacitor connected to the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET can retain charges for a very long time, such as approximately 10 years, enabling a non\u2010volatile memory.\n\nFigure 2.19 shows the conceptual graph of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. In the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g curve, the _V_ g voltage region below the threshold voltage _V_ th is called the subthreshold region, and _I_ d flowing in this region is called the subthreshold leakage. Subthreshold leakage current is inevitable in FETs. In light of the extremely small _I_ off of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, the subthreshold region of the FET should extend into an extremely small _I_ d (on the contrary, the subthreshold region of a Si FET does not extend into such a small level, and even the lowest _I_ d in the region is 0.01 pA [34]). While the reason for the very small off\u2010state current measured in Section 2.2 has not been clearly revealed, the subthreshold leakage seems to be the major source of the leakage current at least down to 1 yA. Thus, _I_ cut in the normally\u2010off _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristic can be considered to be generally determined by the subthreshold leakage.\n\n**Figure 2.19** Conceptual graph of _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. The subthreshold leakage is the main contributor in a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET down to an extremely small drain current of 1 yA. Shifting _V_ th in a positive direction can lower the _I_ cut determined by subthreshold leakage\n\nTo lower _I_ cut to its required value, which differs depending on the applications of low\u2010power LSI, _V_ th should be shifted in the positive direction. If we can find the _I_ cut value before shifting, we can understand how much we should shift _V_ th. However, the subthreshold leakage of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is probably lower than the lower limit ( ) of a normal measurement instrument [10]. Although Section 2.2 explained the method of estimating a very small current below the detection lower limit in detail, the method is not practical for estimating _I_ cut in arbitrary _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics because it requires special circuits and long\u2010term measurement.\n\nThis section introduces a simple method to estimate a subthreshold leakage at from the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics ( ) of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET [35]. This method reveals that a subthreshold swing ( _SS_ ) at is degraded by the presence of electron trap levels, while the _SS_ converges on the ideal value in a deep subthreshold region of . The estimated is at the equivalent order to the value obtained from the memory\u2010retention experiment with a memory cell having a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, which indicates that the estimation is appropriate. This method enables easy estimation of the _V_ th shift amount to obtain a desired _I_ cut without long\u2010term measurement.\n\n### _2.3.1 Estimation of_ I _cut_ _by_ SS\n\nOne method of estimating _I_ cut below the lower detection limit is extrapolation using the _SS_ of measured _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics. Let us estimate _I_ cut by this method before discussing the method newly proposed in this section.\n\nThe CAAC\u2010IGZO FET used for estimating _I_ cut has a double\u2010gate, top\u2010contact structure (see Figure 2.20). The active layer is a 20\u2010nm\u2010thick CAAC\u2010IGZO film with a relative dielectric constant _\u03b5_ r of 15. As shown in the cross\u2010sectional TEM image of Figure 2.21(a), this film has a layered structure in the direction perpendicular to the substrate, as in the case of a single\u2010crystal InGaZnO4 [Figure 2.21(b)] [36]. The film was formed by DC sputtering with a polycrystalline target with a composition of under an argon\u2013oxygen (Ar\u2013O2) atmosphere at a substrate temperature of 300\u00b0C. The active layer is sandwiched between buffer layers (with _\u03b5_ r ~ 15) with thicknesses of 5 and 40 nm that have wider bandgaps than InGaZnO4. A bottom\u2010gate insulator and a top\u2010gate insulator are oxides ( _\u03b5_ r ~ 4.1) with thicknesses of 60 and 20 nm, respectively. The channel width _W_ and length _L_ of the FET are 0.80 and 0.85 \u00b5m, respectively. The _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics are measured at room temperature by a semiconductor parameter analyzer.\n\n**Figure 2.20** Cross\u2010sectional STEM image of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [35]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n**Figure 2.21** (a) Cross\u2010sectional TEM image of CAAC\u2010IGZO film; (b) schematic diagram of InGaZnO4 crystal structure.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [35], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\nThe measured _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of the fabricated CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs [the number of FETs is 13 ( )] are shown in Figure 2.22. The drain voltage _V_ d is 0.1 and 1.8 V. The graph shows that the normally\u2010off characteristics are obtained, and , i.e., _I_ cut is lower than the lower detection limit ( ). When a shift voltage _V_ sh is defined as the value of , the value of is 0.539 V on average. The value of at is 126.4 mV\/decade on average. The value of _I_ cut obtained from extrapolation with these values is\n\n(2.3)\n\n**Figure 2.22** Measured _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs with . The broken line is an extrapolation of a current below the lower detection limit by _SS_\n\nIs this value reliable?\n\nTo examine the reliability of the _I_ cut obtained by the extrapolation using _SS_ at and _V_ sh, the value is compared with another _I_ cut value estimated from the measured retention characteristics of a memory with a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. Figure 2.23(a) and (b) shows a circuit diagram and a timing diagram, respectively, of a memory cell that includes a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with a channel width _W_ of 0.80 \u00b5m and a channel length _L_ of 0.85 \u00b5m ( ). The CAAC\u2010IGZO FET allows data writing and data retention at a floating node (F). A _p_ \u2010channel Si FET is used for data readout. The threshold voltage of the Si FET is denoted by _V_ th(Si). A potential of 3.3 V is applied to the wiring WWL to turn on the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, and a potential of 1.8 V is applied to the wiring BL to write 1.8 V on the F. Subsequently, WWL is set to 0 V so that the potential of F ( _V_ F) is retained. When the potential of SL is increased from 0 V to monitor a change in _V_ F, the readout Si FET is turned on at a certain potential. The potential of SL at which the readout Si FET is turned on is called _V_ RM. Here, the equation is satisfied, and thus the time change of _V_ RM corresponds to the time change of _V_ F.\n\n**Figure 2.23** (a) Circuit diagram and (b) timing diagram of a memory cell having a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with\n\nFigure 2.24 shows the time change of _V_ RM during retention after writing of 1.8 V to F. The monotonic _V_ RM decrease indicates the loss of charges from F. From the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics in Figure 2.22, this loss of charges is considered to be derived from the subthreshold leakage of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. The value of corresponds to the initial time change of _V_ RM, and is thus calculated to be\n\n(2.4)\n\n**Figure 2.24** Time change in _V_ RM in memory retention\n\nHere, _C_ S is the retention capacitance of 20 fF in F. Compared with the value of _I_ cut estimated from the measured retention characteristics with Equation (2.4), the value of _I_ cut from Equation (2.3) with extrapolation using the _SS_ is several tens of times overestimated. This means that the estimation of _I_ cut by the extrapolation with _V_ sh and _SS_ is not very reliable.\n\n### _2.3.2 Extraction Method of Interface Levels_\n\nWhy is _I_ cut overestimated when extrapolated with _SS_ obtained from the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics? One possible reason is that the _SS_ in the _I_ d region apparent from the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics is higher in value than the _SS_ in the _I_ d region below the lower detection limit, . Increased _SS_ suggests the existence of degrading factors. It is generally known that carrier (electron) trap levels in a channel or channel interface degrades _SS_. Thus, the density of states (DOS) of the trap levels, especially shallow ones, in the range of is expected to be higher than that in the range of . If the DOS of the trap levels is extracted from the measured _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, a device simulation that takes the extracted DOS into consideration can reproduce the measured _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g curve and can even estimate a minute current region below the lower detection limit.\n\nFrom this motivation, a method for extracting the DOS of the interface trap levels ( _N_ it) has been developed. In the method, _N_ it is extracted from the comparison between the measured _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics and the simulated ideal _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics. The degrading factor of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics is considered to be _N_ it in this method; however, whether or not the interface trap levels are actually present requires further discussion.\n\nThe _N_ it extraction method is described with reference to Figure 2.25. When the drain current changes from _I_ d1 to _I_ d2, the measured and ideal _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics are assumed to change in the gate voltage by \u0394 _V_ ex and \u0394 _V_ id, respectively. The surface potential _\u03d5_ s is assumed to change by \u0394 _\u03d5_ s in both cases. At this time, the number of electrons _N_ trap trapped by the interface levels per unit area and per unit energy is estimated from the following equation:\n\n(2.5)\n\n**Figure 2.25** Schematic diagram of the measured _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics (with electron trap levels) and ideal _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics (without electron trap levels).\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [35]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\nwhere _C_ tg and _q_ denote top\u2010gate capacitance and elementary charge, respectively. _N_ trap and _N_ it have the following relationship:\n\n(2.6)\n\nwhere _f_ ( _E_ ) is the Fermi\u2013Dirac distribution function \u2013 i.e., the probability density of energy _E_ at a certain temperature and the Fermi energy. This means that _N_ trap is expected to have a distribution modulated by the thermal distribution of _f_ ( _E_ ). _N_ it is determined by the fitting _N_ trap calculated by Equation (2.5) with Equation (2.6). Device simulation using this _N_ it provides the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics, including . There are many references for other extraction methods of the carrier trap levels, including those discussing their physical significance [36\u201344].\n\n### _2.3.3 Reproduction of Measured Value and Estimation of_ I _cut_\n\nThe actual fitting result with the measured _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics obtained by the above method is described below. Figure 2.26 and Table 2.7 show the schematic cross\u2010sectional diagram and calculation conditions used for device simulation of the ideal _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics. For the device simulation, a two\u2010dimensional calculation is conducted with the use of ATLAS by Silvaco Inc. [45]. The assumed active layer of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET model has _n_ + regions under source and drain electrodes and has an intrinsic channel region. To heighten the fitting accuracy, the electron mobility _\u03bc_ n, which has a large influence on the on\u2010state characteristics, is also treated as a fitting parameter.\n\n**Figure 2.26** Schematic structure used for device simulation\n\n**Table 2.7** Device simulation conditions\n\nFET size | Channel length _L_ [\u00b5m] | 0.85 \n---|---|--- \nChannel width _W_ [\u00b5m] | 0.8 \nCAAC\u2010IGZO | Electron affinity [eV] | 4.6 \n_E_ g [eV] | 3.2 \nDielectric constant | 15 \n_N_ d [cm\u22123] | 6.6 \u00d7 10\u22129 \n_N_ d (below S\/D electrodes)[cm\u22123] | 5 \u00d7 1018 \nElectron mobility _\u03bc_ n [cm2\/Vs] | parameter \nHole mobility _\u03bc_ h [cm2\/Vs] | 0.01 \n_N_ c [cm\u22123] | 5 \u00d7 1018 \n_N_ v [cm\u22123] | 5 \u00d7 1018 \nThickness [nm] | 20 \nBuffer layers | Dielectric constant | 15 \nTop\/bottom thickness [nm] | 5\/40 \nGate insulators | Dielectric constant | 4.1 \nTop\/bottom thickness [nm] | 20\/60\n\nFigure 2.27(a) shows one of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g curves at in Figure 2.22 ( ). The crosses denote measured data points with a _V_ g step of 0.1 V. The circles in Figure 2.27(b) denote the _N_ trap values extracted from the measured data points [crosses in Figure 2.27(a)] with Equation (2.5). The vertical axis is the Fermi energy _E_ f at the interface between IGZO and gate\u2010insulating films, from the conduction band minimum _E_ c of CAAC\u2010IGZO. _N_ trap has, regardless of its large variation, its maximum value immediately below _E_ c and decreases as it moves away from _E_ c. Here, as _N_ it of Equation (2.6), the following tail distribution is assumed:\n\n(2.7)\n\n**Figure 2.27** (a) _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with . This is one of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g curves at in Figure 2.22. Crosses denote measured data points at a _V_ g step of 0.1 V. (b) The number of electrons _N_ trap trapped by interface levels per unit area and unit energy (circles) and fitted curve (solid line). _N_ trap is extracted from the measured data points shown by the crosses using Equation (2.5). The vertical axis is the Fermi energy _E_ f from the conduction band minimum _E_ c of the CAAC\u2010IGZO.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [35]\n\nThen, _N_ trap is well fitted as shown by the solid line in Figure 2.27(b). As fitting parameters, , a peak value , and a characteristic width are obtained. The relationship between _N_ it and _N_ trap is shown in Figure 2.28.\n\n**Figure 2.28** Relationship between the DOS of the interface trap levels, _N_ it, and the electron number, _N_ trap, trapped by interface levels per unit area and unit energy. _N_ it has a tail distribution with a peak value _N_ ta of 1.67 \u00d7 1013 eV\u22121\u2010cm\u22122 and a characteristic width _W_ ta of 0.105 eV\n\nThe device simulation with the obtained tail levels provides the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics shown in Figure 2.29. The measured points are superposed for comparison. The calculated result well reproduces the measured result. In addition, the subthreshold leakage below the lower detection limit ( ) is estimated without problem. While _SS_ at is 126 mV\/decade, _SS_ converges to 82 mV\/decade for _I_ d much smaller than 0.1 pA due to the exponential decrease in tail levels. This value is coincident with the following ideal _SS_ id of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET:\n\n(2.8)\n\n**Figure 2.29** Comparison between the measured _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics and the calculated _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics by device simulation with extracted tail level. _SS_ at is 126 mV\/decade. At , _SS_ is 82 mV\/decade, which is coincident with the ideal value of Equation (2.8).\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [35]\n\nwhere _C_ act is the active\u2010layer capacitance and _C_ tg ( _C_ bg) is the series capacitance of the top (bottom)\u2010gate insulator and the top (bottom) buffer layer. From the fitted curve in Figure 2.29, is estimated to be 6.7 \u00d7 10\u221218 A. Figure 2.29 shows the extent to which _I_ cut extrapolated with _SS_ at is overestimated.\n\nWhen a similar analysis is performed with Figure 2.22 ( ), the average value of _I_ cut is calculated to be 2.0 \u00d7 10\u221218 A. From the measured retention characteristics of the memory cell with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs that are formed by the same process and have the same size, _I_ cut is estimated to be around 1.0 \u00d7 10\u221218 A, as shown in Equation (2.4), which corresponds to the above\u2010calculated value. On the basis of this calculated value, to reduce the subthreshold leakage to 1 yA, _V_ th should be shifted in the positive direction by the following amount:\n\n(2.9)\n\n### _2.3.4 Conclusion_\n\nThis section has introduced a calculation method for estimating subthreshold leakage at by extracting electron trap levels from the measured _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. This method estimates that the _SS_ of the FET should have its ideal value in a deep subthreshold region because the electron trap levels decrease exponentially in a gap. This method can estimate _I_ cut values below the normal lower detection limit, thereby providing the amount by which _V_ th should be shifted to obtain the desired _I_ cut for a certain application and enabling process development or circuit design with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs.\n\n## 2.4 Technique for Controlling Threshold Voltage ( _V_ th)\n\nIn general, desirable _V_ th values of inversion\u2010mode Si FETs can be achieved by impurity doping to the channel regions. In contrast, the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is an _n\u2013i\u2013n_ accumulation mode FET, i.e., its channel is intrinsic, the source and drain are _n_ \u2010type, and electrons are the majority carrier. Unlike Si FETs, which are not accumulation\u2010mode FETs, it is not possible to shift the threshold voltage ( _V_ th) in the positive direction by impurity\u2010doping in the channel. Therefore, the method of applying an additional electric field to the channel region is employed to control _V_ th. This dynamic control of the _V_ th of the FET is not only effective for reducing variation in the electrical characteristics but can also be used to shift _V_ th to a value corresponding to an extremely low off\u2010state current (low leakage mode). Si FETs are often formed on bulk Si substrates and utilize epitaxial growth; as such, they cannot have gate electrodes under the channel. There are reports of Si FETs utilizing a substrate bias for _V_ th control [46], but this method uniformly applies a voltage to all the FETs globally over the entire substrate and cannot be used to adjust FETs locally. On the contrary, CAAC\u2010IGZO FET fabrication allows a design with a back gate that can be used for _V_ th control of individual FETs.\n\nIn this section, three techniques for controlling _V_ th in CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are explained: (1) constant back\u2010gate bias, (2) retention circuit applying back\u2010gate bias only when needed, and (3) a charge trap layer that holds injected charges. Table 2.8 contains a list of the features of each method. Methods (1) and (2) utilize back\u2010gate bias application with and without a retention circuit, respectively. The circuit structure in method (1) is simple, while that in method (2) is more complicated. Method (3) has a simple circuit structure. Turning the power off is inapplicable (i.e., _V_ th control is applicable only during power application) in method (1), whereas it is possible (i.e., _V_ th is kept controlled even after powering off) in methods (2) and (3). The details of methods (1), (2), and (3) are explained in Subsections 2.4.1, 2.4.2, and 2.4.3, respectively.\n\n**Table 2.8** Features of _V_ th control methods\n\n****| **Back\u2010gate bias application** | **(3) Charge trap layer** \n---|---|--- \n**(1) Constant bias** | **(2) Retention circuit** \nCircuit configuration | Simple | Complex | Simple \nTurning power off \n(low power consumption) | Inapplicable | Possible | Possible\n\n### _2.4.1 _V_ th _Control by Application of Back\u2010Gate Bias__\n\nThe method (1) of constantly applying back\u2010gate bias is explained below. Figure 2.30 shows a cross\u2010sectional view of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with a back gate in the channel\u2010length direction. By applying voltage to the back gate, _V_ th can be controlled to a desirable value. The back gate only needs to be fixed at a potential to set _V_ th to the desirable voltage. When a negative voltage is applied to the back gate, _V_ th shifts in the positive direction. Conversely, the application of a positive voltage to the back gate shifts _V_ th in the negative direction. Depending on the application, another method, such as dynamical changing of the back\u2010gate voltage, may also be applicable. For example, it is possible to switch between subthreshold driving and normal driving without changing the (top) gate voltage.\n\n**Figure 2.30** Cross\u2010sectional schematic view of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in a TGTC structure with a back gate (in the channel\u2010length direction)\n\nHere, experimental results of _V_ th control by back\u2010gate bias application are introduced.\n\nTo fabricate a back\u2010gate CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, the back\u2010gate electrode is first formed on an insulating substrate. For the back gate, tungsten (W) is used. Next, an alumina (AlO _x_ ) is deposited as a back\u2010gate insulator by atomic layer deposition (ALD) to a thickness of 20 nm. Next, a silicon oxide (SiO _x_ ) film is deposited by plasma enhancement chemical vapor deposition (PE\u2010CVD) to a thickness of 30 nm, followed by sputtering of the active layer (CAAC\u2010IGZO). After this step, the source\/drain electrodes, gate insulator, and top gate are formed. Finally, a passivation film is deposited.\n\nFigure 2.31 shows _I_ d\u2013 _V_ tg curves with _V_ bg as parameter in the fabricated CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with . Here, _W_ denotes the channel width, _L_ the channel length, _V_ tg the top\u2010gate voltage, _V_ bg the back\u2010gate voltage, and _V_ d the drain voltage. From Figure 2.31 it is seen that the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ tg curve shifts depending on the value and polarity of _V_ bg: a negative\/positive _V_ bg shifts the curve in the positive\/negative direction, respectively, which proves that _V_ th can be controlled by applying a back\u2010gate voltage.\n\n**Figure 2.31** _V_ bg\u2010dependence of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ tg curve\n\nNote that in this section, an index of _V_ sh is used for the actual measurements instead of _V_ th. Here, _V_ sh is defined as the gate voltage ( _V_ g) at which the drain current ( _I_ d) is 1 pA (see the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics in Figure 2.32). _V_ sh is used to indicate the polarity and degree of _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g curve shifting, in order to easily estimate the subthreshold leakage. The applications of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET technology described in and after Chapter 3 utilize the extremely low off\u2010state current.\n\n**Figure 2.32** The graph for defining _V_ sh and the subthreshold leakage\n\n_V_ bg dependences of _V_ th and _V_ sh are exhibited in Figure 2.33, which indicates that both _V_ th and _V_ sh are proportional to _V_ bg, with negative slopes.\n\n**Figure 2.33** _V_ bg \u2010dependence of _V_ th and _V_ sh\n\nNext the FET reliability was evaluated under a state of _V_ th control, i.e., applied back\u2010gate bias. To evaluate the reliability, the temporal drift of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics under the application of a constant back\u2010gate voltage at 125\u00b0C was examined. This time, assuming an application utilizing the very low off\u2010state current, the back\u2010gate voltage was negatively applied to shift _V_ th in the positive direction. For the measurement, two CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs with a channel size of were used. As back\u2010gate insulators (BGI), two different films with EOTs of 12 and 48 nm were prepared, respectively. EOT is the thickness corresponding to a SiO _x_ thickness giving the same dielectric constant as the actual film.\n\n_I_ d\u2013 _V_ g measurements were initially conducted at 125\u00b0C. A _V_ bg of \u22125 V was applied to the FET with , while a _V_ bg of \u221211 V was applied to one with . The measurement was conducted at , and the _V_ sh drift over 12 h was examined. The change in _V_ sh (\u0394 _V_ sh) from the initial value is shown in Figure 2.34. After 12 h, \u0394 _V_ sh in the case of was 0.003 V, and that in the case of was 0.04 V. It has been confirmed that \u0394 _V_ sh was small and the characteristics of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET were stable, even with continuous application of the back\u2010gate voltage.\n\n**Figure 2.34** _V_ sh time\u2010dependence at 125\u00b0C with back\u2010gate bias\n\n### _2.4.2 _V_ th _Control by Formation of Circuit for Retaining Back\u2010Gate Bias__\n\nThe advantages of method (1), applying voltage by connecting the power to the back gate, are its simple circuit configuration and stable voltage application; however, method (1) has two disadvantages. One is that the voltage needs to be applied constantly, resulting in high power consumption. The other is that when the power is turned off, the voltage is no longer applied, so _V_ th shifts back to the original value. Especially when the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET operates in a low\u2010leakage mode to be used as a non\u2010volatile memory, the voltage is required to be applied to the back gate even when the power is off.\n\nOne method to continue to apply voltage to the back gate even after power\u2010off is to provide a circuit in which the back gate is connected to a capacitor so as to prevent release of a charge from the capacitor [method (2)]. The shifting direction of _V_ th can be controlled by adjusting the polarity of the charge stored in the capacitor. This method requires a technique to prevent discharge of the capacitor, resulting in a more complex circuit configuration compared with the method of directly applying the voltage to the back gate. However, after the charge is stored in the capacitor, power will not be consumed. Figure 2.35 shows such a circuit for retaining back\u2010gate bias.\n\n**Figure 2.35** Back\u2010gate bias\u2010retention circuit\n\nAn example of a back\u2010gate bias\u2010retention circuit with a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is shown in Figure 2.36. When negative voltage is supplied to the back gate of the memory circuit, the node N1 has negative voltage. N1 is connected to the gate and back gate of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET for retention, and the negative voltage is applied to the gate and back gate even when the power source does not supply negative voltage. The condition of (where _V_ gs is the gate\u2013source voltage of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in the retention circuit) is satisfied, and the off\u2010state current can be sufficiently small; thus, the retention circuit can shut off the charge flow.\n\n**Figure 2.36** Back\u2010gate bias\u2010retention circuit with an IGZO FET\n\nAnother example of a back\u2010gate bias\u2010retention circuit with a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is shown in Figure 2.37. This retention circuit has diodes with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs that are serially connected, having a lower off\u2010state current than the circuit of Figure 2.36. When the number of serially connected diodes increases, the off\u2010state current can be decreased, but the voltage drops associated with the power source and N2 increase and the transmission speed of the power supply to N2 slows down. These points should be taken into consideration at the time of circuit design.\n\n**Figure 2.37** Back\u2010gate bias\u2010retention circuit with serially connected IGZO FETs\n\nAnother example of a back\u2010gate bias\u2010retention circuit is shown in Figure 2.38. A charge trap layer is provided to the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, the detail of which is described in the next subsection. The _V_ th of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in the retention circuit can be shifted sufficiently in the positive direction with use of the charge trap layer, so that the off\u2010state current will be sufficiently low even without application of negative voltage from the power source 2. This method offers a diode with sufficiently low off\u2010state current with the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. The negative voltage for shifting _V_ th to the desired value is supplied from the power source. The CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in this circuit can have a channel length, channel width, gate insulator thickness, and semiconductor material as long as the FET can be resistant to negative voltage application and have a low off\u2010state current.\n\n**Figure 2.38** Back\u2010gate bias\u2010retention circuit with IGZO FET and trap layer\n\n### _2.4.3 _V_ th _Control by Charge Injection into the Charge Trap Layer__\n\nA third way to control _V_ th in the positive direction is to inject electrons into a charge trap layer (CT layer), provided on the back\u2010gate side.\n\nIn this method, Vth control is performed by a negative electric field caused by the electrons trapped in the CT layer below the channel. The CT layer can be located on the side of the back or top gate. If electrons are trapped in the CT layer once, there will be no further need to apply the electric field and thus, in principle, the method does not require any power source.\n\nNext, the experimental results of _V_ th control by charge injection into the CT layer are introduced. For the evaluation, a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in a TGTC structure with a back gate is fabricated. A CT layer is formed between the insulators sandwiched by the back gate and the CAAC\u2010IGZO. Figure 2.39 shows the schematic cross\u2010sectional view of the FET.\n\n**Figure 2.39** Schematic cross\u2010sectional view of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in a TGTC structure with a back gate and a CT layer (in the channel\u2010length direction)\n\nTo trap electrons in the CT layer, the conduction band ( _E_ C) of the CT layer should be lower than those of the insulators sandwiching the CT layer, and the CT layer material is selected accordingly. Figure 2.40 shows the band diagram from the back gate to the CAAC\u2010IGZO. In this experiment, hafnium oxide, HfO _x_ , is employed for the CT layer. SiO _x_ films are adopted for Insulators 1 and 2, which are placed below and above the CT layer. Hence, _E_ C of the CT layer is lower than those of the sandwiching insulators by 1.2 eV. This _E_ C difference keeps the electrons injected into the CT layer stable. In addition, it has a large dielectric constant (four to six times that of SiO _x_ ), hence resulting in a large bias voltage per unit charge. HfO _x_ is used in optical coatings (high refractive index) and as high\u2010 _k_ dielectric material in DRAM capacitors. Note that the conditions for injecting charge into the CT layer can be changed by adjusting the thickness of the two insulators sandwiching the CT layer (Insulators 1 and 2) or changing the CT layer material.\n\n**Figure 2.40** Energy band diagram for the CT layer\n\nNext, the fabrication process is explained. First, a back\u2010gate electrode (W) is formed on the insulating substrate. Next, insulators are deposited as shown in Figure 2.40. A SiO _x_ film, which will be Insulator 1, is deposited to a thickness of 10 nm by PE\u2010CVD. A HfO _x_ film is deposited to a thickness of 20 nm by ALD to form the CT layer. Another SiO _x_ film, which will be Insulator 2, is deposited to 30 nm by PE\u2010CVD. Then, a CAAC\u2010IGZO serving as an active layer is deposited by sputtering. After that, the source\/drain electrodes, gate insulator, and top gate are formed. Finally, a passivation film is deposited.\n\nFigure 2.41 shows room\u2010temperature _I_ d\u2013 _V_ tg curves at with the charge injection time as parameter for a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with a channel _W_ \/ _L_ of 0.26 \u00b5m\/0.19 \u00b5m. The measurement is conducted for 3 s at 0.5 s intervals. From Figure 2.41, it is confirmed that the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ tg curve shifts in the positive direction due to charge injection.\n\n**Figure 2.41** Charge injection time dependence of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ tg curve\n\nIn addition, Figure 2.42 shows the charge injection time dependence of \u0394 _V_ sh, where _V_ sh is defined as _V_ tg at . From Figure 2.42 it is shown that \u0394 _V_ sh is proportional to the logarithm of the charge\u2010injection time. This fact indicates that the amount of electrons injected into the CT layer is proportional to the logarithm of the injection time.\n\n**Figure 2.42** Charge injection time dependence of \u0394 _V_ sh ( , R.T.)\n\nNext, variations in _V_ th control by charge injection into the CT layer are measured. The condition for charge injection is set at R.T. and , with a charge injection time of 3 s. The _I_ d\u2013 _V_ tg curves of 56 test elements before and after charge injection are shown in Figure 2.43. The corresponding normal probability distribution plot of _V_ sh before and after charge injection is illustrated in Figure 2.44. No drastic increase in variations before and after charge injection is observed. 3 _\u03c3_ of _V_ sh before charge injection is 145 mV, and that after injection is 179 mV.\n\n**Figure 2.43** _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET (a) before and (b) after charge injection into the CT layer ( , 3 s, R.T.)\n\n**Figure 2.44** Normal probability distribution plot of _V_ sh (a) before and (b) after charge injection ( , 3 s, R.T.)\n\nFinally, the drift of _V_ sh after charge injection is measured at a temperature of 150\u00b0C (see Figure 2.45). The measurement procedure is shown in Figure 2.46 and also explained below.\n\n**Figure 2.45** _V_ sh time dependence at 150\u00b0C after charge injection ( , 200 ms, R.T.)\n\n**Figure 2.46** Procedure for measuring temperature stability\n\nA voltage _V_ bg of +40 V is first applied to the back gate for 200 ms at R.T. to inject charge into the CT layer. This causes _V_ sh to shift from 0 to 1.3 V. Next, the sample is heated to 150\u00b0C and the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ tg characteristics are measured by sweeping _V_ tg from \u22123 to 3 V while applying a _V_ d of 1.8 V. The time required to bring the sample from R.T. to 150\u00b0C is approximately 5 minutes. _V_ sh in the initial measurement, after elevating the temperature to 150\u00b0C, is 0.82 V. Figure 2.45 exhibits the change from the initial _V_ sh. During the measurement of _V_ sh drift, the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g measurement is performed at 150\u00b0C and, during the retention state, _V_ tg, _V_ bg, _V_ S, and _V_ d are kept at 0 V. As can be seen in Figure 2.45, \u0394 _V_ sh is only \u22120.03 V even after 300 h at 150\u00b0C, indicating that the injected charge is maintained stably. From the aforementioned results, it is concluded that _V_ th control by charge injection into a CT layer is a reliable process.\n\n### _2.4.4 Conclusion_\n\nIn this section, the three methods for controlling _V_ th of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET have been described. The feasibililty of _V_ th control was confirmed for all methods, but each method has advantages and disadvantages, and thus an appropriate one should be selected depending on the required LSI performance. _V_ th control of the FET is an important technique for exploiting the very low off\u2010state current of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in LSIs.\n\n## 2.5 On\u2010State Characteristics\n\nAlthough the most outstanding feature of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs is their extremely low off\u2010state leakage current, high on\u2010state current of FETs is required for high\u2010speed LSI circuits. That is, high\u2010mobility FETs are necessary for high\u2010speed LSI operation. The electron mobility in CAAC\u2010IGZO ( ) is reported to be approximately 10 cm2\/V\u2010s [17], i.e., two orders of magnitude smaller than that of single\u2010crystal Si (1450 cm2\/V\u2010s), which is widely used in LSIs. Therefore, it may be argued that the low electron mobility of CAAC\u2010IGZO is a bottleneck in CAAC\u2010IGZO LSI.\n\nThe above discussion is an intuitive one, but it includes a critical misunderstanding: carrier mobility as a physical property of semiconductor materials is confused with field\u2010effect mobility as an index of the current drivability of FETs. To compare the expected speed of CAAC\u2010IGZO LSIs with that of LSIs with silicon requires a discussion based on a comparison of the field\u2010effect mobilities of _n_ \u2010channel Si (Nch\u2010Si) and CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, rather than on a comparison of their electron mobilities. In this section, we focus on the field\u2010effect mobility and its dependence on channel length _L_ , particularly when shortened to a deep submicron level.\n\nBesides, to demonstrate the possibility of high\u2010speed CAAC\u2010IGZO LSIs, the cut\u2010off frequency of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs was measured and the results are presented.\n\n### _2.5.1 Channel\u2010Length Dependence of Field\u2010Effect Mobility_\n\nMatsuda _et al_. [47] reported the channel\u2010length _L_ dependence of the field\u2010effect mobility _\u03bc_ FE of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs and compared it with that of single\u2010crystal Si FETs. In that paper, planar CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs ( ), S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs ( ), and planar Si FETs ( ) were fabricated, and their _\u03bc_ FE values were measured and compared.\n\n#### 2.5.1.1 Sample Fabrication and Structure\n\nS\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs have a three\u2010dimensional (3D) gate structure to suppress the short\u2010channel effects [11]. Figure 2.47 shows a schematic diagram and cross\u2010sectional STEM images of the S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. As discussed in detail in the next section, such FETs exhibit excellent characteristics, even for . Both types of CAAC\u2010IGZO FET have a gate insulator with an EOT of 11 nm. The channel width _W_ of the planar type is 10 \u00b5m, and the width of the fin\u2010shaped channel island of the S\u2010ch type is 47 nm. The active\u2010layer thickness of the planar type is 15 nm, and that of the S\u2010ch type is 40 nm. S\u2010ch FETs have an effective channel width _W_ eff of 127 nm, equal to the sum of the active\u2010layer width and twice the active\u2010layer thickness.\n\n**Figure 2.47** S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET: (a) schematic view, (b) STEM cross\u2010sectional image (plane is parallel to the longitudinal axis of the channel), (c) STEM cross\u2010sectional image (plane is normal relative to the longitudinal axis of the channel).\n\n_Source_ : Reproduced from [47] with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\nFor comparison, the _L_ dependence of _\u03bc_ FE of single\u2010crystal Si (sc\u2010Si) FETs was measured. Si FETs ( ) were fabricated using a thin film of single\u2010crystal Si transferred on a glass substrate [48]. The EOT of gate\u2010insulating films in these Si FETs was 20 nm, and their _W_ was 6 \u00b5m.\n\n#### 2.5.1.2 Measurement Conditions\n\nField\u2010effect mobility is defined by the following equation:\n\n(2.10)\n\nwhere _W_ is the channel width, _C_ OX is the capacitance of the gate insulator, _V_ d is the drain voltage (here, ), and _I_ d is the drain current. Here, _\u03bc_ FE indicates the FET's normalized ability to drive current at a _V_ d of 1 V. Here, the effective channel width _W_ eff was used to calculate _\u03bc_ FE of S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs.\n\n#### 2.5.1.3 Measurement Results\n\nThe measured _\u03bc_ FE values of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs and Si FETs are plotted in Figure 2.48(a) and (b), respectively. In Figure 2.48(a), the squares indicate the measurement results for the planar FETs and the triangles indicate those for the S\u2010ch FETs.\n\n**Figure 2.48** Channel\u2010length dependence of field\u2010effect mobility: (a) CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, (b) Si FETs.\n\n_Source_ : Reproduced from [47] with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\nFor sc\u2010Si FETs, _\u03bc_ FE decreases from 503 to 113 cm2\/V\u2010s as _L_ decreases from 7.95 to 0.30 \u00b5m. In contrast, _\u03bc_ FE of planar CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs is approximately 7 cm2\/V\u2010s and almost independent of _L_. For S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, _\u03bc_ FE decreases from 7.8 to 5.1 cm2\/V\u2010s, as _L_ decreases from 0.515 to 0.055 \u00b5m, but the reduction rate of _\u03bc_ FE by miniaturization is much smaller for S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs than for sc\u2010Si FETs.\n\n#### 2.5.1.4 Discussion\n\nThis drastic difference in the dependence of _\u03bc_ FE on _L_ between the two types of FET results from differences in phonon scattering susceptibilities. In other words, electrons in CAAC\u2010IGZO are less likely to be affected by phonon scattering than those in sc\u2010Si. When _V_ d is low or _L_ is long, the drift velocity _v_ d of carriers in a semiconductor is a product of the electric field _E_ and the \"low\u2010field mobility\" _\u03bc_ 0:\n\n(2.11)\n\nIncreasing _E_ by reducing _L_ increases the _v_ d of the electrons to the sound velocity _C_ S in a solid. At this point, the electron temperature is higher than the lattice temperature (these electrons are referred to as \"hot electrons\"). Hot electrons are scattered by acoustic phonons and dissipate their energy. In that case, the relationship between _v_ d and _E_ is modified as [49]\n\n(2.12)\n\nwhere _T_ e is the electron temperature and _T_ is the lattice temperature.\n\nWhen _L_ is further reduced and the electron kinetic energy reaches the optical phonon energy _E_ P at the \u0393 point, the entire energy of the electrons proceeds to produce optical phonons; thus, _v_ d saturates. This phenomenon is called \"velocity saturation,\" and the saturated electron drift velocity _v_ sat is expressed as [49]\n\n(2.13)\n\nTo obtain _C_ S and _E_ P for CAAC\u2010IGZO, we calculated the phonon dispersion relationship using the CASTEP code [50, 51]. All calculations used the local\u2010density approximation based on DFT, and norm\u2010conserving pseudo\u2010potentials were employed with a plane\u2010wave cut\u2010off of 800 eV.\n\nThe phonon dispersion relation was obtained by solving the dynamical matrix eigenvalue problem, and the dynamical matrix was calculated by the linear response method. For the InGaO3(ZnO) structure, a 28\u2010atom cell obtained by converting the lattice vectors of a conventional YbFe2O4 unit cell was used.\n\nFigure 2.49 shows the phonon dispersion relation obtained from these calculations. For the dispersion relation shown in Figure 2.49(a), the _E_ P of IGZO was 9.42 meV.\n\n**Figure 2.49** (a) Phonon\u2010dispersion relation for InGaO3(ZnO), (b) reciprocal lattice of InGaO3(ZnO) in a 28\u2010atom cell.\n\n_Source_ : Reproduced from [47] with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\n_C_ S was determined from the group velocity ( ) at the \u0393 point, i.e., the slope of the acoustic phonon dispersion curve. Table 2.9 lists _C_ S values parallel (\u0393\u2010B) and perpendicular (\u0393\u2010F) to the _c_ \u2010axis. In a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, electrons flow in a plane perpendicular to the _c_ \u2010axis; thus, longitudinal acoustic (LA) phonons in the \u0393\u2010F direction scatter electrons. The _C_ S for LA phonons was calculated to be 5.84 \u00d7 105 cm\/s.\n\n**Table 2.9** Velocity of phonons in a single\u2010crystalline IGZO.\n\n_Source_ : Reproduced from [47], with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\n**Mode** | **Parallel to _c_ \u2010axis** | **Perpendicular to _c_ \u2010axis** \n---|---|--- \nLA | 6.68 | 5.84 \nT1A | 2.74 | 3.09 \nT2A | 3.19 | 3.03\n\nWe used published values of _C_ S and _E_ P for the sc\u2010Si FET [49], and _\u03bc_ 0 values for sc\u2010Si and CAAC\u2010IGZO were derived by fitting the experimental curves of sc\u2010Si and CAAC\u2010IGZO, as shown in Figure 2.48. Table 2.10 lists the physical properties used for the calculations.\n\n**Table 2.10** Physical properties for calculating the drift velocities and field\u2010effect mobilities of FETs.\n\n_Source_ : Reproduced from [47], with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\n****| **CAAC\u2010IGZO** | **sc\u2010Si** \n---|---|--- \n_\u03bc_ 0 [cm2\/V\u2010s] | 7 | 600 \n_C_ S [cm\/s] | 5.8 \u00d7 105 | 7 \u00d7 105 \n_E_ P [meV] | 9.4 | 63\n\nFigure 2.50 shows _v_ d as a function of _E_ calculated from the parameters listed in Table 2.10. As _E_ increases, the difference between the _v_ d in Si and IGZO decreases. The relation between _v_ d and _E_ shown in Figure 2.50 can also be expressed in terms of a relation between _\u03bc_ FE and _L_ for a given drain voltage _V_ d. Assuming _V_ d of 1 V and that the electric field intensity _E_ is uniform in the channel, _L_ can be written as\n\n(2.14)\n\n**Figure 2.50** Calculated drift velocity _v_ d as a function of electric field intensity _E_.\n\n_Source_ : Reproduced from [47] with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\nUnder this assumption, the drift velocity _v_ d is also uniform in the channel, and _\u03bc_ FE can be written as follows:\n\n(2.15)\n\nThe results of Equation (2.15) are shown as dashed lines in Figure 2.48, consistent with the experimental results for both the sc\u2010Si and CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs.\n\nIn sc\u2010Si FETs, the low\u2010field mobility _\u03bc_ 0 is large and the drift velocity _v_ d of an electron easily reaches the speed of sound _C_ S; thus, hot electrons are easily generated. By contrast, hot electrons are less likely to be generated in the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET because _\u03bc_ 0 is small and the _v_ d of an electron barely reaches _C_ S. The CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are thus less susceptible to phonon scattering compared with sc\u2010Si FETs. Therefore, the _\u03bc_ FE value of the sc\u2010Si FET decreases significantly as _L_ shortens, whereas it remains essentially constant for the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET.\n\nAccording to the comparison of _v_ sat values of both Si and IGZO, we expect that, by further reducing _L_ , the _\u03bc_ FE ratio of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET to that of the sc\u2010Si FET should reach 1\/2.6. However, this result is considered to be overestimated because the \"velocity overshoot\" phenomenon in sc\u2010Si, which is discussed below, was ignored.\n\n#### 2.5.1.5 Effect of Velocity Overshoot for Electrons in Si FETs\n\nIn FETs with extremely short _L_ , some carriers injected from the source region reach the drain region without any scattering in the channel. Such a mode of carrier transportation is referred to as \"ballistic transport\" [52]. When ballistic transport of carriers occurs, the average drift velocity _v_ d becomes faster than the saturation velocity _v_ sat. This phenomenon is referred to as \"velocity overshoot\" [53, 54]. According to the paper by Ruch [53], velocity overshoot occurs in a Si MOSFET when _L_ is shorter than about 100 nm. Therefore, to estimate the mobility ratio of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs to Si FETs precisely, the velocity overshoot phenomenon needs to be taken into account.\n\nHereafter, the _\u03bc_ FE of Si FETs derived by Monte Carlo simulation is discussed. Note that it is assumed that velocity overshoot can be ignored for CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, because the lower electron mobility of CAAC\u2010IGZO means a shorter mean free path of electrons in the IGZO channel. Thus, ballistic transport hardly occurs in CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. The Monte Carlo simulation of electron transport in a crystalline IGZO is one of the challenges in research of the electrical conduction mechanisms of crystalline IGZO.\n\nFirst, the velocity overshoot phenomenon of electrons in _bulk_ Si was simulated. In this calculation, the device simulator ATLAS (Silvaco, Inc.) and its module for Monte Carlo device simulation, MCDevice, were used [55]. Figure 2.51 shows the simulation results. When the electric field intensity is higher than 1.0 \u00d7 105 V\/cm, we found that the velocity of electrons is faster than the _v_ sat of 1.0 \u00d7 107 cm\/s, or that velocity overshoot occurs, especially with for a drain voltage of 1 V.\n\n**Figure 2.51** Simulation results of the velocity overshoot of electrons in bulk Si\n\nIn order to verify its validity, this Monte Carlo calculation result was compared with an analytical mobility model called the Schafetter and Gummel model (S&G model) [56]. According to the S&G model, the velocity of carriers is expressed as follows:\n\n(2.16)\n\nFor carriers in Si, the best\u2010fitting parameters listed in Table 2.11 were used. In Figure 2.52, the _E_ dependences of the velocity of electrons in Si, calculated by the Monte Carlo simulation and the S&G model, were compared. For both calculations, no impurity doping was assumed. Note that the Monte Carlo simulation was carried out until the velocity of electrons converged to a steady state. The Monte Carlo simulation results were consistent with the analytical model, and their validity was confirmed.\n\n**Table 2.11** Fitting parameters of S&G models for both electrons and holes.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [57]\n\n****| **Electron** | **Hole** \n---|---|--- \n_\u03bc_ 0 [cm2\/V\u2010s] | 1400 | 480 \n_S_ | 350 | 81 \n_N_ ref [cm\u22123] | 3.0 \u00d7 1016 | 4.0 \u00d7 1016 \n_G_ | 8.8 | 1.6 \n_A_ [V\/cm] | 3.5 \u00d7 103 | 6.1 \u00d7 103 \n_B_ [V\/cm] | 7.4 \u00d7 103 | 2.5 \u00d7 104\n\n**Figure 2.52** Comparison of the Monte Carlo simulation results and the S&G mobility model. (a) The dependence of the _v_ d of electrons on _E_ ; (b) the dependence of the electron mobility on _E_\n\nNext, Monte Carlo simulation of carrier transport in FETs was carried out, in order to study the impact of the velocity overshoot on the _\u03bc_ FE of the inversion\u2010mode Nch\u2010Si FETs. The simulation model is shown in Figure 2.53. In Figure 2.53, the gate length ( _L_ gate) is 50 nm, the channel length _L_ is 25 nm, and the gate insulator thickness is 1.5 nm. The density of acceptor\u2010impurity doping in the bulk is . In this calculation, interface scattering was ignored. The distribution of the electron velocity beneath the gate insulator was derived with this model on the condition that _V_ d is 1 V and _V_ g is 3 V, as shown in Figure 2.54. The velocity around the middle region of the channel was faster than _v_ sat, which means that velocity overshoot occurs.\n\n**Figure 2.53** Monte Carlo simulation model\n\n**Figure 2.54** The distribution of electron drift velocity just beneath the GI film ( , , , )\n\nSimulation models of Nch\u2010Si FETs with various values of _L_ ( 17.5 nm\u20131.6 \u00b5m) were made in accordance with the scaling rule [56, 58]. Here, the \"voltage constant scaling rule\" was adopted. In other words, as the FET size was equally scaled down by times, the doped impurity density increased by _K_ 2 times. The _\u03bc_ FE was defined as the quotient of the average velocity of electrons and the electric field intensity _E_ in the channel. The _L_ dependence of _\u03bc_ FE of Nch\u2010Si FETs was calculated by this Monte Carlo simulation and by the S&G model. Both calculation results are shown in Figure 2.55. The _\u03bc_ FE derived from the Monte Carlo simulation is estimated to be larger than the analytical model for any values of _L_ , because velocity overshoot is taken into account for the Monte Carlo simulation. According to the simulation, when a Nch\u2010Si FET is miniaturized to be much shorter than 100 nm, the _\u03bc_ FE is estimated to be two times higher than the analytical model in which the velocity overshoot is not taken into account. As discussed before, the _\u03bc_ FE ratio of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs to that of Nch\u2010Si FETs tends to decrease as _L_ shortens. When _L_ is reduced to 30 nm or shorter, the _\u03bc_ FE ratio of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs to that of Nch\u2010Si FETs would be approximately 1\/10.\n\n**Figure 2.55** Channel\u2010length dependence of electron mobility derived by Monte Carlo simulation and the S&G model\n\n### _2.5.2 Measurement of Cut\u2010off Frequency_\n\nFrequency parameters such as clock frequency are used for the speed index of LSIs. These depend not only on the current drivability of the FETs, but also on the load capacitance and resistance, and hence also on the purpose or design of the LSIs. Thus, the frequency parameter of a single FET is an essential factor, rather than the circuit speed being essential, and the cut\u2010off frequency _f_ T is widely used for this purpose.\n\n_f_ T denotes the frequency at which the current gain of a FET is equal to 1 [59]. The current gain of a FET obeys the following equation:\n\n(2.17)\n\nwhere _C_ OX is the gate capacitance per unit area, _C_ G ( ) is the gate capacitance, and _g_ m is the transconductance of the FET. Here, _g_ m is expressed as follows:\n\n(2.18)\n\nWhen the current gain is equal to 1, _f_ T is defined as\n\n(2.19)\n\nTo improve _f_ T, there are hence three options:\n\n 1. shorten the channel length;\n 2. strengthen the drain voltage;\n 3. use a high\u2010mobility semiconductor.\n\n_f_ T is proportional to the reciprocal of the time constant that is necessary to charge and discharge the gate capacitance. Indeed, the time constant _\u03c4_ for charging the gate capacitance when the gate voltage is changed by \u0394 _V_ g is expressed as follows:\n\n(2.20)\n\nWith time constant _\u03c4_ , _f_ T can be expressed in the following manner:\n\n(2.21)\n\nNo LSI can be operated at a frequency higher than the _f_ T of its FETs in the LSI. Consequently, an _f_ T smaller than the required clock frequency means that the LSI cannot operate as intended. Yakubo _et al_. [60] reported that an _f_ T of 1.9 GHz was achieved with a S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET ( ) comprising 5000 parallel\u2010connected FETs ( ). The measurement conditions were and (see Figure 2.56). Note that a _V_ g of 2.2 V is the condition at which _g_ m becomes maximal, as shown in Figure 2.57.\n\n**Figure 2.56** RF gains vs. the frequency of a S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with .\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [60]\n\n**Figure 2.57** _g_ m Characteristics of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with .\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [60]. Copyright 2014 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\nAfter Yakubo _et al_. published their paper, an _f_ T of 20.1 GHz was achieved with a _V_ d of 2.0 V and a _V_ g of 1.95 V by means of an improvement to the TEG (Test Element Group) structure and an In\u2010rich oxide semiconductor (TYPE B) as a substitute for the oxide semiconductor used in Figure 2.56 (see Figure 2.58). The TYPE A FET uses the same oxide semiconductor as that of Figure 2.56.\n\n**Figure 2.58** Measurement results of the cut\u2010off frequency of IGZO FETs\n\nMatsubayashi _et al_. [61] reported a _f_ T of 34.4 GHz using TGSA\u2010structure CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs with . For the FET structure reported by Matsubayashi _et al_., both the miniaturization of _L_ and the decrease in overlapped capacitance between the gate and the S\/D electrodes contributed to the improved _f_ T. Detailed results and discussions are described in Section 2.7.\n\nAs discussed above, the _f_ T of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs with _L_ < 100 nm is established to be on the order of 10 GHz. This high _f_ T suggests the possibility of fast operational speed of CAAC\u2010IGZO LSIs.\n\n### _2.5.3 Summary_\n\nAlthough the electron mobility in CAAC\u2010IGZO is two orders of magnitude smaller than that of single\u2010crystal Si, electrons in crystalline IGZO are less likely to be affected by phonon scattering under a high electric field compared with Si. This leads to a reduction in the difference in field\u2010effect mobility _\u03bc_ FE of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs and single\u2010crystal Si FETs, when both FETs are miniaturized. According to a simple discussion of velocity saturation of electrons in crystalline IGZO and Si, the _\u03bc_ FE ratio of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs to that of Si FETs should reach 1\/2.6. A Monte Carlo simulation was carried out to estimate the precise _\u03bc_ FE ratio between CAAC\u2010IGZO and Si FETs, and it was found that this ratio should be limited to 1\/10 because of the velocity overshoot phenomenon in single\u2010crystal Si FETs.\n\nFurthermore, the cut\u2010off frequency of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, which is an index of the switching speed of a single FET, was measured. The latest results achieved a cut\u2010off frequency of more than 30 GHz.\n\nIn conclusion, the disadvantage of the low electron mobility of CAAC\u2010IGZO compared with single\u2010crystal Si can be offset by FET's miniaturization. In other words, its low electron mobility in CAAC\u2010IGZO is _not_ a critical bottleneck of operational speed of CAAC\u2010IGZO LSIs, provided that the FETs are miniaturized to deep submicron level.\n\n## 2.6 Short\u2010Channel Effect\n\nDegradation resulting from miniaturization, and especially from a shortened channel, is called a short\u2010channel effect in general. As shown in the schematic diagram of Figure 2.59, the main factors of the short\u2010channel effect are a negative shift of the threshold voltage ( _V_ th roll\u2010off), an increase in subthreshold swing ( _SS_ ), a drain\u2010induced barrier lowering ( _DIBL_ ), and an increase in the off\u2010state current ( _I_ off).\n\n**Figure 2.59** Graphs explaining the short\u2010channel effect: (a) _V_ th roll\u2010off, increase in _SS_ and (b) _DIBL_ , increase in _I_ off\n\nThe effective countermeasure against these short\u2010channel effects is to increase the gate control over a channel region by thinning the gate insulator. In fact, the EOT of a gate insulator has been thinned to 1\u20132 nm in the state\u2010of\u2010the\u2010art Si technology. However, with a thickness of 1\u20132 nm, a tunnel current through the gate insulator is problematic. Thus, such countermeasures might spoil the advantages of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, in particular, the extremely low _I_ off off\u2010state current [10]. To avoid the tunnel current through a gate insulator, an EOT of approximately 10 nm is necessary. It has been considered that there is a trade\u2010off between a decrease in the EOT of a gate insulator and extremely low _I_ off.\n\nIn this section, a miniaturized CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with a small short\u2010channel effect is introduced [62]. The EOT is about 11 nm and the channel length is about 30 nm. The FET has an S\u2010ch structure in which the top surface and the side surfaces of an active layer are covered with a gate electrode (i.e., it is a 3D structure) [16].\n\nAs shown by the device simulation in Section 2.6.2, a narrower channel width can suppress the short\u2010channel effect [11], as discussed with device simulation. Other factors, such as the physical properties of the CAAC\u2010IGZO film and the S\u2010ch structure, are also discussed.\n\n### _2.6.1 Features of S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs_\n\nFigure 2.60(a) and (b) shows a schematic view and a plane view, respectively, of the S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET using a CAAC\u2010IGZO film as active layer [16]. Figure 2.60(c) and (d) shows STEM images of cross\u2010sections in the channel\u2010length and channel\u2010width directions, respectively. The FET has a TGTC structure, where the gate electrode overlaps with the source and drain electrodes [see Figure 2.60(c)]. The gate electrode covers both the top face and side surfaces of the CAAC\u2010IGZO film serving as a channel [see Figure 2.60(d)]. This is called the S\u2010ch structure. As illustrated in Figure 2.60(b), the channel length _L_ is defined to be the distance between the source and the drain, and the channel width _W_ is defined to be the width of the CAAC\u2010IGZO film.\n\n**Figure 2.60** S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET using CAAC\u2010IGZO film as active layer: (a) schematic view; (b) plane view; (c) cross\u2010sectional STEM image in channel\u2010length direction; and (d) cross\u2010sectional STEM image in channel\u2010width direction.\n\n _Source_ : Reprinted from [16], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2014.\n\nThe CAAC\u2010IGZO film was deposited to a thickness of 40 nm by DC sputtering under Ar\/O2 atmosphere at a substrate temperature of 300\u00b0C, with a polycrystalline target containing indium, gallium, and zinc, where the ratio of In:Ga:Zn was 1:1:1. Figure 2.61(a) shows the out\u2010of\u2010plane XRD spectrum of the CAAC\u2010IGZO film deposited on a quartz substrate under the same conditions as the above S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. A (009) diffraction peak is observed around , which is attributed to a CAAC structure (Figure 2.1). Figure 2.61(b) is a cross\u2010sectional STEM image of the CAAC\u2010IGZO film. The upper side is near the CAAC\u2010IGZO surface. As shown in Figure 2.61(b), CAAC\u2010IGZO has a stacked structure, so the _c_ \u2010axis of the IGZO crystal contained in the CAAC\u2010IGZO film is oriented vertically with respect to the substrate.\n\n**Figure 2.61** (a) Out\u2010of\u2010plane XRD spectrum of the CAAC\u2010IGZO film; (b) cross\u2010sectional TEM image of CAAC\u2010IGZO film.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [16], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2014\n\nFigure 2.62(a) shows the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of the S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with drain voltage _V_ d as parameter. The EOT is 11 nm and . As can be seen, the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics are normally off and the off\u2010state current is below the lower detection limit (below 0.1 pA) for all values of _V_ d. Neither any _DIBL_ nor any increase in _I_ off as a result of increasing _V_ d could be observed.\n\n**Figure 2.62** (a) Dependence on drain voltage ( _V_ d) of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristic and (b) dependence on _V_ d of the _V_ sh and _SS_ of an S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with a _W_ \/ _L_ of _W_ \/ _L_ of 47 nm\/56 nm ( ).\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [16], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2014\n\nFigure 2.62(b) shows _V_ d dependences of a shift voltage _V_ sh and _SS_. Nine samples were measured for each _V_ d. Again, the _V_ sh is defined as the gate voltage at which the drain current is 1 pA. The results indicate that _V_ sh and _SS_ are independent of _V_ d, despite the short channel length of 56 nm. Specifically, the medians of _DIBL_ and _SS_ are 67 mV\/V and 92 mV\/decade ( ), respectively. The results can be explained by the effect of the gate electric field from the side of a CAAC\u2010IGZO island, which increases with decreasing channel width. Figure 2.63(a) shows a _W_ dependence in the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of the S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with _L_ = 56 nm and drain voltage _V_ d = 1 V. Figure 2.63(b) shows the _W_ dependences of _V_ sh and _SS_ at _V_ d = 1 V. _SS_ increased as _W_ got wider, whereas _V_ sh shifted in the negative direction. When _W_ was smaller than 100 nm ( ), _V_ sh and _SS_ gradually saturated. This proves that the narrower channel width can effectively suppress the short\u2010channel effect.\n\n**Figure 2.63** (a) Dependence on _W_ of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristic and (b) dependence on _W_ of the _V_ sh and _SS_ of an S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with _W_ \/ _L_ of 47 nm\/56 nm ( _n_ = 9), _V_ d of 1 V.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [16], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2014\n\nFigure 2.64(a) shows the _L_ dependence of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of the S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with _W_ = 47 nm and _V_ d = 1 V, and Figure 2.64(b) shows the _L_ dependence of _V_ sh and _SS_. No degradation resulting from the short\u2010channel effect occurs even for . To examine the characteristics of a more miniaturized FET, a 30\u2010nm node S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET was fabricated (see Figure 2.65) [62]. Figure 2.66(a) shows the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ d characteristics where data is obtained by varying _V_ g from 0.0 to 2.0 V in 0.2 V steps. Figure 2.66(b) shows the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics for _V_ d = 0.1 and 1.8 V, respectively. As shown, the miniaturized FET offers good saturation characteristics, low _I_ off below the detection limit (0.1 pA), and an _SS_ of 90 mV\/decade, even when its EOT is 11 nm. Figure 2.67(a) depicts the _L_ dependence of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs for _W_ = 33 nm and _V_ d = 1.8 V. Figure 2.67(b) depicts the _L_ dependence of _SS_ ( ) and . Degradation resulting from the short\u2010channel effect does not occur even when the FET is scaled down to and the EOT of the gate insulator is 11 nm. To evaluate the retention characteristics, an S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with and a 1\u2010bit memory with a retention capacitance of 20 fF was fabricated, and the floating\u2010node voltage was measured at 125\u00b0C (see Figure 2.68). The voltage decreased by only 0.24 V, even after 20,000 s, which proves that even the miniaturized S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET has an extremely low _I_ off.\n\n**Figure 2.64** (a) Dependence on _L_ of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristic and (b) dependence on _L_ of _V_ sh and _SS_ of an S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET ( ) with a channel length of 56 nm, _V_ d of 1 V.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [16], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2014\n\n**Figure 2.65** (a) Cross\u2010sectional STEM image in channel\u2010length direction and (b) cross\u2010sectional STEM image in channel\u2010width direction of an S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with .\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [62], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n**Figure 2.66** (a) _I_ d\u2013 _V_ d characteristics and (b) _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of an S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with .\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [62], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n**Figure 2.67** (a) Dependence on _L_ of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ d characteristics and (b) _L_ dependence of the _SS_ ( ) and _V_ th ( ) of an S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with .\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [62], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n**Figure 2.68** (a) Diagram of a circuit using the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with ; (b) retention characteristics at 125\u00b0C.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [62], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n### _2.6.2 Effect of S\u2010ch Structure_\n\nAs explained in Subsection 2.6.1, the short\u2010channel effect is prevented in S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs by keeping the width _W_ narrow. One reason why _DIBL_ is small, as shown in Figure 2.62, is discussed here [11,16]. The distance at which a drain electric field influences the potential in a channel is referred to as the natural length _\u03bb_ n [63]. The natural length is represented by\n\n(2.22)\n\nwhere _\u03b5_ S is the dielectric constant of the active layer, _\u03b5_ OX is the dielectric constant of the gate insulator, _t_ S is the thickness of the active layer, and _t_ OX is the thickness of the gate insulator. Here, _n_ represents the effective number of gates per channel. For instance, a single gate is one gate, a dual gate is two gates, a triple gate is three gates, and a quadruple gate is four gates. The drain electric field has less influence on the potential in the channel as _\u03bb_ n becomes smaller. In the S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, the gate electrode on the top side of the channel is dominant and _n_ is close to 1 in Equation (2.22), when _W_ is wide. On the contrary, when _W_ is small, the gate electrode on the side surface of the channel is also dominant, _n_ is close to 3 in Equation (2.22), and _\u03bb_ n is shortened. For that reason, _DIBL_ is improved as _W_ becomes smaller.\n\nNext, the reason why _SS_ is improved with narrower _W_ in Figure 2.63 is discussed based on the result of the device simulation. Sentaurus, produced by Synopsys, Inc., was used for the simulation [33]. Figure 2.69 shows the electron current density distribution of the active layer in the _W_ cross\u2010section of the S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. Here, _V_ g is \u22120.5 V and _V_ d is 1 V. Figure 2.69(b) shows the S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with _W_ of 90 nm; it can be seen that the current density on the back\u2010channel side of the active layer, which is far from the gate electrode, is increased. In contrast, as seen from Figure 2.69(a) showing the S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with _W_ = 50 nm, the current density on the back\u2010channel side greatly decreases. Accordingly, with narrower _W_ , the current density on the back\u2010channel side can be controlled successfully, which leads to an improvement in _SS_.\n\n**Figure 2.69** Electron current\u2013density distribution of active layer in the _W_ cross\u2010section of a S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET at (a) and (b)\n\n### _2.6.3 Intrinsic Accumulation\u2010Mode Device_\n\nOne important factor allowing the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET to suppress the short\u2010channel effect is an accumulation\u2010mode device with an intrinsic channel, in addition to the device structure described above. The potential rises more sharply in the intrinsic accumulation\u2010mode device than in the inversion\u2010mode FET; that is, the characteristic length is short [65]. This is explained analytically below [30].\n\nFigure 2.70 shows a schematic view of a FET structure. Gauss's law is applied to a narrow zone from _x_ to ( ), which constitutes a channel portion:\n\n(2.23)\n\n**Figure 2.70** Schematic view of a FET structure.\n\n_Source_ : Reproduced from [30], with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\nwhere _\u03b5_ S represents the dielectric constant of the semiconductor layer, _\u03b5_ OX represents the dielectric constant of the gate insulator, _t_ S is the thickness of the semiconductor film, _t_ OX represents the thickness of the gate insulator, _\u03d5_ F represents the Fermi potential, _V_ FB represents the flat band voltage, _\u03d5_ ( _x_ ) represents the potential (a surface potential) at position _x_ , and _n_ i represents the intrinsic carrier density. In addition, the base film is sufficiently thick.\n\nThe equation is rewritten as follows:\n\n(2.24)\n\nHere, is satisfied, where _l_ is the characteristic length of the inversion\u2010mode FET. The equation cannot be solved analytically, so an approximation is discussed below. Specifically, the right\u2010hand side is expanded using and . Figure 2.71 shows the relationship between and in the vicinity of the source electrode.\n\n**Figure 2.71** Schematic view of the FET structure and conduction band showing the relationship between and .\n\n_Source_ : Reproduced from [30], with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\nFirst, substitute and in Equation (2.24) to obtain the following:\n\n(2.25)\n\nHere, the electron density _n_ 1 of is\n\n(2.26)\n\nThus, Equation (2.24) becomes\n\n(2.27)\n\nThe right\u2010hand side is approximated by the first term of the Taylor expansion, and thus\n\n(2.28)\n\nis obtained. The equation is rearranged by transposition:\n\n(2.29)\n\nHere, is satisfied. Furthermore, the equation is rearranged with to obtain\n\n(2.30)\n\nThe characteristic length _l_ of the inversion\u2010mode FET is represented anew as _l_ (inv), and the characteristic length _l_ \u2032 of the intrinsic accumulation\u2010mode FET used as the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is represented anew as _l_ (acc). They both satisfy the following respective equations:\n\n(2.31)\n\n(2.32)\n\nBy comparison, can be seen.\n\nNote that the obtained characteristic length of the intrinsic accumulation\u2010mode FET varies depending on the term to be developed, but in any case, it is shorter than that of the inversion\u2010mode FET. This means that intrinsic accumulation\u2010mode FETs, including CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, have a larger immunity against the short\u2010channel effect compared with the inversion\u2010mode FETs.\n\n### _2.6.4 Dielectric Anisotropy_\n\nCAAC\u2010IGZO is supposed to exhibit different dielectric anisotropies between its _a\u2010_ and _b\u2010_ axes and its _c_ \u2010axis, because of its layered structure. The dielectric anisotropy of the crystalline IGZO was estimated by DFT calculation [62]. The model structure of InGaZnO4 used for the calculation is shown in Figure 2.72.\n\n**Figure 2.72** InGaZnO4 model used for the DFT calculation.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [62]\n\nThe number of atomic layers per unit cell is 28. Periodic boundary conditions were used for the calculation. In the calculation model, Ga and Zn ions alternate, although they are randomly distributed in an actual CAAC\u2010IGZO film. The calculated dielectric constants are shown in Table 2.12; _\u03b5_ 0 is the statics dielectric constant and is the optical dielectric constant of each axis. The _\u03b5_ 0 of the _c_ \u2010axis is larger than those of the _a_ \u2010 and _b_ \u2010axes in crystalline IGZO.\n\n**Table 2.12** DFT calculation results of the relative dielectric constants of single\u2010crystal InGaZnO4.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [62], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n****| **_a_ , _b_ \u2010axes** | **_c_ \u2010axis** \n---|---|--- \n**XX** | **YY** | **ZZ** \n_\u03b5_ 0 | 8.20 | 8.20 | 13.10 \n | 4.16 | 4.17 | 4.10 \n | 4.04 | 4.03 | 8.99\n\nThe next discussion is on the influence of the dielectric anisotropy of CAAC\u2010IGZO on FET characteristics. The _c_ \u2010axis of the crystal in the CAAC\u2010IGZO film is oriented vertically, and the channel\u2010length direction is along the _a_ \u2010 or _b_ \u2010axis. As the dielectric constant along the _c_ \u2010axis becomes larger, the effective thickness of the active layer becomes smaller, and as the dielectric constant along the _a\u2010_ or _b\u2010_ axes becomes smaller, the effective channel length becomes longer. Thus, the anisotropic dielectric constant of CAAC\u2010IGZO contributes to the resistance against the short\u2010channel effect. Device simulation was conducted to examine the effect of the dielectric constant on FET characteristics. Figure 2.73(a) shows the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics, where the dielectric constant in the vertical direction of the IGZO layer _\u03b5_ c is 13.1 and those in the channel\u2010length direction of the IGZO layer _\u03b5_ ab are 5, 10, and 15. Figure 2.73(b) presents the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics where _\u03b5_ ab = 8.2 and _\u03b5_ c = 5, 10, and 15.\n\n**Figure 2.73** Influence of dielectric anisotropy in the active layer upon _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics (calculation results of two\u2010dimensional device simulation): (a) dielectric constant along _a_ \u2010 or _b_ \u2010axes; (b) dielectric constant along _c\u2010_ axis.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [62]\n\nThe results of the device simulation elucidate that _SS_ decreases when _\u03b5_ ab is small and _\u03b5_ c is large. This indicates that the dielectric anisotropy of CAAC\u2010IGZO is one of the reasons for the high immunity to the short\u2010channel effect of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs.\n\n### _2.6.5 Numerical Calculation of the Band Diagrams in IGZO FETs_\n\nAs discussed above, there are several reasons for the large immunity to the short\u2010channel effect of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. By solving Poisson's equation numerically, the influences of these factors on short\u2010channel effect immunity are discussed quantitatively. As discussed in Subsection 2.6.3, we divide the channel into narrow zones and apply Gauss's law to these zones from _x_ to :\n\n(2.33)\n\nIn this equation, _\u03c1_ ( _x_ ) represents the charge density of the channel length. In the inversion\u2010mode FET:\n\n(2.34)\n\nis obtained. In the _n_ \u2010channel accumulation\u2010mode FET:\n\n(2.35)\n\nHere, _\u03d5_ ( _x_ ) represents the intrinsic Fermi level and _\u03d5_ F means the Fermi level. Poisson's equation is converted into a differential equation, and numerically solved by an iterative method. The dispersed Poisson's equation is as follows:\n\n(2.36)\n\nwhere _l_ is the characteristic length of the inversion\u2010mode FET and _\u03b4_ is the length of the divided narrow zone:\n\n(2.37)\n\n(2.38)\n\nHere, _i_ is a positive integer showing a certain position within the channel, _k_ is a positive integer representing the iteration count of the numerical calculation, and _N_ is the number of narrow divided zones. In addition, and represent the potential and the charge density at position , obtained in the _k_ th iteration, respectively. Table 2.13 shows default values of the constants in Equation (2.36).\n\n**Table 2.13** Definitions and values of physical quantities\n\n**Constant** | **Definition** | **Value** \n---|---|--- \n_\u03b5_ S | Dielectric constant of the active layer [F\/m] | 8.2 _\u03b5_ 0 \n_\u03b5_ OX | Dielectric constant of the gate\u2010insulating film [F\/m] | 4.1 _\u03b5_ 0 \n_\u03b5_ 0 | Dielectric constant of vacuum [F\/m] | 8.854 \u00d7 10\u221212 \n_t_ S | Film thickness of active layer [nm] | 15 \n_t_ OX | Film thickness of gate\u2010insulating film [nm] | 10 \n_V_ G | Gate voltage [V] | 0 \n_V_ FB | Flat\u2010band voltage [V] | \u22121.2 \n_e_ | Elementary charge [C] | 1.602 \u00d7 10\u221219 \n_N_ A | Acceptor impurity density [cm\u22123] \n(only for inversion\u2010mode FET) | 1 \u00d7 1015 \n_n_ i | Intrinsic carrier density [cm\u22123] | 6.6 \u00d7 10\u22129 \n_\u03c6_ _F_ | Fermi level [eV] | \u22121.6 \n_k_ B | Boltzmann constant [J\/K] | 1.381 \u00d7 10\u221223 \n_T_ | Temperature [K] | 300\n\n#### 2.6.5.1 Comparison between Inversion\u2010Mode and Accumulation\u2010Mode FETs\n\nThe difference in band diagrams between the inversion\u2010mode and accumulation\u2010mode FETs described in Subsection 2.6.3 is discussed again based on the numerical calculations.\n\nThe structure is common to both the accumulation\u2010mode and inversion\u2010mode FETs. The acceptor impurity density in the channel portion of the inversion\u2010mode FET is assumed to be for any channel length. The dielectric constant of the semiconductor is set to 15.0. The band diagram of the conduction band minimum _E_ C in the channel direction for length _L_ is obtained by plotting . In Figure 2.74, band diagrams of the accumulation\u2010mode FET and the inversion\u2010mode FET, the channel lengths of which are 500 nm, are compared.\n\n**Figure 2.74** Comparison of band diagrams at\n\nAs can be seen in Figure 2.74, the band minimum energy of the accumulation\u2010mode FET changes more sharply close to the ends of the channel compared with the inversion\u2010mode FET. In both FETs, the band barrier in the source and drain electrodes and the channel is as high as the difference between the work function of the gate electrode and the electron affinity of the semiconductor, when the channel region is weakly doped. Thus, the height of the potential barrier to electrons is suitable as an indicator for immunity to the short\u2010channel effect. A band diagram of a FET with in the channel\u2010length direction is shown in Figure 2.75.\n\n**Figure 2.75** Minimum conduction band energy of a FET with in the channel direction (comparison between an accumulation\u2010mode FET and an inversion\u2010mode FET)\n\nThe energy barrier between the source region and the channel, which is a maximum of the band in the channel, is smaller in the inversion\u2010mode FET than in the accumulation\u2010mode FET. This means that the short\u2010channel effect is smaller in the accumulation\u2010mode FET than in the inversion\u2010mode FET. The maximum in the band diagram at the middle of the channel is referred to as the energy barrier height (EBH) hereafter, and the index is used to examine the short\u2010channel effect. EBH is given by the following equation:\n\n(2.39)\n\nThe EBHs of the inversion\u2010mode FET and the accumulation\u2010mode FET are plotted as functions of channel length (see Figure 2.76).\n\n**Figure 2.76** Dependence of EBH on channel length (comparison between inversion\u2010 and accumulation\u2010mode FETs)\n\nThe EBH decreases sharply below in the inversion\u2010mode FET, while the EBH starts to decrease below in the accumulation\u2010mode FET. This result indicates that the intrinsic accumulation\u2010mode FET has a higher immunity to the short\u2010channel effect compared with the inversion\u2010mode FET.\n\n#### 2.6.5.2 Influence of the Dielectric Anisotropy\n\nThe _\u03b5_ S in Equation (2.33) is a dielectric constant in the channel\u2010length direction, and the effect of the dielectric anisotropy of CAAC\u2010IGZO is naturally taken into account. The EBH at and the EBH at are compared in Figure 2.77. The EBH is prevented from decreasing due to the short\u2010channel effect in consideration of the dielectric anisotropy. In other words, the dielectric anisotropy of CAAC\u2010IGZO acts to increase the resistance to the short\u2010channel effect.\n\n**Figure 2.77** Dependence of EBH on channel length (impact of dielectric anisotropy)\n\nIn this calculation, when considering the dielectric anisotropy, the EBH decreases by only 1% at when the gate thickness is kept at 10 nm. Thus, the short\u2010channel effect hardly occurs. However, when _L_ is smaller than 100 nm, the EBH decreases noticeably. Under short channel lengths of 100 nm or smaller, the short\u2010channel effect cannot be prevented in the planar CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with 10 nm thickness of the gate insulator. Therefore, an S\u2010ch structure, as described in Subsection 2.6.1, is needed.\n\n#### 2.6.5.3 Impact of the Thickness of the Active Layer\n\nThe planar CAAC\u2010IGZO FET can be scaled down to about 180 nm (in channel length) without scaling down the thickness of the gate insulator, which is far smaller than that which can be achieved with Si FETs.\n\nOne reason for its resistance to the short\u2010channel effect of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is that the active layer of the CAAC\u2010IGZO film is very thin.\n\nAlso, in Si LSI technology, a wafer with a thin active layer using a buried oxide layer is used, which is known as silicon\u2010on\u2010insulator (SOI) technology. SOI is a known technology to prevent the short\u2010channel effect, like the 3D gate structure of a Fin FET. For the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, a thin active layer of about 15 nm can be steadily deposited by sputtering, offering high immunity to the short\u2010channel effect.\n\nTo examine how the thickness of the active layer impacts the immunity against the short\u2010channel effect, a planar CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with a 100\u2010nm\u2010thick active layer and a planar CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with a 15\u2010nm\u2010thick active layer were assumed, and the dependences of the EBH on channel length were calculated for comparison.\n\nAs shown in Figure 2.78, the EBH decreased rapidly with scaling down of _L_ when _t_ S = 100 nm. Thus, the thinness of the active layer in the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET greatly contributes to its high immunity against the short\u2010channel effect.\n\n**Figure 2.78** Dependence of EBH on channel length (impact of thickness of active layer)\n\n#### 2.6.5.4 Impact of 3D Gate Structure\n\nA 3D gate structure is discussed below in view of the EBH. Poisson's equation for the accumulation\u2010mode FET with the S\u2010ch structure, considering channel width and the gate electrode on the side of the channel, is given as follows:\n\n(2.40)\n\nThis can be rearranged to\n\n(2.41)\n\nThe factor describing the shape of the channel is defined as\n\n(2.42)\n\nAs the channel width _W_ decreases, this factor _G_ becomes larger. A large _G_ may offer immunity against the short\u2010channel effect. The impact of _G_ on the immunity to the short\u2010channel effect can also be discussed based on the characteristic length in the same manner as shown in Subsection 2.6.3. The characteristic length of the S\u2010ch accumulation\u2010mode FET is\n\n(2.43)\n\nThe large _G_ gives a short characteristic length and is expected to provide high immunity against the short\u2010channel effect.\n\n_G_ is 2.0 when _t_ S is 15 nm and _W_ is 30 nm. Note that in Equation (2.41), the shape of the gate electrode below the S2 layer is not taken into consideration, and _G_ is estimated to be larger than 2.0 and smaller than 3.0 . Figure 2.79 shows the results of the comparison between the dependences of the EBH on channel length in the cases where (planar type), , and . The higher _G_ offers a higher EBH in short channels, which means that the short\u2010channel effect is prevented by the S\u2010ch structure. _G_ is saturated at 1.0 when the channel width is large, and _G_ increases as the channel width narrows. This behavior of _G_ supports that shown in Figure 2.63 \u2013 i.e., that the short\u2010channel effect (increase in _SS_ ) is prevented by narrowing the channel width.\n\n**Figure 2.79** Dependence of EBH on channel length (impact of S-ch structure)\n\n#### 2.6.5.5 Impact of Thinning the Gate Insulator\n\nLastly, thinning of the gate insulator (GI) is discussed. As mentioned above, the thickness of the gate insulator of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is fixed at 10 nm, and the channel length is scaled down to realize the extremely low off\u2010state current. Making the gate insulator thinner is an effective method to prevent the short\u2010channel effect, although the thinning causes an increase in the tunnel current. In the case where an off\u2010state current much lower than that in a Si FET is sufficient, and the off\u2010state current at yA\/um order may not be needed, thinning of the gate\u2010insulating film can be an option to prevent the short\u2010channel effect.\n\nThe dependences of the EBH on channel length in planar FETs are shown in Figure 2.80, when the thicknesses of the gate insulators are 1, 2, 6, and 10 nm. The thinning of the gate insulator can avoid a decrease of the EBH. If the thickness of the gate insulator is 1 nm, the decrease rate of the EBH will only be 10% at , even in the planar FET, which will provide favorable FET characteristics.\n\n**Figure 2.80** Dependence of EBH on channel length (impact of thinning of GI film)\n\nAiming for further scaling down, it is necessary to make the gate insulator thinner while ensuring that the off\u2010state current remains low enough to satisfy the specifications needed for applications.\n\n### _2.6.6 Summary_\n\nThe miniaturized S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET has a channel length of about 30 nm, even with a relatively thick EOT of 11 nm [62]. Several reasons why the FET has immunity against the short\u2010channel effect have been discussed using device simulation. The manner in which the difference in the width _W_ of the CAAC\u2010IGZO active layer influences the controllability of the active layer in a gate has been considered. Moreover, in the above subsections, the following factors contribute to the suppression of the short\u2010channel effect: the fact that the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is an accumulation\u2010mode device, the fact that the CAAC\u2010IGZO film has dielectric anisotropy, the thickness of the active layer, the 3D gate structure called S\u2010ch.\n\nThe notable point is that the extremely low off\u2010state current is unchanged, even when the S\u2010ch CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is miniaturized. This feature makes it possible to realize super\u2010low\u2010power LSIs, which has been difficult for Si FETs [13\u201315,65].\n\n## 2.7 20\u2010nm\u2010Node CAAC\u2010IGZO FET\n\nThis section introduces the latest miniaturized CAAC\u2010IGZO FET [61]. In the TGTC structure, a gate electrode overlaps the source\/drain electrodes, and thus there is a limitation on scaling down because of the alignment margin of the gate [62]. The miniaturized CAAC\u2010IGZO FET introduced in this section is a TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with a channel length of less than 30 nm. Source\/drain electrodes are formed in a self\u2010aligned manner at the formation of a trench, and a gate electrode is formed inside the trench. Therefore, the gate electrode does not overlap with the source\/drain electrodes. The TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET has a channel length of less than 30 nm and an EOT of 11 nm. It exhibits good short\u2010channel immunity ( _DIBL_ of 0.12 V\/V and _SS_ of 97 mV\/decade), high frequency (cut\u2010off frequency ), and an extremely low off\u2010state current ( ).\n\n### _2.7.1 TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET_\n\nThe TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET was fabricated by the process shown as a flow diagram in Figure 2.81. Figure 2.82(a) and (b) shows perspective and planar views, where the gate and source\/drain (S\/D) electrode patterns are formed in a self\u2010aligned manner using a trench. The FET has no gate\u2010to\u2010S\/D overlaps, and is substantially free from disadvantages such as increases in gate parasitic capacitance, extra masks, and difficulty in miniaturization due to the gate\u2010alignment margin, unlike the TGTC structure where the gate electrode partly overlaps the source\/drain electrodes [see Figure 2.82(c)] [61]. Compared with the TGTC structure, the gate parasitic capacitance and the number of masks are reduced in the TGSA structure. The number of masks used for the TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is three, including the mask for forming a via. In addition, there is no need to consider the gate\u2010alignment margin; thus, scaling down is possible by simply shortening the width of the trench (see Table 2.14).\n\n**Figure 2.81** Fabrication process of TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [61]\n\n**Figure 2.82** (a) Perspective and (b) planar view of the TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET; (c) planar view of the TGTC structure.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [61], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015.\n\n**Table 2.14** Comparison between TGTC and TGSA.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [61], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n**FET structure** | **TGTC [62]** | **TGSA [61]** \n---|---|--- \nGate \u2013 S\/D electrodes | Overlapped | Self\u2010aligned \nParasitic gate capacitance | Large | Small \nNumber of masks with via | 4 | 3 \nScalability | Not good | Better\n\nFigure 2.83(a) and (b) shows cross\u2010sectional STEM images in the channel\u2010length direction and the channel\u2010width direction, respectively. Figure 2.83(a) elucidates how the FET is successfully scaled down to less than 30 nm in its channel length. The 15\u2010nm\u2010thick CAAC\u2010IGZO film serving as an active layer is deposited by means of DC sputtering with a polycrystalline IGZO target with an In\u2010rich composition in an Ar\/O2 atmosphere at a substrate temperature of 200\u00b0C. Figure 2.84(a) and (b) shows an out\u2010of\u2010plane XRD and a cross\u2010sectional STEM image of a 100\u2010nm CAAC\u2010IGZO film deposited on a Si substrate under the same conditions as those of the active layer of the TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. A diffraction peak of (009), which derives from the CAAC, is observed at around in Figure 2.84(a), and a layered structure of the IGZO crystal perpendicular to the silicon substrate is observed in Figure 2.84(b).\n\n**Figure 2.83** Cross\u2010sectional STEM images in the channel\u2010length direction (a) and the channel\u2010width direction (b) of the TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [61], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015.\n\n**Figure 2.84** (a) Out\u2010of\u2010plane XRD spectrum of the CAAC\u2010IGZO film and (b) cross\u2010sectional TEM image of CAAC\u2010IGZO film.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [61], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n### _2.7.2 Device Characteristics_\n\nIn this subsection, the device characteristics of the miniaturized TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET are explained. Figure 2.85(a) shows the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ d characteristics of the TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with , where data are obtained for _V_ g in the range from 0.0 to 2.0 V in 0.2\u2010V steps. Figure 2.85(b) shows the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of the same FET where the drain voltage _V_ d is 0.1 and 1.2 V. Good saturation characteristics and an off\u2010state current of less than 0.1 pA are obtained. The obtained off\u2010state current is less than 0.1 pA, which is below the lower detection limit of a semiconductor parameter analyzer. _DIBL_ is 0.12 V\/V and _SS_ at is 97 mV\/decade, which are good values despite the short channel length of 27 nm and . To examine whether the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with can be applied to memories, a positive drain bias temperature (+DBT) stress test ( , , 150\u00b0C, during 1 hour) was conducted (see Figure 2.86). As a result, almost no degradation was seen, and the off\u2010state current was less than 0.1 pA, even after stress. Figures 2.87(a), (b) and 2.88 show the dependences of _V_ th, _V_ sh, and _SS_ on the channel length _L_ of the TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs with (\u0394) and (\u25cb), respectively. Five samples were measured for each _L_. The filled symbol is a median. When _W_ = 32 nm, the roll\u2010offs of _V_ th and _V_ sh were small, and no _SS_ degradation was observed, even with smaller _L_. Consequently, _V_ sh is higher than 0 V, which means that the FET is normally off even when _L_ = 27 nm. The TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with is found to exhibit strong short\u2010channel effect immunity. In contrast, there is a remarkable _SS_ degradation by decreasing _L_ when _W_ = 62 nm [see Figure 2.88(b)], resulting in a large _V_ sh roll\u2010off [see Figure 2.87(b)]. This is because the effect of the side gate becomes weaker with wider _W_ and leakage current through a back channel increases as described in Section 2.6 (refer to the device simulation result for the current density distribution at , as shown in Figure 2.89(a) and (b) [62]). However, in light of the on\u2010current _I_ on, the FET with is superior, as shown in Figure 2.90. One reason why _I_ on per channel width is larger in the FET with than in the FET with is assumed to be an increase in parasitic capacitance due to _W_ reduction. To examine the frequency characteristics, TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs were arranged in parallel and the cut\u2010off frequency _f_ T was measured. As mentioned, _f_ T is defined as the frequency when the current gain is 1 and serves as an indicator of the switching speed of the FETs. Figure 2.91 shows the transconductance _g_ m of 300 parallelized FETs with . At _V_ g corresponding to the maximal _g_ m, _f_ T was estimated as follows: 21.4 GHz at and 34.4 GHz at . Figure 2.92 indicates that _f_ T improves as the channel length decreases. This means that TGSA FETs obtain an additional benefit from scaling. Furthermore, when there are 600 parallelized FETs with , _f_ T is larger than 10 GHz, which is sufficiently high for application to LSIs.\n\n**Figure 2.85** (a) _I_ d\u2013 _V_ d characteristics and (b) _I_ d\u2013 _V_ g characteristics of the TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with .\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [61], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n**Figure 2.86** Result of the +DBT stress test ( , , 150\u00b0C, 1 h) of a TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with .\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [61], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n**Figure 2.87** Dependences on channel length _L_ of (a) threshold voltage _V_ th and (b) shift voltage _V_ sh (comparison between ).\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [61], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n**Figure 2.88** Dependences of _SS_ upon channel length _L_ : (a) and (b) .\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [61], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n**Figure 2.89** Current density distribution in cross\u2010section in the channel\u2010width direction of the TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET: (a) and (b) .\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [61], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n**Figure 2.90** Dependence of _I_ on on channel length _L_ at and (comparison between ).\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [61], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n**Figure 2.91** (a) Transconductance _g_ m and (b) current gain of 300 parallelized TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs with channels connected in parallel.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [61], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n**Figure 2.92** Channel\u2010length dependence of cut\u2010off frequency for .\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [61], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n### _2.7.3 Memory\u2010Retention Characteristics_\n\nThe retention characteristics of a memory using the TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET illustrated in the circuit diagram of Figure 2.93(a) was measured by monitoring the voltage drop of a floating node _V_ F. The size of the FET is 51 nm in _W_ and 55 nm in _L_ , and the retention capacitance is 20 fF. To utilize an extremely low _I_ off, a voltage ( _V_ g) of \u22121.5 V is applied. As illustrated in Figure 2.93(b), _V_ F decreased by only 0.3 V, even after 24 h (86,400 s) at 125\u00b0C. Based on this result, the average _I_ off is estimated to be 6.9 \u00d7 10\u221220 A for 24 h. This is lower than one electron per second.\n\n**Figure 2.93** (a) Circuit diagram of memory using a TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with and (b) memory retention characteristics at 125\u00b0C and .\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [61], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\nThe time dependence of the _V_ F drop was approximated by the stretched exponential function, and the relaxation time _\u03c4_ , initial voltage _V_ 0, and power\u2010law coefficient _\u03b2_ were extracted. An Arrhenius plot of _\u03c4_ for several temperatures is shown in Figure 2.94, from which the activation energy ( _E_ a) of _\u03c4_ was found to be 1.15 eV. When _\u03c4_ is used as an indicator for the memory\u2010retention time, a retention time of 1 \u00d7 108 s (about 3 years) is expected, even at 85\u00b0C.\n\n**Figure 2.94** Arrhenius plot of the relaxation time _\u03c4_ of the memory using the TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [61], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n### _2.7.4 Summary_\n\nA TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET that can be fabricated with only three masks and is suitable for scaling down has been proposed in this section. The 20\u2010nm\u2010node CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with an EOT of 11 nm exhibited good short\u2010channel characteristics, high\u2010frequency characteristics of 10 GHz or higher, and extremely low off\u2010state current. It was confirmed that a memory circuit could be formed with the TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, and the memory\u2010retention time was estimated to be three years at 85\u00b0C with an extrapolated value. Therefore, the TGSA CAAC\u2010IGZO FET may be a key device for realizing super\u2010low\u2010power LSIs.\n\n## 2.8 Hybrid Structure\n\nAs described above, CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs exhibit extremely low off\u2010state current and short\u2010channel\u2010effect immunity. Examples of applications of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET are introduced specifically in Chapters 3 to . Such devices can be fabricated by replacing a part of the circuitry consisting of Si FETs with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs or by adding a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET to a circuit with Si FETs [15,22\u201326]. In this book, the combined structure of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and a Si FET is referred to as a hybrid structure.\n\nCombining Si and CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs is not necessarily a complicated process, because CAAC\u2010IGZO films can be deposited even on an amorphous insulating film (please refer to _Fundamentals_ [8]). Thus, a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET fabrication process can be performed after a Si FET fabrication process is finished. In addition, a second and even a third layer of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs can be stacked on the Si FET layer. Figure 2.95 is a cross\u2010sectional image of a prototype of two CAAC\u2010IGZO FET layers stacked on the Si FET layer. Such a stack structure can lead to a reduction in chip area.\n\n**Figure 2.95** Cross-sectional STEM image of a prototype with two CAAC\u2010IGZO FET layers stacked on Si FET. Channel lengths of the Si and CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are 0.2 \u00b5m and 0.4 \u00b5m, respectively. The image is retouched by filling voids in the interlayer film.\n\nBelow, the processing technology for fabricating LSI devices is described. First, the fabrication processes of a TGTC FET and a TGSA FET are explained and then an example of a hybrid structure in which the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is stacked on the Si FET is introduced.\n\n### _2.8.1 TGTC Structure_\n\nFigure 2.96 illustrates the process flow of a TGTC FET with a top gate and source\/drain electrodes that are both in contact with the top surface of a CAAC\u2010IGZO layer. The left and right parts of Figure 2.96 show cross\u2010sectional views in the channel\u2010length ( _L_ ) and channel\u2010width ( _W_ ) directions, respectively. The process flow is from bottom to top.\n\n**Figure 2.96** Process flow of the TGTC structure (left: channel\u2010length _L_ direction, right: channel\u2010width _W_ direction): (a) CAAC\u2010IGZO patterning, (b) source\/drain (S\/D) electrode formation, (c) gate insulator and gate electrode formation, (d) insulating film and contact hole formation, (e) via formation\n\nA CAAC\u2010IGZO film and a metal film serving as source\/drain electrodes are formed on a substrate. Then, the CAAC\u2010IGZO film is etched using the metal film serving as source\/drain electrodes as a mask [Figure 2.96(a\u20101), (a\u20102), CAAC\u2010IGZO island formation, the first mask]. Next, the metal film is etched into a slit to form the source\/drain electrodes [Figure 2.96(b\u20101), (b\u20102), channel formation, the second mask]. A gate insulator and a metal film serving as a gate electrode are formed. The metal film is etched to form the gate electrode [Figure 2.96(c\u20101), (c\u20102), the third mask]. Then, an insulating film is formed and planarized. A contact hole is formed in the insulating film [Figure 2.96(d\u20101), (d\u20102), the fourth mask]. Finally, a metal material is used to fill the contact hole to form a via [Figure 2.96(e\u20101), (e\u20102)].\n\nIn this manner, the TGTC structure can be formed with only four masks. If a back gate is desirable, an additional mask step is necessary. As seen in Figure 2.96(e\u20102), the channel is surrounded by the gate electrode in the channel\u2010width direction \u2013 i.e., a so\u2010called surrounded\u2010channel (S-ch) structure.\n\n### _2.8.2 TGSA Structure_\n\nNext, the process flow of the TGSA structure is described with reference to Figure 2.97. In this structure, a gate electrode and source\/drain electrodes can be formed with use of one mask, which means that the number of masks is one fewer compared with the TGTC structure. The process flow and cross\u2010sections are shown in Figure 2.97, similar to Figure 2.96.\n\n**Figure 2.97** Process flow of the TGSA structure: (a) CAAC\u2010IGZO patterning, (b) trench and source\/drain (S\/D) electrode formation, (c) gate insulator and gate electrode formation, (d) insulating film and contact hole formation, (e) via formation\n\nThe simple process flow of the TGSA structure of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is as follows. The first step is identical to the TGTC case [Figure 2.97(a\u20101), (a\u20102), the first mask]. After, an insulating film is deposited and planarized. This film is then etched to form a trench and the metal is successively etched to form the source\/drain electrodes [Figure 2.97(b\u20101), (b\u20102), the second mask]. Next, the trench is filled with the gate insulator and the metal material serving as a gate electrode, and the gate electrode is formed by chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) [see Figure 2.97(c\u20101), (c\u20102)]. Then, an insulating film is deposited and a contact hole is formed through the insulating film [Figure 2.97(d\u20101), (d\u20102), the third mask]. Finally, the contact holes are filled with a metal to form a via [Figure 2.97(e\u20101), (e\u20102)].\n\nThe TGSA structure can be formed with only three masks, but an additional mask would be needed to form a back gate.\n\nIn the TGSA process, the metal film serving as the source\/drain electrodes is separated by etching in the trench formation, and the gate insulator and the gate electrode are formed by filling the trench, thereby forming the source\/drain electrodes and the gate electrode in a self\u2010alignment manner. The overlap between the gate electrode and the source\/drain electrodes can be reduced or completely eliminated, and thus the parasitic capacitance between them can be reduced. As described in Section 2.7, the TGSA is particularly suitable for miniaturization, as illustrated by the electrical characteristics of the 20\u2010nm\u2010node CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. As shown in the cross\u2010sectional view in the _W_ direction in Figure 2.97(e\u20102), the TGSA has an S-ch structure, which effectively reduces the short\u2010channel effect (as previously discussed).\n\n### _2.8.3 Hybrid Structure_\n\nIn accordance with the process flow of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET described above, a hybrid structure device can be fabricated by formation of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET following completion of the Si FET process. Figure 2.98 illustrates an example of a cross\u2010sectional view of such a hybrid structure. Figure 2.99 is a cross-sectional STEM image of a stacked structure in which a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with a channel length of 60 nm is stacked on a Si FET with a channel length of 65 nm. Components including the Si FET and Metal 2 were formed by United Microelectronics Corporation (UMC), and components including the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and other wirings were formed by Semiconductor Energy Laboratory Co., Ltd.\n\n**Figure 2.98** (a) Hybrid structure of the Si FET and CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, (b) CAAC\u2010IGZO FET\n\n**Figure 2.99** Cross-sectional STEM image of hybrid structure of Si FET with channel length of 65 nm and CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with channel length of 60 nm (cooperative work with UMC).\n\nThe following chapters introduce LSI devices to which the hybrid structure is applied.\n\n## Appendix: Comparison between CAAC\u2010IGZO and Si\n\n**Table 2.15** Comparison between CAAC\u2010IGZO and crystalline Si.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [18,28]\n\n****| **CAAC\u2010IGZO** | **c\u2010Si** \n---|---|--- \n1. Bandgap [eV] | 2.8\u20133.2 | 1.12 \n2. Intrinsic carrier density [cm\u22123] | 10\u22129 | 1011 \n3. Debye length | km order | \u00b5m order \n4. Conductivity type | _i_ \u2010type, _n_ \u2010type | _n_ \u2010type, _i_ \u2010type, _p_ \u2010type \n5. Effective mass of electrons ( ) | 0.23\u20130.25 | 0.19 (transverse) \n0.98 (longitudinal) \n6. Effective mass of holes ( ) | 11\u201340 | 0.16 (light) \n0.49 (heavy)\n\n**Table 2.16** Comparison between a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and a Si FET \u2013 device physics.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [28]\n\n****| **CAAC\u2010IGZO FET** | **c\u2010Si FET** \n---|---|--- \n1. Terminal | Four\u2010terminal circuit | Four\u2010terminal circuit \n2. Short\u2010channel effect | Small | Large \n3. _V_ th control by impurity doping | Impossible | Possible \n4. _I_ on\/ _I_ off ratio | 1020 | 1010 \n5. CMOS fabrication | Possible when combined with Pch\u2010Si FET | Possible \n6. Gate structure in scaled FET | S-ch (Fin) structure | Fin structure\n\n**Table 2.17** Comparison between a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and an Nch\u2010Si FET.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [28]\n\n****| **CAAC\u2010IGZO FET** | **Nch\u2010Si FET** \n---|---|--- \n1. Short\u2010channel effect | Small | Large \n2. Scaling | Possible down to 5 nm | Down to 5 nm \n3. Off\u2010state current | yA\/\u00b5m order | fA\/\u00b5m order \n4. Mobility | Long channel | Low | High \nShort channel | Decreases slightly | Decreases significantly \n5. Temperature dependence | On\u2010state current | Increasing with temperature | Decreasing with temperature \nOff\u2010state current | Low enough \nat high temperature | Drastically increases \nat high temperature \n6. Drain breakdown voltage | High | Low \n7. Impact ionization | Not observed | Observed \n8. Hot carrier degradation | Not observed | Observed \n9. Punch through | Not observed | Observed \n10. Cut\u2010off frequency | >30 GHz | >300 GHz \n11. Drift velocity of electron | Close to Si below channel length of 10 nm | High, but saturates below channel length of 100 nm \n12. Subthreshold swing ( _SS_ ) | Thick gate insulator is acceptable | Very thin gate insulator is essential \n13. Dielectric anisotropy | Observed | Not observed \n14. S-ch (Fin) structure | Effective | Effective\n\n## References\n\n 1. [1] Kimizuka, N. and Mohri, T. (1985) \"Spinel, YbFe2O4, and Yb2Fe3O7 types of structures for compounds in the In2O3 and Sc2O3\u2013A2O3\u2013BO systems [A: Fe, Ga, or Al; B: Mg, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, or Zn] at temperatures over 1000\u00b0C,\" J. Solid State Chem., 60, 382. \n 2. [2] Nakamura, M., Kimizuka, N., and Mohri, T. (1991) \"The phase relations in the In2O3\u2013Ga2ZnO4\u2013ZnO system at 1350\u00b0C,\" J. Solid State Chem., 93, 298. \n 3. [3] Orita, M., Takeuchi, M., Sakai, H., and Tanji, H. (1995) \"New transparent conductive oxides with YbFe2O4 structure,\" Jpn. J. Appl. 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Typical examples of volatile memories are static random access memory (SRAM) and dynamic random access memory (DRAM), whose features are high-speed operation and an unlimited number of write cycles. In contrast, flash memories, which are typical non-volatile memories, can store data even when no power is supplied.\n\nA strong demand exists for novel non-volatile devices with greater memory capacities and higher operating speeds as computer memories. To satisfy this demand, new types of memory such as resistance random access memory (ReRAM) [1,2], magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) [3,4], and phase-change random access memory (PCRAM) [5,6] have been developed in recent years.\n\nA non-volatile oxide semiconductor random access memory (NOSRAM) is another next-generation type of memory. NOSRAM uses a _c_ -axis-aligned crystalline indium\u2013gallium\u2013zinc oxide (CAAC-IGZO) field-effect transistor (FET) in the memory cell, so it is non-volatile, operates at high speed, and offers an unlimited number of write cycles.\n\nThe use of CAAC-IGZO FETs with an extremely low off-state current allows electric charges accumulated in a cell capacitor connected to the FET to be stored for a long time, which gives it its non-volatile character. In addition, the amount of accumulated charge can be reduced and thus the cell capacitor can be made smaller, thereby reducing the area per cell.\n\nThe NOSRAM memory cell comprises a Si CMOS FET and a CAAC-IGZO FET. The Si CMOS FET is fabricated by using a standard silicon process, and the CAAC-IGZO layer is stacked on top of the Si CMOS FET to form the CAAC-IGZO FET.\n\nNOSRAMs have a cell size of 12.32 \u03bcm2 or smaller and can operate at 4.5 V or lower, have a write time of 10 ns or less, and have more than 1012 write cycles (i.e., essentially an unlimited number of write cycles and a concomitant high reliability). NOSRAM is a non-volatile memory also capable of storing multilevel data (currently up to 4 bits\/cell has been demonstrated).\n\nThis chapter explains the NOSRAM technology based on the CAAC-IGZO FETs, including its operations and characteristics.\n\n## 3.2 Memory Characteristics\n\nThe most important characteristics of memories are durability (write\/erase endurance), write energy, and non-volatility. Figure 3.1 shows the characteristics of various types of memories, where the hatched area at the bottom right corner represents the most desirable characteristics.\n\n**Figure 3.1** Relationship between write endurance and write energy\n\nThe durability and write energy for SRAM are 1015 writes or more and 1 fJ\/bit or less, respectively, but SRAM is a volatile memory so the data are lost when power is switched off. A flash memory is a non-volatile memory with a writing energy of 1 fJ\/bit or less and can store data even when no power is supplied. However, it has the drawback of low durability, approximately 105 writes, as shown in Figure 3.1.\n\nThe FETs used in a flash memory have a control gate and a floating gate. Depending on the voltage applied to the control gate, charge is injected or released via the floating gate by a tunnel current through a gate insulator (see Figure 3.2). The threshold voltage _V_ t of the FET varies depending on the presence of charge, thereby causing a characteristic shift in the current (see Figure 3.3). The current characteristics at high and low _V_ t are represented as data 1 and 0, respectively, and stored. However, repeated injection and release of charge from the floating gate degrades the gate insulator, and the difference between data 0 and 1 becomes excessively small after 105 writes, which makes it difficult to discriminate the stored data. For this reason, the number of write cycles for flash memory is limited.\n\n**Figure 3.2** Structure of floating-gate flash memory\n\n**Figure 3.3** Current characteristics of floating-gate flash memory\n\n## 3.3 Application of CAAC-IGZO FETs to Memory and their Operation\n\nAs already described in Chapter 2, in this volume, the off-state current of the CAAC-IGZO FET is extremely low \u2013 on the order of yoctoamps per micrometer (yA\/\u03bcm). A non-volatile memory cell can be constructed with a CAAC-IGZO FET to which a cell capacitor (Cs) and a PMOS FET are connected (see Figure 3.4). The charge accumulated in node F is held, so its electric potential is maintained for a long time, and thus the capacitance of the capacitor Cs and hence the cell area can be small. Moreover, when the PMOS FET is used as the readout FET, a negative voltage is unnecessary.\n\n**Figure 3.4** Memory cell using CAAC-IGZO FET.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [7]\n\nThe operation of the memory cell is described below, with reference to Figure 3.5.\n\n**Figure 3.5** Timing diagram of memory cell: (a) write operation; (b) read operation\n\n###### _Write Operation_\n\nThe write word line (WWL) is set high and a Cs control word line (CWL) is set low to turn on the CAAC-IGZO FET. A write voltage is then applied to a cell capacitor Cs and node F from the bit line (BL). The write voltage is either high or low. Next, the WWL is set low to turn off the CAAC-IGZO FET. Thus, charge is accumulated in Cs and node F, and stored.\n\n###### _Read Operation_\n\nThe WWL and BL are set low and the CWL is varied. By applying a voltage to the CWL, the gate voltage of the PMOS FET (which serves as a readout FET) varies due to the coupling capacitance between Cs and node F. The drain current _I_ d of the readout FET varies between data 1 and data 0 (see Figure 3.6). The difference in the drain current _I_ d is used to read out data.\n\n**Figure 3.6** Relationship between the voltage of CWL ( _V_ CWL) and _I_ d\n\nNeither write nor read operations use a tunnel current, so the gate insulators of the CAAC-IGZO FET and the PMOS FET are not degraded; as a result, the number of writes is unlimited. Because of the low off-state current of the CAAC-IGZO FET, the capacitance of Cs connected to node F and hence also the write energy can be small. A memory cell based on the CAAC-IGZO FET thus offers non-volatility, unlimited writes, and low writing energy.\n\n## 3.4 Configuration and Operation of NOSRAM Module\n\n### _3.4.1 NOSRAM Module_\n\nNext, the configuration example of a NOSRAM module [7,8] with a memory capacity of 1 Mbit (megabits) is described. Figure 3.7 shows a block diagram of the NOSRAM module, which was prototyped and evaluated. The evaluation result is explained in Section 3.6. The module consists of a 1-Mbit cell array, row drivers, page buffers, and a source line (SL) driver. The 1-Mbit cell array consists of 1024 pages, each of which is 1024 bits ( ). The 1024 row drivers output 1024 WWLs and 1024 CWLs. The 1024 page buffers are connected to 1024 bit lines (BLs). The SL extending from the SL driver is connected to the source of the PMOS FET in each memory cell.\n\n**Figure 3.7** Block diagram of 1-Mbit NOSRAM module.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [8]\n\nThe read and write operations are executed by the page buffers. Figure 3.8 shows a circuit diagram of a page buffer, which consists of a latch circuit that stores 1 bit of data. Since the write energy is low, data can be read and written simultaneously in multiple memory cells. The 1-Mbit NOSRAM module writes data at the same time to 1024 memory cells connected to a WWL and reads data at the same time from 1024 cells connected to a CWL. The shift of the page buffers between write and read operations is performed by switching the BL connection. In each write operation, 1 bit of data is stored, and then the BL is set to the voltage of the data. In readout, 1 bit of readout data is stored. In both the write and read operations, 1024 bits of data are processed at the same time and stored temporarily in the 1024 page buffers.\n\n**Figure 3.8** Circuit diagram of page buffer.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [8]\n\n### _3.4.2 Setting Operational Voltage of NOSRAM Module_\n\nThe operational voltage of the NOSRAM module is explained below. The supply voltage is _V_ DD. The write voltage corresponding to data 0 written from the BL is _V_ data0, and the write voltage corresponding to data 1 written from the BL is _V_ data1. The high voltage of the WWL is _V_ H, which is higher than _V_ DD because the write voltage itself is written to node F so as to eliminate a drop in the threshold voltage of the CAAC-IGZO FET. The low voltage of WWL is expressed as _V_ L.\n\nThe high and low voltages of the CWL are _V_ H and _V_ SS, respectively. When the CWL is at _V_ H, the voltage of node F is boosted by the capacitive coupling between the CWL and node F, so it ranges from to . To turn off the PMOS FET of the memory cell, the voltages of the BL and SL are set lower than the voltage of node F, which in turn is lower than _V_ DD. In other words, setting the amplitude value of CWL to enables the memory cell in NOSRAM using PMOS FET to be non-selected.\n\nThe high voltage of the read operation for the SL is _V_ R, which is preferably lower than _V_ DD to extend the retention of data 1. The low voltage in standby mode and write mode of SL is _V_ SS.\n\n### _3.4.3 Operation of NOSRAM Module_\n\nThe operation of the NOSRAM module is explained below, with reference to the timing diagram in Figure 3.9.\n\n**Figure 3.9** Timing diagram of NOSRAM module: (a) write operation; (b) read operation\n\n###### _Write Operation_\n\nFirst, data are temporarily stored in a page buffer. A latch operation control signal (LATB) of the page buffer is set low to stop the latch circuit. The write enable signal (WEB) is set high to input data written from IN to the latch circuit. LATB is set high to drive the latch circuit to store the written data.\n\nNext, the data are written from the page buffer to the memory cell. The page buffer write-enable signal (PWEB) is set low and the BL is set to the voltage of the write data. After the BL voltage is set to _V_ data1 or _V_ data0, the selected CWL is set to _V_ SS and the selected WWL is set to _V_ H. The CAAC-IGZO FET is thereby turned on so that _V_ data1 or _V_ data0 is stored in the cell capacitor Cs and data are written.\n\n###### _Read Operation_\n\nData are read out from the memory cell and temporarily stored in the page buffer. The selected CWL is set to _V_ SS, SL is set to _V_ R, and LATB is set low. After the BL is precharged to _V_ SS, it is set to be floating. With data 0, the gate-source voltage ( _V_ gs) of the PMOS FET in the memory cell is , and is set lower than the threshold voltage _V_ tp of the PMOS FET in the memory cell. _V_ tp is a negative voltage. The PMOS FET is turned on, thereby feeding a current to BL from SL. The BL voltage is increased to _V_ R from _V_ SS. Conversely, with data 1, _V_ gs is , and is set higher than _V_ tp. The PMOS FET remains off, thereby keeping the BL voltage at _V_ SS. After the BL voltage varies in accordance with data 0 and 1, LATB is set high to drive the page buffer. The latch circuit stores the readout data. A reference voltage of the readout data is an inverter turnover voltage ( _V_ _R_ \/2). Data 1 or 0 is distinguished by whether the voltage of BL is higher or lower than the reference voltage.\n\n## 3.5 Multilevel NOSRAM\n\nThe NOSRAM described in Section 3.4 is a non-volatile memory that stores 1 bit, data 0 or data 1. Currently, a demand exists for techniques to increase memory capacity and density. Typical techniques to meet that demand include a multilevel-cell in which multiple bits of data are stored in one memory cell and a multilayer technique of stacking memory cells combined with the multilevel-cell technique. NOSRAM is suitable for both the multilevel-cell and multilayer techniques. For the multilevel-cell technique, 4-level (2 bits\/cell), 8-level (3 bits\/cell), and 16-level (4 bits\/cell) are explained in Subsections 3.5.1, 3.5.2, and 3.5.3, respectively, and for the multilayer technique, the stacked multilevel NOSRAM is explained in Subsection 3.5.4.\n\n### _3.5.1 4-Level (2 Bits\/Cell) NOSRAM Module_\n\nTo realize a multilevel memory, the distributions of readout voltages for different data in the memory cells should be small and separated without overlap. The NOSRAM module described in Section 3.4 is a 1-bit\/cell NOSRAM where one memory cell contains the 2-level data. In this section, a 2-bit\/cell NOSRAM that writes and reads 4-level data is explained, with special focus on the variations in readout voltages [10].\n\n#### 3.5.1.1 Configuration of 4-Level NOSRAM Module\n\nThe 4-level NOSRAM module has an array of 8192 cells giving a total memory capacity of 16 kbit. The number of cells, 8192, is an example. This module was prototyped and evaluated. The evaluation result is explained in Section 3.6. The module consists of a 512 \u00d7 16 cell array, row drivers, BL drivers, and an SL driver. The 512 row drivers output 512 WWLs and 512 CWLs. The 16 BL drivers are connected to 16 BLs. The SL extended from the SL driver is connected to the source of the PMOS FETs in all memory cells (Figure 3.10). Inverters in column drivers are used as a read circuit.\n\n**Figure 3.10** Block diagram of 4-level NOSRAM module.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [10]\n\n#### 3.5.1.2 Voltage Settings of 4-Level NOSRAM Module\n\nThe operation voltages of the 4-level NOSRAM module are now described. The power supply voltage is _V_ DD. The write voltage is one of _V_ 00, _V_ 01, _V_ 10, and _V_ 11. The range of the four write voltages is from _V_ DD to _V_ SS. The high and low voltages for WWL are _V_ H and _V_ L, respectively. The high and low voltages of CWL are _V_ H and _V_ SS, respectively.\n\n#### 3.5.1.3 Operation of 4-Level NOSRAM Module\n\nThe operation of the 4-level NOSRAM module is now described, with reference to the timing diagram of Figure 3.11.\n\n**Figure 3.11** Timing diagram of 4-level NOSRAM module: (a) write operation; (b) read operation\n\n###### _Write Operation_\n\nThe write voltage from the BL driver is used to set the BL. The selected CWL is set to _V_ SS, and a selected WWL is set to _V_ H to turn on the CAAC-IGZO FET and charge the cell capacitor Cs with the write voltage, thereby storing the data. The selected WWL is set to _V_ L, and the selected CWL is set to _V_ H to turn off the CAAC-IGZO FET, thereby finishing the write operation.\n\n###### _Read Operation_\n\nThe selected CWL is set to _V_ SS. After the BL is precharged to _V_ SS, it is set to be floating. The SL voltage and the voltage of an inverter in the column driver connected to the BL are set to _V_ DD. The gate voltage of the PMOS FET in the selected memory cell is the write voltage. When the PMOS FET is turned on, the BL voltage is boosted from _V_ SS. When the BL voltage is increased from the turnover voltage of the inverter, the inverter outputs a low signal. On the contrary, when the PMOS FET is turned off, the BL remains _V_ SS so the inverter outputs a high signal. The voltage of the SL and the voltage of the inverter connected to the BL are decreased stepwise from _V_ DD to obtain a switching voltage from the high to the low signal as the output of the inverter. The switching voltage from the high to the low signal is the readout voltage _V_ read. The distribution of variations in _V_ read corresponds to the distribution of the data readout.\n\n### _3.5.2 8-Level (3 Bits\/Cell) NOSRAM Module_\n\nOver the same range of voltage as that for the above 4-level NOSRAM, the distributions of eight readout voltages are separated without overlap, which leads to an 8-level NOSRAM [11]. While the write mechanism realizing an 8-level NOSRAM remains essentially the same as that of 2- or 4-level NOSRAMs, it requires variations in the inverter turnover voltages of the readout circuit to be removed, and the distributions of readout voltages have to be narrowed. A different readout method wherein the BL voltage is discharged to read data (here referred to as the discharge method) can narrow the distributions of the readout voltages, shorten the time for acquiring data, and improve the accuracy.\n\n#### 3.5.2.1 Configuration of 8-Level NOSRAM Module\n\nThe 8-level NOSRAM module, which was prototyped and evaluated, is configured with 6144 cells and consequently has a memory capacity of 18 kbit. The number of cells, 6144, is an example. The evaluation result is explained in Section 3.6. The configuration of the 8-level NOSRAM module is a 512 \u00d7 12 array of 6144 cells, 512 row drivers, 12 write switches, and 12 voltage followers. The 512 row drivers output 512 WWLs and 512 CWLs. The 12 writing switches are connected to the 12 BLs. The voltage followers are used as a read circuit. The voltage followers are connected to BLs and output the same voltage as the voltage input from the BLs. The SLs are connected to the drains of the PMOS FETs in all memory cells. Figure 3.12 shows a block diagram of the 8-level NOSRAM. Alternatively, a write voltage is output from a 3-bit digital-to-analog (D\/A) converter and read data are output from the 3-bit analog-to-digital (A\/D) converter instead of using the voltage followers.\n\n**Figure 3.12** Block diagram of 8-level NOSRAM.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [11]\n\n#### 3.5.2.2 Voltage Settings of 8-Level NOSRAM Module\n\nThe operation voltages for the 8-level NOSRAM module are now described. The power supply voltage is _V_ DD. Write voltages are _V_ 000, _V_ 001, _V_ 010, _V_ 011, _V_ 100, _V_ 101, _V_ 110, and _V_ 111. The range of the eight write voltages is from _V_ DD to _V_ SS. This range is the same as that of the four write voltages, and the number of write voltages increases from four to eight. The high and low voltages for the WWL are _V_ H and _V_ L, respectively. The high and low voltages for the CWL are _V_ H and _V_ SS, respectively.\n\n#### 3.5.2.3 Operation of 8-Level NOSRAM Module\n\nThe operation of an 8-level NOSRAM module is now described, with reference to the timing diagram of Figure 3.13.\n\n**Figure 3.13** Timing diagram of 8-level NOSRAM module: (a) write operation; (b) read operation.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [11]\n\n##### _Write Operation_\n\nThe write voltage is set on the BL. The selected CWL is set to _V_ SS, and the selected WWL is set to _V_ H to turn on the CAAC-IGZO FET and charge the cell capacitor Cs with the write voltage, thereby storing the data. The selected WWL is set to _V_ L, and the selected CWL is set to _V_ H to turn off the CAAC-IGZO FET, thereby finishing the write operation.\n\n##### _Read Operation_\n\nThe discharge method used for readout is as follows: the voltage of the BL is discharged to a voltage that is the difference between the write voltage and the threshold voltage _V_ tp of the PMOS FET. _V_ tp is a negative voltage. The BL is precharged to _V_ DD and then is set to be floating. The selected CWL is set to _V_ SS and the SL voltage is set to _V_ SS. The gate voltage of the PMOS FET in the selected memory cell is the write voltage. The PMOS FET is turned on to discharge the BL voltage. When the BL voltage decreases, the gate-source voltage _V_ gs of the PMOS FET in the memory cell increases. When _V_ gs is higher than _V_ tp, the PMOS FET is turned off and the BL voltage is saturated. The saturated BL voltage serves as the readout voltage _V_ read. The distribution of _V_ read corresponds to the distribution of data readout. The selected CWL is set to _V_ H to turn off the PMOS FET, thereby finishing the read operation.\n\nThe readout voltage of the 4-level NOSRAM is a turnover voltage from the high to the low signal, which is an inverted output of the inverter. The readout voltage of the 8-level NOSRAM is a voltage obtained by discharge of the BL. The 8-level NOSRAM does not vary the supply voltage of the inverter. Thus, the time for reading can be shortened. The readout voltage of the 8-level NOSRAM is not affected by variation in the turnover voltage; therefore, the variation of the readout voltage of the 8-level NOSRAM is smaller than that of the 4-level NOSRAM.\n\n### _3.5.3 16-Level (4 Bits\/Cell) NOSRAM Module_\n\nTo realize a 16-level NOSRAM, 16 readout voltages should be distributed and separated without overlap. Also, with the same range of voltage as that of the above 8-level NOSRAM, the distribution width of 16 readout voltages should be narrower than that of the 8-level NOSRAM. The distributions of readout voltages explained in Subsection 3.5.2 are influenced by variations in the threshold _V_ tp of the PMOS FET in the memory cell. To cancel the _V_ tp variations, a _V_ t cancel-write method was proposed [12,13]. With the _V_ t cancel-write method, the distributions of readout in the NOSRAM are sharpened to narrow the voltage distribution width. In addition, the _V_ t cancel-write method eliminates any threshold voltage shift by temperature [14]. By this method, a 16-level (4 bit\/cell) NOSRAM can be realized.\n\nTable 3.1 summarizes write and read operations of multilevel NOSRAMs.\n\n**Table 3.1** Write\/read operation of multilevel cell NOSRAM\n\n**** | **4-Level NOSRAM** | **8-Level NOSRAM** | **16-Level NOSRAM** \n---|---|---|--- \nWrite operation | BL write method | BL write method | _V_ t cancel-write method \nRead operation | Inverter voltage | BL discharge | SL discharge \nRead circuit | Inverter | Voltage follower or \nA\/D converter | Voltage follower or \nA\/D converter\n\n#### 3.5.3.1 _V_ t Cancel-Write Method\n\nFigure 3.14 depicts write methods to a multilevel NOSRAM. The 8-level NOSRAM described in Subsection 3.5.2 adopts the BL write method as follows: the CAAC-IGZO FET is turned on and data are written to node F from the BL [see Figure 3.14(a)]. The read operation consists of the discharge method explained in Subsection 3.5.2. The SL charge precharged through the PMOS FET in the memory cell is discharged to the BL to decrease the SL voltage. When the voltage of the SL decreases, the gate-source voltage ( _V_ gs) of the PMOS FET in the memory cell increases. _V_ gs is close to the threshold _V_ tp of the PMOS FET in the memory cell, thereby stopping the voltage drop of the SL. The voltage of the SL serves as the readout voltage _V_ read. _V_ tp is a negative voltage. In the BL write method, _V_ read depends on _V_ tp and _V_ read satisfies\n\n(3.1)\n\n**Figure 3.14** Write method for multilevel NOSRAM: (a) BL write method; (b) _V_ t cancel-write method.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [12]\n\nwhere _V_ F is the voltage of node F. _V_ tp fluctuates more as the PMOS FET is scaled down; thus, the multilevel NOSRAM has a broad _V_ read distribution.\n\nIn the _V_ t cancel-write method, the voltage of node F at the write operation includes _V_ tp in the write data. In the read operation, _V_ tp is canceled from _V_ read. The write operation is as follows [see Figure 3.14(b)]: _V_ SS is input to the BL, the CAAC-IGZO FET is turned on, and _V_ F is set to _V_ SS. Then, the BL is floated and a write voltage _V_ write is input to the SL. In the write operation, SL serves as the source of the PMOS FET in the memory cell. Thereby, the PMOS FET in the memory cell is turned on, and current flows to the BL from the SL to increase the voltage of the BL. This increase in the voltage of the BL results in an increase in _V_ F. When _V_ F increases up to , _V_ gs equals _V_ tp. The PMOS FET is turned off to stop the increase in the voltage of the BL. When the increase in the voltage of the BL stops, the increase of _V_ F also stops. The CAAC-IGZO FET is turned off, thereby finishing the write operation. The relationship between _V_ F and _V_ tp after the write operation is\n\n(3.2)\n\nwhere _V_ c is the sum of the voltage variations of the parasitic capacitance Cp 1 between the WWL and node F, the parasitic capacitance Cp 2 between the BL and node F, and the parasitic capacitance Cp 3 between the SL and node F shown in Figure 3.15. Thus, _V_ read satisfies\n\n(3.3)\n\n**Figure 3.15** Capacitor and parasitic capacitances (Cp) in NOSRAM memory cell.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [13]\n\nwhere _V_ tp is canceled. In this way, _V_ tp has less influence on _V_ read, and the distribution width of _V_ read is narrowed.\n\nNext, we consider the temperature shift in the threshold voltage (\u0394 _V_ tp). With the _V_ t cancel-write method, the relationship between _V_ F and _V_ tp is\n\n(3.4)\n\nSimilarly, _V_ read satisfies\n\n(3.5)\n\nFrom these equations, the following equation is obtained:\n\n(3.6)\n\nIn this manner, can be canceled, and thus it is possible to avoid widening the readout voltage distribution.\n\n#### 3.5.3.2 Configuration of 16-Level NOSRAM Module\n\nThe 16-level NOSRAM is configured with 32,768 4 bit\/cell NOSRAM cells and consequently has a memory capacity of 128 kbit. The number of cells, 32,768, is an example. This module was prototyped and evaluated. The evaluation result is explained in Section 3.6. The 16-level NOSRAM module is configured with 32,768 cell arrays, 128 row drivers, eight 4-bit D\/A converters, eight SL comparators, and an output selector. The 32,768 cell arrays have 128 rows and 256 columns. The 128 row drivers output 128 WWL and 128 CWL. The input selector and the output selector select eight SLs. A group of eight memory cells conducts the write and read operations, and thus eight 4-bit D\/A converters, eight voltage followers, and eight SL comparators are provided. The voltage followers function as a read circuit. The voltage follower outputs the same voltage as that of the selected SL. The SL comparator switches the voltage of the selected BL from _V_ BL to _V_ SS when the voltage of the selected SL drops below a reference voltage _V_ REF. Therefore, the drain-source voltage _V_ ds of the PMOS FET can constantly be half or less of _V_ DD. Consequently, the reliability of the PMOS FET is improved. Figure 3.16 shows a block diagram of the 16-level NOSRAM. Alternatively, data can be read out by a 4-bit A\/D converter instead of using the voltage followers [12].\n\n**Figure 3.16** Block diagram of 128-kbit 16-level NOSRAM.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [13]\n\n#### 3.5.3.3 Voltage Settings of 16-Level NOSRAM Module\n\nThe operation voltages for a 16-level NOSRAM module are now described. The power supply voltage is _V_ DD. The BL provides write voltages: _V_ 0000, _V_ 0001, _V_ 0010, _V_ 0011, _V_ 0100, _V_ 0101, _V_ 0110, _V_ 0111, _V_ 1000, _V_ 1001, _V_ 1010, _V_ 1011, _V_ 1100, _V_ 1101, _V_ 1110, and _V_ 1111. The range of the 16 write voltages is from _V_ DD to _V_ SS. This range is the same as that of the eight write voltages, but the number of write voltages increases from eight to sixteen. The high and low voltages of the WWL are _V_ H and _V_ L, respectively. The high and low voltages of the CWL are _V_ H and _V_ SS, respectively.\n\n#### 3.5.3.4 Operation of 16-Level NOSRAM Module\n\nThe operation of the 16-level NOSRAM module is now described, with reference to the timing diagram of Figure 3.17.\n\n**Figure 3.17** Timing diagram of 16-level NOSRAM: (a) write waveform; (b) readout waveform.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [13]\n\n###### _Write Operation_\n\n_V_ write is output from the 4-bit D\/A converter to the selected SL by an input selector. Data are written to node F from the selected SL.\n\n###### _Read Operation_\n\nThe SL selected by the output selector is precharged to _V_ DD and floated, then the CWL is set to _V_ SS. The PMOS FET of the memory cell is turned on to decrease the voltage of the SL down to _V_ read. The voltage follower outputs the SL voltage from the input terminal to read out the data.\n\n### _3.5.4 Stacked Multilevel NOSRAM_\n\nAs described above, a NOSRAM cell consists of a CAAC-IGZO FET and a Si FET. If the Si FET is replaced with a CAAC-IGZO FET, the NOSRAM cell can be made with only oxide semiconductor layers, and thus allow stacking of memory cell layers. This leads to high integration and is one of the approaches to increase the memory capacity and density, as mentioned at the beginning of this section.\n\nWhile circuits other than memory cells (such as the control circuit, a word-line driver circuit, and a bit-line driver circuit) are formed within a silicon layer, multiple oxide semiconductor layers are stacked to constitute the memory cell. With four layers each with 16 levels (4 bits), the memory cell corresponds to a 16-bit memory cell, which is often used in computers. Figure 3.18 shows a conceptual diagram of a stacked multilevel NOSRAM.\n\n**Figure 3.18** Conceptual diagram of word-processing NOSRAM\n\nThe stacked multilevel NOSRAM has four oxide layers stacked on the silicon layer and uses a 4 bit\/cell NOSRAM, which is a memory suitable for 16-bit processing. This memory cell configuration is called \"word operation.\"\n\nIn a 15-nm technology node, a stacked multilayer NOSRAM with four oxide layers corresponds to the cell size per bit of a 256 gigabyte solid state drive (SSD) commercialized in 2015. In a 10-nm technology node, a stacked multilayer NOSRAM with six oxide semiconductor layers corresponds to the cell size per bit of a 1 terabyte SSD (see Figure 3.19).\n\n**Figure 3.19** Scaling of NOSRAM, where _N_ is the number of stacked layers\n\nThe stacked multilayer NOSRAM has the potential to implement a memory suitable for computers and increase the memory capacity thereof.\n\n## 3.6 Prototype and Characterization\n\nThis section describes the prototyping and characterization of NOSRAMs.\n\nThe fabricated prototypes include 2-, 4-, and 8-level NOSRAMs (i.e., 1, 2, and 3 bits per cell), described in [7\u201311], respectively. The higher number of levels was achieved by scaling down the technology node, narrowing of the readout voltage distribution, and contriving driving methods. Furthermore, a prototype of the 16-level (4 bit\/cell) NOSRAM was also fabricated [12\u201314].\n\nPrototypes of 2-, 4-, 8-, and 16-level NOSRAMs are described in Subsections 3.6.1, 3.6.2, 3.6.3, and 3.6.4, respectively.\n\n### _3.6.1 2-Level NOSRAM_\n\nThe basic characteristics of the 2-level NOSRAM cell were evaluated to confirm that the NOSRAM works as a memory. Next, a prototype of a 1-Mbit, 2-level NOSRAM module (1-Mbit NOSRAM) was fabricated and examined [7,8]. The retention characteristics of the 2-level NOSRAM were also evaluated [9].\n\n#### 3.6.1.1 \u0394 _V_ t of Memory Cell\n\nWith the memory cell of the NOSRAM illustrated in Figure 3.20, a threshold voltage _V_ t is determined by the electrical characteristics of the PMOS FET and its difference \u0394 _V_ t corresponds to the difference between data 1 and 0 in terms of _V_ CWL variation. Note that _V_ t of the PMOS FET is calculated by square-root extrapolation.\n\n**Figure 3.20** NOSRAM memory cell.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [8]\n\nIn the write operation of data, 0 V is applied to the CWL and 4.5 V is applied to the WWL to turn on the CAAC-IGZO FET and input data from the BL. Then, \u22121 V is applied to the WWL to turn off the CAAC-IGZO FET. 3 V corresponds to data 1, and 0 V corresponds to data 0. The drain current of the PMOS FET is measured by sweaping CWL. Figure 3.21 depicts the measurement results of the _I_ d\u2013 _V_ CWL characteristics. As can be seen from Figure 3.21, \u0394 _V_ t is 3 V or higher. The current ratio in the drain current between data 1 and 0 is 107 when the CWL is 0 V, which indicates a large tolerance to noise-related reading errors.\n\n**Figure 3.21** _I_ d\u2013 _V_ CWL characteristics when the NOSRAM memory cell receives data 1 and data 0.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [8], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2012\n\n#### 3.6.1.2 Write Time of Memory Cell\n\nA voltage pulse of 4.5 V was applied to the gate electrode of the CAAC-IGZO FET, the pulse width was swept, and the write time was measured. Figure 3.22 shows measurement results for the write time. As is apparent from Figure 3.22, the write time is as short as 10 ns and \u0394 _V_ t is 3 V or higher. This means that the data are correctly written in at least 10 ns.\n\n**Figure 3.22** Write time of NOSRAM memory cell.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [8], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2012\n\n#### 3.6.1.3 Write Endurance of Memory Cell\n\nUsing a write time of 10 ns, the endurance was measured up to 1012 cycles. As shown in Figure 3.23, the write cycle endurance of the NOSRAM is at least seven orders of magnitude better than that of flash memory (e.g., 105 cycles in general).\n\n**Figure 3.23** Write endurance of NOSRAM memory cell.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [8], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2012\n\n#### 3.6.1.4 Write and Readout Times of 1-Mbit NOSRAM Module\n\nNext, the write and readout times of the fabricated 1-Mbit NOSRAM module were measured. _V_ DD is 3 V, _V_ data0 is 0 V, _V_ data1 is 3 V, _V_ H is 4.5 V, _V_ L is \u22121V, _V_ SS is 0 V, and _V_ R is 1.5 V.\n\nThe 1-Mbit NOSRAM module was fabricated with Si CMOS and CAAC-IGZO processes, both of which have a 0.8-\u03bcm technology node. Peripheral circuits (such as a row decoder, a page buffer, and the PMOS FETs in the memory cells) were fabricated with the Si CMOS process, whereas the writing FET and cell capacitors Cs in the memory cells were fabricated with the CAAC-IGZO process. The size of the memory cell is 12.32 \u03bcm2.\n\nFigure 3.24(a) shows the measured waveforms of the write operation. The BL voltage increases upon writing data 1, while it remains unchanged upon writing data 0. The write time is the period between the rise and fall of the WWL select signal (i.e., 150 ns\/page).\n\n**Figure 3.24** Operation waveform of 1-Mbit NOSRAM module: (a) write operation; (b) read operation.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [8], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2012\n\nFigure 3.24(b) shows the measured waveforms of the read operation. The BL voltage remains unchanged upon readout of data 1, whereas it increases upon readout of data 0. The readout time is the period between the rise and fall of the LATB, or 900 ns.\n\n#### 3.6.1.5 Shmoo Plot of 1-Mbit NOSRAM Module\n\nFigure 3.25 shows a Shmoo plot for the write time. The horizontal axis is the write time, and the vertical axis is _V_ DD\/ _V_ H. The write time of 150 ns\/page (1024 bits) was obtained when _V_ DD is 3 V and _V_ H is 4.5 V, and the corresponding current was 3 mA. The write time is shorter than the write time (millisecond order) of a flash memory.\n\n**Figure 3.25** Shmoo plot for write time of 1-Mbit NOSRAM module.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [8], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2012\n\n#### 3.6.1.6 Readout Voltage Distribution of 1-Mbit NOSRAM Module\n\nFigure 3.26 shows the voltage distribution of read data 1. NOSRAM can provide a narrower read distribution than that of flash memory, because the write voltage is given to the cell capacitor Cs from the BL through the CAAC-IGZO FET. The distribution was fit to the normal distribution to calculate the voltage standard deviation _\u03c3_. As seen from Figure 3.26, a readout voltage of 2.10 V or higher yielding a width of is confirmed.\n\n**Figure 3.26** Distribution in readout of data 1 in 1-Mbit NOSRAM module.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [8], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2012\n\nA photograph and the specifications of the fabricated 1-Mbit NOSRAM module are shown in Figure 3.27 and Table 3.2, respectively.\n\n**Figure 3.27** Photograph of fabricated 1-Mbit NOSRAM.\n\n**Table 3.2** Specifications of 1-Mbit NOSRAM.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [8]\n\nProcess | 0.8-\u03bcm CMOS, 0.8-\u03bcm CAAC-IGZO \n---|--- \nDie size | 6.4 mm \u00d7 4.9 mm \nMemory capacity | 1 Mbit \nArray organization | 1024 bit\/page \u00d7 1024 pages \nCell size | 12.32 \u03bcm2 (4.4 \u03bcm \u00d7 2.8 \u03bcm) \nWrite time | 150 ns\/page \nRead time | 900 ns\/page \nSupply voltage | _V_ DD\/ _V_ H\/ _V_ L = 3 V\/4.5 V\/\u22121 V\n\n#### 3.6.1.7 Retention Characteristics of 2-Level NOSRAM [9]\n\nA 1-kbit NOSRAM module was used to measure the retention characteristics. Figure 3.28 shows a circuit of a memory cell and its timing diagram. The memory cell operates as follows. The voltage of the WWL is set to 3.3 V and 1.8 V or 0 V from the BL is applied to node F. After that, the voltage of the WWL is set to 0 V to hold the charge in the cell capacitor Cs. Because the voltage of node F serves as the gate voltage of the readout FET, data are read out from the current of the readout FET.\n\n**Figure 3.28** (a) Memory cell circuit of a 1-kbit NOSRAM and (b) its timing diagram.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [9]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\nTo analyze the data, the SL voltage is swept to measure the voltage _V_ RM to turn off the readout FET connected to node F. The distribution of charge accumulated in the cell capacitor Cs is measured indirectly. Figure 3.29 shows the retention characteristics at the operating temperature of 85\u00b0C. The write voltages for data 1 and 0 are 0 V and 1.8 V, respectively. For data 1, charge leakage of node F does not occur because there is no difference between the source and drain voltages of the CAAC-IGZO FET; this does not cause the change of readout voltage. In contrast, for data 0, the readout voltage decreases because there is a difference between the source and drain voltages of the CAAC-IGZO FET causing charge leakage. Figure 3.29 shows that the data are separated even after 2000 h.\n\n**Figure 3.29** Distributions of voltages for retention in 2-level NOSRAM.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [9]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n### _3.6.2 4-Level NOSRAM_\n\nThe measurement results of the fabricated 4-level (16-kbit) NOSRAM are now explained [10]. A 1.2-\u03bcm CAAC-IGZO FET process and a 0.8-\u03bcm Si CMOS FET are used. The technology node was the latest one at the time when the prototype was fabricated. _V_ DD is 3 V, _V_ 00 is 0 V, _V_ 01 is 1.6 V, _V_ 10 is 2.1 V, _V_ 11 is 3 V, _V_ H is 4.5 V, _V_ L is \u22121 V, and _V_ SS is 0 V.\n\nFigure 3.30 shows the distribution of the readout voltage _V_ read in 8192 cells. Table 3.3 summarizes the peak values and calculated 3 _\u03c3_ assuming the standard distribution. _V_ read has sharp peaks, with a maximum 3 _\u03c3_ of 142 mV. In addition, the distribution of _V_ read after 108 write cycles is plotted in the figure. As is seen from Figure 3.30 and Table 3.3, the distribution of _V_ read does not change even after 108 write cycles. This confirms that the distributions of _V_ read for four values in the 8192 cells are sharp and do not overlap with each other.\n\n**Figure 3.30** Distributions of _V_ read of 4-level NOSRAM.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [10]. Copyright 2012 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n**Table 3.3** Peak of _V_ read and calculated values of 3 _\u03c3_ in _V_ read distribution (Figure 3.30).\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [10]\n\n****| **Initial** | **After 10 8 cycled** \n---|---|--- \n**Peak [V]** | **3 _\u03c3_ [mV]** | **Peak [V]** | **3 _\u03c3_ [mV]** \n00 | 0.86 | 86 | 0.86 | 83 \n01 | 1.56 | 142 | 1.54 | 144 \n10 | 2.13 | 126 | 2.11 | 131 \n11 | 2.87 | 106 | 2.85 | 109\n\n### _3.6.3 8-Level NOSRAM_\n\nHere, the measurement results of the fabricated 8-level NOSRAM [11] are explained. A 0.45-\u03bcm CAAC-IGZO FET and a 0.45-\u03bcm Si CMOS FET were used. The technology node was the latest one at the time when the prototype was fabricated. _V_ DD is 3 V, _V_ 000 is 0.6 V, _V_ 001 is 0.9 V, _V_ 010 is 1.2 V, _V_ 011 is 1.5 V, _V_ 100 is 1.8 V, _V_ 101 is 2.1 V, _V_ 110 is 2.4 V, _V_ 111 is 2.7 V, _V_ H is 4.5 V, _V_ L is \u22121 V, and _V_ SS is 0 V.\n\n#### 3.6.3.1 8-Level NOSRAM Module\n\nThe distribution of the readout voltage _V_ read of the 8-level NOSRAM in 6144 cells (18 kbit) is confirmed (see Figure 3.31). The _V_ read voltage distributions are separated without overlap. Table 3.4 summarizes the peak values and the calculated values of 3 _\u03c3_.\n\n**Figure 3.31** Distributions of _V_ read of 8-level NOSRAM.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [11], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2013\n\n**Table 3.4** Distribution peak values of _V_ read and 3 _\u03c3_ of 8-level NOSRAM.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [11]\n\n**Data** | **000** | **001** | **010** | **011** | **100** | **101** | **110** | **111** \n---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|--- \nWrite voltage [V] | 0.6 | 0.9 | 1.2 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 2.1 | 2.4 | 2.7 \nPeak of _V_ read [V] | 0.79 | 1.06 | 1.34 | 1.62 | 1.91 | 2.20 | 2.50 | 2.79 \n3 _\u03c3_ [mV] | 55 | 49 | 43 | 42 | 40 | 37 | 37 | 30\n\nA photograph and the specifications of the 8-level NOSRAM are shown in Figure 3.32 and Table 3.5.\n\n**Figure 3.32** Photograph of prototype of 8-level NOSRAM cell.\n\n**Table 3.5** Specifications of 8-level NOSRAM cell.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [11]\n\nProcess | 0.45-\u03bcm CMOS 0.45-\u03bcm CAAC-IGZO \n---|--- \nDie size | 5.4 mm \u00d7 4 mm \nMemory capacity | 18 kbit \nArray organization | 512 rows \u00d7 12 columns \nCell size | 12.63 \u03bcm2 (5.05 \u03bcm \u00d7 2.5 \u03bcm) \nNumber of levels | 8 \nWrite time | 100 ns \nRead time | 8 \u03bcs \nSupply voltage | _V_ DD\/ _V_ H\/ _V_ L = 3 V\/4.5 V\/\u22121 V\n\n### _3.6.4 16-Level NOSRAM_\n\nA prototype of the 16-level NOSRAM formed with a 0.18-\u03bcm Si CMOS process and a 0.35-\u03bcm CAAC-IGZO process is now explained. The technology node was the latest one at the time when the prototype was fabricated. _V_ DD is 3.5 V, _V_ 0000 is 0.95 V, _V_ 0001 is 1.12 V, _V_ 0010 is 1.29 V, _V_ 0011 is 1.46 V, _V_ 0100 is 1.63 V, _V_ 0101 is 1.80 V, _V_ 0110 is 1.97 V, _V_ 0111 is 2.14 V, _V_ 1000 is 2.31 V, _V_ 1001 is 2.48 V, _V_ 1010 is 2.65 V, _V_ 1011 is 2.82 V, _V_ 1100 is 2.99 V, _V_ 1101 is 3.16 V, _V_ 1110 is 3.33 V, _V_ 1111 is 3.50 V, _V_ H is 4.6 V, _V_ L is \u22121 V, and _V_ SS is 0 V.\n\nFigure 3.33 shows the distributions of readout voltages _V_ read of the 16-level NOSRAM [12,13]. The number of NOSRAM cells is 32,768 (128 kbit). With the _V_ t cancel-write method using the CAAC-IGZO FET, the distributions of _V_ read are narrow and have sharp peaks which are completely separated. The distribution width 3 _\u03c3_ is 37 mV (maximum; see Table 3.6), i.e., 33% narrower than of the 8-level NOSRAM.\n\n**Figure 3.33** Distributions of _V_ read of 16-level NOSRAM.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [13], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n**Table 3.6** Peak of _V_ read and 3 _\u03c3_ of 16-level NOSRAM.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [13], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n**Data** | **_V_ write [V]** | **Peak of _V_ read [V]** | **3 _\u03c3_ [mV]** \n---|---|---|--- \n1111 | 3.50 | 3.03 | 31 \n1110 | 3.33 | 2.87 | 29 \n1101 | 3.16 | 2.71 | 30 \n1100 | 2.99 | 2.56 | 30 \n1011 | 2.82 | 2.40 | 31 \n1010 | 2.65 | 2.25 | 31 \n1001 | 2.48 | 2.10 | 31 \n1000 | 2.31 | 1.94 | 31 \n0111 | 2.14 | 1.60 | 37 \n0110 | 1.97 | 1.44 | 36 \n0101 | 1.80 | 1.28 | 35 \n0100 | 1.63 | 1.13 | 34 \n0011 | 1.46 | 0.97 | 33 \n0010 | 1.29 | 0.82 | 33 \n0001 | 1.12 | 0.67 | 31 \n0000 | 0.95 | 0.53 | 35\n\nIn Figure 3.33, the interval between peaks of distributions of data 1000 and 0111 is larger than those between other peaks. The BL voltage is switched from _V_ BL (1.7 V) to _V_ SS (0 V) when _V_ read becomes lower than _V_ REF (1.8 V) by the SL comparator. Thus, _V_ F is shifted because of the parasitic capacitance Cp 2 (Figure 3.15) between the BL and node F, thereby decreasing the SL voltage and widening the interval between peaks of distributions of data 1000 and 0111.\n\nTable 3.7 shows the calculated capacitances of the capacitors depicted in Figure 3.15.\n\n**Table 3.7** Capacitances in NOSRAM (Cp are parasitic capacitances).\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [13], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n**Parameter** | **Capacitance [fF]** \n---|--- \nCp 1 | 0.67 \nCp 2 | 0.34 \nCp 3 | 0.49 \nPMOS gate | 0.72 \nCell capacitor | 7.10 \n_C_ total | 9.31\n\nParasitic capacitances are the parameters that determine the shift in peak values of the _V_ read distribution. Cp 1 is the parasitic capacitance between the WWL and node F. The difference between the high and low voltages of the WWL is 5.6 V, and the voltage variation of node F by Cp 1 is 0.40 V. _V_ c is the sum of the voltage differences of Cp 1, Cp 2, and Cp 3. _V_ c ranges from 0.40 V to 0.46 V. The voltage variation by Cp 1 ranges from 87% to 100% of _V_ c. Table 3.8 shows the calculated readout voltage _V_ read for the 16 voltage values _V_ write.\n\n**Table 3.8** Calculation results of _V_ read.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [13], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n**Data** | **_V_ write [V]** | **_V_ c [V]** | **_V_ read [V]** \n---|---|---|--- \n1111 | 3.50 | 0.44 | 3.06 \n1110 | 3.33 | 0.44 | 2.89 \n1101 | 3.16 | 0.43 | 2.73 \n1100 | 2.99 | 0.43 | 2.56 \n1011 | 2.82 | 0.42 | 2.40 \n1010 | 2.65 | 0.41 | 2.24 \n1001 | 2.48 | 0.41 | 2.07 \n1000 | 2.31 | 0.40 | 1.91 \n0111 | 2.14 | 0.46 | 1.68 \n0110 | 1.97 | 0.45 | 1.52 \n0101 | 1.80 | 0.44 | 1.36 \n0100 | 1.63 | 0.44 | 1.19 \n0011 | 1.46 | 0.43 | 1.03 \n0010 | 1.29 | 0.43 | 0.86 \n0001 | 1.12 | 0.42 | 0.70 \n0000 | 0.95 | 0.41 | 0.54\n\nThe calculated result of _V_ read in Table 3.8 corresponds to the peaks of the measurement result _V_ read in Table 3.6, which means the _V_ read variation due to parasitic capacitance. Cp 1 is a capacitance generated from overlapping gate and drain electrodes of the CAAC-IGZO FET. Scaling down the CAAC-IGZO FET reduces the overlap capacitance, reducing the voltage variation of Cp 1. In addition, reducing the voltage difference between high and low voltages of the WWL diminishes the voltage variation in Cp 1. Thus, the distribution width can be narrowed.\n\nFigure 3.34 depicts the temperature dependence of the _V_ read voltage distribution for data 0011 from \u221240\u00b0C to 85\u00b0C [14]. With the BL write method [Figure 3.34(a)], _V_ read shifts depending on temperature and the distribution range is 0.32 V. With the _V_ t cancel-write method [Figure 3.34(b)], the distribution range is 0.13 V, which is 59% narrower than that of the BL write method. The step voltage of the write voltage ( _V_ write) is 0.17 V, which is larger than the distribution range of 0.13 V. Therefore, the voltage distributions of _V_ read do not overlap in the indicated temperature range.\n\n**Figure 3.34** Shift depending on temperature of _V_ read distribution: (a) BL write method; (b) _V_ t cancel-write method.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [14]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\nFigure 3.35 shows the temperature dependence of the _V_ read peak. The variations of temperature in the BL write method and the _V_ t cancel-write method are \u22121.12 mV\/\u00b0C and \u22120.24 mV\/\u00b0C, respectively, which indicates that the _V_ t cancel-write method provides a 78% smaller value than the BL write method.\n\n**Figure 3.35** Temperature dependence of _V_ read peak.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [14]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\nFigure 3.36 shows a photograph of the prototype of the 16-level NOSRAM, and Table 3.9 summarizes its specifications.\n\n**Figure 3.36** Photograph of prototype of 16-level NOSRAM.\n\n**Table 3.9** Specification of 16-level NOSRAM.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [13]\n\nProcess | 0.18-\u03bcm CMOS, 0.35-\u03bcm CAAC-IGZO \n---|--- \nDie size | 2.8 mm \u00d7 4.2 mm \nMemory capacity | 128 kbit \nArray organization | 128 rows \u00d7 8 \u00d7 32 columns \nAccess cell number | 8 \nCell size | 34.23 \u03bcm2 (8.15 \u03bcm \u00d7 4.2 \u03bcm) \nNumber of levels | 16 \nWrite time | 200 ns \nRead time | 10 \u03bcs \nSupply voltage | _V_ DL\/ _V_ DD\/ _V_ H\/ _V_ L = 1.8 V\/3.5 V\/4.6 V\/\u22121 V\n\n### _3.6.5 Comparison of Prototypes_\n\nTable 3.10 summarizes the specifications of the prototypes. Note that the distribution width of readout can be reduced to 37 mV at 3 _\u03c3_ by correcting the threshold voltage of the PMOS FET in the memory cell with the _V_ t cancel-write method, while variations resulting from miniaturization of the FET are avoided [13]. In this manner, operation of the 16-level NOSRAM was demonstrated under almost the same operational conditions ( , , ) as those of the 2-level NOSRAM.\n\n**Table 3.10** Specifications of NOSRAM\n\n**** | **2-Level NOSRAM [7,8]** | **4-Level NOSRAM [10]** | **8-Level NOSRAM [11]** | **16-Level NOSRAM [12\u201314]** \n---|---|---|---|--- \nBits per cell | 1 bit\/cell | 2 bits\/cell | 3 bits\/cell | 4 bits\/cell \nDistribution of 3 _\u03c3_ | 100 mV | 120 mV | 55 mV | 37 mV \nMemory capacity | 1 Mbit | 8 kbit | 18 kbit | 128 kbit \nTechnology | CMOS | 0.8 \u03bcm | 0.8 \u03bcm | 0.45 \u03bcm | 0.18 \u03bcm \nCAAC-IGZO | 0.8 \u03bcm | 1.2 \u03bcm | 0.45 \u03bcm | 0.35 \u03bcm \nWrite time | 150 ns | \u2014 | 100 ns | 200 ns \nRead time | 900 ns | \u2014 | 900 ns | 900 ns \nSupply voltage | _V_ DD = 3 V _V_ H\/ _V_ L = 4.5 V\/\u22121 V | _V_ DD = 3 V _V_ H\/ _V_ L = 4.5 _V_ \/\u22121 _V_ | _V_ DD = 3 _V V_ H\/ _V_ L = 4.5 _V_ \/\u22121 _V_ | _V_ DL = 1.8 _V V_ DD = 3.5 _V V_ H\/ _V_ L = 4.6 _V_ \/\u22121 _V_\n\nWith further scaling down of the CAAC-IGZO technology, the memory size will become smaller. In addition, the distance between terminals in memory cells is shortened. Thus, the capacitance between terminals is increased and a variation in capacitance leads to a variation in readout voltages of multilevel NOSRAMs. As future challenges, a technology to reduce the variations in capacitance between terminals, or a technology to reduce the variations in readout voltage in multilevel NOSRAMs, is needed. It is expected that the number of levels will increase from the 16-level NOSRAM.\n\n## References\n\n 1. [1] Liu, S. Q., Wu, N. J., and Ignatiev, A. (2000) \"Electric-pulse-induced reversible resistance change effect in magnetoresistive films,\" Appl. Phys. Lett., 76, 2749. \n 2. [2] Beck, A., Bednorz, J. G., Gerber, Ch., Rossel, C., and Widmer, D. (2000) \"Reproducible switching effect in thin oxide films for memory applications,\" Appl. Phys. Lett., 77, 139. \n 3. [3] Durlam, M., Andre, T., Brown, P., Calder, J., Chan, J., Cuppens, R., _et al._ (2005) \"90 nm Toggle MRAM array with 0.29 \u00b5m2 cells,\" IEEE Symp. VLSI Technol. Dig. Tech. Pap., 186. \n 4. [4] Noguchi, H., Ikegami, K., Shimomura, N., Tetsufumi, T., Ito, J., and Fujita, S. (2014) \"Highly reliable and low-power nonvolatile cache memory with advanced perpendicular STT-MRAM for high-performance CPU,\" IEEE Symp. VLSI Circuits. Dig. Tech. Pap., 97. \n 5. [5] Lai, S. (2003) \"Current status of the phase change memory and its future,\" IEEE IEDM Tech. Dig., 10.1.1. \n 6. [6] Kang, D., Ahn, D., Kim, K., Webb, J., and Yi, K. (2003) \"One-dimensional heat conduction model for an electrical phase change random access memory device with 8F2 memory cell (F = 0.15 \u00b5m),\" J. Appl. Phys., 94, 3536. \n 7. [7] Matsuzaki, T., Inoue, H., Nagatsuka, S., Okazaki, Y., Sasaki, T., Noda, K., _et al._ (2011) \"1Mb Non-volatile random access memory using oxide semiconductor,\" Proc. IEEE Int. Memory Workshop, 185. \n 8. [8] Inoue, H., Matsuzaki, T., Nagatsuka, S., Okazaki, Y., Sasaki, T., Noda, K., _et al._ (2012) \"Nonvolatile memory with extremely low-leakage indium\u2013gallium\u2013zinc-oxide thin-film transistor,\" IEEE J. Solid-State Circuits, 47, 2258. \n 9. [9] Tsubuku, M., Takeuchi, T., Ohshima, K., Murakawa, T., Fujita, M., Shimada, D., _et al._ (2015) \"Analysis and experimental proof of deterioration-free memory device using CAAC-IGZO FET,\" Ext. Abstr. Solid State Dev. Mater., 1148.\n 10. [10] Ishizu, T., Inoue, H., Matsuzaki, T., Nagatsuka, S., Okazaki, Y., Onuki, T., _et al._ (2012) \"Multi-level cell memory with high-speed, low-voltage writing and high endurance using crystalline In\u2013Ga\u2013Zn oxide thin film FET,\" Ext. Abstr. Solid State Dev. Mater., 590. \n 11. [11] Nagatsuka, S., Matsuzaki, T., Inoue, H., Ishizu, T., Onuki, T., Ando, Y., _et al._ (2013) \"A 3bit\/cell nonvolatile memory with crystalline In\u2013Ga\u2013Zn\u2013O TFT,\" Proc. IEEE Int. Memory Workshop, 188. \n 12. [12] Matsuzaki, T., Onuki, T., Nagatsuka, S., Inoue, H., Ishizu, T., Ieda, Y., _et al._ (2015) \"A 128kb 4b\/cell nonvolatile memory with crystalline In\u2013Ga\u2013Zn oxide FET using _V_ t cancel write method,\" IEEE Int. Solid-State Circuits Conf. Dig. Tech. Pap., 306. \n 13. [13] Matsuzaki, T., Onuki, T., Nagatsuka, S., Inoue, H., Ishizu, T., Ieda, Y., _et al._ (2015) \"A 16-level-cell nonvolatile memory with crystalline In\u2013Ga\u2013Zn oxide FET,\" Proc. IEEE Int. Memory Workshop, 125. \n 14. [14] Matsuzaki, T., Onuki, T., Nagatsuka, S., Inoue, H., Ishizu, T., Ieda, Y., _et al._ (2015) \"A 16-level-cell memory with 0.24 mV\/\u00b0C temperature characteristics comprising crystalline In\u2013Ga\u2013Zn oxide FET,\" Ext. Abstr. Solid State Dev. Mater., 122.\n\n# 4 \nDOSRAM\n\n## 4.1 Introduction\n\nA dynamic random access memory (DRAM) in which a _c_ \u2010axis\u2010aligned crystalline indium\u2013gallium\u2013zinc oxide (CAAC\u2010IGZO) field\u2010effect transistor (FET) is used is referred to as a dynamic oxide semiconductor random access memory (DOSRAM). This chapter introduces the functions, operations, and characteristics of DOSRAMs.\n\nLarge\u2010scale integrated (LSI) memory circuits used for general\u2010purpose computing systems have advanced noticeably over recent decades. In particular, they comprise an ever\u2010larger memory capacity, faster operation, and lower power consumption. DRAM, which is a typical memory component in computer systems, is a high\u2010performance component, and its simple memory cell structure is suitable for very fine fabrication; thus, the cost of DRAMs is low and they are used in many systems. However, DRAM is a volatile memory, which is a major drawback because it makes reducing power consumption difficult when it is not accessed. This situation has spurred research into LSI memory technologies of new materials.\n\nBecause CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs have an extremely low off\u2010state current, on the order of yoctoamps per micrometer (yA\/\u00b5m; see Section 2.2), charges in a capacitor connected to such a transistor can be stored for a long time. This characteristic is used in DOSRAM memory cells, which are expected to replace the DRAM and become the next\u2010generation memory.\n\nThe following sections first explain the problems of DRAMs and then describe the circuit configurations, properties, and characteristics of DOSRAMs.\n\n## 4.2 Characteristics and Problems of DRAM\n\nThe memory cell of a DRAM comprises an n\u2010channel (Nch) Si FET and a cell capacitor connected to the FET. The structure is simple and suitable for microfabrication, and requires only a small number of manufacturing steps. Thus, DRAMs can be produced at low cost.\n\nHowever, the Nch\u2010Si FET has a large off\u2010state current as well as a leakage current from its source\/drain to the Si substrate, so charge leaks from the capacitor relatively quickly. Meanwhile, the memory cell reading voltage, which should be sufficiently high to operate a sense amplifier to determine the data 0 or 1 in the memory, is specified by the amount of charge stored. Thus, rewriting (i.e., refreshing) is required to compensate for the loss of the stored charge. The refresh operation makes it difficult to reduce power consumption. In addition, to ensure the minimum storage capacitance required for correct operations, the size of the cell capacitor cannot be too small.\n\nTo scale down to 36\u2010nm technology node, the capacitance of the cell capacitor is ensured by thinning the capacitor dielectric and developing materials with high dielectric permittivity. However, ensuring the capacitance in a small\u2010technology node becomes difficult because the capacitance of the cell capacitor has to be at least ~20 fF, even for a technology node of 32 nm or smaller [1].\n\n## 4.3 Operations and Characteristics of DOSRAM Memory Cell\n\nA DOSRAM cell comprises a circuit where the Nch\u2010Si FET of the DRAM is replaced with a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET (see Figure 4.1). The CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and a cell capacitor (Cs) are located in the same layer.\n\n**Figure 4.1** Circuit diagram of DOSRAM cell.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [4]\n\nData reading and writing are described below. To write data 1, a supply voltage _V_ DD is applied to a bit line (BL), and the voltage _V_ WL1, which is greater than the sum of _V_ DD and the threshold voltage _V_ th of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, is applied to the word line (WL). Accordingly, the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is turned on, and the charge for data 1 is stored in Cs. Next, WL is set to 0 V to turn off the FET, and the writing of data 1 terminates.\n\nBecause of the very low off\u2010state current of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, the charge stored in Cs is not lost [2], but held for a long time. Therefore, the interval between refresh operations can be significantly extended, so a lower refresh frequency is possible. During the period without refresh, the data can be stored without supplying voltage to the BL and WL; thus, the memory cell practically serves as a non\u2010volatile memory. This is the biggest difference in comparison with volatile DRAM, which requires frequent refreshing.\n\nA common DRAM requires a refresh operation every 64 milliseconds (ms). In contrast, in DOSRAMs, the interval between refresh operations is seven orders of magnitude longer than DRAM (in terms of time), so the power consumed by DOSRAMs is significantly lower than that by DRAMs [3].\n\nTo write data 0, 0 V is applied to the BL so that the charge in Cs is reduced to 0.\n\nTo read data (1 or 0), the BL is first precharged to _V_ DD\/2, and then _V_ WL1 is applied to WL to turn on the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. In response to the charge stored in Cs, the BL voltage changes from _V_ DD\/2. This changed BL voltage is a readout voltage corresponding to data 1 or 0 being read from the memory cell.\n\nThis scheme for DOSRAM cell operation uses the on\u2013off characteristics of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. No charge is injected into the insulating film of the gate, and thus the elements do not degrade. Therefore, the memory cells may be read or written an unlimited number of times.\n\n## 4.4 Configuration and Basic Operation of DOSRAM\n\nFrom Section 4.4 to Section 4.6, an 8\u2010kbit DOSRAM that was actually fabricated is explained.\n\n### _4.4.1 Circuit Configuration and Operation of DOSRAM_\n\nThe DOSRAM with a 8\u2010kbit capacity comprises eight circuit blocks (see Figure 4.2). Basic reading and writing operations are as follows: signals such as a read\u2013write bar (RWB), a column line enable (CLE), or a word line enable (WLE) are input to a controller; a 7\u2010bit column address (CA) signal is input to a column decoder; a 6\u2010bit row address (RA) signal is input to a row decoder. This selects a memory cell from the array of 8\u2010kbit (8192) memory cells. Writing data that has been supplied to data input (DIN) passes through a data\u2010in buffer and the IO gating of the sense amplifiers, following which they are written into the selected memory cell. Readout data from the selected memory cell is amplified by the sense amplifier and sent out through the data output (DOUT).\n\n**Figure 4.2** Block diagram of DOSRAM.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [3]\n\nThe 8\u2010kbit memory cell array consists of an arrangement of . The sense amplifier is connected to the cell array with folded BLs, which are resistant to noise generated in the memory cell array when a WL is selected.\n\n### _4.4.2 Hybrid Structure of DOSRAM_\n\nBoth a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and Cs, which together constitute a memory cell, are formed in the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET layer. Peripheral circuits other than the cell array are formed in a Si FET layer on the substrate, below the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET layer as shown in Figure 4.3, thereby reducing the die area by approximately 21% compared with a structure without stacking. In addition, the distance between the peripheral circuits in the lower layer and the cell array in the upper layer can be small, which accelerates operations. A schematic cross\u2010sectional view of the hybrid structure is shown in Figure 4.4.\n\n**Figure 4.3** Hybrid structure of Si FET layer and CAAC\u2010IGZO FET layer\n\n**Figure 4.4** Cross\u2010sectional view of stacked layers of DOSRAM.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [3]\n\n## 4.5 Operation of Sense Amplifier\n\nFigure 4.5 shows the basic circuit diagram of the sense amplifier connected to the cell array with folded BLs.\n\n**Figure 4.5** Basic circuit diagram of sense amplifier connected to cell array with folded BLs\n\n### _4.5.1 Writing Operation_\n\nTo write data, _V_ H is first applied to a precharge enable (PCE) to turn FETs on in the equalizer. The BL and BLB enter the conducting state and have precharge voltage _V_ PRE (here, _V_ DD\/2). A voltage of 0 V is applied to the PCE to turn off the equalizer transistors. Next, the global bit line (GBL) and the global bit line bar (GBLB) are each supplied with the voltage to be written to memory. _V_ H is applied to a column line select (YSW) to turn on the YSW transistors, whereby BL and BLB have the same voltages as GBL and GBLB, respectively. Subsequently, _V_ H is applied to the _n_ th word line (WL[ _n_ ]) to turn on the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in memory cell [ _n_ ]. To write data 1, _V_ DD is applied to the BL so that the charge corresponding to data 1 is stored in Cs. To write data 0, 0 V is applied to the BL so that zero charge is stored in Cs. After that, the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in memory cell [ _n_ ] is turned off by applying _V_ L to WL[ _n_ ]. The CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in memory cell [ _n_ \u22121] is kept off by applying _V_ L to WL[ _n_ \u22121]. Finally, _V_ L is applied to YSW to turn off the YSW transistor, and the writing operation terminates.\n\n### _4.5.2 Reading Operation_\n\nTo read data 1 or 0, the BL and BLB are first precharged to _V_ DD\/2, and then _V_ H is applied to WL[ _n_ ] to turn on the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in memory cell [ _n_ ]. The voltage _V_ L is applied to WL[ _n_ \u22121] so that the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in memory cell [ _n_ \u22121] remains in the off state. The BL voltage varies from _V_ DD\/2 in response to the charge stored in Cs. The varied BL voltage is the readout voltage corresponding to data 1 or 0 being read from memory cell [ _n_ ]. The readout voltage _V_ sig is expressed by\n\n(4.1)\n\nwhere _V_ write is a voltage written into the memory cell, _V_ PRE is the precharge BL voltage, _V_ leak is the voltage drop due to the loss of charge stored in Cs, _C_ s is the capacitance of Cs, and _C_ bl is the parasitic capacitance of the BL. Next, a sense amplifier select (ACT) power source supplies the voltage _V_ DD to p\u2010channel (Pch) Si FETs and another sense amplifier select (NLAT) supplies 0 V to Nch\u2010Si FETs; in other words, ACT and NLAT supply power and ground to the sense amplifier, respectively. The BL voltage becomes _V_ DD (0 V) in the case of reading data 1 (0).\n\nAccording to Equation (4.1), _V_ sig depends on _V_ leak. Unlike for an Nch\u2010Si FET, however, _V_ leak of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is negligibly small, and thus a high _V_ sig is obtained and the sense amplifier operates stably.\n\n## 4.6 Characteristic Measurement\n\nThis section describes the characteristic measurement results of the fabricated 8-kbit DOSRAM. The gate lengths _L_ of the Si and CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are 0.8 \u00b5m and 1.2 \u00b5m, respectively; the capacitance _C_ s is 31 fF; and the die area is . The supply voltages used for the characteristic measurements were , , and . _V_ PRE is _V_ DD\/2.\n\n### _4.6.1 Writing Characteristics_\n\nFigure 4.6 shows the operation waveforms for writing data 1. 1.8 V is applied to DIN. A column line is selected when SAE and CLE are at 1.8 V. The memory cell is selected when WLE is at 1.8 V (boosted to 3.3 V in the circuit). Next, data 1 is written to the selected memory cell. The write time elapsed from applying voltage to the DIN to switching off the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET (i.e., from CLE rising to WLE falling) is 75 ns. Figure 4.7 shows the Shmoo plot for the writing operation with respect to write time. In the graph, \"Pass\" means that the output is obtained under corresponding measurement conditions, whereas \"Fail\" means that no output is obtained. The writing operation for data 0 is examined in a similar manner, following which normal operation is confirmed.\n\n**Figure 4.6** Writing\u2010operation waveforms.\n\n _Source_ : Reprinted from [3], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2012\n\n**Figure 4.7** Shmoo plot of write time.\n\n _Source_ : Reprinted from [3], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2012\n\n### _4.6.2 Reading Characteristics_\n\nTo read data 1, 1.8 V (boosted to 3.3 V in the circuit) is applied to WLE and 1.8 V is applied to SAE and CLE; then, data is read out from the memory cell, and DOUT is changed from 0 V to 3.3 V. The read time is 35 ns (Figure 4.8). This is the time elapsing between switching on the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and driving the sense amplifier (i.e., from WLE rising to SAE rising). Figure 4.9 shows the Shmoo plot of the reading operation. The reading operation for data 0 was also examined and normal operation was confirmed.\n\n**Figure 4.8** Reading\u2010operation waveforms.\n\n _Source_ : Reprinted from [3], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2012\n\n**Figure 4.9** Shmoo plot of read time.\n\n _Source_ : Reprinted from [3], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2012\n\n### _4.6.3 Data\u2010Retention Characteristics_\n\nFigure 4.10 shows the data\u2010retention characteristics for data 1 and 0 at 85\u00b0C. The vertical axis represents the number of memory cells from which stored data is normally read out, and the horizontal axis represents the data\u2010retention time. After measuring for 240 h, no defect bit occurred. This result suggests that a refresh operation can be done once every 240 h or longer.\n\n**Figure 4.10** Data\u2010retention characteristics at 85\u00b0C.\n\n _Source_ : Reprinted from [3], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2012\n\n### _4.6.4 Summary of 8\u2010kbit DOSRAM_\n\nThe data reading and writing operations for DOSRAMs were confirmed, as discussed above. The data\u2010retention time is seven orders of magnitude longer than that of DRAMs, and it has been verified that DOSRAMs can serve practically as a non\u2010volatile memory. The specifications and a die photograph of a DOSRAM are given in Table 4.1 and Figure 4.11, respectively.\n\n**Table 4.1** Specifications of the 8\u2010kbit DOSRAM.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [3]\n\nProcess | 1.2\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO\/0.8\u2010\u00b5m Si \n---|--- \nDie size | 1.1 mm \u00d7 1.4 mm \nMemory capacity | 8 kbit \nArray organization | 64 (rows) \u00d7 128 (columns) \nStorage capacitance ( _C_ s) | 31 fF \nBit\u2010line architecture | Folded \nSupply voltage | Nominal | 1.8 V \nLevel shifter | 3.3 V\/\u22121 V\n\n**Figure 4.11** Die photograph of the 8\u2010kbit DOSRAM.\n\n## 4.7 Prototype DOSRAM Using 60\u2010nm Technology Node\n\nIn Sections 4.4 to 4.6, we observed the characteristics and operational properties of the 8\u2010kbit DOSRAM with an oxide semiconductor in a memory cell. In this section, the suitability for fine processing of the memory cell will be discussed, as well as the test result of a DOSRAM fabricated by a 60\u2010nm technology node.\n\n### _4.7.1 Configuration of Prototype_\n\nTransfer gates supplying writing data to the BL and a source follower for outputting readout data are connected to the memory cell (see Figure 4.12). The FETs in the memory cell are all CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, each with a gate length and a channel width . The cell array has 16 bits ( ), and dummy cells are arranged around the cell array to eliminate optical proximity effects during exposure to light (see Figure 4.13). To evaluate the effect of cell capacitance _C_ s, which decreases with finer processing, _C_ s is set to 3.9 fF, which is less than a fifth of the capacitance of a common DRAM. The bit\u2010line capacitance , and the ratio of _C_ bl to _C_ s is 2.2.\n\n**Figure 4.12** Circuit configuration of DOSRAM with 60\u2010nm technology node.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [4]\n\n**Figure 4.13** Die photograph of DOSRAM with 60\u2010nm technology node\n\n### _4.7.2 Measurements of Prototype Characteristics_\n\n#### 4.7.2.1 Writing Characteristics\n\nTo write data 1, 3 V is first applied to the column line select (CSEL) to turn on the FET of the transfer gate. Next, the bit\u2010line data input (BL_IN) and BL are set to 1.8 V. Simultaneously, a line for the reference voltage of the source follower (VREF_SF), a line for the power\u2010supply voltage of the source follower (VDD_SF), and a line for the ground of the source follower (VSS_SF) are set to \u22121, 0, and \u22123 V, respectively, to activate the source follower. Next, 3 V is applied to WL to select the memory cell, and charge is stored in Cs. After that, \u22121 V is applied to WL to turn off the memory cell FET, and the writing operation terminates. To write data 0, 0 V is applied to BL_IN, and zero charge is stored in Cs of the similarly selected memory cell.\n\nFigure 4.14 shows the operation waveforms for writing data 1. This graph shows the result in the case of a writing time of 10 \u00b5s, as an example. The write time is defined as the time elapsing from source follower activation until setting the WL voltage to 3 V. The operation for writing data 0 was examined in a similar manner, and normal operation was confirmed.\n\n**Figure 4.14** Writing\u2010operation waveforms.\n\n _Source_ : Reproduced from [4], with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\n#### 4.7.2.2 Reading Characteristics\n\nTo read data 1 or 0, BL_IN is set to a precharge voltage of 0.8 V, and 3 V is applied to CSEL to turn on the FETs of the transfer gates. BL and BL_IN begin conducting when 3 V is applied to CSEL (precharge time), so that BL is precharged to 0.8 V. Next, VREF_SF, VDD_SF, and VSS_SF are supplied with \u22121, 0, and \u22123 V, respectively, to activate the source follower. From the output voltage _V_ out of the source follower and from knowledge of the source follower characteristics, we can monitor the BL voltage. Next, 3 V (no boosting necessary in this case) is applied to WL to turn on the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET of the memory cell. Here, the read time is defined as the time during which the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET of the memory cell is on. During the read time, the BL voltage changes from 0.8 V because of the charge stored in Cs. The changed BL voltage is a readout voltage _V_ sig expressed by Equation (4.1). _V_ sig can be determined from the difference between _V_ out before and after the read time (\u2206 _V_ ).\n\nFigure 4.15 shows the waveforms for reading data 1. This graph shows the result in case of a reading time of 4 \u00b5s, as an example. The graph shows \u2206 _V_ corresponding to data 1. While reading data 0, \u2206 _V_ corresponding to data 0 is similarly observed.\n\n**Figure 4.15** Reading\u2010operation waveforms.\n\n _Source_ : Reproduced from [4], with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\n#### 4.7.2.3 Measurement of Operation Speed\n\nFigure 4.16 shows the relationship between _V_ sig and the operation speed. Because the DOSRAM uses the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, which has almost no leakage, a high _V_ sig (\u00b1100 mV) is obtained. In addition, the cell operates quickly (read time and write time are each 5 ns).\n\n**Figure 4.16** Relationship between _V_ sig and operation speed (read time = write time).\n\n _Source_ : Reproduced from [4], with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\n#### 4.7.2.4 Data\u2010Retention Characteristics\n\nTo measure the data\u2010retention characteristics, data is written in a write time of 100 ns (see Subsection 4.7.2.1), following which the WL, BL_IN, and CSEL voltages are set to \u22121, 0, and 0 V, respectively, so that the charge stored in Cs is maintained. The read time is 100 ns.\n\nFigure 4.17 shows the results of retention tests at 27\u00b0C and 85\u00b0C. At each temperature, or higher was maintained after 1 h, and no defect bit occurred. This suggests that the interval between refresh operations can be 1 h or even longer.\n\n**Figure 4.17** Data\u2010retention test at 27\u00b0C and 85\u00b0C.\n\n _Source_ : Reproduced from [4], with permission of _Japanese Journal of Applied Physics_\n\n### _4.7.3 Summary for Prototype DOSRAM_\n\nThe characteristic measurements of the prototype confirm that the DOSRAM, even with _L_ as short as 60 nm and _C_ s less than a fifth that of the DRAM, has excellent read and write characteristics. In addition, the data\u2010retention time for DOSRAM fabricated based on a 60\u2010nm technology node is four orders of magnitude longer than for DRAM. Thus, memory cells with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are suitable for fine processing.\n\n## 4.8 Conclusion\n\nDOSRAM is a memory component that uses a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in the memory cell of a DRAM.\n\nThe fabricated 8\u2010kbit DOSRAM verified that the memory cell array in the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET layer can be stacked above a Si FET layer that includes a decoder and a sense amplifier, and that the data\u2010retention time is seven orders of magnitude longer than that of a corresponding DRAM. These results show that the refresh frequency required for DOSRAM is much lower than that of DRAM, making them highly promising for reducing power consumption.\n\nThe prototype DOSRAM fabricated with a 60\u2010nm technology node confirmed that even a very small storage capacitance enables a retention time four orders of magnitude longer than that of DRAM, and that the read and write speed is 5 ns or less.\n\nCorrect operations without read\/write errors of the 8\u2010kbit DOSRAM and prototype have been confirmed. With its non\u2010volatility and low power consumption, DOSRAM may replace DRAM as the next\u2010generation mainstream memory technology.\n\n## References\n\n 1. 1] ITRS (2012) \"Table FEP5 DRAM stacked capacitor technology requirement.\" Available at: [www.itrs.net\/ITRS%201999\u20102014%20Mtgs,%20Presentations%20&%20Links\/2012ITRS\/2012Tables\/FEP_2012Tables.xlsx [accessed October 7, 2015].\n 2. [2] Kato, K., Shionoiri, Y., Sekine, Y., Furutani, K., Hatano, T., Aoki, T., _et al._ (2012) \"Evaluation of off\u2010state current characteristics of transistor using oxide semiconductor material, indium\u2013gallium\u2013zinc oxide,\" Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 51, 021201. \n 3. [3] Atsumi, T., Nagatsuka, S., Inoue, H., Onuki, T., Saito, T., Ieda, Y., _et al._ (2012) \"DRAM using crystalline oxide semiconductor for access transistors and not requiring refresh for more than ten days,\" Proc. IEEE Int. Memory Workshop, 99. \n 4. [4] Onuki, T., Kato, K., Nomura, M., Yakubo, Y., Nagatsuka, S., Matsuzaki, T., _et al._ (2015) \"Fabrication of dynamic oxide semiconductor random access memory with 3.9 fF storage capacitance and greater than 1 h retention by using _c_ \u2010axis aligned crystalline oxide semiconductor transistor with L of 60 nm,\" Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 54, 04DD07. \n\n# 5 \nCPU\n\n## 5.1 Introduction\n\nMobile devices such as smartphones and tablets are getting more functions and higher performance, and they will take more essential roles in the Internet of Things (IoT). To satisfy these expectations, it is necessary to develop a new technology for enabling higher\u2010speed operation and lower power consumption simultaneously. This is the most significant issue for battery\u2010powered mobile devices.\n\nThis chapter begins with normally\u2010off computing [1], which achieves sufficiently high performance at minimum power consumption. It then introduces normally\u2010off central processing units (CPUs) and _c_ \u2010axis\u2010aligned crystalline indium\u2013gallium\u2013zinc oxide (CAAC\u2010IGZO) cache memory based on CAAC\u2010IGZO field\u2010effect transistors (FETs).\n\n## 5.2 Normally\u2010Off Computing\n\nBefore discussing normally\u2010off computing, we explain typical technologies for lowering the power consumption. Two widely known examples are clock gating and power gating.\n\nClock gating reduces the power by stopping the clock supply to non\u2010operating parts of the circuit [Figure 5.1(a)]. This technology can be applied to circuit blocks and reduce the power consumption for clock supply. Furthermore, the method is effective when the power consumption for clock supply is dominant in the total power consumption of the die. However, in the forefront of the miniaturization process, sufficiently reducing the power consumption with clock gating alone is difficult because the power consumption caused by leakage current of the FET is increasing.\n\n**Figure 5.1** Power\u2010reducing schemes of clock and power gating compared with normally\u2010off computing (bottom)\n\nPower gating stops the power supply to each circuit block that need not operate [Figure 5.1(b)]. This method is extremely effective in transistor technologies with high leakage current, because it completely stops the power supply to a circuit block. However, volatile memory elements such as flip\u2010flops, static random access memory (SRAM), and dynamic random access memory (DRAM) lose their data unless supplied with power. Therefore, power gating is of limited applicability in data\u2010retentive circuit blocks. Although power gating may be executed in volatile blocks by saving the data of the volatile memory section into an external non\u2010volatile memory section, the backup and restoration of the data incur considerable energy and performance overheads, because a circuit is required to backup\/restore data of the circuit block into\/from the external non\u2010volatile circuit. Indeed, the overhead of power gating offsets its power reduction.\n\nContrary to these technologies, normally\u2010off computing supplies power to a circuit only when needed [Figure 5.1(c)]. The data memory block is a non\u2010volatile memory that does not require power in the normal state. Because the non\u2010volatile memory retains data in the absence of a power supply, it is amenable to circumstantial power supply control by power gating. Therefore, this technology can effectively reduce wasted power.\n\nTo achieve normally\u2010off computing, memory elements have been developed using CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs [2, 3]. Unlike Si FETs, CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs (even with short channel lengths) have significantly low off\u2010state current. A capacitor and CAAC\u2010IGZO FET can therefore provide a simple memory configuration, whereby the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET can be turned off once the data are written into the capacitor. Using this configuration, we can create memory elements requiring neither constant power supply nor frequent refresh operations, thus reducing the power consumption. The reading and writing operations in the memory element are performed by charging and discharging the capacitor, and theoretically there is no device degradation due to reading and writing operations.\n\nCAAC\u2010IGZO FETs also have the advantage of an extremely small area overhead, which is the circuit area that increases when a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is added. As shown in Figure 5.2, a circuit with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs can be stacked on top of Si FETs. For example, a backup flip\u2010flop circuit fabricated with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs can be positioned on a normal flip\u2010flop section formed with Si FETs. This configuration provides the flip\u2010flop with a backup function without increasing its area, while maintaining the speed advantages of Si FETs. It also provides reduced interconnection delay, which enables high\u2010speed backup.\n\n**Figure 5.2** Schematic view of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs stacked on Si FETs\n\nFigure 5.3 shows the memory hierarchy of normally\u2010off computing. Flip\u2010flops with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs can be used in register files, the fastest\u2010operating storage units in CPUs. A CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM (see Section 5.4) can operate at a speed comparable to that of an SRAM formed with Si FETs, and thus satisfies the required operation speed for an L1 cache. A non\u2010volatile oxide semiconductor random access memory (NOSRAM), which was discussed in Chapter 3, can be applied to L1, L2, and L3 caches. For main memories and storages that require larger volume and higher density, we can apply DOSRAM, a high\u2010density memory device with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs.\n\n**Figure 5.3** Memory hierarchy of normally\u2010off computing\n\nUtilization of a non\u2010volatile memory and straightforward power switching may not reduce power consumption by themselves. In particular, if the power required for data backup into non\u2010volatile memories exceeds the power saved by utilizing the non\u2010volatile memory, the power consumption will instead increase. Figure 5.4 illustrates the break\u2010even time (BET), which is defined as the time during which the energy required for executing backup (including the increased power usage by the backup mechanism during normal operation) equals the saved energy. In period (a) of this figure, the circuit is processing data. After processing, the device enters period (b) and the circuit is turned off. The data backup power is consumed at this time. Finally the circuit enters period (c), where the power consumption is minimal. Even if the circuit enters period (c) after the backup operation, the power savings will not override the total power consumption unless period (c) exceeds the BET. The memory elements in normally\u2010off computing must satisfy two essential requirements: low power consumption for access, and a power\u2010off period exceeding the BET. The latter depends on the former.\n\n**Figure 5.4** Schematic diagram of the break\u2010even time\n\n## 5.3 CPUs\n\nComputers are incorporated in many everyday electrical appliances, such as mobile phones, television devices, and automobiles. They are often called embedded systems.\n\nGenerally, an embedded system is a circuit consisting of five basic parts: output, input, memory, data path, and control (Figure 5.5). The output is related to, for example, display units and\/or speakers via interfaces that output signals for controlling such devices. The inputs are acquired through devices such as touch panels, keyboards, mice, and other devices providing data for processing. The signals transmitted from these devices are received through interfaces. The memory retains software, text information, images, sounds, and other data. DRAM is the typical memory in smartphones and personal computers. The flexibility of software increases with increasing memory capacity, spurring significant developments in high\u2010capacitance DRAM. On\u2010chip SRAM, a highly integrated device that realizes small size at low cost, is commonly used in computer\u2010based electrical appliances. The data path executes the required calculations, including the four basic arithmetic operations and comparison processing. The control mediates the output, input, memory, and data path in accordance with the software program. In particular, a combination of the data path and control is often called a CPU.\n\n**Figure 5.5** Basic configuration of a computer\n\nAs mentioned above, the CPU consists of a data path and control. Referring to Figure 5.6, we now discuss the details of these components.\n\n**Figure 5.6** Simplified diagram of a CPU\n\nThe CPU is synchronized with an external clock signal output. The data path has a register file and an arithmetic logic unit (ALU). During proper operation, the CPU interprets an instruction readout from the memory, and the control synchronizes the data path with the clock. For accurate processing, the CPU should store its own state. In general, the state of the CPU is stored in a flip\u2010flop and SRAM in the control and the register file.\n\nThe flip\u2010flop and SRAM provided in the CPU store temporary data necessary for continuing the processing, as mentioned above, but the stored data are generally lost when the power supply to the flip\u2010flop and SRAM is discontinued. Accordingly, the CPU resides in an unstable or reset state during power off. In normally\u2010off computing, however, the CPU can continue to process the data stored in the flip\u2010flop and SRAM without any glitches, even after a power\u2010off period. Efficiently switching the power on and off while retaining information in the CPU is therefore important for reducing power consumption.\n\nAs explained in Section 5.2, CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs can realize a memory element that retains data in the absence of a power supply. Researchers have developed a variety of low\u2010power\u2010consumption CPUs based on CAAC\u2010IGZO memory elements, and examined their operation. Some of their findings are summarized below.\n\n * In 2012, Ohmaru _et al_. [2] reported an 8\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU capable of storing data for 40 days at 85\u00b0C.\n * In 2013, Sj\u00f6kvist and co\u2010workers [3, 4] reduced the overhead area of the flip\u2010flops in a 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU.\n * In 2014, Tamura _et al_. [5] reported a normally\u2010off CPU with an ARM\u00ae Cortex\u00ae\u2010M0 and on\u2010chip SRAM incorporating CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs.\n * Also in 2014, Ishizu _et al_. [6] reported a cache memory based on CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs.\n\nExamples of normally\u2010off CPUs fabricated from CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are shown below.\n\n### _5.3.1 Flip\u2010Flop (FF)_\n\nExamples of flip\u2010flops (FFs) with CAAC\u2010IGZO are explained in the following subsections.\n\n#### 5.3.1.1 Backup FF (Type A)\n\nFigure 5.7 shows the circuit diagram of a Type\u2010A backup FF [2, 9], which comprises backup circuit and D\u2010FF sections. The D\u2010FF employs Si FETs and is generally used in digital circuit design, whereas the backup circuit is constructed from both Si and CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs.\n\n**Figure 5.7** Circuit diagram of Type\u2010A backup FF.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [9]\n\nThe backup FF operates in two modes: active mode, wherein the FF operates normally with input clock signals, and sleep mode, wherein the power supply terminates and the D\u2010FF portion transfers its data to the backup section. Forcing the circuit into sleep mode during quiescent periods reduces the standby power, which is caused by the leakage current of the Si FETs. A circuit operation that switches from active to sleep mode is called a backup operation; the reverse operation is called a restoration operation.\n\nIn active mode, the Type\u2010A backup FF operates as a D\u2010FF. However, as the D\u2010FF and backup circuit sections are functionally separated, the additional backup circuit increases the delay time of the D\u2010FF. The time increase is caused by the one\u2010stage multiplexer (the central part of the circuit diagram in Figure 5.7) that connects the two sections. Any speed reduction of the D\u2010FF because of the addition of the backup function can be minimized in the backup FF. This is one feature of the backup FF.\n\nThe operation of the Type\u2010A backup FF is detailed in the timing diagram of Figure 5.8. In this diagram, VDD is the power supply voltage supplied to the entire FF. High and low levels denote that power is supplied to and blocked from the entire FF, respectively. In active mode (T1), the input signals WE and RE are set to a low level to functionally separate the D\u2010FF section from the backup circuit section. In this mode, the backup FF functions as a D\u2010FF. T2 indicates the period of backup operation. The data from the D\u2010FF section is sent to the backup circuit section, with the CLK fixed at a high level to distinguish the data. The input signal WE is then set to a high level to charge or discharge the capacitor Cs. In sleep mode (T3), the input signal WE is fixed at a low level, and the data stored as charge in the capacitor Cs is retained. Since the FET controlled by the WE is a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with an extremely small off\u2010state current, the capacitor Cr retains the charge over a long period, even without the power supply. T4 and T5 denote different periods of the restoration operation. During T4, the power supply is resumed and the input signal RE is set low to charge the capacitor Cr. During T5, the input signal RE is set high to retain or release the charge in the capacitor Cr, depending on the voltage of node N1. The restoration operation is complete when the potential of node N2 is input to the D\u2010FF section via the inverter and the multiplexer. During period T6, the input signal RE is returned to a low level, and the CLK signal switches the FF to active mode.\n\n**Figure 5.8** Timing diagram of Type\u2010A backup FF.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [9]\n\nSimulation results of backup FFs with miniaturization processes are shown below.\n\nFigure 5.9 shows a micrograph of a fabricated Type\u2010A backup FF. Figure 5.10 shows the layout of an assumed backup FF with a 30\u2010nm Si FET. The _W_ \/ _L_ of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET was 0.3 \u00b5m\/0.3 \u00b5m, and the capacitance of the storage capacitor Cr was 2 fF. The layout area was 8.19 \u00b5m2, 25% larger than that of a D\u2010FF formed only using Si FETs. The increase in area is contributed by the reading circuit and the multiplexer used for connecting the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and the D\u2010FF. The CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and storage capacitor are stacked over the Si FET.\n\n**Figure 5.9** Photograph of a Type\u2010A backup FF.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [2]. Copyright 2012 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n**Figure 5.10** Assumed layout with 30\u2010nm Si FET.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [9], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2013\n\nAn FF with 30\u2010nm Si and 0.3\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO technologies was simulated (FF2). For comparison, an FF with 0.5\u2010\u00b5m Si and 0.8\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO technologies was also simulated (FF1). The results are listed in Table 5.1. The write time and write energy of the FF2 are 6.4 ns and 3.7 fJ, respectively; the write energy is particularly favorable, being less than the previously reported value of 30\u2010nm magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) [7]. These results suggest that the use of CAAC\u2010IGZO effectively achieves normally\u2010off computing.\n\n**Table 5.1** Simulation results of backup FF (FF1, FF2).\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [9], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2013\n\n| **FF1** | **FF2** \n---|---|--- \nLIGZO | 0.8 \u00b5m | 0.3 \u00b5m \nCs | 1 pF | 2 fF \nLSI | 0.5 \u00b5m | 30 nm \nEndurance | >1011 (1) | \nWrite time | 500 ns (1) | 6.4 ns (2) \nWrite energy | 3.1 pJ (2) | 3.7 fJ (2) \nRead time | 10 ns (1) | \nRetention (3) | >10 years | 69 days\n\n1. Experimental results.\n\n2. Estimated by HSPICE simulation at ( _V_ dd, _V_ h) = (2.5 V, 3.2 V) (FF1) and (1 V, 3 V) (FF2).\n\n3. Estimated as for _I_ off = 135 yA\/\u00b5m and \u0394 _V_ = 1 V (FF1), 0.4 V (FF2).\n\n#### 5.3.1.2 Backup FF (Type B)\n\nFigure 5.11 is a circuit diagram of a Type\u2010B backup FF [5], which comprises a standard D\u2010FF section and a backup\u2010circuit section. The backup\u2010circuit section is fabricated from one CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, four Si FETs, and one storage capacitor. The Type\u2010B configuration requires fewer FETs than the Type\u2010A configuration; therefore, the area overhead of Type B is smaller than that of Type A.\n\n**Figure 5.11** Circuit diagram of Type\u2010B backup FF.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [5]\n\nThe backup time of the Type\u2010B FF is shortened by pre\u2010charging the storage capacitor. The charge is retained and discharged when the backup data are 1 and 0, respectively. The discharge follows the precharge, because the discharge rate of a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET (n\u2010type) is higher than its charge rate.\n\nFigure 5.12 shows a timing diagram of the Type\u2010B backup FF. T1 denotes an operation period in active mode. During this period, the precharge (OSC) and gate\u2010control signals (OSG) of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET are set to low and high, respectively. Under this signaling, the retention node FN of the backup circuit is charged to a high level. During the backup operation period T2, OSC is set to a high level; consequently, the potential of the retention node FN is charged by the data of the slave part of the FF. T3 denotes a sleep\u2010mode period, wherein all the control signals are set low to block the power supply. T4 and T5 denote different periods of the restoration operation. In period T4 of the restoration operation, the power supply is restarted to resume the power\u2010supply voltage VDD, and the clock signal CLK is set to high. In period T5, the reset signal RESET and the restoration control signal OSR are set to high, and the data are restored to the master part of the FF.\n\n**Figure 5.12** Backup sequence of Type\u2010B backup FF.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [5]\n\n#### 5.3.1.3 Serial Backup FF\n\nAlthough the above\u2010mentioned backup FF in active mode operates at an equivalent rate to a standard D\u2010FF, the backup circuit section is constructed from multiple Si FETs. Accordingly, the circuit area is larger than for a standard D\u2010FF. To avoid the area increase incurred by the backup function, a serial backup FF was configured [3, 4].\n\nFigure 5.13 is a circuit diagram of a serial backup FF. In this design, a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and a storage capacitor (CAP) are added to the latch of the master part in a normal D\u2010FF. This configuration has the advantage of a small number of additional FETs required for the backup function and control\u2010signal lines. However, the delay time is considerably larger than that in the normal D\u2010FF due to the different driving performances of the CAAC\u2010IGZO and Si FETs.\n\n**Figure 5.13** Circuit diagram of a serial backup FF.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [4]\n\nFigure 5.14 is a timing diagram of the serial backup FF. Like the backup FF, the serial backup FF operates in active, sleep (power\u2010off), backup, and restoration modes. The power\u2010supply voltage VDD is supplied to the entire FF. Again, high and low levels denote that power is supplied to and blocked from the entire FF, respectively. The input signal IGZO_G is set to high in active mode, and CLK is set to low in backup mode. Consequently, to complete the backup operation, the potential FN is inverted from potential D. Next, the input signal IGZO_G is set low to turn off the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, thus driving the FF into sleep mode, where a power supply is not required. Power supply resumes in the restoration operation and the reset signal RESET is released. The restoration operation is completed by setting the input signal IGZO_G to high and resuming the CLK supply.\n\n**Figure 5.14** Timing diagram of a serial backup FF.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [3]\n\nFigures 5.13 and 5.15 show the circuit diagram and layout of the serial backup FF, respectively. The CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and storage capacitor are stacked on the Si FET layer. Note that the backup function does not increase the area, because the serial backup FF requires no additional Si FET.\n\n**Figure 5.15** Layout of a serial backup FF.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [3]. Copyright 2013 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n#### 5.3.1.4 Two\u2010Step Backup FF\n\nThe two\u2010step backup FF [8] was developed from the design concept of the backup FF.\n\nAs mentioned above, the backup FF achieves backup functionality while properly performing as a D\u2010FF. However, the time required for the backup operation depends largely on the driving performance of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, through which the storage capacitor is charged or discharged. Because the driving performances of the CAAC\u2010IGZO and Si FETs differ, the speeds of the backup operation and D\u2010FF are difficult to achieve at the same order. A longer backup operation period limits the opportunity for transferring the FF into sleep mode. Therefore, to reduce the standby power even for short periods, we require a high\u2010speed backup operation. The two\u2010step backup FF adopts a two\u2010stage backup mechanism: the first stage ensures a high\u2010speed backup operation, whereas the second stage achieves long\u2010term retention. This scheme reduces the power consumption over both long and short periods.\n\nFigure 5.16 shows a circuit diagram of the two\u2010step backup FF. Like the Type\u2010A backup FF, this design comprises a D\u2010FF section and a backup circuit section. The D\u2010FF section is fabricated from Si FETs, whereas the backup circuit section contains both CAAC\u2010IGZO and Si FETs. Distinctly different from the backup FF, the two\u2010step FF possesses two backup circuit sections (labeled SRC1 and SRC2 in Figure 5.16). Sections SRC1 and SRC2 provide the high\u2010speed backup operation and long\u2010term retention, respectively.\n\n**Figure 5.16** Circuit diagram of the two\u2010step backup FF.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [8]\n\nFigure 5.17(a) and (b) shows timing diagrams of the two\u2010step backup FF. Like the backup FF, the two\u2010step backup FF operates in active, sleep (power\u2010off), backup, and restoration modes. VDD is supplied to the entire FF. In active mode, the reset signal RESET is set to high, and capacitor Cs1 is continuously charged or discharged depending on the FF data [Figure 5.17(a)]. In active mode, the input signal OSG is continuously set to high, and capacitor Cs2 is charged through the diode\u2010connected Si FET. During the backup operation, backup and power\u2010off are simultaneously performed merely by setting the reset signal RESET to low. The backup data can be transferred from capacitor Cs1 to capacitor Cs2 without the power supply [Figure 5.17(b)]. In active mode, the FF data are placed in the first backup circuit SRC1; therefore, power\u2010off is possible without the backup operation, and a high\u2010speed backup with zero clock signal is achieved.\n\n**Figure 5.17** Timing diagram of the two\u2010step backup FF.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [8]\n\nThe restoration operation begins when VDD is stabilized by power\u2010on. Next, the CLK and the reset signal RESET are set to high. The node to be restored by the FF is charged or discharged by an operation corresponding to the potential of capacitor Cs1 or Cs2. The reset signal RESET is then set to high, and the data are latched in the FF. The two backup circuit sections enable both short\u2010time data backup and restoration and long\u2010time data retention.\n\n### _5.3.2 8\u2010Bit Normally\u2010Off CPU_\n\nFrom 2012 to 2013, a prototype 8\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU [2, 9] was fabricated using a backup FF. Figure 5.18 shows a photograph of the CPU. A Type\u2010A backup FF is incorporated in a block denoted 8\u2010bit CPU. The architecture is a Z80\u2010like 8\u2010bit CISC. The die was fabricated by a hybrid process of 0.5\u2010\u00b5m Si and 0.8\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs.\n\n**Figure 5.18** Photograph of the normally\u2010off CPU.\n\nFigure 5.19 shows a block diagram of the die. The 8\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU consists of an 8\u2010bit CPU core incorporating a backup FF, a power management unit (PMU), and a power switch. The number of incorporated Type\u2010A backup FFs (CAAC-IGZO-FFs) is written in each function block. The PMU controls the timing of the backup and restoration operations and the on\u2013off operation of the power switch.\n\n**Figure 5.19** Block diagram of an 8\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [9]\n\nIts specifications are listed in Table 5.2. Considering the threshold voltage drop caused by the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET when used as a pass FET, the gate\u2010driving voltage for the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is set higher than for the Si FET.\n\n**Table 5.2** Specifications of 8\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU\n\n**Metric** | \n---|--- \nArchitecture | 8\u2010bit CISC \nCAAC\u2010IGZO technology node (\u00b5m) | 0.8 \nSi technology (\u00b5m) | 0.5 \nCore size (mm \u00d7 mm) | 4.5 \u00d7 3.3 \nClock frequency (MHz) | 25 \nSi power supply (V) | 2.5 \nCAAC\u2010IGZO power supply (V) | 3.2\n\nThe normally\u2010off CPU operates under the PMU state transitions shown in Figure 5.20. The backup operation is initiated by a program running on the CPU. The PMU controls each signal line in the backup FF. The restoration operation is initiated by an interrupt signal, and executed under PMU control of each signal line of the FF.\n\n**Figure 5.20** State transition diagram of normally\u2010off CPU.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [9]\n\nOperational waveforms in the power gating for a 1.8\u2010\u00b5s backup sequence and a 2.2\u2010\u00b5s restoration sequence at 25 MHz are shown in Figure 5.21. According to the operation test, the data of the accessible 88 FFs in the CPU are identical before and after power\u2010off, verifying the correct function of the power gating. Furthermore, the CPU gave the correct results in a test program involving LOAD, ADD, and STORE operations, even with a power gating inserted between two consecutive instructions.\n\n**Figure 5.21** Measured waveforms of the 8\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [9], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2013\n\nThe data\u2010retention characteristics of the 8\u2010bit CPU were estimated. During the estimation procedure, the Type\u2010A backup FF in the 8\u2010bit CPU executed a backup operation, and the CPU was powered off. After a certain period, the CPU was powered on and the data in the backup circuit section were read out to the D\u2010FF. Next, the read data were compared with the data written to the backup circuit section. Finally, the CPU was powered off without backup operation and the processing steps were repeated. Because the data are not rewritten to the backup circuit section in this test, we can constantly verify the long\u2010term data retention of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET.\n\nThe data\u2010retention characteristics were measured at 85\u00b0C. Figure 5.22 illustrates the retention time, number of errors, and other performance data. The retention time is the product of the off\u2010time and the number of repetitions (labeled \"A\" and \"B\" in the figure, respectively). Thus, the retention time is calculated as . C denotes the number of bit errors in the FF of the backup circuit section. Figure 5.23 plots the percentage of the registers that hold data correctly versus the data\u2010retention time. These figures verify long\u2010term data retention by the Type\u2010A backup FF (3,400,000 s, or 40 days) at 85\u00b0C after power\u2010off. This indicates that the CPU can operate correctly for 40 days with only at least one refresh (backup and restore) operation.\n\n**Figure 5.22** Screenshot of retention characteristics after approximately 40 days.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [2]\n\n**Figure 5.23** Data\u2010retention characteristics of Type\u2010A backup FF at 85\u00b0C.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [2]. Copyright 2012 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n### _5.3.3 32\u2010Bit Normally\u2010Off CPU (MIPS\u2010Like CPU)_\n\nFigure 5.24 is a block diagram of the 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU fabricated in 2013 [8]. The CPU specifications are listed in Table 5.3. The 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU comprises a MIPS I\u2010compatible core, cache, cache controller, bus interface, PMU, and power switch.\n\n**Figure 5.24** Block diagram of the 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [8], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2014\n\n**Table 5.3** Specifications of the 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU\n\n**Metric** | \n---|--- \nArchitecture | MIPS I\u2010compatible (32\u2010bit RISC) \nPipeline stage | 3 \nClock frequency (MHz) | 15 \nCache memory | 2\u2010way set associative, 2 kB \nSi technology node (nm) | 350 \nCAAC\u2010IGZO technology node (nm) | 180 \nSi power supply (V) | 2.5 \nCAAC\u2010IGZO power supply (V) | 3.2\/\u22121\n\nThe MIPS I\u2010compatible core has a 32\u2010bit RISC architecture and includes 31 32\u2010bit general\u2010purpose registers. The pipeline has three stages. All of the 32\u2010bit general\u2010purpose and pipeline registers are fabricated with two\u2010step backup FFs. The cache memory has a capacity of 2 kB and adopts two\u2010way set association and a write\u2010through mode as the writing mode. The memory array of the cache has a SRAM\u2010based circuit configuration, which retains data even during power\u2010off by power gating. Such an SRAM configuration, which is called backup SRAM (CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM) herein, will be detailed in Section 5.4. Here, the operation of the CPU using backup FFs is explained. The cache controller is connected to the core, the bus interface, and the cache. When the core sends a request, the cache controller controls access to the cache. Furthermore, when processing cache misses or write\u2010through operations, it accesses an external memory via the 32\u2010bit bus interface. Triggered by an instruction from the core or an interrupt signal and acting through the power switch, the PMU supplies or blocks the power supply to each block.\n\nFigure 5.25 shows a photograph of the 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU. The die was fabricated by a hybrid process of 350\u2010nm Si and 180\u2010nm CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs.\n\n**Figure 5.25** Photograph of the 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU.\n\nFigure 5.26(a) presents waveforms of the on\u2010stage backup circuit measured during power gating. During these measurements, the test program switched the state between active and sleep. The voltages of the Si and CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, measured at room temperature, were 2.5 V (the standard condition) and 3.3 V, respectively. The backup and restoration operations were performed in 1.5 and 2.5 clocks, respectively. Note that the 1.5 clocks in the backup operation is the delay time necessary for accurate operation of the PMU, not the time of writing data to the backup circuit. The data stored in the first\u2010stage backup circuit are being updated every clock; therefore, no additional clock cycle is required to back up data to it.\n\n**Figure 5.26** (a) Measured waveforms and (b) measured retention time of the first\u2010stage backup circuit in power gating.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [8], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2014\n\nThe retention time of the general\u2010purpose registers in the CPU was also measured with a test program. To check data retention, the data values in 12 general\u2010purpose registers were compared before and after power gating. The values of the 12 general\u2010purpose registers can be freely set up. Figure 5.26(b) shows that the first\u2010stage backup circuit can hold data for up to 10 ms without an error.\n\nFigure 5.27(a) shows the measured waveforms of the second\u2010stage backup circuit during power gating. The retention time was estimated similarly to that of the first\u2010stage backup circuit. The results [Figure 5.27(b)] verified that the second\u2010stage backup circuit retains data for at least one day.\n\n**Figure 5.27** (a) Measured waveforms and (b) measured retention time of the second\u2010stage backup circuit in power gating.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [8], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2014\n\nAs shown in Figure 5.28, the overhead energies demanded by the backup and restoration operations were 1.77 and 11.64 nJ, respectively. The execution speeds of backup and restoration are higher in this die than in conventional dies with equivalent energy consumption (see Table 5.4).\n\n**Figure 5.28** Measured overhead energies of SRC1 and SRC2.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [8], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2014\n\n**Table 5.4** Comparisons of 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU and an MCU with ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM) reported at a conference.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [8]\n\n| **32\u2010bit Noff\u2010CPU** | **Bartling [10]** \n---|---|--- \nSi implementation | Yes | Yes \nArchitecture | 32\u2010bit MIPS I\u2010like | ARM\u00ae Cortex\u00ae\u2010M0 \nTechnology node | Si: 350 nm \nCAAC\u2010IGZO: 180 nm | Si: 130 nm \nFeRAM: 130 nm \nSupply voltage | Si: 2.5 V \nCAAC\u2010IGZO: 3.2 V | 1.5 V \nArea | 289 mm2 | 4.4 mm2 \nClock frequency | 15 MHz | 8 MHz\/125 MHz \nMemory circuit implementation | 2\u2010step backup flip\u2010flop with CAAC\u2010IGZO | FeRAM \nCore area overhead | 4.8%* | 12% \nPower gating energy overhead | 13.42 nJ \nPower shutdown \n1.11 nJ: CPU w\/o CAAC\u2010IGZO\u2010FFs** \n0.66 nJ: CAAC\u2010IGZO\u2010FFs** \nWake\u2010up \n5.82 nJ: CPU w\/o CAAC-IGZO-FFs** \n5.82 nJ: CAAC\u2010IGZO\u2010FFs** | 7.25 nJ \nPower shutdown \n0.86 nJ: w\/o NVL \n4.72 nJ: NVL \nWake\u2010up \n0.33 nJ: w\/o NVL \n1.34 nJ: NVL \nSleep operation delay | 1.5 clocks | 40 clocks@125 MHz* \nWake\u2010up operation delay | 2.5 clocks | 48 clocks@125 MHz* \nComment | *Including routing overhead \n**Ratio by simulation | *Needs two types of clock\n\nTo investigate whether miniaturizing the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET affects the operation performance, the circuit characteristics of an FF (see Figure 5.29), fabricated by a hybrid process of 45\u2010nm Si and 180\u2010nm CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, were simulated. The simulation results are listed in Table 5.5.\n\n**Figure 5.29** Layout of simulated FF with a hybrid process of 45\u2010nm Si and 180\u2010nm CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [8], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2014\n\n**Table 5.5** Comparison of CPU simulated using a hybrid process of 45\u2010nm Si and 180\u2010nm CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs with CPU using a hybrid process of 350\u2010nm Si and 180\u2010nm CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [8], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2014\n\nMetric | 45\u2010nm Si \n180\u2010nm CAAC\u2010IGZO | 350\u2010nm Si \n180\u2010nm CAAC\u2010IGZO \n---|---|--- \nRestore time | 1.1 ns | 2.3 ns \nSRC1 | Backup time | 0.4 ns | 1.4 ns \nRetention time | 489 ns | 2.6 ms \nBackup & restore energy | 31 fJ and \n2 fJ: IGZO and Cs2 | 1390 fJ and \n7 fJ: IGZO and Cs2 \nSRC2 | Backup time | 61 ns | 135 ns \nRetention time | >8.1 h | >17.6 days \nBackup & restore energy | 86 fJ \n40 fJ: IGZO and Cs2 | 3649 fJ \n973 fJ: IGZO and Cs2 \nSimulation condition | Cs1 | 2 fF | 13 fF \nCs2 | 27.5 fF | 133 fF \nVDD | Si 1.1 V \nCAAC\u2010IGZO 1.8 V | Si 2.5 V \nCAAC\u2010IGZO 3.2 V \nImpact on conventional technique | 8% Performance \n3% Power \n35% Area | 16% Performance \n11% Power \n35% Area\n\n### _5.3.4 32\u2010Bit Normally\u2010Off CPU (ARM\u00ae Cortex\u00ae\u2010M0)_\n\nWe now explain a 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU with an ARM\u00ae architecture using Type\u2010B backup FFs [5]. Figure 5.30 and Table 5.6 present a micrograph and an overview of the die specifications, respectively. The fabricated die contains an ARM\u00ae Cortex\u00ae\u2010M0, an on\u2010chip 4\u2010kbit SRAM, PMU, and other functional circuits (see block diagram in Figure 5.32). The 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU was targeted for sensor networks, and the basic specifications were determined accordingly. All FFs in the CPU, including the general\u2010purpose registers, are Type\u2010B backup FFs. Therefore, the CPU retains its internal data even during power\u2010off by power gating, and immediately resumes processing after power\u2010on. The SRAM (detailed in Section 5.4) incorporates a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and hence retains data even in the power\u2010off state. The CPU was fabricated by a hybrid process of 180\u2010nm Si and 60\u2010nm CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, where the latter is stacked on the former as shown in Figure 5.31.\n\n**Figure 5.30** Micrograph of the 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU (ARM\u00ae Cortex\u00ae\u2010M0).\n\n**Table 5.6** Specifications of the 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU (ARM\u00ae Cortex\u00ae\u2010M0)\n\n**Metric** | \n---|--- \nTechnology | Si 180 nm \nCAAC\u2010IGZO 60 nm \nSupply voltage | Si 1.8 V \nCAAC\u2010IGZO 2.5 V \nArchitecture | ARM\u00ae Cortex\u00ae\u2010M0 Design Start Edition \nClock frequency | 30 MHz \nBackup circuit implementation | Embedded SRAM and flip\u2010flop\n\n**Figure 5.31** Cross\u2010sectional view of SRAM formed by a hybrid process of 180\u2010nm Si and 60\u2010nm CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [5], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2014\n\nAs shown in the block diagram of the 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU (Figure 5.32), the main blocks of the 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU are a Cortex\u00ae\u2010M0, SRAM, and a PMU. These blocks are connected by a bus operating at 30 MHz in accordance with the 32\u2010bit AHB\u00ae Lite standard. The bus is provided with input and output pins for connecting the CPU with peripheral circuits. The Cortex\u00ae\u2010M0 is a 32\u2010bit processor with an ARM\u00ae architecture having a three\u2010stage pipeline that operates at the bus frequency (30 MHz). The processor incorporates 841 Type\u2010B backup FFs and an SRAM as a working memory and program and data storage.\n\n**Figure 5.32** Block diagram of the 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU (ARM\u00ae Cortex\u00ae\u2010M0).\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [5]\n\nThe PMU manages the power supply in several power domains: Cortex\u00ae\u2010M0, the SRAM, and the bus. Each power domain is controlled through an individual power switch, whose on\u2013off state responds to a control signal from the PMU. The Cortex\u00ae\u2010M0 provides a SLEEP signal line, which informs the PMU of a pending sleep state. When the SLEEP signal goes high, the PMU begins to manage the backup FF and controls the power supply of each power domain. Subsequently, the PMU enters the power\u2010off state. Upon an interrupt signal input to the PMU, the power supply resumes. The interrupt signal is conveyed through a peripheral circuit of the CPU, such as a timer or sensor.\n\nThe high\u2010 and low\u2010level gate voltages of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are controlled at 2.5 and \u22121 V, respectively [i.e., different from the Si FET voltage (1.8 V)]. Therefore, prior to the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, the control signal from the PMU is passed through a level shifter provided for the corresponding block.\n\nThe operation of the backup FF was examined by measuring the shortest possible backup and restoration times (see Figure 5.33) at room temperature and all voltages at their default values. The results indicate that the backup proceeds in two clocks (approximately 66 ns), and that it is limited by on\u2010state characteristics of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and the storage capacitance. By contrast, the data\u2010restoration time, which is limited by the characteristics of the Si FET, was executed in 1 clock. Since the power supply needs to be stabilized after power\u2010on, however, the CPU returns to active mode only after 6 clocks. This stabilization time is expended in raising the potential of the power supply line, which is connected to a decoupling capacitor. The control voltage of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET was then reduced from 2.5 to 2.25 V (\u221210%), and further measurements were conducted at a CPU voltage of 1.8 V and a die temperature of 85\u00b0C. While the backup time was unchanged, the restoration time was increased by 3 clocks.\n\n**Figure 5.33** Measured waveforms of the Type\u2010B backup flip\u2010flop during operation.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [5], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2014\n\nThe energy required from power\u2010off to power\u2010on (150 fJ\/bit) was estimated from the energy requirements of control backup and restoration. This calculation includes the power consumed by the 2.5\u2010V power supply line controlling the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and the energy of charging the storage capacitor.\n\nThe power\u2010reduction effects were evaluated under repeated alterations of active and sleep (power\u2010off) modes, as shown in Figure 5.34. A wait\u2010for\u2010interrupt (WFI) instruction triggers the SLEEP signal from the Cortex\u00ae\u2010M0, indicating that the Cortex\u00ae\u2010M0 will enter sleep mode and the PMU thereby begins the data backup. Power\u2010on is implemented by an external interrupt signal. The temporal ratio of active to sleep modes was decided from the CPU's intended use in sensor network applications. The power consumption was measured for three cases. In Case 1, an interrupt signal was generated from an acceleration sensor at 1\u2010ms intervals; in Case 2, temperature sensor data were obtained at 1\u2010s intervals; in Case 3, the sleep mode was maintained over a long period (100 s). During the active mode (which lasts for 1 ms), an instruction to access the memory and the external interface is executed. Figure 5.35 shows the measured temporally averaged power consumption of the power gating (PG) and clock gating (CG). In all three cases, the PG greatly reduced the power consumption compared with the CG, and it was found that the standby power of the 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off CPU can be reduced by 99% or more for some use cases. Table 5.7 shows a comparison between a CAAC\u2010IGZO\u2010based normally\u2010off CPU and an MCU with ferroelectric RAM.\n\n**Figure 5.34** Evaluation program of alternating active and sleep modes.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [5]\n\n**Figure 5.35** Evaluation results of power reduction.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [5], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2014\n\n**Table 5.7** Comparison between a CAAC\u2010IGZO\u2010based normally\u2010off CPU and an MCU with ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM).\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [5]\n\n| **CAAC\u2010IGZO (embedded SRAM)** | **MRAM \n(Sakimura [11]) ** | **FeRAM \n(Bartling [10]) ** \n---|---|---|--- \nData\u2010retention principle | Charge on a capacitor and CAAC\u2010IGZO FET | Magnetization direction | Ferroelectric \nNon\u2010volatility | Yes | Yes | Yes \nEndurance | >1012 | >1015 | >1012 \nFabrication technology | 180 nm Si, \n60 nm CAAC\u2010IGZO | 90 nm, MVT | 130 nm, HVT \nMemory technology | SRAM memory cell + 2Tr(CAAC\u2010IGZO) + 2C | 3T\u2010SpinRAM | FeRAM \n(mini arrays and FeCaps) \nSupply voltage | 1.8 V (Si), \n2.5 V\/\u22121 V (CAAC\u2010IGZO) | 1.8\u20133.3 V (Dvcc), \n1.0 V (VCORE) | 1.5 V \n(single supply) \nClock frequency | 30 MHz | 20 MHz | 8 MHz\/125 MHz \nBackup time | 66 ns | 4 ns | 320 ns \nBackup energy\/bit | 142.5 fJ | 6 pJ | 2.2 pJ \nRestoration time | 132 ns | 120 ns | 384 ns \nRestoration energy\/bit | 61.5 fJ | 0.3 pJ | 0.66 pJ\n\n## 5.4 CAAC\u2010IGZO Cache Memory\n\nCache memory refers to a high\u2010speed memory for temporary data storage. As shown in the memory hierarchy in Figure 5.3, some architectures have plural cache memories, which are numbered according to their closeness to the CPU. For instance, caches L1 and L2 are the closest and second\u2010closest caches to the CPU, respectively. Most cache memories comprise small\u2010capacitance static RAM (SRAM), but NOSRAM and DOSRAM (mentioned in Chapters 3 and ) are also applicable. This section discusses cache memories with SRAM based on CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs.\n\nAs mentioned in Section 5.1, the standby power of recent LSIs increases significantly by the high leak current caused by FET downsizing and high integration. To reduce that power, power gating must be implemented either by employing fast non\u2010volatile memories (NVM) or by backing up registers into an external NVM. However, replacing SRAM (a high\u2010speed memory) with a conventional NVM would compromise the operation speed, so a hybrid SRAM that combines a volatile circuit with a non\u2010volatile element has been proposed [12\u201314]. Some challenges of the hybrid SRAM design include the cell area overheads, operation speed, operation power, and other factors. Large overheads may, in the worst case, cancel the power savings achieved by power gating.\n\nThe hybrid SRAM introduced in this section was fabricated from CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs with extremely low off\u2010state current [6]. The process design was aided by the process design kit (PDK) called FreePDK45TM [15]. Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis (SPICE) is usually implemented by a high\u2010performance (HP) model called VTL, assuming a register file and an L1 cache memory. The VTL model is a transistor parameter in which the threshold voltage is set to a small value and is suitable for high\u2010speed operation.\n\nFigure 5.36(a) and (b) shows a circuit diagram and a power gating sequence of the CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM cell, respectively. The CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM cell is composed of a six\u2010FET standard SRAM, two CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, and two capacitors. The standby power is reduced by backing up the data stored at the bistable nodes _Q_ and into storage nodes SN1 and SN2. The virtual _V_ DM ( _V \u2013 V_ DM) is then interrupted. For restoration, the data stored at SN1 and SN2 are returned to _Q_ and , and normal operation resumes from the state before the power gating.\n\n**Figure 5.36** (a) Circuit diagram and (b) power\u2010gating sequence of the CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [6]\n\nFigure 5.37 shows the layout of the CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM cell. The backup components (i.e., two CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs and two capacitors) are stacked on the layer containing the standard SRAM based on Si FETs.\n\n**Figure 5.37** Mask layout and layer structure of the CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [6]\n\nUsing SPICE simulations, the backup and restoration times in the power gating sequence of the CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM cell were estimated to 3.9 ns and 2.0 ns, respectively. The energies required for each period are listed below (see also Figure 5.38).\n\n * Backup period: When backing up data stored at the bistable nodes, the charge and discharge of the gate capacitances of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs and capacitors require the energy _E_ backup.\n * Power\u2010off period: The power\u2010off reduces the standby power consumption to almost zero (although, strictly speaking, the power supply is interrupted by a small leakage current flowing through the power switch). Because this leakage current can be reduced to negligibly small by an appropriate design, it was set to 0 ( _I_ off = 0) in the simulation.\n * Restoration period: The return of data from the backup section to the bistable nodes requires the _E_ restore, which includes charging the gate capacitance of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, the parasitic capacitance of the wiring, and the Joule losses by flow\u2010through current at the start of bistable\u2010node operations.\n\n**Figure 5.38** Estimation of the BET.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [6], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2014\n\nWe now replace the standard SRAM cell with the CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM cell, and examine the effect of the replacement on normal operation of the cell. The results are summarized below.\n\n * After the replacement, the standby power remains unchanged at 419 nW.\n * The static noise margin (SNM) during reading, writing, and holding operations is not degraded by the replacement (see Figure 5.39).\n * Delay time: The inversion time of the bistable nodes in the CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM cell is 17.7 ps, versus 15.2 ps in the standard SRAM cell. The delay times of word and bit lines were simulated in a CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM array and a standard SRAM array, each with 256 rows and 128 columns. The rise time of the word line was 39.4 ps and 36.9 ps in the CAAC\u2010IGZO and standard SRAM arrays, respectively. During reading operations, the time between the rise of the word line potential and the fall of the bit line potential to was 131 ps in the CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM array and 126 ps in the standard SRAM array ( _V_ BLSENSE is 0.3 V). We assumed that the variation of the differential sense amplifiers (reading circuit) was 0.3 V.\n * Dynamic energy: The dynamic energy was measured on test benches identical to those used in the delay simulation. In the CAAC\u2010IGZO and standard SRAMs, the inversion energy of the bistable node was 3.73 and 3.24 fJ, respectively, the charge and discharge energy of the word line was 79.9 and 76.6 fJ, respectively, and the discharge\u2013precharge energy of the bit line was 29.8 and 29.5 fJ, respectively.\n\n**Figure 5.39** Static noise margins of CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM and standard SRAM during read (a), write (b), and hold (c) operations. The voltages are those in node _Q_ and shown in Figure 5.36(a).\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [6], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2014\n\nAccording to these results, replacing the standard SRAM cell with a CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM cell negligibly affects the normal performance, because the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET electrically isolates the bistable nodes used in normal operation from the backup section.\n\nTable 5.8 summarizes the characteristics of the CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM cell. In these results, the VTL device was used for the Si FETs [15]. However, the energies of power gating and BET using VTG (low operating power: LOP) and VTH (low standby power: LSTP) devices are also presented. The VTL model is a transistor parameter in which the threshold voltage is set to a small value and is suitable for high\u2010speed operation. However, leakage current in the model is large. The VTH model is a transistor parameter in which the threshold voltage is set to a large value and aims at reducing leakage current. The VTG model is an intermediate model between VTL and VTH models. The threshold voltage in the model is set to a medium value, and the model is suitable for low\u2010voltage driving. In addition, it can reduce leakage current. VTL, VTG, and VTH are intended for a register file and L1 cache memory, L2 cache memory, and L3 cache memory or low\u2010speed high\u2010capacity SRAM, respectively. The VTG and VTH devices achieved backup and restoration in 3.9 ns and 2.0 ns, respectively, similar to the VTL device.\n\n**Table 5.8** Simulation results of the CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM cell.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [6], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2014\n\n****| **CAAC\u2010IGZO \nSRAM ** | **Standard \nSRAM ** \n---|---|--- \nArea | 0.5704 (+0%) | 0.5704 \nVTL (HP) | Standby power [nW\/bit] | 419 (+0%) | 419 \nStatic noise margin | No degradation | \u2014 \nInversion time of bistable nodes [ps] | 17.7 (+16.1%) | 15.2 \nDelay time of word line [ps] | 39.4 (+6.7%) | 36.9 \nDelay time of bit line [ps] | 131 (+3.9%) | 126 \nInversion energy of bistable nodes [fJ\/bit] | 3.73 (+15.2%) | 3.24 \nDelay energy for word line [fJ] | 79.9 (+4.3%) | 76.6 \nDelay energy for bit line [fJ] | 29.8 (+1.1%) | 29.5 \nBackup time [ns] | 3.9 | \u2014 \nRestoration time [ns] | 2.0 | \u2014 \nPG energy [fJ\/bit] | 9.09 | \u2014 \nBET [ns] | 21.7 | \u2014 \nVTG (LOP) | Standby power [nW\/bit] | 45.7 (+0%) | 45.7 \nPG energy [fJ\/bit] | 7.09 | \u2014 \nBET [ns] | 155 | \u2014 \nVTH (LSTP) | Standby power [nW\/bit] | 0.589 (+0%) | 0.589 \nPG energy [fJ\/bit] | 6.89 | \u2014 \nBET [ns] | 11700 | \u2014\n\nWe now present a fabrication example of a CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM.\n\nAn optical micrograph of a 32\u2010kbit SRAM die is shown in Figure 5.40. The die contains miniaturized CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs with a channel length of 60 nm. The characteristics are listed in Table 5.9.\n\n**Figure 5.40** Optical micrograph of a 32\u2010kbit CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM die\n\n**Table 5.9** Characteristics of the 32\u2010kbit CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [16]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\nTechnology | Si: 180 nm | IGZO: 60 nm \n---|---|--- \nConfiguration | 32 kbit ( ) \nFrequency | 85 MHz \nVoltage | Si: 1.8 V\/0 V | IGZO: 2.5\/\u22121 V \nPower saving technologies | Bit-line floating \nSRAM cell with backup circuit \nPower switch\n\nThe standby power is reduced by bit\u2010line floating and power gating. The memory cell array consists of four subarrays, each with 128 word lines and 64 bit lines. The peripheral circuits consist of a backup and restoration driver, power switches, and general driver circuits.\n\nThe circuit configuration of the backup and restoration driver is illustrated in Figure 5.41. To improve the data\u2010retention characteristics, the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET was assigned a high threshold voltage. Because _V_ DH (2.5 V) at the gate (OSG) of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET exceeds _V_ DD (1.8 V), the backup and restoration driver is installed with level shifters. Furthermore, to prevent unstable states of the OSG line when the backup and restoration driver is powered off, an isolator is inserted.\n\n**Figure 5.41** Circuit diagram of the backup and restoration driver\n\nThere are three power domains: the memory cell array (1.8\/0 V), the peripheral circuit (1.8\/0 V), and the backup and restoration driver (2.5\/\u22121 V). Each of these domains is provided with a power switch (see Figure 5.42). The OSG lines are controlled by a PG signal, and the power switches are controlled by a PS_PERI signal and a PS_MEM signal. The die implements four low\u2010power standby modes: (1) bit\u2010line floating, (2) power gating in the peripheral circuits only (peripheral PG), (3) power gating in the memory array only (array PG), and (4) power gating in all domains (all\u2010domain PG).\n\n**Figure 5.42** Block diagram of 32\u2010kbit CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [16]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\nFigure 5.43 shows a Shmoo plot of the measured data backup and restoration times, defined as the periods of high OSG. When _V_ DH is 2.5 V, the backup time is 45 ns and the restoration time is 20 ns. Note that to obtain the restoration time of the die, we must add the time for charging the power line to the restoration time. Figure 5.44 shows the oscilloscope waveforms in the power gating. Normal power\u2010gating operation is observed.\n\n**Figure 5.43** Data backup\/restoration time\n\n**Figure 5.44** Waveforms measured in power gating.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [16]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\nFigure 5.45 presents the standby power in each standby mode implemented in the CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM die. Bit\u2010line floating, peripheral PG, array PG, and all\u2010domain PG reduced the standby power by 3.9%, 0.1%, 95%, and 99.9%, respectively.\n\n**Figure 5.45** Reduction of standby power in 32\u2010kbit CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM without power gating (w\/o PG) and with bit-line floating, power gating in the peripheral circuits (peri. PG), power gating in the memory array (array PG), and power gating in some or all domains.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [16]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\nDuring its execution, power gating demands extra power for controlling the power switches, charging the power line, and backing up or restoring the data in the memory cell array. Therefore, if the power\u2010off time is short, power gating may increase the total power consumption.\n\nFigure 5.46 plots the power savings under bit\u2010line floating and the power gating as a function of idle time. The savings are normalized by the standby power in the normal state. At idle times of 700 \u00b5s or shorter, the power gating increases the total power consumption. As shown in Figure 5.46, the bit\u2010line floating, array\u2010PG, and all\u2010domain PG modes reduced the total power at idle times between 700 and 1.55 ms, between 1.55 and 59.3 ms, and longer than 59.3 ms, respectively.\n\n**Figure 5.46** Dependence of total power savings on idle time.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [16]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\nBit\u2010line\u2010floating and power\u2010gating modes are implementable on the fabricated SRAM die. Among these low\u2010standby\u2010power modes, we should optimize the total power consumption. When the memory operates at predetermined time intervals (e.g., when data are sampled), selecting an appropriate mode will lower the power consumption. However, in applications such as network traffic, the wait times are random or unpredictable, and the appropriate mode is hard to determine in advance. Instead, a state machine might be applied (see Figure 5.47). In a state machine, there is not necessarily any system clock, and the state depends on the input combined with the previous state (i.e., the entire history of the machine is summarized in the current state). When there is no input, the machine is in complete idle and power could be zero if an NVM is employed.\n\n**Figure 5.47** State transitions in multiple PG\n\nMore specifically, a state machine can have multiple power gatings where the domains performing the power gating are gradually increased whenever the idle time exceeds a predetermined value. The effect of multiple\u2010PG was examined by measuring the power with a simple FPGA\u2010based system. The test system chiefly comprised the 32\u2010kbit CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM, an ARM\u00ae Cortex\u00ae M0 CPU core, and a power management unit (Figure 5.48). The applied power\u2010gating modes were determined by the length of the SLEEP signal. The active state was then restored by an external interrupt signal. The time to interrupt was assumed to obey a Gamma distribution _\u0393_ ( _\u03b1_ , _\u03bb_ ), which effectively describes Internet traffic behavior (i.e., a Poisson process):\n\n(5.1)\n\n**Figure 5.48** Block diagram of system for measuring the power consumption in SRAM\n\nIn the experiments, the wait times were distributed between 0.1 and 0.25 ms by Equation (5.1), where _x_ represents the wait time. The power consumption of the memory was then measured from the calculation results.\n\nFigure 5.49 shows the total power consumption for various values of ( _\u03b1_ , _\u03bb_ ). In all\u2010domain PG mode, the power consumption was increased by 11% at _\u03b1_ and _\u03bb_ of 1 and 0.1 m, respectively. Multiple PG reduced the total power for all _\u03b1_ and _\u03bb_ , achieving a 79% reduction at _\u03b1_ and _\u03bb_ of 10 and 5 m, respectively.\n\n**Figure 5.49** Total power consumption of 32\u2010kbit SRAM in various low\u2010standby power modes (the wait time obeys a Gamma distribution)\n\nThe structures and performances of various power\u2010gating technologies are summarized in Table 5.10. The prototype CAAC\u2010IGZO SRAM [16] shows superior frequency characteristics in normal operation and dramatically reduced backup and restoration energies. These advantages are obtained by adding the fast\u2010operating backup circuit to SRAM, and employing CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs to realize a low\u2010energy, fast\u2010writing memory operation. The power leakage in the Si die is relatively low when adopting the 180\u2010mm Si technology. As the leakage current of Si FETs increases with scale\u2010down, the power\u2010gating technique becomes even more effective. The CAAC\u2010IGZO\u2010based SRAM also offers promising solutions for high\u2010frequency applications which require SRAM. Although the present prototype was fabricated with 180\u2010nm Si technology, the circuit could be scaled down to realize higher\u2010frequency operation.\n\n**Table 5.10** Comparison of various power\u2010gating technologies.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [16]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n| **Uesugi [16]** | **Ishizu [6]** | **Sakimura [11]** | **Bartling [10]** \n---|---|---|---|--- \nType | CAAC\u2010IGZO | CAAC\u2010IGZO | MTJ | FeCap \nTechnology | Si: 180 nm \nIGZO: 60 nm | Si: 350 nm \nIGZO: 180 nm | 90 nm | 130 nm \nFrequency | 85 MHz | 15 MHz | 20 MHz | 8 MHz \nVoltage | Si: 1.8 V \nIGZO: 2.5\/\u22121 V | Si: 2.5 V \nIGZO: 2.5\/\u22121 V | 1.0 V | 1.5 V \nBackup time | 45 ns | 80 ns | 4 ns (2) | 320 ns \nRestoration time | 160 ns (1) | 400 ns (1) | 5 ns (2) | 384 ns (1) \nBackup energy | 144 fJ\/bit | N\/A | 6 pJ\/bit | 2.2 pJ\/bit \nRestoration energy | 97 fJ\/bit | N\/A | 0.3 pJ\/bit | 0.66 pJ\/bit\n\n1. Includes charging time of the power supply line.\n\n2. Writing and reading times of MRAM cell.\n\n## References\n\n 1. [1] Ando, K. (2002) \"Nonvolatile magnetic memory,\" FED Review, 1 [in Japanese].\n 2. [2] Ohmaru, T., Yoneda, S., Nishijima, T., Endo, M., Dembo, H., Fujita, M., _et al._ (2012) \"Eight\u2010bit CPU with nonvolatile registers capable of holding data for 40 days at 85\u00b0C using crystalline In\u2013Ga\u2013Zn oxide thin film transistors,\" Ext. Abstr. Solid State Dev. Mater., 1144. \n 3. [3] Sj\u00f6kvist, N., Ohmaru, T., Furutani, K., Isobe, A., Tsutsui, N., Tamura, H., _et al._ (2013) \"Zero area overhead state retention flip flop utilizing crystalline In\u2013Ga\u2013Zn oxide thin film transistor with simple power control implemented in a 32\u2010bit CPU,\" Ext. Abstr. Solid State Dev. Mater., 1088. \n 4. [4] Sj\u00f6kvist, N., Ohmaru, T., Isobe, A., Tsutsui, N., Tamura, H., Uesugi, W., _et al._ (2014) \"State retention flip flop architectures with different tradeoffs using crystalline indium gallium zinc oxide transistors implemented in a 32\u2010bit normally\u2010off microprocessor,\" Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 53, 04EE10. \n 5. [5] Tamura, H., Kato, K., Ishizu, T., Uesugi, W., Isobe, A., Tsutsui, N., _et al._ (2014) \"Embedded SRAM and Cortex\u2010M0 core using a 60\u2010nm crystalline oxide semiconductor,\" IEEE Micro, 34, 42. \n 6. [6] Ishizu, T., Kato, K., Onuki, T., Matsuzaki, T., Tamura, H., Ohmaru, T., _et al._ (2014) \"SRAM with _c_ \u2010axis aligned crystalline oxide semiconductor: Power leakage reduction technique for microprocessor caches,\" Proc. IEEE Int. Memory Workshop, 103. \n 7. [7] Yoda, H., Fujita, S., Shimomura, N., Kitagawa, E., Abe, K., Nomura, K., _et al._ (2012) \"Progress of STT\u2010MRAM technology and the effect on normally\u2010off computing systems,\" IEEE IEDM Tech. Dig., 259. \n 8. [8] Isobe, A., Tamura, H., Kato, K., Ohmaru, T., Uesugi, W., Ishizu, T., _et al._ (2014) \"A 32\u2010bit CPU with zero standby power and 1.5\u2010clock sleep\/2.5\u2010clock wake\u2010up achieved by utilizing a 180\u2010nm _c_ \u2010axis aligned crystalline In\u2013Ga\u2013Zn oxide transistor,\" IEEE Symp. VLSI Circuits Dig. Tech. Pap., 49. \n 9. [9] Kobayashi, H., Kato, K., Ohmaru, T., Yoneda, S., Nishijima, T., Maeda, S., _et al._ (2013) \"Processor with 4.9\u2010\u00b5s break\u2010even time in power gating using crystalline In\u2013Ga\u2013Zn\u2010oxide transistor,\" _IEEE COOL Chips XVI_ , Session VI. \n 10. [10] Bartling, S. C., Khanna, S., Clinton, M. P., Summerfelt, S. R., Rodriguez, J. A., and McAdams, H. P. (2013) \"An 8 MHz 75 \u03bcA\/MHz zero\u2010leakage non\u2010volatile logic\u2010based Cortex\u2010M0 MCU SoC exhibiting 100% digital state retention at _V_ DD = 0 V with < 400 ns wakeup and sleep transitions,\" IEEE Int. Solid\u2010State Circuits Conf. Dig. Tech. Pap., 432. \n 11. [11] Sakimura, N., Tsuji, Y., Nebashi, R., Honjo, H., Morioka, A., Ishihara, K., _et al._ (2014) \"A 90 nm 20 MHz fully nonvolatile microcontroller for standby\u2010power\u2010critical applications,\" IEEE Int. Solid\u2010State Circuits Conf. Dig. Tech. Pap., 184. \n 12. [12] Yu, W.\u2010k., Rajwade, S., Wang, S.\u2010E., Lian, B., Suh, G. E., and Kan, E. (2011) \"A non\u2010volatile microcontroller with integrated floating\u2010gate transistors,\" Proc. IEEE DSNW, 75. \n 13. [13] Shuto, Y., Yamamoto, S., and Sugahara, S. (2012) \"Static noise margin and power\u2010gating efficiency of a new nonvolatile SRAM cell based on pseudo\u2010spin\u2010transistor architecture,\" Proc. IEEE Int. Memory Workshop, 233. \n 14. [14] Masui, S., Yokozeki, W., Oura, M., Ninomiya, T., Mukaida, K., Takayama, Y., _et al._ (2003) \"Design and applications of ferroelectric nonvolatile SRAM and flip\u2010flop with unlimited read\/program cycles and stable recall,\" Proc. IEEE CICC, 403. \n 15. 15] North Carolina State University (2016) \"NCSU Electronic Design Automation (EDA) Wiki, FreePDK45: Contents.\" Available at: [www.eda.ncsu.edu\/wiki\/FreePDK45:Contents [accessed February 16, 2016].\n 16. [16] Uesugi, W., Ishizu, T., Kato, K., Onuki, T., Tamura, H., Isobe, A., _et al._ (2015) \"A 32\u2010kb embedded SRAM using 60\u2010nm crystalline oxide semiconductor transistors and power gating with 45\u2010ns 144\u2010fJ\/bit data backup,\" Ext. Abstr. Solid State Dev. Mater., 1146.\n\n# 6 \nFPGA\n\n## 6.1 Introduction\n\nThis chapter focuses on a programmable device, namely a field\u2010programmable gate array (FPGA) that includes _c_ \u2010axis\u2010aligned crystalline indium\u2013gallium\u2013zinc oxide (CAAC\u2010IGZO) field\u2010effect transistors (FETs) as non\u2010volatile devices. Non\u2010volatile oxide semiconductor random access memory (NOSRAM) and dynamic oxide semiconductor random access memory (DOSRAM), described in Chapters 3 and , respectively, can be used instead of a static random access memory (SRAM) or a flash memory of currently available programmable devices. Not only used as memory, they can also serve as programmable elements in programmable devices, as a substitute for an SRAM or flash memory element. NOSRAM and DOSRAM require much less power and footprint than SRAM to retain charges, and can rewrite data more times with much less power than a flash memory. These characteristics enable the formation of a programmable device with a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in a programmable element (henceforth CAAC\u2010IGZO programmable device). The CAAC\u2010IGZO programmable device has several attractive features.\n\nSection 6.2 introduces an FPGA with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs in programmable elements (CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA) [1\u20133]. Compared with a common FPGA having a volatile SRAM as a programmable element (SRAM FPGA), a CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA requires much lower power to retain data and fewer components (e.g., transistors and capacitors) to form the programmable element. Thus, lower power consumption and improved area efficiency can be achieved. While the SRAM FPGA inevitably requires reconfiguration following the return of the source voltage supply, the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA does not, thereby allowing high\u2010speed startup. Although high\u2010speed startup is also available in a programmable device (programmable logic device, PLD) using flash memory, the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA has a unique characteristic that the PLD lacks: it can improve the operational frequency with a high\u2010speed programmable routing switch (PRS) utilizing a boosting effect.\n\nSection 6.3 describes normally\u2010off computing with less power consumption, by effectively utilizing the CAAC\u2010IGZO technology in FPGAs. A CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA with a fine\u2010granularity, multicontext structure adopts power gating in synchronization with context switching and _in situ_ register backup in a normally\u2010off processor introduced in Chapter 5, which results in further\u2010low\u2010power normally\u2010off computing [4\u20136]. Even with context switching that changes the processing content, such an FPGA can resume processing from the previous end state by reloading the data registered as backup. Such normally\u2010off computing makes the programmable logic element (PLE) sufficient for the processing content to be active, thereby realizing processing with high power efficiency.\n\nIn Section 6.4, a method for achieving extremely low\u2010voltage driving (so\u2010called subthreshold driving) is introduced as a way to further reduce the power consumption of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA [7]. In a programmable element comprising a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, the retainable potential of program data does not depend on the driving voltage; therefore, a voltage higher than the driving voltage can be retained. This feature facilitates overdriving a PRS. In addition, the use of a boosting effect in a programmable power switch (PPS) for power gating enables the PPS to be overdriven without the generation of negative source voltage. These factors enable a CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA with subthreshold driving, which is expected to be used in sensor networks utilizing power harvesting.\n\nThe field of FPGA applications has widened in recent years. For example, a computing system combining the high versatility of a central processing unit (CPU) with the quick response and highly parallel processing performance of an FPGA is becoming popular. With this background, Section 6.5 discusses the possibility of a computing system combining a CPU and a CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA. While the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA applications are not limited to those described here, this chapter will show the high potential of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA.\n\n## 6.2 CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA\n\n### _6.2.1 Overview_\n\nAn FPGA [8\u201311] is a device with which the user can change the circuit configuration by changing the program data (configuration data) stored in programmable elements (configuration memory). The basic configuration of an FPGA is shown in Figure 6.1(a). Programmable regions in an FPGA are mainly composed of PLEs and PRSs. Each PLE and PRS has a configuration memory. In response to the configuration data stored in these memories, the circuit configuration can be changed.\n\n**Figure 6.1** Schematic structures of (a) FPGA, (b) PLE, and (c) PRS. CM denotes a configuration memory\n\nEach PLE has a look\u2010up table (LUT), as shown in Figure 6.1(b). In response to the configuration data stored in the configuration memory (CM) of the LUT, the logic of the PLE can be determined. As an example, Figure 6.1(b) shows the configuration of NAND with two inputs. The configuration memories retain the values for the truth table of the NAND function. As shown in Figure 6.1(c), the PRS controls conduction or non\u2010conduction between the PLEs in response to configuration data determining the PRS conduction state stored in the configuration memory. Here, the signal propagates from right to left. A user can freely fabricate a logic circuit by changing the configuration data in the memories of the PLEs and PRSs.\n\nThis section introduces a CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA, an FPGA with a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET as the configuration memory replacing the SRAM element used in conventional FPGAs. The CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA has the following characteristics: (1) a configuration memory with a small number of transistors, which is advantageous for area reduction; (2) non\u2010necessity of reconfiguration during power gating because of the non\u2010volatile configuration memory, leading to instant restart; and (3) high\u2010speed switching by a boosting effect in a PRS. The first two characteristics are derived from the characteristics of the non\u2010volatile memory with a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET described in previous chapters. These two characteristics can also be obtained by using other non\u2010volatile memory elements \u2013 such as flash memory, magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM) [12, 13], ferroelectric memory [14], solid\u2010electrolyte switch [15], resistive random access memory (ReRAM) [16], and complementary atom switch [17] elements \u2013 for a configuration memory; however, configuration memories with such non\u2010volatile memories do not contribute to the improvement of FPGA operational speed. In contrast, the third characteristic improves the operational speed of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA [3]. The PRS and PLE are described below in detail.\n\n### _6.2.2 PRS_\n\n#### 6.2.2.1 Basic Configuration\n\nUser\u2010programmable regions in an FPGA are composed of PLEs, routing fabric (e.g., routing wires and PRSs connecting PLEs), etc. It is recognized that the routing fabric accounts for 50% of the layout area of the user\u2010programmable regions and 60% of delay in critical paths [18]. If the routing fabric, especially PRSs, were to be reduced in an area and improved in response speed, the whole FPGA could be greatly improved in performance.\n\nPRSs widely employ structures in which a signal is applied to a gate of a pass gate (transistor MG) to control conduction and non\u2010conduction between input IN and output OUT (Figure 6.2) [18]. In a PRS where an SRAM element used as configuration memory is connected to the gate of a transistor MG (SRAM pass gate), the high or low of the signals supplied to the gate of the transistor MG is determined by the configuration data stored in the SRAM element. In the pass gate, when the high signal is supplied to the input IN, the voltage of the output OUT decreases from that of IN by the threshold voltage _V_ th of the transistor MG. This is a so\u2010called _V_ th drop [18], which is problematic, particularly in extensive cascading.\n\n**Figure 6.2** Circuit configuration of the pass gate.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [3]\n\n#### 6.2.2.2 Improved Configuration\n\nThere are several known methods to avoid the _V_ th drop: using a low\u2010threshold\u2010voltage Si FET process; using a keeper latch at OUT; using overdriving [18], that is, supplying signals that drive at a higher voltage (overdrive voltage) than the core source voltage to the gate of the pass\u2010gate transistor MG, as shown in Figure 6.3; and boosting the gate voltage of the transistor MG in a boosting pass gate [19\u201321] by using the boosting effect shown in Figure 6.4.\n\n**Figure 6.3** Circuit configuration of a pass gate with overdriving.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [3]\n\n**Figure 6.4** Circuit configuration and timing diagram of conventional boosting pass gate.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [3]\n\nOverdriving avoids the _V_ th drop and increases the on\u2010state current of the transistor MG, resulting in improvement of the operational speed compared with a normal pass gate. The circuit configuration of a normal pass gate can be used for overdriving; thus, overdriving can easily be employed, although it requires additional supply voltages. In addition, when the transistor MG is on and a low signal is supplied to IN, the constant high\u2010voltage supply to the gate of the transistor MG affects the reliability of the gate\u2010insulating film [19]. The SRAM element for holding the configuration data in an SRAM pass gate also has to be driven at high voltage, which leads to increased power consumption.\n\nIn the conventional boosting pass gate in Figure 6.4, a source voltage is supplied to the gate of a transistor MW and the gate potential of the transistor MG is controlled by a signal supplied to the source of MW. When a PRS with an SRAM element as a configuration memory is connected to the MW source (SRAM boosting pass gate), the high or low of a signal supplied to the MG gate is determined by the configuration data stored in the SRAM element. Supplying a high signal to the MW source sets node SN to a potential corresponding to the high signal, turning on the transistor MG and turning off the transistor MW. That is, the gate of the transistor MG (node SN) is in a weakly floating state. When the signal to IN rises (i.e., at time T0 in Figure 6.4), the gate potential of the transistor MG (the potential of the node SN) is boosted to improve the drive capability; thus, the signal transmission speed to OUT is high.\n\nThe effect of boosting the potential of the transistor MG gate (node SN) is called a boosting effect. However, the off\u2010state current of the transistor MW acts as a leakage current from the node SN, and the boosted potential of SN drops to the former potential in a maximum of several seconds. Thus, at time T1, the transistor MG has low drive capability. Even worse, the signal supplied to IN falls at this time, whereby the MG gate potential is further decreased by negative boosting and the drive capability becomes very low. Therefore, it is difficult to use the boosting pass gate in a possible critical path. One report [19] indicates that large limitations are imposed on the use of the boosting pass gate when flexibility in changing circuit configuration (as in FPGA) is required.\n\n#### 6.2.2.3 CAAC\u2010IGZO PRS\n\nThe problems with the conventional pass gates are derived from the effects of the incomplete insulation property of the node SN. If SN is in a _complete_ floating state, the boosted gate potential can be maintained and the drive capability of the transistor MG can be retained, even when the signal to IN falls in potential. In order to obtain such a complete floating state, the structure shown in Figure 6.5 is proposed, in which the transistor MW in the boosting pass gate uses a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET (CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate) 10]. The CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate can be regarded as a memory cell with the same structure as that of the NOSRAM memory element in [Chapter 3 or the sensor pixel of the CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor in Chapter 7. In other words, it can be treated as a PRS where a configuration memory storing configuration data is combined with a pass gate. The CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate is characterized by a smaller number of transistors to constitute a PRS than the SRAM pass gate or SRAM boosting pass gate.\n\n**Figure 6.5** Circuit configuration and timing diagram of the CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [3]\n\nThe configuration data in the CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate are written in the following manner: a positive logic signal is supplied to a signal line, WL, to turn on the transistor MW, and configuration data are supplied to the source of MW, so as to be stored in the node SN (at time T0 in Figure 6.5). After writing, the transistor MW is turned off (at time T1). Writing configuration data in the configuration memory of the CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate is controlled in the same way as writing control of the configuration memory of the SRAM pass gate (SRAM element). The CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate does not require a high\u2010voltage signal, unlike flash memory, and can have a similar structure to that of the SRAM pass gate for control circuits such as decoders.\n\nThe CAAC\u2010IGZO FET has an extremely low off\u2010state current, as described in previous chapters. In the CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate, the off state of the transistor MW therefore makes the node SN into an _almost completely_ floating state. Of course, like the conventional boosting pass gate, the driving capability of the transistor MG is heightened when the signal to IN rises (at time T2). In addition, even when the signal to IN falls in potential, the drive capability can be maintained because the node SN potential remains boosted (at time T3).\n\nTo achieve an almost completely floating state of node SN, the following conditions should be satisfied: a very low off\u2010state current of the transistor MW, a very low gate\u2010leakage current from the transistor MG, and very high translation properties of the interlayer films. When these conditions are satisfied sufficiently well, a _complete_ floating state can be obtained. Refreshing (i.e., rewriting) the configuration data at a very low frequency effectively compensates for any deficiency in the floating state. As described in Subsection 6.2.4.2, the pass gate does not require refreshing for at least 8 days, meaning that the power consumption for refreshing is practically negligible. To improve the retention characteristics of node SN, the addition of a storage capacitor to SN is also effective; however, too much storage capacitance makes it difficult to obtain the boosting effect and lowers the response speed of the PRS. Thus, the tradeoff between the charge\u2010retention period of node SN and the response speed should be considered.\n\n### _6.2.3 PLE_\n\n#### 6.2.3.1 Block Configuration\n\nThe PLE in the SRAM FPGA includes, for example, a four\u2010input LUT and register, as shown in Figure 6.6(a), and functions as carry logic or scan logic for grouping adjacent PLEs to make a carry chain or register chain [22]. The CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA can have a similar PLE.\n\n**Figure 6.6** (a) Block diagram of the PLE composed of an LUT, carry logic, scan logic, and a register; (b) configuration memory in the PLE; and (c) non\u2010volatile register. The \"register\" in (a) is a non\u2010volatile register in the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA. The configuration memory is denoted by CM.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [6]\n\n#### 6.2.3.2 Configuration Memory\n\nThe circuit configuration shown in Figure 6.6(b) can be used for the configuration memory in the PLE of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA. The circuit configuration of the PLE can be set by storing complementary data corresponding to the configuration data in the configuration memory (nodes FD and FDb hold data corresponding to the configuration data and inverse of the configuration data, respectively).\n\n#### 6.2.3.3 Non\u2010volatile Register\n\nA register with a non\u2010volatile memory composed of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs (non\u2010volatile register) shown in Figure 6.6(c) enables the non\u2010volatile operation described below. The non\u2010volatile register contains a volatile register of Si FETs and a non\u2010volatile memory of CAAC\u2010IGZO and Si FETs (non\u2010volatile shadow register). In normal operation, the non\u2010volatile register can operate like a common one by utilizing the volatile register. When control signals _\u03d5_ S and _\u03d5_ L to the shadow register are set to be active asynchronously with clock signals, the data of the volatile register can be stored in\/loaded from the non\u2010volatile shadow register. After storing the data, the power can be shut off without risk of data loss. By loading the data after power return, the process immediately before the store operation can be resumed. In contrast, when an SRAM is used for the shadow register, the power to the shadow register cannot be shut off, and thus the above resuming operation cannot be executed.\n\n### _6.2.4 Prototype_\n\n#### 6.2.4.1 Entire Configuration\n\nA prototype CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA with the above\u2010introduced structure has been fabricated with a hybrid of the processes used for the 1.0\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO and 0.5\u2010\u00b5m Si FETs [3]. The details of the fabricated CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA are described below.\n\nIn the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA, the CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate from Subsection 6.2.2 is used as a PRS, the configuration memory with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs in Subsection 6.2.3 is used as the configuration memories in a PLE and a user I\/O, and the non\u2010volatile register with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs is used as a register in the PLE. Such a structure offers non\u2010volatility of the FPGA operations.\n\nThe schematic structure of the fabricated FPGA is described with reference to Table 6.1 and Figure 6.7. The FPGA comprises a logic array block, user I\/Os, a word driver, a bit driver, and a configuration controller. The logic array block comprises 20 PLEs in two columns (10 PLEs per column) and routing fabrics with PRSs that connect PLEs to one another or a PLE to a user I\/O.\n\n**Table 6.1** Specifications of CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA\n\nProcess | 1.0\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO\/0.5\u2010\u00b5m Si \n---|--- \nDie size | 5.5 mm \u00d7 4.5 mm \nNumber of PLE | 20 \nNumber of IO | 20 \nLUT inputs | 4 \nTotal bit number in CM | 1760 bits \nTotal bit number in PRS | 5760 bits \nPLE size | 390 \u00b5m \u00d7 717 \u00b5m \nCM size | 45 \u00b5m \u00d7 12 \u00b5m \nPRS size | 45 \u00b5m \u00d7 5 \u00b5m \nStructure of CM | 2 CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, 4 Si FETs, \n2 capacitors (4 fF) \nPRS structure | 1 CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, 2 Si FETs, \n1 capacitor (4 fF) \nSupply voltage | 3.3 V\n\n**Figure 6.7** Entire block diagram of prototype FPGA. PRSs denote groups of PRSs selecting output from PLE to user I\/O, from user I\/O to PLE, and from PLE to PLE.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [3], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\nThe configuration of the PLE can be set by configuration data stored in the configuration memory with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs in the PLE [circuit configuration as in Figure 6.6(b); 64 bits in each PLE].\n\nThe PRS has a CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate consisting of a configuration memory with a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET integrated with a pass gate. The routing fabric has a multiplexer circuit configuration with a CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate (see Figure 6.8). A PRS exists between two PLEs or between a PLE and a user I\/O. The routing fabrics include 5760 CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gates (i.e., there is a 5760\u2010bit configuration memory). In the CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate, the gate capacitance of the transistor MG is 15 fF and the storage capacitance with parasitic capacitance is 4 fF; that is, the combined capacitance in the node SN is 19 fF. The CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA has a 7520\u2010bit configuration memory in total.\n\n**Figure 6.8** Circuit diagram of routing fabric in the prototype FPGA, where a CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate is used for PRS.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [3]\n\nThere are 10 user I\/Os in each of the left and right columns (i.e., 20 in total). Each user I\/O can select input\/output (logic output\/open drain output). The configuration of the user I\/O can be set by configuration data stored in the configuration memory with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs in the user I\/O [where the circuit is configured as in Figure 6.6(b) and there are 8 bits in each user I\/O].\n\nThe word and bit drivers control the writing processing of configuration data in the configuration memories. The word driver controls the gate potential of the transistor MW in the CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate. The bit driver supplies configuration data to the transistor MW source. The configuration controller controls the configuration and generates system clocks. The source voltage at each block is _V_ DD and ground; the word driver further includes the source voltages of _V_ DDH and _V_ SSH. The word driver has a level shifter for converting signals of _V_ DD and ground into those of _V_ DDH and _V_ SSH, and generates a signal to be applied to the gate of the CAAC\u2010IGZO transistor MW in the CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate. To lower the off\u2010state current of the transistor MW, ground is set to be equal to or larger than _V_ SSH, so as to apply negative bias to the gate.\n\nFor comparison, an FPGA with an SRAM element as a configuration memory (SRAM FPGA) is also fabricated entirely in Si and with the same process node (0.5 \u00b5m). The circuit block configurations other than the configuration memory are the same as those of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA.\n\n#### 6.2.4.2 Measurement\n\n##### _Basic Operation_\n\nThe basic functions of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA operate correctly under operational testing; specifically, the configuration as an up\/down counter or shift circuit with all PLEs works as intended. Figure 6.9(a) and (b) shows the operational waveforms of the up\/down counter configuration and those of the shift circuit configuration, respectively. They are the waveforms under , , and a frequency of 1 MHz.\n\n**Figure 6.9** Operational waveforms at 1 MHz of (a) up\/down counter and (b) shift circuit. Each circuit is configured by a CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA. , .\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [3], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n##### _Area Efficiency_\n\nOne major feature of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA is its small\u2010area programmable elements. Figure 6.10(a) and (c) shows micrographs of the fabricated CAAC\u2010IGZO and SRAM FPGAs, respectively [3]. Figure 6.10(b) and (d) shows enlarged micrographs of the PRSs of the CAAC\u2010IGZO and SRAM FPGAs, respectively. In the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA, the layout areas of the PRS, routing fabric, PLE, and core are 61%, 54%, 6%, and 22% smaller than those of the SRAM FPGA, respectively. The CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate can be composed of a smaller number of transistors than that of the SRAM pass gate, as explained in Section 6.2, which contributes to the reduction in routing fabric layout area. In addition, the reduction in the placement area of power lines contributes to the reduction in the layout areas of the routing fabric and PLE.\n\n**Figure 6.10** CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA micrographs of (a) core and (b) PRS, and SRAM FPGA micrographs of (c) core and (d) PRS.\n\nThe configuration memories with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs in PRSs and PLEs offer the benefit of layout area reduction.\n\n##### _Non\u2010volatility_\n\nTo confirm that the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA can perform non\u2010volatile operations, its operation with and without a source voltage is examined. The data for a volatile register are stored in a shadow register before stopping the source voltage supply, and the stored data are loaded from the shadow register after resupplying the source voltage. The configuration is again an up\/down counter. Here, , , and the frequency is 20 kHz.\n\nThe waveforms of Figure 6.11 show that the output value after power return is continuous with that before power shut\u2010off. In addition, the operation resumes after the power return without reconfiguration. Thus, non\u2010volatile operation is available, which is the second major feature of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA. Reconfiguration immediately after source voltage supply is unnecessary, which allows instant startup.\n\n**Figure 6.11** Demonstration of performing the power ( _V_ DD) on\/off for the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA in an up\/down counter configuration. A store\/load signal controls the register data store in\/load from the non\u2010volatile block in the non\u2010volatile register, and D[4:0] corresponds to outputs of the up\/down counter. The OUT is the output of an A\/D converter whose inputs are D[4:0].\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [2], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2013\n\n##### _Operational Speed_\n\nTo confirm the acceleration of the PRS in the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA, the relationship between the source voltage and the maximum operational frequency is examined with the CAAC\u2010IGZO and SRAM FPGAs. The results are shown in Figure 6.12. The configuration is set to the counter circuit, and the measurement is performed under conditions of and .\n\n**Figure 6.12** Relationship between the source voltage and the highest operational frequency in counter circuits of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA (solid line) and SRAM FPGA (dotted line). and .\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [3], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\nAs shown in Figure 6.12, the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA is superior to the SRAM FPGA in terms of its operational frequency. For example, at _V_ DD of 2.0, 2.5, and 3.0 V, the operational frequency of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA is, respectively, 2.7 times, 1.6 times, and 1.4 times higher than that of the SRAM FPGA. This is because the PRS is composed of the above\u2010described CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate and the switching speed is improved by the boosting effect. This is the third major feature of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA.\n\n##### _Retention Characteristics_\n\nTo discuss the non\u2010volatile operations of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA, the data\u2010retention characteristics in the CAAC\u2010IGZO configuration memory are examined. Here, in addition to continuous configuration preservation, high\u2010speed operation should be maintained. Figure 6.13 shows a long\u2010term operational test with the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA. In the test, 13 PLEs, each with an inverter structure, are cascaded to create the configuration of a ring oscillator. The oscillation frequency in the ring oscillator is monitored. Here, and . According to Figure 6.13, the decrease in the oscillation frequency after 8 days is less than 3%. The operational frequency of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA is 1.6 times higher than that of the SRAM FPGA at in Figure 6.12. In light of these results, an oscillation frequency higher than that of the SRAM FPGA can be maintained for at least 8 days. In other words, the boosting effect can be maintained in the CAAC\u2010IGZO boosting pass gate for at least 8 days while holding the configuration data in memory.\n\n**Figure 6.13** Change in oscillation frequency in the long\u2010term operation test. The CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA has the configuration of a 13\u2010stage ring oscillator circuit with 13 PLEs. and .\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [3], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n## 6.3 Multicontext FPGA Realizing Fine\u2010Grained Power Gating\n\n### _6.3.1 Overview_\n\nThe CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA brings greater advantages when it has a fine\u2010grained structure with a relatively large number of PRSs and a multicontext structure capable of fine\u2010grained power gating in synchronization with context switching. Such a structure enables fine\u2010grained power control, by which power is supplied only to PLEs contributing to effective operation. In addition, normally\u2010off computing can be achieved by loading (storing) registered data from (into) the non\u2010volatile register of a PLE in synchronization with context switching [5, 6].\n\n### _6.3.2 Normally\u2010Off Computing_\n\n#### 6.3.2.1 Fine\u2010Grained Multicontext Method\n\nDynamic reconfiguration is a technique whereby the circuit configuration of an FPGA can be switched during system operation. This technique is advantageous because a large\u2010scale system can be composed of a small number of hardware resources. One of the dynamic reconfiguration techniques is a multicontext method. In this method, an FPGA holds multiple sets of configuration data corresponding to multiple circuit configurations, and switches these sets to select the objective circuit configuration dynamically [23]. Figure 6.14 illustrates the conceptual diagram of a multicontext\u2010type dynamic reconfiguration FPGA.\n\n**Figure 6.14** Conceptual diagram of dynamic reconfiguration FPGA\n\nIn the multicontext method, switching among internal configuration memory sets [see Figure 6.15(a)] allows short\u2010term reconfiguration. There is no need to read any dataset from an external memory to store the data in an internal configuration memory; thus, the method is excellent in terms of responsiveness and power consumption. However, multiple configuration memory sets are required for storing multiple configuration datasets. In particular, the relative increase in PRS area, which accounts for a large part of the configuration memory, becomes noticeable. Accordingly, the multicontext method is said to be suitable only for a coarse\u2010grained FPGA, which has a relatively small number of PRSs. In other words, it is appropriate for the coarse\u2010grained FPGA with relatively large\u2010scale PLEs.\n\n**Figure 6.15** (a) Conceptual diagram of the multicontext method; (b) fine\u2010grained power gating\n\nPower gating, which reduces power consumption by shutting off the power supply to circuits currently having no contribution to the operation, is effective in an FPGA. For effective power gating, the power supply is controlled for each small block so that only the necessary processing portions of circuits consume power; therefore, the total power consumption can be reduced. The contribution by power gating to system efficiency increases with PLE granularity \u2013 i.e., with small PLEs [Figure 6.15(b)]. However, such fine\u2010grained power gating generates circuit area overhead due to additional complicated control circuits, and thus requires more consideration for application to FPGA.\n\nOne idea for facilitating power gating in a multicontext FPGA is to change the power\u2010gating setting in each PLE at the time of changes in circuit configuration at context switching. However, as described above, the coarse\u2010grained structure is advantageous in light of area efficiency, while the fine\u2010grained structure is advantageous in light of power consumption. It is challenging to find a structure that satisfies both requirements. Here, a CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA has merits in terms of PRS area and power consumption. Employment of a fine\u2010grained structure with a relatively large number of PRSs in the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA has few disadvantages, and has the advantage of fine\u2010grained power gating. Thus, a fine\u2010grained multicontext method can fully utilize the characteristics of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA [4, 24]. Furthermore, normally\u2010off computing for an FPGA becomes possible in the fine\u2010grained multicontext CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA, which further reduces power consumption. The driving architecture is described below.\n\n#### 6.3.2.2 Proposed Driving Architecture\n\nThe architecture is achieved with a fine\u2010grained multicontext CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA in the following manner: the power gating is performed on PLEs in response to context switching, and in synchronization with context switching, data store\/load is conducted between a volatile register and a non\u2010volatile shadow register in a PLE register.\n\nIn order to achieve the above, the configuration data for a PLE corresponding to each context includes data determining whether a power supply to the PLE is required (i.e., whether power gating should be performed). Accordingly, power gating is applied in those PLEs that are not contributing to the operation of the present context task.\n\nThe register of a PLE has a normal volatile register as well as a register with non\u2010volatile shadow registers corresponding to respective contexts. The data of the volatile register immediately before context switching are transferred into the non\u2010volatile shadow register corresponding to the present context. Immediately after switching, the saved data in the non\u2010volatile shadow register corresponding to the presently selected context is loaded to the volatile register. In other words, by using the saved data in the non\u2010volatile register, it is possible to return to the end state of the previous execution of the context.\n\nSuch a mechanism allows _in situ_ data storage\/loading in transition to an arbitrary context, which reduces power consumption. After data storing, the power gating can be conducted in PLEs without risk of data loss; thus, the degree of configuration freedom increases with reduced power consumption.\n\nAn operational sequence in Figure 6.16 is given as a specific example of the proposed architecture. Figure 6.16 illustrates an example of a fine\u2010grained multicontext CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA with _k_ contexts, _j_ shadow registers, and _p_ PLEs. Let us suppose that the contexts are switched in the following order: context [1] at the first step, context [2] at the second step, context [1] at the third step, context [ _k_ ] at the fourth step, and context [2] at the fifth step. The _p_ PLEs are classified into (1) PLEs to which power is supplied, that is, PLEs without power gating (gray blocks) and (2) PLEs to which power is not supplied, that is, PLEs where power gating is conducted (black blocks). The number of PLEs of both types varies depending on the context.\n\n**Figure 6.16** Operational sequence example of normally\u2010off computing in FPGA.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [6]\n\nA typical store\u2010operation example is introduced to understand the sequence, with reference to Figure 6.16. The operation from the first step (context [1]) to the second step (context [2]) is described. Immediately before the context switching (in time t1 to t2), in each PLE, data in a volatile register are transferred into the corresponding non\u2010volatile shadow register [1] corresponding to context [1]. A more detailed explanation is given below, focusing on data retained in a register in the PLE [ _p_ ]. In the PLE [ _p_ ], a volatile register and non\u2010volatile shadow registers [1], ,..., and [ _j_ ] have data d(t1), d(t'), \"x\",..., and d(t\"), respectively, before context switching (t1). Here, d(t1), d(t'), and d(t\") are some values and \"x\" is an undefined value. Immediately before the context switching (t1 to t2), d(t1) in the volatile register is stored in the shadow register [1] corresponding to context [1]. The store operation from the second step (context [2]) to the third step (context [1]) can be explained in a similar manner; the terms t1, t2, shadow register [1], context [1], d(t1), and d(t') here correspond to t3, t4, shadow register [2], context [2], d(t3), and d(t1), respectively.\n\nNext, a typical load operation example is introduced with reference to Figure 6.16. The operation from the second step (context [2]) to the third step (context [1]) is described. Immediately after context switching (in time t4 to t5) in each PLE, data are loaded from the non\u2010volatile shadow register [1] corresponding to context [1] to the volatile register. A more detailed explanation is given below, focusing on data retained in the register of PLE [ _p_ ]. In this register, immediately after context switching, d(t1) in the non\u2010volatile shadow register [1] corresponding to context [1] is loaded to the volatile register. Thus, the task of context [1] at the third step can be started from the end state of the task of context [1] at the first step. The load operation from the fourth step (context [ _k_ ]) to the fifth step (context [2]) can be explained in a similar manner; the terms t4, t5, shadow register [1], context [1], and d(t1) correspond to t9, t10, shadow register [2], context [2], and d(t3), respectively.\n\nContext switching requires only store operation in some cases. As a specific example, the operation from the first step (context [1]) to the second step (context [2]) is described. If the task of context [2] has never been performed before the second step, an indefinite value (\"x\") is stored in the non\u2010volatile shadow register at time t2. Thus, it is not necessary to resume the task from the end state of the previous execution. It is unnecessary to load the data from the non\u2010volatile shadow register [2], and loading can be skipped. Then, the power consumption for the load can be reduced. Without loading, the selected context [2] can be executed with continuous use of the data of context [1] immediately before switching.\n\nSimilarly, context switching requires only load operation in some cases. As a specific example, the operation from the fourth step (context [ _k_ ]) to the fifth step (context [2]) is described. In a register of a PLE to which power is not supplied in the former context (e.g., PLE [ _p_ ]), the volatile register has data of an indefinite value (\"x\"). In addition, power is not supplied to the register when that task is restarted, and thus the data are not necessarily stored in the non\u2010volatile register [ _k_ ]. Therefore, storing can be omitted, which leads to a reduction in power consumption for the storing.\n\nAs mentioned above, the present normally\u2010off computing can schedule the processor to selectively conduct storing and loading, only storing, or only loading.\n\nAs seen from the above, only the PLEs required for the current operation are supplied with power, which is called \"normally off computing.\" It enables interruption processing \u2013 e.g., suspending the first context task, processing the second context task, and then resuming the first context task. Fine\u2010grained power gating by the PLE unit in accordance with the context allows power to be supplied only to necessary PLEs at the necessary time. Since the same number of non\u2010volatile shadow registers as contexts exist in the register of each PLE, switching from any context to any other context is feasible; thus, a complicated schedule for context switching can be made available.\n\nIn the multicontext FPGA with the proposed normally\u2010off computing, the following goals can be achieved at once: (1) resuming the task of the context from the end state at the previous execution, i.e., improving the operational efficiency; (2) improving the use efficiency of PLEs, i.e., heightening the flexibility of circuit configuration; and (3) conducting fine\u2010grained power gating for each PLE, that is, reducing the power consumption.\n\n#### 6.3.2.3 Required Hardware\n\n##### _PRS_\n\nFigure 6.17(a) illustrates a PRS set. This set has _k_ routing switches corresponding to _k_ contexts and a multiplexer. Control signal lines BL and WL for configuration data writing are connected to a bit driver and a word driver, respectively. In the PRS set, a PRS is selected by a context signal and the on\/off value of the selected PRS determines the conduction\/non\u2010conduction from input IN to output OUT. The input IN of the PRS set is connected to an output signal line of a PLE or user I\/O, while the output OUT of the PRS is connected to an input signal line of another PLE or user I\/O. One PRS set is present between two PLEs or between a PLE and a user I\/O.\n\n**Figure 6.17** Circuit configurations of (a) PRS set and (b) PRS.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [6]\n\nFigure 6.17(b) shows the circuit diagram of a PRS. This circuit has the same configuration as that introduced in the previous section (Figure 6.8). Compared with the SRAM\u2010based routing switch, the circuit in Figure 6.17(b) has the advantages of small area, low power consumption, and high\u2010speed driving.\n\n##### _PLE_\n\nThe PLE in Figure 6.18 has the same function as that in Section 6.2. In the multicontext CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA proposed in the present section, the configuration memory set contains _k_ configuration memories (configuration memory [1] to configuration memory [ _k_ ]) for contexts [1] to [ _k_ ]. The configuration memory is also used for power switching that controls the PLE\u2010by\u2010PLE power supply [4, 24]. The power supply to a PLE is determined by the configuration data stored in the configuration memory, which enables PLE\u2010by\u2010PLE power gating without complicated control circuits [4, 24]. By switching a selection signal, _\u03d5_ CTX[ _k_ :1], in response to the task schedule, the circuit configuration can be changed together with power control switching for the PLEs.\n\n**Figure 6.18** (a) PLE block diagram and (b) configuration memory set diagram. The configuration memory is denoted by CM.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [6]\n\n##### _Configuration Memory_\n\nFigure 6.19(a) shows a configuration memory set used in a PLE. This memory set comprises two configuration memories and a multiplexer. One configuration memory corresponds to 1\u2010bit configuration data. In the configuration memory set, a context signal, _\u03d5_ CTX[ _k_ :1], selects one of the _k_ configuration memories, and then the configuration data in the selected configuration memory are output. The control signal lines BL, XBL (BL\u2010inversed signal line), and WL for writing the configuration data are connected to the bit and word drivers.\n\n**Figure 6.19** Circuit configurations of (a) configuration memory set, (b) configuration memory, and (c) SRAM\u2010based configuration memory.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [6]\n\nFigure 6.19(b) is the circuit diagram of the configuration memory. In the CAAC\u2010IGZO configuration memory, the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET M1 (M2) of the configuration memory to be written is turned on by the WL, and the configuration data are written in the storage capacitor C1 (C2) from BL (XBL) through M1 (M2). When either Si FET M3 or M4 is turned on by the storage capacitor C1 or C2, an output corresponding to the configuration data can be obtained. Since the off\u2010state current of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs M1 and M2 is extremely low, the potential of C1 and C2 can be kept constant by switching off M1 and M2. That is, the configuration memory is non\u2010volatile.\n\nThe CAAC\u2010IGZO configuration memory has four transistors (two Si FETs and two CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs) and two capacitors, and the number of elements is almost equivalent to the SRAM\u2010based configuration memory having five Si FETs [Figure 6.19(c)]. However, through the hybrid process, CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs can be stacked over Si FETs. With this structure, the CAAC\u2010IGZO configuration memory can have a smaller layout area than the SRAM\u2010based configuration memory. Note that the area reduction by the stack structure can be achieved to a greater degree in the PRS mentioned above, and thus it is enhanced in the fine\u2010grained structure, which has a relatively large number of PRSs.\n\n##### _Non\u2010volatile Shadow Register_\n\nTo store (load) from (to) the volatile register at high speed with low power consumption (Figure 6.16) without loss of the advantages of fine power gating, it is effective to adopt a shadow register structure in which a non\u2010volatile memory is included in the volatile component of a register.\n\nA register with a shadow register component, as shown in Figure 6.20, is proposed for the PLE of the FPGA. Figure 6.20(a) is a circuit diagram of the register and Figure 6.20(b) is its timing diagram. The register comprises a volatile register of Si FETs and a non\u2010volatile shadow register with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs and Si FETs. In normal operation, the volatile register is used as a common register. The register uses a 2\u2010phase non\u2010overlap clock, which is effective for normally\u2010off computing. When a store\u2010control signal, _\u03d5_ S[ _i_ ], and a load\u2010control signal, _\u03d5_ L[ _i_ ], corresponding to the shadow register [ _i_ ] are activated, the data of the volatile register can be stored in\/loaded from the non\u2010volatile shadow register.\n\n**Figure 6.20** (a) Register circuit configuration and (b) register timing diagram. The timing diagram shows the timing of storage and loading with the _i_ th shadow register.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [6]\n\nIn the shadow register, the logic of the data stored in node N1 (N2) is always inverted from that in node N1B (N2B); that is, they are complementary to each other. Thus, at loading, either M1 (M3) or M2 (M4) serves as a pull\u2010down circuit that supplies the ground potential to an inverter latch in the volatile block.\n\n### _6.3.3 Prototype_\n\n#### 6.3.3.1 Entire Structure\n\nThe fine\u2010grained multicontext CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA has been fabricated with the hybrid process to evaluate the effect of the proposed normally\u2010off computing. The processing technology is the same as that used in Section 6.2, that is, the hybrid process of 1.0\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO and 0.5\u2010\u00b5m Si FETs.\n\nFigure 6.21 shows the entire structure of the fabricated fine\u2010grained multicontext CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA, and Table 6.2 shows the specifications. The PLE array comprises 20 PLEs. The number of contexts, _k_ , is 2. The configuration memory uses 3760 bits for each context, that is, 7520 bits in total. The number of non\u2010volatile shadow registers, _j_ , is 1, which is the simplest register structure needed to examine the effects of normally\u2010off computing. The non\u2010volatile shadow register has a storage capacitance of 32.7 fF under the assumption of a storage time of 1 year.\n\n**Figure 6.21** Entire block diagram of prototype FPGA.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [6], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n**Table 6.2** Specifications of CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA\n\nProcess | 1.0\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO\/0.5\u2010\u00b5m Si \n---|--- \nDie size | 5.5 mm \u00d7 4.5 mm \nNumber of PLE | 20 \nNumber of IO | 20 \nLUT inputs | 4 \nTotal bit number in CM | 1760 bits \nTotal bit number in PRS | 5760 bits \nPLE size | 390 \u00b5m \u00d7 765 \u00b5m \nCM size | 45 \u00b5m \u00d7 18 \u00b5m \nPRS size | 45 \u00b5m \u00d7 12 \u00b5m \nStructure of CM | 2 CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, 4 Si FETs, \n2 capacitors (184 fF) \nPRS structure | 1 CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, 2 Si FETs, \n1 capacitor (184 fF) \nSupply voltage | 3.3 V \nPower gating control | Individual PLE\n\nThe time required for data storage\/loading in the register in the case of overdriving the store control signal _\u03d5_ S is shown in the Shmoo plot of Figure 6.22. The CAAC\u2010IGZO FET has an extremely low off\u2010state current region at a gate voltage of 0 V, and a threshold voltage higher than that of an enhancement\u2010type Si FET. The store time is longer than the load time, but can be shortened by overdriving the store control signal _\u03d5_ S. From Figure 6.22, the store time and load time are 128 ns and 24 ns, respectively, at a _V_ DD of 2.5 V and a _\u03d5_ S overdrive voltage of 0 V. The store operation is charge to\/discharge from the capacitors C1 to C4 in Figure 6.20; therefore, the writing speed of the high potential can be heightened by overdriving the _\u03d5_ S signal. At an overdrive voltage of 0.5 V, the storage time and loading time are 40 ns and 8 ns, respectively, which are clearly shortened from the case without overdriving. In this overdriving case, storage consumes 1.6 pJ and loading consumes 17.4 pJ. While the power consumption at an overdrive voltage of 0.5 V increases by 3%, the storage time is a third of that without overdriving.\n\n**Figure 6.22** Store time and load time of register data in non\u2010volatile shadow register.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [6]\n\nA micrograph of the fabricated CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA is shown in Figure 6.23 [6]. The use of a non\u2010volatile component in the register of the PLE causes a 40% area overhead of the register, a 0.6% area overhead of the PLE, and a 0.3% area overhead of the core, having little influence on the core area. Such a bit\u2010area increase enables the addition of the normally\u2010off computing function to the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA and the reduction in power consumption.\n\n**Figure 6.23** Micrograph of a prototype fabricated by a hybrid process.\n\nWhen the number of shadow registers is increased by 1, the register, PLE, and core increase in area by 40%, 0.6%, and 0.3%, respectively. The area increase due to the addition of one context (without the addition of shadow registers) is approximately 30% for the configuration memory, 25% for the PRS, and 19.7% for the core. These values indicate that it is possible to form a CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA capable of further effective normally\u2010off computing with increased shadow registers and contexts.\n\n#### 6.3.3.2 Prototype Measurement\n\n##### _Test Sequence_\n\nThe behavior of normally\u2010off computing on the prototype is examined. To evaluate the advantages of the fabricated multicontext FPGA, the fabricated FPGA is compared with FPGAs where the essential hardware for obtaining normally\u2010off computing (i.e., a non\u2010volatile shadow register, fine\u2010grained PLE\u2010by\u2010PLE power gating, and multicontexts) is somewhat limited or disabled. The following four types of hardware structure (Figure 6.24) are used: (A) the fabricated FPGA with a non\u2010volatile shadow register, fine\u2010grained power gating, and multicontexts; (B) an FPGA with a volatile shadow register, fine\u2010grained power gating, and multicontexts; (C) an FPGA with a volatile shadow register and multicontexts; and (D) an FPGA with multicontexts without shadow register.\n\n**Figure 6.24** Normally\u2010off computing and other driving methods of executing tasks. A gray area in the \"Total usage\" column represents a region including unused PLE. A gray area in the \"Power\u2010on area\" columns represents a region including PLEs subjected to power gating. SR: shadow register, PG: power gating, MC: multicontexts.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [6], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\nType A has a non\u2010volatile shadow register, while type B has a volatile shadow register; the shadow\u2010register difference will cause a difference in the performance of the fine\u2010grained power gating. Since data are stored in the volatile shadow register in type B, power gating is not applicable to non\u2010used PLEs in some cases. On the contrary, in type A, the number of PLEs subjected to fine\u2010grained power gating is expected to increase, owing to the non\u2010volatile shadow register. The performance difference will increase if the number of used PLEs differs largely between contexts. A comparison between types A and C will show the effectiveness of the fine\u2010grained power gating with the non\u2010volatile shadow register. A comparison between types A and D will show the effectiveness of normally\u2010off computing with the power gating and non\u2010volatile shadow register. A comparison between types B and C will show the effectiveness of fine\u2010grained power gating with the volatile shadow register. The performance difference between types B and C will increase if the number of used PLEs in each context is small with respect to the total number of PLEs. A comparison between types B and D will show the effectiveness of power gating and the volatile shadow register. A comparison between types C and D will show the effectiveness of the volatile shadow register. The effectiveness will increase if the number of used PLEs in each context and the number of contexts increase.\n\nThe purpose of the experiment is to examine the following effects of the normally\u2010off computing task processing compared with that without normally\u2010off computing: (1) the continuousness of task processing, (2) the improvement in the use efficiency of the PLEs, and (3) the reduction in power consumption. The experimental conditions are as follows. The task schedule has the first step of context [1], the second step of context [2], and the third step of context [1]. Context [1] and context [2] correspond to task [1] and task [2], respectively. An 8\u2010stage shift circuit is configured by the 8 PLEs in task [1], and a 4\u2010stage binary counter circuit is configured by the 5 PLEs in task [2]. To improve the switching characteristics, the source voltage in the word and bit drivers is 2.6 V, while that in the other parts is 2.5 V, and the operational frequency varies from 1 to 20 MHz.\n\nIn context [1], the first to eighth stages of the shift circuit are configured by PLE [0] to PLE [7], and outputs from the respective PLEs are called OUT [0] to OUT [7]. In types A and B, PLE [8] to PLE [19] can be subjected to power gating. In context [2], the least significant bit (LSB) to the most significant bit (MSB) of the counter circuit are configured by PLE [0] to PLE [3] in types A to C, while they are configured by PLE [10] to PLE [13] in type D. Outputs from the respective PLEs are called OUT [0] to OUT [3]. The control logic of the counter circuit is configured by PLE [4] in types A to C and by PLE [14] in type D. In types A and B, PLE [8] to PLE [19] can be subjected to power gating. In addition, in type A, PLE [5] to PLE [7] can also be subjected to power gating.\n\n##### _Continuousness of Task Processing_\n\nFirst, the operation result in type A along the above\u2010mentioned task schedule (prototype multicontext FPGA) is described. As shown in Figure 6.25, the output waveforms corresponding to the first step of context [1], the second step of context [2], and the third step of context [1] are obtained. In particular, the values of OUT [0] to OUT [7] at store start time (2.7 \u00b5s), immediately before context switching from the first step to the second step, are, respectively, equivalent to the values of OUT [0] to OUT [7] at the load end time (7.6 \u00b5s) immediately after context switching from the second step to the third step. This is true, of course, for OUT [5] to OUT [7] corresponding to PLE [5] to PLE [7], which are subjected to power gating at the second step of context [2]. Thus, the first effect of the proposed normally\u2010off computing, the continuousness of task processing, has been confirmed. The task can be resumed from the end state of the previous processing. Types B, C, and D operate similarly; however, type A is preferable to the others for achieving an improvement in the use efficiency of PLEs and a reduction in power consumption in addition to the continuous task processing, as described below.\n\n**Figure 6.25** Operational waveforms and event schedule in testing the fabricated FPGA.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [6], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\n##### _Use Efficiency of PLEs_\n\nTo examine the second effect of normally\u2010off computing, the improvement in efficiency on using PLEs, the used PLEs are compared among types A to D in the \"Total usage\" column in Figure 6.24. The PLEs not used in task [1] and task [2] are shown in gray, and those used for the tasks are shown in white.\n\nSince type D is a multicontext FPGA without a shadow register, exclusive assignment of the PLEs to tasks [1] and [2] is necessary (that is, the PLEs used in task [1] should be different from those used in task [2]) to resume a task from the end state of the previous processing. Thus, the efficiency in usage of the PLEs cannot be heightened. The total number of necessary PLEs is the sum of the PLEs used in task [1] and those used in task [2]. The type\u2010D FPGA does not receive the benefit of the multicontexts.\n\nIn contrast, types A to C have non\u2010volatile or volatile shadow registers. Thus, even if the PLEs are shared in tasks [1] and [2], a task can be resumed from the end state of the previous processing. The high use efficiency of the PLEs can be obtained in these types.\n\nIn the proposed normally\u2010off computing, a shadow register, regardless of whether it is volatile or non\u2010volatile, is effective in improving the use efficiency of the PLEs. In the case of executing task [1] and task [2] in accordance with the above task schedule, the necessary number of PLEs with types A, B, and C is 8; thus, compared with type D with the 13 necessary PLEs, their use efficiency improves by .\n\n##### _Reduction in Power Consumption_\n\nTo examine the third effect of normally\u2010off computing with the proposed FPGA, reduction in power consumption, the power consumption needed to execute the tasks in the above four types of FPGA along the above\u2010mentioned schedule is analyzed (see Figure 6.26). For each type, the measured power consumption of the core is scaled to the calculated power consumption of the core using the Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis (SPICE). The power consumption of each PLE is then calculated and shown by task (task [1] and task [2]). The clock frequency is set to 1 MHz or 20 MHz. In task [1], a pulse of 1 toggle per 10 clocks is the input to the shift register, and the operation activation rate of PLE [0] to PLE [7] is 10%.\n\n**Figure 6.26** PLE power consumption during (a) task [1] and (b) task [2].\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [6], with permission of IEEE, \u00a9 2015\n\nIn the type\u2010C FPGA, the power consumption at a clock frequency of 1 MHz is 98.7 \u03bcW in task [1] and 176 \u03bcW in task [2], while that at 20 MHz is 1.96 mW in task [1] and 3.46 mW in task [2]. In the type\u2010D FPGA, the power consumption at a clock frequency of 1 MHz is 111 \u03bcW in task [1] and 191 \u03bcW in task [2], while that at 20 MHz is 2.24 mW in task [1] and 3.79 mW in task [2]. The power\u2010consumption difference between types C and D is due to the effect of the volatile shadow register. Thanks to the volatile shadow register, the power consumption by type C is reduced from that of type D by 11.1% in task [1] and by 7.85% in task [2] at a clock frequency of 1 MHz, and by 12.5% in task [1] and by 8.71% in task [2] at a clock frequency of 20 MHz.\n\nIn the type\u2010B FPGA, the power consumption at a clock frequency of 1 MHz is 83.0 \u03bcW in task [1] and 154 \u03bcW in task [2], while that at 20 MHz is 1.63 mW in task [1] and 3.07 mW in task [2]. The difference between types B and C expresses the effect of the fine\u2010grained power gating with the volatile shadow register. Thanks to the power gating, the power consumption of type B is reduced from that of type C; the decrease in power relative to that consumed by type D accounts for 14.1% in task [1] and 11.5% in task [2] at a clock frequency of 1 MHz, and 14.7% in task [1] and 10.3% in task [2] at a clock frequency of 20 MHz.\n\nIn the type\u2010A FPGA, the power consumption at a clock frequency of 1 MHz is 82.6 \u03bcW in task [1] and 151 \u03bcW in task [2], while that at 20 MHz is 1.62 mW in task [1] and 2.98 mW in task [2]. The power\u2010consumption difference between types A and D expresses the effect of normally\u2010off computing by the multicontext and non\u2010volatile shadow register. Owing to normally\u2010off computing, the power consumed in type A is decreased from that in type D by 25.6% in task [1] and by 20.9% in task [2] at a clock frequency of 1 MHz, and by 27.7% in task [1] and by 21.4% in task [2] at a clock frequency of 20 MHz. The difference between types A and C expresses the effect of fine\u2010grained power gating with a non\u2010volatile shadow register. Because of the power gating, the power consumed by the type\u2010A FPGA is reduced from that of type C; the power decrease from type C to type A relative to the power consumed by type D is 14.5% in task [1] and 13.1% in task [2] at a clock frequency of 1 MHz, and 15.2% in task [1] and 12.7% in task [2] at a clock frequency of 20 MHz. The difference between types A and B expresses the increased effect of fine\u2010grained power gating by use of the non\u2010volatile shadow register instead of the volatile register. Such an increased power\u2010gating effect reduces the power consumption of type A from that of type B; the decrease in power relative to that consumed by type D accounts for 0.360% in task [1] and 1.57% in task [2] at a clock frequency of 1 MHz, and 0.446% in task [1] and 2.37% in task [2] at a clock frequency of 20 MHz.\n\nThese results show that each of the non\u2010volatile shadow register, fine\u2010grained PLE\u2010by\u2010PLE power gating, and multicontexts required for normally\u2010off computing, as well as the synergetic effects due to combinations thereof, contribute to the reduction in power consumption.\n\n##### _Discussion_\n\nIt has been confirmed that the increase in use efficiency of the PLEs and reduction in power consumption can be effectively achieved in the proposed normally\u2010off computing by the non\u2010volatile shadow register, fine\u2010grained PLE\u2010by\u2010PLE power gating, and multicontexts.\n\nAs to the reduction in power consumption, there are two types of overhead to be considered: power consumption in power\u2010gating operation and power consumption in store in\/load from operation of the non\u2010volatile shadow register.\n\nPower consumption in the case where power gating is conducted for 8 PLEs (in context [1]) and 12 PLEs (in context [2]) as in type A at an operational frequency of 20 MHz is calculated, with use of the calculation method in the reports [4, 24]. Power consumption by power gating is advantageous when the task operation periods in contexts [1] and [2] are longer than 15 \u00b5s and 12 \u00b5s, respectively. Conversely, if the contexts are switched in less than such time periods, the scheduling without power gating is effective.\n\nThe power consumptions of other non\u2010volatile memories are discussed below. The energy required for 1\u2010bit data storage is 1.48 pJ in MRAM [25] and 100 pJ in a ferroelectric random access memory (FeRAM) [26]. The proposed non\u2010volatile shadow register with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs requires an energy of 1.6 pJ for 1\u2010bit data storage, which is sufficiently competitive with that of the MRAM or FRAM, given the fact that MRAM density is lower than that of CAAC\u2010IGZO FET non\u2010volatile memory.\n\n## 6.4 Subthreshold Operation of FPGA\n\n### _6.4.1 Overview_\n\nTo further improve the low\u2010power characteristics of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA in Section 6.3, an FPGA architecture capable of driving at an extremely low voltage (subthreshold voltage) is now discussed. Utilizing the ideal floating gate with excellent charge\u2010retention characteristics formed by CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA proposed here overdrives PPSs for power gating and PRSs. This enables the overdrive of PPSs without generating negative potentials and that of PRSs with low power and a high _I_ on\/ _I_ off ratio.\n\nAn FPGA is expected to be the optimal device for sensor networks if it can flexibly change its circuit configurations to operate at low enough voltage to use energy harvesting in the standby mode and to perform high\u2010performance processing in the active mode [27]. The CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA has the functions (fine\u2010grained power gating, normally\u2010off driving, and context switching) that achieve low power consumption, as described in the above section. Therefore, a CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA driven at low voltage from energy harvesting with natural energy, such as solar or wind power, would be a battery-less device free from maintenance and suitable for a sensor network application.\n\n### _6.4.2 Subthreshold Operation_\n\n#### 6.4.2.1 Design Problem\n\nLow voltage sometimes leads to non\u2010operation; in general, this malfunction is caused mainly by decreasing _I_ on\/ _I_ off ratio in the transistors. In cases using the same size of transistors, a gate circuit with a large number of transistor stacks has a lower _I_ on\/ _I_ off ratio than one with a small number of transistor stacks. To use low voltage without the ratio decrease, the number of transistor stacks is limited in an application\u2010specific integrated circuit (ASIC). Such a limitation is generally adopted to achieve subthreshold operation [28, 29].\n\nUnlike an ASIC, an FPGA, which has a high degree of freedom for circuit configuration, has the following unique problems:\n\n 1. non\u2010transmission of logic signals due to threshold voltage drop in a pass gate;\n 2. decrease of the _I_ on\/ _I_ off ratio along with an increase of the static leakage current source [27].\n\nThe first problem leads to a decrease in the voltage amplitude of logic signals. When the source voltage is sufficiently high compared to the threshold voltage, the decrease in voltage amplitude by the threshold voltage drop reduces the circuit performance but does not completely disable logic transmission. However, when the source voltage is as low as the threshold voltage (e.g., in a subthreshold voltage region), the voltage amplitude decrease due to the threshold voltage drop makes it difficult to obtain the necessary _I_ on\/ _I_ off ratio for output from the latter\u2010stage gate circuit, disabling the correct logic transmission. Therefore, a structure that does not decrease the voltage amplitude of logic signals in a pass gate (even at low voltage) is required.\n\nThe second problem is inevitable in FPGAs. The circuit configuration of an FPGA can be freely changed by the user, which means that the number of elements connected to a node can be large. In other words, an FPGA is a circuit with a large static leakage\u2010current source that inevitably has a circuit region with a lower _I_ on\/ _I_ off ratio (typically, a PRS) than that of an ASIC. As the number of parallel\u2010connected PRSs increases, it becomes more difficult to lower the used voltage.\n\nFurthermore, an additional unique problem occurs when maintaining the characteristics of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA [4, 6]. As introduced in the previous section, the fine\u2010grained power gating per PLE is a key technology for reducing power consumption; however, the number of transistor stacks in the PLEs increases in practice by adding the PPSs necessary for power gating, leading to a decrease in the _I_ on\/ _I_ off ratio and difficulty in low\u2010voltage operation. Techniques that solve this problem are necessary to lower the voltage in PLEs.\n\n#### 6.4.2.2 Design Guides\n\nTo solve the above problems, first, the number of transistor stacks in the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA is reduced in a manner similar to that employed in an ASIC. Specifically, a logic circuit is composed of a gate circuit with two or fewer transistor stacks (NOT, 2\u2010input NAND, 2\u2010input NOR, or the register with the gate circuit), whereby the _I_ on\/ _I_ off ratio increases. In addition, the overdrive utilizing a floating node with a charge\u2010retention function formed by a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is conducted in PRSs and PPSs to solve the unique problem with FPGAs.\n\nThe principles of overdriving PRSs and PPSs with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs (in the structure of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA in Section 6.3) are explained specifically with reference to Figure 6.27 and Figure 6.28. This overdriving becomes available by supplying a high potential only when updating configuration and context data.\n\n**Figure 6.27** Principles of overdriving PRS: (a) circuit configuration and (b) timing diagram.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [7]\n\n**Figure 6.28** Principles of overdriving PPS: (a) circuit configuration and (b) timing diagram.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [7]\n\nThe PRSs are overdriven in the following sequence (see Figure 6.27). The data of high or low ( _V_ DDH\/ground) are written in Ncfg at configuration and in Nctx at context switching (the data to be written in Ncfg and Nctx are denoted by DH_cfg and DH_ctx, respectively). Subsequently, the CAAC\u2010IGZO transistor MOcfg (MOctx) is turned off, whereby Ncfg (Nctx) becomes a floating node to retain the potential. In the PRSs, the pass transistors MScfg and MSctx are controlled by high\u2010potential logics, even at a subthreshold voltage operation; therefore, the voltage amplitude drop due to the threshold voltage drop at signal transmission from INL to OUTL can be avoided and a high _I_ on\/ _I_ off ratio can be obtained, regardless of transmission signal potentials. The high potential can be maintained with an extremely small current due to the excellent current characteristics of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs [3, 4]. In this operation, the high potential of _V_ DDH should be higher than the high potential of _V_ DDL, at least by the threshold voltage of the pass transistor.\n\nThe PPSs are overdriven in the following sequence (see Figure 6.28). First, the VDDL domain voltage is set to a high potential ( _V_ DDLh) at context switching. The CAAC\u2010IGZO transistor MOpps is turned off after writing configuration and context data, whereby Npps becomes a floating node. Next, the capacitive coupling via parasitic capacitance of a PPS gate and VDDL source wiring is utilized. The VDDL domain voltage is reduced from a high potential ( _V_ DDLh) to a low potential ( _V_ DDL), whereupon the Npps potential decreases. If the potential of Npps is low when the transistor MOpps is turned off, the potential of Npps becomes lower than ground. For example, writing low (a potential of 0 V) in the PPS gate can generate a negative potential, which enables negative\u2010potential overdrive. In other words, a decrease in the gate potential of the PPS leads to an increase in the on\u2010state current. It is possible to avoid a decrease in the on\u2010state current in the PPS because of the overdrive; thus, the fine\u2010grained power gating necessary for reducing the power consumption by an FPGA can be maintained even at a subthreshold voltage.\n\nThe contribution of the PPS overdrive to low\u2010voltage operation can be verified by a SPICE simulation. A 5\u2010stage ring oscillator (RO5), in which NOR2s each having a PRS are serially connected to each other in 5 stages, is used [see Figure 6.29(a)]. In Figure 6.29(b), the vertical axis represents the operational frequency ratio normalized by the operational frequency without overdrive, and the horizontal axis represents the overdrive voltage (Npps) for the PPS. The drive voltage, _V_ DDL, of RO5 is changed in the range of 100 to 600 mV. The simulation result in Figure 6.29(b) shows that the operation frequency of RO5, that is, the on\u2010state current of the PPS, can be increased by applying a negative potential of approximately \u2212200 mV to the PPS gate, especially at a drive voltage of 300 mV or lower. The PPS overdrive becomes more effective as the drive voltage is lowered.\n\n**Figure 6.29** (a) Five\u2010stage ring oscillator (RO5) and (b) dependence of RO5 operational frequency ratio on source voltage _V_ DDL and Npps. The operational frequency ratio is normalized by the frequency at an Npps of 0 mV.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [7]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n#### 6.4.2.3 CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA\n\nThe structure of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA designed in accordance with the above guidelines is explained below with reference to a micrograph in Figure 6.30 and specifications in Table 6.3. The CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA has peripheral circuits necessary for controlling the overdrive of the PRSs and PPSs (see Figure 6.31), and has the following three source domains: a (high\u2010potential) VDDH domain that contains a configuration controller (including bit and word drivers) for controlling the configuration of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA and a context controller for controlling multicontext switching; a (low\u2010potential) VDDL domain that contains a logic array block (including PLEs and PRSs) that is a key circuit of the FPGA constantly supplied with power, and a low\u2010potential region of a programmable I\/O that is an input\/output circuit for users; and an I\/O domain that contains a high\u2010potential region of the programmable I\/O.\n\n**Figure 6.30** Micrograph of CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA designed for subthreshold operation.\n\n**Table 6.3** Specifications of CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA designed for subthreshold operation\n\nProcess | 0.8\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO\/0.18\u2010\u00b5m Si \n---|--- \nDie size | 5.5 mm \u00d7 4.5 mm \nNumber of PLE | 20 \nNumber of IO | 20 \nLUT inputs | 4 \nTotal bit number of CM | 1760 bits \nTotal bit number in PRS | 5760 bits \nPLE size | 360 \u00b5m \u00d7 753 \u00b5m \nCM size | 45 \u00b5m \u00d7 18 \u00b5m \nPRS size | 45 \u00b5m \u00d7 7.5 \u00b5m \nStructure of CM set | 5 CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, 8 Si FETs, \n2 capacitors (3.8 fF) \nPRS structure | 1 CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, 2 Si FETs, \n1 capacitor (3.8 fF) \nSupply voltage (programmable area) | 180 mV\u20131000 mV \nPower gating control | Individual PLE\n\n**Figure 6.31** Block diagram of the FPGA.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [7]\n\nThe programmable I\/O has both high\u2010 and low\u2010potential regions because external signals and internal signals belonging to the VDDL domain are transmitted or received through a level shifter (LS). The subindexes in signal names, \"H\" and \"L,\" indicate that the signals are generated by the VDDH and VDDL domains, respectively.\n\nThe PRS has a multicontext structure in which the PRScfg controlled by configuration data and the PRSctx controlled by context data are connected serially and in parallel (see Figure 6.32). To overdrive the PRSs, writing in the Ncfg and Nctx nodes is controlled by CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs so that the overdrive potential is maintained. The multiple input\/output signals are connected to the PRSs (see Figure 6.33). The input\/output signal wirings are arranged in a matrix. The input signal INL[ _n_ ] is the input to the _n_ th column and the output signal OUTL[ _m_ ] is the output to the _m_ th row.\n\n**Figure 6.32** Circuit diagram of PRS.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [7]\n\n**Figure 6.33** Connection relationship between PRSs.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [7]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\nThe PLE here is different from that in Section 6.3 with respect to the PPS overdrive and the circuit of the configuration memory (see Figure 6.34). In the configuration memory, a PRS for controlling the conduction with the ground potential and a dynamic logic circuit are connected to a floating node. After precharging OUTb, in a manner depending on the configuration and context data in the PRS, the configuration memory maintains the _V_ DDL potential of OUTb when the PRS is off, or discharges that potential when the PRS is on (see Figure 6.35). The transistor MOpps is on during context switching, whereby the output data from the configuration memory are supplied to the output node to update (refresh) the configuration data.\n\n**Figure 6.34** Circuit diagrams of (a) PLE and (b) configuration memory.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [7]\n\n**Figure 6.35** Timing diagram of configuration memory.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [7]\n\n### _6.4.3 Prototype_\n\n#### 6.4.3.1 Entire Structure\n\nTo confirm that the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA based on the above design guidelines is capable of subthreshold operation, a CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA is fabricated with a hybrid of the processes used for the 0.8\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO and 0.18\u2010\u00b5m Si FETs. In addition, a test element group (TEG) of a PLE is fabricated to measure directly the overdrive effect of the PPS and the subthreshold operation voltage signals.\n\n#### 6.4.3.2 Low\u2010Voltage Driving\n\nTo confirm whether the PPSs can be effectively overdriven, the subthreshold operation is examined with the TEG of a PLE. The PLE has a multicontext structure ( _k_ = 2) and the configuration of a 4\u2010input AND or a 4\u2010input OR gate. To check the PLE operation, the PLE is operated as the 4\u2010input AND first, and then is switched to operate as the 4\u2010input OR by context switching. As a result, it operates at a minimum operational voltage of 180 mV in this sequence (see Figure 6.36). In updating the configuration data, the _V_ DDLh (a boosted potential of _V_ DDL) necessary for overdriving the PPS is boosted to 700 mV.\n\n**Figure 6.36** Input\/output waveforms of PLE TEG with 4\u2010input AND or 4\u2010input OR.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [7]\n\n#### 6.4.3.3 Comparison of Power Delay Product\n\nNext, how much overdriving PPS and PRS contribute to voltage lowering is examined with the prototype CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA. In order to understand the dynamic characteristic differences due to the circuit configuration, the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA with the configuration of a 3\u2010stage ring oscillator (RO3) and that with the configuration of a 4\u2010bit counter (CNT4) are used. The operational frequency ( _F_ ), power consumption, and dependence of power delay product (PDP) on _V_ DDL are measured in the case of RO3 (see Figure 6.37); the maximum operational frequency ( _F_ max), power consumption, and dependence of PDP on _V_ DDL are measured in the case of CNT4 (see Figure 6.38). The power supply to non\u2010active PLEs is stopped by a fine\u2010grained power gating. The source voltages are set as follows: and . The minimum operational voltage is 180 mV in the case of RO3. The minimum PDP is 3.40 pJ at and in the case of CNT4, which is lower than the SRAM FPGA [30] by approximately 49% (see Table 6.4). Compared with the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA in Section 6.3 [4, 6] with an _F_ max of 33.3 kHz at a minimum operational voltage of 900 mV, the _F_ max of the FPGA in this section increases to 8.6 MHz at 900 mV. This means that the challenges in voltage reduction faced by the previous FPGA can be solved by this section's FPGA. Thus, it has been confirmed that the employment of the subthreshold operational structure can achieve both low\u2010power driving and high\u2010performance processing, albeit not simultaneously.\n\n**Figure 6.37** Power consumption, operational frequency, and dependence of the power delay product on operational voltage in a CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA with the RO3 configuration.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [7]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n**Figure 6.38** Dependence of power consumption, maximum operational frequency, and PDP on operational voltage in a CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA with the configuration of a CNT4 and SRAM FPGA .\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [7]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n**Table 6.4** Characteristic comparison between FPGAs.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [7]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n**Specifications** | **CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA designed for subthreshold operation** | **CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA presented inSubsection 6.3.3** | **SRAM\u2010based FPGA [30]** \n---|---|---|--- \nProcess node | 0.8\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO\/0.18\u2010\u00b5m Si | 1.0\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO\/0.5\u2010\u00b5m Si | 0.18\u2010\u00b5m Si \nDie size | 5.5 mm \u00d7 4.5 mm | 5.5 mm \u00d7 4.5 mm | 4.4 mm \u00d7 4.1 mm \nConfiguration memory | Non\u2010volatile \n(CAAC\u2010IGZO FET + C) | Non\u2010volatile \n(CAAC\u2010IGZO FET + C) | Volatile \n(SRAM) \nNumber of PLEs | 20 | 20 | 148 \nPRS implementation | Pass transistor + CAAC\u2010IGZO FET | Pass transistor | Multiplexers \nRouting tracks | 32 | 32 | 48 \nConfiguration | 4\u2010bit counter | 10\u2010stage shifter | 4\u2010bit counter \nMinimum operating voltage | 190 mV | 900 mV | 260 mV \nFrequency | 12.5 kHz at 190 mV \n28.6 kHz at 330 mV \n(8.6 MHz at 900 mV) | 33.3 kHz at 900 mV | 332 kHz at 260 mV \nMinimum PDP | 3.40 pJ at 330 mV \n(12.9 pJ at 900 mV) | 13.5 pJ at 900 mV | 6.72 pJ at 260 mV\n\nTo confirm the contribution of overdriving PPS to the FPGA characteristics, the difference in the PDP caused by the use or non\u2010use of overdriving is examined with the FPGA of CNT4 (see Figure 6.39). Overdriving the PPS can lower the minimum operational voltage from 390 mV to 180 mV. In addition, the overdrive improves the minimum PDP by 24%, from 4.48 pJ at 390 mV to 3.40 pJ at 330 mV.\n\n**Figure 6.39** Difference in dependence of PDP on operational voltage between the cases with and without overdriving in the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA of CNT4.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [7]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n#### 6.4.3.4 Context Switching\n\nUnder the condition where PDP has a minimum value (330 mV and 28.6 kHz) in CNT4, the context is switched from CNT3 to CNT4 in 1 clock period (see Figure 6.40). The output signals are boosted to 2.5 V by the level shifter to obtain the waveforms. The energy required for the context switching in the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA is calculated by SPICE simulation, being 6.42 nJ. The average power of CNT3 is 3.86 \u03bcW. Even if the contexts are switched once per second, the power consumption will be 0.17% of that under CNT3 operation or lower. Thus, a high source voltage supplied only when the configuration data are updated will cause negligible overhead.\n\n**Figure 6.40** Operational waveforms of context switching from CNT3 to CNT4.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [7]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n#### 6.4.3.5 Retention Characteristics\n\nTo confirm the duration of the overdrive effect, the time change in the oscillation frequency is measured with the configuration of RO3 (see Figure 6.41). Without context switching, the operational frequency decreases only by 4.5%, on average, in 4 h. With a refresh operation (context switching) once per hour, the overdrive can be maintained within a decrease rate of the operational frequency of 1.0%. The duration can be adjusted by the intentional provision of a capacitor for a floating node for overdriving.\n\n**Figure 6.41** Time change in RO3 oscillation frequency at a source voltage _V_ DDL of 180 mV. _V_ DDLh is 1200 mV only at the instance of context switching.\n\n_Source_ : Adapted from [7]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n## 6.5 CPU + FPGA\n\n### _6.5.1 Overview_\n\nThanks to circuit scaling and promotion of the FPGA development environment, FPGAs are becoming larger and larger, and FGPA applications are widening. In particular, it is recognized that an FPGA can perform tasks more efficiently than a CPU when processing continuous large data and\/or short latency of computation is required. While there have been conventional computing systems with high\u2010end CPUs or a combination of a CPU and a graphic processing unit (GPU), a computing system combining a versatile CPU and a quick\u2010response, high\u2010operation\u2010performance FPGA is apparently gaining popularity [31].\n\nBecause of the above background, the feasibility of a computing system that combines a CPU and a CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA is discussed in this section. We describe the bottleneck for achieving versatility and high\u2010performance computing with a CPU; a computing system combining a CPU and a GPU and its limitations; a computing system combining a CPU and an FPGA, its characteristics, and a possible field of application; and the possibility of a computing system combining a CPU and a CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA.\n\n### _6.5.2 CPU Computing_\n\nMost common CPUs adopt the von Neumann architecture, a stored\u2010program system [32]. A CPU with this architecture sequentially decodes and executes instructions. In addition to the instructions, the data necessary for executing an instruction and the data generated from execution of the instruction are also stored in the memory (see Figure 6.42). Each instruction has high versatility, and the CPU has high flexibility for achieving any function as long as a desired program is made by combining instructions [33].\n\n**Figure 6.42** Operational procedure of a CPU. The control unit (CU) reads an instruction from the instruction memory (IM). After decoding the instruction, the execution unit (EU) reads the data to be processed from the data memory (DM), and the processed data are stored in the memory. The operation is repeated\n\nThe performance of a CPU can be learned from the number of executed instructions per unit time [34]. Early CPUs executed one instruction in several clocks in many cases. Thus, memory was accessed once in several clocks. To improve this structure, a structure adopting a pipeline and a cache memory was proposed to execute one instruction per clock [35]. Its memory was accessed once in each clock. In addition, the superscalar was proposed to execute several instructions per clock [36]. The memory was accessed several times (the number of times is equivalent to the number of instructions) per clock. Such improvement requiring larger\u2010scale hardware was effective during the period over which the frequency of the clock smoothly increased by miniaturization in accordance with Moore's Law (2000s), and the performance of CPUs continued to increase exponentially.\n\nHowever, beginning in the middle of the first decade of the 21st century, the rate of increase in the clock frequency started to slow down because of power\u2010consumption limitations. The progress of miniaturization for high\u2010speed operation caused an increase in leakage current, leading to an explosive increase in power consumption [37]. The performance increase of CPUs then depended on scaling up the hardware structure. A multithread structure [38] executing more instructions in parallel in the same CPU core and a multicore structure [39] having more CPU cores in the same die were proposed.\n\nTo fully educe the (theoretical) performance of the multiple threads and CPU cores, the existing program cannot be used as it is. With a compiler corresponding to the multithread or multicore, the source code should be compiled again. Furthermore, a change in the source code (e.g., indication of a part capable of parallel processing) is required. Thus, the existing software resources cannot be fully utilized.\n\n### _6.5.3 CPU + GPU Computing_\n\nCPUs can have the desirable function by combining versatile instructions, and are capable of achieving various required functions flexibly. However, it is not effective to use CPUs for data\u2010intensive routine processing. Historically, the use of an external circuit (co\u2010processor) for floating\u2010point arithmetic [40] and a special unit for that arithmetic [41] have been proposed. After that, a CPU specializing in arithmetic processing appeared, namely the GPU [42].\n\nA GPU has a very large number of computing units. While a CPU has only several tens of computing units, even with a multithread or multicore structure, a GPU has several hundreds to several thousands of computing units in many cases. The GPU can execute massively parallel multithread processing on single\u2010instruction multiple data (SIMD); that is, it can execute the processing on the mass data with a single instruction (see Figure 6.43) [42].\n\n**Figure 6.43** Operational procedure of a GPU. The CU reads an instruction from the IM. After decoding the instruction, EUs read multiple types of data to be processed from the DM. After processing, the data are stored in the DM. The operation is repeated\n\nFor graphics processing, product\u2010sum operation (as matrix operation) on massive data should be repeatedly executed. Thus, it is effective to collectively obtain an enormous volume of data to be processed from the memory and execute a product\u2010sum operation on the whole dataset with a large number of computing units. When comparing a single\u2010core GPU and a single\u2010core CPU, the power efficiency of the GPU is said to be several to several dozen times that of a CPU in terms of the product\u2010sum operational performance. In recent years, computing systems using a GPU as co\u2010processor to a CPU have rated highly in the rankings of supercomputers [43].\n\nTo fully educe the (theoretical) performance of a GPU, a source code for the GPU should be newly developed, together with one for the CPU [44], which requires additional work by software engineers. Meanwhile, the performance increase by the use of the GPU is very large. The development environment for GPU software is constructed on the basis of the CPU software\u2010development environment, with the addition of special instructions or libraries for data processing. Thus, a CPU software engineer can deal with GPU software development relatively easily [44]. This is one factor in the spread of the computing systems combining CPUs and GPUs.\n\n### _6.5.4 CPU + FPGA Computing_\n\n#### 6.5.4.1 Background\n\nThe benefit of FPGAs, the flexibility in hardware change, has been recognized since it first appeared on the market. However, it had drawbacks in those days. For example, the mass production cost was much higher than that for ASICs, and users could not use an FPGA unless they learned the dedicated hardware description language. Such drawbacks disturbed the spread of FPGAs [45].\n\nFPGAs are highly integrated thanks to the development of fine processing technology, and have become capable of having dedicated peripheral circuits, such as a large\u2010scale memory and a high\u2010speed communication interface in addition to the programmable logics. Even one FPGA can configure a large\u2010scale system on chip (SoC). The cost, including development, of FPGAs is becoming relatively advantageous compared with that of an ASIC, whose photomask cost has risen along with device miniaturization. In addition, a development environment similar to that for GPUs has become available for FPGAs, and thus software engineers can easily enter into the development of FPGAs [46]. Further progress of the development environment in the future will enable an engineer in a data server company to rewrite the circuit directly, for example. In this way, FPGAs are being used by increasing numbers of users.\n\nFurthermore, applications that enjoy a performance advantage when using systems constructed from FPGAs (killer applications for FPGAs) have been appearing \u2013 e.g., a data center, a high\u2010speed database, big data processing, a network search engine, and high\u2010speed automated stock trading, and bit coin mining. They have the computing system using an FPGA as co processor of the CPU [47], utilizing the higher flexibility in circuit configuration and quicker response of the FPGA than those of a GPU. In routine processing, the power efficiency of an FPGA is said to be several dozen times as high as that of a CPU and several times as high as that of a GPU. With the successes in these applications, FPGAs are gradually being regarded as the third computing device, following CPUs and GPUs.\n\n#### 6.5.4.2 High Throughput\n\nAn FPGA is effective for applications needing large data processing and emphasizing high throughput, such as network searching, image searching, big data processing, machine learning for artificial intelligence, and a server accelerator [48, 49]. These have been regarded as effective FPGA applications after the development of large\u2010scale FPGAs.\n\nThe circuit configuration can be changed flexibly in an FPGA, so that a series of deep pipelines corresponding to multiple operations can be formed (see Figure 6.44). If the pipeline process is executed for a data\u2010processing series, memory access will be needed only at the start and finish of the series. In other words, processing with high power efficiency becomes possible with a CPU or GPU.\n\n**Figure 6.44** Operational procedure in a deep\u2010pipeline FPGA. The FPGA comprises multiple EUs. The EUs are connected to form a pipeline. There are multiple pipelines. When data to be processed, which are read out from the DM, are input into the head of each pipeline, the pipeline executes the data processing. After processing, the data are stored in the DM. The operation is repeated\n\nIn the above applications, the structure where the plural FPGAs each forming deep pipelines are connected by a high\u2010speed interface to form deeper pipelines or pipelines with higher parallelism is also expected to be effective.\n\n#### 6.5.4.3 Quick Response\n\nAn FPGA is also utilized effectively in applications where real\u2010time response characteristics are important, such as high\u2010frequency trading (HFT) achieving high\u2010speed automated stock trading, real\u2010time bidding (RTB) for Internet competitive tendering, complex event processing (CEP) for processing big data in real time, and a network interface card (NIC) [50]. These applications utilize the FPGA's flexibility to change the hardware configuration into a configuration capable of high\u2010speed response.\n\nIn case of a CPU, when an event is detected and responsive processing is executed as in the above applications, the CPU should determine the content of the event after detection and execute a responsive program. To determine the event content, and execute a responsive program, several instructions should be executed. In addition, access to external data is required to detect the event, and thus data acquisition is expected to take a very long time.\n\nThe FPGA where an event is converted into a trigger signal in real time and the responsive processing is included as hardware can respond immediately. In HFT and the like, the optimal event\u2010detection algorithm changes every day; therefore, an FPGA whose circuit configuration can be changed in accordance with the algorithm change is effective. Note that not every processing route is suitable for conversion into hardware. Processing by CPU can be utilized additionally in such cases.\n\n### _6.5.5 CAAC\u2010IGZO CPU + CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA Computing_\n\nIf the existing FPGA is replaced by a CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA having low power consumption and high power efficiency, a low\u2010power, high\u2010power\u2010efficiency computing system can be constructed. In particular, a computing system combining a CAAC\u2010IGZO CPU and CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA should reduce the whole power consumption and facilitate the construction of larger systems. In such a system, normally\u2010off computing by the CAAC\u2010IGZO CPU and CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA would also be available.\n\nAn example of the computing system combining CAAC\u2010IGZO CPUs and CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGAs is illustrated in Figure 6.45. The CPUs are connected by a common link, whereby versatile parts of programs are executed dispersedly. A CPU and an FPGA forming a pair are connected by a high\u2010speed link, whereby the heavy\u2010load processing is executed by the FPGA. Adjacent FPGAs are connected by dedicated links; in large data processing, a deep pipeline is formed at each FPGA and pipelines parallel to adjacent FPGAs are made to improve the throughput of the whole data processing.\n\n**Figure 6.45** Example of a CAAC\u2010IGZO CPU + CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA computing system. CPUs are connected by a common link, a CPU and an FPGA forming a pair are connected by a high\u2010speed link, and adjacent FPGAs are connected by a dedicated link. Mem denotes memory\n\nEasy construction of the fine\u2010grained multicontext structure features the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA. This feature is advantageous for forming a flexible deep pipeline. The multicontext structure enables the dynamic reconfiguration in response to processing executed by the FPGA, as in the startup of software in a CPU system in response to an application.\n\nFor example, as shown in Figure 6.46, changing the configuration data of the non\u2010selected context allows for the construction of an apparently very deep pipeline. When the configuration data corresponding to plural operations are prepared and the operations are executed with the circuit configuration changed bit by bit, the processing can be conducted as if different operations proceed simultaneously.\n\n**Figure 6.46** Example of dynamic reconfiguration in multicontext FPGA, having two contexts. CFG1, CFG2, CFG3, and CFG4 denote configuration data. At time T0, the operation starts from the initial state with context 0 of CFG1, context 1 of CFG2, active context of context 0, and active configuration of CFG1. At time T1, the active context is changed from context 0 to context 1, and accordingly the active configuration is changed from CFG1 to CFG2. At time T2, non\u2010active configuration data of context 0 are changed to CFG3. At time T3, the active context is changed from context 1 to context 0, and accordingly the active configuration is changed from CFG2 to CFG3. At time T4, non\u2010active configuration data of context 1 are changed to CFG4. At time T5, the active context is changed from context 0 to context 1, and accordingly the active configuration is changed from CFG3 to CFG4\n\n## References\n\n 1. [1] Okamoto, Y., Nakagawa, T., Aoki, T., Ikeda, M., Kozuma, M., Osada, T., _et al._ (2013) \"Novel application of crystalline indium\u2013gallium\u2013zinc\u2010oxide technology to LSI: Dynamically reconfigurable programmable logic device based on multi\u2010context architecture,\" ECS Trans., 54, 141. \n 2. 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(2011) \"High frequency trading acceleration using FPGAs,\" Proc. IEEE FPL, 317. \n\n# 7 \nImage Sensor\n\n## 7.1 Introduction\n\nThis chapter introduces an application of the _c_ \u2010axis\u2010aligned crystalline indium\u2013gallium\u2013zinc oxide (CAAC\u2010IGZO) technology to image sensors. As described in Chapters 3 and , the non\u2010volatile oxide semiconductor random access memory (NOSRAM) and dynamic oxide semiconductor random access memory (DOSRAM) elements, each comprising a capacitor and a CAAC\u2010IGZO field\u2010effect transistor (FET) with an extremely low off\u2010state current, can have excellent charge\u2010retention characteristics. Also, complementary metal\u2013oxide semiconductor (CMOS) image sensors [1] (CIS for short) rely on charge retention, so implementing CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs is expected to give the CIS excellent image\u2010capturing characteristics.\n\nSection 7.2 explains how CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs can be used to realize an image sensor with a global shutter mode [2], avoiding some of the disadvantages of Si\u2010based CIS with a global shutter [3]. A common CIS adopts a rolling shutter mode, in which image distortion occurs due to the non\u2010simultaneous image capture of moving objects. Accordingly, an image taken by a rolling\u2010shutter CIS often has a lower quality compared with images captured by traditional silver halide film cameras or charge\u2010coupled devices (CCD) [4]. The image distortion problem caused in a rolling shutter can be resolved by a global shutter, which can be implemented both mechanically and electrically. In the former case, the exposure time will be shorter and the sensitivity therefore lower. In the latter case, power consumption and sensor pixel density will suffer [5].\n\nDeveloped with a global shutter in mind, a CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor with multiple storage nodes in a sensor pixel [6] is described in Section 7.3. This image sensor can employ a capturing method by which several continuously captured images are retained in the respective storage nodes in a sensor pixel and are read out sequentially. The method does not necessarily require a special high\u2010speed analog\u2010to\u2010digital converter (ADC), and enables continuous image capturing at extremely short time intervals. The image sensor is expected to be very effective at performing trajectory tracking for a high\u2010speed moving object \u2013 i.e., obtaining a so\u2010called optical flow [7].\n\nThe combination of a capacitor and a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with an extremely low off\u2010state current enables construction of an ideal analog memory, which also allows construction of an analog arithmetic circuit. Section 7.4 introduces a CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor with a differential circuit comprising an analog arithmetic circuit in the sensor pixels [8, 9]. The image sensor can retain captured data from a reference frame in a storage node in each sensor pixel and generate difference data between the reference frame and the current frame. In addition to normal imaging, the image sensor can conduct difference determination between frames using a very simple analog arithmetic circuit without the help of any ADC, that is, it serves as an effective motion sensor [10]. It is expected to have significant important in surveillance applications, particularly where low power is important. In this way, value\u2010added functional image sensing with not only a simple image\u2010capturing function but also new additional functions such as analog arithmetic processing will be an attractive application of CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor technology.\n\n## 7.2 Global Shutter Image Sensor\n\nThis section shows that a sensor pixel in the CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor (CAAC\u2010IGZO sensor pixel) has excellent charge\u2010retention characteristics, and that the image sensor can be driven by an electronic global shutter [3]. In the sensor pixel, a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with an extremely low off\u2010state current offers a storage node with very high electrical insulation properties. This allows the use of an electronic global shutter and hence higher\u2010quality image capturing of moving objects without distortion.\n\n### _7.2.1 Sensor Pixel_\n\nChapters 3 and covered NOSRAM and DOSRAM with memory elements comprising a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET for controlling access to a storage node, and this subsection will demonstrate how a sensor pixel of the image sensor can be designed in a similar way. The DOSRAM memory element (configuration: 1Tr1C, where \"Tr\" and \"C\" denote a transistor and a capacitor, respectively) described in Chapter 4, the NOSRAM memory element (2Tr1C) described in Chapter 3, and a CIS sensor pixel circuit with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs (4Tr1C1PD, where \"PD\" denotes a photodiode) are illustrated in Figure 7.1(a), (b), and (c), respectively. The storage node FD in (c) is formed by a capacitor and a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, similar to the node SN in the memory cells in (a) and (b). Thus, the sensor pixel can have a function similar to that of the memory.\n\n**Figure 7.1** Relationship between circuit configuration and storage node in (a) DOSRAM memory element, (b) NOSRAM memory element, and (c) CIS sensor pixel with a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET\n\nThe operation of the circuit in Figure 7.1(c) is illustrated in Figure 7.2. The operation includes the following: (1) reset [initialization of charges in the storage node FD by a reset signal (RST)]; (2) accumulation [accumulation control of charges generated by the photodiode with an accumulation control signal (TX)]; (3) retention; and (4) readout [output by a readout control signal (SE)]. The period after accumulation to readout corresponds to (3) the retention period. The accumulated charges in FD should be retained until the readout.\n\n**Figure 7.2** Driving timing diagram of a sensor pixel in Figure 7.1(c)\n\n### _7.2.2 Global and Rolling Shutters_\n\nTo understand the relationship between the retention characteristics of a sensor pixel and the captured image, the operation of the whole CIS is described here. In a common CIS, captured data in the sensor pixels of each frame are converted into digital values row by row by an ADC, as shown in Figure 7.3. The major image\u2010capturing methods are (a) a rolling shutter mode adopted widely in CISs and (b) a global shutter mode. The timing diagrams of the two image\u2010capturing modes are shown in Figure 7.4. A major difference between the two is the timing of image capture at the sensor pixels. With the rolling shutter, image capture and readout of the obtained data are performed row by row. That is, the timing of image capture is different between rows of the sensor pixels. In contrast, with the global shutter, images are concurrently captured in all sensor pixels, and then the obtained data are read out, row by row. Such a timing difference clearly affects the image quality, specifically the distortion degree of the image of a moving object. For example, when the image of an object (car) moving at high speed from the right to the left is captured with a rolling shutter, the sensor pixels on the upper rows, where images are captured at an early time, obtain the data of the object when it is still at the right, whereas the sensor pixels on the lower rows, where image capture is performed later, obtain data on the object when it has moved to the left. As a result, the captured image of the object is distorted, as shown in Figure 7.4(a). In contrast, with the global shutter, when an image of the car moving at high speed from the right to the left is captured, the sensor pixels from the uppermost and lowermost rows simultaneously obtain the data of the object at a certain position; thus, the captured image is not distorted, as shown in Figure 7.4(b).\n\n**Figure 7.3** Block diagram of a general CIS\n\n**Figure 7.4** Comparison between image capturing by a rolling shutter (a) and a global shutter (b)\n\n### _7.2.3 Challenges Facing Adoption of Global Shutter_\n\nThe global shutter mode is preferable to the rolling shutter mode in terms of image quality, as described above. However, it is difficult to employ a global shutter in the CIS because the sensor pixels have insufficient data\u2010retention characteristics. With the global shutter, the period between the simultaneous image capturing in all sensor pixels and the readout (the retention period of the captured data) differs depending on the rows. In the sensor pixels in the row from which the data are read out last, the data\u2010retention time is the longest; therefore, it is necessary to have additional mechanisms in order to avoid a loss of captured data due to charge leakages from storage nodes. With the rolling shutter mode, since the period from image capture to readout is constant among all sensor pixels, the data\u2010retention period is within an acceptable range. Consequently, the rolling shutter mode is widely used in CISs. Note that it is ensured that complete images can be captured simultaneously in silver\u2010halide photography and CCD image sensors; therefore, image distortion of a moving object does not occur in principle. Thus, it has been said for a long time that a CCD image sensor can take a high\u2010quality image, while a CIS has the advantage of low cost (but takes a low\u2010quality image). There are still great challenges facing the adoption of a global shutter mode in a CIS.\n\nSeveral methods have been proposed to achieve the global shutter mode in a CIS. One is to use a mechanical shutter to realize a global\u2010shutter\u2010like mode (a mechanical global shutter mode). Exposure with a photodiode is mechanically controlled, during which image capture (i.e., accumulation of charges when the mechanical shutter is opened) is simultaneously performed among the sensor pixels, even though the sensor pixels are driven with a rolling shutter mode [Figure 7.5(a)]. However, this mechanism increases the cost, due to the addition of a mechanical shutter, and vibration arising from switching the shutter can also be problematic. Another proposed method is an electronic global shutter mode, where the image\u2010capturing period is controlled by the transistors in the sensor pixels. The high\u2010speed readout relieves the limitation of the retention characteristics [Figure 7.5(b)], and the degradation of the captured data is suppressed with the use of a special charge\u2010retention structure [11\u201313]. However, such a structure complicates the circuit configuration and driving method compared with a CIS with the rolling shutter. The classification of the image sensors discussed here is shown in Table 7.1.\n\n**Figure 7.5** Timing diagrams of mechanical global shutter mode (a) and electronic global shutter mode with high\u2010speed readout (b)\n\n**Table 7.1** Classification of image sensors\n\n**Process** | **Power** | **Shutter mode** | **Moving object** | **Retention time in sensor pixel data** | **Challenge** \n---|---|---|---|---|--- \nCCD | High | Global shutter | Good | Short | \u2014 \nCIS | Low | Rolling shutter | Bad | \u2014 \nMechanical global shutter Electronic global shutter | Good | Cost, vibration \n| Long | Off\u2010state current\n\n### _7.2.4 CAAC\u2010IGZO Image Sensor_\n\n#### 7.2.4.1 Configuration\n\nTo solve the above problem with the electronic global shutter, a proposal to utilize a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is given. When a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is used in a sensor pixel, a storage node can be used for its substantially complete electrical insulation properties, even without a special charge\u2010retention circuit or driving method. As a result, the charge\u2010retention characteristics improve, and an image sensor with an electronic global shutter mode without increased readout frame rate can be formed.\n\nIn order to understand the charge\u2010retention characteristics of a sensor pixel, simulation of the captured image has been carried out with an assumed structure consisting of three transistors, one capacitor, and one photodiode (3Tr1C1PD) without a reset transistor (Figure 7.6). The assumed structure is a simplified version of the sensor pixel circuit in Figure 7.1(c). In the sensor pixel circuit, the photodiode is a horizontal Si diode; the three transistors are a Si\u2010amplifying transistor (AMP), a transfer transistor [T; a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET in (a) and a Si FET in (b)], and a Si\u2010selection transistor (S). Figure 7.6(c) shows the timing diagram of the sensor pixel in Figure 7.6(a) and (b). The target to be captured is a fan (\"Target\" in Figure 7.7), rotating in a clockwise direction at 640 rpm. The number of sensor pixels is 640 \u00d7 480 and the frame rate is 60 Hz. The rolling shutter mode and the global shutter mode are separately assumed as the image\u2010capturing method; to compare the influences of the off\u2010state current, a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and a Si FET are separately assumed as transfer transistor. Thus, four combinations are measured. A captured data\u2010retention period from image capture to readout [Retention (3) in Figure 7.6(c)] is 30 \u00b5s at all rows with the rolling shutter, whereas the period is 30 \u00b5s (at the first readout row) to 16.7 ms (at the last readout row) with the global shutter.\n\n**Figure 7.6** Sensor pixel circuit: (a) T is a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET; (b) T is a Si FET. The transistors other than T are Si FETs. (c) Driving timing diagram of the sensor pixel.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [3]\n\n**Figure 7.7** Target to be captured and simulated captured images\n\nThe simulated captured images in the table of Figure 7.7 show that the quality depends on the shutter mode and transistor. With the rolling shutter, since the captured data\u2010retention period is uniformly short in all sensor pixels, the influence of leakage current on the image quality is negligible regardless of whether Si FETs or CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are used; however, since image capture is not performed simultaneously among the sensor pixels, the captured image of the target is distorted. In contrast, with the global shutter, since the image capture is performed simultaneously among all the sensor pixels, image distortion does not occur, but the influence of leakage current increases. Specifically, with the Si FET, the captured data are lost from the sensor pixels selected in late time, which need to hold the captured data longer (the image at lower rows went white in the drawing). With the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET, however, the captured data have been retained, even when the retention period is long.\n\n#### 7.2.4.2 Prototype 1\n\nIn order to confirm the above\u2010simulated effect of retaining captured data in a CAAC\u2010IGZO sensor pixel for a long time, a CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor was fabricated 3]. Figure 7.8 illustrates the device structure of the fabricated CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor. The hybrid structure of CAAC\u2010IGZO and Si FETs is achieved by stacking these FETs (see [Chapter 2 for detailed stacking techniques). The circuit configuration of the CAAC\u2010IGZO sensor pixel is the same as that simulated in Figure 7.6(a). With such a sensor circuit configuration, the storage node FD is completely surrounded by insulating films (including a gate insulator and interlayer insulator) and the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. Therefore, FD is a completely insulated region when the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is off, so its charge\u2010retention characteristics are improved. In addition, high\u2010speed readout is realized by the Si FET. The signal timing of the driving is shown in Figure 7.6(c).\n\n**Figure 7.8** Device structure.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [3]\n\nTo evaluate the charge\u2010retention characteristics, a test element group (TEG) of the CAAC\u2010IGZO sensor pixel shown in Figure 7.6(a) and a TEG of a sensor pixel circuit only with Si FETs (a CMOS image sensor) in Figure 7.6(b) were fabricated and compared. For the measurement, the voltage value of the output of the captured data (PO) is continuously monitored to examine the charge\u2010retention characteristics of FD. The selection transistor is always on so that the voltage of PO might be monitored, and the other timings are the same as those shown in Figure 7.6(c).\n\nThe dependence on illuminance (0 to 1000 lx) was measured and is shown in Figure 7.9. Figure 7.9(a) shows the TEG of the CAAC\u2010IGZO sensor pixel, and Figure 7.9(b) shows the TEG of the CMOS sensor. In the CMOS sensor pixel, the voltage value of PO started to decrease after several milliseconds of charge retention, as shown in the graph. In contrast, since the leakage current is much smaller in the CAAC\u2010IGZO sensor pixel than in the CMOS sensor pixel, a sufficient PO voltage value is retained so as not to affect the sensor pixel output even after approximately 16.7 ms or longer [corresponding to 1 frame at 60 frames per second (fps)]. These results suggest that the CAAC\u2010IGZO sensor pixel allows the achievement of an electronic global shutter even without any special charge\u2010retention circuit.\n\n**Figure 7.9** Charge\u2010retention characteristics of floating diffusion (FD) at 0 to 1000 lx in a structure with (a) a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET [Figure 7.6(a)] and (b) only Si FETs [Figure 7.6(b)].\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [3]. Copyright 2011 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\nThe photograph and specifications of the fabricated CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor are shown in Figure 7.10 and Table 7.2, respectively [3].\n\n**Figure 7.10** Photograph of the global shutter image sensor\n\n**Table 7.2** Specifications of the global shutter image sensor [3]\n\nProcess | 2.0\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO\/2.0\u2010\u00b5m Si \n---|--- \nChip size | 96 mm \u00d7 78 mm \nNumber of sensor pixels | 640 \u00d7 480 \nSensor pixel size | 126 \u00b5m \u00d7 126 \u00b5m \nSensor pixel configuration | 3 transistors, 1 capacitor \nFill factor | 3.8% \nSupply voltage | 3.3 V \nADC | 6\u2010bit ring oscillator\n\nThe fabricated CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor can capture a clear image of a rotating object with a global shutter. An image of the rotating object at approximately 640 rpm is captured, and the captured images are shown in Figure 7.11. Figure 7.11(a) is the result taken by the rolling shutter, Figure 7.11(b) is the reference result taken by the global shutter in the case where the transfer transistor is always weakly opened, assuming a large gate leakage current of the transfer transistor (i.e., supposing a Si FET), and Figure 7.11(c) is the result taken by the global shutter. The image captured by the rolling shutter is distorted because of the non\u2010simultaneous image capture among the sensor pixels, while the images captured by the global shutter are not distorted. In addition, since charges are retained from image capture to readout of the captured data with the global shutter, the captured image (c) shows an accurate shape of the rotating object without decrease in output value from the sensor pixels shown in image (b). These results demonstrate that the CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor enables the global shutter mode.\n\n**Figure 7.11** Image of a rotating object.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [3]. Copyright 2011 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n#### 7.2.4.3 Prototype 2\n\nAs an example of a further scaled\u2010down prototype utilizing the effectiveness of the CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor described above, a sub\u2010micrometer fabrication process is used. The micrograph and specifications of the fabricated CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor are shown in Figure 7.12 and Table 7.3, respectively. The channel length _L_ of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET is 0.35 \u00b5m. The image sensor has the circuit configuration of Figure 7.1(c), and the transistors and photodiodes of the sensor pixels are CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs and horizontal PIN photodiodes, respectively. The peripheral circuits are composed of CMOS circuits of 0.18\u2010\u00b5m Si FETs.\n\n**Figure 7.12** Micrograph of the global shutter image sensor\n\n**Table 7.3** Specifications of the global shutter image sensor\n\nProcess | 0.35\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO\/0.18\u2010\u00b5m Si \n---|--- \nDie size | 6.5 mm \u00d7 6.0 mm \nNumber of sensor pixels | 240 \u00d7 160 \nSensor pixel size | 20 \u00b5m \u00d7 20 \u00b5m \nSensor pixel configuration | 4 transistors, 1 capacitor \nFill factor | 30% \nSupply voltage | 1.8 V \nADC | 8\u2010bit single slope\n\nFigure 7.13 shows the results of imaging of an object rotating at 400 rpm with use of the fabricated CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor. Figure 7.13(a) is the reference imaging result with the rolling shutter, taken with a commercial smartphone camera, and Figure 7.13(b) is the result with the global shutter, taken with the CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor. As shown in Figure 7.13(a), the image of the object is distorted because the capture is performed with the rolling shutter in the commercial smartphone and the exposure is not conducted simultaneously among the sensor pixels; in contrast, as shown in Figure 7.13(b), the image of the object obtained with the global shutter is not distorted. This suggests that, as in the case of the prototype in Figure 7.10, the image sensor with an electronic global shutter can be formed even with sub\u2010micrometer CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs.\n\n**Figure 7.13** Images of a rotating object [above left: image of resting object, (a) image taken with rolling shutter using a commercial smartphone and (b) image taken with global shutter using a fabricated prototype]\n\n## 7.3 Image Sensor Conducting High\u2010Speed Continuous Image Capture\n\n### _7.3.1 Overview_\n\nBased on the CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor with excellent charge\u2010retention characteristics allowing the electronic global shutter described in the previous section, a high\u2010speed continuous\u2010capturing image sensor with short shutter time [6] can be realized. In this section, \"high speed\" refers to short shutter time. Although one storage node with excellent charge\u2010retention characteristics is positioned in each sensor pixel in the previous section, it is possible to provide multiple similar storage nodes in each sensor pixel. In that case, pieces of data captured continuously can be, respectively, stored in the storage nodes in the sensor pixel. After that, the pieces of captured data can be read out sequentially, without synchronizing with the image capture. In this image\u2010capturing method, capture intervals depend on the sensitivity of the sensor pixel, not the operational speed of peripheral circuits such as an ADC. That is, without the massive A\/D conversion that is forcibly conducted in a general high\u2010speed camera with large power consumption, this method can continuously capture images at high speed. In addition, high\u2010speed peripheral circuits are not essential to the method, and thus peripheral circuits of the image sensor can be formed with p\u2010channel Si (Pch\u2010Si) and CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. Furthermore, the use of the method will lead to trajectory tracking of a high\u2010speed moving object (i.e., a so\u2010called optical flow system) with low power consumption.\n\n### _7.3.2 Conventional High\u2010Speed Continuous\u2010Capturing Image Sensor_\n\nIn a common CIS, data captured in each sensor pixel at each frame are generally converted into digital data in an ADC [14]. One method to directly realize high\u2010speed continuous image capturing at short time intervals is to increase the frame rate [15,16]. In that case, short\u2010time capturing and fast readout by the sensor pixels are required \u2013 i.e., highly sensitive and high\u2010speed sensor pixels are required. In addition, a high\u2010speed ADC is needed. The use of such an ADC will cause problems, such as an increase in circuit area, larger power consumption, and heat generation. The solutions to these problems are technically challenging.\n\nMethods by which the problems with a high\u2010speed ADC can be avoided have been proposed. First, an image sensor is proposed in which DRAM (an analog memory) is provided adjacent to the sensor pixel region, and captured data in the sensor pixels at each frame are read out and stored in the analog memory as analog data without A\/D conversion [17]. This image sensor does not require a high\u2010speed ADC; however, captured data must be transferred at high speed from the sensor pixels to the analog memory, which may lead to high power consumption. In addition, the image quality may be degraded because of the off\u2010leakage current of Si FETs in the analog memory. Another image sensor is that in which captured data in the sensor pixels are stored by the CCD method and then transferred [18,19]. Although the problems with a high\u2010speed ADC can be avoided in this method also, a high driving voltage causing high power consumption is required to transfer captured data between the CCDs. In addition, a CCD manufacturing process is required, and thus the cost advantage of the CIS process is cancelled out.\n\n### _7.3.3 High\u2010Speed Continuous\u2010Capturing CAAC\u2010IGZO Image Sensor_\n\n#### 7.3.3.1 Configuration\n\nThe above problems can be solved by utilizing a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with an extremely low off\u2010state current. Specifically, multiple storage nodes, each like the one in Figure 7.1(c), are included in sensor pixels of a CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor, and captured data are continuously stored in the storage nodes and then sequentially read out. Such a configuration allows high\u2010speed continuous image capture without a high\u2010speed ADC [6].\n\nA CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor for performing high\u2010speed continuous image capturing with a short shutter time is described below. A circuit diagram of a sensor pixel of the image sensor is shown in Figure 7.14. The sensor pixel has _k_ sub\u2010sensor pixels, each including a storage node. Each sub\u2010sensor pixel comprises four transistors and one photodiode. The photodiode is shared among the sub\u2010sensor pixels with the use of a sharing transistor, which enables charges to be accumulated in any one of the storage nodes (FD) by the photocurrent from _k_ photodiodes. Such a structure offers superior sensitivity to that in a general method by which charges are accumulated in one FD with the use of one photodiode. This compensates for the increased necessary sensitivity due to short\u2010time\u2010interval image capture. When the transistors in the sensor pixel are CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, the charge\u2010retention characteristics of the FD improve, and thus degradation due to leakage of the captured data hardly occurs. Figure 7.15 is a timing diagram of the image sensor. When accumulation control signals TX1, TX2,..., TX _k_ are sequentially activated, image capture is performed continuously at short time intervals. Next, the captured data are read out row by row and subjected to A\/D conversion with an ADC. That is, high\u2010speed continuous image capture with a short shutter time can be obtained without high\u2010speed ADC. Therefore, lower power consumption is achieved. The complete block diagram of the image sensor is shown in Figure 7.16. The image sensor comprises a sensor pixel array, a row driver, a column driver, and an ADC. The image sensor can operate with a circuit configuration similar to that of a common image sensor.\n\n**Figure 7.14** Circuit diagram of a sensor pixel.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [6]\n\n**Figure 7.15** Timing diagram of the high\u2010speed continuous\u2010capture method.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [6]\n\n**Figure 7.16** Block diagram of the image sensor.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [6]\n\n#### 7.3.3.2 Prototype 1\n\nIn order to examine the CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor conducting high\u2010speed continuous image capture, an image sensor formed by the hybrid process of 0.35\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO and 0.18\u2010\u00b5m Si FETs was fabricated [6]. Table 7.4 and Figure 7.17 show the specifications and micrograph, respectively. Here the sensor pixel has the configuration shown in Figure 7.14 with , which is the simplest configuration. All FETs of the sensor pixels contain CAAC\u2010IGZO. The readout frame rate in Table 7.4 indicates the number of readouts per second.\n\n**Table 7.4** Specifications of the image sensor.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [6]\n\nProcess | 0.35\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO\/0.18\u2010\u00b5m Si \n---|--- \nDie size | 6.5 mm \u00d7 6.0 mm \nNumber of sensor pixels | 240 \u00d7 80 (each sensor pixel has 2 sub\u2010sensor pixels) \nSub\u2010sensor pixel size | 20 \u00b5m \u00d7 20 \u00b5m \nSub\u2010sensor pixel configuration | 4 transistors, 1 capacitor \nFill factor | 31% \nSupply voltage | Nominal | 1.8 V \nSensor pixel, \ncomparator in ADC | 3.3 V \nADC | 8\u2010bit single slope \nClock frequency \n(readout frame rate: 60 fps) | Row driver | 2.76 kHz \nColumn driver | 718 kHz \nADC | 1.77 MHz \nReset time\/accumulation time | 45 \u00b5s\/45 \u00b5s\n\n**Figure 7.17** Micrograph of the image sensor\n\nTo analyze whether the image quality is affected by the sensor pixel configuration, a uniform planar light source is used as an object to be captured. Images captured at sub\u2010sensor pixels 1 (controlled by TX1) and 2 (controlled by TX2) with the global shutter are called TX1G and TX2G images, respectively, and those captured at sub\u2010sensor pixels 1 and 2 with high\u2010speed continuous, non\u2010global shutter image capture are called TX1C and TX2C images, respectively. TX1G, TX2G, TX1C, and TX2C images are captured under various conditions, and the TX1G image sampled by the global shutter at 60 fps is used as a reference image. Each pixel value [digital output value by ADC with respect to the captured data at each (sub\u2010)sensor pixel] difference between the reference image and the TX1G\/TX2G\/TX1C\/TX2C image is obtained in the manner shown in Figure 7.18, and the average values and standard deviations of the differences are shown in Figures 7.19 and 7.20, respectively. Figure 7.19 shows the results under readout frame rates of 0.1, 0.3, 1, 3, 10, 30, and 60 fps (note that the capture interval is 100 \u00b5s under all conditions). Figure 7.20 shows the results with high\u2010speed continuous image capture at a readout frame rate of 60 fps and capture intervals of 100, 200, 500, and 1000 \u00b5s. In Figures 7.19 and 7.20, a least significant bit (LSB) is used as a unit of pixel value to quantitatively discuss the difference between the two images.\n\n**Figure 7.18** Method for calculating average value and standard deviation\n\n**Figure 7.19** Readout frame rate dependence of the image quality degradation: (a) average pixel value difference between the target and reference images; (b) standard deviation of the pixel value difference between target and reference images (\u25cb, TX1C; \u25a1, TX2C; +, TX1G; \u00d7, TX2G)\n\n**Figure 7.20** Capture interval dependence of image quality degradation: (a) average pixel value difference between the target and reference images; (b) standard deviation of the pixel value difference between target and reference images (\u25cb, TX1C; \u25a1, TX2C)\n\nIn Figure 7.19(a) and (b), within the readout frame rate of 1 to 60 fps, the average and standard deviation of pixel value differences between the reference and TX1G\/TX2G\/TX1C\/TX2C images are distributed in the range \u00b10.5 LSB. Therefore, within this range of the readout frame rate, there is no significant difference between the results under the global shutter and high\u2010speed continuous image capturing, and the latter can therefore be effectively employed. In particular, high\u2010speed continuous image capturing with a short shutter time can be used even at a readout frame rate as low as 1 fps, leading to a later\u2010described proposal for a low\u2010power image sensor with peripheral circuits comprising Pch\u2010Si and CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. In Figure 7.20(a) and (b), within the interval of 100\u20131000 \u00b5s under high\u2010speed continuous image capturing, the average and standard deviation of the pixel value differences between the reference image and the TX1C\/TX2C images are distributed in the range \u00b10.5 LSB. Thus, within this range of capture interval, there is no significant difference between the results under global shutter and high\u2010speed continuous image capturing, and the latter can be effectively used even at a capture interval as short as 100 \u00b5s. This leads to a later\u2010described proposal for an optical flow system.\n\nHigh\u2010speed continuous image capturing was used to capture two fans rotating at 6500 rpm and 10000 rpm in the counterclockwise direction. The images are captured at a readout frame rate of 1 fps and capture intervals of 100 \u00b5s and 1000 \u00b5s. The driving signal waveforms at a capture interval of 100 \u00b5s are shown in Figure 7.21. In the drawing, the waveforms of PR, PA, TX1, and TX2 correspond to those in Figure 7.15 in the case of . Figure 7.22 shows the captured images. Figure 7.22(a) and (b) are a TX1C image and TX2C image, respectively, captured at an interval of 100 \u00b5s, while (c) and (d) are a TX1C image and TX2C image, respectively, captured at an interval of 1000 \u00b5s. From Figure 7.22, the rotation speed of each fan can be calculated. For example, the angle between the right fan positions in Figure 7.22(a) and (b) is 6.0\u00b0. Since the capture interval is 100 \u00b5s, the rotation speed of the right fan is calculated to be . Similarly, the angle between the left fan positions in (a) and (b) is 3.9\u00b0, and the rotation speed of the left fan is calculated to be . These calculated rotation speeds are coincident with the actual rotation speeds. Furthermore, the same rotation speeds are obtained in the case of 1000 \u00b5s from a right fan angle of 60\u00b0 and a left fan angle of 39\u00b0 in Figure 7.22(c) and (d).\n\n**Figure 7.21** Waveforms at a readout frame rate of 1 fps and capture interval of 100 \u00b5s\n\n**Figure 7.22** Images of rotating fans (the left\u2010hand fan rotates at 6500 rpm and the right\u2010hand fan rotates at 10000 rpm): (a) TX1C image (capture interval 100 \u00b5s); (b) TX2C image (capture interval 100 \u00b5s); (c) TX1C image (capture interval 1000 \u00b5s); (d) TX2C image (capture interval 1000 \u00b5s)\n\nThe captured image quality is hardly degraded in the CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor, even at a low readout frame rate, as described above, because of the excellent retention characteristics of the sensor pixels with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. The captured data can be read out slowly; therefore, even when the ADC speed is lowered in accordance with the low readout frame rate, there is no influence on image quality. This allows low\u2010power driving of the ADC, leading to a reduction in power consumption by the whole image sensor. However, the short shutter time requires high illuminance and\/or a sensor with high sensitivity. By increasing the number of sub\u2010sensor pixels, it is possible to capture sequences of more than two images per readout.\n\nTo confirm the above\u2010mentioned effect of reducing power consumption, the power consumption and energy necessary to obtain one image are measured under the three conditions shown in Table 7.5. The first is a reference condition. In the second condition, the readout frame rate is lowered from 60 fps of the reference to 1 fps. In the third condition, the source voltages of the peripheral circuits such as the ADC are lowered from the second condition, while the other conditions are kept the same. Under all conditions, the capture interval is 100 \u00b5s. Table 7.6 shows the results. The power consumption under the second condition is 93.3% of that under the first condition; however, the energy required to obtain one image increases. This is because the possible number of images to be captured is decreased by lowering the readout frame rate and because static power consumption accounts for the majority of power consumption in the ADC. In contrast, the consumed power under the third condition is as low as 0.71% of that under the first condition, and the energy for acquiring an image is 9.2 \u03bcJ, lower than 21.6 \u03bcJ under the first condition. Thus, it has been confirmed that combining high\u2010speed continuous image capturing with the lowered readout frame rate and lowered voltage in the peripheral circuits including ADCs can effectively offer reduced power consumption. Although lowering the comparator bias and ADC voltages reduces the dynamic range of the image sensor, it is still sufficient for some machine vision applications with high contrast images, such as the fan in the example above.\n\n**Table 7.5** Measurement condition of power consumption by the image sensor\n\n****| **1st cond.** | **2nd cond.** | **3rd cond.** \n---|---|---|--- \nReadout frame rate | 60 fps | 1 fps | 1 fps \nSupply voltage | ADC (comparator\/counter) | 3.3 V\/1.8 V | 3.3 V\/1.8 V | 2.5 V\/1.8 V \nComparator bias | \u22120.07 V | \u22120.07 V | \u22120.6 V \nRow driver | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 2.5 V \nColumn driver | 3.3 V | 3.3 V | 2.5 V\n\n**Table 7.6** Power consumption by the image sensor\n\n****| **1st cond.** | **2nd cond.** | **3rd cond.** \n---|---|---|--- \nPower (\u03bcW) | Comparator | 1216.9 | 1204.0 | 7.4 \nCounter | 19.1 | 0.9 | 1.0 \nColumn driver | 56.8 | 1.0 | 0.5 \nRow driver | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 \nSensor pixels | 0.3 | 0.3 | 0.3 \n**Total** | **1293.2** | **1206.2** | **9.2** \nEnergy (\u03bcJ) | 21.6 | 1206.2 | 9.2\n\n#### 7.3.3.3 Prototype 2\n\nThe proposed method of high\u2010speed continuous image capturing does not require any special high\u2010speed operation of the peripheral circuits unless a high readout frame rate is necessary, as described above. The characteristics [Figure 7.23(a)] and noise characteristics [Figure 7.23(b) and (c)] of the CAAC\u2010IGZO and Si FETs formed by the hybrid process indicate that the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET tends to be superior to the n\u2010channel Si FET (Nch\u2010Si FET) with respect to noise levels. These factors may allow an image sensor with a hybrid structure of CAAC\u2010IGZO and Pch\u2010Si FETs where no Nch\u2010Si FET is used. In such an image sensor, all sensor pixel circuits can be implemented entirely by CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs (except for the photodiode, which is Si), and the peripheral circuits such as drivers and ADCs can be implemented by Pch\u2010Si FETs and CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs [6]. Thus, the steps for forming Nch Si FETs are possibly eliminated, leading to a reduction in the process cost. To verify this, a prototype image sensor was fabricated, and the high\u2010speed continuous image capturing operation is examined.\n\n**Figure 7.23** Characteristics of FETs formed by hybrid process: (a) curve ( ) (solid line: CAAC\u2010IGZO, ; dotted line: Nch\u2010Si, ; dashed line: Pch\u2010Si, ); (b) 1\/f noise (solid line: CAAC\u2010IGZO, ; dotted line: Nch\u2010Si, ; dashed line: Pch\u2010Si, ); and (c) 1\/f noise in case of using scaled\u2010down CAAC\u2010IGZO FET (solid line: CAAC\u2010IGZO, ; dotted line: Nch\u2010Si, ; dashed line: Pch\u2010Si, ). _W_ denotes the channel width.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [6]\n\nThe specifications and micrograph of the fabricated image sensor are shown in Table 7.7 and Figure 7.24, respectively. The peripheral circuits are formed of CAAC\u2010IGZO and Pch\u2010Si FETs. All transistors of the sensor pixels are CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. Figure 7.25 illustrates the hybrid structure of the fabricated image sensor. Figure 7.26 shows the layout of the sub\u2010sensor pixels. In such a structure, the area of the peripheral circuits, such as drivers and ADCs, can be reduced. In addition, since the sensor pixel transistors can all be CAAC\u2010IGZO, an arrangement of Si FETs on a Si substrate is not required; therefore, the photodiode can be increased in size up to that of the sub\u2010sensor pixel. The number of sub\u2010sensor pixels is , i.e., the same as shown in Figure 7.14.\n\n**Table 7.7** Specifications of image sensor.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [6]\n\nProcess | 0.35\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO\/0.18\u2010\u00b5m Si (Pch) \n---|--- \nDie size | 6.5 mm \u00d7 6.0 mm \nNumber of sensor pixels | 240 \u00d7 80 \nSub\u2010sensor pixel size | 20 \u00b5m \u00d7 20 \u00b5m \nSub\u2010sensor pixel configuration | 4 transistors, 1 capacitor \nFill factor | 31% \nSupply voltage | Nominal | 1.8 V \nSensor pixel, \ncomparator in ADC | 3.3 V \nADC | 8\u2010bit single slope \nClock frequency \n(readout frame rate: 1 fps) | Row driver | 46.0 Hz \nColumn driver | 12.0 kHz \nADC | 29.5 kHz \nReset time\/accumulation time | 45 \u00b5s\/45 \u00b5s\n\n**Figure 7.24** Micrograph of image sensor\n\n**Figure 7.25** Hybrid structure of image sensor\n\n**Figure 7.26** Micrograph of sub\u2010sensor pixel in image sensor.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [6]. Copyright 2014 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\nFirst, the operation of the peripheral circuits of the fabricated image sensor is examined. Figure 7.27 shows the signal waveforms of the column driver. The circuits operate at a low readout frame rate of 1 fps. As shown in the figure, the column driver outputs an image data output enable signal (COUT) in synchronization with a clock signal (CCK). With the sensor, high\u2010speed continuous image capturing is performed under the following conditions: the readout frame rate is 1 fps, the capture interval is 100 \u00b5s with 45 \u00b5s accumulation, and the objects to be captured are two fans rotating at 6500 rpm and 10000 rpm in a counterclockwise direction. The captured images are shown in Figure 7.28. The photographs show the rotation angles of the fans (3.9\u00b0 and 6.0\u00b0) during the capture interval. In the same manner as the calculation for the image sensor of Prototype 1, the rotation speeds of the left and right fans are calculated to be 6500 rpm and 10000 rpm, respectively, which are coincident with the actual rotation speeds. Thus, it has been confirmed that high\u2010speed continuous image capturing can be performed normally even in the test image sensor.\n\n**Figure 7.27** Measured waveforms of the column driver in the image sensor.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [6]\n\n**Figure 7.28** Images of a rotating fan: (a) TX1C image; (b) TX2C image\n\n### _7.3.4 Application to Optical Flow System_\n\nA low\u2010power optical flow system [20] is an example of an application of the image sensor operated with high\u2010speed continuous image capturing. An optical flow expresses the visual movement of an object as a vector, and is an important concept in fields where motion capture, such as image recognition or machine vision, is the target. While a short shutter time is required to accurately obtain an optical flow, a high sampling rate is not required in many applications where flow calculation is carried out. A conventional image sensor with high frame rate may not be the optimum solution, because it captures unnecessarily many images and requires high power for a fast readout. In contrast, the image sensor with high\u2010speed continuous image capturing captures only the necessary images for an accurate optical flow calculation. The images can be read out slowly from the start of the optical flow calculation without degrading the image quality, and the system power consumption can be reduced.\n\nAn optical flow system includes, for example, an image sensor, a controller, a digital signal processor (DSP), and a display (Figure 7.29). The image sensor uses high\u2010speed continuous image capturing. The image sensor captures two images during short shutter times at a short time interval in response to the controller, and then reads out the images at a low readout frame rate (e.g., 1 fps) depending on the application. The DSP creates an optical flow from the two images, and instructs the controller to conduct additional image capturing if necessary. The optical flow and captured images are then synthesized and displayed.\n\n**Figure 7.29** Block diagram of an optical flow system\n\nTo examine the feasibility of the optical flow system, an optical flow is calculated with the use of the images in Figure 7.22 captured by the image sensor in Subsection 7.3.3.2. As for the calculation algorithm, the common Lucas\u2013Kanade method [7] is used. The result in the case of a 100\u2010\u00b5s capture interval [i.e., the optical flow obtained from the images in Figure 7.22(a) and (b)] is shown in Figure 7.30(a). The result in the case of a 1000\u2010\u00b5s capture interval [i.e., the optical flow obtained from the images in Figure 7.22(c) and (d)] is shown in Figure 7.30(b). Figure 7.30(a) shows that an accurate optical flow indicating two fans rotating in a counterclockwise direction is obtained at a capture interval of 100 \u00b5s. In contrast, Figure 7.30(b) shows that the flows of the left fan are varied and the rotating direction is not calculated at all, and that it even seems as if the right fan was calculated to rotate in a clockwise direction (the inverse direction) at a capture interval of 1000 \u00b5s. That is, when the capture interval is long, such as 1000 \u00b5s, it is difficult to obtain the optical flow of the object rotating at high speed (e.g., 6500 rpm or 10000 rpm). However, when an image sensor can conduct continuous image capture at high speed (e.g., at a capture interval of 100 \u00b5s with an accumulation of 45 \u00b5s as in this image sensor), the optical flow of the object rotating at high speed can be accurately obtained.\n\n**Figure 7.30** Optical flow: (a) at a capture interval of 100 \u00b5s; (b) at a capture interval of 1000 \u00b5s\n\nNext, the effect of reduction in power consumption by the optical flow system with the image sensor fabricated in Subsection 7.3.3.2 is discussed. A conventional system with a known image sensor reported by Furuta _et al_. [15] and a DSP C6678 manufactured by Texas Instruments [21] is assumed to be able to capture a \u2010sensor pixel monochrome image with 8\u2010bit gray scale at a frame rate of 10000 fps (corresponding to a capture interval of 100 \u00b5s) in an imaginary system. It is also assumed that power consumption scales linearly with sensor pixel count, gray\u2010scale bit depth, and frame rate. The optical flow is assumed to be calculated at a sampling ratio of 1 fps. On the basis of the specifications of the image sensor described in [15] (number of sensor pixels: 514 \u00d7 530, ADC resolution: 12 bits, frame rate: 3500 fps, power: 1 W), the image sensor in the imaginary system is then estimated to consume 115 mW . According to the specifications of the DSP described in [21] (number of sensor pixels: , throughput: 9.79 fps, power: 10 W), the DSP in the system is estimated to consume a power of 1.02 W . Thus, the total power consumption of the imaginary system is estimated to be 1.135 W.\n\nNext, the image sensor is replaced with one capable of high\u2010speed continuous image capture without a change in system function. To hold the same system function, this image sensor captures images at a readout frame rate of 1 fps and a capture interval of 100 \u00b5s. On the basis of the result under the third condition in Table 7.6, the power consumption by the image sensor is estimated to be 7.9 \u03bcW . Supposing that the DSP consumes the same power as the above (1.02 W), the total power consumption is estimated to be 1.02 W. Thus, if the image sensor in the conventional system is replaced with the high\u2010speed continuous\u2010capture one, the power consumption of the entire system can be reduced by 10.1% . Assuming that the power consumption by DSP will decrease in the future, and focusing only on the image sensor, the power consumed by the proposed image sensor decreases significantly from the conventional image sensor by 99.99% . Therefore, use of the high\u2010speed continuous\u2010capture image sensor in the optical flow system should effectively reduce the power consumption in future optical flow systems.\n\n## 7.4 Motion Sensor\n\n### _7.4.1 Overview_\n\nAs described in Sections 7.2 and 7.3, the CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor is characterized by a storage node using a capacitor and a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with an extremely low off\u2010state current. Not only can it be used for sampling images, the circuit can also be configured into an analog arithmetic circuit \u2013 i.e., a _functional image sensor_ with image pre\u2010processing that can unload the image signal processor (ISP) from such tasks.\n\nA typical application of functional image sensors is motion sensing. Depending on the configuration, it can be applied to surveillance, security, and product inspection, and other intermittent machine vision tasks. In addition, some autonomously powered sensor network for Internet of Things (IoT) applications require microwatt\u2010order power. Some prior studies on low\u2010power motion sensors have proposed configurations that can detect motion by processing captured data without using external devices [8,22\u201324]. These are roughly classified into an event\u2010driven type [22] and a frame\u2010based type [23]. The event\u2010driven type has low power consumption but needs a complicated sensor pixel configuration, making normal imaging difficult. The frame\u2010based type can perform normal imaging but can detect motion only from a preceding frame (reference frame), and therefore considerable computing power is necessary to analyze the image differences, unless special hardware is employed. Recently, a compromise configuration of both types has also been proposed by implementing low\u2010power motion\u2010detection algorithms [24].\n\nThis section introduces a CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor with differential circuits in the sensor pixels as an example of functional image sensors. The sensor can hold the captured data of a reference frame in a storage node for a long period and generate differential data between the reference and current frames using an analog differential circuit in each sensor pixel. In addition to normal imaging, it can determine the difference between frames using a simple analog processor without an ADC. It is therefore expected to become an efficient event\u2010driven motion sensor while maintaining the advantages of a frame\u2010based motion sensor.\n\n### _7.4.2 Configuration_\n\n#### 7.4.2.1 System Architecture\n\nThe image sensor utilizes the good charge\u2010retention characteristics of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs to achieve an extremely low\u2010power motion sensor. Figure 7.31 shows a block diagram of such a sensor and its operating modes. By switching driving modes, the sensor pixel can conduct either normal imaging or differential imaging, the latter of which captures current frame data and calculates the differential data between the reference and current frame data through a differential circuit implemented by CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. Thanks to the good charge\u2010retention characteristics, the interval between the reference and current frames can be very long, and hence detect motion in a wide range of speeds, including even a minute motion over a long period. This can be done row by row at extremely low power consumption.\n\n**Figure 7.31** Block diagram of the motion sensor and operational states of each block at each operation mode. Gray indicates a deactivated (wait) mode.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [8]\n\nThe motion sensor has a motion\u2010capture mode, a wait mode, and an imaging mode. First, in the motion\u2010capture mode, the sensor sequentially checks the differential data of the sensor pixels in each row without turning on the column driver or ADC. Upon detection of changes in the sensor pixel differential data in a particular row, the sensor stops checking the differential data for the rest of the rows. Specifically, the controller stops the analog processor and the row driver, and the sensor is switched to a wait mode automatically. Thus, the system can save the power used for the data readout of the rest of the rows. In the wait mode, all circuit blocks except the controller are deactivated. After the target frame period where motion is detected, the motion sensor is switched back to the motion\u2010capture mode automatically, or to an imaging mode by an out\u2010trigger from external devices. Finally, as an operation following the target frame motion capture, the motion sensor obtains the captured data in the current frame or the differential data showing a difference between the reference and current frames and then outputs the obtained data in the imaging mode.\n\n#### 7.4.2.2 Sensor Pixel\n\nAs described above, this motion sensor requires the function of retaining captured data from a reference frame and acquiring differential data between the target and reference frames. A sensor pixel configuration to provide this function is illustrated in Figure 7.32. Figure 7.32 shows the circuit diagram of the test sensor pixel (a), the timing diagram of differential data capture (b), and of normal image capture (c). Note that the sensor pixel circuit can be fabricated entirely by CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, thereby increasing the effective exposure area of the photodiode. Moreover, the extremely low off\u2010state current of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs allows FD and CS nodes in the sensor pixel circuit to be non\u2010volatile storage nodes. In other words, they can retain the charges corresponding to the captured data for a long period. The differential circuit consists of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs and a capacitor C1, whose electrodes are connected to FD and CS nodes.\n\n**Figure 7.32** Sensor pixel circuit diagram (a), timing diagram during differential data capture (b), and timing diagram during normal image capture (c).\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [8]\n\nNow, the differential data capture in the sensor pixels from Figure 7.32(b) is explained, starting with the reference frame operation. In the reset period, the electric potential of the CS node is set to the reset potential _V_ FR, and the electric potential of the FD node is set to the reset potential _V_ PR. In a subsequent accumulation period, while the CS node potential is kept at _V_ FR, an accumulation operation sets the FD node potential to the potential corresponding to the reference frame captured data ( ), where _V_ A is the potential corresponding to the pixel value of the reference frame pixel. In the following readout period, the outputs that correspond to the reset potential of the CS node ( _V_ FR) (here, the outputs are equivalent to the differential data of zero) are sequentially read out.\n\nNext, the target frame operations are explained. In the reset period (1), the FD node potential is set to the reset potential _V_ PR. Then, the FD node potential increases by _V_ A, from to _V_ PR. The capacitive coupling with capacitor C1 sets the CS node potential to , increased from _V_ FR by _\u03b1V_ A, where _\u03b1_ is a constant determined by the capacitors C1 and C2, and the gate capacitance of the transistor, M14. In the accumulation period (2), the accumulation operation decreases the FD node potential from _V_ PR to the potential corresponding to the target frame captured data ( ). Then, the capacitive coupling with capacitor C1 decreases the CS node potential from to , which is the potential corresponding to the differential data between the reference and target frames. In the readout period (3), the outputs (equivalent to the differential data) corresponding to the CS node potential are read out sequentially.\n\nIn the above, the potential of the CS and FD nodes can be maintained for a long period by setting the CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs M11, M12, and M13 off. In other words, the sensor pixels can retain the reference frame data for a long time, and also hold the differential data between the reference and target frames acquired by the differential circuit.\n\nAs shown in Figure 7.32(c), normal image capture of the current frame is achieved by setting the CS node potential to a given value (e.g., _V_ FR) and controlling FR synchronized with PR. Thus, sensor pixels can perform normal image capture as well as differential data capture.\n\n#### 7.4.2.3 Analog Processor\n\nThis motion sensor aims to offer low power consumption by specializing in the configuration that generates a trigger only when the differential data exceed a threshold value. Figure 7.33 shows the analog processor designed to detect whether there is a certain difference beyond a threshold value; here, this analog processor itself does not obtain the value of difference data. The drawing shows the circuit diagram and timing diagram of a motion\u2010capture period. In this analog processor, the current when each sensor pixel has a differential data of zero is set as the reference value. The absolute values of the current corresponding to the differential data are added to the reference value, and the total value is checked. Adding the differential data as an analog value (current) without A\/D conversion can simplify the analog processor.\n\n**Figure 7.33** Circuit diagram of analog processor and timing diagram of event\u2010triggered motion\u2010capture period.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [8]\n\nThe operations of the analog processor are as follows. First, in the readout period of the reference frame, each column capacitor Cref in a current adder (CA) is set to the potential corresponding to the current of each sensor pixel ( _i_ c). The current _i_ c corresponds to the current with the CS potential in each sensor pixel being _V_ FR \u2013 i.e., the current with the difference being zero; therefore, the output from the sensor pixels connected to each row has a constant current value. The potential set to Cref at each column can be retained for a long period by switching off the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET M23 of the column. The transistor M24 of each column acts as a constant current source (current _i_ c) and enables column\u2010variation compensation.\n\nNext, in the target frame readout period, each column sensor pixel of the selected row outputs the current ( _i_ b) following the CS potential [ ] to an output line of each row. Here, the differential current ( when ) and ( when ) flows through M25 and M26, respectively. The COM+ and COM\u2212 node potentials vary depending on the total differential currents and in all columns. The two comparators, COMP+ and COMP\u2212, compare the potentials of the COM+ and COM\u2212 nodes with a reference voltage, so that the analog processor can determine whether any image change has occurred (i.e., whether motion has been detected).\n\nThe reference voltages _V_ REFM of the comparator COMP+ and _V_ REFP of COMP\u2212 are set to the lower and upper limits of the voltage errors including sensor pixel variations and noises. The above operation allows motion capture with a given reference frame. Outputting a motion trigger lets the controller deactivate the comparator bias and the constant current source (ASET) in each column, and the sensor is automatically switched to a wait mode, thus reducing the power consumption as much as possible. In each frame, the analog processor checks the changes in the differential data of the sensor pixels sequentially selected row by row. Thus, from the output timing of the detection trigger in a frame, the row address in which motion is detected can be determined. The detection sensitivity of the analog processor is ensured by using a constant current source, which compensates for variation in the columns.\n\n### _7.4.3 Prototype_\n\n#### 7.4.3.1 Configuration\n\nA prototype motion sensor described in this section was fabricated using a hybrid process of 0.5\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO and 0.18\u2010\u00b5m Si FETs [8]. The micrograph is shown in Figure 7.34.\n\n**Figure 7.34** Micrograph of motion sensor.\n\n#### 7.4.3.2 Measurement\n\nThe upper row of Figure 7.35 shows the target images with letters to be captured that are switched over time. The upper left image is captured as the reference frame. The lower row presents differential images, each of which shows different points between the reference frame and the target frame images. The differential images show that the differential data between the current frame and the reference frame can be obtained even after 60 s.\n\n**Figure 7.35** Target images to be captured and displays showing differential data.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [8]\n\nThe retention characteristics of the obtained uniform, monochrome image are measured, and it was found that the pixel value of the image changes by approximately 0.39 LSB (corresponding to 2.6 mV of the analog potential at node CS) on average in 60 s. From the result, the time taken for the data to change by 1 LSB is estimated to be approximately 153.85 s.\n\nTo confirm that motion capture can be accurately conducted, a DC fan that rotates at 3150 rpm (315\u00b0 per frame at 60 fps) is captured. Figure 7.36 shows the images captured frame by frame of the fan and the measured waveforms of the reset signal ARES (the start of each frame), the motion trigger, and the power consumption in readout operation. The image of the fan with a blade at position \"1\" is used as a reference frame. Motion is detected and captured when the blade is at a different position. As can be seen, misdetection does not occur even 60 s after the blade is fixed at the position of the reference frame. The sensor can accurately detect that there is no motion even when the target is resting over as long as 60 s, because the captured data of the reference frame can be accurately retained. This means that the sensor can even detect motion at one sensor pixel in 60 s. Unlike a frame\u2010based motion sensor, which has difficulty in capturing such slow motion, the present motion sensor can capture a slowly changing target.\n\n**Figure 7.36** Motion\u2010capture result (gray indicates a wait state).\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [8]\n\nThe specifications of the prototype motion sensor are summarized in Table 7.8. Fixed\u2010pattern noise (FPN) can be reduced by adding a compensation circuit such as correlated double sampling (CDS). This motion sensor consumes 25.3 \u03bcW at 60 fps in the motion\u2010capture mode and 1.88 \u03bcW at 60 fps in the wait mode. The power consumption in the motion\u2010capture and wait modes is 1\/140 and 1\/2000 of the power consumption of the display mode of 3.6 mW at 60 fps, respectively. As described in Table 7.9, the motion sensor can detect motion with the lowest energy among similar sensors.\n\n**Table 7.8** Specifications of motion sensor.\n\n _Source_ : Reprinted from [8], with permission of IEEE \u00a9 2015\n\nProcess | 0.5\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO\/0.18\u2010\u00b5m Si \n---|--- \nDie size | 6.5 mm \u00d7 6.0 mm \nNumber of sensor pixels | 240 \u00d7 160 \nSensor pixel size | 20 \u00b5m \u00d7 20 \u00b5m \nSensor pixel configuration | 5 transistors, 2 capacitors \nFill factor | 27.5% \nFPN | 2.4% contrast \nSupply voltage | Nominal | 1.8 V \nSensor pixel, \nrow\/column driver, ADC, \nanalog processor | 3.3 V \nADC | 8\u2010bit single slope \nPower consumption\/mode | Motion capture | Imaging | Wait \nPower (at 60 fps) | 25.3 \u03bcW | 3.6 mW | 1.88 \u03bcW \nFigure of merit (FOM) (power\/pixel\u2219fps) | 10.98 pJ | 1.56 nJ | 0.82 pJ\n\n**Table 7.9** Comparison of figure of merit.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [8, 25]\n\n****| **Digital architecture** | **Analog architecture** \n---|---|--- \n**[26]** | **[22]** | **[23]** | **This motion sensor** \nProcess | 90 nm | 0.35 \u00b5m | 0.5 \u00b5m | 0.5 \u00b5m (CAAC\u2010IGZO) \n0.18 \u00b5m (Si) \nSensor pixel array | 8K \u00d7 2K | 128 \u00d7 128 | 90 \u00d7 90 | 240 \u00d7 160 \nADC | 12\u2010bit | 15\u2010bit | 6\u2010bit | 8\u2010bit \nSampling rate | 120 fps | free | 30 fps | 60 fps \nFOM | Motion cap. | 1.41 nJ + _\u03b1_ | N\/A | 17.28 nJ | 10.98 pJ \nWait | non | non | non | 0.82 pJ \nImaging | 1.41 nJ | N\/A | 17.28 nJ | 1.56 nJ\n\n### _7.4.4 Sensor Pixel Threshold\u2010Compensation Function_\n\n#### 7.4.4.1 Introduction\n\nPrevious subsections introduced the concept and measurement results of the motion sensor using the extremely low off\u2010state current of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. Motion sensor applications, such as surveillance and product\u2010inspection cameras, require capturing of minute motion and differences. This subsection presents a method of increasing the motion\u2010capture sensitivity, allowing motion capture even under low contrast.\n\nAs described above, the non\u2010volatile analog memory in the sensor pixels retains the captured data from the reference frame, and the calculated difference between the reference frame data and the current frame data is generated. Motion capture is performed by comparing the differential data with certain reference levels of the analog processor. Motion\u2010capture sensitivity depends strongly on the range of reference levels and requires narrowing of the reference level within a range that does not cause misdetection. Therefore, to increase the sensitivity, it is indispensable to suppress the variations among the sensor pixels, in other words, to improve the uniformity of the sensor pixels.\n\nAlthough a column CDS is generally used to suppress the variation (in particular, the sensor pixel bias voltage), a normal column CDS cannot be used to suppress sensor pixel variations in this motion sensor because the sensor pixels of the system retain the reference frame image data. Hence, a method of increasing the uniformity among sensor pixels by mounting a threshold\u2010compensation circuit against amplifier transistors should be employed, whereby the motion\u2010capture sensitivity is improved [9].\n\n#### 7.4.4.2 Sensor Pixel\n\nThe configuration of a sensor pixel circuit with a threshold\u2010compensation function is shown in Figure 7.37(a). In this circuit, 2Tr2C (gray area) is added to the sensor pixel circuit of the motion sensor described in the previous subsections, providing the threshold\u2010compensation circuit.\n\n**Figure 7.37** (a) Sensor pixel circuit with threshold\u2010compensation circuit and (b) timing diagram.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [9]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\nThe timing diagram in Figure 7.37(b) shows the threshold\u2010compensation operation of the sensor pixel circuit. First, in period T1, the potential of capacitor C4 is initialized by switching on the transistors M13, M15, M16, and M17, and setting VPO to _V_ POH and the current source bias (BR) to _V_ BRH. _V_ POH is the sensor pixel output for zero differential data, in other words, the reference output level. At this time, the node AS potential _V_ AS is smaller than , where _V_ AG is the potential of node AG and _V_ th is the threshold voltage of M14. Subsequently, in period T2, to retain the charge corresponding to the M14 threshold voltage _V_ th in C4, M16 is switched off and the node AG discharges to the initial potential, . The node CS potential is the initial value _V_ CS0. In period T3, switching off M17 sets the node AG in a floating state, and the potential corresponding to the M14 threshold voltage _V_ th is stored in capacitor C4. Finally, in period T4, the compensation operation is completed by switching M16 on and M13 off, and by setting BR and VPO to low potential ( _V_ BRL and _V_ POL, respectively).\n\nThe operations above allow threshold compensation as follows: assuming that the transistor M14 is a source follower, the output voltage of the sensor pixel is . If the CS potential is _V_ CS, the AG potential is expressed as , where _\u03b2_ is a coupling coefficient. Thus, the output potential of the sensor pixel is given by , whereby the value that ignores the threshold voltage can be read out. This value is compared with the reference output level _V_ POH, and the difference can be output when the CS potential differs from the initial value. Note that CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs in the sensor pixels can retain their threshold data for a long time, leaving threshold\u2010compensation operations per frame unnecessary.\n\n#### 7.4.4.3 Prototype\n\nOn the basis of the sensor pixels in Figure 7.37(a), a prototype motion sensor is fabricated using the hybrid process of 0.5\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO and 0.18\u2010\u00b5m Si FETs and examined in terms of the effect of the sensor pixel threshold compensation [9]. The specifications of the motion sensor are shown in Table 7.10.\n\n**Table 7.10** Specifications of motion sensor.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [9]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\n****| **w\/o _V_ th compensation circuit** | **w\/ _V_ th compensation circuit** \n---|---|--- \nProcess | 0.5\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO\/0.18\u2010\u00b5m Si \nDie size | 6.5 mm \u00d7 6.0 mm \nNumber of sensor pixels | 240 \u00d7 160 \nSensor pixel size | 20 \u00b5m \u00d7 20 \u00b5m \nSensor pixel configuration | 5 transistors, 2 capacitors | 7 transistors, 4 capacitors \nFill factor | 29.75% | 28.25% \nFPN | 1.73% | 1.45% \nDetection threshold voltage | 200 mV at 120 of the output value | 97.5 mV at 120 of the output value \nSupply voltage | Nominal | 1.8 V \n| Sensor pixel, \nrow\/column driver, \nADC, analog processor | 3.3 V \nADC | 8\u2010bit single slope\n\nThe sensor pixel uniformity is measured and summarized below. Figure 7.38(a) shows the histograms of all sensor pixel outputs for motion sensors with and without a compensation circuit. The uniformity is measured such that the transistor M13 of Figure 7.37(a) is switched on, the CS potential is set to reset voltage _V_ PD, and the analog output of all sensor pixels, OUTP, is converted into a digital value and read out. Changes in reset voltage _V_ PD cause variations in the sensor output. The sensor output was digitally converted by an 8\u2010bit ADC, and thus varies from 0 to 255.\n\n**Figure 7.38** (a) Output variations (dashed line: without _V_ th compensation circuit, solid line: with _V_ th compensation circuit) and (b) threshold\u2010compensation effect of motion\u2010capture range \u0394VREF (unfilled circles: without _V_ th compensation circuit, filled circles: with _V_ th compensation circuit).\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [9]. Copyright 2015 The Japan Society of Applied Physics\n\nThe standard deviation among the sensor pixel outputs is calculated from Figure 7.38(a) and shows that the variation among sensor pixels decreases \u2013 e.g., by approximately 8.3 at an output of 120. Thus, it can be seen that the motion sensor with a compensation circuit improves the uniformity at each output. Although the output\u2010gain variation in the motion sensor with a compensation circuit is 37.8% larger than that of the motion sensor without one, the output\u2010offset variation in the former is 22.2% smaller than that in the latter. The increased gain variation is considered to be caused by the increase in the number of transistors in the sensor pixels and by capacitance variation; nevertheless, the overall variation is suppressed. FPN, calculated from the variation among the sensor pixels, also decreases by 16.2% because of the compensation circuit.\n\nThe detection accuracy of the analog processor in a prototype with a threshold\u2010compensation circuit is compared with the accuracy of that without one. Figure 7.38(b) represents \u0394VREF of , the smallest reference voltage range to keep the motion trigger (the output signal of the analog processor) in a non\u2010active state. In each circuit, \u0394VREF is calculated in the following manner: the transistor M13 is switched on, the CS potential is set to the reset voltage _V_ PD, and the sensor pixel output OUTP is set to a certain output level; this output level is sent to the analog processor, and then \u0394VREF is calculated. The smaller \u0394VREF, the more precisely the sensor can detect even small changes and reduce misdetection. Figure 7.38(b) shows that the threshold\u2010compensation circuit reduced \u0394VREF from 200 mV to 97.5 mV at an output of 120. In other words, the detectable reference voltage range decreased to 1\/2.05, which means that the circuit with threshold compensation has a detection threshold contrast 2.05 times higher than one without threshold compensation.\n\nAn actual motion\u2010capture operation is measured to confirm that the above\u2010mentioned threshold\u2010compensation circuit improves the sensor pixel uniformity and detection accuracy. A reference frame image of a transparent film and target frame images of several films on which a letter \"A\" was printed at different optical densities are shown in Figure 7.39(a).\n\n**Figure 7.39** Comparison of motion\u2010capture results with or without threshold compensation.\n\n _Source_ : Adapted from [9]\n\nFigure 7.39(b) illustrates the images of the letter \"A\" with various contrasts captured by the motion sensor and the waveforms during motion capture (motion\u2010capture mode and wait mode). The upper row shows the motion\u2010capture result with a low\u2010contrast letter (1) and the lower row shows the result with a high\u2010contrast letter (2). Each row shows the motion\u2010capture difference between the sensors with and without a threshold\u2010compensation circuit. The leftmost columns show the normally captured images of letter \"A\" with different optical densities; however, since it is difficult to see the density difference on paper, the pixel value distribution on lines 1\u20131' and 2\u20132' is shown in Figure 7.39(b). The motion sensor without a compensation circuit detects the difference for a dark printed \"A\" and generates a motion trigger, but cannot detect the difference for light \"A.\" In contrast, the motion sensor with a compensation circuit detects the differences in both cases and generates motion triggers. Therefore, the threshold compensation operation improves the motion\u2010capture sensitivity, allowing motion detection at low contrast.\n\nThe variation among the sensor pixels is approximately 8% one hour after the threshold\u2010compensation operation. Therefore, the effect of threshold correction can be retained by threshold compensation with a frequency as low as once in several hours, because CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs can maintain the potential of capacitor C4.\n\n## References\n\n 1. [1] Fossum, E. R. (1993) \"Active pixel sensors: Are CCDs dinosaurs?,\" Proc. SPIE, 1900, 2. \n 2. [2] Aw, C. H. and Wooley, B. A. (1996) \"A 128 \u00d7 128\u2010pixel standard\u2010CMOS image sensor with electronic shutter,\" IEEE J. Solid\u2010State Circuits, 31, 1922. \n 3. [3] Aoki, T., Ikeda, M., Kozuma, M., Tamura, H., Kurokawa, Y., Ikeda, T., _et al._ (2011) \"Electronic global shutter CMOS image sensor using oxide semiconductor FET with extremely low off\u2010state current,\" IEEE Symp. VLSI Circuits Dig. Tech. Pap., 174.\n 4. [4] Boyle, W. S. and Smith, G. E. (1970) \"Charge coupled semiconductor devices,\" Bell Syst. Tech. J., 49, 587. \n 5. [5] Geurts, T., Cools, T., Esquenet, C., Sankhe, R., Prathipati, A., Syam, M. R. E., _et al._ (2015) \"A 25 Mpixel, 80 fps, CMOS imager with an in\u2010pixel\u2010CDS global shutter pixel,\" International Image Sensor Workshop, Vaals, The Netherlands.\n 6. [6] Yoneda, S., Okamoto, Y., Nakagawa, T., Maeda, S., Aoki, T., Kozuma, M., _et al._ (2014) \"300 \u00b5s Short interval continuous capturing image sensor with _c_ \u2010axis\u2010aligned crystalline oxide semiconductor FET\/p\u2010channel silicon FET stacked CMOS structure,\" Ext. Abstr. Solid State Dev. Mater., 988.\n 7. [7] Lucas, B. D. and Kanade, T. (1981) \"An iterative image registration technique with an application to stereo vision,\" Proc. DARPA Image Understanding Workshop, 121.\n 8. [8] Ohmaru, T., Nakagawa, T., Maeda, S., Okamoto, Y., Kozuma, M., Yoneda, S., _et al._ (2015) \"25.3 \u03bcW at 60 fps 240 \u00d7 160\u2010Pixel vision sensor for motion capturing with in\u2010pixel non\u2010volatile analog memory using crystalline oxide semiconductor FET,\" IEEE Int. Solid\u2010State Circuits Conf. Dig. Tech. Pap., 118.\n 9. [9] Maeda, S., Ohmaru, T., Inoue, H., Nakagawa, T., Kurokawa, Y., Ikeda, T., _et al._ (2015) \"Low contrast motion capturing vision sensor with crystalline oxide semiconductor FET\u2010based in\u2010pixel threshold voltage compensation circuit,\" Ext. Abstr. Solid State Dev. Mater., 810.\n 10. [10] Dickinson, A., Ackland, B., Eid, E.\u2010S., Inglis, D., and Fossum, E. R. (1995) \"A 256 \u00d7 256 CMOS active pixel image sensor with motion detection,\" IEEE Int. Solid\u2010State Circuits Conf. Dig. Tech. Pap., 226. \n 11. [11] Nitta, Y., Muramatsu, Y., Amano, K., Toyama, T., Yamamoto, J., Mishina, K., _et al._ (2006) \"High\u2010speed digital double sampling with analog CDS on column parallel ADC architecture for low\u2010noise active pixel sensor,\" IEEE Int. Solid\u2010State Circuits Conf. Dig. Tech. Pap., 500. \n 12. [12] Yasutomi, K., Itoh, S., and Kawahito, S. (2010) \"A 2.7e\u2010 temporal noise 99.7% shutter efficiency 92 dB dynamic range CMOS image sensor with dual global shutter pixels,\" IEEE Int. Solid\u2010State Circuits Conf. Dig. Tech. Pap., 398. \n 13. [13] Funaki, M., Shimizu, T., Orihara, S., Kawanaka, H., Kurihara, M., Sato, H., _et al._ (2008) \"New global shutter CMOS imager with 2 transistors per pixel,\" IEEE Symp. VLSI Circuits Dig. Tech. Pap., 197. \n 14. [14] Fowler, B., Gamal, A. E., and Yang, D. X. D. (1994) \"A CMOS area image sensor with pixel\u2010level A\/D conversion,\" IEEE Int. Solid\u2010State Circuits Conf. Dig. Tech. Pap., 226. \n 15. [15] Furuta, M., Nishikawa, Y., Inoue, T., and Kawahito, S. (2007) \"A high\u2010speed, high\u2010sensitivity digital CMOS image sensor with a global shutter and 12\u2010bit column\u2010parallel cyclic A\/D converters,\" IEEE J. Solid\u2010State Circuits, 42, 766. \n 16. [16] Okura, S., Nishikido, O., Sadanaga, Y., Kosaka, Y., Araki, N., Ueda, K., _et al._ (2014) \"A 3.7 M\u2010pixel 1300\u2010fps CMOS image sensor with 5.0 G\u2010pixel\/s high\u2010speed readout circuit,\" IEEE Symp. VLSI Circuits Dig. Tech. Pap., 149.\n 17. [17] Tochigi, Y., Hanzawa, K., Kato, Y., Kuroda, R., Mutoh, H., Hirose, R., _et al._ (2013) \"A global\u2010shutter CMOS image sensor with readout speed of 1\u2010Tpixel\/s burst and 780\u2010Mpixel\/s continuous,\" IEEE J. Solid\u2010State Circuits, 48, 329. \n 18. [18] Etoh, T. G., Poggemann, D., Kreider, G., Mutoh, H., Theuwissen, A. J. P., Ruckelshausen, A., _et al._ (2003) \"An image sensor which captures 100 consecutive frames at 1000000 frames\/s,\" IEEE Trans. Electron Devices, 50, 144. \n 19. [19] Etoh, T. G., Son, D. V. T., Yamada, T., and Charbon, E. (2013) \"Toward one giga frames per second \u2013 evolution of _in situ_ storage image sensors,\" Sensors, 13, 4640. \n 20. [20] Ishii, I., Taniguchi, T., Yamamoto, K., and Takaki, T. (2012) \"High\u2010frame\u2010rate optical flow system,\" IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. Video Technol., 22, 105. \n 21. [21] Igual, F. D., Botella, G., Garc\u00eda, C., Prieto, M., and Tirado, F. (2013) \"Robust motion estimation on a low\u2010power multi\u2010core DSP,\" EURASIP J. Appl. Signal Process., 2013, 99. \n 22. [22] Lichtsteiner, P., Posch, C., and Delbruck, T. (2008) \"A 128 \u00d7 128 120 dB 15 \u00b5s latency asynchronous temporal contrast vision sensor,\" IEEE J. Solid\u2010State Circuits, 43, 566. \n 23. [23] Chi, Y. M., Mallik, U., Clapp, M. A., Choi, E., Cauwenberghs, G., and Etienne\u2010Chummings, R. (2007) \"CMOS camera with in\u2010pixel temporal change detection and ADC,\" IEEE J. Solid\u2010State Circuits, 42, 2187. \n 24. [24] Park, S., Cho, J., Lee, K., and Yoon, E. (2014) \"243.3 pJ\/pixel Bio\u2010inspired time\u2010stamp\u2010based 2D optic flow sensor for artificial compound eyes,\" IEEE Int. Solid\u2010State Circuits Conf. Dig. Tech. Pap., 126. \n 25. [25] Ohmaru, T., Nakagawa, T., Maeda, S., Okamoto, Y., Kozuma, M., Yoneda, S., _et al._ (2015) \"25.3 \u03bcW at 60 fps 240 \u00d7 160 pixel vision sensor for motion capturing with in\u2010pixel non\u2010volatility analog memory using crystalline oxide semiconductor FET,\" _IEEE International Solid\u2010State Circuits Conference_ , San Francisco, CA.\n 26. [26] Toyama, T., Mishina, K., Tsuchiya, H., Ichikawa, T., Iwaki, H., Gendai, Y., _et al._ (2011) \"A 17.7 Mpixel 120 fps CMOS image sensor with 34.8 Gb\/s readout,\" IEEE Int. Solid\u2010State Circuits Conf. Dig. Tech. Pap., 420. \n\n# 8 \nFuture Applications\/Developments\n\n## 8.1 Introduction\n\nIn previous chapters we described typical LSI applications configured by _c_ \u2010axis\u2010aligned crystalline indium\u2013gallium\u2013zinc oxide (CAAC\u2010IGZO) field\u2010effect transistors (FETs), such as memory devices, CPUs, FPGAs, and image sensors. These LSIs exhibit more appealing characteristics than LSIs based solely on Si FETs. LSIs based on CAAC\u2010IGZOs will be developed further in a wide range of fields, as covered in this chapter.\n\nSection 8.2 introduces radio frequency (RF) devices employing CAAC\u2010IGZO LSIs. Low power consumption is advantageous for RF devices, which must operate under restricted power supply. In addition, the high\u2010temperature properties of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs ensure their operation in demanding environments. For both of these reasons, RF devices using CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are promising.\n\nSection 8.3 describes an application of additional image sensors, namely X\u2010ray detectors. The applicable range of image sensors can be extended by replacing the visible\u2010light sensor element (Si photodiode) with a sensor that detects invisible light (e.g., infrared, ultraviolet, and X\u2010rays). The CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detectors are expected to be exploited increasingly in the medical and industrial fields.\n\nSection 8.4 introduces an image coder\u2013decoder (CODEC), an application that exploits various CAAC\u2010IGZO LSIs, including FPGAs. Advanced encoding of video signals is required for broadcasting digital television (TV), and CODECs are therefore of major importance. Because of the reconfigurability and intermittent nature of the video streams, CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are well positioned to be deployed in such applications.\n\nAs mentioned in previous chapters, CAAC\u2010IGZO LSIs can be utilized in memory devices with superior charge\u2010retention characteristics. This characteristic enables an ideal analog memory that can retain both analog and digital data. DC\u2013DC converters, analog programmable devices, and neural networks are presented as analog memory applications in Sections 8.5, 8.6, and 8.7, respectively. These possible analog circuit applications may to some extent reverse the current transition from analog to digital circuits, especially since CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs can be monolithically integrated with conventional high\u2010speed Si circuitry. Further, Section 8.8 explains memory\u2010based computing, and Section 8.9 outlines backtracking programs with power gating. The authors hope that the reader will appreciate the potential of new LSI applications made possible with CAAC\u2010IGZO.\n\n## 8.2 RF Devices\n\n### _8.2.1 Overview_\n\nA typical RF device is a wireless IC tag, which wirelessly identifies an object without physical contact. RF technology is emerging in various fields, such as logistics, product management, electronic money management, and security systems [1].\n\nWireless IC tags are roughly classified as passive or active. A passive wireless tag requires no battery and generates power by harvesting the energy of the radio\u2010frequency (RF) field from a reader\u2013writer (RW). The RF signal is demodulated and processed and then modulated again for communication back to the RW. The RW provides the power needed to operate the passive wireless IC tag. Accordingly, to improve the convenience (e.g., increase the communication distance) of a passive RF device, low power consumption is required. A combination of a wireless interface and a CAAC\u2010IGZO LSI with low power consumption should therefore provide an attractive solution for a passive wireless IC tag.\n\nIn contrast, active wireless IC tags are battery\u2010driven devices. Using the power from a battery, the active wireless tag demodulates a wireless signal from the RW, executes signal processing, and then modulates the wireless signal or generates another signal for communication. Thus, the limitation on the power consumption is less severe than in a passive wireless tag. However, an active wireless IC tag cannot have a large\u2010capacity battery because of its required shape and size (usually the form factor of a credit card). To improve the convenience of the tag (e.g., reduce the need for battery replacement), the power consumption must be reduced similarly to that of a passive wireless tag. Therefore, CAAC\u2010IGZO LSIs offer advantages for active IC tags also.\n\nAs a specific example of a CAAC\u2010IGZO LSI application, this section introduces the passive wireless IC tag equipped with non\u2010volatile oxide semiconductor random access memory (NOSRAM) \u2013 i.e., a NOSRAM passive wireless IC tag. This can be employed (for example) in medical instrument management. By adding a sensor function, the wireless IC tag becomes applicable to monitoring and management of structures such as tunnels and bridges.\n\n### _8.2.2 NOSRAM Wireless IC Tag_\n\n#### 8.2.2.1 Overview\n\nFirst, the structure of a NOSRAM passive wireless IC tag is described. The CAAC\u2010IGZO FET used in the NOSRAM has a good low off\u2010state current even at elevated temperatures. Furthermore, it enables writing data at high speed and low power consumption, as well as long\u2010term data retention.\n\nThe structure of a typical NOSRAM\u2010equipped wireless IC tag is shown in Figure 8.1. The rectifier rectifies the wireless signal transmitted from the RW and received by the antenna, generating a direct\u2010current (DC) voltage. The DC voltage is then adjusted to the appropriate power supply voltage by the regulator. The modem demodulates the wireless signal, generating a command based on the signal transmitted from the RW (received signal). In response to the data to be transmitted to the RW (transmitted signal), it then modulates the electromagnetic (EM) wave. When the RW receives the EM wave, it establishes communication with the wireless IC tag. If the generated DC voltage is too low, the voltage detector outputs a signal that limits access of the logic circuit to the NOSRAM. This scheme prevents incorrect reading and writing owing to RF signal strength (i.e., insufficient power supply voltage). The reset circuit and the oscillator generate a reset signal and a clock signal, respectively, for the logic circuit. The logic circuit is based on a wireless communication standard such as ISO\/IEC18000\u201063 [2]. To fully utilize the features of the NOSRAM, extended commands must be defined as described below.\n\n**Figure 8.1** Block diagram of wireless IC tag\n\n#### 8.2.2.2 Fabrication Example\n\nA NOSRAM wireless IC tag has been fabricated to verify its characteristics performance experimentally. A photograph and specifications of the die of a wireless IC tag are shown in Figure 8.2 and Table 8.1, respectively. The 5.0 mm \u00d7 5.0 mm wireless IC tag was fabricated by a hybrid process using 0.8\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO and 0.35\u2010\u00b5m Si FETs. The carrier frequency is 920 MHz and the communication protocol is based on the ISO\/IEC18000\u201063 standard. Access to the NOSRAM is accomplished by executing mandatory read and write commands according to the standard.\n\n**Figure 8.2** Photograph of NOSRAM wireless IC tag: (a) whole area and (b) die\n\n**Table 8.1** Specifications of NOSRAM wireless IC tag\n\nTag | Carrier frequency | 920 MHz \n---|---|--- \nProtocol | ISO\/IEC18000\u201063 \nDie size | 5.0 \u00d7 5.0 mm2 \nNOSRAM | Technology | CAAC\u2010IGZO FET | 0.8 \u00b5m \nSi FET | 0.35 \u00b5m \nVoltage | CAAC\u2010IGZO FET | 3.3 V \nSi FET | 1.8 V\/1.2 V \nModule area | 1.1 \u00d7 0.5 mm2 \nCell area | 8.0 \u00d7 8.2 \u00b5m2 \nCapacitance | 20.6 fF \nNumber of bits | 1024 bits \nLogic circuit | Technology | Si FET | 0.35 \u00b5m \nVoltage | 1.2 V \nArea | 3.4 \u00d7 3.15 mm2\n\nThe operation and reliability of the NOSRAM wireless IC tag have been evaluated by a data\u2010retention test. The test involved data writing to the wireless tag, data retention, and data reading. In the data\u2010writing task, the data were written to the NOSRAM by transmitting a write command from the RW to the wireless IC tag. The data\u2010retention task assessed the data\u2010retention capability of the NOSRAM. In the data\u2010reading task, data were read out from the NOSRAM by transmitting a read command from the RW. The wireless tag was kept in an oven at 130\u00b0C during the data\u2010retention evaluation, whereas the data\u2010reading and writing tasks were carried out at room temperature (because RF interfaces and logic circuits with Si FETs are not operated at 130\u00b0C). The results are shown in Figure 8.3. As shown, the data written to the NOSRAM were retained even after 255 h at 130\u00b0C.\n\n**Figure 8.3** Data\u2010retention characteristics of wireless IC tag at 130\u00b0C\n\nNext, a data\u2010writing time test was performed. This test measured the interval between the signals transmitted from the RW and the wireless IC tag, corresponding to a write command and the completion of writing to the NOSRAM, respectively. The measurement was referenced to a wireless signal waveform obtained at the time of data writing to the wireless IC tag (when the write command from the RW was received by the wireless IC tag and the data were written to the NOSRAM). For comparison, a tag of \"Belt, NXP UCode G2iL\" manufactured by SMARTRAC and employing an electrically erasable programmable read\u2010only memory (EEPROM) [3] was tested in a similar manner. The measurement results are shown in Figure 8.4. The writing time of the fabricated wireless IC tag is 0.1 ms or shorter, compared with 15.6 ms for the general\u2010use IC tag. Accordingly, the fabricated wireless IC tag is capable of writing at an extremely high speed compared with the EEPROM\u2010based IC tag.\n\n**Figure 8.4** Writing times of (a) NOSRAM\u2010based and (b) EEPROM\u2010based wireless IC tags\n\nThe two results \u2013 good data retention at high temperature and data writing within a short time \u2013 reflect the features of NOSRAM, implying that CAAC\u2010IGZO LSIs are potentially applicable to RF devices.\n\n### _8.2.3 Application Examples of NOSRAM Wireless IC Tags_\n\n#### 8.2.3.1 Management of Medical Equipment\n\nNOSRAM wireless IC tags can be used directly in fields such as medical instrument management. Checking a large number of medical utensils before and after surgery, for example, is complicated and risky by manual management [4]. Wireless IC tags are expected to facilitate medical utensil management through their RW operations by affixing medical instruments with wireless IC tags and writing their relevant data (such as usage history) to the tags. However, normal wireless IC tags are unusable, because their data\u2010retention characteristics decrease under the high\u2010temperature sterilization of medical utensils at 130\u00b0C (although high reliability of the data retention is mandatory).\n\nAs mentioned in the previous subsection, NOSRAM wireless IC tags retain their written data even after 255 h at 130\u00b0C. This duration is equivalent to 510 sterilizations in an autoclave (assuming that each autoclave treatment runs for 30 min at 130\u00b0C). This durability is sufficient for practical use in medical utensil management. Therefore, on account of its long\u2010term retention capability at high temperature, NOSRAM wireless IC tags can be exploited.\n\n#### 8.2.3.2 Building Management\n\nNOSRAM wireless IC tags are also applicable to building management. Tunnels, bridges, and other structures built in the past are now ageing [5]. Rather than reconstruct these old buildings at enormous cost, authorities monitor and repair them as needed, ensuring their long\u2010term viability. However, the management is extremely complicated and is required for many buildings, incurring large cost. Moreover, many parts of the buildings are difficult to monitor by manpower alone. Thus, wireless IC tags are expected to offer efficient data monitoring.\n\n##### _High\u2010Speed Monitoring from Running Trains_\n\nBecause NOSRAM wireless IC tags can write to the NOSRAM at high speed and with low power consumption, they can be applied efficiently to high\u2010speed monitoring of buildings from running trains.\n\nFigure 8.5 shows the structure of a wireless IC tag suitable for this type of management. The structure of Figure 8.1 is supplemented with a strain sensor and an analog\u2010to\u2010digital converter (ADC). The wireless IC tag supports an extension command for sensing (sensing command). Specifically, the sensing command from the RW converts the output from the distortion sensor into digital data, which are then written to the NOSRAM and can be read out by a read command.\n\n**Figure 8.5** Block diagram of NOSRAM wireless IC tag with sensor function\n\nA system based on the sensor\u2010equipped wireless IC tags for checking the degree of deterioration of a tunnel construction is illustrated in Figures 8.6 (schematic) and 8.7 (flow diagram). As shown in Figure 8.6, a wireless IC tag equipped with a distortion sensor is attached to the inner wall of the tunnel. The strain sensor detects changes such as cracks in the inner wall. RW1 and RW2 are attached to the roofs of the first and second cars, respectively. As the train runs through the tunnel, the first car approaching the wireless IC tag sends a sensing command from RW1 to that tag [Figure 8.7(a)]. Upon reception of the sensing command, the wireless IC tag converts the output of the distortion sensor into digital data through its ADC, writes the data to the NOSRAM, and transmits a response signal notifying the completion of writing [Figure 8.7(b)]. Next, when the second car approaches the wireless IC tag, RW2 transmits a read command [Figure 8.7(c)]. Upon receipt of the read command, the wireless IC tag reads and transmits the output data of the strain sensor from the NOSRAM [Figure 8.7(d)].\n\n**Figure 8.6** System for checking degree of deterioration in train tunnel. System employs NOSRAM wireless IC tag with sensor function\n\n**Figure 8.7** Flow diagram of system illustrated in Figure 8.6\n\nAs described above, the structure separating sensing and data transmission ensures time for sensing and storage, which is particularly effective in detecting a weak signal. Although a fast\u2010moving train enables only short\u2010time communication, the degree of deterioration can easily be checked on a regular basis. In similar systems based on wireless IC tags with volatile memory, such as SRAM, the data retention needs a power supply. If non\u2010volatile memory such as EEPROM or flash memory is used, it is difficult to supply the required power and to secure the time needed to write data to the memory. In contrast, NOSRAM \u2013 which is a type of non\u2010volatile memory capable of writing at high speed and with low power consumption \u2013 can be employed efficiently in construction management.\n\n##### _Continuous Batch Monitoring of Long\u2010Term Data_\n\nThe above system is not applicable in constructions which cannot easily be accessed by trains, cars, trucks, etc. Such constructions need to be monitored by other methods, such as manual monitoring. In the case where manual monitoring cannot be carried out frequently, continuous batch monitoring by the above\u2010described wireless IC tags is effective for construction management and maintenance. Specifically, the low\u2010power data writing and long\u2010term data retention of NOSRAM allow sensing over a long period and readout in a batch by a single operation.\n\nFigure 8.8 shows a NOSRAM wireless IC tag suitable for this type of construction management. In this design, the system of Figure 8.1 is supplemented by a secondary battery and a power controller. The wireless IC tag receives its operating power from the wireless RW signals and the secondary battery, which supplies power when the wireless RW signal is missing or too weak to drive the circuit operation. The power supply by the secondary battery is mediated by the power controller. When the wireless signal provides excess power, the power controller charges the secondary battery. When no wireless signal is sent from the RW, the power from the secondary battery is expended in periodic sensing by the distortion sensor. During this routine monitoring, the sensor output is converted to digital data through the ADC, which are written to and retained in the NOSRAM.\n\n**Figure 8.8** Block diagram of NOSRAM wireless IC tag with sensor function and secondary battery\n\nA system based on the wireless IC tag is illustrated in Figure 8.9 (flow diagram). The wireless IC tag is mounted with a strain sensor and attached to a construction in advance, and the strain sensor monitors the changing cracks continuously. When a building manager brings the RW closer to the wireless IC tag, the RW transmits a wireless signal that charges the secondary battery of the wireless IC tag [Figure 8.9(a)]. After a sufficient charge time, the RW stops the wireless signal. The wireless IC tag counts the time and samples the sensor even without the RW signal [Figure 8.9(b)]. After a certain period, the wireless IC tag converts the output of the strain sensor to digital data through its ADC, drawing power from the secondary battery, and writes these data to the NOSRAM [Figure 8.9(c)]. The elapsed time recording and sensing are then repeated [Figure 8.9(b) and (c)]. Throughout this process, the wireless IC tag records the strain changes in the NOSRAM, even when no wireless signal is transmitted from the RW. That is, it retains a long\u2010term history of the strain change. When a building manager brings the RW close to the wireless IC tag for monitoring purposes, the RW sends a read command [Figure 8.9(d)] and the wireless IC tag successively reads and transmits a batch of output data from the sensor in the NOSRAM [Figure 8.9(e)].\n\n**Figure 8.9** Flow diagram of system for checking degree of deterioration in buildings. System uses NOSRAM wireless IC tag with sensor function and secondary battery\n\nThe above system performs a long\u2010term batch monitoring of data relating to crack development in a construction. Thus, it can reduce the cost of monitoring parts that are difficult to monitor manually, improving the efficiency of building management. A similar system based on wireless IC tags incorporating volatile memory, such as SRAM, requires power for data retention and a large\u2010capacity secondary battery. Non\u2010volatile memories such as EEPROM or flash memory also require a high\u2010capacity secondary battery and power for the memory\u2010writing process. A large capacity may not be viable in wireless IC tags, because the size and shape of the tags must meet certain requirements, such as thinness and easy installation. Since the NOSRAM consumes low power in data writing and retaining, reducing the size of the battery is possible. NOSRAM wireless IC tags can acquire sensor data for a longer time and at lower charge frequencies.\n\n## 8.3 X\u2010Ray Detector\n\n### _8.3.1 Outline_\n\nThe image sensor mentioned in Chapter 7 is intended for use in the visible\u2010light region. By replacing the visible\u2010light detector of the image sensor (i.e., the photodiode) with an element sensitive to non\u2010visible radiation, a wider range of image capture is possible (e.g., diagnostics using X\u2010rays).\n\nX\u2010ray detectors capture the X\u2010ray image of an object and convert it into electrical signals. They are currently used in medical apparatus for diagnosis, inspection apparatus at airports, and various other devices. Like image sensors for visible light, X\u2010ray detectors accumulate the charges generated by X\u2010ray irradiation on sensor elements in the capacitors of the sensor pixels and release the charges as electrical signals.\n\nThis section describes the operational principle, fabrication, and evaluation of an X\u2010ray detector employing CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs.\n\nThe backplane of the general X\u2010ray detector comprises amorphous silicon FETs but in this case they are replaced with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, which have higher mobility. The resulting X\u2010ray detector therefore offers superior image\u2010capturing ability, and can capture moving images.\n\n### _8.3.2 X\u2010Ray Detection Principle_\n\nIn general, X\u2010ray detection modes are classified as direct or indirect conversion (Figure 8.10) [6]. In the direct\u2010conversion mode, the irradiating X\u2010rays generate hole\u2013electron pairs in a photoconductor layer, similar to visible light in a light\u2010sensing Si photodiode [7,8]. A high\u2010voltage bias generates an electric field, by which the charges move and accumulate at the sensor pixels. The X\u2010ray\u2010sensitive material in the photoconductor is usually amorphous Se.\n\n**Figure 8.10** Mechanisms of X\u2010ray detection in (a) direct\u2010conversion mode and (b) indirect\u2010conversion mode\n\nThe sensor element of the indirect\u2010conversion detector consists of a wavelength converter and a photoconductor [9]. Irradiating X\u2010rays are converted into visible light in a so\u2010called scintillator. The visible light is then converted into charges in the photoconductor (photodiode) layer, a process similar to general image sensors. Common scintillator materials are CsI and Gd2O2S.\n\nBoth direct and indirect\u2010conversion X\u2010ray detection modes have their merits and demerits. In the direct\u2010conversion mode, charge moves to the pixel electrode under a strong electric field applied to the photoconductor layer. The direct\u2010conversion mode achieves relatively high spatial resolution but demands a high voltage, which increases the cost and introduces a large noise. Conversely, the indirect\u2010conversion mode requires many components to convert X\u2010rays into visible light and the resolution is negatively affected by light scattering, as shown in Figure 8.10(b). Also, the scintillation efficiency is rather low and generates short\u2010wavelength visible light, so the overall sensitivity suffers. Both factors deteriorate the spatial resolution of this mode. However, by applying technologies from visible\u2010image sensors, the voltage required by indirect X\u2010ray conversion can easily be lowered, and the noise can effectively be removed by existing techniques. Exploiting these features of X\u2010ray detectors, researchers have developed various kinds of X\u2010ray detectors.\n\n### _8.3.3 CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010Ray Detector_\n\n#### 8.3.3.1 Sensor Pixel\n\nThis subsection introduces direct and indirect\u2010conversion X\u2010ray detectors constructed from the CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensors mentioned in Chapter 7. By combining these detectors, we can expect to realize the advantages of CAAC\u2010IGZO sensors in an X\u2010ray detector (CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detector). A specific example is shown in Figure 8.11. In this circuit, the X\u2010ray\u2010induced charge generated in the sensor element is accumulated (stored) in the retention node FD, which has a high electrical insulating property conferred by the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. Note that the sensor pixel and the CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor introduced in Chapter 7 have similar circuit configurations. In other words, the sensor pixel of the X\u2010ray detector can operate under the same driving mode as the CAAC\u2010IGZO image sensor.\n\n**Figure 8.11** Circuit configuration of sensor pixel\n\nFigure 8.12 shows the device structure of a sensor pixel in the CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detector. The sensor element is stacked on a CAAC\u2010IGZO layer composed of M1, M2, and M3. In the direct and indirect\u2010conversion modes, the sensor element is a photoconductor and a stacked scintillator\/photodiode, respectively.\n\n**Figure 8.12** Device structure of a CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detector in (a) direct\u2010conversion mode and (b) indirect\u2010conversion mode\n\n#### 8.3.3.2 Block Diagram and Operation\n\nHere, the whole structure and operation of the CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detector are described. CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detectors should be designed for larger\u2010area applications than the image sensor in Chapter 7. Therefore, the sensor pixels should be formed from CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs on a glass substrate, as in the backplane of a display. A difference from displays is that the peripheral circuits (including the driver) are implemented in a Si LSI which is mounted on the glass, a so\u2010called chip on glass (COG).\n\nFigure 8.13(a) and (b) shows a block diagram of the CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detector and the connections between the multiplexer (MUX) and the sensor pixel employing CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, respectively. In the CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detector, the pixel array, row driver, and MUX are fabricated on the glass substrate. The row driver selects a particular row (SE[ _n_ ]) from the pixel array. Each sensor pixel in the selected row outputs an analog signal (sensor output) corresponding to the data retained in the node FD. The outputs of the _m_ sensor pixels in the selected row are input to the MUX. Among the _m_ sensor outputs, the MUX selects a single output and relays it to an ADC located off the panel.\n\n**Figure 8.13** (a) Block diagram of X\u2010ray detector and (b) circuit diagram of pixel configuration and MUX\n\nThe voltage of the sensor output depends on the channel resistance of transistor M2 in the sensor pixel (selected by the selection signals SE and SEC) and the channel resistance of transistor MB connected to the output portion. As the potential at the charge\u2010retention node FD in each pixel increases, the channel resistance of transistor M2 decreases, reducing the voltage of the sensor output. The voltage of the sensor output can be controlled by the potential of BIAS on the gate of transistor MB. In this way, the sensor output of the sensor pixel can be amplified. Even a large\u2010area X\u2010ray detector constructed with CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs on a glass substrate can read data at a relatively high speed.\n\nThe CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray sensor operates similarly to its visible\u2010light counterpart. In the sensor pixel, the charge accumulation node (FD) is reset, charge accumulates under light exposure, and the sensor pixel data are read out if the pixel is selected. In the X\u2010ray detector, all of the sensor pixels are simultaneously subjected to a sequential reset and charge\u2010accumulation operation (see the global shutter system of Section 7.2). In the subsequent reading operation, the selection signals SE[1] to SE[ _n_ ] are sequentially selected by the row driver, as shown in Figure 8.14. In the selection period of the row\u2010by\u2010row reading operation, the MUX sequentially obeys the column\u2010selection signals SEC[1] to SEC[ _m_ ], and sequentially outputs _m_ signals. The selection signal SE[ _n_ ] is selected at the end of one frame.\n\n**Figure 8.14** Timing chart of entire operation of X\u2010ray detector\n\nThe reset operation can be constructed in several ways. For instance, the reset transistor for resetting the FD potential can be connected to the FD as in visible\u2010light image sensors. Alternatively, the reset operation can be triggered by applying a forward bias to the photodiode, as mentioned in Subsection 7.4.2. The latter is preferred for indirect X\u2010ray sensing with amorphous Si photodiode sensor elements, which requires relatively few transistors.\n\nThe above\u2010described global shutter system in the CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detector offers the following advantages:\n\n * moving objects can be imaged without distortion;\n * the X\u2010ray dose is significantly reduced by the one\u2010time light exposure, dramatically reducing the administered dose.\n\nThese advantages should widen the applications of CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detectors.\n\n### _8.3.4 Fabrication Example and Evaluation_\n\nFigure 8.15 and Table 8.2 show a photograph and the specifications of a prototype X\u2010ray detector, respectively. This detector has been designed to operate in indirect\u2010conversion mode with a scintillator and a photodiode array made from Gd2O2S:Tb and amorphous Si, respectively. All FETs in the sensor pixel circuit, the row driver, and the MUX ( ) have been fabricated on a glass substrate by a 3.0\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO FET process. Flexible printed circuits (FPCs) have been used to connect the sensor with the external ADC via the input and output terminals of the panel.\n\n**Figure 8.15** Photograph of a CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detector panel (scintillator not shown)\n\n**Table 8.2** Specifications of the CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detector\n\nProcess technology | 3.0 \u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO \n---|--- \nPanel size | 100.5 mm \u00d7 139 mm \nNumber of pixels | 384 \u00d7 512 \nPixel size | 120 \u00b5m \u00d7 120 \u00b5m \nResolution | 106 ppi \nPixel configuration | 3 transistors, 1 capacitor, 1 photodiode \nPhotodiode | amorphous Si \nScintillator | Gd2O2S:Tb\n\nFigure 8.16 shows an image captured by the fabricated CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detector. The objects are a clock, a copper coin, and lead boards. As shown in the figure, the gray level depends on the material, because the X\u2010ray transmittance depends on the material and thickness. In Figure 8.16, since the clock was highly transparent to X\u2010rays, the detector captured both its surface and its interior.\n\n**Figure 8.16** Objects captured by the CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detector\n\nThe above\u2010described CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detector performs the basic operation of X\u2010ray image capturing and offers additional advantages when combined with a global shutter drive. The CAAC\u2010IGZO X\u2010ray detector will be developed further in the future.\n\n## 8.4 CODEC\n\n### _8.4.1 Introduction_\n\nThis section discusses the future application of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs to a CODEC, an LSI that encodes and decodes data for, e.g., satellite broadcasting. Although the application introduced here is intended for 8K satellite broadcasting, it is also effective for other compression techniques than that of 8K satellite broadcasting.\n\n8K broadcasting, proposed as the next\u2010generation TV broadcasting standard, has attracted much attention in recent years, and related technologies are rapidly emerging. An uncompressed 8K video format consists of quadruple data compared with 4K video and a 16\u2010fold increase compared with FHD. In addition, a doubling of the frame rate to 120 Hz and an enlarging of the color depth from 8 to 12 bits\/color is being proposed. To transmit and store 8K video data to homes, an efficient compression system is therefore required. The current, widely used compression system is ITU\u2010T H.265|ISO\/IEC 23008\u20102 [hereafter referred to as H.265\/HEVC (high\u2010efficiency video coding)] [10,11]. A system suitable for 8K broadcasting is depicted in Figure 8.17. The 8K broadcasting system consists of a data transmission side [Figure 8.17(a)] and an 8K TV system on the data reception side [Figure 8.17(b)]. On the data transmission side, the imagery captured by an 8K video camera is compressed in an encoder IC. The compressed signal is transmitted from the transmitting antenna and conveyed to homes via a broadcasting satellite (BS). On the data reception side, the 8K TV system receives the analog signal transmitted from the broadcasting satellite at the receiving antenna and front\u2010end module, and converts it to a digital signal. The decoder IC decodes the digital signal and displays the decompressed video data on an 8K display.\n\n**Figure 8.17** 8K Broadcasting system: (a) data transmission and (b) data reception (8K TV system)\n\n### _8.4.2 Encoder\/Decoder_\n\nFigure 8.18 is a conceptual diagram of a satellite broadcasting system using H.265\/HEVC for data compression and decompression. The 8K data are compressed (encoded) at the signal transmission side and decompressed (decoded) at the signal reception side. The H.265\/HEVC compresses the enormous uncompressed 8K data to a size that can be transmitted\/received via BS. The compression rate is approximately 1\/160, approximately twice that of H.264\/AVC. Such high compression is essential for the enormous amount of signal transmission in 8K broadcasting.\n\n**Figure 8.18** Conceptual diagram of a satellite broadcasting system based on data compression\u2013extension by H.265\/HEVC\n\nFigure 8.19(a) and (b) depict an H.265\/HEVC encoder and decoder, respectively. The H.265\/HEVC encoder mainly compresses video data (raw data) and generates transmission video data (encoded data), whereas the H.265\/HEVC decoder mainly plays the opposite role of signal processing. It performs a discrete cosine transform (DCT) on uncompressed video data (raw data), and the transformed data are quantized and entropy coded to generate coded data. Specifically, the H.265\/HEVC decoder decompresses the compressed video data (encoded data) and produces video data (decoded data). The encoded data are entropy decoded and an inverse\u2010discrete cosine transform (iDCT) is performed; the transformed data are decoded via an in\u2010loop filter.\n\n**Figure 8.19** Block diagrams of (a) H.265\/HEVC encoder and (b) H.265\/HEVC decoder\n\nData compression by H.265\/HEVC is roughly divided into one spatial compression and two temporal compressions. These two classes are described below.\n\n 1. When the spatial difference is small between adjacent pixels, the data can be compressed and decompressed by estimating the data of a target pixel from the data of the adjacent pixels; that is, by intra\u2010frame prediction.\n 2. When the video data between frames are very similar, they can be compressed and decompressed by estimating the video data of a target frame from the video data of the previous and next frames; that is, by inter\u2010frame prediction. This prediction requires a frame memory for storing the previous and next frames.\n\nThe encoded data of each frame are classified by their prediction processes. Intra\u2010predicted picture (I picture) data are encoded only within a single frame by intra\u2010frame prediction, whereas predicted picture (P picture) data are encoded from an earlier I picture by inter\u2010frame prediction. A bi\u2010directional predicted picture (B picture) is predicted either forward or backward in time from I and\/or P pictures. The encoded data are transmitted sequentially, as shown in Figure 8.20.\n\n**Figure 8.20** Data reference relationships among frames (I, P, and B denote I picture, P picture, and B picture, respectively. Numbers indicate order in which data are displayed)\n\nFigure 8.19(b) illustrates the decoding process of H.265\/HEVC. Block sizes of iDCT or intra\u2010frame prediction in the decoding process are variable. Accordingly, the contents of the digital processing and the processing scale vary with block size.\n\n### _8.4.3 CAAC\u2010IGZO CODEC_\n\nAs described in Subsection 8.4.2, the block size to be processed depends on the received data. Specifically, when the content of signal processing varies, the FPGA hardware based on CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs (see Section 6.4) can be adjusted so that unnecessary circuit blocks are not used, improving the efficiency of signal processing.\n\nFigure 8.20 shows the data relationships in a reference frame represented by an I picture. Here the video data should be stored over multiple frames over a long period. In this case, large\u2010scale video data of a reference frame is stored in a general DRAM, which needs to be refreshed frequently, usually every 16 ms. If the video data of the reference frame instead are stored in a dynamic oxide semiconductor random access memory (DOSRAM), power can be reduced significantly, since it does not require frequent refreshes (refer to Chapter 4).\n\nThe above discussion highlights the promising applicability of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs to a decoder for 8K satellite broadcasting; for instance, an H.265\/HEVC decoder. The decoder is expected to combine LSIs based on CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs such as DOSRAM and FPGA with existing CAAC\u2010IGZO FET technologies.\n\nThe ultimate target is a TV system that combines a decoder constructed from CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs with a display. The 8K TV system is advantageous for several reasons. For instance, if a frame and its succeeding frame are nearly identical, the initial video data stored in the frame memory of a decode LSI can be read continuously, which is effective for power saving. In this case, in combination with the decoder LSI, the display is driven by idling stop (IDS) driving, which leads to further power saving. In IDS driving, the image signals can be retained because the pixels of the display are configured by CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, which have a low leak current. This results in reduction in the display refresh rate when displaying still images. Details are provided in _Physics and Technology of Crystalline Oxide Semiconductor CAAC\u2010IGZO: Application to Displays_ [12]. In addition, because an 8K TV system that combines an H.265\/HEVC decoder with an 8K display has to process a large amount of data, the use of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs is expected to contribute significantly to power saving.\n\nAccordingly, the 8K TV system is believed to be an important low\u2010power technology for 8K TV in households. Furthermore, decoders using CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs can be applied to TV systems for tablets and smartphones.\n\n## 8.5 DC\u2013DC Converters\n\n### _8.5.1 Introduction_\n\nSo far we have discussed LSIs with memories based on CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, which effectively retain charge [13\u201315]. In particular, NOSRAM exhibits extraordinary charge\u2010retention characteristics and can also be used as a multi\u2010level memory. As such, it retains both digital and analog data \u2013 i.e., it could also be used as an analog voltage memory, such as the CAAC\u2010IGZO TFTs in displays with slow refresh (IDS driving).\n\nThis section introduces DC\u2013DC converters as an analog memory application of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. DC\u2013DC converters, employed as power supply circuits in various devices, obtain the desired voltages by boosting or bucking the input DC voltage. Power\u2010conversion efficiency is an essential parameter of DC\u2013DC converters. In particular, extending the battery runtime of modern smartphones and wearable devices requires DC\u2013DC converters with low power consumption and high power\u2010conversion efficiency. When a DC\u2013DC converter converts power close to the consumed power of circuits included in the DC\u2013DC converter, the current consumption of an internal analog circuit is one of the main factors in reducing the power\u2010conversion efficiency. In other words, the power\u2010conversion efficiency is largely reduced by the power consumption in the internal circuit.\n\nThe DC\u2013DC converter described below significantly reduces the power consumption of the conversion and hence improves the efficiency. When CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs with an analog memory are used as sampling circuits, the bias and input reference voltages of the CLK generator and hysteresis comparator (i.e., the analog voltage) can be retained for a long time. Consequently, the power is reduced in the voltage reference circuits, including the bias circuit and bias generator.\n\n### _8.5.2 Non\u2010hybrid DC\u2013DC Converter_\n\nFigure 8.21 shows a circuit diagram of a non\u2010hybrid DC\u2013DC converter fabricated with a 0.35\u2010\u00b5m Si CMOS process technology (hereafter referred to as converter A). The power consumption is reduced by the hysteresis\u2010controlled boost converter, which is configured from reference circuits, a hysteresis comparator, a CLK generator, and an AND circuit. To achieve the desired output voltage, the hysteresis comparator compares the output of the converter and one of the reference voltages, and the AND circuit performs an AND calculation between the comparison result and the CLK from the CLK generator. Subsequently, the AND result is input to the power MOS gate.\n\n**Figure 8.21** Circuit diagram of non\u2010hybrid DC\u2013DC converter fabricated with a 0.35\u2010\u00b5m CMOS process technology (converter A). This hysteretic\u2010controlled boost DC\u2013DC converter is designed for low power consumption\n\nDuring DC\u2013DC converter operations, the hysteresis comparator and the CLK generator must also operate. The reference circuits, supplementary circuits for operating the hysteresis comparator and CLK generator, consume a constant amount of current during operation.\n\n### _8.5.3 Fabricated CAAC\u2010IGZO Bias Voltage Sampling Circuit with Amplifier_\n\nThis subsection proposes a DC\u2013DC converter to which the technology of a CAAC\u2010IGZO bias voltage sampling circuit with amplifier is applied. The DC\u2013DC converter proposed in this section (Figure 8.22) resolves one problem in non\u2010hybrid DC\u2013DC converters fabricated with a 0.35\u2010\u00b5m CMOS process technology (converters A): the losses in power\u2010conversion efficiency at low\u2010power input\/output caused by the constant power of the reference circuit. The amplifier and the reference circuit (bias generator and bias circuit) are complemented with a sampling circuit implemented by CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. Figure 8.22 also shows the timing diagram of the proposed DC\u2013DC converter.\n\n**Figure 8.22** Fabricated CAAC\u2010IGZO bias voltage sampling circuit with an amplifier and its timing diagram\n\nThe bias generator is a threshold\u2010referenced circuit which, together with the reference circuit, generates the reference voltage of the amplifier and the bias voltage of the current source. The amplifier receives the reference voltage _V_ REF and outputs the same _V_ REF.\n\nThe bias voltage sampling circuit is based on CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. This circuit works as an analog memory, sampling and retaining _V_ REF supplied from the bias circuit and the bias voltage (analog potential). At the retention period after sampling of the reference and bias voltages by the bias voltage sampling circuit, the power supply can be shut off. Replacing the amplifier in the circuit of Figure 8.22 with a comparator or CLK generator would provide the same effect.\n\nHere, the set time is defined as the period in which the circuit can retain the reference and bias voltages needed for stable operations of the amplifier. After the set time passes, the power supply is restarted to the reference circuit and the bias voltage sampling circuit samples the reference and bias voltages. Repeating this operation reduces the average current consumed by the reference circuit.\n\n### _8.5.4 Evaluation Results of Fabricated CAAC\u2010IGZO Bias Voltage Sampling Circuit with Amplifier_\n\nTo discuss the effect of the CAAC\u2010IGZO bias voltage sampling circuit described above, the circuit shown in Figure 8.22 was fabricated by a hybrid process: 0.35\u2010\u00b5m process for Si FETs and 0.8\u2010\u00b5m process for CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. A micrograph of the circuit is presented in Figure 8.23.\n\n**Figure 8.23** Micrograph of CAAC\u2010IGZO bias voltage sampling circuit with an amplifier fabricated by the hybrid process\n\nIn this prototype, the reference voltage was input externally to the amplifier. The circuit was configured to output 1.8 V at a reference voltage of 1.25 V. The bias voltage sampling circuit was configured from a 10\u2010pF hold capacitor (CH) and CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs of width 3 \u00b5m and length 20 \u00b5m. The transistors in the other circuits were Si FETs with .\n\nFirst, the stability of the amplifier output voltage in the test\u2010fabricated circuit was measured. The power supply voltage was 2.3 V, and the bias and reference voltages were sampled by the bias voltage sample circuit. During the subsequent hold period, the power supply to the bias generator and the bias circuit was stopped, and the output voltage and current consumption of the amplifier were measured. The measured results are plotted in Figure 8.24, which shows that the output voltage and the consumed current decrease by 8.95 \u03bcV\/s and 0.0083%\/s, respectively. The variation in the retention voltage was calculated to be 6.22 \u03bcV\/s, since the prototype was designed so that the output voltage of the amplifier was 1.44 times as large as the retention voltage. A reference voltage (retention voltage) variation of 6.22 \u03bcV\/s can be ignored in an internal circuit not requiring high precision, such as a DC\u2013DC converter.\n\n**Figure 8.24** Measured output voltage (left) and current consumption (right) of the circuit fabricated by the hybrid process\n\nSubsequently, the average current consumption was measured as a function of the hold period. The measured results are plotted in Figure 8.25. Considering the required wake\u2010up period of a general reference circuit (the transitional time from quiescence to an active state), the enable period was set to 2 ms. At a hold period of 220 ms, the average current consumed by the reference circuit was 0.059 \u03bcA. During constant operation, the consumed current by the reference circuit was 6.27 \u03bcA. Therefore, by limiting the circuit operation to the sampling period, the current consumption was reduced to below 1\/100 of the original consumption.\n\n**Figure 8.25** Measured average current consumption of the bias generator and bias circuit in the circuit fabricated by the hybrid process\n\n### _8.5.5 Proposed DC\u2013DC Converter_\n\nAlthough the CAAC\u2010IGZO bias voltage sampling circuit (S\/H) is applied to the amplifier, the S\/H can also be applied to the hysteresis comparator and CLK generator in Figure 8.21, which offers the same effect. Figure 8.26 shows the comparator fabricated by the S\/H, Figure 8.27 shows the hysteresis comparator configured with the comparator shown in Figure 8.26, and Figure 8.28 shows a CLK generator to which the S\/H is applied.\n\n**Figure 8.26** Comparator using CAAC\u2010IGZO bias voltage sampling circuit (S\/H)\n\n**Figure 8.27** Hysteresis comparator configured by the comparator in Figure 8.26\n\n**Figure 8.28** CLK generator fabricated by the CAAC\u2010IGZO bias voltage sample and hold circuit (S\/H)\n\nFigure 8.29 depicts a DC\u2013DC converter where the circuits shown in Figures 8.26\u20138.28 are used and a timer circuit is added. The timer circuit monitors the set time and generates control signals for the sampling of the reference and bias voltages in the bias voltage sampling circuit, and a signal for controlling the operations of the reference circuit. As the CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs in the bias voltage sampling circuit have good retention characteristics, the circuit can achieve low power consumption even when the set time monitoring is imprecise. In other words, the timer circuit can be configured with asynchronous counters to reduce its current consumption.\n\n**Figure 8.29** Circuit diagram of the proposed DC\u2013DC converter where the circuits shown in Figures 8.26\u20138.28 are used in the reference circuit, and a timer circuit is added to converter A\n\nTable 8.3 lists the simulated current consumed by the analog circuits in the DC\u2013DC converter fabricated only with a 0.35\u2010\u00b5m CMOS process technology (converter A) and the proposed DC\u2013DC converter in quiescent states. The current consumption of the reference circuit is over 100 times smaller in the proposed DC\u2013DC converter than in converter A (0.319 \u03bcA vs. 34.7 \u03bcA). The proposed converter reduces the quiescent current consumption of the entire analog circuit by 63%, from 54.2 \u03bcA to 19.8 \u03bcA. At and an oscillation circuit frequency of 33 kHz, the simulated current consumed by the timer circuit is 0.07 \u03bcA. Figure 8.30 plots the measured power\u2010conversion efficiency of converter A and the simulated power efficiency of the proposed converter. Here, , , and . Under a load power of 1.09 mW, the efficiency is 4.7% higher in the proposed converter than in converter A.\n\n**Table 8.3** Simulated current consumption in quiescent state by analog circuits in ICs of converter A and proposed DC\u2013DC converter\n\nTechnology | 0.35\u2010\u00b5m CMOS | 0.35\u2010\u00b5m CMOS \n+0.8\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO (proposal) \n---|---|--- \nPower supply voltage | 3.3 V \nClock frequency | 33 kHz \nEnable period | \u2014 | 2 ms \nHold period | \u2014 | 220 ms \nQuiescent \ncurrent | Hysteresis comparator | 10 \u03bcA \nCLK generator | 9.5 \u03bcA \nTimer | \u2014 | 0.07 \u03bcA \nBGR | 14 \u03bcA | 0.128 \u03bcA \nVREF generator | 3.8 \u03bcA | 0.036 \u03bcA \nBias generator | 11.4 \u03bcA | 0.104 \u03bcA \nBias circuit \nof hysteresis comparator | 1 \u03bcA | 0.009 \u03bcA \nBias circuit \nof CLK generator | 4.5 \u03bcA | 0.041 \u03bcA \nTotal \nof reference circuits | 34.7 \u03bcA | 0.319 \u03bcA \nTotal | 54.2 \u03bcA | 19.8 \u03bcA\n\n**Figure 8.30** Measured power\u2010conversion efficiency of converter A and simulated power efficiency of the proposed DC\u2013DC converter\n\nClearly, the power efficiency of the DC\u2013DC converter is improved by mounting a bias voltage sampling circuit constructed from CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. Thus, CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs can retain analog potentials, which is very promising and beneficial for analog applications, particularly when the load is low \u2013 i.e., DC\u2013DC converters for liquid crystal displays or other voltage\u2010driven devices.\n\n## 8.6 Analog Programmable Devices\n\n### _8.6.1 Overview_\n\nIn the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA introduced in Chapter 6, the configuration memory works as a memory element holding binary digital data. As seen with the multi\u2010level NOSRAM memory, however, CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs also have the potential to work as a non\u2010volatile analog programmable device.\n\nAs an application example of an analog programmable device, this section introduces a voltage\u2010controlled oscillator (VCO) using an analog programmable element composed of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs [16]. The signals output by the VCO oscillate at the intended frequency according to the analog voltage data (AVD) stored in the analog programmable element. The VCO can switch between oscillation frequencies and achieve stable oscillation in a short time after power\u2010on.\n\n### _8.6.2 Design_\n\nA circuit diagram of the proposed VCO with an analog programmable element is presented in Figure 8.31. The VCO is a ring\u2010oscillator\u2010type circuit composed of odd\u2010numbered\u2010stage inverters and voltage\u2010controlled switches (VCSs, corresponding to analog programmable elements). The VCSs control the connections between the inverters. Borrowing from the multicontext method in the CAAC\u2010IGZO FPGA, each VCS is constructed from _k_ \u2010stage voltage\u2010controlled elements (VCEs). The inverter connections are made by the VCE selected by a signal line CL. The intended AVD ( _V_ DATA) is stored by the VCE on node SN and controls the channel resistance of transistor MG. In other words, the VCS resistance is controlled by the AVD programmed in the selected VCE, enabling control of the VCO oscillation frequency. When transistor MW is a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and is turned off, node SN becomes an electrically isolated floating node that retains the AVD for a long time. The transistor MW has a back gate and its subthreshold voltage can be controlled by changing the back\u2010gate voltage.\n\n**Figure 8.31** Circuit diagram of the proposed VCO including CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs and Si FETs\n\nMultiple VCEs offer the advantage of variable AVDs. Therefore, the oscillation frequency of the VCO can be changed immediately by selecting a VCE, depending on the AVD programmed therein.\n\n### _8.6.3 Prototype_\n\n#### 8.6.3.1 Whole Structure\n\nThe proposed VCO has been fabricated by a hybrid process using 1.0\u2010\u00b5m CAAC\u2010IGZO and 0.5\u2010\u00b5m Si FETs [16\u201319]. The circuit design of the prototype VCO is presented in Figure 8.32. The prototype consisted of 101 stage inverters and VCSs and had two contexts ( ). The transistor sizes (channel widths _W_ ) of transistors MW, MG, and MC are 4 \u00b5m, 16 \u00b5m, and 16 \u00b5m, respectively. The gate capacitance of transistor MG and the storage capacitance are 16 fF and 2 fF, respectively. Consequently, their combined capacitance at node SN is 18 fF.\n\n**Figure 8.32** Fabricated layout of VCO with two VCEs ( ): (a) die photograph and (b) simplified diagram\n\nFigure 8.32(a) shows a photograph of the fabricated VCO. The VCO includes logic for WL and CL, logic for WD, inverters, VCE[1], and VCE[2]. The logic for WL and CL consists of signal lines WL and CL and a signal supply buffer. The logic for WD consists of a signal line WD and a signal supply buffer. The 101 stage inverters and VCSs are folded at the 52nd stage. In this layout, the outputs from the inverters on the lower side are input to the two VCEs (VCE[1] and VCE[2]) immediately above, and the outputs from the two VCEs are input to the inverters on the upper side. That is, when VCE[1] is selected, the inverters are connected via wirings a and a\u2032; similarly, when VCE[2] is selected, the inverters are connected via wirings b and b\u2032. The layout ensured no difference in wiring length between the inverters through a selected VCE [see Figure 8.32(b)], thus avoiding the effects of wiring length on the VCO performance.\n\n#### 8.6.3.2 Measurements and Results\n\n##### _AVD Dependence of Oscillation Frequency_\n\nThe VCO controlled the oscillation frequency by referring to the AVD in the analog programmable element. Figure 8.33 plots the relationship between oscillation frequency and the AVD programmed in each VCE, measured on a test\u2010element group (TEG) with a 2\u2010VCE VCS (that is, for each VCS, the number _n_ of VCEs is 2). For measurements, VCE[1] is selected. The supply voltage _V_ RO of the inverter is varied as 1.0, 1.2, and 1.5 V. The voltage _V_ CL applied to the gate of the transistor MC is fixed at 3.0 V. The back\u2010gate voltage _V_ BG of transistor MW is 0 V, and _V_ SS was \u22120.2 V. The write time is 1.0 ms.\n\n**Figure 8.33** Relationship between frequency and AVD in proposed VCO with two VCEs on (a) linear scale and (b) log scale\n\nAs shown in Figure 8.33, the oscillation frequency could be controlled by changing the AVD. For example, at and AVD ranging from 1.0 to 3.0 V, the oscillation frequencies ranged from 197 mHz to 9.65 MHz. In other words, the oscillation frequency of the VCO changed over seven orders of magnitude. The change ratio of the oscillation frequencies depended on the AVD. For example, in the AVD range from 1.0 to 1.5 V, the change ratio is 1.24 decades\/100 mV, dramatically reducing to 0.06 decades\/100 mV in the AVD range from 2.5 to 3.0 V. This result is attributable to the high conductivity of transistor MG and the large inverter delay (relative to the transistor) in the higher AVD range. Consequently, the delay in inverters is larger than in the transistor MG. In contrast, in the lower AVD range, the oscillation frequency changed at 0.82 decades\/100 mV, 1.10 decades\/100 mV, and 1.24 decades\/100 mV at _V_ RO of 1.0 V, 1.2V, and 1.5 V, respectively. This result can be explained by the relatively low conductivity of transistor MG at low analog voltage data, and the long transistor delay (relative to the inverter). Consequently, the oscillation frequency depends strongly on the AVD.\n\nThe oscillation frequency of the VCO also depends on _V_ RO. However, in the high\u2010AVD range, the inverter delay dominates as described above, and the oscillation frequency changes largely with _V_ RO. Accordingly, _V_ RO may be changed to meet intended VCO applications; for example, a high driving voltage could achieve a wide frequency range, whereas a low driving voltage could enable fine tuning in a narrow frequency range.\n\n##### _Oscillation Frequency Retention Characteristics_\n\nSince the analog programmable memory is composed of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, it retains its stored AVD for a long time. When _V_ RO was set to 1.5 V and an AVD of 2.5 V stored in VCE[1], the oscillation frequency of the VCO changed over time (see Figure 8.34). To obtain Figure 8.34, _V_ SS was set to 0 and \u22120.2 V. Initially, the oscillation frequency is 9.10 MHz regardless of _V_ SS. When , the frequency decreases by 7.7% after 5 h. This reduction of the oscillation frequency improves significantly when _V_ SS is negative. Specifically, when , the oscillation frequency is largely stable over time, decreasing only to 9.02 MHz after 24 h. In this case, the oscillation frequency decreases only by 0.87% a day, indicating that the retention characteristics of the analog memory are improved by lowering the _V_ SS. Referring to Figure 8.33 and assuming that the AVD decreases at a constant rate, the AVD should decrease to approximately 30 mV after 24 h. Denoting the time, storage capacitance, and voltage change by _t_ (s), _C_ (F), and \u0394 _V_ (V), respectively, the leakage current _I_ leak is expressed as follows:\n\n(8.1)\n\n**Figure 8.34** Data\u2010retention characteristics of VCO ( ) with different _V_ SS values ( , )\n\nInserting (24 h), , and into Equation (8.1), the leakage current _I_ leak can be estimated to be 6 \u00d7 10\u221221 A.\n\nFigure 8.35 shows the spectral change in the oscillation frequency when and the VCO oscillates at . In panels (a) and (b) of this figure, AVD is 2.5 V and 2.0 V, respectively. In Figure 8.35(a), the central frequencies of the spectra at and are 9.10 MHz and 9.07 MHz, respectively. That is, the oscillation frequency decreases by 0.34% over 3 h. When the ADV is 2.0 V [Figure 8.35(b)], the central frequencies at and are 6.63 MHz and 6.58 MHz, respectively, representing a 0.74% reduction in oscillation frequency. These results suggest that when _V_ SS is set appropriately ( ) the oscillation frequency barely changes over time \u2013 i.e., the data\u2010retention characteristics are excellent for any AVD.\n\n**Figure 8.35** Data\u2010retention characteristics of VCO ( ) with different AVDs ( , ): (a) and (b)\n\nFrom the spectra in Figure 8.35, we can determine the figure of merit (FOM) at by [20]:\n\n(8.2)\n\nHere, _Phn_ , _F_ C, and _P_ denote the phase noise, central frequency, and power consumption, respectively. For an AVD of 2.5 V, the FOM can be estimated to be \u2212151.8 dBc\/Hz.\n\n##### _Quick Start\u2010up_\n\nOwing to its non\u2010volatile analog programmable memory, the VCO maintains the AVD over a long time, even during its quiescent period. In other words, the AVD corresponding to the set oscillation frequency is retained in the analog programmable element, even when the supply voltage is switched off. The restored supply voltage is followed rapidly by an output signal at the desired oscillation frequency.\n\nFigure 8.36 shows the waveforms of the output OUT. To obtain these measurements, the ring oscillator was rebooted 1 h after powering off the supply voltage _V_ RO. _V_ RO, AVD, _V_ SS, and _V_ BG were fixed at 1.5 V, 2.5 V, \u22120.2 V, and 0 V, respectively. The output OUT resumed oscillating immediately after the restart of _V_ RO.\n\n**Figure 8.36** Output waveforms from power\u2010off to reboot: (a) overall view and (b) enlarged view immediately after reboot\n\n##### _Quick Frequency Switching_\n\nThe multicontext architecture of the VCO enables instant switching among the VCEs in the VCS. That is, after programming the AVDs in the VCS, we can instantly change the oscillation frequency of the VCO by selecting a new VCE.\n\nFigure 8.37 shows the output waveforms of the TEG with . The analog programmable memories of VCE[1] and VCE[2] was programmed with AVDs of 1.8 V and 2.5 V, respectively, and the selected VCE was switched during VCO operation. During the first 1.0 \u00b5s, VCE[1] was selected, and the VCO oscillated at 4.0 MHz in response to the 1.8 V AVD. At , the selected VCE was switched from VCE[1] to VCE[2], and the oscillation frequency of the output OUT increased instantly to 9.1 MHz.\n\n**Figure 8.37** Output waveforms during switching between selected VCEs ( )\n\n### _8.6.4 Possible Application to Phase\u2010Locked Loop_\n\nIn a general phase\u2010locked loop (PLL), the VCO is built into a feedback loop that is forced to operate even after the oscillation frequency is locked. In contrast, the proposed VCO retains the AVD in the analog programmable element over long periods. Consequently, once the desired oscillation is set, the power supply to the circuits forming the feedback loop can be stopped, and power can be supplied only to the VCO, largely reducing the power consumption of the PLL. For instance, in a PLL operating at approximately 20 GHz and 1.5 V, circuits other than the VCO account for 60% of the total current consumption [21]. When the PLL incorporates the proposed VCO, circuits other than the VCO can be powered on only during the infrequent refresh periods, which are required to maintain the oscillation frequency. In this way, the power consumption can be reduced drastically. Furthermore, because the programmable elements hold the AVD corresponding to the previous oscillation frequency, high\u2010speed rebooting of the PLL is expected.\n\nWhen installing the proposed VCO in an actual PLL, we should thoroughly examine the operation stability at the frequency lock and the AVD\u2010dependent frequency changes in the whole PLL. Nevertheless, the VCO\u2010based PLL is a promising application of analog programmable devices based on CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs.\n\n## 8.7 Neural Networks\n\n### _8.7.1 Introduction_\n\nAs a future application of CAAC\u2010IGZO technology, this section proposes a neural network based on CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. As discussed above, CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs can be configured as an analog memory with high\u2010speed writing capability and long\u2010term data retention. Such an analog memory is suitable as a weight memory in neural networks. Below, a neural network and its potential construction from CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are briefly described.\n\n### _8.7.2 Neural Networks_\n\nNeural networks attempt to model the neuron structure of the human brain. The models are described by neurons that are connected to other neurons through synapses, each of which is weighted.\n\nThe functions of neurons and synapses can be expressed most simply by the linear threshold model [see Figure 8.38 and Equations (8.3) and (8.4)]. Here, _x_ 1,..., _x_ _n_ are the input signals from _n_ neurons, and _w_ 1,..., _w_ _n_ denote the weights of the respective _n_ synapses. The weighted sum of the neurons is represented by Equation (8.3), where _net_ denotes the membrane potential in a neuron. Equation (8.4) gives the output signal _y_ of the neuron, where _f_ ( _x_ ) is an activation function such as a step function (Figure 8.39). A neuron fires when _net_ exceeds the threshold of neuron firing _\u03b8_. The output signals _y_ of firing and quiescent neurons are 1 and 0, respectively:\n\n(8.3)\n\n(8.4)\n\n**Figure 8.38** Linear threshold model of neurons and synapses\n\n**Figure 8.39** Step function\n\nNeural network structures are roughly classified as multilayer perceptron or recurrent neural networks. In multilayer perceptron networks (Figure 8.40) [22], the neurons are layered and signals are unidirectionally transferred from the input side to the output side. The output data are uniquely determined from the input data. In other words, the output information cannot be changed by updating the weights. Thus, back propagation or similar is used to update the weight to change output information and perform learning.\n\n**Figure 8.40** Multilayer perceptron neural network\n\nFigure 8.41 shows an example of a recurrent neural network [23], in which the neurons are connected to each other. The signals are not confined to certain directions, and output signals can directly become input signals; in other words, the network has feedback. Hopfield networks and Boltzmann machine networks are included in this category.\n\n**Figure 8.41** Recurrent neural network\n\n### _8.7.3 CAAC\u2010IGZO Neural Network_\n\nIn a hardwired circuit construction of the above neural networks, neurons must receive signals from other neurons, calculate their weighted sum, and send signals to other neurons. The synapses store the weights, indicating the bond strengths between neurons, and the weighting function that multiplies each weight by the corresponding neuron's output. Therefore, each neuron needs an adder or similar functionality to calculate the sum of signals from other neurons, and each synapse needs a memory to store the weight and multiplier.\n\nWhen the adder, memory, and multiplier are configured from digital circuits, a multi\u2010bit adder, high\u2010capacity memory, and multi\u2010bit multiplier are required. The resulting network would be a large\u2010scale IC requiring microfabrication. Furthermore, if the number of layers and number of neurons in each layer increase, the number of wirings increases exponentially.\n\nIn contrast, when the adder, memory, and multiplier are configured from analog circuits, the number of circuits is reduced from the digital case, but analog memories are very difficult to construct. A DRAM\u2010type analog memory enables very short\u2010time data retention. Although we could employ a high\u2010capacity capacitor and perform regular data recovery by a refresh operation, these implementations would increase the die size and power consumption. Weights can also be stored in a flash memory, but it would increase the programming time, thereby extending the convergence time of learning with frequent weight updates.\n\nThe above problems could be solved by a neural network with an analog memory composed of CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs and a capacitor. This network would enable high\u2010speed writing, improving the learning speed and reducing the power consumption (as no refresh operation would be required). Moreover, the analog circuitry would require less die size and wirings than the digital circuit.\n\nThe extremely low off\u2010state current of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET enables easy construction of a high\u2010speed writing analog memory. A neural network with this type of memory would offer several advantages. First, the CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs memorize the weight over a longer time than DRAM; second, the learning could be performed more frequently than is possible with flash memory; third, if appropriate, the network could be unlearned by changing the threshold through the back gate of the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. Multilayer perceptron and recurrent neural networks constructed from CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs are described below.\n\nFigure 8.42 schematizes a multilayer perceptron neural network built from CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. Each layer is composed of _n_ neuron units NU, _m_ error units EU, and synapse units SU. The two unit layers form a multilayer perceptron neural network with three layers. Each NU has a selector and is selected to be an input neuron or a hidden neuron. Each EU has a selector and is selected to be an error\u2010signal generator or an output neuron. The SU is composed of multipliers and an analog memory (see Figure 8.43). The analog memory consists of one CAAC\u2010IGZO FET and one capacitor that together can store one weight. The weights are updated by accumulating charges in the capacitor via the CAAC\u2010IGZO FET. This operation occurs at much higher speed than is possible by flash memory, and the weight can be retained for a longer time than is possible in DRAM.\n\n**Figure 8.42** Unit layer of multilayer perceptron neural network constructed by CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs\n\n**Figure 8.43** Synapse unit in multilayer perceptron neural network constructed from CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs; \u2297 denotes multiplier\n\nFigure 8.44 schematizes a recurrent neural network built from CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs. The network consists of neuron units NU and synapse units SU. Each SU has a weight modifier that writes and stores a weight (see Figure 8.45). A weight is written by decreasing the voltage of node NA using a step\u2010down charge pump composed of M1, M2, and C1, while increasing the voltage of NA using a step\u2010up charge pump composed of M3, M4, and C2. The weight is stored by holding the NA voltage in C3. Transistors M1\u2013M4 are CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs, enabling long\u2010term retention of the weight.\n\n**Figure 8.44** Recurrent neural network constructed from CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs\n\n**Figure 8.45** Synapse unit of recurrent neural network constructed from CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs\n\n### _8.7.4 Conclusion_\n\nAs a future application, the application of CAAC\u2010IGZO technology to neural networks is proposed. The CAAC\u2010IGZO FETs provide analog memories with various structures, which can be assembled into the circuit components of a neural network. Such an analog memory would empower the neural network with high\u2010speed writing (consequently, with high\u2010speed learning), low power consumption (by removing the need for refresh operations), and a simplified circuit (by replacing the digital circuitry with analog circuitry).\n\n## 8.8 Memory\u2010Based Computing\n\nProgrammable circuits such as FPGA are now widely used. They typically include both programmable wiring (PW, a switched network) and a programmable function (PF), as shown in Figure 8.46(a). Although programmable routing can be used to realize any topology and can accommodate any circuits to be implemented, its delay may not be predictable. Consequently, resolving all timing problems may not be easy; significant logical and layout restructuring may be required to fix timing closure problems, which may take a long time. This is a serious problem when attempting to implement large circuits, which may include millions of gates. Things become much worse if the circuit is implemented with multiple chips, as the delays among chips are much different from those inside chips.\n\n**Figure 8.46** Programmable circuit: (a) with programmable wiring; (b) with fixed routing\n\nOne way to minimize delay issues is to use look\u2010up tables (LUT), which are connected through a predetermined \"fixed\" topology, as shown in Figure 8.46(b). When the routing is fixed, delays can be estimated accurately, and the design process can concentrate on logical correctness. When non\u2010volatile memories are used for implementing LUTs, the entire circuit becomes completely non\u2010volatile, and the power can be turned on or off at any time.\n\nFigure 8.47 shows an example. The circuit (a) has a fixed network topology; nine programmable functions with two inputs are interconnected. If each PF is programmed as shown in (b), it becomes a one\u2010bit full adder. In contrast, if each PF is programmed as shown in (c), it becomes a one\u2010bit full subtractor. In all cases, the topology is fixed.\n\n**Figure 8.47** Circuits with the same topology can be transformed into an adder or a subtractor: (a) programmable functions set for one\u2010bit full adder; (b) programmable functions set for one\u2010bit full subtractor\n\nNow an important question is \"how many logic functions appearing in practical designs can be implemented on top of predetermined fixed\u2010topology LUT networks?\" We performed a preliminary experiment as shown below.\n\nSuppose we attempt to implement a specific 12\u2010input single\u2010output logic function. Overall, there are 24096 different functions with 12 inputs. If we use a single 12\u2010input LUT, as shown in Figure 8.48(a), we can realize all of them with 4096 bits of memory. In contrast, if, for example, we use a network of 4\u2010input LUTs, as shown in Figure 8.48(b), we only need (each 4\u2010input LUT needs 16 bits), but it can implement only a very small subset of all possible logic functions of 12 inputs because .\n\n**Figure 8.48** Implementation of 12\u2010input logic functions with LUTs: (a) schematic diagram indicating that all 12\u2010input logic functions can be implemented with a LUT having 4096 bits of storage; (b) example of a 12\u2010input circuit having a set of 4\u2010input LUTs and their connections. The circuit in (b) needs only 272 bits of storage for all LUTs\n\n**Figure 8.49** Disjoint support decomposition of logic functions\n\nTherefore, the practical question is \"how many logic functions appearing in real\u2010life (benchmark) circuits can be implemented with fixed\u2010topology programmable circuits such as the one presented in Figure 8.48(b)?\" For such an evaluation, 300,000 12\u2010input single\u2010output logic functions are extracted from various benchmark circuits. Then, we check whether the programmable circuits of fixed topologies can implement them. The extracted circuits are classified as disjoint support decomposable (DSD), partially DSD, and non\u2010DSD [24]. In a DSD circuit, if a given logic function of x1,..., x _n_ is decomposed as shown in Figure 8.49, the inputs to the two LUTs are disjoint.\n\nIn contrast, in a non\u2010DSD circuit, all input variables must appear as inputs to both LUTs. In general, DSD functions are relatively simpler than non\u2010DSD functions. A partially DSD circuit means that some of the inputs must appear in both LUTs.\n\nWe use several different fixed 3\u2010input and 4\u2010input LUT networks (Figure 8.50). The LUTs are programmable but the wiring is completely fixed regardless of the logic functions to be implemented.\n\n**Figure 8.50** Different fixed topology of networks of 3\u2010input and 4\u2010input LUTs\n\nThe results are shown in Figure 8.51. For each topology of Figure 8.50, the percentage of the implementable functions out of the extracted 12\u2010input logic functions discussed above is reported. DSD functions are easier to implement than non\u2010DSD functions. The topologies shown in Figure 8.50 can be used to implement most of the DSD functions. Even for non\u2010DSD functions, half of them can be implemented in topology 2. Consequently, many logic functions encountered in real hardware designs can be implemented with fixed\u2010topology programmable circuits. With non\u2010volatile memory, the entire computation can be non\u2010volatile, that is, the power can be shut off and on at any time.\n\n**Figure 8.51** Percentages of implementable functions out of the extracted 12\u2010input logic functions (solid line: DSD; dashed line: partial DSD; chain line: non\u2010DSD)\n\n## 8.9 Backtracking Programs with Power Gating\n\nIn this section, we present an application of power\u2010gating mechanisms to efficient programming. Power\u2010off operations in power gating preserve the internal state in the non\u2010volatile area, and power\u2010on operations restore the internal state. This means that when some programs are executed after a power\u2010gating operation and a power\u2010on operation is performed during execution without a power\u2010off operation, the program state immediately goes back to the state when the previous power\u2010off operation was performed. This is an instant backtrack and can be used effectively in backtrack\u2010based programming as well as fault\u2010tolerant computation. With CAAC\u2010IGZO FET\u2010based power\u2010gating mechanisms, only a few cycles for power on and off are required. Consequently, there is almost no penalty to performance due to power gating.\n\nAn example of a power\u2010gating execution sequence is presented in Figure 8.52. In this example, after operation 2 is executed, the processor enters into power gating and its power is cut off. Here, it is assumed that even without power, all of the storage elements in the processor \u2013 such as memories, register files, and flip\u2010flops \u2013 can retain their values by utilizing non\u2010volatile memory, such as that using a CAAC\u2010IGZO FET as discussed in this book. After a certain amount of time, the processor is powered on, and it simply resumes its computation, as if there was no power\u2010off period. Therefore, only a few cycles of powering on and off are required, which means that the processors can utilize power gating very frequently to save energy.\n\n**Figure 8.52** Program that includes power\u2010gating operations.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [25] by permission of Association for Computing Machinery, Inc. \u00a9 2014. \n\nFrom the viewpoint of programs running on processors, power\u2010off operations save all information required for resuming the computations to some non\u2010volatile areas, and power\u2010on operations load them back to the processors. This means that in each power\u2010gating sequence, all states of the programs running on the processor are kept in non\u2010volatile areas, even after the power is turned on again. Therefore, if power\u2010on operations are repeated without any additional power\u2010off operations, the states of the programs running on the processor automatically return back to the point where the last power\u2010off operations were performed. As long as we do not perform the power\u2010off operations again, each time a power\u2010on operation is performed, the states of the programs will automatically return to the state at the last power\u2010off operation point. This is a very efficient way of implementing backtracking, which may be a frequent operation of search and optimization programs.\n\nFigure 8.53 shows an example of such power\u2010gating use. After the computation in line 1, the program proceeds to the operations corresponding to a power\u2010off (but the power may not necessarily be turned off), which save the current states of the programs running on the processor. Then, the program falls into an infinite loop, where non\u2010deterministic search and optimization are performed. The results can be recorded indirectly because, when the entire program returns back to the state where the power\u2010off operations were last performed, even the search and optimization results disappear. In order not to lose the results, they must be sent to external locations, not affected by power gating (line 6). After that, we need to backtrack to the state corresponding to line 2, which is automatically performed by executing the power\u2010on operations. Mechanisms for power gating can be used as very efficient ways to perform automatic backtracking.\n\n**Figure 8.53** Use of power gating for quick and efficient backtracking in programming.\n\n_Source_ : Reprinted from [25] by permission of Association for Computing Machinery, Inc. \u00a9 2014. \n\nThis can be extended further if there are multiple non\u2010volatile areas to be used in conjunction with power gating, in a similar manner as the current implementations of quick power gating [25]. That is, when we are performing power\u2010off operations, we can choose which of the available non\u2010volatile areas to use to save the states of the programs running on the processor. Depending on the power\u2010gating architectures, there can be minimal increases in area for such storages. If we implement such mechanisms to select the saving areas, multiple states of the programs can be chosen as backtrack targets, which makes it possible to program much more complicated non\u2010deterministic algorithms.\n\nApart from using power\u2010gating mechanisms for efficient realization of non\u2010deterministic algorithms, implementation of high\u2010speed complete backtracking to multiple targets may enable efficient executions of interruption\u2010based programming [25]. As there are only a few additional cycles required, owing to efficient realization of power gating with non\u2010volatile memory, power gating could be applied in various programming settings, which could be an interesting research topic.\n\n## References\n\n 1. [1] Finkenzeller, K. (2010) RFID Handbook: Fundamentals and Applications in Contactless Smart Cards, Radio Frequency Identification and Near\u2010Field Communication, 3rd edn. Wiley: London.\n 2. [2] _Information technology \u2013 Radio frequency identification for item management \u2013 Part 63: Parameters for air interface communications at 860 MHz to 960 MHz Type C_. ISO\/IEC 18000\u201063, 2013.\n 3. 3] NXP Semiconductors N.V., \"SL3S1203_1213 UCODE G2iL and G2iL+.\" Product data sheet available at: [www.nxp.com\/documents\/data_sheet\/SL3S1203_1213.pdf (2014) [accessed February 12, 2016].\n 4. [4] Gawande, A. A., Studdert, D. M., Orav, E. J., Brennan, T. A., and Zinner, M. J. (2003) \"Risk factors for retained instruments and sponges after surgery,\" N. Engl. J. Med., 348, 229. \n 5. 5] The Road Committee of the Panel on Infrastructure Development, \"Recommendations for Full\u2010Scale Maintenance of Aging Roads.\" Available at: [www.mlit.go.jp\/road\/road_e\/pdf\/recommendation.pdf (2014) [accessed February 12, 2016].\n 6. [6] Seibert, J. A. (2006) \"Flat\u2010panel detectors: How much better are they?,\" Pediatr. Radiol., 36, 173. \n 7. [7] Kasap, S., Frey, J. B., Belev, G., Tousignant, O., Mani, H., Greenspan, J., _et al._ (2011) \"Amorphous and polycrystalline photoconductors for direct conversion flat panel X\u2010ray image sensors,\" Sensors, 11, 5112. \n 8. [8] Wronski, M. M. and Rowlands, J. A. (2008) \"Direct\u2010conversion flat\u2010panel imager with avalanche gain: Feasibility investigation for HARP\u2010AMFPI,\" Medical Phys., 35, 5207. \n 9. [9] Li, D. and Xhao, W. (2008) \"SAPHIRE (scintillator avalanche photoconductor with high resolution emitter readout) for low dose X\u2010ray imaging: Spatial resolution,\" Medical Phys., 35, 3151. \n 10. [10] _ITU\u2010T Recommendation Series H Audiovisual and multimedia systems. 265: High Efficiency Video Coding_. International Telecommunication Union, Geneva, 2015.\n 11. [11] Sullivan, G. J., Ohm, J.\u2010R., Han, W.\u2010J., and Wiegand, T. (2012) \"Overview of the high efficiency video coding (HEVC) standard,\" IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst. Video Technol., 22, 1649. \n 12. [12] Yamazaki, S. and Kimizuka, N. (in press) Physics and Technology of Crystalline Oxide Semiconductor CAAC\u2010IGZO: Application to Displays. Wiley: Chichester.\n 13. [13] Yamazaki, S., Koyama, J., Yamamoto, Y., and Okamoto, K. (2012) \"Research, development, and application of crystalline oxide semiconductor,\" SID Symp. Dig. Tech. Pap., 43, 183. \n 14. [14] Ohmaru, T., Yoneda, S., Nishijima, T., Endo, M., Dembo, H., Fujita, M., _et al._ (2012) \"Eight\u2010bit CPU with nonvolatile registers capable of holding data for 40 days at 85\u00b0C using crystalline In\u2013Ga\u2013Zn oxide thin film transistors,\" Ext. Abstr. Solid State Dev. Mater., 1144. \n 15. [15] Inoue, H., Matshuzaki, T., Nagatsuka, S., Okazaki, Y., Sasaki, T., Noda, K., _et al._ (2012) \"Nonvolatile memory with extremely low\u2010leakage indium\u2013gallium\u2013zinc\u2010oxide thin\u2010film transistor,\" J. Solid\u2010State Circuits, 47, 2258. \n 16. [16] Okamoto, Y., Nakagawa, T., Aoki, T., Kozuma, M., Kurokawa, Y., Ikeda, T., _et al._ (2014) \"CAAC\u2010OS\u2010based nonvolatile programmable analog device: Voltage controlled oscillator realizing instant frequency switching,\" Ext. Abstr. Solid State Dev. Mater., 452.\n 17. [17] Kozuma, M., Okamoto, Y., Nakagawa, T., Aoki, T., Ikeda, M., Osada, T., _et al._ (2014) \"Crystalline In\u2013Ga\u2013Zn\u2013O FET\u2010based configuration memory for multi\u2010context field\u2010programmable gate array realizing fine\u2010grained power gating,\" Jpn. J. Appl. Phys., 53, 14EE12. \n 18. [18] Aoki, T., Okamoto, Y., Nakagawa, T., Ikeda, M., Kozuma, M., Osada, T., _et al._ (2014) \"Normally\u2010off computing with crystalline InGaZnO\u2010based FPGA,\" IEEE Int. Solid\u2010State Circuits Conf. Dig. Tech. Pap., 502. \n 19. [19] Okamoto, Y., Nakagawa, T., Aoki, T., Ikeda, M., Kozuma, M., Osada, T., _et al._ (2015) \"A boosting pass gate with improved switching characteristics and no overdriving for programmable routing switch based on crystalline In\u2013Ga\u2013Zn\u2013O technology,\" IEEE Trans. Very Large Scale Integr. (VLSI) Syst., 422. \n 20. [20] Gao, X., Klumperink, E. A. M., Geraedts, P. F. J., and Nauta, B. (2009) \"Jitter analysis and a benchmarking figure\u2010of\u2010merit for phase\u2010locked loops,\" IEEE Trans. Circuits Syst., 56, 117. \n 21. [21] Ding, Y. and Kenneth, K. O. (2007) \"A 21\u2010GHz 8\u2010modulus prescaler and a 20\u2010GHz phase\u2010locked loop fabricated in 130\u2010nm CMOS,\" IEEE J. Solid\u2010State Circuits, 42, 1240. \n 22. [22] Morie, T. and Amemiya, Y. (1994) \"An all\u2010analog expandable neural network LSI with on\u2010chip backpropagation learning,\" IEEE J. Solid\u2010State Circuits, 29, 1086. \n 23. [23] Arima, Y., Murasaki, M., Yamada, T., Maeda, A., and Shinohara, H. (1992) \"A refreshable analog VLSI neural network chip with 400 neurons and 40K synapses,\" IEEE J. Solid\u2010State Circuits 27, 1854. \n 24. [24] Mishchenko, A. (2014) \"Enumeration of irredundant circuit structures,\" Proc. Int. Workshop Logic Synthesis, 1.\n 25. [25] Fujita, M. (2014) \"Highly\u2010pipelined and energy\u2010saved computing with arrays of non\u2010volatile memories,\" Proc. ICONIAAC'14, 46. \n\n# Appendix\n\n## FET Symbols\n\n**Symbol** | **Description** \n---|--- \n | CAAC\u2010IGZO FET \n | CAAC\u2010IGZO FET with back gate \n | Pch\u2010Si FET \n | Nch-Si FET\n\nS: source\n\nD: drain\n\nG: gate\n\nBG: back gate\n\n## Unit Prefixes\n\n**Multiple** | **Prefix** | **Symbol** | **Multiple** | **Prefix** | **Symbol** \n---|---|---|---|---|--- \n1024 | yotta | Y | 10\u22121 | deci | d \n1021 | zetta | Z | 10\u22122 | centi | c \n1018 | exa | E | 10\u22123 | milli | m \n1015 | peta | P | 10\u22126 | micro | \u03bc \n1012 | tera | T | 10\u22129 | nano | n \n109 | giga | G | 10\u221212 | pico | p \n106 | mega | M | 10\u221215 | femto | f \n103 | kilo | k | 10\u221218 | atto | a \n102 | hecto | h | 10\u221221 | zepto | z \n101 | deka | da | 10\u221224 | yocto | y\n\n# Index\n\n * _a\u2013b_ plane\n * absolute zero\n * accumulation mode\n * acoustic phonon\n * activation function\n * active layer\n * ALD _see_ atomic layer deposition (ALD)\n * amplifier transistor\n * analog arithmetic circuit\n * analog arithmetic processing\n * analog memory\n * analog processor\n * analog programmable device\n * analog programmable element\n * analog\u2010to\u2010digital converter (ADC)\n * anti\u2010vibration table\n * application\u2010specific integrated circuit (ASIC)\n * area overhead\n * Arrhenius plot\n * artificial intelligence\n * ASIC _see_ application\u2010specific integrated circuit (ASIC)\n * atomic layer deposition (ALD)\n\n * back gate\n * back propagation\n * backtrack\u2010based programming\n * backtracking program\n * backup and restoration driver\n * backup FF\n * ballistic transport\n * bandgap\n * BET _see_ break\u2010even time (BET)\n * Boltzmann constant\n * Boltzmann machine network\n * boosting\n * boosting effect\n * boosting pass gate\n * break\u2010even time (BET)\n * Brillouin zone\n * broadcasting digital television\n * building management\n\n * CAAC\u2010IGZO _see_ _c_ \u2010axis\u2010aligned crystalline indium\u2010gallium\u2010zinc oxide (CAAC\u2010IGZO)\n * cache\n * cache memory\n * _c_ \u2010axis\u2010aligned crystalline indium\u2010gallium\u2010zinc oxide (CAAC\u2010IGZO)\n * CCD _see_ charge\u2010coupled device (CCD)\n * CDS _see_ correlated double sampling (CDS)\n * central processing unit (CPU), _see_ chapter 5\n * CEP _see_ complex event processing (CEP)\n * characteristic length\n * charge\u2010coupled device (CCD)\n * charge\u2010retention characteristics\n * charge trap layer (CT layer)\n * chemical mechanical polishing (CMP)\n * chip on glass (COG)\n * circuit configuration\n * CIS _see_ CMOS image sensor (CIS)\n * clock gating\n * CM _see_ configuration memory (CM)\n * CMOS image sensor (CIS)\n * CMP _see_ chemical mechanical polishing (CMP)\n * coarse\u2010grained structure\n * CODEC\n * COG _see_ chip on glass (COG)\n * complementary atom switch\n * complementary metal\u2010oxide semiconductor (CMOS)\n * complex event processing (CEP)\n * computing system\n * conduction band minimum\n * configuration controller\n * configuration data\n * configuration memory (CM)\n * configuration memory sets\n * context switching\n * continuous image capturing\n * co\u2010processor\n * correlated double sampling (CDS)\n * CPU _see_ central processing unit (CPU)\n * CT layer _see_ charge trap layer (CT layer)\n * current density\n * current density distribution\n * current gain\n * cut\u2010off current ( _I_ cut)\n * cut\u2010off frequency ( _f_ T)\n\n * DC\u2010DC converter\n * deep subthreshold region\n * density functional theory (DFT)\n * density of states (DOS)\n * dew point\n * DFT _see_ density functional theory (DFT)\n * DIBL _see_ drain\u2010induced barrier lowering (DIBL)\n * dielectric anisotropy\n * dielectric constant\n * differential circuit\n * differential data capture\n * digital signal processor (DSP)\n * direct conversion\n * direct\u2010conversion mode\n * discharge method\n * disjoint support decomposable (DSD)\n * DOS _see_ density of states (DOS)\n * DOSRAM _see_ dynamic oxide semiconductor random access memory (DOSRAM)\n * drain\u2010induced barrier lowering (DIBL)\n * DRAM _see_ dynamic random access memory (DRAM)\n * drift velocity\n * DSD _see_ disjoint support decomposable (DSD)\n * DSP _see_ digital signal processor (DSP)\n * dynamic oxide semiconductor random access memory (DOSRAM), _see_ chapter 4\n * dynamic random access memory (DRAM)\n * dynamic reconfiguration\n\n * EBH _see_ energy barrier height (EBH)\n * EEPROM _see_ electrically erasable programmable read\u2010only memory (EEPROM)\n * effective channel width\n * effective mass\n * effective mass of electron\n * effective mass of hole\n * electrically erasable programmable read\u2010only memory (EEPROM)\n * electron affinity\n * electronic global shutter\n * electron mobility\n * embedded system\n * energy band diagram\n * energy barrier height (EBH)\n * energy harvesting\n * EOT _see_ equivalent oxide thickness (EOT)\n * equivalent oxide thickness (EOT)\n * event\u2010driven\n\n * Fermi\u2010Dirac distribution function\n * Fermi level\n * Fermi potential\n * ferroelectric RAM (FeRAM)\n * field\u2010effect mobility\n * field\u2010programmable gate array (FPGA), _see_ chapter 6\n * fine\u2010grained power gating\n * fin\u2010shaped channel\n * first\u2010principles calculation\n * fixed\u2010pattern noise (FPN)\n * flash memory\n * flat band voltage\n * floating gate\n * floating\u2010point arithmetic\n * folded BL\n * Fowler\u2010Nordheim\n * FPGA _see_ field\u2010programmable gate array (FPGA)\n * FPN _see_ fixed\u2010pattern noise (FPN)\n * functional image sensor\n\n * generalized gradient approximation (GGA)\n * GGA _see_ generalized gradient approximation (GGA)\n * global shutter\n * _g_ m _see_ transconductance ( _g_ m)\n * GPU _see_ graphic processing unit (GPU)\n * grain boundary\n * graphic processing unit (GPU)\n\n * HFT _see_ high\u2010frequency trading (HFT)\n * H.265\/HEVC\n * high\u2010efficiency video coding\n * high\u2010frequency trading (HFT)\n * high\u2010 _k_ dielectric\n * high\u2010performance computing\n * high\u2010speed automated stock trading\n * high\u2010speed database\n * hole\n * Hopfield network\n * hybrid process\n * hybrid SRAM\n * hybrid structure\n * hysteresis comparator\n\n * _I_ cut _see_ cut\u2010off current ( _I_ cut)\n * idling stop (IDS)\n * IDS _see_ idling stop (IDS)\n * image sensor, _see_ chapter 7\n * image signal processor (ISP)\n * impurity doping\n * indirect conversion\n * in situ data storage\/loading\n * in situ register backup\n * instant backtrack\n * interband transitions\n * interface trap levels\n * inter\u2010frame prediction\n * International Technology Roadmap for Semiconductors (ITRS)\n * internet competitive tendering\n * internet of things (IoT)\n * interruption\u2010based programming\n * intra\u2010frame prediction\n * intrinsic semiconductor\n * inversion\u2010mode\n * inverter\n * ionization potential\n * IoT _see_ internet of things (IoT)\n * isolator\n * ISP _see_ image signal processor (ISP)\n\n * junction characteristics\n\n * _k_ point\n\n * large\u2010scale integration (LSI)\n * latch operation control signal\n * least\u2010squares fitting\n * logic array block\n * look\u2010up table (LUT)\n * LSI _see_ large\u2010scale integration (LSI)\n * LUT _see_ look\u2010up table (LUT)\n\n * machine learning\n * machine vision\n * magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM)\n * majority carrier\n * MCU _see_ microcontroller unit (MCU)\n * mechanical global shutter\n * mechanical shutter\n * medical instrument management\n * membrane potential\n * memory\u2010based computing\n * microcontroller unit (MCU)\n * microprocessor unit (MPU)\n * minimum operational voltage\n * mobility\n * Monte Carlo simulation\n * Moore's law\n * motion capture\n * motion detection\n * motion sensor\n * motion trigger\n * MPU _see_ microprocessor unit (MPU)\n * MRAM _see_ magnetoresistive random access memory (MRAM)\n * multicontext\n * multicontext architecture\n * multicontext FPGA\n * multicontext structure\n * multicontext\u2010type dynamic reconfiguration FPGA\n * multicore\n * multilayer perceptron\n * multilayer technique\n * multilevel\u2010cell\n * multiple power gating\n * multiplexer (MUX)\n * multithread\n * MUX _see_ multiplexer (MUX)\n\n * network interface card (NIC)\n * network search engine\n * network searching\n * neural network\n * neuron\n * NIC _see_ network interface card (NIC)\n * non\u2010deterministic algorithms\n * non\u2010volatile analog memory\n * non\u2010volatile analog programmable device\n * non\u2010volatile analog programmable memory\n * non\u2010volatile memory\n * non\u2010volatile operation\n * non\u2010volatile oxide semiconductor random access memory (NOSRAM), _see_ chapter 3\n * non\u2010volatile register\n * non\u2010volatile shadow register\n * normally\u2010off computing\n * normally\u2010off CPU\n * normally\u2010off processor\n * normal probability distribution\n * norm\u2010conserving pseudo\u2010potential(s)\n * norm\u2010conserving pseudo\u2010potential DFT\n * NOSRAM _see_ non\u2010volatile oxide semiconductor random access memory (NOSRAM)\n\n * offset structure\n * off state\n * off\u2010state current\n * on\u2010state current\n * optical flow\n * out\u2010of\u2010plane XRD\n * output selector\n * overdriving\n * overhead\n\n * page buffer write\u2010enable signal (PWEB)\n * parallel processing\n * pass gate\n * passivation film\n * PBE _see_ Perdew\u2010Burke\u2010Ernzerhof (PBE)\n * PCRAM _see_ phase\u2010change random access memory (PCRAM)\n * PDP _see_ power delay product (PDP)\n * PE\u2010CVD _see_ plasma enhancement chemical vapor deposition (PE\u2010CVD)\n * Perdew\u2010Burke\u2010Ernzerhof (PBE)\n * phase\u2010change random access memory (PCRAM)\n * phase\u2010locked loop (PLL)\n * phonon\n * phonon scattering\n * photodiode\n * pipeline\n * Planck's constant\n * plasma enhancement chemical vapor deposition (PE\u2010CVD)\n * PLD _see_ programmable logic device (PLD)\n * PLE _see_ programmable logic element (PLE)\n * PLL _see_ phase\u2010locked loop (PLL)\n * PMU _see_ power management unit (PMU)\n * _p\u2013n_ junction leakage\n * Poisson's equation\n * positive drain bias temperature (+DBT)\n * potential barrier\n * power delay product (PDP)\n * power gating\n * power harvesting\n * power management unit (PMU)\n * power switch\n * PPS _see_ programmable power switch (PPS)\n * programmable device\n * programmable elements\n * programmable logic device (PLD)\n * programmable logic element (PLE)\n * programmable power switch (PPS)\n * programmable routing switch (PRS)\n * programming circuit\n * PRS _see_ programmable routing switch (PRS)\n\n * radio frequency (RF) device\n * reader\u2010writer (RW)\n * real\u2010time bidding (RTB)\n * reconfiguration\n * recurrent neural networks\n * relaxation time\n * ReRAM _see_ resistive random access memory (ReRAM)\n * resistive random access memory (ReRAM)\n * retention circuit\n * RF device _see_ radio frequency (RF) device\n * rolling shutter\n * routing fabrics\n * RTB _see_ real\u2010time bidding (RTB)\n * RW _see_ reader\u2010writer (RW)\n\n * sampling circuit\n * saturation characteristics\n * scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM)\n * Schafetter and Gummel model (S&G model)\n * S\u2010ch structure _see_ surrounded\u2010channel (S\u2010ch) structure\n * scintillator\n * sensor networks\n * sensor pixel\n * serial backup FF\n * S&G model _see_ Schafetter and Gummel model (S&G model)\n * shadow register\n * shift voltage ( _V_ sh)\n * Shmoo plot\n * short\u2010channel effect\n * single\u2010crystal Si (sc\u2010Si)\n * SoC _see_ system on chip (SoC)\n * solid\u2010electrolyte switch\n * sound velocity\n * sputtering\n * SRAM _see_ static random access memory (SRAM)\n * SS _see_ subthreshold swing (SS)\n * solid state drive (SSD)\n * stacked multilevel NOSRAM\n * stack structure\n * static noise margin\n * static random access memory (SRAM)\n * STEM _see_ scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM)\n * stretched exponential function\n * sub\u2010sensor pixel\n * subthreshold driving\n * subthreshold leakage\n * subthreshold operation\n * subthreshold region\n * subthreshold swing (SS)\n * superscalar\n * surrounded\u2010channel (S\u2010ch) structure\n * synapse\n * system on chip (SoC)\n\n * tail levels\n * TEM _see_ transmission electron microscopy (TEM)\n * TGSA _see_ trench\u2010gate self\u2010aligned (TGSA)\n * TGTC _see_ top\u2010gate top\u2010contact (TGTC)\n * three\u2010dimensional (3D) gate structure\n * threshold compensation\n * threshold\u2010compensation circuit\n * threshold voltage ( _V_ th or _V_ t)\n * threshold voltage drop\n * top\u2010gate top\u2010contact (TGTC)\n * transconductance ( _g_ m)\n * transfer transistor\n * transmission electron microscopy (TEM)\n * trap levels\n * trench\n * trench\u2010gate self\u2010aligned (TGSA)\n * tunnel current\n * turnover voltage\n * two\u2010step backup FF\n\n * uninterruptible power supply\n * user I\/O\n\n * valence band maximum\n * VCO _see_ voltage\u2010controlled oscillator (VCO)\n * velocity overshoot\n * velocity saturation\n * volatile register\n * volatile shadow register\n * voltage constant scaling rule\n * voltage\u2010controlled oscillator (VCO)\n * voltage distribution width\n * voltage follower\n * von Neumann architecture\n * _V_ sh _see_ shift voltage ( _V_ sh)\n * _V_ t cancel\u2010write method\n * _V_ th _see_ threshold voltage ( _V_ th)\n * _V_ th control\n\n * weighted sum\n * weight memory\n * Wentzel\u2010Kramers\u2010Brillouin\n * wireless IC tag\n * word operation\n * work function\n\n * X\u2010ray detector\n * X\u2010ray diffraction (XRD) spectrum\n\n * YbFe2O4\n * yoctoamp (yA)\n\n# WILEY END USER LICENSE AGREEMENT\n\nGo to www.wiley.com\/go\/eula to access Wiley's ebook EULA. \n","meta":{"redpajama_set_name":"RedPajamaBook"}} +{"text":" \n# Also by Joan Didion\n\nBlue Nights\n\nThe Year of Magical Thinking\n\nWe Tell Ourselves Stories in Order to Live\n\nWhere I Was From\n\nPolitical Fictions\n\nThe Last Thing He Wanted\n\nAfter Henry\n\nMiami\n\nDemocracy\n\nSalvador\n\nThe White Album\n\nA Book of Common Prayer\n\nPlay It as It Lays\n\nSlouching Towards Bethlehem\n\nRun River\n\nTHIS IS A BORZOI BOOK PUBLISHED BY ALFRED A. KNOPF\n\nCopyright \u00a9 2017 by Joan Didion\n\nForeword copyright \u00a9 2017 by Nathaniel Rich\n\nAll rights reserved. Published in the United States by Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York, and distributed in Canada by Random House of Canada, a division of Penguin Random House Limited, Toronto.\n\nwww.aaknopf.com\n\nKnopf, Borzoi Books, and the colophon are registered trademarks of Penguin Random House LLC.\n\nISBN (hardcover) 9781524732790\n\nISBN (eBook) 9781524732806\n\nLibrary of Congress Control Number: 2016962161\n\nCover design by Carol Devine Carson\n\nv4.1\n\nep\n\n# Contents\n\nCover\n\nAlso by Joan Didion\n\nTitle Page\n\nCopyright\n\nDedication\n\nForeword by Nathaniel Rich\n\nNotes on the South\n\nCalifornia Notes\n\nA Note About the Author\nFor John and Quintana\n\nand for Earl\n\n# Foreword\n\n\"The idea was to start in New Orleans and from there we had no plan.\"\n\nThis has been the idea of many people who have come to New Orleans. It was the idea of the French explorer Ren\u00e9-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, who in 1684 set out to establish a city near the base of the Mississippi River, only to fail to find the river's mouth from the Gulf of Mexico and, after three years, to be murdered by his mutinous crew. It was the idea of William Faulkner, who quit his job as postmaster at the University of Mississippi and moved to New Orleans because he despised taking orders, and of Tennessee Williams, who wrote in his diary, \"Here surely is the place that I was _made_ for if any place on this funny old world.\" One does not have to stay long to learn how easily plans in New Orleans, like its houses, become waterlogged and subside into the mud, breaking to pieces. \"This life,\" wrote Williams, shortly before returning to New York, \"is all disintegration.\"\n\nJoan Didion explained her decision to visit the Gulf Coast in her 2006 _Paris Review_ interview: \"I had a theory that if I could understand the South, I would understand something about California, because a lot of the California settlers came from the Border South.\" It is a counterintuitive theory, for the South and the West represent the poles of American experience\u2014the South drowning in its past, the West looking ahead to distant frontiers in a spirit of earnest, eternal optimism. \"The future always looks good in the golden land,\" Didion wrote in \"Some Dreamers of the Golden Dream,\" \"because no one remembers the past.\" In the South no one can forget it.\n\nDidion toured the Gulf South for a month in the summer of 1970, making notes and recording conversations, but never completed a piece. She visited San Francisco in 1976 to cover the Patty Hearst trial for _Rolling Stone_ , but found that she wanted mainly to write about her own childhood and the West's conception of history. Didion's notes, which surpass in elegance and clarity the finished prose of most other writers, are __ a fascinating record of this time. But they are also something more unsettling. Readers today will recognize, with some dismay and even horror, how much is familiar in these long-lost American portraits. Didion saw her era more clearly than anyone else, which is another way of saying that she was able to see the future.\n\n\u2014\n\n_South and West_ is, in one regard, the most revealing of Didion's books. This might seem a far-fetched claim to make about an author who has written about her ancestry, her marriage, her health, and, with painful candor, her grief\u2014Didion's readers are, after all, on familiar terms with the personal details of her life. But the writing itself\u2014the cool majesty of her prose, written as if from a great, even empyreal distance, elevating personal experience into universal revelation\u2014has an immaculacy as intimidating as Chelsea porcelain. _South and West_ offers for the first time a glimpse inside the factory walls.\n\nFor each piece she reported, Didion converted pages of loose-leaf notebooks into scrapbooks of material related to her theme. She inserted newspaper articles and other writers' works, like C. Vann Woodward's \"The Search for Southern Identity,\" biographical summaries, lists of suggested themes, and overheard dialogue, which often seems taken from one of her novels. (\"I never been anyplace,\" says a Biloxi woman, \"I wanted to go.\") In her notes we learn of her \"reporting tricks,\" which are less tricks than an intuitive genius for locating the people in a given community who will best reveal its character: the director of the local College of Cosmetology, the white owner of the black radio station, the bridal consultant of the largest department store. The notebooks also include transcriptions of her observations, which she typed at the end of each day. These notes represent an intermediate stage of writing, between shorthand and first draft, composed in an uncharacteristically casual, immediate style. There are sentences that are ideas for sentences, paragraphs that are ideas for scenes: \"The land looks rich, and many people from Birmingham, etc. (rich people) maintain places here to hunt.\" \"The country way in which he gave me names.\" \"The resolutely 'colorful,' anecdotal quality of San Francisco history.\" \"The sense of sports being the opiate of the people.\" \"The sense of not being up to the landscape.\" The effect can be jarring, like seeing Grace Kelly photographed with her hair in rollers or hearing the demo tapes in which Brian Wilson experiments with alternative arrangements of \"Good Vibrations.\"\n\nYet even in its most casual iteration, Didion's voice, with its sensitivity to the grotesqueries and vanities that dance beneath the skim of daily experience, is unmistakable. The New Orleans atmosphere \"never reflects light but sucks it in until random objects glow with a morbid luminescence.\" The audience dutifully watching _Loving_ at the movie theater in Meridian gazes at the screen \"as if the movie were Czech.\" The rivers are always brown and still: \"A sense,\" she writes, \"of water moccasins.\" Didion's implacable fatalism is at home in the South, particularly in New Orleans: \"Bananas would rot, and harbor tarantulas. Weather would come in on the radar, and be bad. Children would take fever and die.\"\n\nShe made her tour in a rental car but the road-trip aspect is barely commented upon; instead we have the surreal image of Didion swimming her way across the Gulf South through its motel pools. At the Edgewater Gulf Hotel pool in Biloxi \"the water smells of fish,\" at the Howard Johnson's in Meridian a child dries off in a Confederate-flag beach towel, at the Ramada Inn in Tuscaloosa \"everything seemed to be made of concrete, and damp,\" in Winfield the pool is filled with algae, at the Oxford Holiday Inn the broadcast of a radio station can be heard underwater, and at the St. Francis Motel in Birmingham, her bikini attracts excited comment from the bar. Lying poolside, she feels \"the euphoria of Interstate America: I could be in San Bernardino, or Phoenix, or outside Indianapolis,\" but these motels have the appearance of stage sets. They are American markers artificially planted in the brooding wildness of the Deep South, which in these notes resembles a foreign country as exotic as El Salvador, Vietnam, Granada, or the other tropics \"of morbidity and paranoia and fantasy\" to which she gravitated in her nonfiction and fiction.\n\nEven the glimpses of unlikely beauty\u2014the wild carrots growing around the raised railroad tracks in Biloxi, the small girl sitting in the sawdust stringing pop tops from beer cans into a necklace\u2014contribute to the general atmosphere of uneasiness, rot, and \"somnolence so dense it seemed to inhibit breathing.\" There is a long tradition of northern visitors seeing in the Gulf South an atmosphere of perpetual decline, in which \"everything seems to go to seed.\" Didion quotes Audubon's line about \"the dangerous nature of the ground, its oozing, spongy and miry disposition,\" though you could go back to 1720, when a visiting French official described the territory as \"flooded, unhealthy, impracticable.\" Didion is on narrower footing, however, when she describes her central thesis:\n\n> a sense which struck me now and then, and which I could not explain coherently, that for some years the South and particularly the Gulf Coast had been for America what people were still saying California was, and what California seemed to me not to be: the future, the secret source of malevolent and benevolent energy, the psychic center.\n\nHow could the hidebound South, with its perpetual disintegration and defiant decadence, at the same time represent the future? Didion admits the idea seems oxymoronic, but she is onto something. Part of the answer, she suspects, lies in the bluntness with which Southerners confront race, class, and heritage\u2014\"distinctions which the frontier ethic teaches western children to deny, and to leave deliberately unmentioned.\" In the South such distinctions are visible, rigid, and the subject of frank conversation. She visits Stan Torgerson, the owner of Meridian's \"ethnic station,\" who programs gospel and soul and a show called _Adventures in Black History,_ \"to point out the contributions black people have made.\" He speaks of the importance of increased minimum wage and education funding, while being careful not to overstate his own open-mindedness. \"I'm not saying I'm going to have a black minister come home to dinner tonight,\" he tells her, as they drive through the deserted downtown, \" 'cause I'm not.\" Didion encounters the same conception of social order at the Mississippi Broadcasters' awards banquet, where the lieutenant governor decries violent campus protests, and in Birmingham where someone jokes about the \"feudal situation\" in which white tenants live on wealthy country estates. Everybody in the South knows where they stand. There is no shame in discussing it. It is suspicious, in fact, to avoid the subject.\n\nThis kind of thinking seemed retrograde in the seventies. From the vantage of New York, California, even New Orleans, it still seems so today. But this southern frame of mind has annexed territory in the last four decades, expanding across the Mason-Dixon Line into the rest of rural America. It has taken root among people\u2014or at least registered voters\u2014nostalgic for a more orderly past in which the men concentrated on hunting and fishing and the women on \"their cooking, their canning, their 'prettifying' \"; when graft as a way of life was accepted, particularly in politics, and segregation was unquestioned; when a white supremacist running for public office was \"a totally explicable phenomenon\"; when a wife knew better than to travel through strange territory with a bikini and without a wedding ring.\n\nAn unquestioned premise among those who live in American cities with international airports has been, for more than half a century now, that Enlightenment values would in time become conventional wisdom. Some fought for this future to come sooner. Others waited patiently. But nobody seemed to believe that it would never arrive. Nobody, certainly, in Los Angeles or the Bay Area, which since Didion's reporting has only accelerated in its embrace of an ethic in which the past is fluid, meaningless, neutered by technological advancement. In this view the past is relegated to the aesthetic realm, to what Didion describes in \"California Notes\" as \"decorative touches\"\u2014tastefully aged cutlery and window curtains. In this view the past was safely dead and could not return to bloody the land.\n\nTwo decades into the new millennium, however, a plurality of the population has clung defiantly to the old way of life. They still believe in the viability of armed revolt. As Didion herself noted nearly fifty years ago, their solidarity is only reinforced by outside disapproval, particularly disapproval by the northern press. They have resisted with mockery, then rage, the collapse of the old identity categories. They have resisted the premise that white skin should not be given special consideration. They have resisted new technology and scientific evidence of global ecological collapse. The force of this resistance has been strong enough to elect a president.\n\nA writer from the Gulf South once wrote that the past is not even past. Didion goes further, suggesting that the past was also the future. Now that we live in that future, her observations read like a warning unheeded. They suggest that California's dreamers of the golden dream were just that\u2014dreamers\u2014while the \"dense obsessiveness\" of the South, and all the vindictiveness that comes with it, was the true American condition, the condition to which we will always inevitably return. Joan Didion went to the South to understand something about California and she ended up understanding something about America.\n\n\u2014Nathaniel Rich\n\nNew Orleans\n\nDecember 2016\n\n# Notes on the South\nJohn and I were living on Franklin Avenue in Los Angeles. I had wanted to revisit the South, so we flew there for a month in 1970. The idea was to start in New Orleans and from there we had no plan. We went wherever the day took us. I seem to remember that John drove. I had not been back since 1942\u201343, when my father was stationed in Durham, North Carolina, but it did not seem to have changed that much. At the time, I had thought it might be a piece.\n\n# New Orleans\n\n>...the purple dream\n> \n> Of the America we have not been,\n> \n> The tropic empire, seeking the warm sea,\n> \n> The last foray of aristocracy...\n> \n> \u2014STEPHEN VINCENT BEN\u00c9T, _John Brown's Body_\n> \n> Would that I could represent to you the dangerous nature of the ground, its oozing, spongy, and miry disposition...\n> \n> \u2014JOHN JAMES AUDUBON, _The Birds of America,_ 1830\n\nIn New Orleans in June the air is heavy with sex and death, not violent death but death by decay, overripeness, rotting, death by drowning, suffocation, fever of unknown etiology. The place is physically dark, dark like the negative of a photograph, dark like an X-ray: the atmosphere absorbs its own light, never reflects light but sucks it in until random objects glow with a morbid luminescence. The crypts above ground dominate certain vistas. In the hypnotic liquidity of the atmosphere all motion slows into choreography, all people on the street move as if suspended in a precarious emulsion, and there seems only a technical distinction between the quick and the dead.\n\nOne afternoon on St. Charles Avenue I saw a woman die, fall forward over the wheel of her car. \"Dead,\" pronounced an old woman who stood with me on the sidewalk a few inches from where the car had veered into a tree. After the police ambulance came I followed the old woman through the aqueous light of the Pontchartrain Hotel garage and into the coffee shop. The death had seemed serious but casual, as if it had taken place in a pre-Columbian city where death was expected, and did not in the long run count for much.\n\n\"Whose fault is it,\" the old woman was saying to the waitress in the coffee shop, her voice trailing off.\n\n\"It's nobody's fault, Miss Clarice.\"\n\n\"They can't help it, no.\"\n\n\"They can't help at all.\" I had thought they were talking about the death but they were talking about the weather. \"Richard used to work at the Bureau and he told me, they can't help what comes in on the radar.\" The waitress paused, as if for emphasis. \"They simply cannot be held to account.\"\n\n\"They just can't,\" the old woman said.\n\n\"It comes in on the radar.\"\n\nThe words hung in the air. I swallowed a piece of ice.\n\n\"And we get it,\" the old woman said after a while.\n\n\u2014\n\nIt was a fatalism I would come to recognize as endemic to the particular tone of New Orleans life. Bananas would rot, and harbor tarantulas. Weather would come in on the radar, and be bad. Children would take fever and die, domestic arguments would end in knifings, the construction of highways would lead to graft and cracked pavement where the vines would shoot back. Affairs of state would turn on sexual jealousy, in New Orleans as if in Port-au-Prince, and all the king's men would turn on the king. The temporality of the place is operatic, childlike, the fatalism that of a culture dominated by wilderness. \"All we know,\" said the mother of Carl Austin Weiss of the son who had just shot and killed Huey Long in a corridor of the Louisiana State Capitol Building in Baton Rouge, \"is that he took living seriously.\"\n\nAs it happens I was taught to cook by someone from Louisiana, where an avid preoccupation with recipes and food among men was not unfamiliar to me. We lived together for some years, and I think we most fully understood each other when once I tried to kill him with a kitchen knife. I remember spending whole days cooking with N., perhaps the most pleasant days we spent together. He taught me to fry chicken and to make a brown rice stuffing for fowl and to chop endive with garlic and lemon juice and to lace everything I did with Tabasco and Worcestershire and black pepper. The first present he ever gave me was a garlic press, and also the second, because I broke the first. One day on the Eastern Shore we spent hours making shrimp bisque and then had an argument about how much salt it needed, and because he had been drinking Sazeracs for several hours he poured salt in to make his point. It was like brine, but we pretended it was fine. Throwing the chicken on the floor, or the artichoke. Buying crab boil. Discussing endlessly the possibilities of an artichoke-and-oyster casserole. After I married he still called me up occasionally for recipes.\n\n> I guess you think this is a better machine than that Wop affair. I guess you think you have redwood flagstones in your backyard. I guess you think your mother used to be County Cookie Chairman. I guess you think I take up a lot of room in a small bed. I guess you think Schrafft's has chocolate leaves. I guess you think Mr. Earl \"Elbow\" Reum has more personality than I. I guess you think there are no lesbians in Nevada. I guess you think you know how to wash sweaters by hand. I guess you think you get picked on by Mary Jane and that people serve you bad whiskey. I guess you think you haven't got pernicious anemia. Take those vitamins. I guess you think southerners are somewhat anachronistic.\n\n\u2014is a message that man left me when I was twenty-two.\n\nThe first time I was ever in the South was in late 1942, early 1943. My father was stationed in Durham, North Carolina, and my mother and brother and I took a series of slow and overcrowded trains to meet him there. At home in California I had cried at night, I had lost weight, I had wanted my father. I had imagined the Second World War as a punishment specifically designed to deprive me of my father, had counted up my errors and, with an egocentricity which then approached autism and which afflicts me still in dreams and fevers and marriage, found myself guilty.\n\nOf the trip I recall mainly that a sailor who had just been torpedoed on the _Wasp_ in the Pacific gave me a silver-and-turquoise ring, and that we missed our connection in New Orleans and could get no room and sat up one night on a covered verandah of the St. Charles Hotel, my brother and I in matching seersucker sunsuits and my mother in a navy-blue-and-white-checked silk dress dusty from the train. She covered us with the mink coat she had bought before her marriage and wore until 1956. We were taking trains instead of driving because a few weeks before in California she had lent the car to an acquaintance who drove it into a lettuce truck outside Salinas, a fact of which I am certain because it remains a source of rancor, in my father's dialogue, to this day. I last heard it mentioned a week ago. My mother made no response, only laid out another hand of solitaire.\n\nIn Durham we had one room with kitchen privileges in the house of a lay minister whose children ate apple butter on thick slabs of bread all day long and referred to their father in front of us as \"Reverend Caudill.\" In the evenings Reverend Caudill would bring home five or six quarts of peach ice cream, and he and his wife and children would sit on the front porch spooning peach ice cream from the cartons while we lay in our room watching our mother read and waiting for Thursday.\n\nThursday was the day we could take the bus to Duke University, which had been taken over by the military, and spend the afternoon with my father. He would buy us a Coca-Cola in the student union and walk us around the campus and take snapshots of us, which I now have, and look at from time to time: two small children and a woman who resembles me, sitting by the lagoon, standing by the wishing well, the snapshots always lightstruck or badly focused and, in any case, now faded. Thirty years later I am certain that my father must also have been with us on weekends, but I can only suggest that his presence in the small house, his tension and his aggressive privacy and his preference for shooting craps over eating peach ice cream, must have seemed to me so potentially disruptive as to efface all memory of weekends.\n\nOn the days of the week which were not Thursday I played with a set of paper dolls lent me by Mrs. Caudill, the dolls bearing the faces of Vivien Leigh, Olivia de Havilland, Ann Rutherford, and Butterfly McQueen as they appeared in _Gone With the Wind,_ and I also learned from the neighborhood children to eat raw potatoes dipped in the soft dust from beneath the house. I know now that eating pica is common in the undernourished South, just as I know now why the driver of the bus on the first Thursday we went out to Duke refused to leave the curb until we had moved from the back seat to the front, but I did not know it then. I did not even know then that my mother found our sojourn of some months in Durham less than ideal.\n\n\u2014\n\nI could never precisely name what impelled me to spend time in the South during the summer of 1970. There was no reportorial imperative to any of the places I went at the time I went: nothing \"happened\" anywhere I was, no celebrated murders, trials, integration orders, confrontations, not even any celebrated acts of God.\n\nI had only some dim and unformed sense, a sense which struck me now and then, and which I could not explain coherently, that for some years the South and particularly the Gulf Coast had been for America what people were still saying California was, and what California seemed to me not to be: the future, the secret source of malevolent and benevolent energy, the psychic center. I did not much want to talk about this.\n\nI had only the most ephemeral \"picture\" in my mind. If I talked about it I could mention only Clay Shaw, and Garrison, and a pilot I had once met who flew between the Gulf and unnamed Caribbean and Central American airstrips for several years on small planes with manifests that showed only \"tropical flowers,\" could mention only some apprehension of paranoia and febrile conspiracy and baroque manipulation and peach ice cream and an unpleasant evening I had spent in 1962 on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. In short I could only sound deranged. And so instead of talking about it I flew south one day in the summer of 1970, rented a car, and drove for a month or so around Louisiana and Mississippi and Alabama, saw no spokesmen, covered no events, did nothing at all but try to find out, as usual, what was making the picture in my mind.\n\n\u2014\n\nIn New Orleans, the old people sitting in front of houses and hotels on St. Charles Avenue, barely rocking. In the Quarter I saw them again (along with desolate long-haired children), sitting on balconies, an ironing board behind them, gently rocking, sometimes not rocking at all but only staring. In New Orleans they have mastered the art of the motionless.\n\nIn the evening I visited in the Garden District. \"Olly olly oxen free\" echoing in the soft twilight, around the magnolias and the trees with fluffy pods of pink. What I saw that night was a world so rich and complex and I was almost disoriented, a world complete unto itself, a world of smooth surfaces broken occasionally by a flash of eccentricity so deep that it numbed any attempt at interpretation.\n\n\"I guess nobody knows more about the South than the people in this room right now,\" my host allowed several times before dinner. We were at his house in the Garden District with the requisite bound volumes of the _Sewanee_ and the _Southern Review_ and the requisite Degas portrait of his great-great-grandmother, and he was talking about his wife and their friend, an architect of good Mobile family who specialized in the restoration and building of New Orleans Greek Revival houses.\n\nAnd of course he was talking about himself. \"Ben C.,\" the others called him, their voices fondly inflected. \"You just _stop_ that, Ben C.,\" as he bullied the two women, his sister and his wife working together on a Junior League project, a guidebook to New Orleans. Already Ben C. had demanded to know what \"athletics\" my husband played, and why I had been allowed, in the course of doing some reporting a few years before, to \"spend time consorting with a lot of marijuana-smoking hippie trash.\"\n\n\"Who allowed you?\" he repeated.\n\nI said that I did not know quite what he meant.\n\nBen C. only stared at me.\n\n\"I mean, who wouldn't have allowed me?\"\n\n\"You _do_ have a husband?\" he said finally. \"This man I've thought was your husband for several years, he _is_ your husband?\"\n\nThe evening, it developed, had started off wrong for Ben C. It seemed that he had called some of his cousins to come for dinner, and they had made excuses, and he had found that \"inexcusable.\" It further seemed that the excuse made by one cousin, who it would turn out was a well-known southern writer, was a previous engagement with the director of a Head Start program, and Ben C. had found that particularly inexcusable.\n\n\"What am I meant to conclude?\" he demanded rhetorically of his wife. \"Am I meant to conclude he's certifiable?\"\n\n\"Maybe you're meant to conclude he didn't care to come to dinner,\" she said, and then, as if to cover her irreverence, she sighed. \"I only hope he doesn't get too mixed up with the Negroes. You know what happened to George Washington Cable.\"\n\nI tried to remember what had happened to George Washington Cable.\n\n\"He ended up having to go _north,_ is what happened.\"\n\nI said that I wanted only to know what people in the South were thinking and doing.\n\nHe continued to gaze at me. He had the smooth, rounded face of well-off New Orleans, that absence of angularity which characterizes the local genetic pool. I tried to think who had incurred his wrath by going up north and whining.\n\n\"I would just guess that we know a little more about the subject,\" Ben C. said finally, his voice rising, \"than one Mr. Willie Morris.\"\n\nWe ate trout with shallots and mushrooms. We drank some white wine, we drank some more bourbon. We passed the evening. I never learned why the spectre of one Mr. Willie Morris had materialized in that living room in the Garden District, nor did I ask.\n\nBen C.'s wife and sister, Mrs. Benjamin C. Toledano and Mrs. Beauregard Redmond, soon to be Mrs. Toledano Redmond, had many suggestions for understanding the South. I must walk Bourbon or Royal to Chartres, I must walk Chartres to Esplanade. I must have coffee and doughnuts at the French Market. I should not miss St. Louis Cathedral, the Presbyt\u00e8re, the Cabildo. We should have lunch at Galatoire's: trout amandine or trout Marguery. We should obtain a copy of _The Great Days of the Garden District._ We should visit Asphodel, Rosedown, Oakley Plantation. Stanton Hall in Natchez. The Grand Hotel in Point Clear. We should have dinner at Manale's, tour Coliseum Square Park. I should appreciate the grace, the beauty of their way of life. These graceful preoccupations seemed to be regarded by the women in a spirit at once dedicated and merely tolerant, as if they lived their lives on several quite contradictory levels.\n\n\u2014\n\nOne afternoon we took the ferry to Algiers and drove an hour or so down the river, in Plaquemines Parish. This is peculiar country. Algiers is a doubtful emulsion of white frame bungalows and jerry-built apartment complexes, the Parc Fontaine Apts. and so forth, and the drive on down the river takes you through a landscape more metaphorical than any I have seen outside the Sonoran Desert.\n\nHere and there one is conscious of the levee, off to the left. Corn and tomatoes grow aimlessly, as if naturalized. I am too accustomed to agriculture as agribusiness, the rich vistas of the California valleys where all the resources of Standard Oil and the University of California have been brought to bear on glossy constant productivity. No Hunting of Quadrupeds, a sign read in Belle Chasse. What could that mean? Can you hunt reptiles? Bipeds? There are dead dogs by the road, and a sinking graveyard in a grove of live oak.\n\nGetting close to Port Sulphur we began to see sulphur works, the tanks glowing oddly in the peculiar light. We ran over three snakes in the hour's drive, one of them a thick black moccasin already dead, twisted across the one lane. There were run-down antiques places, and tomato stands, and a beauty shop called Feminine Fluff. The snakes, the rotting undergrowth, sulphurous light: the images are so specifically those of the nightmare world that when we stopped for gas, or directions, I had to steel myself, deaden every nerve, in order to step from the car onto the crushed oyster shells in front of the gas station. When we got back to the hotel I stood in the shower for almost half an hour trying to wash myself clean of the afternoon, but then I started thinking about where the water came from, what dark places it had pooled in.\n\nWhen I think now about New Orleans I remember mainly its dense obsessiveness, its vertiginous preoccupation with race, class, heritage, style, and the absence of style. As it happens, these particular preoccupations all involve distinctions which the frontier ethic teaches western children to deny and to leave deliberately unmentioned, but in New Orleans such distinctions are the basis of much conversation, and lend that conversation its peculiar childlike cruelty and innocence. In New Orleans they also talk about parties, and about food, their voices rising and falling, never still, as if talking about anything at all could keep the wilderness at bay. In New Orleans the wilderness is sensed as very near, not the redemptive wilderness of the western imagination but something rank and old and malevolent, the idea of wilderness not as an escape from civilization and its discontents but as a mortal threat to a community precarious and colonial in its deepest aspect. The effect is lively and avaricious and intensely self-absorbed, a tone not uncommon in colonial cities, and the principal reason I find such cities invigorating.\n\n# New Orleans to Biloxi, Mississippi\n\nOn the Chef Menteur Highway out of New Orleans there is the sense of swamp reclaimed to no point. Dismal subdivisions evoke the romance of Evangeline on their billboards. Shacks along the road sell plaster statues of the Virgin Mary. The gas stations advertise Free Flag Decals. Lake Pontchartrain can be seen now and then on the left, and the rusted hulks of boats at marine repair places.\n\nThe rest of it is swamp. Crude signs point down dirt roads, and along the road are shacks, or \"camps,\" for fishing. Postboxes are supported on twisted rigid chains, as if the inhabitants are as conscious as the traveler of the presence of snakes. The light is odd, more peculiar still than the light in New Orleans, light entirely absorbed by what it strikes.\n\nWe stopped at a trinket shack called the Beachcomber. A boy was filling the Pepsi machine outside. Towels hung limply on a display clothesline: \"Put Your (picture of a HEART) in Dixie or Get Your (picture of an ASS) OUT!\" Inside were boxes of shells and dried devilfish. \"They get 'em from Mexico,\" the boy said.\n\nAcross the Mississippi line we took a side road through the pine forest toward what the sign said would be E. Ansley Estates. Rain was beginning to fall, and as we passed a pond a dozen or so boys were climbing out of the water and into two cars. One felt the rain had spoiled their day, and they would be at loose ends, restless. The clich\u00e9 of the lonely road in the South took on a certain meaning here. The road was scattered occasionally with armadillo shells. The rain continued. The boys and their cars disappeared. We did not find E. Ansley Estates, or any settlement at all.\n\nSigns for fireworks, signs for a reptile farm ahead. The rain let up and we stopped at the reptile farm. The Reptile House was a small shack out in back of the main roadside building, across a dirt yard where chickens ran loose. The place was dirty, littered with peanut shells and empty six-pack cartons marked Dad's Root Beer and Suncrest Orange Drink. There were a few capuchin monkeys, and a couple of big lethargic boas in packing cases, and a Holbrook's king snake and a couple of rattlers. A cage marked COPPERHEAD appeared to be empty. There was a family in the Reptile House when we were there, a boy about nine and a father and a woman in slacks with her hair piled high and lacquered.\n\nWe stood, the five of us, and looked restlessly out into the driving rain, trapped together in the Reptile House. The dust outside was turning to deep mud. Alligators thrashed in a muddy pool a few yards away. A little farther a sign said Snake Pit.\n\n\"I never would've stopped if I'd known it was outside,\" the woman said.\n\n\"Known what was outside?\" her husband said.\n\n\"The Snake Pit, of course. What do you _think_ is outside?\"\n\nThe man drummed his fingers on top of a packing case. The boa inside slid deeper into its coil. To make conversation I asked the man if they had visited a far building marked Reptile House.\n\n\"There aren't no reptiles upstairs there,\" he said, and then, as if I might doubt it: \"She told us, there aren't no reptiles upstairs. She said not to go in.\"\n\n\"Maybe there are some reptiles downstairs?\" I suggested.\n\n\"I don't know about that,\" he said. \"I just wouldn't go in.\"\n\n\"Of course _you_ wouldn't,\" the woman said mildly. She was still staring at the Snake Pit.\n\nI was leaning on the empty copperhead box listening to the rain hiss when an uneasy feeling came over me that the hissing came from inside the box. I looked again and there it was, a copperhead, almost hidden by its shed skins.\n\nWe gave up on one another, and on the possibility of the rain's stopping, and ran through the mud back to the main house. I slipped and fell in the mud and had an instant of irrational panic that there were snakes in the mud and all around me.\n\nIn the trinket shop the woman and I each paid a dime to use the restroom. With another dime I got a cup of cold coffee from a machine and tried to stop being chilled. The woman bought her son a china potty with a little child disappearing down the drain and the inscription \"Goodbye Sweet World.\" I bought a cheap beach towel printed with a Confederate flag. It is ragged and gray now and sits in my linen closet in California amid thick and delicately colored Fieldcrest beach towels, and my child prefers it to the good ones.\n\n# Pass Christian to Gulfport\n\nAt Pass Christian in the summer of 1970 the debris of the 1969 hurricane had become the natural look of the landscape. The big houses along the water were abandoned, the schools and churches were wiped out, the windows of places hung askew. The devastation along the Gulf had an inevitability about it: the coast was reverting to its natural state. There were For Sale signs all over, but one could not imagine buyers. I remembered people talking about Pass Christian as a summer place, and indeed the houses had once been pretty and white and the American flags unfaded, but even in the good years there must have been an uneasiness there. They sat on those screened porches and waited for something to happen. The place must have always failed at being a resort, if the special quality of a resort is defined as security: there is here that ominous white\/dark light so characteristic of the entire Gulf.\n\nThe city hall in Pass Christian faces away from the Gulf, and when you happen upon it from the front it looks like a fa\u00e7ade from a studio back lot, abandoned a long time ago. Through the shattered windows one sees the dark glare of the Gulf. You want to close your eyes.\n\nLong Beach seemed poorer, or harder hit, or both. There were none of those big white houses with the screened porches here. There were trailers, and a twisted pool ladder that marked the place where a swimming pool had been before the hurricane. Mass was being held in the school gym. On the beach there was an occasional woman with children. The women wore two-piece bathing suits, shorts and halters, not bikinis. All along the coast there were cars parked and tables set up to sell colored discs that whir in the air, apparently indefinitely. On the cars are hand-lettered signs that read SPACE STATION. You can see discs shimmering in the light from a long way off.\n\nAt Gulfport, the county seat of Harrison County, a tanker, broken clean in half during the hurricane, lay rusting offshore. The heat was relentless, the streets downtown broad and devoid of trees. _The Losers_ was playing at the Sand Theatre in Gulfport, and would be playing at The Avenue in Biloxi. We went into a caf\u00e9 downtown to get something to eat. CAF\u00c9 is all the sign said. The menu had red beans and rice, and the only sounds in the place in the afternoon stillness were the whirring of the air conditioner and the click of a pinball machine. Everyone in the place seemed to have been there a long time, and to know everyone else. After a while a man got up from his beer and walked to the door. \"Off to the infirmary,\" he said over his shoulder.\n\nBetween Gulfport and Biloxi, the shingles were ripped from the houses facing the Gulf. Live oak trees were twisted and broken. A long way in the distance one could see the Biloxi Lighthouse, a white tower glowing peculiarly in the strange afternoon light.\n\nI had never expected to come to the Gulf Coast married.\n\n# Biloxi\n\nEverything seems to go to seed along the Gulf: walls stain, windows rust. Curtains mildew. Wood warps. Air conditioners cease to function. In our room at the Edgewater Gulf Hotel, where the Mississippi Broadcasters' Convention was taking place, the air conditioner in the window violently shook and rattled every time it was turned on. The Edgewater Gulf is an enormous white hotel which looks like a giant laundry, and has the appearance of being on the verge of condemnation. The swimming pool is large and unkempt, and the water smells of fish. Behind the hotel is a new shopping center built around an air-conditioned mall, and I kept escaping there, back into midstream America.\n\nIn the elevator at the Edgewater Gulf:\n\n\"Walter, I believe you've grown the most of any town in the state of Mississippi.\"\n\n\"Well, the figures are in question.\"\n\n\"Didn't quite total as high as the chamber of commerce thought they would?\"\n\n\"No, well\u2014\"\n\n\"Same in Tupelo. In Tupelo they demanded a recount.\"\n\n\"Well, frankly, I don't think we've got all those people...they see the cars, they think they live here, but they come in from around, spend a dollar a day\u2014\"\n\n\"Dollar, top.\"\n\nThe two men faced the front of the elevator as they spoke, not each other. The dialogue was grave. The possibility of \"growth\" in small Mississippi towns is ever yearned for, and ever denied. The Mississippi Broadcasters' was, everyone assured me, \"the best damn convention in the state of Mississippi.\"\n\nOne evening after dinner we drove around Biloxi, and stopped to watch a Pony League game being played under bright lights. A handful of men in short-sleeved shirts and women in faded cotton blouses and Capri pants sat in the bleachers, watching the children play, Holiday Inn versus Burger Chef. Below the bleachers some children played barefoot in the dust, and a police car was parked, its motor idling, its doors open. There was no one in the car. The game broke up finally, to no one's satisfaction.\n\nThere are railroad tracks running through all the towns in Mississippi, or so it seems, and at every crossing is a sign that reads MISSISSIPPI LAW\/STOP. The tracks are raised and the wild carrot grows around them.\n\nAfter the Pony League game broke up we went to get a beer in a bar a few blocks away, and there were some of the other people from the bleachers, and no children in evidence. It was apparently just a way to pass a few hours on a summer evening. They had already seen _The Losers,_ say, and it was hot in the house, and supper was finished at sundown.\n\nAnother way to pass the time that evening (but I believe it was an almost imperceptibly more middle-class pastime) was at the Kiwanis Fishing Rodeo, where the biggest fish caught that day were displayed in trays of ice. In the sawdust under the awning a small girl sat, stringing the pop tops from beer cans into a necklace.\n\nOne morning at 10:30 a.m. during the Mississippi Broadcasters' Convention there was, in the ballroom of the Edgewater Gulf, an event designated on the program as the Ladies' Brunch. The Billy Fane Trio played, and Bob McRaney, Sr., of WROB West Point, presided. \"The Billy Fane Trio is becoming something of an institution as regards our convention,\" he said, and then he introduced another act: \"We have an act this morning that...I think...unless you've been an Indian on a reservation and not many of us have...you'll find rather novel and unusual to say the least. Out in Colorado...or out somewhere in the West there...there's a very quaint little village named Taos. And we have a young man this morning who has perfected a Taos Hoop Dance...It's Allen Thomas, from Franklinton, Louisiana,...with Martin Belcher on the Indian drums.\"\n\n\"You'll love this act,\" someone at my table said. \"We saw it at the high school up on 49.\"\n\n\"I wish I could play organ like that,\" someone else said when the Billy Fane Trio was playing.\n\n\"Don't you, though?\"\n\n\"You-all ought to come visit with us,\" a third woman said. They were all young women, the oldest among them perhaps thirty. \"I'd play organ for you.\"\n\n\"We'll never get up there,\" the first woman said. \"I never been anyplace I wanted to go.\"\n\nA drawing was held for door prizes, the first prize being a room paneled in Masonite. The women genuinely wanted the Masonite room, and they also wanted the carving set, the playing cards, the pair of Miss America shoes, the lighted cosmetic mirror, and the woodcut of Christ. They recalled among them who had won door prizes in years past, and their wistful envy of each winner suffused the room. Little girls in sandals and sundresses played at the edge of the ballroom, waiting for their mothers, who were now, during the drawing, as children themselves.\n\nThe isolation of these people from the currents of American life in 1970 was startling and bewildering to behold. All their information was fifth-hand, and mythicized in the handing down. Does it matter where Taos is, after all, if Taos is not in Mississippi?\n\nAt the Mississippi Broadcasters' awards banquet, there were many jokes and parables. Here is a joke: \"Can you tell me what you'd get if you crossed a violin with a rooster? The answer is, if you looked out in your chicken yard you might see someone fiddling around with your rooster.\" This seemed to me an interesting joke, in that no element of it was amusing, yet everyone roared, and at tables all around me it was repeated for those who had missed the punch line.\n\nAnd here is a parable I heard that night: \"There was a bee buzzing in a clover field, and a cow came along and swallowed the bee, and the bee buzzed around and it was warm and sleepy and the bee went to sleep, and when the bee woke up, the cow was gone.\" As I recall, this parable illustrated some point about broadcasting good tidings rather than bad, and it seemed to make the point very clearly to the audience, but it continued to elude me.\n\nSomeone at the rostrum mentioned repeatedly that we were \"entering the space age in the new decade,\" but we seemed very far from that, and in any case had we not already entered the space age? I had the feeling that I had been too long on the Gulf Coast, that my own sources of information were distant and removed, that like the women at the Ladies' Brunch I might never get anywhere I wanted to go. One of the awards that night was for the Best Program Series by a Female.\n\nThe luncheon was honoring Congressman William Colmer (D-Miss.), who had been thirty-eight years in the House and was chairman of the House Rules Committee. He was receiving the Broadcasters' Man of the Year award, and had come with his AA, his mother, and his secretary. In accepting his award Rep. Colmer murmured something about \"bad apples in every lot,\" and, about the interest of the rest of the nation in the state of Mississippi, \"like havin' an obstetrician in New Jersey when the baby's bein' born in Mississippi.\"\n\n\"We get a lot of bad publicity down here,\" said someone accepting a Distinguished Public Service award. The solidarity engendered by outside disapproval, a note struck constantly. It seemed to have reached a point where all Mississippians were bonded together in a way simply not true of the residents of any other state. They could be comfortable only with each other. Any differences they might have, class or economic or even in a real way racial, seemed outweighed by what they shared.\n\nCharles L. Sullivan, introduced as \"lieutenant governor of the state of Mississippi and a member of the Clarksdale Baptist Church,\" rose to speak. \"I have come to think we are living in the era of the demonstrators\u2014unruly, unwashed, uninformed, and sometimes un-American people\u2014disrupting private and public life in this country.\" He complained of the press, \"for whom two loud 'Ah Hate Mississippis' would be sufficient. This adult generation accomplished more than any generation in the history of civilization\u2014it started the exploration of God's limitless space. I simply will not hear them cry Pig for a situation they themselves began. Ah don't believe the right to disagree is the right to destroy the University at Jackson or Kent State or [the \"even\" was implicit] Berkeley. If it is true, as they say, that they have despaired of the democratic process, then I and my fellow demonstrators shall absolutely insist that if our system is to be changed it shall be changed in the ballot box and not in the streets.\" He finally ended on the rote ending to southern speeches: \"We can live together in the dignity and freedom which their Creator surely intended.\"\n\nWith many of the Highway Patrol as honored guests there was an undertone to this lunch and throughout his speech, since it was the Highway Patrol who had done the shooting at Jackson.\n\nRandom notes from the weekend: The black station manager from Gulfport standing in line talking to Stan Torgerson from Meridian about black programming, Torgerson saying he programs Top 40, no deep blues or soul, and he owns a record store too \"so I know goddamn well what they buy.\" Bob Evans from WNAG Grenada, trying to explain the class structure of Mississippi towns in terms of five families, with the banker always number one because he makes the loans. A black girl, a student at Jackson State, presented a list of demands at an afternoon meeting and everyone explained to me that she did it \"very courteously.\" A tribute to coverage during Hurricane Camille, \"Broadcasting working in symphonic harmony with the weather bureau and the civil defense authorities.\" After that crisis \"celebrities from all over the U.S. came down, Bob Hope, the Golddiggers, Bobby Goldsboro. Bob Hope coming down, that really made people see that the country cared.\" Mrs. McGrath from Jackson leaning close to tell me Jackson State was a setup.\n\nThe Gulf Coast resorts live to a certain extent on illegal gambling, places back up in the pinewoods known to all visitors. The Mafia is strong on the Coast.\n\nThe Ladies at the Brunch, on the subject of TV:\n\n\"I keep it on for my stories.\"\n\n\"Need to have it for the stories.\"\n\n\"I hear the radio only in the kitchen.\"\n\nHow about driving, I asked. The pretty young woman looked at me as if truly bewildered.\n\n\"Drive where?\" she asked.\n\nI did not know why we were going to Meridian instead of Mobile as planned, but it seemed, after a few days, imperative to leave the Gulf and the steaming air.\n\n# On the Road from Biloxi to Meridian\n\nThere was occasional rain and an overcast sky and the raw piney woods. On an AM station out of Biloxi, 1400 on the dial, I listened to Richard Brannan tell a parable about \"a sailing trip to the Bahama Islands.\" The radio was out, but finally they got a fix and headed for port. \"Everybody gets happy when the right direction is found,\" he said. \"I mention this because there is another ship in danger of losing its way...the old ship of state.\" Then they played \"America the Beautiful\" with an angel choir. It was a Sunday. Here and all over were the trailer-sales lots with the signs that said REPOSSESSIONS, the trailers bearing plates from all over the South.\n\nIn McHenry, Mississippi, a gas station and a few shacks and a dirt road leading back into the pines, three barefoot children played in the dust by the gas station. A little girl with long unkempt blond hair and a dirty periwinkle-blue dress that hung below her knees carried around an empty Sprite bottle. The older of the two boys got the Coke machine open and they all squabbled gently over their choices. A pickup pulled in with the back piled high with broken furniture and dirty mattresses: it sometimes seemed to me that mattresses were on the move all over the South. A middle-aged blond woman was pumping gas. \"One of the boys is off today, so they got me working,\" she said. We drove on, past cattle, a Church of God, a Jax (Fabacher) beer sign, and the Wiggin Lumber Co. Mfrs. Southern Yellow Pine Lumber.\n\nA somnolence so dense it seemed to inhibit breathing hung over Hattiesburg, Mississippi, at two or three o'clock of that Sunday afternoon. There was no place to get lunch, no place to get gas. On the wide leafy streets the white houses were set back. Sometimes I would see a face at a window. I saw no one on the streets.\n\nOutside Hattiesburg we stopped at a CAF\u00c9\u2013GAS\u2013TRUCK STOP to get a sandwich. A blond girl with a pellagra face stood sullenly behind the cash register, and a couple of men sat in a booth. Behind the counter was a woman in a pink Dacron housedress. No flicker of expression crossed her classic mountain face, and her movements were so slow as to be hypnotic. She made a kind of ballet of scooping ice into a glass. Behind her a soft-ice-cream machine oozed and plopped, and every now and then ice cubes would fall in the ice machine. Neither she nor the girl nor the two men spoke during the time we were there. The jukebox played \"Sweet Caroline.\" They all watched me eat a grilled-cheese sandwich. When we went back out into the blazing heat one of the men followed us and watched as we drove away.\n\nIn Laurel, pop. 29,000: FREE FLAG DECALS, as everywhere. PUMP YOUR OWN GAS SAVE 5\u00a2. It's Fun. Shacks on the backstreets. A black woman sitting on her front porch on the backseat from a car.\n\nCannibalized rusting automobiles everywhere, in ditches, the kudzu taking over. White wild flowers, red dirt. The pines here are getting lower, bushier. Polled Herefords. In a time when we have come to associate untouched land with parkland, a luxury, Mississippi seemed rich in appearance. One forgets that this is pre-industrial, not parkland purchased at great cost in an industrial society. There is very little of this hill land under the least cultivation. A patch of corn here, but nothing else.\n\nA few signs in Enterprise, Mississippi: SEVEN HAMBURGERS FOR $1. FOOTLONG BARBECUE 30\u00a2. People sitting on the porches.\n\nBasic City, Mississippi, a town not on the map. You go in on a road and there, at the confluence of two railroad tracks, is a quite beautiful white frame house with a green lawn and gazebo. Lacy white flowers. The eccentricity of its location renders the viewer speechless. Across one set of tracks is a sign: PRIVATE DOGWOOD SPRINGS M.E. SKELTON'S FAMILY, OWNER. BASIC CITY MISS. Back on the road, the road into Meridian, 11, is the BASIC COURT CAF\u00c9 AIR COND. When I left Basic City a train was moaning, the Meridian & Bigbee line. One is conscious of trains in the South. It is a true earlier time.\n\n# Swimming at the Howard Johnson's in Meridian\n\nThe Howard Johnson's in Meridian is just off Interstate 20, the intersection of Interstate 20\u2014running east and west\u2014and Interstate 59\u2014running north and south from New Orleans to New York. Population 58,000, and beyond the grass and the cyclone fence the big rigs hurtle between Birmingham and Jackson and New Orleans. Sitting by the pool at six o'clock I felt the euphoria of Interstate America: I could be in San Bernardino, or Phoenix, or outside Indianapolis. Children splash in the pool. A three-year-old veers perilously toward the deep end, and her mother calls her back. The mother and her three children are from Georgia, and are staying at the Howard Johnson's while they try to find a new house in Meridian.\n\n\"I don't never want to go back to Georgia,\" the little boy says. \"I want this to be my home.\" \"This _will_ be your home,\" the mother says. \"Soon as Daddy and I find a house.\" \"I mean this,\" the little boy says. \"This motel.\"\n\nAnother woman appeared and called an older child, a boy twelve or thirteen, in for supper. \"We're going to get supper now,\" she said. \"Hell,\" the boy muttered, and stalked after her wrapped in a Confederate-flag beach towel. The sky darkened, thunder clapped, the three-year-old cried, and we all went inside to the air-conditioned chill. In a half hour or so the rain stopped, and at midnight I could hear the older children splashing in the lighted pool.\n\n# Meridian Notes\n\nOn the far side of the parking lot at the Howard Johnson's in Meridian is a raw field with a mudhole and a tiny duck house, with ducks. The ducks shake the muddy water from their white feathers.\n\nIn Weidmann's Restaurant, paintings are hung for sale: we sat beneath one with a calling card taped beneath it. \"Mrs. Walter Albert Green,\" the card was engraved, and then, in a neat hand, \"Dalewood Lake 'Oil' York, Ala. Price $35.00.\" There was also a painting appalling in its apprehension of human silences, called \"In Between,\" by James A. Harris, $150. During the few days that I was in Meridian the painting and James A. Harris and his life in Meridian began to haunt me, and I tried to call him, but never reached him. He was at the air force base.\n\nGibson's Discount, ubiquitous. Mercedes-Benz Agency and \"Citro\u00ebn Service,\" certainly not so. Coca-Cola signs and the Mid-South Business College and Townsend's College of Cosmetology and the Hotel Lamar shut down. I tried to make an appointment with the director of Townsend's Academy of Cosmetology but he said he wasn't interested in any magazines at the present time. We had misunderstood each other, or we had not. I had an appointment with the director, Mrs. Lewis, of the Mid-South Business College, but when I arrived the doors were locked. I stood a while in the cool corridors of the Lamar Building and went downstairs and drank a Coca-Cola and came back, but the doors were still locked. We had misunderstood one another, or we had not.\n\n# An Afternoon in Meridian with Stan Torgerson\n\nWhen I called Stan Torgerson for lunch at his radio station, WQIC, and asked him the best place to lunch, he said Weidmann's, \"but it wouldn't win any Holiday Magazine awards.\" In fact it had, and was not a bad restaurant, but everyone in Mississippi begins on the defensive. \"I'll be the biggest man in a green shirt to come through the door,\" he advised me. He was, at lunch, wary at first. He said he didn't think I knew what I was doing. I agreed. He refused a drink, saying he wasn't in New York City. Stan Torgerson came out of the cold North (Minnesota, I think) and headed to Memphis, where he went into broadcasting. He worked in Miami, and then, for a year, in San Diego, living in La Jolla. He felt ill at ease in La Jolla\u2014his neighbors kept to themselves, had their own interests\u2014and he wanted to get back south. His son had won a football scholarship to Ole Miss. He was worried about his children and drugs in California. \"Excuse me,\" he said, \"but I just haven't reached the point where I think pot is a way of life.\"\n\nWhen the black radio station in Meridian came up for sale he bought it. He also broadcasts the Ole Miss games, something he began doing when he was in Memphis. \"That's right,\" he said, \"I own the ethnic station, WQIC. In its thirteenth year of serving the black community here.\" He programs gospel and soul, and reaches 180,000 blacks in several Mississippi and Alabama counties, \"the thirty-second-largest black market in the country, sixty miles in all directions and forty-three percent of that area is black. We serve a major black market, program soul music and gospel music, but what does that mean? A month ago in _Billboard_ there was a survey pointing out that the Top 40\u2013format stations are playing basically soul. Jackson 5 with 'ABC,' 'Turn Back the Hands of Time,' that's Top 40 but it's soul. Once in a while we throw in some blue-eyed soul, like Dusty Springfield with 'Son of a Preacher Man.' We don't play rock because our people don't dig it. We don't play your underground groups like the Jefferson Airplane...We have goodly reason to believe that ten to fifteen percent of our audience is white; some of the phone calls we get in the afternoon for dedications, they're definitely white voices. We get thirty-six percent of the audience.\"\n\nHe said I was probably wondering why he came back to Mississippi. \"I came because I dearly love this state. I had a son\u2014he'll be a senior this fall\u2014playing football at the University of Mississippi.\"\n\nHe pointed out that Meridian was timber country, hill country. Pulpwood is the backbone of the agricultural product. He pointed out how progressive Meridian was: its three new hospitals. \"In most southern cities there is a much stronger tendency to old-line money...Southern retailers stayed in business privately, home-owned, until very recently. In most cases the retailer has just begun to feel the competition from the chains. There's the greatest business opportunity in the country right here in the South...We don't have a McDonald's in a city of almost fifty thousand people, don't have any of these franchises here yet. You give me one corner of one intersection in Jackson, Mississippi, or you give me the whole ball of wax right here in Meridian, I'd take the whole ball of wax and I'd put a McDonald's on one corner, a Burger Chef on the other, a Shoney's Po' Boy 'cross the street...\"\n\nHis voice kept on, weaving ever higher flights of economic possibility. \"There is and _must_ be,\" he said, a \"continued turning to the South by industry. The climate is certainly one reason. Another is that the South _wants_ industry, and is willing to give a tax advantage to get it. Another, of course, is that there is a relatively low level of unionism in the South. Lockheed assembles tail sections here and ships them to California for assembly...\n\n\"Atlanta is the magic city for the young around here, across the whole social spectrum...The great migration out in the past ten years has been black, they get these glowing letters, and of course they've got relatively liberal welfare programs in some of the northern states...No doubt, too, there appears to be greater opportunity in the North.\"\n\nMore on the progressive nature of Meridian: \"Our radio station has probably got as fine a list of blue-chip clients as any in town, black or not. We've got all four banks, and anyone in retailing who's interested in doing business with the black\u2014the black's dollar is very important. The minimum wage was probably the most important thing to happen along these lines, and then food stamps were a good deal, I would say they added millions of dollars to our economy.\n\n\"We are in a transitional phase. There's a tremendous push to education on the part of young blacks. The schools here are completely integrated. Of course neither you nor I can change the older black, the forty-year-old, his life patterns are settled.\n\n\"Ole Miss has its standards to keep up. As more and more blacks get an educational advantage, you'll see blacks at Ole Miss. There's a feeling among some black leaders that because these kids have not had advantages they should get some kind of educational break, but basically what has to happen is the standards have to stay up and the people come up to meet them.\"\n\nWe were driving through town at night, and Stan Torgerson interrupted himself to point out the post office. \"There's the post office, the courthouse where the famous Philadelphia trials were held, the trials for the so-called Philadelphia deaths.\"\n\n\"If there were elm trees hanging over the street it would be very midwestern,\" Stan observed as we drove through the residential district. He pointed out his $29,500 house, a two-story frame, \"twenty-eight hundred square feet, with magnolia, dogwood, and pecan trees.\" He pointed out Poplar Drive, the \"Park Avenue of Meridian, Mississippi, all the houses built by the old-line families.\"\n\nFervently, he kept reverting to the wholesomeness of life in Meridian. His daughter, who would be a high school senior in the fall, had \"her sports, her outdoor activities, her swimming. It's a quiet, pacific type of living, which is one of the reasons I wanted to come back down here. The kids are taught to say 'sir' and 'ma'am.' I know it's very fashionable to poke fun at the South, but I'll pit our slum area any day against the slum areas where the Cubans and Puerto Ricans live in Miami, Florida, and Miami'll lose.\"\n\nMeridian is the largest city between Jackson and Birmingham, and there is a naval base there which means a great deal to the community. At apartment buildings largely inhabited by the navy there are cars with plates from all over the country.\n\nSome random social observations from Stan Torgerson included: most of the local children go to college within the state, at Ole Miss or Mississippi or Southern Mississippi; the other country club, built with federal money, has a membership which includes \"assistant managers of stores and some navy people\"; most of the subdivisions in Meridian feature \"custom houses.\" Torgerson paused dramatically, to emphasize the versatility of the new blood in town: \"A fabric store.\"\n\nI asked if some children did not leave, and he allowed that some did. \"Nothing here for the kid with an engineering degree. And of course the girls go where they marry. Southern girls are notoriously husband hunting, but I guess that's the same anywhere.\" It occurred to me almost constantly in the South that had I lived there I would have been an eccentric and full of anger, and I wondered what form the anger would have taken. Would I have taken up causes, or would I have simply knifed somebody?\n\nTorgerson was wound up now, and I could not stop his peroration. \"There's been a great metamorphosis in recent years in the South, the Volkswagen dealership for example comparable in size to anything you'll find anywhere.\n\n\"The KKK which used to be a major factor in this community isn't a factor anymore, both the membership and the influence have diminished, and I cannot think of any place where the black is denied entrance, with the possible exception of private clubs. We don't have any antagonistic-type black leaders working against racial harmony. Since the advent of black pride, black power, there is a little tendency to be self-segregating. On our station, we have a program we call _Adventures in Black History,_ to point out the contributions black people have made\u2014a black minister does it. I have blacks working in the WQIC Soul Shop, and there's a black druggist here, a man eminently qualified, who is a local boy who went north and came back, received his training at the University of Illinois. We have a certain degree of black business, including this gas station here, which is owned by a black. The key is racial harmony, and education, and we'll try to provide our people with both, 'cause we're gonna live together a long time. Every major retailer hires black clerks, Sears has a couple of black department heads, there's a black business college here, and a black and white Career Training Institute.\n\n\"Of course we have transplants, too, new ideas, like any other hybrid we're generally stronger. We're not nearly as inbred as we used to be. We've been withdrawn in this part of the South for many, many years, but we've become more aggressive, and as people come in they've helped us become more aggressive\u2014we don't wear crinolines anymore, no we don't.\n\n\"And about our politics, well, George Wallace got a lot of votes in Indiana, let's face it. I'm not saying I'm going to have a black minister come home to dinner tonight, 'cause I'm not. But things are changing. I had a man the other day, owns an appliance store, he never believed you could send a black repairman into somebody's house. Now he can't find a white...He asks me if I know a black man who makes a good appearance. That's progress...\n\n\"Of course, there's a tremendous lack of skilled blacks, and the problem is training and education. It's no longer a matter of lack of opportunity, it's a matter of lack of skills. We're still two generations from full equality, but so are they in Chicago, in Detroit, and have you ever been in Harlem?\"\n\nGlazed by the two hours in which this man in the green shirt had laid Meridian out before us as an entrepreneur's dream, a Shoney's Po' Boy on every corner and progress everywhere, even at the country club, I dropped him off and drove through the still-deserted streets of the downtown. A few black women were on the streets, and they carried umbrellas against the sun. It was almost five o'clock. In the middle of 22nd Avenue, the main street of Meridian, there was a man holding a shotgun. He had on a pink shirt and a golfing cap, and in one ear there was a hearing aid. He raised the shotgun and shot toward the roof of a building several times.\n\nI stopped the car and watched him a while, then approached him. \"What are you shooting at?\" I asked.\n\n\" _Pi-ea_ gins,\" he said cheerfully.\n\nIn this one demented afternoon Mississippi lost much of its power to astonish me.\n\n\u2014\n\nBecause I had fallen and hurt a rib in New Orleans, and the rib pained me in the steaming heat and when I swam or turned in bed, I decided to see a doctor in Meridian. I was unsure how long it would be before I was again in a town big enough to have an emergency clinic, and here there were, Stan Torgerson had told me repeatedly, four hospitals, and I even knew the name of one, the Rush Foundation Hospital, and so I went there. One of the younger Rush doctors looked at my rib and sent me for an X-ray. I do not know if it was Dr. Vaughn Rush or Dr. Lowry Rush, who are brothers, or Dr. Gus Rush, who is a cousin. Before the doctor came in a nurse took my history, and she seemed not to believe a word I said. While I waited in my white smock I began to see it through her eyes: A woman walks into a clinic, a stranger to Meridian. She has long straight hair, which is not seen in the South among respectable women past the age of fourteen, and she complains of an injured rib. She gives her address as Los Angeles, but says the rib was injured in a hotel room in New Orleans. She says she is just \"traveling through\" Meridian. This is not a story to inspire confidence, and I knew it as I told it, which made meeting her eyes difficult.\n\nDr. Rush himself was willing to let this story go at face value, more or less.\n\n\"Just traveling on vacation,\" he said.\n\n\"Actually I'm a writer,\" I said. \"I like going places I've never been.\"\n\n\"Traveling alone?\" He pressed at my rib.\n\n\"With my husband.\"\n\nThis did not sound exactly right, either, because I was not wearing my wedding ring. There was a long pause.\n\n\"I went to school up north,\" he said. \"I liked it a lot up there. I thought once I wouldn't mind living up there.\"\n\n\"But you came back here.\"\n\n\"But...\" he said, \"I came back here.\"\n\n\u2014\n\nOne evening in Meridian we went to the movies: _Loving_ was playing with George Segal and Eva Marie Saint. The audience, what there was of it, gazed at the screen as if the movie were Czech. As it happened I had seen Eva Marie Saint a few weeks before, at dinner at someone's house in Malibu, and the distance between Malibu and this movie house in Meridian seemed limitless. How had I gotten from there to here: there, as always, was the question.\n\nNOTE: Thinking about southern girls I had known in New York, the astonishing way their life in the South remained more vivid to them than anything that was happening to them in the city. Esther Nicol, when told I had been a Tri Delt at Berkeley, sniffed and said that at Ole Miss the Tri Delt house was \"mostly Mississippi girls.\" To Esther, who was from Memphis, this meant something real. Again, remembering having lunch with a girl from Nashville who was working at Cond\u00e9 Nast. She would have to leave in a month, she told me, because home in Nashville the season was beginning and her grandmother was giving a party.\n\nNOTE: On being asked for identification when I ordered a drink in the rural South. Before I came south I had not been taken for seventeen in considerable years, but several times in that month I had to prove I was eighteen. It is assumed that grown women will have their hair done, is all I could think.\n\nNOTE: Remembering that in Durham in 1942 there was something, or was said to be something, called Push Day, when blacks would push whites on the streets. People avoided going downtown shopping on Push Day, which was either Tuesday or Wednesday. And there was that time in Durham, when Mother and my brother, Jimmy, and I got on a bus to go out to Duke and the driver would not start because we were sitting in the back of the bus.\n\n# On the Road from Meridian to Tuscaloosa, Alabama\n\nSigns: WELCOME TO ALABAMA! TAKE A FUN BREAK!\n\n782,000 ALABAMA BAPTISTS WELCOME YOU!\n\nDixie Gas stations, all over, with Confederate flags and grillwork.\n\nBoys working on the road between Cuba and Demopolis. Making measurements with fishing poles. Sumter County, Alabama, around in here, is 80 percent black. We crossed the Demopolis Rooster Bridge over the Tombigbee River, another still, brown river. I think I never saw water that appeared to be running in any part of the South. A sense of water moccasins.\n\nIn Demopolis around lunchtime the temperature was 96 degrees and all movement seemed liquid. An Alabama state trooper drove slowly around town. I put a penny in a weighing machine on the main street. My weight was ninety-six, and my fortune was \"You are inclined to let your heart rule your head.\"\n\nIn the drugstore a young girl was talking to the woman at the counter. \"I'm gonna run off and get married,\" the girl said. \"Who to?\" the woman asked. The girl crumpled her straw paper. \"I'm gonna get married,\" she said stubbornly, \"I don't care who.\"\n\nTo get out of the sun I sat a while in the Demopolis library and contemplated a newspaper photograph of the Demopolis police force (nine of them) pouring out 214 gallons of confiscated moonshine. The moonshine had been confiscated after a four-hour chase and tracking with a bloodhound. The driver of the moonshine car, Clarence Bunyan Barrett of Cedartown, Georgia, was fined $435 and released.\n\nAt the desk a small birdlike woman about seventy was chatting with the librarian.\n\n\" _The Nashville Sound_ in yet?\"\n\n\"Still on order,\" the librarian said.\n\n\"How 'bout _The World of Fashion_?\"\n\n\"Still out.\"\n\n\"Put me down on the waiting list for _The World of Fashion._ \"\n\n_The French Lieutenant's Woman_ was moving briskly that summer in the Demopolis library. The temperature at two was 98 degrees.\n\nGreene County rolls gently, trees and grass, a light clear green. Pasture. The land looks rich, and many people from Birmingham, etc. (rich people) maintain places here to hunt.\n\nThe southern myth: a small bungalow named Grayfield, lots and lots of small one-story houses with two-by-four pillars.\n\nEutaw, Alabama, is a town the train goes through. Children were bicycling in town, barely moving in the leafy still air. There were tiger lilies everywhere, wild or naturalized. We listened to country music on the radio. There was a funeral taking place at the Eutaw Baptist Church at 4 p.m. on June 16, and the mourners made a frieze outside the church with a group of children on a penny hike. The coin spinning on the sidewalk and the children kneeling to see, with the adults in black around them. In Eutaw there was a white swimming pool and a black swimming pool, and an apartment house, the Colonial Apts., where the sign read APPLY JIMMY'S GRILL.\n\nIn the Eutaw City Hall I asked a clerk where the Chamber of Commerce was, but she could not, or would not, tell me. On a corner was a locked-up Teen Center, with posters inside that read GO TIDE and FREAK-OUT. There was one poster of a peace symbol. Children represent a mysterious subculture in small southern towns.\n\nAt 5 p.m. on a Tuesday afternoon we drove down a side road into Ralph, Alabama. A sign told us that the ZIP was 35480, the pop. 50, and that the town included:\n\n> Bethel (Baptist)\n> \n> Shiloh (Baptist)\n> \n> Wesley Chapel\n> \n> Post Office\n> \n> School.\n\nRalph was also a Prize Winner for Cotton Improvement. Tiger lilies and no people, anywhere.\n\nOff US 82-W, near Tuscaloosa, is Lake Lurleen. Bear Bryant Volkswagen in Tuscaloosa. Rebel Oil. Bumper stickers: \"Yahweh vs. Evolution \/ Don't Make a Monkey Out of Yourself.\" Tiger Lilies. Red Tide, Crimson Tide, Go Tide, Roll Tide.\n\nAt the Ramada Inn in Tuscaloosa I sat outside by the swimming pool about five o'clock one afternoon and read Sally Kempton's piece in _Esquire_ about her father and other men she had known. There was no sun. The air was as liquid as the pool. Everything seemed to be made of concrete, and damp. A couple of men in short-sleeved nylon shirts sat at another metal table and drank beer from cans. Later we tried to find somewhere open to eat. I called a place on University Boulevard, and the owner said to turn left at the Skyline Drive-in. On the way we got lost and stopped in a gas station to ask directions. The attendant had no idea where University Boulevard was (the University of Alabama is on University Boulevard) but could give us directions to the Skyline.\n\n# Birmingham\n\nWhen I called a friend in Birmingham to ask who I should see around the countryside, what was going on, and he asked me what I wanted to know and I explained, he said, \"You want to see who's sitting around the Greyhound bus station and who's sitting around in a Packard car, is that right?\" I said that was right.\n\nThe country way in which he gave me names: \"There's ole Rankin Fife, Speaker of the state House of Representatives, he pretty much runs Winfield. Over to Boligee there's David Johnston, he's got a big farm. There's a union leader, the Haneys, they live outside Guin, and he's a farmer and a preacher and a union leader. There's the Hill family, they run the bank. There's Boyd Aman in Boligee, number one hunter and fisherman\u2014I reckon you could find him at the general store. And if you get in any trouble up there, you be sure to call me.\"\n\nThe sense of sports being the opiate of the people. In all the small towns the high school gymnasium was not only the most resplendent part of the high school but often the most solid structure in the town, redbrick, immense, a monument to the hopes of the citizenry. Athletes who were signing \"letters of intent\" were a theme in the local news.\n\nAt dinner one night in Birmingham there were, besides us, five people. Two of the men had gone to Princeton and the third was, when he was traveling on business, a habitu\u00e9 of Elaine's in New York and the Beverly Hills Hotel in California. They talked with raucous good humor about \"seein' those X-rated movies\" when their wives were out of town. This was a manner of speaking, a rococo denial of their own sophistication, which I found dizzying to contemplate.\n\n\"You could almost say that all the virtues and all the limitations of the South are a function of low population,\" someone said at lunch in Birmingham. \"Cities, well, cities _are_ melting pots. What we've had here was an almost feudal situation.\" We had been in places in Mississippi and Alabama where there had been virtually no ethnic infusion.\n\n\"Leave 'em to their stamps,\" someone said at dinner about the white tenants on his father's place.\n\n\u2014\n\nSouthern houses and buildings once had space and windows and deep porches. This was perhaps the most beautiful and comfortable ordinary architecture in the United States, but it is no longer built, because of air-conditioning.\n\nNOTE: The curious ambivalence of the constant talk about wanting industry. Is not wanting industry the death wish, or is wanting it?\n\n\u2014\n\nTalking about \"a gentleman of the old school,\" there was the familiarity with generations of eccentric behavior, scandals and arrangements, high extramarital drama played out against the Legion parade.\n\nIt is said that the dead center of Birmingham society is the southeast corner of the locker room at the Mountain Brook country club. At Mountain Brook everyone goes to St. Luke's Episcopal Church or Briarwood Presbyterian, and it is hard to make the connection between this Birmingham and that of Bull Connor, and Birmingham Sunday.\n\nLunch with Hugh Bailey at the club, up high enough to see the smoke haze. \"We got a pollution count in Birmingham now, which I guess you could say is a sign of progress.\" On that day the _Birmingham Post-Herald_ (June 18) reported the downtown pollution count at 205, or over the U.S. Public Health Service's critical level, and the number of respiratory deaths in Jefferson County that week at six. There did not seem to be much pollution in Mountain Brook.\n\nIn Birmingham at dinner they were talking about catching rattlesnakes. \"You take a hose, and go out in the fields, and take a few drops of gasoline down the hose into a hole\u2014any hole\u2014and that makes the rattlesnakes kind of drunk, and they come out for some air.\"\n\nAt every social level, the whole quality of maleness, the concentration on hunting and fishing. Leave the women to their cooking, their canning, their \"prettifying.\"\n\nA sign in a trailer camp in Walker County, Alabama: YOUR VOTE AND SUPPORT APPRECIATED\/WALLACE FOR GOVERNOR. The thought that the reason Wallace has never troubled me is that he is a totally explicable phenomenon.\n\nMost southerners are political realists: they understand and accept the realities of working politics in a way we never did in California. Graft as a way of life is accepted, even on the surface. \"You get somebody makes eight hundred dollars a month as state finance director, he's only got four years to make his stake.\"\n\n# Inscriptions on gravestones:\n\n> THE ANGELS CALLED HIM\n> \n> DYING IS BUT GOING HOME\n> \n> MOORE\n> \n> ELLIE JESSIE T.\n> \n> 1888\u201319 1887\u20131952 \n> \n> SANDLIN\n> \n> RAND IDA M.\n> \n> 1871\u20131952 1873\u201319 \n> \n> JENNIE B., _wife of J. R. Jones. She was a kind and affectionate wife, a fond aunt, and a friend to all._\n\nIn so many family plots there was someone recently dead\u2014dead after World War II\u2014who remembered the Civil War. This was in a graveyard in a harsh red-dirt hill town, plastic flowers on the plots, overlooking the bright lights of the ballpark.\n\nAt the St. Francis Motel in Birmingham I went swimming, which occasioned great notice in the bar. \"Hey, look, there's somebody with a bikini on.\"\n\n# Winfield\n\nMaybe the rural South is the last place in America where one is still aware of trains and what they can mean, their awesome possibilities.\n\nI put my clothes in the laundromat and walked on down the dirt at the side of the road to the beauty shop. A girl with long straight blond hair gave me a manicure. Her name was Debby.\n\n\"I got one more year at Winfield High,\" Debby said, \"then I'm getting out.\"\n\nI asked her where she would get out to.\n\n\"Birmingham,\" she said.\n\nI asked what she would do in Birmingham.\n\n\"Well, if I keep on working while I'm in school, I'll have enough hours for my cosmetologist's license. You need three thousand, I got twelve hundred already. Then I'll go to modeling school.\" Debby reflected a moment. \"I hope I will.\"\n\nAn electric fan hummed in the small shop. The smell of hair conditioners, shampoos, warm and sticky. The only other person there was the daughter of the proprietress. I asked her if she was still in school. She giggled as if she did not believe anyone could ask such a silly question.\n\n\"I been _married_ three years,\" she said.\n\n\"You don't look old enough,\" I said.\n\n\"I'm _twenty._ \"\n\nShe lives in a trailer with her husband, Scott, who operates a power saw. Trailers got hot, we all agreed. They cool down at night, Debby suggested. \"Oh, sure,\" the twenty-year-old said, \"it cools down at night.\" Her mother, who owned the beauty shop, was home \"doing her bookwork.\" She was in charge, and bossing Debby slightly. \"You didn't get her _name_? She couldn't come any other _time_?\"\n\nThey revert to the theme of the heat. The trailer does cool down at night, they agreed.\n\n\"Last night it was cool,\" the twenty-year-old said.\n\n\"I didn't think so,\" Debby said.\n\n\"I don't mean when we went to _bed,_ I mean late. I woke up, it was almost cool. 'Course I'd had the _conditioning_ on in the trailer all day.\"\n\nDebby looked impassively out the open door. \"So hot, Daddy had to come out from the bedroom to sleep on the couch.\"\n\n\"Cooler in than out.\"\n\nDebby dried my hands. \"I guess,\" she said idly.\n\n\u2014\n\nAt the little concrete pool between the motel and the creek, two teenage girls in two-piece bathing suits were lying in the sun on the stained pavement. They had come in a pickup truck and a transistor radio on the seat of the pickup played softly. There was algae in the pool, and a cigarette butt. \"ABC,\" the Jackson 5.\n\nI bought a large paper cup full of cracked ice in the drugstore (Hollis Pharmacy) for a nickel and walked back down the road to the laundromat eating it. Nothing had changed in the laundromat in the hour or so I had been gone: the same women, most with rollers in their hair, sat and stared and folded frayed flower-printed towels and sheets. There were two men in the laundromat, a repairman and an officious young man, straw-haired and rednecked, who seemed to be the owner. He regarded the women with contempt and the women regarded him in sullen impassivity.\n\n\"Hot 'nough for you?\" a middle-aged woman said to me. I said it was. There was no hostility toward or even curiosity about me in the laundromat: by virtue of spending a summer afternoon in this steaming bleak structure I had moved into a realm where all women are sisters in misery. \"Use this one,\" the woman said a while later, pointing out a dryer to me. \"This one's dried her clothes and mine both, and she just put in one dime.\" The woman glanced furtively at the repairman as she spoke, and at the owner, as if fearful that they might fix the machine, deprive us of our jackpot.\n\nOn weekday afternoons in towns like Winfield one sees mainly women, moving like somnambulists through the days of their lives. The men work out at plants somewhere, or on farms, or in lumber. When I left the laundromat there was a boy in a bike helmet working on the road. Bike helmets had come to seem a normal mode of dress. _How the West Was Won_ was playing at the movie house.\n\nIn the Angelyn Restaurant in Winfield at lunchtime a number of men, among the few I saw in town in the daytime, sat around and watched _General Hospital_ on the television.\n\n# Guin\n\nA traveler in the rural South in the summertime is always eating dinner, dispiritedly, in the barely waning heat of the day. One is a few hundred miles and a culture removed from any place that serves past 7:30 or 8 p.m. We ate dinner one night at a motel on the road between Winfield and Guin. The sun still blazed on the pavement outside, and was filtered only slightly by the aqueous blue-green Pliofilm shades on the windows inside. The food seemed to have been deep-fried for the lunch business and kept lukewarm on a steam table. Eating is an ordeal, as in an institution, something to be endured in the interests of survival. There are no drinks to soften the harshness of it. Ice is begrudged. I remember in one such place asking for iced coffee. The waitress asked me how to make it. \"Same way as iced tea,\" I said. She looked at me without expression. \"In a cup?\" she asked.\n\nThe waitress in the place in Guin trailed me to the cash register. She was holding a matchbook I had left on the table. \"I was looking at your matchbook,\" she said. \"Where's it from?\" I said it was from Biloxi. \"Biloxi, _Mississippi_?\" she said, and studied the matchbook as if it were a souvenir from Nepal. I said yes. She tucked the matchbook in her pocket and turned away.\n\nOn the outskirts of Guin the sign says GU-WIN\/CITY LIMIT. At the Wit's Inn in Guin, an MYF (I think) coffeehouse, there were a couple of kids with guitars entertaining. They were billed as Kent and Phil, and their last engagement had been at Tuscaloosa. They sang \"Abraham, Martin and John\" and \"Bridge over Troubled Water,\" and the children in the place joined in when asked, in clear sweet voices.\n\nSome of the boys were wearing Guin baseball uniforms and one beautiful boy about sixteen was wearing a tie-dyed shirt and pants. Kids would drink Cokes and then drift out to the street and talk to somebody idling by in a car and then drift back in. The night was warm and there was fresh corn growing high along the road just past town. It seemed a good and hopeful place to live, and yet the pretty girls, if they stayed around Guin, would end up in the laundromat in Winfield, or in a trailer with the air-conditioning on all night.\n\nWhen the program ended about ten kids all stood around in the street, making idle connections. A half an hour later the only people seen on the streets of Guin were twelve-year-olds wearing baseball uniforms. We drove between Guin and Hamilton on the George C. Wallace White Way, four lanes to nowhere, brightly lit. In Hamilton the street lights were turned off. We were getting Fort Worth and San Antonio on the car radio, gospel stations, \"Rock of Ages\" and \"Lonesome Valley.\" Drove into a drive-in to see the end of _The Road Hustlers,_ starring Jim Davis, Andy Devine, and Scott Brady. _The Losers_ was the next bill at the drive-in. We followed _The Losers_ all over the South. Outside Guin the night shift was working at the 3M plant.\n\n# Grenada, Mississippi\n\nDriving over from Oxford to Grenada to have dinner one night with Bob Evans, Jr., and his wife, I noticed the shadows on the kudzu vine, the vine consuming trees, poles, everything in its range. The kudzu makes much of Mississippi seem an ominously topiary landscape. And the graveyards everywhere, with plastic sweet peas on the graves of infants. Death is still natural and ever present in the South, as it is no more in those urbanized parts of the country where graveyards are burial parks and relegated to unused or unusable land far from sight.\n\nOn Highway 7, Buck Brown & Son filling station. The rifles slung across the back cab windows of pickups. The Yalobusha Country Club just south of Water Valley. In Water Valley, blacks hanging around the main street, the highway, leaning on cars, talking across the street, the highway. In Coffeeville, Miss., at 6 p.m., there was a golden light and a child swinging in it, swinging from a big tree, over a big lawn, back and forth in front of a big airy house. To be a white middle-class child in a small southern town must be on certain levels the most golden way for a child to live in the United States.\n\nOn Margin Street in Grenada, as we drove in, a girl in a yellow bridesmaid's dress and a tulle headpiece, her husband in a cutaway, walked home from a wedding carrying their daughter, a baby two or three.\n\nAt the Evanses' house, there was a framed Christmas card from The President and Mrs. Nixon, and what appeared to be a framed slave deed. We had drinks, and after a while we took our drinks, our road glasses, and went for a drive through town. Mrs. Evans had grown up in Grenada, had been married once before, and now she and her second husband\u2014who was from Tupelo\u2014lived in her mother's old house. \"Look at all those people standing around in front of that motel,\" she said once on the drive. \"That's a cathouse,\" her husband told her. We went out to a lake, and then to dinner at the Holiday Inn, this being another of those towns where the Holiday Inn was the best place to eat. We brought our drinks and a bottle in with us, because there was no liquor served, only setups. I am unsure whether the bottle was legal. The legality or illegality of liquor in the South seems a complication to outsiders, but is scarcely considered by the residents. At dinner some people were watching us, and later came over to say hello to the Evanses. They introduced us as friends from California. \"We were wondering where you were from,\" one of them said.\n\n\u2014\n\nOn our drive we passed a five-year-old in baseball pajamas playing catch with a black maid in a white uniform, the ball going back and forth, back and forth, suspended in amber.\n\nThe Evanses had a little baby, their child, and a sixteen-year-old daughter, her child. \"She only comes out of her room when it's time to eat or time to go out,\" he said about her.\n\nAbout the bottle at dinner: actually we brought three bottles, Scotch, bourbon, and vodka, and it was not legal to bring them inside in this dry county, because Mrs. Evans had them in a large handbag she carried exactly for this purpose.\n\nAbout the cathouse: the notion that an accepted element in the social order is a whorehouse goes hand in hand with the woman on a pedestal.\n\n# Oxford\n\nIn the student union at Ole Miss they were watching _General Hospital_ on the TV, just as they had been in the Angelyn Restaurant in Winfield.\n\nIn the student union there was an official calendar for May, on which was printed \"May 28\u2014Vacation\u2014Raise Hell.\" Below this someone had scribbled, \"An appropriate preoccupation for an Ole Miss student.\" The self-image of the Southern Blood as Cavalier very apparent here.\n\nIn the university bookstore, which appeared to be the one place in Oxford to buy a book (with the exception of a drugstore on the square which had several racks of paperbacks), the only books available other than assigned texts were a handful of popular bestsellers and a few (by no means all) novels by William Faulkner.\n\nAt the swimming pool at the Holiday Inn, the musical dialogue:\n\n\"Get that penny, it's down there yonder.\"\n\n\"Hurt my toe.\"\n\n\"I hurt _my_ toe climbing a plum tree.\"\n\n\" _How'd_ you hurt your toe?\"\n\n\"Climbed a plum tree.\"\n\n\"Why.\"\n\n\"Get a plum.\"\n\n\"Hey, Bruiser, drop my sneaks down?\"\n\n\"OK, Goose.\"\n\nIn the parking lot at the Holiday Inn one afternoon a police car was parked, its door open, the police radio breaking the still afternoon air the whole time I was sitting by the pool. Later when I was swimming a little girl pointed out to me that by staying underwater one could hear, by some electronic freak, a radio playing. I submerged and heard news of the Conservative victory in Great Britain, and \"Mrs. Robinson.\"\n\nWhen I was driving in the afternoon alone on the Ole Miss campus the wind came up, sudden and violent, and the sky darkened and there was thunder but no rain. I was afraid of a tornado. The suddenness and unpredictability of this shocked me. The weather around here must shape ideas of who and what one is, as it does everywhere.\n\nOn the same afternoon I saw a black girl on the campus: she was wearing an Afro and a clinging jersey, and she was quite beautiful, with a NY-LA coastal arrogance. I could not think what she was doing at Ole Miss, or what she thought about it.\n\nAt dinner in the Holiday Inn, overhearing an academic foursome: two teachers, the wife of one of them, and a younger woman, perhaps a graduate student or a teaching assistant. They were talking about how the SAEs and the Sigma Nus and the Sigma Chis used to \"control politics.\" The break in this situation had come when Archie Manning, who was I believe a Sigma Nu, had run for something and either lost, or just barely won, which went to prove. There had been \"a little article in the _Mississippian_ about this,\" about the way the Greeks used to run things, and, said one of the men, \"it said they did no more, but it upset my wife and daughter. Why did that have to be?\"\n\nThe others added that the piece had been \"trivial,\" \"not very well done,\" but they did not address themselves to their colleague's plaintive question.\n\nAt one point during dinner the younger woman stated in a spirit of reckless defiance, \"I don't care what the student union looks like, I couldn't care less.\" At another point she said that she believed the FBI had her \"staked out,\" because she had two friends who used drugs. She did not and would not use drugs herself, she added: \"My mind's expanded enough.\"\n\n\u2014\n\nWhen I think about Oxford now I think about Archie Manning, the Sigma Nu, and all the bumper stickers that read ARCHIE and ARCHIE'S ARMY, with a Rebel flag, and about the immense and beautifully landscaped fraternity and sorority houses that surround the campus, and about boys and girls who in 1970 come out of the pinewoods to sing \"White Star of Sigma Nu\" at dances after football games. I had telephoned someone I knew in the English Department at Berkeley to ask if he knew anyone on any faculty in any department at any college in Mississippi to whom I should talk, anyone noted in any field he knew about, but he did not, and could only suggest that I call up Miss Eudora Welty, in Jackson.\n\nAs a matter of fact I had intended to, if ever I got near Jackson, but I was afraid to get too near Jackson because planes left from Jackson for New York and California, and I knew I would not last ten minutes in Jackson without telephoning Delta or National and getting out. All that month I hummed in my mind \"Leavin' on a Jet Plane,\" Peter, Paul and Mary, and every night in our motel room we got out the maps and figured out how many hours' driving time to Jackson, to New Orleans, to Baton Rouge, to the closest place the planes left from.\n\nWe drove out on Old Taylor Road at night to look for Rowan Oak, William Faulkner's house. There were fireflies, and heat lightning, and the thick vines all around, and we could not see the house until the next day. It was large and private, secluded, set back from the road. I read a book about Faulkner in Oxford, interviews with his fellow citizens in Oxford, and I was deeply affected by their hostility to him and by the manner in which he had managed to ignore it. I thought if I took a rubbing from his gravestone, a memento from this place, I would know every time I looked at it that the opinion of others counted for not much one way or another.\n\nSo we went out to the graveyard, the Oxford cemetery, to look for the grave. Under a live oak tree a black kid sat in a parked two-tone salmon Buick, the door open. He was sitting on the floorboard with his feet outside, and while I was there several cars with Ole Miss and Archie's Army stickers came winding up the cemetery road, and boys would get out, and they would have some dealing with the black kid and drive away. He seemed to be dealing marijuana, and his car had a Wayne State sticker. Other than that there was nobody, just rabbits and the squirrels and the hum of bees and the heat, dizzying heat, heat so intense I thought of fainting. For several hours we looked for the grave, found the Faulkner plot and a number of other Faulkner\/Falkner graves, but we never found William Faulkner's grave, not in that whole graveyard full of Oxford citizens and infant sons.\n\n\u2014\n\nThe way in which all the reporting tricks I had ever known atrophied in the South. There were things I should do, I knew it: but I never did them. I never made an appointment with the bridal consultant of the biggest department store in any town I was in. I never made the Miss Mississippi Hospitality Contest Semi-Finals, although they were being held in little towns not far from where we were, wherever we were. I neglected to call the people whose names I had, and hung around drugstores instead. I was underwater in some real sense, the whole month.\n\nI kept talking to Mrs. Frances Kirby by telephone in Jackson. Mrs. Kirby was in charge of the Miss Hospitality contests, in Bay Springs, Cleveland, Clinton, Greenwood, Gulfport, Indianola, Leland, Lewisville. I was within a few miles of Cleveland on the day that contest would be held, and I called the sponsors, the chamber of commerce, and they said to come on \"up at the country club\" and watch, but I never even did that.\n\n# A Sunday Lunch in Clarksdale\n\nOne day we drove from Oxford over to Clarksdale, to have Sunday lunch with Marshall Bouldin and his wife, Mel. Lunch was served promptly at noon, a few minutes after our arrival. There was fried chicken and gravy, white rice, fresh green peas, and a peach pie for dessert. The heat was so intense that the ice was already melted in the Waterford water goblets before we sat down at the table. Grace was said. The children were allowed to speak on topics of interest, but not to interrupt. I have never eaten so long or heavy a meal. I was in a place where \"Sunday\" still existed as it did in my grandmother's house, a leadening pause in the week, a day of boredom so extreme as to be exhausting. It was the kind of Sunday to make one ache for Monday morning.\n\nAfter lunch we sat in the living room of the small house in town the Bouldins were using while their plantation house was being remodeled. Marshall Bouldin talked, and here are some of the things he said:\n\n\"The money and the power in the South have traditionally been in the hands of the people who plant. The Delta, because of that, is rich. There are rich people in the Delta. You don't get governors from the Delta, but you do get the money and the power to elect them. Governors come from the hills, and from Hattiesburg. There's a lieutenant governor now from Clarksdale, but that's unusual. There are fewer blacks in the hill sections. The Delta, which is more affluent, has a higher black population. The third part of Mississippi, besides the hills and the Delta, is the coastal area, which is really an isolated phenomenon.\n\n\"I'm so glad to see what has happened in Mississippi. The thinking has come so far in just these twenty years. The hill country is certainly more reactionary. The Delta's still conservative, yes, but people here have money, and people who have money can be exposed to new ideas.\n\n\"Mainly we plant cotton here, soybeans are replacing truck crops. We tried cattle, but the soil here is too rich for cattle, the flat land ends at Vicksburg. The Delta is maybe fifty miles wide, and was all overflow land until after the Civil War when the levees were built. Around 1870, then, people began to move in, they had this rich land, all river silt. What size is the average Delta farm? Well, fourteen thousand acres would be a large one, and two hundred to three hundred acres would be a small one, the average is said to be seven hundred seventy, but that would be small for cotton or beans.\n\n\"Thirty years ago my dad and my Mel's dad led the ideal planter's life. Now it's more of a business, it's not the same. It was a series of small towns then, there were great social functions, and you went from town to town for your social functions, and this held the country together.\n\n\"What you have here is the last of the feudal system. It's an area where you have plenty of servants. We're fortunate to have Charles and Frances here, they were on my dad's place. What you had around here until very lately was mainly the tenant system. Each black family was responsible for the ten or fifteen acres around his cabin. The owner supervised and provided food, and provided anything else the family needed, and these were sizable families, but they'd say, 'Mr. Marshall, take care of me,' and we would. That's part of the change here. Mel's brother is not on the tenant system.\n\n\"My dad never put anyone off. And Mel, your dad never did either. Some planters, they abused the tenant system. There was one planter around here, on payday he used to make them smile, he'd hand out silver dollars when he got the smile, but that was just some, and maybe it was condoned but it was never approved of. Mel's daddy kept _books,_ and settled with every tenant. The community knew who these people were who took advantage, and frowned on them. Of course, nobody put them in jail, which is maybe what we should've done.\n\n\"Automation changed things, the cotton picker meant we didn't need so many. We never put anybody off the land, they just gradually left for Detroit or they moved into town. A few planters told people to get off, but on the whole there was not much dispossessing of the black man.\n\n\"The big change, I do think, was when television came. The kids could see the way other people lived, other lives. It has been the greatest educational system in the county.\n\n\"My dad's main job was just talking to John, seeing if he needed anything (John was the overseer or foreman). Mel's brother, on the other hand, he runs\u2014I don't want to say it's a factory, but it turns out cotton. He has about three thousand acres in three pieces. In 1950 I farmed like my daddy farmed, on a horse. Now you need to have a manager on each place, in his pickup. You need to have a personal radio, to be able to reach a man you've got in town and tell him to get that part out here in fifteen minutes. You used to be able to have a good time farming. When you got the cotton picked in the fall you read books, went hunting, sat around the fire and socialized. Now, they're working on the machinery all winter. Maybe if you can get the repair work done in January, you can take a month or six weeks off in February, but that's it.\" He paused, and looked at his wife. \"Isn't that right, Mel?\"\n\nMel shrugged. \"It's still the good life,\" she said.\n\n\"The black population is still high here,\" he went on. \"In the schools right now it's 80 percent black and 20 percent white, now that we're integrated. We have tortured and tortured over what to do with our children, and our tentative decision for now is to send them to private schools, even though that is against our ideals. I can't sacrifice my child to my ideal. They had to force the black to integrate. Basically I know that the people who are pushing it are right, but they seem so precipitous. They say we had to integrate on February 2. Now, why couldn't they have waited 'til September? It hardened attitudes, is what it did. There are people in this community who might have been showing signs of opening up their minds, and then a parent finds out that as of next week his kid is going to be over in Higgins High\u2014that door is closed, and when it's going to open again nobody knows.\n\n\"They say around here it takes three generations to make a gentleman, and yet if I was about a sixteen-year-old black boy I'll be damned if I'd want to wait three generations. All over this area we still have these large maternal families, families with no daddy, nobody to say if you're going to reap the benefits, you've got to put in the work.\n\n\"I'm a middle-of-the-roader, and like the majority, we're trying to do the easiest thing that will get us all by happily. There are five or six houses in Clarksdale right now where this conversation could take place. That may not seem like many but when I was growing up there were none.\n\n\"The best thing we can do is raise our children differently, and add four people to the community who can come home from this little Episcopal school and think differently. When the integration orders were flying around Mississippi last year it was hard to think what to do, and it still is.\"\n\nCharles and Frances came out from the kitchen, to say goodbye. They were on their way to church. Marshall Bouldin beamed as he introduced them. \"Charles and Frances were on my daddy's place, isn't that right, Frances?\" Frances bobbed her head. \"That's right, surely is,\" she said. \"Mr. Marshall and us, we were little itty-bittys together.\"\n\nThere was news of a tornado somewhere near the Delta, although not in Coahoma County, and a telephone call to inform Marshall Bouldin that \"a black man died on the place last night.\"\n\nWe drove out to the plantation, where the house was being remodeled. He pointed out the tenant cabins standing empty. \"When I was little we farmed it all with mules,\" he said. \"When I went off to college we had four-row equipment. Now we have six-row equipment.\" He pointed out the tractors, which cost $15,000 apiece, and added that there were $60,000 worth of tractors alone in the shed. He pointed out what had been his father's payoff office, and one tenant cabin which was occupied. \"This is one of the tenant cabins still occupied by my old fishing buddy, Ernie.\" Ernie calls the Bouldins Miss Mel and Mister Marshall.\n\n\"That's cotton,\" he said, \"far back as the cypress break.\" I asked what was beyond the cypress break. \"Some more of our place.\"\n\nMel Bouldin, for a southern woman of her age and class, had done an extraordinary thing: she had gone to medical school after the birth of her children, and now practiced ob-gyn in Memphis, in partnership with three men. She flew to Memphis from \"the place\" in a private plane. \"I can't stand to sit around the country club and _talk,_ \" she said by way of explanation.\n\nShe was, at the time we visited her, taking a year off her practice to supervise the reconstruction of the house. The house was to be \"a boys' house, everything rough and ready.\" \"I love boys,\" she kept saying. In certain ways she seemed to have been affected by the great leap she had taken out of her time and place: in order to be her own woman she had found it necessary to vehemently reject many of the things which traditionally give women pleasure, cooking (\" 'Course I hate to cook, I'd walk a mile and a half to avoid it\"), any vanity about her own appearance, any interest in having her house reflect her own tastes. Her mother's house reflected her mother: Mel's house would reflect \"the boys,\" and her greatest delight was in secret stairways and hideaways she was having built into the walls for the children.\n\nAt lunch, or just before, the seven-year-old had been asked to perform, and did so with pleasure, playing \"Joy to the World\" on the piano, a peculiar melody on this steaming June day in the Delta. Everyone held hands during the blessing at table. The four boys were dressed in matching blue mandarin shirts. The family had just come from church services, at the Presbyterian church. When I called the day before from Oxford and Marshall Bouldin suggested we come to lunch, he had said, \"Come after church.\" The idea of \"church\" as a Sunday morning donn\u00e9e has not existed for a couple of generations in the Protestant societies I know, but it exists in the South.\n\nOn our drive, we passed Delta Road, where there live \"nothing but blacks, or if there were any whites, I wouldn't want to meet them.\"\n\nOut behind the house, the immense Sears, Roebuck swimming tank, raised five or six feet above the lawn. \"Keeps the snakes and frogs out,\" Mel said.\n\nClarksdale calls itself \"The Golden Buckle on the Cotton Belt.\" At parties in the Delta they say to one another: \"How yo' cotton coming?\" And then: \"Yeah? What's wrong?\"\n\nOn Silk Stocking Row in Clarksdale there live a few planters, a lawyer, and the cotton broker. Many of the planters live in town. There is one plantation around Clarksdale owned by an English syndicate.\n\n# Down the Delta to Greenville\n\nOutside the Bolivar County Courthouse in Rosedale, an old policeman, his collar loosened around his thick neck, sat in his car with the motor idling in the Sunday twilight.\n\nOutside Rosedale, on the sign for a RR crossing, the letters KKK had been painted.\n\nAll the billboards were for cotton and soybean insecticides and fertilizers.\n\nIn Benoit, the town where _Baby Doll_ was shot, people hanging around with that remarkable \"vacant\" look which people in the South always mention before you do and then become defensive about. (\"Ever look on a subway in Detroit, Michigan?\")\n\nThe endless green of the Delta, the flatness, the haze in the mornings. The algae-covered ditches alive with mosquitoes.\n\nIn Greenville, the presence of the levee, a high wall at the end of every street downtown. We ate dinner out on the pier at a place that had good gumbo, and I was glad to be on the river (actually we were on a slough), glad to be in a place with good food, glad to be, I suppose, so very close to the place where the National and Delta flights left for California.\n\nWe went to have dinner with Hodding Carter III and his wife, Peggy, and with Lew Powell, the city editor of the paper, and his girl. Hodding picked us up and there was the ubiquitous glass on the dashboard, the road glass, in this instance a martini.\n\nWe went to dinner at Boyt's, a roadhouse in the next crossroads over. On Boyt's menu: \"Italian or Wop Salad.\"\n\nHodding Carter III: \"The blacks who leave the Delta say they'd come back if there were just something here\u2014this is a place with a strong pull.\"\n\nHe spoke about New Orleans as the place you cop out to, \"you go down there with the eleven-and-a-half-month debutante season.\" His wife came from New Orleans, went to Miss McGehee's and to Sophie Newcomb, and now, he implied, she lives on the frontier.\n\nIt would be a while, he thought, before automation came to southern agriculture. Its arrival in California was \"speeded up by labor problems.\" He saw an industrial New South as a kind of pipe dream, the difficulty being an unskilled labor force. \"They talk about cheap labor in the South, but cheap labor is a myth for a national company, for any company with labor contracts. So that's no advantage, and another disadvantage here for industry, we've got social problems you don't have in the North.\"\n\n\"The FBI\" as a leitmotif in the South. I had heard it in Biloxi, in Oxford, in Grenada, in Greenville.\n\nThe time warp: the Civil War was yesterday, but 1960 is spoken of as if it were about three hundred years ago.\n\n# Downriver and Home\n\nThe names of plantations going south on 61: Baconia, Lydia, and Evanna. On the billboards: PESTICIDE DYANAP. A plantation south of Onward: Reality Plantation. The Yazoo County Bookmobile, a cropduster releasing sprays of yellow haze. A Greyhound bus with CHICAGO emblazoned over the window hurtling north on 61 through Warren County.\n\nOutside Vicksburg is a shopping center, with a mall named Battlefield Village. In Port Gibson there is a Presbyterian church with, instead of a cross on top of the steeple, a gold finger, pointing heavenward. The kudzu.\n\nFayette had the aspect of a set from _Porgy and Bess,_ in that there were only blacks to be seen on the street and behind windows. The only white I saw as we drove through was wearing a blue work shirt and had a Zapata mustache.\n\n\"The Interstate\" as a phrase, and a concept. The great pulsing links between there and everywhere else.\n\nOn the window of a coffee shop in South McComb, SUPPORT YOUR CITIZEN'S COUNCIL and STATES RIGHTS\u2014RACIAL INTEGRITY, which pretty much laid it right where it was. (Actually I think the restaurant\u2014Boyt's\u2014with Wop Salad on the menu was in McComb, not in Greenville.)\n\nWe stopped at Walker Percy's in Covington, Louisiana. We sat out in back by the bayou and drank gin and tonics and when a light rain began to fall, a kind of mist, Walker never paid any mind but just kept talking, and walking up to the house to get fresh drinks. It was a thunderstorm, with odd light, and there were occasional water-skiers on the black bayou water. \"The South,\" he said, \"owes a debt to the North...tore the Union apart once...and now only the South can save the North.\" He said he had not wanted to see us in New Orleans, at Ben C.'s, because at Ben C.'s he was always saying things he would not ordinarily say, playing a role. Greenville, he said, was a different kind of town. He had spent some time in Los Angeles once but could not face it. \"It was the weather,\" his wife said mildly. \"The weather was bad.\" \"It wasn't the weather,\" he said, and he knew exactly what it was.\n\nCrossing the Pontchartrain bridge, the gray water, the gray causeway, the gray skyline becoming apparent in the far distance just about the time you lose sight of the shore behind you. The sight of New Orleans coming up like a mirage from about the midway point on the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway.\n\nSycamores and pit vipers. From Audubon, 1830:\n\n> Deep morasses, overshadowed by millions of gigantic dark cypresses, spreading their sturdy moss-covered branches...Would that I could represent to you the dangerous nature of the ground, its oozing, spongy, and miry disposition...\n\nA senseless disagreement on the causeway, ugly words and then silence. We spent a silent night in an airport motel and took the 9:15 National flight to San Francisco. I never wrote the piece.\n\n# California Notes\nI had told Jann Wenner of Rolling Stone that I would cover the Patty Hearst trial, and this pushed me into examining my thoughts about California. Some of my notes from the time follow here. I never wrote the piece about the Hearst trial, but I went to San Francisco in 1976 while it was going on and tried to report it. And I got quite involved in uncovering my own mixed emotions. This didn't lead to my writing the piece, but eventually it led to\u2014years later\u2014Where I Was From (2003).\n\nWhen I was there for the trial, I stayed at the Mark. And from the Mark, you could look into the Hearst apartment. So I would sit in my room and imagine Patty Hearst listening to Carousel. I had read that she would sit in her room and listen to it. I thought the trial had some meaning for me\u2014because I was from California. This didn't turn out to be true.\nThe first time I was ever on an airplane was in 1955, and flights had names. This one was _The Golden Gate,_ American Airlines. Serving Transcontinental Travelers Between San Francisco and New York. A week before, twenty-one years old, I had been moping around Berkeley in my sneakers and green raincoat, and now I was a Transcontinental Traveler, Lunching Aloft on Beltsville Roast Turkey with Dressing and Giblet Sauce. I believed in Dark Cottons. I believed in Small Hats and White Gloves. I believed that Transcontinental Travelers did not wear white shoes in the City. The next summer I went back on _The New Yorker,_ United Airlines, and had a Martini-on-the-Rocks and Stuffed Celery au Roquefort over the Rockies.\n\nThe image of the Golden Gate is very strong in my mind. As unifying images go, this one is particularly vivid.\n\nAt the _Sacramento Union_ I learned that Eldorado County and Eldorado City are so spelled but that regular usage of El Dorado is two words; to UPPERCASE Camellia Week, the Central Valley, Sacramento Irrigation District, Liberator bombers and Superfortresses, the Follies Bergere [ _sic_ ], the Central Valley Project, and \"such nicknames as Death Row, Krauts or Jerries for Germans, Doughboys, Leathernecks, Devildogs.\"\n\n> # Arden School class prophecy:\n> \n> In Carnegie Hall we find Shirley Long\n> \n> Up on the stage singing a song.\n> \n> Acting in pictures is Arthur Raney's job,\n> \n> And he is often followed by a great mob.\n> \n> As a model Yavette Smith has achieved fame,\n> \n> Using \"Bubbles\" as her nickname...\n> \n> We find Janet Haight working hard as a missionary,\n> \n> Smart she is and uses a dictionary...\n> \n> We find Joan Didion as a White House resident\n> \n> Now being the first woman president.\n\nLooking through the evidence I find what seems to me now (or rather seemed to me then) an entirely spurious aura of social success and achievement. I seem to have gotten my name in the paper rather a lot. I seem to have belonged to what were in context the \"right\" clubs. I seem to have been rewarded, out of all proportion to my generally undistinguished academic record, with an incommensurate number of prizes and scholarships (merit scholarships only: I did not qualify for need) and recommendations and special attention and very probably the envy and admiration of at least certain of my peers. Curiously, I only remember failing, failures and slights and refusals.\n\nI seem to have gone to dances and been photographed in pretty dresses, and also as a pom-pom girl. I seem to have been a bridesmaid rather a lot. I seem always to have been \"the editor\" or \"the president.\"\n\nI believed that I would always go to teas.\n\nThis is not about Patricia Hearst. It is about me and the peculiar vacuum in which I grew up, a vacuum in which the Hearsts could be quite literally king of the hill.\n\nI have never known deprivation.\n\n\"How High the Moon,\" Les Paul and Mary Ford. _High Noon._\n\n\u2014\n\nI have lived most of my life under misapprehensions of one kind or another. Until I was in college I believed that my father was \"poor,\" that we had no money, that pennies mattered. I recall being surprised the first time my small brother ordered a dime rather than a nickel ice cream cone and no one seemed to mind.\n\nMy grandmother, who was in fact poor, spent money: the Lilly Dach\u00e9 and Mr. John hats, the vicu\u00f1a coats, the hand-milled soap and the $60-an-ounce perfume were to her the necessities of life. When I was about to be sixteen she asked me what I wanted for my birthday and I made up a list (an Ultra-Violet lipstick, some other things), meaning for her to pick one item and surprise me: she bought the list. She gave me my first grown-up dress, a silk jersey dress printed with pale blue flowers and jersey petals around the neckline. It came from the Bon March\u00e9 in Sacramento, and I knew what it cost ($60) because I had seen it advertised in the paper. I see myself making many of the same choices for my daughter.\n\nAt the center of this story there is a terrible secret, a kernel of cyanide, and the secret is that the story doesn't matter, doesn't make any difference, doesn't figure. The snow still falls in the Sierra. The Pacific still trembles in its bowl. The great tectonic plates strain against each other while we sleep and wake. Rattlers in the dry grass. Sharks beneath the Golden Gate. In the South they are convinced that they have bloodied their place with history. In the West we do not believe that anything we do can bloody the land, or change it, or touch it.\n\nHow could it have come to this?\n\nI am trying to place myself in history.\n\nI have been looking all my life for history and have yet to find it.\n\nThe resolutely \"colorful,\" anecdotal quality of San Francisco history. \"Characters\" abound. It puts one off.\n\nIn the South they are convinced that they are capable of having bloodied their land with history. In the West we lack this conviction.\n\nBeautiful country burn again.\n\nThe sense of not being up to the landscape.\n\nThere in the Ceremonial Courtroom a secular mass was being offered.\n\n\u2014\n\nI see now that the life I was raised to admire was infinitely romantic. The clothes chosen for me had a strong element of the Pre-Raphaelite, the medieval. Muted greens and ivories. Dusty roses. (Other people wore powder blue, red, white, navy, forest green, and Black Watch plaid. I thought of them as \"conventional,\" but I envied them secretly. I was doomed to unconventionality.) Our houses were also darker than other people's, and we favored, as a definite preference, copper and brass that had darkened and greened. We also let our silver darken carefully in all the engraved places, \"to bring out the pattern.\" To this day I am disturbed by highly polished silver. It looks \"too new.\"\n\nThis predilection for \"the old\" carried into all areas of our domestic life: dried flowers were seen to have a more lasting charm than fresh, prints should be faded, a wallpaper should be streaked by the sun before it looks right. As decorative touches went, our highest moment was the acquisition of a house (we, the family, moved into it in 1951 at 22nd and T in Sacramento) in which the curtains had not been changed since 1907. Our favorite curtains in this house were gold silk organza on a high window on the stairwell. They hung almost two stories, billowed iridescently with every breath of air, and crumbled at the touch. To our extreme disapproval, Genevieve Didion, our grandmother, replaced these curtains when she moved into the house in the late 1950s. I think of those curtains still, and so does my mother (domestic design).\n\nOriental leanings. The little ebony chests, the dishes. Maybeck houses. Mists. The individual raised to mystic level, mysticism with no religious basis.\n\n\u2014\n\nWhen I read Gertrude Atherton* I recognize the territory of the subtext. The assemblies unattended, the plantations abandoned\u2014in the novels as in the dreamtime\u2014because of high and noble convictions about slavery. Maybe they had convictions, maybe they did not, but they had also worked out the life of the farm. In the novels as well as the autobiography of Mrs. Atherton we see a provincial caste system at its most malign. The pride in \"perfect taste,\" in \"simple frocks.\"\n\nIn the autobiography, page 72, note Mrs. Atherton cutting snakes in two with an axe.\n\nWhen I read Gertrude Atherton I think not only of myself but of Patricia Hearst, listening to _Carousel_ in her room on California Street.\n\nThe details of the Atherton life appear in the Atherton fiction, or the details of the fiction appear in the autobiography: it is difficult to say which is the correct construction. The beds of Parma violets at the Atherton house dissolve effortlessly into the beds of Parma violets at Maria Ballinger-Groome Abbott's house in Atherton's _The Sisters-in-Law._ Gertrude's mother had her three-day \"blues,\" as did one of the characters in _Sleeping Fires._ Were there Parma violets at the Atherton house? Did Gertrude's mother have three-day blues?\n\nWhen I contrast the houses in which I was raised, in California, to admire, with the houses my husband was raised, in Connecticut, to admire, I am astonished that we should have ever built a house together.\n\nClimbing Mount Tamalpais in Marin County, a mystical ideal. I never did it, but I did walk across the Golden Gate Bridge, wearing my first pair of high-heeled shoes, bronze kid De Liso Debs pumps with three-inch heels. Crossing the Gate was, like climbing Tamalpais, an ideal.\n\nCorte Madera. Head cheese. Eating apricots and plums on the rocks at Stinson Beach.\n\nUntil I read Gertrude Atherton I had never seen the phrase \"South of Market\" used exactly the way my grandmother, my mother, and I had always used it. Edmund G. \"Pat\" Brown was South of Market.\n\nMy father and brother call it \"Cal\" (i.e., the University of California at Berkeley). They were fraternity men, my father a Chi Phi, my brother a Phi Gamma Delta. As a matter of fact I belonged to a house too, Delta Delta Delta, but I lived in that house for only two of the four years I spent at Berkeley.\n\nThere used to be a point I liked on the Malibu Canyon road between the San Fernando Valley and the Pacific Ocean, a point from which one could see what was always called \"the Fox sky.\" Twentieth Century-Fox had a ranch back in the hills there, not a working ranch but several thousand acres on which westerns were shot, and \"the Fox sky\" was simply that: the Fox sky, the giant Fox sky scrim, the Big Country backdrop.\n\n\u2014\n\nBy the time I started going to Hawaii, the Royal Hawaiian was no longer the \"best\" hotel in Honolulu, nor was Honolulu the \"smart\" place to vacation in Hawaii, but Honolulu and the Royal Hawaiian had a glamour for California children who grew up as I did. Little girls in Sacramento were brought raffia grass skirts by returning godmothers. They were taught \"Aloha 'Oe\" at Girl Scout meetings, and to believe that their clumsiness would be resolved via mastery of the hula. For dances, later, they wanted leis, and if not leis, bracelets of tiny orchids, \"flown in\" from Honolulu. I recall \"flown in\" as a common phrase of my adolescence in Sacramento, just \"flown in,\" the point of origin being unspoken, and implicit. The \"luau,\" locally construed as a barbecue with leis, was a favored entertainment. The \"lanai\" replaced the sunporch in local domestic architecture. The romance of all things Hawaiian colored my California childhood, and the Royal Hawaiian seemed to stand on Waikiki as tangible evidence that this California childhood had in fact occurred.\n\nI have had on my desk since 1974 a photograph that I cut from a magazine just after Patricia Campbell Hearst was kidnapped from her Berkeley apartment. This photograph appeared quite often around that time, always credited to Wide World, and it shows Patricia Hearst and her father and one of her sisters at a party at the Burlingame Country Club. In this photograph it is six or seven months before the kidnapping, and the three Hearsts are smiling for the camera, Patricia, Anne, and Randolph.\n\nThe father is casual but festive\u2014light coat, dark shirt, no tie; the daughters flank him in long flowered dresses. They are all wearing leis, father and daughters alike, leis quite clearly \"flown in\" for the evening. Randolph Hearst wears two leis, one of maile leaves and the other of orchids strung in the tight design the lei-makers call \"Maunaloa.\" The daughters each wear pikake leis, the rarest and most expensive kind of leis, strand after strand of tiny Arabian jasmine buds strung like ivory beads.\n\n\u2014\n\nSometimes I have wanted to know what my grandmother's sister, May Daly, screamed the day they took her to the hospital, for it concerned me, she had fixed on me, sixteen, as the source of the terror she sensed, but I have refrained from asking. In the long run it is better not to know. Similarly, I do not know whether my brother and I said certain things to each other at three or four one Christmas morning or whether I dreamed it, and have not asked.\n\nWe are hoping to spend part of every summer together, at Lake Tahoe. We are hoping to reinvent our lives, or I am.\n\nThe San Francisco Social Register. When did San Francisco become a city with a Social Register? How did this come about? The social ambitiousness of San Francisco, the way it has always admired titles, even bogus titles.\n\nAll my life I have been reading these names and I have never known who they were or are. Who, for example, is Lita Vietor?\n\nC. Vann Woodward: \"Every self-conscious group of any size fabricates myths about its past: about its origins, its mission, its righteousness, its benevolence, its general superiority.\" This has not been exactly true in San Francisco.\n\n# SOME WOMEN:\n\nGertrude Atherton\n\nJulia Morgan\n\nLillie Coit\n\nJessica Peixotto\n\nDolly Fritz MacMasters Cope\n\nLita Vietor\n\nPhoebe Apperson Hearst\n\nPatricia Campbell Hearst\n\nJessie Benton Fr\u00e9mont\n\nPart of it is simply what looks right to the eye, sounds right to the ear. I am at home in the West. The hills of the coastal ranges look \"right\" to me, the particular flat expanse of the Central Valley comforts my eye. The place names have the ring of real places to me. I can pronounce the names of the rivers, and recognize the common trees and snakes. I am easy here in a way that I am not easy in other places.\n\n* * *\n\n* Gertrude Atherton (1857\u20131948) was born in San Francisco and became a prolific and at times controversial writer of novels, short stories, essays, and articles on subjects that included feminism, politics, and war. Many of her novels are set in California.\n\n# A Note About the Author\n\nJoan Didion was born in California and lives in New York. She is the author of five novels, nine previous books of nonfiction, and a play.\n\n# _What's next on \nyour reading list?_\n\n[Discover your next \ngreat read!](http:\/\/links.penguinrandomhouse.com\/type\/prhebooklanding\/isbn\/9781524732806\/display\/1)\n\n* * *\n\nGet personalized book picks and up-to-date news about this author.\n\nSign up now.\n 1. Cover\n 2. Other Titles\n 3. Title Page\n 4. Copyright\n 5. Contents\n 6. Dedication\n 7. Foreword by Nathaniel Rich\n 8. Notes on the South\n 9. California Notes\n 10. A Note About the Author\n\n 1. Cover\n 2. Cover\n 3. Title Page\n 4. Contents\n 5. Start\n\n 1. d\n 2. iii\n 3. iv\n 4. v\n 5. ix\n 6. x\n 7. xi\n 8. xii\n 9. xiii\n 10. xiv\n 11. xv\n 12. xvi\n 13. xvii\n 14. xviii\n 15. xix\n 16. xx\n 17. \n 18. \n 19. \n 20. \n 21. \n 22. \n 23. \n 24. \n 25. \n 26. \n 27. \n 28. \n 29. \n 30. \n 31. \n 32. \n 33. \n 34. \n 35. \n 36. \n 37. \n 38. \n 39. \n 40. \n 41. \n 42. \n 43. \n 44. \n 45. \n 46. \n 47. \n 48. \n 49. \n 50. \n 51. \n 52. \n 53. \n 54. \n 55. \n 56. \n 57. \n 58. \n 59. \n 60. \n 61. \n 62. \n 63. \n 64. \n 65. \n 66. \n 67. \n 68. \n 69. \n 70. \n 71. \n 72. \n 73. \n 74. \n 75. \n 76. \n 77. \n 78. \n 79. \n 80. \n 81. \n 82. \n 83. \n 84. \n 85. \n 86. \n 87. \n 88. \n 89. \n 90. \n 91. \n 92. \n 93. \n 94. \n 95. \n 96. \n 97. \n 98. \n 99. \n 100. \n 101. \n 102. \n 103. \n 104. \n 105. \n 106. \n 107. \n 108. \n 109. \n 110. \n 111. \n 112. \n 113. \n 114. \n 115. \n 116. \n 117. \n 118. \n 119. \n 120. \n 121. \n 122. \n 123. \n 124. \n 125. \n 126. \n 127. \n 128. \n 129. \n 130. \n 131. \n 132. \n 133. \n 134. \n 135. \n 136. \n 137.\n\n","meta":{"redpajama_set_name":"RedPajamaBook"}} +{"text":"\n\n**Begin Reading**\n\nTable of Contents\n\nA Preview of _Downfall_\n\nNewsletters\n\nCopyright Page\n\nIn accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author's intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at permissions@hbgusa.com. Thank you for your support of the author's rights.\n_For Peter Ginsberg_\n\n# FRIDAY\n\n## MARCH 11\n\n#\n\nTHE PHONE AWOKE EVAN CASHER, and he knew something was wrong. No one who knew him ever called this early. He opened his eyes. He reached across the bed for Carrie but she was gone, and her side of the bed was cool. A note, folded, on the pillow. He reached for it but the phone continued its insistent shrill, so he answered.\n\n\"Hello.\"\n\nHis mother said, \"Evan. I need you to come home. Right now.\" She spoke in a low whisper.\n\nHe fumbled for the bedside lamp. \"What's the matter?\"\n\n\"Not over the phone. I'll explain when you get here.\"\n\n\"Mom, get real, it's a two-and-a-half-hour drive. Just tell me what's wrong.\"\n\n\"Evan. Please. Just come home.\"\n\n\"Is Dad all right?\" His father, a computer consultant, had left Austin three days ago for a job in Australia. He made databases dance and sing for big companies and governments. Australia. Long flights. Evan had a sudden vision of a plane, scattered across the outback or Sydney Harbor, ripped metal, smoke rising. \"What's happened?\"\n\n\"I just need you here, okay?\" Calm but insistent.\n\n\"Mom, please. Not until you tell me what's going on.\"\n\n\"I said not on the phone.\" She fell silent, he said nothing, and the uncomfortable tension of an unexpected standoff rose for ten long seconds until she broke it. \"Did you have a lot of work to do today, sweetheart?\"\n\n\"Just edits on _Bluff._ \"\n\n\"Then bring your computer with you, you can work here. But I need you here. Now.\"\n\n\"What's the big deal about not telling me?\"\n\n\"Evan.\" He heard his mother take a steadying breath. \"Please.\"\n\nThe naked, almost frightening neediness\u2014a tone he had never heard in his mother's voice\u2014made her sound like a stranger to him. \"Um, okay, Mom, I can leave in an hour or so.\"\n\n\"Sooner. As soon as possible.\"\n\n\"All right then, in like fifteen minutes or so.\"\n\n\"Hurry, Evan. Just pack and come as fast as you can.\"\n\n\"Okay.\" He fought down a rising panic.\n\n\"Thank you for not asking questions right now,\" she said. \"I love you and I'll see you soon, and I'll explain everything.\"\n\n\"I love you, too.\"\n\nHe put the phone back in the cradle, a little disoriented with the shock of how the day had started. Now wasn't the time to tell his mother that he was in love. Seriously, crazily in Romeo-and-Juliet love.\n\nHe opened the note. It simply said, _Thanks for a great evening. I'll call you later. Had early morning errands. C._\n\nHe got in the shower and wondered if he'd blown it last night. _I love you_ , he'd told Carrie, when they lay spent in the sheets. The words rose to his mouth without thought or effort, because if he'd weighed the consequences, he would have kept his mouth shut. He never said the L word first. Before, he had told only one woman he loved her, and that had been his last girlfriend, hungry for his reassurance, and he'd said it because he thought it might be true. But last night was different. No _might_ or _maybe_ ; he knew with certainty. Carrie lying next to him, her breath tickling his throat, her fingernail tracing a line along his eyebrow and she looked so beautiful, and he said the big three words and they felt as true in his heart as anything he had ever known.\n\nPain flared in her eyes when he spoke and he thought, _I should have waited. She doesn't believe it because we're in bed._ But she kissed him and said, \"Don't love me.\"\n\n\"Why not?\"\n\n\"I'm trouble. Nothing but trouble.\" But she held him tight, as though she were afraid he would be the one to vanish.\n\n\"I love trouble.\" He kissed her again.\n\n\"Why? Why would you love me?\"\n\n\"What's not to love?\" He kissed her forehead. \"You have a great brain.\" He kissed between her eyes. \"You see the beauty in everything.\" He kissed her mouth and grinned. \"You always know the right thing to say... unlike me.\"\n\nShe kissed him back and they made love again, and when they were done, she said, \"Three months. You can't really know me.\"\n\n\"I'll never know you. We never know another person as much as we like to pretend.\"\n\nShe smiled, snuggled up close to him, pressed her face to his chest, put her mouth close to his beating heart. \"I love you, too.\"\n\n\"Look at me and say it.\"\n\n\"I'll say it here to your heart.\" A tear trickled from her cheek to his chest.\n\n\"What's wrong?\"\n\n\"Nothing. Nothing. I'm happy.\" Carrie kissed him. \"Go to sleep, baby.\"\n\nAnd he did, and now, in the hard light of day, she was gone, the whispers and the promises gone with her. And this distant note. But maybe this was for the best. She was nervous. And the last complication he needed was explaining a mysterious family disaster.\n\nHe tried Carrie's cell phone. Left her a voice mail: \"Babe, I've got a family emergency, I've got to go to Austin. Call me when you get this.\" He thought, _I shouldn't say it again, it scared her off_ , but he said, \"I love you and I'll talk to you soon.\"\n\nEvan tried his father's cell phone. No answer. Not even voice mail picking up. But his dad's phone might not connect in Australia. He put the plane-crash scenario out of his mind. He followed his clockwork morning regimen: fired up his computer, checked his to-do list, checked his news feed: no disasters reported in Australia. Perhaps this was a disaster on a smaller scale. Cancer. Divorce. The thought dried his throat.\n\nHe clicked on his e-mail, shot off a message to his dad saying, _Call me ASAP_ , then downloaded his e-mails. His in-box held an invitation to speak at a film conference in Atlanta; e-mails from two other documentary filmmakers who were friends of his; a pile of music files and a couple of his mother's latest digital photos, all sent by her late last night. He synced the music to his digital player; he'd listen to the songs in the car. Mom thrived on obscure bands and tunes, and she'd found three great songs for his earlier movies. He checked to be sure he had all the footage he needed to edit for his nearly completed documentary on the professional poker circuit. Made sure that he had the raw notes for a talk he was supposed to give at the University of Houston next week. He slid his laptop, his digital music player, and his digital camcorder into his backpack. Evan packed a bag with a weekend's worth of clothes his mother hated for him to wear: old bowling shirts, worn khakis, tennis shoes a year past their prime.\n\nHis watch said seven fifteen. It was not quite a three-hour drive from Houston to Austin.\n\nEvan locked the door behind him and headed to his car. This wasn't the day he had planned. He fought his way through the morning snarl of Houston traffic, listening to the music his mother had sent last night. He wanted Spanish-flavored electronic funk for the opening scenes of his poker-player documentary, and no songs he'd heard yet sounded right, but this music was perfect, full of drama and energy.\n\nHe tapped his fingers to the beat as he drove and kept waiting for his cell to ring, his father or Carrie calling, his mom calling to say all was suddenly fine, but his phone stayed silent all the way to Austin.\n\n#\n\nHIS MOTHER'S FRONT DOOR WAS LOCKED. Mom kept her photography studio out in a garage apartment, and he decided she must have retreated to the comfort of film, primer, and solitude.\n\nHe unlocked the door with his key and stepped inside. \"Mom?\" he called out. No answer.\n\nHe walked toward the back of the house, toward the kitchen. He had bought his mom her favorite treats, peach pastries from a bakery she adored on the way from Houston, and he wanted to put up the food before he headed to her studio.\n\nEvan turned the corner and saw his mother lying dead on the kitchen floor.\n\nHe froze. He opened his mouth but did not scream. The world around him went thick with the sound of his own blood pounding in his throat, in his temples. The sack of peach pastries tumbled to the floor, followed by his duffel bag.\n\nHe took two stumbling steps toward her. Her throat was puffed and savaged, her tongue distended, and the kitchen air held the unmistakable stink of death. He saw a silver gleam of wire wrapped around her throat.\n\nAn empty kitchen-table chair stood next to her, as though she might have been sitting in it before she died.\n\nEvan made a low moan in his throat, knelt by his mother, brushed a tangle of her graying hair from her face. Her eyes were wide and swollen, unseeing.\n\n\"Oh, Mom.\" He put his fingers over her lips: stillness. Her skin was still warm.\n\n\"Mom, Mom!\" His voice rose in grief and horror. Evan stood. A wave of dizziness buckled his legs. The police. He had to call the police. He staggered around her body to the kitchen counter, where her breakfast still sat: a coffee cup with a lipsticked edge, a plate dotted with plum-jelly drips and a scattering of English-muffin crumbs. Evan reached for the phone with a shaking hand.\n\nMetal hammered the back of his head. He dropped to his knees, his teeth biting into his tongue, the tang of blood in his mouth. The world started to crumple into dark.\n\nA gun pressed against the back of his head; the perfect circle of the barrel was cool in his hair. A nylon rope looped over his head and tightened around his throat with a yank. He tried to jerk away but the gun cracked hard against his temple.\n\n\"Be still,\" a voice said. \"Or you're dead.\" It was a young man's voice. Amused, saying _dead_ in a cruel singsong. _Day-ed._\n\nHands grabbed his duffel bag from the edge of the kitchen, pulled it out of his line of vision. A robbery.\n\n\"Just take it,\" Evan whispered. \"Just take it and go.\" He heard the rustle of rummaging: his computer, his camera, being removed from the bag. His laptop's powering-up chime sounded, louder than his own ragged breathing. Then long seconds of silence, fingers tapping on a keyboard.\n\n\"What do you want?\" he heard himself ask.\n\nNo answer.\n\n\"My mom, you killed my mom\u2014\"\n\n\"Hush now.\" The gun kept Evan's face tilted forward, almost touching his mother's dead jaw. Evan wanted to twist around, see the man's face, but he couldn't. The noose tightened, pulling savagely into Evan's throat.\n\n\"Got it,\" another voice said. Male, older than the first. Arrogant, cool baritone. Then the whisper of fingers on keyboard. \"All gone.\"\n\nEvan heard a pop of chewing gum close to his ear. \"Can I now?\"\n\n\"Yes,\" the other said. \"It's just a shame.\"\n\nSteel cracked against Evan's head. Black circles exploded before his eyes, edging out his mother's blank, dead stare.\n\nEvan awoke. Dying.\n\nHe couldn't breathe because the rope scorched his throat and his feet danced in empty space. A plastic trash bag covered his head, making the world milky gray and indistinct. He grabbed at the rope, choked out a cry as the noose strangled him.\n\n\"You took breathing for granted, didn't you now, sunshine?\" The younger man's voice, cold and mocking.\n\nEvan kicked his feet. The countertop, the chair, had to be there to take his weight, to save him. He scissored his legs with what strength he had left because there was nothing else he could do.\n\n\"Kick twice if it hurts bad,\" the younger voice said. \"I'm curious.\"\n\nAnd a blast filled his world. Shattering glass. Gunfire. A second of silence. Then the younger man yelling and screaming.\n\nThe rope swung. Evan attempted to inch his fingers under the choking, killing cord. Then another rattle of gunfire boomed huge in his ears and he fell, hit the floor, plaster and splintered wood dusting him. The loose length of the gunshot-torn rope landed across his face.\n\nHe tried to breathe. Nothing. Nothing. Breathing was a forgotten skill, a trick that Evan no longer knew. Then his chest hitched with sweet air. Drinking in oxygen, drinking in life. His throat hurt as if it had been skinned from the inside.\n\nEvan heard another eruption of shots, the sound of weight crashing into shrubbery outside the windows.\n\nThen an awful silence.\n\nEvan tore the plastic bag free from his face. He blinked, spat blood and bile from his mouth. A hand touched his shoulder, fingers prodded at him.\n\n\"Evan?\"\n\nHe looked up. A man stared down at him. Pale, bald, tall. Around his father's age, early fifties.\n\n\"They're gone, Evan,\" Bald said. \"Let's go.\"\n\n\"Ca-call...\" Every syllable was fire in his mouth. \"Call... police. My... mother. He...\"\n\n\"You got to come with me,\" Bald said. \"You can't stay here. They'll be hunting you now.\"\n\nEvan shook his head.\n\nBald reached down, worked the broken rope off Evan's neck, hauled him to his feet, herded him away from his mother's body.\n\n\"I'm a friend of your mom's,\" Bald said. He held a wicked-looking shotgun. \"Gonna get you out of here.\"\n\nEvan had never seen him before. \"My mother. The police. Call the police. There was a man... or two...\"\n\n\"They're gone. We'll call the police,\" Bald said. \"Just not here.\" He propelled Evan fast toward the back door with a shove to his back.\n\n\"Who are you?\" Evan said, fighting the panic rising in his chest. A man he didn't know, with a big gun, who didn't want him to call the police.\n\n\"We'll talk later. Can't stay. I need your\u2014\" But he didn't finish, as Evan left-hooked Bald's jaw, without analysis or grace, his muscles still primed with fear and grief. Bald stumbled back, and Evan ran out the front door he'd left unlocked.\n\n\"Evan, stop! Come here!\" Bald yelled.\n\nEvan bolted into the damp spring air. The pounding of his sneakered feet against the asphalt was the only sound in the quiet of the oak-shaded neighborhood. He glanced behind him. Bald sprinted from the house. Shotgun in one hand, Evan's yellow duffel in the other, jumping into a weathered blue Ford sedan parked on the street.\n\nEvan tore across the graceful yards, expecting a bullet to shatter his spine or his head. He saw an open garage door and veered into the yard. _Please, be home._ He jumped onto the front porch, leaned against the bell, pounded the door, shouting to call 911.\n\nThe blue Ford sped past him.\n\nAn elderly man with a military burr opened the door, cordless phone already in hand.\n\nEvan ran back into the yard, yelling at the neighbor to call the police, trying to catch the Ford's plates.\n\nBut the car was gone.\n\n#\n\nWALK ME THROUGH THIS MORNING one more time,\" the homicide detective said. His name was Durless. He had a kind, thin face, with the gaunt healthiness of a long-distance runner. \"If you can, son.\"\n\nThe investigators had kept Evan away from the kitchen, but had brought him back into the house so he could identify anything that was out of place or missing. He stood now in his parents' bedroom. It was a wreck. Four suitcases lay thrown against the wall, all opened, their contents spilled across the floor. They didn't belong here. But his mother's favorite photos, which did belong on the walls, lay ruined and trampled on the carpet. He stared at the pictures behind the spiderwebs of smashed glass: the Gulf of Mexico orange with sunrise, the solitude of a gnarled oak on an empty expanse of prairie, London's Trafalgar Square, lights shaded by falling snow. Her work. Broken. Her life. Gone. It could not be, yet it was; the absence of her seemed to settle into the house, into the air, into his bones.\n\n_You cannot afford shock right now. You have to help the police catch these guys. So have shock later. Snap out of it._\n\n\"Evan? Did you hear me?\" Durless said.\n\n\"Yes. I can do whatever you need me to do.\" Evan steadied himself. Sitting out on the driveway, crumpled with grief, he'd given the responding officer a description of Bald and his car. More officers had arrived and secured the house with practiced efficiency, strung crime-scene tape along the front door and the driveway, across the shattered kitchen window where Bald had fired his shotgun. Evan had sat on the cool of the cement and dialed his father, again and again. No answer. No voice mail. His father worked alone, as an independent consultant, no employees. Evan didn't know anyone he could call to help him locate his dad in Sydney.\n\nHe'd left a message for Carrie on her cell, tried her at her apartment. No answer.\n\nDurless had arrived, first interviewing the patrol officer and the ambulance crew who had responded to the initial call. He'd introduced himself to Evan and taken his initial statement, then asked him to come back into the house, escorting him to his mother's bedroom.\n\n\"Anything missing?\" Durless asked.\n\n\"No.\" And through the haze of shock Evan knelt by one opened suitcase: it lay choked with men's pressed khakis, button-downs, new leather loafers, and tennis shoes.\n\nAll in his sizes.\n\n\"Don't touch anything,\" Durless reminded him, and Evan yanked his hand back.\n\n\"I've never seen these suitcases or clothes before,\" he said. \"But this bag looks like she packed it for me.\"\n\n\"Where was she going?\"\n\n\"Nowhere. She was waiting for me here.\"\n\n\"But she had four packed bags. With clothes for you. And a gun packed in her bag.\" He pointed at a gun, tossed atop one of the clothes piles spilling from a suitcase.\n\n\"I can't explain it. Well, the gun looks like my dad's Glock. He uses it in target shootings. It's his hobby.\" Evan wiped his face. \"I used to shoot with him, but I'm not very good.\" He realized he was rambling and he shut up. \"Mom... must have not had a chance to get to the gun when the men came.\"\n\n\"She must have been afraid if she was packing your dad's gun.\"\n\n\"I just don't know.\"\n\n\"So. Let's go through it again. She called you this morning. Around seven.\"\n\n\"Yes.\" Evan again walked Durless through his mother's frantic phone call insisting he come home, his coming straight from Houston, the men attacking him. Trying to dredge up any detail that he'd forgotten in giving his initial account.\n\n\"These men that grabbed you in the kitchen\u2014you're sure there were two?\"\n\n\"I heard two voices. I'm sure.\"\n\n\"But you never saw their faces?\"\n\n\"No.\"\n\n\"And then another man came, shot at them, blasted the ceiling, cut you down from the rope. You saw his face.\"\n\n\"Yes.\" Evan rubbed a hand across his forehead. In his initial statement, still trembling with shock, he had said it was a bald man, but now he could do better. \"In his fifties. Thin mouth, very straight teeth. Mole on his\"\u2014Evan closed his eyes for a minute, picturing\u2014\"left cheek. Brown eyes, strong build. Ex-military, possibly. About six feet. He looked like he might be Latino. No accent in his voice. He wore black pants, a dark green T-shirt. No wedding ring. A steel watch. I can't tell you anything more about his car except it was a blue Ford sedan.\"\n\nDurless wrote down the additional details, handed them to another officer. \"Get the revised description on the wire,\" he said. The officer left. Durless raised an eyebrow. \"You have an exceptional eye for detail under stress.\"\n\n\"I'm better with pictures than words.\" Evan heard the low voices of the APD crime-scene team as they analyzed the carnage in the kitchen. He wondered if his mother's body was still in the house. It felt strange to stand in her room, see her clothes, her pictures, know she was dead now.\n\n\"Evan, let's talk about who would have wanted to hurt your mom,\" Durless said.\n\n\"No one. She was the nicest person you could imagine. Gentle. Funny.\"\n\n\"Had she mentioned being afraid, or threatened by anyone? Think. Take your time.\"\n\n\"No. Never.\"\n\n\"Anyone with a grudge against your family?\"\n\nThe idea seemed ridiculous, but Evan took a deep breath, thought about his parents' friends and associates, about his own. \"No. They argued with a neighbor last year about the guy's dog barking all night, but they settled it and the guy moved away.\" He gave Durless the name of the former neighbor. \"I can't think of anyone who wishes us ill. This has to be random.\"\n\n\"But the bald man saved you,\" Durless said. \"He, according to you, chased the killers off, called you by name, claimed he was a friend of your mom's, and tried to get you to leave with him. That's not random.\"\n\nEvan shook his head.\n\n\"I didn't get your dad's name,\" Durless said.\n\n\"Mitchell Eugene Casher. My mother is Donna Jane Casher. Did I tell you that already? Her name?\"\n\n\"You did, Evan, you did. Tell me about the relationship between your parents.\"\n\n\"They've always had a strong marriage.\"\n\nDurless stayed quiet. Evan couldn't bear the silence. The accusing silence.\n\n\"My dad had nothing to do with this. Nothing.\"\n\n\"Okay.\"\n\n\"My dad would never hurt his family, no way.\"\n\n\"Okay,\" Durless said again. \"But you see I have to ask.\"\n\n\"Yeah.\"\n\n\"How you get along with your folks?\"\n\n\"Fine. Great. We're all close.\"\n\n\"You said you were having trouble reaching your dad?\"\n\n\"He's not answering his cell phone.\"\n\n\"You got his itinerary in Australia?\"\n\nNow he remembered. \"Mom usually keeps it on the refrigerator.\"\n\n\"That's great, Evan, that's a help.\"\n\n\"I just want to help you get whoever did this. You have to get them. You have to.\" His voice started to shake and he steadied himself. He rubbed at the raw rope burn on his neck.\n\nDurless said, \"When you talked to your mom, did she sound afraid? Like these guys were already here in the house?\"\n\n\"No. She didn't sound panicked. Just emotional. Like she had bad news to tell me, but didn't want to tell me over the phone.\"\n\n\"You talk to her yesterday, or the day before? Tell me about her mental state then.\"\n\n\"Perfectly normal. She mentioned taking an assignment in China. She's a freelance travel photographer.\" He pointed at the cracked frames, the photos distorted under the broken glass. \"That's some of her work. Her favorites.\"\n\nDurless cast his gaze along London, the coast, the prairie. \"Places. Not people,\" he said.\n\n\"She likes places better than faces.\" It had been his mother's joke about her work. Tears crept to the corners of Evan's eyes, and he blinked. Willed them to vanish. He did not want to cry in front of this man. He dug fingernails into his palms. He listened to the snap of cameras in the kitchen, the soft murmurs of the crime-scene team working the room, breaking down the worst nightmare for his family into jotted statistics and chemical tests.\n\n\"You have brothers or sisters?\"\n\n\"No. No other family at all.\"\n\n\"What time did you get here? Tell me again.\"\n\nHe looked at his watch. The face was broken, hands frozen at 10:34. It must have happened when he fell as the rope broke. He showed the stopped watch to Durless. \"I didn't really notice the time. I was worried about my mom.\" He wanted the comfort of Carrie's arms, the reassurance of his father's voice. His world set to right.\n\nDurless spoke in a whisper to a police officer standing in the doorway, who left. Then he gestured at the luggage. \"Let's talk about these bags she had packed, for both of you.\"\n\n\"I don't know. Maybe she was going to Australia. To see my dad.\"\n\n\"So she begs you to come home, but she's getting ready to leave. With a suitcase for you, and with a gun.\"\n\n\"I... I can't explain it.\" Evan wiped his arm across his nose.\n\n\"Maybe this crisis was all a ruse to get you home for a surprise trip.\"\n\n\"She wouldn't scare me for no good reason.\"\n\nDurless tapped his pen against his chin. \"And you were in Houston last night.\"\n\n\"Yes,\" Evan said. Wondering if now he was being asked for an alibi. \"My girlfriend stayed with me. Carrie Lindstrom.\"\n\nDurless wrote down her name and Evan gave him her contact information, the name of the River Oaks dress shop where she worked, and her cell phone number.\n\n\"Evan. Help me get a clear picture. Two men grab you, hold you at gunpoint, but then don't shoot you, they try and hang you, and another man saves you but then tries to kidnap you and takes off when you run.\" Durless spoke with the air of a teacher walking a student through a thorny problem. He leaned forward. \"Help me find a line of thought to follow.\"\n\n\"I'm telling you the truth.\"\n\n\"I don't doubt you. But why not just shoot you? Why not shoot your mother, if they had guns?\"\n\n\"I don't know.\"\n\n\"You and your mother were targeted, and I really need your help to understand why.\"\n\nA memory crowded back into his head. \"When they had me on the floor... one of them started up my laptop. Typed on it.\"\n\nDurless called in another officer. \"Would you go find Mr. Casher's laptop, please?\"\n\n\"Why would they want anything on my computer?\" Evan heard the hysteria rising in his voice and fought it back down.\n\n\"You tell me. What's on it?\"\n\n\"Film footage, mostly. Video-editing programs.\"\n\n\"Footage?\"\n\n\"I'm a filmmaker. Documentaries.\"\n\n\"You're young to be making movies.\"\n\nEvan shrugged. \"I worked hard. I finished college a year early. I wanted to get into film school faster.\"\n\n\"More money-making blockbusters.\"\n\n\"I like telling stories about people. Not action heroes.\"\n\n\"Would I know any of your movies?\"\n\n\"Well, my first movie was about a military family who lost a son in Vietnam, then a grandson in Iraq. But people probably know me for _Ounce of Trouble_ , about a cop in Houston who framed an innocent man for a crime.\"\n\nDurless frowned. \"Yeah. I saw it on PBS. The cop killed himself.\"\n\n\"Yeah, once the police investigation into his activities started. It's sad.\"\n\n\"The guy he supposedly framed was a drug dealer. Not too innocent.\"\n\n\"Ex\u2013drug dealer who had served his time. He was out of the business when the cop came after him. And there was no supposedly about it.\"\n\nDurless stuck his pen back in his pocket. \"You don't think all cops are bad, do you?\"\n\n\"Absolutely not,\" Evan said. \"Look, I'm not a cop basher. Not at all.\"\n\n\"I didn't say you were.\"\n\nA different kind of tension filled the room.\n\n\"I'm very sorry about your mom, Mr. Casher,\" Durless said. \"I need you to come downtown with us to make a more detailed statement. And to talk to a sketch artist about this bald man.\"\n\nThe officer dispatched to retrieve the laptop stuck his head back in the door. \"There's no laptop out here.\"\n\nEvan blinked. \"Those men might have taken it. Or the bald guy.\" His voice started to rise. \"I don't understand any of this!\"\n\n\"Neither do I,\" said Durless. \"Let's go downtown and talk. Get you to work with an artist. I want to get a sketch of the bald man out on the news fast.\"\n\n\"Okay.\"\n\n\"We'll go in a minute, all right? I want to make a couple of quick calls.\"\n\n\"All right.\"\n\nDurless escorted Evan back outside. The local TV stations had arrived. More police. Neighbors, mostly stay-at-home moms, watching the activity, their children wide-eyed, the mothers keeping the kids all close.\n\nHe turned his back on the chaos. Tried his father again on his cell phone, no answer. He dialed Carrie's apartment. No answer. He dialed the dress shop where she worked.\n\n\"Maison Rouge, this is Jessica, how may I help you?\" Chirpy and cheery.\n\n\"Is Carrie Lindstrom in? I know she's not working until two, but\u2014\"\n\n\"I'm sorry,\" the woman said. \"Carrie called in and resigned this morning.\"\n\n#\n\nEVAN HAD NEVER FELT SO ALONE. A shiver took hold of him and he willed himself to calm down. He had to find Carrie and his father. He'd left messages for Carrie; surely she'd call back soon. Her quitting her job stunned him, and a sick twist roiled his gut. _She left you a note, she quit her job, maybe she doesn't want anything more to do with you._ He didn't want to consider the possibility. So he focused on finding his father. An itinerary, penned in his father's tight, precise handwriting, wasn't on the refrigerator in its usual spot, but he found it folded underneath the phone. The itinerary listed a number for the Blaisdell Hotel in Sydney.\n\n\"Mitchell Casher's room, please,\" Evan said to the clerk.\n\nThe night clerk\u2014it was almost four in the morning Sydney time\u2014was pleasant but firm. \"I'm sorry, sir, but we don't have a guest by that name.\"\n\n\"Please check again. C-A-S-H-E-R. Maybe they registered him wrong, put Mitchell as the last name.\"\n\nA pause. \"I'm very sorry, sir, we don't have a guest here named Mitchell Casher.\"\n\n\"Thanks.\" Evan hung up. He looked at Durless. \"He's not where he's supposed to be. I don't understand this at all.\"\n\nDurless took the itinerary. \"Let us find your dad, Evan. Let's get a statement and a description while your mind's fresh.\"\n\nFresh. _It's not likely I could ever forget_ , he thought. Evan leaned back, staring up at the smoke-colored clouds through the back windshield of the police cruiser as it drove away from his house. His mind whirled in a strange, panicked dance of logic and emotion. He wondered where he would spend the night. A hotel. He would have to call his family's friends; but both his parents, though successful, tended to keep their circle of acquaintances small. He would have to make funeral arrangements. He wondered how long it would take for the police to do an autopsy. He wondered at which church he should have his mother's funeral. He wondered how it had been for his mother. If she had known. If she had suffered. If she had been afraid. That was the worst. Maybe the killers had come up behind her, the way that they had on Evan. He hoped she never knew, never suffered a pitch-black terror overpowering her heart.\n\nHe closed his eyes. Tried to reason past the shock and grief. Otherwise he thought he might just break down. He needed a plan of attack. First, find his dad. Contact his dad's local clients, see if they knew whom he worked for in Australia. Second, find Carrie. Third... he closed his eyes. Make sense of the horror as to who wanted his mother dead.\n\n_But they looked on your computer. What if this isn't about her? What if it's about you?_ The thought chilled him, infuriated him, broke his heart in one swoop.\n\nThe police car, driven by a patrol officer who had been a responder to the initial 911 call, with Durless sitting in the front seat, turned out of the Cashers' quiet, bungalow-remodeled neighborhood onto Shoal Creek Boulevard, a long thoroughfare that snaked through central and north Austin.\n\n\"They staged the scene,\" Evan said, half to himself.\n\n\"What's that?\" Durless asked.\n\n\"Staged. I mean, the killers murdered my mother, then were hanging me to fake a suicide. So you, initially, would think that I killed her and then killed myself.\"\n\nDurless said, \"We would always look deeper than the surface.\"\n\n\"But it would be the first and most obvious theory.\"\n\nEvan's cell phone rang in his pocket. He answered it.\n\n\"Evan?\" It was Carrie.\n\n\"Carrie, I've been trying to find you\u2014\"\n\n\"Listen. You're in danger. Serious danger. You need to get your mother and come back to Houston. Immediately.\"\n\n\"My mother's dead, Carrie. She's dead.\"\n\n\"Evan. Oh, no. Where are you?\"\n\n\"With the police.\"\n\n\"Good. That's good. Stay with them. Babe, I am so sorry. So sorry.\"\n\n\"What danger?\" Her first words rang in his head. \"What do you know about this?\"\n\nSuddenly a car passed them, cut them off hard, forcing the patrol car into a manicured front lawn, a blue Ford sedan skidding to a stop, Durless yelling as the brakes threw him forward into the windshield. Evan wasn't buckled in, and the brake jam slammed him into the back of the front seat. He dropped the cell phone.\n\nHe looked through the front windshield, aware of Durless cussing, aware of the patrol cop opening the driver's-side door.\n\nOn the other side of the windshield, the bald-headed man got out of the blue Ford. Raised a shotgun. Aimed it right at Evan.\n\n#\n\nEVAN FUMBLED AT THE DOOR HANDLES. But he couldn't get out of the car; the locks were controlled from the front seat. The mesh and glass trapped him.\n\nThe young officer hit the pavement, crouching down as he swung open the door. Bald jumped onto the police car's hood, then roof, pivoted the shotgun in a blur, felled the policeman with two precise blows on the side of the head with the shotgun's butt stock. The officer crumpled. Bald jumped down from the hood and leveled the shotgun through the driver's door at Durless, who bled from a gash on his nose.\n\n\"That's him!\" Evan yelled. \"The guy from my house!\" He heard Carrie's voice calling his name, sounding tinny on the dropped phone.\n\n\"Hands where I can see them,\" Bald ordered in a voice of total calm. \"Don't be a hero.\"\n\nDurless raised his hands.\n\n\"Unlock Evan from the back.\"\n\n\"Durless, he's the guy!\"\n\nDurless threw himself out his door, and Bald vaulted over the cruiser, skidding across the hood. Durless landed on his back on the grass, freeing his service revolver in a smooth yank, firing. He missed. Bald slammed both feet onto Durless's chest, a brutally efficient blow that purpled Durless's face. Bald kicked away the service revolver onto the well-trimmed green of the yard.\n\nBald leaned down, nailed Durless with two sharp blows in the jaw.\n\nIt had taken all of ten seconds.\n\nEvan pivoted onto his back, kicked at the window. It was reinforced; the glass held.\n\n\"No need for that,\" Bald said. Evan scrambled off the seat onto the floor.\n\nBald leaned in the driver's side, studied the controls, and popped the back door locks.\n\nEvan leaned forward and pushed the passenger-side door open. But Bald already had the driver's-side door open, the shotgun nestled against Evan's back. Evan froze.\n\n\"You're coming with me,\" Bald said.\n\n\"Please, what do you want?\" Evan yelled.\n\n\"It's for your own safety. Come on.\"\n\nEvan was suddenly full of a determination not to go with this man. Bald had dispatched a much younger cop and Durless with shocking ease. The police might have heard the attack over the radio. Or Carrie, she might be calling 911 in Houston and reporting the attack. Or a busybody on this street might be peeking out his window, dialing for help. The cops might arrive at any second. \"No. I'm not going anywhere.\"\n\nBald said, \"I didn't kill these cops when I could've, you think I'm gonna kill you?\"\n\n\"Who are you?\" Evan spoke louder. Carrie might hear this conversation. He had to give her information to help him. \"What do you want with me?\"\n\n\"I want cooperation. You're dead in a day unless you come with me. I'll tell you everything. I promise. But you've got to come with me.\"\n\n\"No! Tell me what this is about. How do you know my mother?\"\n\n\"Later.\" Bald seized Evan by the hair and hauled him from the back of the car. Then Bald closed fingers around Evan's throat with a practiced hand, squeezing on the rope burn. Black circles widened in the air before Evan's eyes.\n\nBald jammed the shotgun's barrel up under Evan's jaw. \"I don't have time to coddle you.\"\n\nThe barrel was cold against his throat and Evan nodded.\n\nBald lowered the shotgun, shoved Evan toward his Ford. \"You drive. You disobey me, I shoot you in the leg. Cripple you for life.\"\n\nA passing car slowed\u2014a Lexus SUV, a mom driving, a teenage boy in the passenger seat, staring at the police car in the yard. Bald raised his hand\u2014the one not holding the shotgun\u2014in a friendly wave. The Lexus zoomed away.\n\n\"She'll call the cops. We got seconds,\" Bald said.\n\nEvan got in the driver's seat, his hands shaking. Bald slid in next to him. He rested the shotgun so that it aimed at Evan's thigh.\n\nEvan glimpsed the unconscious officers in the rearview. \"They're hurt.\"\n\n\"They're lucky they're breathing,\" Bald said.\n\n\"Let me check them, be sure they're all right. Please.\"\n\n\"No way. Go,\" Bald said, jabbing Evan with the shotgun. Evan drove the Ford off the curb, roared down Shoal Creek Boulevard.\n\n\"Turn east onto 2222,\" Bald said.\n\nEvan obeyed. \"What do you want with me?\"\n\n\"Listen carefully to me. I'm a good friend of your mom's and she asked me for help.\"\n\n\"I've never seen you before.\"\n\n\"You don't know me, but you also don't know about your parents.\"\n\n\"You know so much, tell me who killed my mother.\"\n\n\"A man named Jargo. Done on his orders.\"\n\n\"Why?\" Evan shouted.\n\n\"I can explain everything, once we're settled. We're going to a safe house. Turn right here.\"\n\nEvan veered south onto another major thoroughfare, Burnet Road. _Safe house._ A place where the hit men couldn't find you. Evan thought he'd stepped into a mobster movie. His guts clenched, his chest ached as if it were being wrung from muscle into string. \"Did you see their faces, can you identify them?\"\n\n\"I saw them. Both of them. I don't know if one is Jargo or if they just work for him.\" Bald glanced through the back of the window.\n\n\"Why would this Jargo kill my mother? Who is he?\"\n\n\"The worst man you can imagine. At least the worst I can imagine, and my imagination is pretty twisted-sick.\"\n\n\"Who are you?\"\n\n\"My name is Gabriel.\" Bald softened his tone. \"If I wanted you dead, I would have shot you back at your house. I'm on your side, I'm the good guy. But you must do what I say. Exactly. Trust me.\"\n\nEvan nodded but thought, _I don't know you and I don't trust you._\n\n\"Do you know where your father is?\" Gabriel asked.\n\n\"Sydney.\"\n\n\"No, where he really is.\"\n\nEvan shook his head. \"He's not in Sydney?\"\n\n\"Jargo may already have grabbed your father. Where are the files?\"\n\n\"Files? What are you talking about?\" Evan's voice broke in fury and frustration. He pounded the steering wheel. \"I don't have any stupid files! What do you mean, grabbed my dad? You mean he's been kidnapped?\"\n\n\"Think, Evan. Calm down. Your mother had a set of electronic files that are very important. I need them.\" Gabriel's voice softened. \" _We_ need them, you and I. To stop Jargo. To get your dad back safe and sound.\"\n\n\"I don't know anything.\" Tears burned in his eyes. \"I don't understand.\"\n\n\"Here's where you start trusting me. We need new wheels. That soccer mom's calling the cops, no doubt. Turn here.\"\n\nEvan drove into a shopping plaza that had been caught in the last economic downturn, half the storefronts empty, the others held by an Episcopal thrift shop, a used-books store, a taqueria, and a mom-and-pop office supplies store. A center on its last legs until the inevitable midtown gentrification.\n\n_But full of people_ , Evan thought. He could get away. Yell for help. The parking lot wasn't too crowded, but if Gabriel let him park close to a store, he could run into the shops.\n\n\"Show me you're smart.\" Gabriel gave Evan a cool stare. \"No running, no yelling for help. Because if you force my hand, someone gets hurt. I don't want it to be you.\"\n\n\"You said you're the good guy.\"\n\n\"Good is a relative concept in my line of work. Be still, shut up, and you'll be fine.\"\n\nEvan surveyed the parking lane. Two women, laughing, getting into a station wagon, carrying grease-spotted bags from the taqueria. An elderly woman with a cane hobbled toward the office supplies shop. Two black-togged twenty-year-olds window-shopped at the resale store.\n\n\"Don't test me, Evan,\" Gabriel said. \"None of these good folks need trouble today, do they?\"\n\nEvan shook his head.\n\n\"Park next to this beauty.\"\n\nEvan stopped the Ford next to an old gray Chevrolet Malibu. A sticker on the back window announced that a child was an honor student at a local high school.\n\n\"I didn't plan on your mother getting killed and me rescuing you from the police in a car that could be identified. Pop the hood, like we're jumping the battery.\" Gabriel stepped out of the Ford, fiddled at the Malibu's lock with a slim finger of metal, opened it, dove under the steering column for a fast hot-wiring.\n\n_Open the door. Get out and run. He's bluffing._\n\nEvan opened the door and Gabriel was back in the car, gun at Evan's ribs. \"What part of _don't_ do you not get? I told you not to force my hand. Shut the door.\"\n\nEvan closed the door.\n\nGabriel ducked back into the Malibu and put his head back under the wheel.\n\n_Leave a sign_ , Evan thought. He stared down at the wheel. His fingers. He pressed his fingertips against the steering wheel. Then forefinger and middle finger against the ashtray and the face of the radio. He didn't know what else to do; it was the only trace of himself he could think to leave.\n\nGabriel gestured him over with the gun. Evan got into the car, behind the steering wheel. The car smelled of a sun-spoiled milk shake, and the backseat held a stack of yellowing _Southern Living_ magazines.\n\nGabriel returned to the Ford and quickly wiped it down. Evan's heart sank. He watched Gabriel smear a cloth along the steering wheel, the doorknobs, the windows. He was fast and efficient.\n\nBut not the radio.\n\nGabriel left the Ford's keys in the ignition. He slid into the Malibu's passenger seat next to Evan, tossed out the leftover milk shake. Evan headed out of the lot, slow and casual, and merged into a steady stream of Burnet Road traffic.\n\nGabriel fished a baseball cap from where it rested on the backseat. He shoved it down hard on Evan's head. He stuck a pair of woman's sunglasses that had rested on the middle seat onto Evan's nose. \"Your face will be all over the news tonight.\" Gabriel's lips were a thin, pale line; Evan saw, for the first time, he'd left a rising bruise on Gabriel's jaw when he'd punched Gabriel at the house. \"I'd prefer no one be able to recognize you.\"\n\n\"Please listen to me. Really listen to me. My mom doesn't have your files, whatever it is you or this Jargo guy wants. This is a huge mistake.\"\n\n\"Evan, in your life, nothing is as it seems,\" Gabriel said softly.\n\nThe statement made no sense, but then it did. His mother, packing up bags for an extended secret trip. Her demand he return home immediately without explanation. His father not where he was supposed to be. Carrie, gone this morning, quitting her job, calling him and warning him back to Houston. _You're in danger. Serious danger._ Carrie. How would she know his life had crumbled into dust since last night?\n\n\"Get onto the highway here. Head south to 290. We'll go the back way.\"\n\nEvan eased onto MoPac, the major north-south highway on Austin's west side, pushed the speed up to sixty. Soon he switched to Highway 290, which fed into the rolling Hill Country west of Austin. Suburbia fell away and there was finally countryside, and Evan found the courage to speak. \"You said you'd explain the situation to me.\"\n\nGabriel watched the traffic, watched behind them.\n\n\"You promised me.\" Evan pushed the accelerator up to seventy. He was sick of being pushed around; a sudden awful rage burned into his skin.\n\n\"When we get settled.\"\n\n\"No. Now. Or I crash this car.\" He knew he would do it. At least take the car off the road, let Gabriel's side be torn up by the wire fencing marking property lines, render the Malibu undrivable.\n\nGabriel frowned, as though deciding whether to play along. \"Well, you might.\"\n\n\"I will.\"\n\n\"Your mother has certain files that would be devastating to certain people. Powerful people. Your mom wanted my help in getting out of the country in exchange for those files.\"\n\n\"Who? What people?\"\n\n\"It's best you not know specifics.\"\n\n\"I don't have these files.\" Evan rocketed past a pickup truck. Every day they handed out tickets along this highway; here he was speeding like a maniac, and he couldn't get a police officer's attention. Traffic was light and the few cars he raced behind politely moved over to the right lane.\n\n\"I think you do,\" Gabriel said, \"but you don't know it. Slow it down and drive steady if you want to know more.\" Gabriel nudged the shotgun into Evan's kidney.\n\n\"Tell me everything you know about my mom. Now.\" Evan floored the accelerator. \"Tell me, or we're both dead.\"\n\nThe last thing Evan saw was the speedometer inching past ninety as Gabriel slammed his fist into Evan's head, sending it smashing into the driver's window, and the world went black.\n\n#\n\nSTEVEN JARGO WAS KILLING MAD. He hated failure. It was a rare occurrence, but it haunted him longer than most men, and he despised the sensation of panic that was a misstep's inevitable partner in his world. Work went well or badly; a middle ground was only a theory. Panic was weakness, a lack of preparation and resolve, a poison for his heart. The last time he had been afraid was when he'd committed his first murder, but that terror soon dissipated, like smoke caught in a breeze.\n\nBut now he was scared and running, his hands scraped raw from sliding along the rooftop of the Casher house when gunfire had erupted in the kitchen while he was erasing the upstairs computer. He had dropped down to the cool of the yard, crashing into Donna Casher's rosebushes, thorns ripping at his hands, and seen Dezz running out the back door, heard the shriek of the bullets, and they had both retreated to their car parked one street away. The noise meant police, and the police always drove fastest in wealthier areas.\n\nJargo had rented an empty apartment in Austin yesterday, under a different name and for cash, and perhaps it wasn't safe but they had no other place to go.\n\n\"At least one of them.\" Dezz breathed hard as Jargo drove twenty miles over the limit to a quiet, faded neighborhood on the east side of town. \"Shaved head. Old like you. Mexican-looking. That's all I saw.\" Dezz dabbed at his head, reassuring himself that a bullet hadn't tweaked his skull. He jabbed a caramel in his mouth, chewed fast. \"Didn't recognize him. I saw a blue Ford on the street. License plate XXC, didn't see the rest. Texas plates.\"\n\n\"Did Evan take a bullet?\"\n\n\"Unknown. The attacker fired in his direction. He was almost dead from the rope. You erased the files on her system?\"\n\n\"She'd overwritten her system already. She wasn't leaving anything for us to find in case we showed up.\"\n\nDezz leaned against the car window. \"That guy scared the piss out of me. I see him again, he's dead.\" Then Dezz\u2014small but wiry, with a look in his eyes as if he always had a fever\u2014said, \"What do we do now, Dad?\"\n\n\"We fight back.\" Jargo parked at the condo, still watching the rearview to be sure they hadn't been followed.\n\n\"Evan didn't see us.\"\n\n\"But he had the files on his computer,\" Jargo said. \"He knows.\"\n\nThey hurried upstairs and Jargo made two phone calls. In the first he gave no greeting, just brief directions on how to drive to the apartment, heard a confirmation, then hung up. Then he called a woman who used the code name Galadriel. He employed a group of computer experts on his payroll, and he called them his elves for the magic they could work against servers and databases and codes. Galadriel\u2014the name came from Tolkien's queen of the elves\u2014was an ex-CIA computer expert. Jargo paid her ten times what the government had.\n\nHe fed Galadriel Dezz's description of the attacker and the blue Ford's plates, asked her to find a match in their databases. She said she'd call him back.\n\nJargo put antibacterial lotion on his scored hands and stood at the window, watching two young mothers walk in the sun, carrying their babies, indulging in idle gossip. Austin embraced this beautiful spring day, a day for watching pretty moms lift their faces to the sun, not a day for death and pain and everything in his world unraveling. He studied the street. No cars parked with occupants. Foot traffic heading to a local small grocery. He watched to see if anyone watched him.\n\nHe would have to call London in a moment. He had been lied to, and he wasn't happy. Then he would make the most difficult decision of his life.\n\n\"The files are gone,\" Dezz said. \"If Evan's alive, he can't hurt us.\"\n\n\"If Evan had them on his computer, I assume he saw them,\" Jargo said. \"He can name names. It's not a risk I'm willing to take.\"\n\nDezz sat on the couch in the condo, turning over his closed Game Boy in his hands. Not playing it. Three more caramels wadded in his cheek. Jargo saw Dezz was angry and nervous, the kill interrupted before it was done. Dezz would vent all that pent-up fury on the next weak person he encountered.\n\nHe sat next to Dezz. \"Calm down. We were right to run. It was an ambush.\"\n\n\"I'm wondering who let Mr. Shotgun know we were there.\" Dezz slid the blob of caramel from one side of his mouth to the other.\n\nJargo went to the kitchen, poured himself a glass of water. Evan resembled his mother, and that had made trying to kill him harder. Jargo thought about Donna Casher's once-lovely face, how he shouldn't have left her alone with Dezz for two minutes while he searched her computer, how he had said _I'm sorry_ to her after she was dead. Dezz needed more self-control.\n\n\"The suitcases make me believe his mother told him they had to run. The files being on his computer are the why they had to run. She had to light a fire under him, get him home fast. You should have taken his laptop.\"\n\nDezz opened up the Game Boy, twiddled the controls. Jargo let him, although he found the _ping-ping_ noise of the game annoying. The electronic opiate, the cheek full of candy, calmed the young man. \"Sorry. It meant getting shot. It doesn't matter, the files are gone.\"\n\n\"Evan talks to the police,\" Jargo said, \"and we're mortally wounded.\"\n\n\"He doesn't have proof. He didn't see our faces. They'll think it's a robbery interrupted.\"\n\nThe radio, tuned to local news, began a story about two police officers attacked and a witness in a morning homicide abducted from their custody. Dezz folded the Game Boy shut. The reporter said two officers were beaten and injured and gave a description of Evan Casher and a bald-headed assailant.\n\nJargo drummed a finger against his glass. \"Evan's alive and our friend let him speak to the police before snatching him back. I wonder why.\"\n\nDezz unwrapped another caramel.\n\nJargo slapped the candy from his hand. \"My theory is Donna knew she was in danger, and she hired protection. That's who attacked us.\" He gave Dezz a hard stare. \"You're sure she didn't spot you trailing her?\"\n\n\"No way. I was extremely careful.\"\n\n\"I told you not to underestimate her.\"\n\n\"I didn't. But if this guy's just hired muscle, why does he grab Evan back? The job's dead. No need for him to risk his neck.\"\n\nJargo frowned. \"That's a very good and a rather unsettling question, Dezz. Clearly he thinks Evan has something he wants.\"\n\nDezz blinked. \"So what do we tell Mitchell about his wife? Or do you just kill him and not bother with explanations?\"\n\n\"We tell him that we were too late to save her. That a hired gun killed her, kidnapped his boy. Mitchell will be devastated\u2014easy to manipulate.\"\n\nDezz shrugged. \"Fine. Next step?\"\n\n\"Consider who Donna might ask for help. That's the kidnapper. Find him, we find Evan, tell him we can take him straight to his father. That's the shortest distance between two points.\"\n\nA knock on the door. Three fast raps, then two slow. Dezz went to the door, his gun at the ready.\n\nThe pattern repeated itself, then a voice said, \"Girl Scout cookies.\"\n\nDezz opened the door. Broke into a smile. \"Hey, Girl Scout.\"\n\nCarrie Lindstrom walked in, her face tired, her dark hair gathered into a ponytail, wearing jeans and an untucked T-shirt. She looked around the room. \"Where's Evan?\"\n\nJargo sat her down, told her what had happened, described Bald based on the news report and Dezz's fleeting glance. \"You recognize the rescuer?\"\n\n\"No. Evan doesn't know anyone who fits that description, at least in Houston.\"\n\nJargo gave her a hard stare. \"Carrie. You were supposed to find those files if Evan had them. They were on his computer. I saw them myself. You didn't do your job.\"\n\n\"I swear... they weren't there.\"\n\nHe liked the shock and fear in her eyes. \"When did you last look for them?\"\n\n\"Last night. I went to his place, we watched a movie, drank wine. I asked him if I could check my e-mail. He said yes. I looked, there were no new files on his system. I swear.\"\n\n\"You spent the night with him?\"\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\n\"Was he any good?\" Dezz asked. Amusement in his voice.\n\n\"Shut up, Dezz,\" she said.\n\nJargo said, \"So how did he get away from you in Houston?\"\n\n\"I went to go get us breakfast. I stopped by my place and I got caught in bad traffic coming back. When I got back to his house, he was gone. He left a message with my voice mail that he'd had an emergency, he'd gone home.\"\n\n\"I accessed your voice mail this morning. Heard his message to you.\"\n\nCarrie's jaw trembled. \"You accessed my messages. You don't trust me to report to you.\"\n\n\"Carrie. I heard nothing from you this morning. For almost two hours. If I hadn't tapped your voice mail, I wouldn't have known Evan was heading to Austin and Donna might be running. It's good I did, because otherwise we wouldn't have known. Her street's hard for surveillance and she apparently hired muscle to help her run. You cost me an hour of time today that I needed by not reporting his movements to me.\"\n\n\"I didn't check my messages. I'm sorry. I\u2014\"\n\n\"The files I found were placed on Evan's system this morning,\" Jargo said. \"So I believe you. Lucky for you.\"\n\n\"You said you would get Evan and his mom to safety,\" Carrie said.\n\n\"You're losing your perspective,\" Dezz said. \"Sleeping with him wasn't a good idea.\"\n\n\"Don't be a jerk.\" She turned to Jargo. \"Where is he?\"\n\n\"Kidnapped.\"\n\n\"Did you kill his mother?\" Her voice was thin.\n\n\"No. She was dead when we arrived. Evan came in and we subdued him and searched his laptop. Found the files and erased them. But then we were attacked, and I assume it was Donna's killer, returning to the scene for some reason.\" Jargo watched her face, seeing if she bought the lie.\n\nShe crossed her arms. \"Who would have taken him?\"\n\n\"Anyone who knew his mother had the files. She must have tried to cut a deal for them with the wrong people.\"\n\n\"Evan doesn't know anything,\" she said.\n\n\"I think he fooled you. His mother sent him those files this morning, he saw them, he knows you're not really his sweet lover girl.\" Jargo fought down the urge to hit her, to ruin that porcelain-perfect face, to shove her right through that glass window. \"He ditched you and ran, and you let him, because you're dumb, Carrie.\"\n\nShe opened her mouth, as if to speak, then closed it.\n\n\"Carrie. One chance. Are you telling me everything you know?\" Jargo asked.\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\n\"Did you call him this morning?\" Asking as if he already knew.\n\n\"No,\" she said. \"Do we go hunting for him or not?\"\n\nJargo watched her. Decided what to say. \"Yes. Because the other possibility is that it's the CIA who grabbed Evan. They have the most to lose. They had every reason to kill his mom.\" He let the words sink in. \"Just like they killed your parents, Carrie.\"\n\nCarrie's poker face didn't change. \"We have to get Evan back.\"\n\n\"Tall order,\" Dezz said. \"If the CIA has him, we'll never find him.\"\n\n\"The more worrisome angle is the Agency killed Donna,\" Jargo said. \"And then the gentleman who grabbed Evan had another agenda entirely. Then we're fighting on two fronts.\"\n\nCarrie opened her mouth, then shut it.\n\n\"You're worried about him,\" Dezz said.\n\n\"In the way you worry about a dog that's gotten lost,\" Carrie said. \"A neighbor's dog, not yours.\"\n\n\"We'll see if Galadriel can get a trace on the bald man or Evan. See if they surface anywhere.\"\n\n\"If the CIA has the files, then we need to run,\" she said.\n\nDezz grabbed her by the throat, gave a cruel squeeze with his fingers that worked the flesh around the carotid and the jugular like dough. \"If you'd done your job and kept him in Houston, this wouldn't have happened.\"\n\n\"Let her go, Dezz,\" Jargo said.\n\nDezz released her and licked his lips. \"Don't worry, Carrie. All is forgiven.\"\n\nJargo's cell phone rang. He went into the other room to answer it, shut the door behind him.\n\nCarrie sat huddled on the couch.\n\nDezz leaned down and massaged the feeling back into Carrie's neck. \"I'm watching you, sunshine. You messed up.\"\n\nShe slapped his hand away. \"That's not necessary.\"\n\n\"He got under your skin, didn't he?\" Dezz said. \"I don't get it. He's not better-looking than I am. I'm gainfully employed. I share my candy. Granted, I was never an Oscar nominee, but that's just a piece of paper.\"\n\n\"He was an assignment.\" Carrie stood and walked to the kitchen bar and poured herself a glass of water.\n\n\"You enjoyed playing house,\" Dezz said. \"But playtime's over. If he's seen those files, then he's a dead man, and you and I both know it.\"\n\n\"Not if he's made to understand. If I can talk to him.\"\n\n\"Make him into you,\" Dezz said. \"The amazing avengers of murdered parents. It could be a comic book.\"\n\n\"I can turn him to help us. I can.\"\n\n\"I hope so,\" Dezz said. \"Because if you don't, I'll kill him.\"\n\n#\n\nCARRIE THOUGHT, _My short, sweet life is over._\n\nShe left Dezz playing his Game Boy and went into Jargo's bedroom. He was on the phone, talking to his elves, the technical experts who worked for him. They were masters at locating information, rooting into private databases, uncovering crucial nuggets to help Jargo find what he wanted. The Ford's plates were a dead end, stolen from a car in Dallas between midnight and 6:00 A.M. this morning. But the elves now tiptoed into the Casher phone records, credit card accounts, and more, searching for a pointer to Evan Casher's savior.\n\nBehind a closed door in the bathroom, Carrie washed and then studied her dripping face in the mirror. No pictures of her as Carrie Lindstrom existed, except for her forged passport and driver's license, and a photo that Evan had snapped before she could stop him as they drank on an unusually warm New Year's Day at a beachside bar in Galveston. That girl with the beer in her hand would soon be dead. When the elves found Evan, their next job would be to create a new persona for her. She liked the name Carrie\u2014it was her own\u2014but since she had used it, Jargo would make her use another one.\n\nIt had been eighty-nine days since she wormed her way into Evan's life. Jargo's instructions were simple and clear: _Go to Houston and get close to a man named Evan Casher. I want to know what films he's planning to make. That's all._\n\nCouldn't I just break in and search through his files, his computer?\n\n_No. Get close to him. If it takes a while, it takes a while. I have my reasons._\n\nWho is he, Jargo?\n\n_He's just a project, Carrie._\n\nSo she got a hotel room near the Galleria, on the edge of Houston's heart. Jargo gave her forged ID in the name of Carrie Lindstrom, and she started following Evan, mapping his world.\n\nShe made her approach at his favorite coffee shop, a quiet nonchain joint off Shepherd called Joe's Java; the first week she kept him under surveillance, he went there four times. That second week she appeared at Joe's twice, once getting her coffee to go in case he did, too; the next day arriving an hour before he did, sitting at the opposite end of the caf\u00e9, reading a thick paperback on the history of film that she had studied so she could draw him into conversation. He preferred to sit close to the electrical outlets where he could plug in his laptop. She never saw him with a camera, only frowning over the laptop, listening to headphones; she assumed he was editing a film and having problems.\n\nCarrie watched him. His life was dull; he spent most of his time working, attending movies, or at his house. He was four months older than she was. His hair was blondish brown, a bit too long and shaggy for its cut, and he had the unconscious habit of dragging a hand through it when he was deep in thought. He wore a small hoop earring in his left ear but no other jewelry. He was handsome but seemed unaware of it. She watched two other women check him out at the coffee shop, one giving him a boldly appraising once-over as she walked by, and Evan, lost in his work, hand snagged in his hair, never noticed. He didn't shave every day if he didn't have to, and he was on the verge of getting too old for his wardrobe, which seemed to consist of worn jeans and funky old shirts and high-top sneakers or sandals. He watched the smokers standing outside the cafe, puffing, and she decided he must have given up cigarettes once. She was careful to spend most of her time reading her book, not watching him, not being too obvious. It would work better, much better, if he made the first move.\n\n\"You're reading Hamblin? That's not a good survey,\" he said to her. She sat at a marble-topped table near the counter, and he was in line for another latte.\n\nCarrie counted in her head to five, then looked up at him. \"You're right. Callaway's book is better.\" She said this with confidence that he would agree with her. Two nights earlier, she'd followed him as he went alone into the River Oaks Theater, an art-house cinema near his home. Then she'd snuck into his backyard, disarmed his electronic alarm system with a code-breaker program on her PocketPC, eased open the lock of his door with a lockpick that had been her father's, surveyed his library of film books, spotting the Callaway as the most worn and treasured, cataloged what DVDs he owned, hunted for his weaknesses. But there were only two bottles of beer in the fridge, an unopened bottle of wine, no pot, no coke, no porn. The house was neat, but not compulsively so. His interest was his work, and his house reflected that simplicity of focus.\n\nShe did not touch his computer, his notebooks. That would come. She locked the door, reset the alarm, and left.\n\n\"Yeah, Callaway rocks. You studying film?\" Evan said. The guy in front of him in the line stepped up a space but Evan, last in line, stayed put.\n\n\"No. It's just an interest.\"\n\n\"I'm a filmmaker,\" he said, trying hard not to make it sound like bragging or a pickup line.\n\n\"Really? Adult movies?\" she asked innocently.\n\n\"Uh, no.\" He was next up to place his coffee order, and he did, turning his back on her, and she thought, _That didn't work._\n\nBut he gave the barista his order and took the five steps back to her table. \"I make documentaries. That's why I don't like Hamblin's book. He gives us short shrift.\"\n\n\"Really?\" She gave a smile of polite interest.\n\n\"Yeah.\"\n\n\"Would I have seen one of your movies?\"\n\nHe told her the titles and she raised her eyes when he mentioned _Ounce of Trouble._ \"I saw it in Chicago,\" she said. \"I liked it.\"\n\nHe smiled. \"Thanks.\"\n\n\"I did. Bought a ticket, didn't even sneak in from another theater.\"\n\nHe laughed. \"Oh, my pocketbook appreciates it.\"\n\n\"Are you making another movie now?\"\n\n\"Yeah. It's called _Bluff_. About three different players on the pro poker circuit.\"\n\n\"So, are you in Houston to film?\"\n\n\"No, I still live here.\"\n\n\"Why don't you move to Hollywood?\"\n\n\"There's a difference?\" he asked with a laugh.\n\nShe laughed, too. \"Well, nice to meet you. Good luck with your movie.\" She stood and headed to the counter to order a fresh latte.\n\n\"My treat,\" he said quickly. \"If I may. I mean, you bought a ticket. It's only fair.\" So she smiled and let him buy her latte and she moved to sit close to him, wondering, _Why on earth could Jargo be interested in this guy?_ And they talked for an hour about movies they liked and loathed, and she gave him her cell phone number.\n\nHe called the next day, they had dinner that night at a Thai place he loved; she was new to town so she couldn't suggest she had a favorite place to go. She suspected Evan was the kind of man who would simultaneously pity her loneliness and admire her guts in moving to a city where she knew no one. They talked baseball, books, movies, and avoided their personal lives. She told him she was thinking of graduate school in English and was living off a trust fund, keeping her situation intentionally vague. She tried to pay for the dinner; he slid the check to his side of the table and smiled. \"But you bought a ticket.\"\n\nShe liked him. But over two more dates in the next five days, she hit a stone wall: he wouldn't talk about what Jargo cared about, his future movies.\n\nShe'd watched his two finished films on DVD before she'd come to Houston to lay her snares. He only talked about those movies when she asked. He never mentioned his Oscar nomination for _Ounce of Trouble_ , which impressed her far more than the honor itself.\n\nTheir fourth date, she saw Dezz watching them in the restaurant. He sat alone at the bar at the small Italian eatery, drinking a glass of red wine, pretending to read the paper. Jargo watched her, through him. He left halfway through their meal.\n\n\"You're upset,\" Evan said, not thirty seconds after Dezz had walked past their table.\n\nThis would be a whole world easier if he were one of those men lost in himself. But Evan, when he wasn't immersed in his work, seemed to notice every small detail of her.\n\n\"No. I saw a man who reminded me of someone I once knew. An unpleasant memory.\"\n\n\"Then let's not dwell on it,\" he said.\n\nTen minutes later he asked her about her family. She decided to stick close to the truth. \"They're dead.\"\n\n\"I'm sorry.\"\n\n\"Burglary. They were both shot. A year ago.\"\n\nHe went pale with shock. \"Carrie, how terrible. I'm so sorry.\"\n\n\"Now you know,\" she said, \"but I'd like to talk about something else.\"\n\n\"Sure.\" He glided the conversation back onto safe ground, smoothing out the awkwardness. She saw a real tenderness in his gaze toward her and she thought, _Oh, no, don't do that, you make me feel as though I'm using their deaths and I wasn't planning to tell you and I don't know why I did._ She was afraid that, having a storyteller's curiosity, he'd visit the _Chicago Tribune_ website, search on her name, look for an account of the murders. And she'd had a different surname then; there would be no Carrie Lindstrom whose parents had died in a burglary. She had made a mistake, but if he never looked it up, then that was okay.\n\nThey went back to his house to watch a movie and drink wine. She knew she should sleep with him; it was time to seal the deal, insert herself deeper into his life. He didn't have a steady girl\u2014there had been a woman last year, another filmmaker named Kathleen, who had dumped him for another guy and moved to New York. He had mentioned Kathleen only once, which she considered healthy. Evan seemed a little lonely but not needy; she could keep a closer eye on him for Jargo, for whatever odd reason. But she hesitated.\n\nJargo had ordered her to sleep with a man once before, six months ago; a high-level Colombian police official, married, in his late forties. But she didn't. Instead she let him pick her up in a Bogot\u00e1 bar, went back to his hideaway apartment, kissed him, and slipped a knockout drug into his beer. He passed out kissing her. She undressed the official, to let him think they'd consummated their evening, and watched the man sleep. While he slept, Dezz broke into the man's home office. Two weeks later she read about a number of police officers who were on the drug cartel payrolls being arrested. She figured Dezz had stolen financial records or payoff lists. Jargo never asked if she hadn't slept with the official; he assumed she had, that she was willing to prostitute herself.\n\nYou never knew with Jargo on which side of the line between dark and light he would drop you.\n\nBut this. This she could not fake.\n\n_It'll be all right_ , she told herself. _He's nice and good-looking and you like him._ It would be easier, though, if she hated him, because it would only make her hate him more. She realized that with a shock as their lips met, his kisses tender and slow. She arched against him as he slid his hand over her breast, clutched his hair in her fingers.\n\n\"What's wrong?\" he said.\n\n\"Nothing.\"\n\nHe leaned back. \"You're not ready.\"\n\n\"You think too much.\" She kissed him hard again, willing him to just not care, willing herself not to respond to his touch, his tongue. _He's just a project._\n\nHe kissed her again but then broke it off. \"Tell me what's wrong.\"\n\n_Oh, if I could. But I never, never will._ \"Nothing's wrong. Except that you haven't carried me off to bed yet.\"\n\nThe lie reassured him. He smiled and picked her up from the couch and they lay down on his bed and it was not like the police attach\u00e9 in Colombia. She had thought, in the long, dark days of the past year, that she would never feel happiness again without pretense. But instead of being a terrible betrayal of her own self, the night with Evan broke her heart.\n\n_He's just a project, Carrie._\n\nThe next morning she called Jargo and told him that she and Evan were lovers. \"I don't have any competition,\" she said in a flat voice. \"He's giving me a lot of his time.\"\n\n\"Is he talking about his films?\"\n\n\"No. He says if he talks too much about a movie, he's told the story, then, and he loses the passion for making it.\"\n\n\"Search his computer, his notebooks.\"\n\n\"He's not much of a note taker.\" She paused. \"It would be helpful to know what exactly I'm looking for.\"\n\n\"Just find out what film projects he's considering. Sleep with him enough and he'll tell you. He's a man like any other. He likes to screw and talk about work. Men are boring that way,\" Jargo said. She tried to imagine Jargo performing either activity, and the picture would not come into focus.\n\nShe went back into Evan's bed and focused on him with the same energy he'd poured into her, feeling guilty and sick all at once.\n\n\"Why won't you tell me about your next project?\" she asked one afternoon after pulling him away from his video editing and into bed.\n\n\"I've got to get _Bluff_ edited, it's a mess. I can't even think about the next film.\"\n\nShe ran a hand down his chest, his flat stomach. Nipped at his flesh below his navel with her fingertips. \"No worries. I'm just interested in your ideas.\" She tapped his forehead, used the line that had become their tease between each other. \"Don't worry. I'll buy a ticket.\"\n\nAnd gave him the warmest smile she could conjure.\n\nShe could see in his face the decision to change a well-worn habit. He leaned back. \"Well. A guy at PBS talked to me about doing a bio on Jacques Cousteau. I could get that on PBS or Discovery Channel in five seconds flat. Good for the pocketbook. But I'm not sure it's the right career move for me.\"\n\n\"So no idea, then.\"\n\nShe saw him decide to trust her, saw the smile creep across his face. \"It's weird, China's Communist but they have millionaires in Hong Kong still. I think there might be a story worth doing.\"\n\n\"China. Too far away. I'd miss you.\"\n\nHe kissed her. \"I'd miss you, too. You could come with me. Be my unpaid assistant.\"\n\n\"My dream job,\" she said. \"So who's the lucky subject in China?\" She thought this might be the seed of Jargo's interest. Evan had zeroed in on a high-ranker in Beijing who lined Jargo's pocket. But how would Jargo have known?\n\n\"There's a Hong Kong financier named Jameson Wong who might be an interesting character; he lost all his money in bad deals, and instead of rebuilding his business he's become a leading activist against the Communist government. Businessman turned campaigner for freedom.\"\n\nShe snuggled her face against his chest. Tomorrow she would betray his confidences, report his every word. China. This Jameson Wong guy. That was the interest point. \"I'd buy a ticket. You're my brilliant boy.\"\n\n\"Unless I do the other project,\" he said. \"But I think it's a dead idea.\"\n\nShe kept her face close to his chest. \"What other one?\"\n\n\"About an interesting murder case in London, about twenty-five years ago.\"\n\n\"Whose murder?\"\n\n\"The guy was named Alexander Bast. He was kind of an \u00fcber-funky cool guy, very much into the art scene, very much into sleeping with young starlets, famous for his parties. Like Wong, he lost it all. In a scandal about drugs at one of his clubs. Then someone put two bullets in him.\"\n\n\"I thought you preferred your subjects living.\"\n\n\"I do. Dead people don't talk well on camera,\" he said with a quiet laugh. \"I thought about combining both stories. Compare and contrast two very different lives, find a common thread that gives an insight about success and failure.\" She heard his voice rise in excitement. \"But it might not be commercial enough.\"\n\nShe raised her face toward his. \"Don't worry about that. Make the movie you want to make.\"\n\n\"I know what I want to make right now.\" He kissed her, they made love again. He dozed and she got up from the bed and washed her face.\n\nShe made no mention to Jargo, in the days ahead, of Jameson Wong or Alexander Bast or Jacques Cousteau.\n\n\"He's focused entirely on editing his current movie,\" she said the next week when she talked to Jargo. She had a cell phone that Evan didn't know about; she kept it hidden in a pocket under the driver's seat. She sat in the car, in the parking lot of a Krispy Kreme.\n\n\"Stay on him. If he commits to another film, I want to know immediately.\"\n\n\"All right.\"\n\n\"I've deposited another ten thousand in your account,\" Jargo said.\n\n\"Thank you.\"\n\n\"I wonder,\" Jargo said, \"if you think Evan might ever consider working for me.\"\n\n\"No. He wouldn't. He wouldn't be good at it.\"\n\n\"It's an unbeatable cover. A rising-star documentary filmmaker. He can go anywhere, film about anything, and no one would doubt his credentials or his intentions.\"\n\n\"He's interested in the truth. That's his passion.\"\n\n\"And yet he's sleeping with you.\"\n\n\"Recruitment's not a good idea. Not now.\" She was afraid to argue further, afraid of what would happen if Jargo thought Evan was a danger to him.\n\n\"I want you to be prepared,\" Jargo said. \"Because you may have to kill him.\"\n\nShe watched the line of cars slowly move through the doughnut store drive-through. The back of her eyes hurt. Jargo had never suggested such work to her before; mostly, before sliding into Evan's bed, she'd worked as a courier for Jargo, in Berlin, in New York, in Mexico City. Never a killer. The silence began to get dangerously long, he would get suspicious. \"If you say so,\" she said. There was nothing else to say. \"Then I should get distance. I don't want to be a suspect.\"\n\n\"No, you stay close. If it has to happen, you and he both vanish. You don't stay around. You're both dead and gone, and we build you a new legend. I can probably use you more in Europe anyway.\"\n\n\"Very well,\" she said. He told her to have a good day and then he hung up. She filed her empty reports with Jargo, manufacturing innocuous lies about what Evan's next project might be, until Jargo had called her two days ago and said, \"I want to know if Evan has any files on his computer that shouldn't be there.\"\n\n\"Be specific.\"\n\n\"Lists of names.\"\n\n\"All right.\"\n\nAn hour later she searched Evan's computer while he was out running errands. She called Jargo. \"I found no files like that.\" Evan had scant data on his computer other than scripts, video footage, and basic programs.\n\n\"Check every twelve hours, if possible. If you find the files, delete them and destroy his hard drive. Then report back to me.\"\n\n\"What are these files?\"\n\n\"That you don't need to know. Don't memorize the information or copy the files. Just delete them and make sure that hard drive can't be recovered.\"\n\n\"I understand.\" And she did. The files were what Jargo was truly worried about, probably files that connected back to Jameson Wong or the other potential film subjects.\n\nBut if Evan's hard drive was to be destroyed, she had a sinking, awful feeling that Evan was to be destroyed as well.\n\nCarrie washed her face again. Evan was gone, stolen by a man who might be very, very bad, and soon Jargo's technical elves would find a trace of him and they would go get Evan from the man who had taken him. The files had been sitting on his system this morning; she had left without looking for them, and if Jargo doubted her word, he would kill her. She had to win back Jargo's trust. Now.\n\nLast night, Evan telling her that he loved her, seemed like a moment from a world that no longer existed, a pocket of time where there was no Jargo and no Dezz and no files and no fear or pretending. She wished he hadn't said it. She wanted to hit him, to push him away, to tell him, _Don't, don't, don't, you don't know anything, I can't have a life with you, I can't be normal ever again, it can't ever be, so just don't._\n\nShe had to harden her heart now. She had to catch Evan.\n\n# SATURDAY\n\n## MARCH 12\n\n#\n\nEVAN OPENED HIS EYES.\n\nHe was lying on a bed. The cream-white sheets had been folded back; a thin cotton towel was spread behind his head. One of his arms was raised, bound to the bed's iron-railing headboard with a handcuff. The bedroom was high-end: hardwood floors, a rustic but expensive reddish finish on the walls, abstract art hung to precision above a stone fireplace. A sliver of soft sunlight pierced a crack in the silk drapes. The door was closed.\n\nHe had been seconds from wrecking the car when Gabriel had grabbed him and hammered him. His tongue wormed in his dry mouth. A heavy ache settled in along his jaw and neck for permanent residence. He smelled his own sour sweat.\n\n_Mom. I failed you. I'm so sorry._ He swallowed down the panic and the grief, because it wasn't doing him any good.\n\nHe had to be calm. Think. Because everything had changed.\n\nWhat had Gabriel said? _In your life, nothing is as it seems._\n\nWell, one thing was exactly as it seemed. He was completely screwed.\n\nEvan tested the handcuff. Locked. He sat up, pushing with his feet, wriggling his back against the headboard. A side table held a book\u2014a recent thick bestseller about the history of baseball\u2014and a lamp; no phone. A baby monitor stood on the far table.\n\nHe stared at the monitor. He couldn't act afraid with Gabriel. He had to show strength.\n\nFor his mom, because Gabriel knew the meat of the story as to why his mom had died. For his dad, wherever he was. For Carrie, however she was mixed up in this nightmare. She knew he was in danger\u2014how? He had no idea.\n\nSo, what do you do now?\n\nHe needed a weapon. _Imagine the guy who killed Mom is here. What do you hurt him with? Look at everything with new eyes._ New eyes. It was advice he gave himself when he was setting up scenes to shoot. He could barely reach the side table. He managed to fingertip the knob and open the drawer. His hand searched the drawer as far as he could reach: empty. The book on the table wasn't heavy enough. The lamp. He couldn't reach it but he could reach the cord, where it snaked to a plug behind the bed. As silently as he could, keeping an eye on the baby monitor, trying to quiet the handcuff from rattling against the metal headboard, he tugged the lamp closer to him; the base was heavy, ornate, wrought-iron. But at the angle he was bound, he wouldn't be able to swing the lamp with enough force to cause serious hurt. He unplugged the cord, looped it neatly behind the table so it wouldn't catch or snag. Just in case he got a chance. Lamps could be thrown. He peered down the back of the bed, to the floor. Nothing else but miniature tumbleweeds of dust.\n\n\"Hello,\" he called to the monitor.\n\nA minute later he heard the tread of feet on stairs. Then the rasp of a key in a lock. The bedroom door opened; Gabriel stood in the doorway. A sleek black pistol holstered at his side.\n\n\"You okay?\" Gabriel said.\n\n\"Yeah.\"\n\n\"Thanks for putting our lives at risk with your stupid stunt.\"\n\n\"Did we crash?\"\n\n\"No, Evan. I know how to drive a car while seated in the passenger side. Standard training.\" Gabriel cleared his throat. \"How you feeling now?\"\n\n\"I'm fine.\" Evan tried to imagine driving from the passenger side to avoid a high-speed crash. It suggested an extraordinary level of calm under fire. \"So where did you learn that driving trick?\"\n\n\"A very special school,\" Gabriel said. \"It's early Saturday morning. You slept through the night.\" A coldness frosted his gaze. \"You and I can be of great help to each other, Evan.\"\n\n\"Really. Now you want to help me.\"\n\n\"I saved you, didn't I? If you had stayed out in the open, well, you'd be dead now. I don't believe even the police could protect you from Mr. Jargo.\" Gabriel leaned against the wall. \"So, let's start afresh. I need you to tell me exactly what happened yesterday when you got to your parents' house.\"\n\n\"Why? You're not the police.\"\n\n\"No, I'm not, but I did save your life. I could have let you hang. I didn't.\"\n\n\"True,\" Evan said. But he watched Gabriel. The man looked as if he hadn't slept at all. Jumpy. Nervous. Like a man in need of a solid blast of bourbon. But there was nothing to be gained by silence, at least not now.\n\nSo Evan told him about his mother's urgent phone call, the drive to Austin, the attack in the kitchen. Gabriel asked no questions. When Evan was done, Gabriel brought a chair to the foot of the bed and sat down. Frowning, as if he was considering a plan of action and not caring for his options.\n\n\"I want to know who exactly you are,\" Evan said.\n\n\"I'll tell you who I am. And then I'll tell you who you are.\"\n\n\"I know who I am.\"\n\n\"Do you? I don't think so, Evan.\" Gabriel shook his head. \"I'd call your childhood sheltered, but that would be a sick joke.\"\n\n\"I kept my promise to you. You keep yours.\"\n\nGabriel shrugged. \"I own a private security firm. Your mother hired me to get you and her safely out of Austin, get you to your father. Clearly she slipped up and tipped her hand to the wrong people. I'm sorry I couldn't save her.\"\n\n_So he knows where Dad is._\n\n\"Go back to the attack. You were unconscious,\" Gabriel said. \"For a few minutes, at least, between when they hit you and they strung you up.\"\n\n\"I don't know how long. Why does it matter?\"\n\n\"Because the killers could have gotten the files I mentioned. Found them on your or your mother's computer.\"\n\n\"They wouldn't have been on my computer.\" But one of the men had accessed his laptop. He remembered now, the start-up chime, the sound of typing, telling Durless about it. \"The killers, they typed on my laptop. Said something about...\" He struggled to remember past the haze of trauma. \"About 'all gone.' \" He waited to see what else Gabriel would say.\n\n\"Your mother e-mailed you the files.\"\n\nE-mailed. His mother had sent him those music files for his soundtrack late the night before she called. But they were just music files; he'd listened to them on the way to Austin. Nothing unusual. She hadn't put anything weird in her e-mail to him. But he hadn't mentioned the e-mails to Gabriel in relating Friday morning's events; it hadn't seemed important compared to the horrors of yesterday. \"My mom didn't e-mail me anything weird. And even if she did, the killers couldn't have gotten past the password.\"\n\nSo what did _all gone_ mean?\n\n\"There are programs that can crack simple passwords in a matter of seconds.\" Gabriel leaned against the wall, studied Evan. \"I don't have one. But I do have you.\"\n\n\"I don't have these files.\"\n\n\"Your mother told me that you did, Evan.\"\n\nEvan shook his head. \"These files... what are they?\"\n\n\"The less you know, the better. That way I can let you go and you can forget you ever saw me and you can go have a nice new life.\" Gabriel crossed his arms. \"I'm an extremely reasonable man. I want to give you a fair deal. You give me the files. I get you out of the country, provide you a new identity and access to a bank account in the Caymans, which your mother had me arrange. If you're careful, no one will ever find you.\"\n\n\"I'm just supposed to give up my life.\" Evan tried to keep the shock out of his voice.\n\n\"It's your call. You want to go back home, go ahead. But if I were you, I wouldn't. Home is death.\"\n\nEvan chewed his lip. \"I help you, then what about my dad?\"\n\n\"If your father contacts me, I'll tell him where you are, and then finding you is his problem. My responsibility to your mother stops once you get on a plane.\"\n\n\"Please tell me where my dad is.\"\n\n\"I've no idea. Your mother knew how to get in touch with him, but I don't.\"\n\nEvan let a beat pass. \"I could give you what you want and you'd just kill me.\"\n\nGabriel reached in his pocket and tossed a passport on the bedspread. It bore the seal of South Africa. With his free hand, Evan opened it. A picture of him was inside\u2014his original passport photo, the same as he had in his American passport. The name on the passport was Erik Thomas Petersen. Stamps colored the pages: entry into Great Britain a month ago, then entry into the United States two weeks ago. Evan shut the passport, dropped it back on the bed. \"Very legitimate-looking.\"\n\n\"You need to slip into being Mr. Petersen very carefully. If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead. I'm giving you an escape hatch.\"\n\n\"I still don't understand how my mother could have gotten any dangerous computer files.\" And then he saw it. Not his mother. His father. The computer consultant. His father must have found files, in working for a client, that were dangerous.\n\n\"All you have to do is give me your password.\" Gabriel opened the bedroom door, wheeled in a cart, one that might be used as extra serving space for food during a brunch or a party. Evan's laptop lay on the table. Gabriel parked it close to Evan, keeping the cart between the two of them. A crack straddled the screen but the laptop was cabled to a small monitor. The system appeared to be operating normally. The password screen displayed, awaiting the magic word.\n\nThat was why Gabriel had taken the enormous risk of returning for Evan, ambushing the police car, kidnapping him. He couldn't get past the laptop's gates.\n\n\"It's on here,\" Gabriel said. \"Your mother placed a copy on your system before she died. E-mailed it to you. She told me. She did it to ensure if she were killed, another copy of the files would be accessible to me. It was part of the deal I made with her. I couldn't risk her being caught and me not getting the files. It guaranteed I would still take care of you if she were killed.\" He was so matter-of-fact that Evan wanted to hit him.\n\nGabriel leaned closer to him. \"What's your system password?\"\n\n\"You're supposed to get me out of the country. So your job, technically, isn't done until you deliver. I'll tell you the password when you get me to my father.\"\n\n\"I've told you what the deal is, son. That's it. No room for negotiation.\" Gabriel retreated to the bed's edge and aimed his pistol at Evan's head. \"I don't want to hurt you. Open the system.\"\n\nEvan pushed the laptop away. \"Contact my dad. If he tells me to give you my password, I will.\"\n\n\"Wax out of ears, son. I can't get in touch with him.\"\n\n\"If you were supposed to get me and my mom to safety, that means getting us to where my dad could find us. You must have a way to reach him.\"\n\n\"Your mother knew. I didn't.\"\n\n\"I don't believe you, Mr. Gabriel. No password.\"\n\n\"You don't give this to me, you spend the rest of your brief life handcuffed to that bed. Dying of thirst. Of starvation.\"\n\nEvan waited, let the silence grow heavy. \"You know who killed her. This Jargo guy. Who he is.\"\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\n\"Tell me about him and I'll help you. But look at it from my side. You're asking me to run away from my life. Do nothing about my mother's murder. Simply hope I can ever find my father again. I can't just walk away not knowing the truth.\" He didn't believe Gabriel, anyway. His father had been impossible to find yesterday, but the police would have found him by now, wherever he was in Sydney.\n\n\"You're safer not knowing.\"\n\n\"I don't care about safer at the moment.\"\n\n\"You're stubborn.\" Gabriel lowered the gun, averted his eyes from Evan's.\n\n\"I know you risked a lot to save me from Jargo. I know. Thank you. I can hardly run, though, and be successful at it if I don't know who's after me. So I'll trade you the password for information on Jargo. Deal?\"\n\nAfter a long ten seconds, Gabriel nodded. \"All right.\"\n\n\"Tell me about Jargo.\"\n\n\"He's... an information broker. A freelance spy.\"\n\n\"A spy. You're telling me my mother was killed by a spy.\"\n\n\"A freelance spy,\" Gabriel corrected.\n\n\"Spies work for governments.\"\n\n\"Not Jargo. He buys and sells data to whoever pays. Companies. Governments. Other spies. Highly dangerous.\" Gabriel licked his lips. \"I suspect it's CIA data that Jargo wants.\"\n\nEvan frowned. \"You're suggesting, with a straight face, that my mom stole files from the CIA. That's impossible.\"\n\n\"Or your father stole the files, and he gave them to your mother. And I didn't say the files belonged to the CIA. The CIA simply might want the information, the same as Jargo does.\" Gabriel looked as if admitting this possibility was causing him a heart attack. His face reddened with anger.\n\n\"The CIA.\" It was insane. \"How would my mother be involved with this Jargo?\"\n\n\"I believe she worked for Jargo.\"\n\n\"My mother worked for a freelance spy,\" Evan repeated. \"It can't be. You're mistaken.\"\n\n\"A travel photographer. She can go anywhere, with her camera, and not raise suspicion. You live in a nice house, Evan. Your parents had money. You think freelance shutterbugs make that much money?\"\n\n\"This can't be true.\"\n\n\"She's dead and you're shackled to a bed. How wrong am l?\"\n\nEvan decided to play along with the man's fantasy. \"So did my mother steal these files from Jargo, or from someone else?\"\n\n\"Listen. You wanted to know about Jargo, I told you. He's a freelancer. People need information stolen or someone dead, and the job needs to be off the books, he's the man. The files are about Jargo's business. So he wants them back. So does the CIA, I imagine, because they'd like to know what he knows. There. You know more about Jargo than any person currently alive. Open the system.\"\n\n\"Can't unless you unlock me.\" He rattled the handcuff.\n\n\"No. Type.\"\n\n\"Where am I gonna go, Gabriel? You've got a gun on me. You have to unlock me sooner or later, if you're taking me out of the country. Handcuffs set off metal detectors.\"\n\n\"Not yet. Type it one-handed.\" He jabbed the gun into Evan's cheek. \"I've waited years for this, Evan, I'm not waiting one more second.\"\n\nEvan typed the password.\n\n#\n\nIT'S EMPTY,\" EVAN SAID.\n\nAfter it had digested the password, the hard drive's icon appeared on the screen. He searched through the system. Other than basic files, the drive was cleaned out. His video footage, his installed software programs, all were gone. The system appeared to have reverted to a factory default level. He opened the electronic trash can\u2014empty. \"Everything's gone.\"\n\n_All gone_ , the voice in the kitchen had said while the gun had dug into the back of his head.\n\n\"No.\" Gabriel put the gun down, grabbed Evan's throat, pushed him up against the headboard of the bed. \"No, no, no. He wouldn't have had time.\"\n\n\"I don't know how long I was unconscious.\"\n\n\"This can't be. I have to have those files.\" Gabriel's voice rose. \"They erased them.\" He bent back over the computer.\n\nEvan squirmed away from him. Toward the lamp. _He may not get this close to you again. Make him think you want to help him._ \"A recovery program might restore the data.\"\n\nGabriel didn't answer, tapped at the keyboard, searching for files. He looked at the empty screen as if it were the rest of his life. He kept the gun at his side, loosely aimed toward the bed. Evan crouched against the headboard, his left hand still handcuffed. The lamp was close to his right, the unplugged cord still in a neat loop on the floor.\n\nEvan snatched the wrought-iron lamp with his free hand. It was a heavy monster, but he lifted and swung it in one awkward sweep.\n\nThe lamp's base smashed into Gabriel's arm. He fell forward, and Evan pinned Gabriel with a leg over his waist. Evan brought the lamp down into Gabriel's face. Blood welled, the base's edge cutting Gabriel in the mouth, in the chin. He howled in fury.\n\nEvan aimed the lamp downward again, but Gabriel deflected it with his arm, threw a fist, connected with Evan's jaw. Evan dropped the lamp, snaked his arm around Gabriel's neck, wrapped both legs around Gabriel's waist. His left arm, shackled to the bed, twisted as if it would break as Gabriel struggled.\n\nThe gun. Gabriel had the gun. Where was it?\n\n\"Let go!\" Gabriel said.\n\n\"I'll bite it off if you're not still.\" Evan closed his mouth around Gabriel's left ear. Bit down. Gabriel screamed.\n\n\"Don't,\" Gabriel gasped. Evan bit down again, let his teeth grind. Blood seeped into his mouth.\n\n\"Stop!\" Gabriel yelled, and went still.\n\nEvan saw the gun. Just beyond the reach of both of them, twisted in the white sheets where they rucked the bedcovers in their fight. He couldn't reach it, but if he eased up on Gabriel, the older man could. Gabriel saw it, too; his muscles strained with sudden resolve, trying to break free.\n\nEvan bit down on the ear again and jabbed his fingers into Gabriel's eyes. Gabriel shrieked in pain. He twisted to fend Evan off, but Evan's legs kept him locked in place. Gabriel squirmed toward the gun, pulling Evan's body with him. Evan's wrist wrenched in the cuff.\n\n_He'll sacrifice the ear to get that gun_ , Evan thought. _Bite it off._ He couldn't.\n\nBut instead Gabriel grabbed the lamp's cord, dragged the lamp to him. He seized the lamp's body, swung it backward at Evan, the base striking Evan on top of the head, and Evan, dizzy with pain, let go of the ear. A sliver of skin stayed behind in his mouth.\n\nGabriel released the lamp and lurched forward. Caught the gun's barrel with his fingertips. Evan kept Gabriel's other arm pinned with his leg, pivoted\u2014his arm twisting as if it were a centimeter away from breaking\u2014and clutched the gun's handle as Gabriel pulled it forward. Evan wrenched the gun free and jabbed the barrel against Gabriel's temple.\n\nGabriel froze.\n\n\"Where's the key?\"\n\n\"Downstairs. In the kitchen. You ingrate, you tore my ear off.\"\n\n\"No, you still got an ear.\"\n\n\"Listen, new deal,\" Gabriel said. \"We'll work together to get Jargo. We'll\u2014\"\n\n\"No,\" Evan clubbed the gun into Gabriel's temple. Once. Twice. Three times, four. The fifth time Gabriel went limp, his temple cut and bruised. Evan jabbed the gun against Gabriel's head and waited. Counted to one hundred. Gabriel was out.\n\nHolding his breath, Evan put down the gun. Gabriel didn't move. He jabbed his hand into Gabriel's left pants pocket, fumbled across coins, fingered the shape of keys.\n\n\"Liar,\" he said to the unconscious Gabriel. He pulled out a ring that held a small key and a larger key for the bedroom door. Evan kicked the man away from him, worked the small key into the handcuff lock.\n\nThe cuff sprang open. Evan rolled off the bed, his arm afire with pain. He held it close to him, unsure if it was broken or dislocated. No. Broken would be serious agony. He was sore but unhurt. He dragged Gabriel to the headboard, snicked the cuff over his wrist. Checked Gabriel's pulse in the throat. A steady beat ticked beneath his fingertips.\n\nEvan trained the gun, with shaking hands, on the door. Waited. Steadied himself to shoot if anyone charged to Gabriel's rescue. Told himself he could do it, he had to do it. He knew how to shoot, his father had taught him when he was a teenager, but he had not fired a gun in five years. And never at a living human being.\n\nA minute passed. Another. No sound in the house.\n\nHe noticed a small card on the bed, next to the South African passport. Forced out from Gabriel's shirt or pants in the fight. It was an ID card, government issue, worn with age and fingering. Gabriel looked fifteen years younger.\n\nJoaquin Montoya Gabriel. Central Intelligence Agency.\n\nThe crazy freak was telling the truth. Or a partial truth. But if he was CIA, why was he operating alone?\n\nDeep breath. He slipped the South African passport and Gabriel's ID into his back pocket. Evan went out the bedroom door, then stopped in the darkened hallway. _Be cool, be cool for your mom._ His arm and hand ached, his head throbbed, and now, the fighting done for a moment, in the darkened house, the fear rushed back into his chest.\n\nA dim light shone from the open area downstairs; Evan was on a second floor of what appeared to be a spacious house. Thick pile carpet covered the hallway; more high-end art on the walls. The air conditioner purred a blanket of noise. From below, he heard the thin whisper of the television, its volume inched low.\n\nHe crouched, the gun out in front of him, listening.\n\nHe fortified himself with two deep breaths and crept down the stairs. _What do you do next? Keep fighting. That's the choice you made._\n\nBut now he had nothing to bargain with to save his life. Jargo\u2014if he was one of the men at the house\u2014had stolen or destroyed the data. The files\u2014if they had ever existed\u2014were gone.\n\nEvan reached the last stair when he thought, _You should have gagged Gabriel. He'll wake up and shout for help while you're sneaking up on any buddies downstairs._\n\nBut he had gone too far to turn back, knowing in his heart that he wouldn't hesitate now; he could shoot anyone who tried to stop him, and he hoped he could remember to aim at legs. Unless the other guy had a gun, and then he would aim for the chest. Chests were big, he could hit a chest. Remember to take a second to aim, squeeze, prepare for the kick. If he had a second. No practice target had ever shot back at him.\n\nEvan entered the den, gun leveled to fire. A widescreen TV stood in the corner next to an ornate stone fireplace. A commercial announced the latest pharmaceutical that you couldn't live without, as long as you risked at least ten side effects. Then the CNN theme played and the anchor started a story about a bombing in Israel.\n\nHe moved along the wall, peered into an elaborate kitchen. Empty. A lunch sat on the counter: a ham sandwich, a glass of ice water, a pile of potato chips, a Snickers bar. Lunch for himself, probably, if he'd cooperated with Gabriel.\n\nHe checked the back of the house, stopping at a marble-topped bureau with a smattering of family photos. Gabriel posed with two girls young enough to be his grandkids.\n\nNo one around. The only sounds were the air conditioner and CNN beginning a story about a bizarre homicide and kidnapping in Texas.\n\nEvan ran back to the den and saw his face was on the TV. His Texas driver's license photo, not a bad one and true to how he looked: shaggy blond hair, high cheekbones, hazel eyes, thin mouth, the single small hoop of earring. The crawl under his face read MISSING FILMMAKER. The news announcer said, \"Police investigators are still searching for Evan Casher, the Oscar-nominated documentary filmmaker, after his mother was strangled to death in her Austin, Texas, home, and an armed gunman kidnapped Casher from a police cruiser, assaulting two officers.\n\n\"Casher, the director of two acclaimed documentaries, first gained attention with _Ounce of Trouble_ , a biting expos\u00e9 of a corrupt police officer who framed a former drug dealer. Joining me is FBI special agent Roberto Sanchez.\"\n\nRoberto Sanchez looked like a politician: perfect haircut, immaculate suit, an expression that said, _I am the most competent person on earth._ The newscaster went for the bone: \"Agent Sanchez, is it possible that whoever kidnapped Evan Casher was responsible for Donna Casher's death? I mean, Mr. Casher was the only witness and then he's grabbed, right from the police.\"\n\n\"We're not prepared to speculate as to motives, but we are concerned about Mr. Casher's safety.\"\n\n\"Is there any possibility that this wasn't an abduction, per se, but that Evan Casher was taken from the police because he was a suspect in his mother's murder?\" the anchor pressed.\n\n\"No, he's not a suspect. Obviously, he's a person of interest to us because he found his mother's body, and we have not had a chance to fully talk with him, but we have no reason to believe that he was involved. We would like to talk to Mr. Casher's father, Mitchell Casher, but we have not been able to locate him. We believe he was in Australia this week, but I can't share further details.\"\n\nA picture of Mitchell appeared next to Evan's on the split screen. His father, missing.\n\n\"Why has the FBI taken over the investigation?\" the anchor asked.\n\n\"We have resources not available to the Austin police,\" Sanchez said. \"They asked for our assistance.\"\n\n\"Any idea of a motive as to the murder?\"\n\n\"None at this time.\"\n\n\"We have also police sketches of the man who allegedly assaulted the two Austin officers and took Evan Casher,\" the newscaster said, and the display shifted from Evan and Mitchell Casher to a penciled drawing of Gabriel.\n\n\"Any leads on this man?\" the anchor asked.\n\n\"No, none yet.\"\n\n\"But the Austin police found the car he used to kidnap Evan Casher, correct? A report leaked from the Austin police that the blue Ford sedan matching the description of the kidnapper's car was found in a nearby parking lot where another car had been stolen. Evan Casher's fingerprints are reportedly on the radio in the kidnapper's car. If he's selecting music, he hasn't been kidnapped, has he?\" Now the anchor was trying to rewrite the news, spice it with innuendo.\n\nSanchez shook his head and looked dour. \"We cannot comment on leaks. Of course, if anyone has details on this case, we'd like for them to contact the FBI.\" The license plate of the stolen car and an FBI phone number popped up on the feed below the photo of Evan.\n\n\"In case Evan Casher has been kidnapped, what would you say to the kidnappers?\" the newscaster asked.\n\n\"Well, as we would in any situation, we'd ask the kidnappers to release Mr. Casher unharmed and to contact us with any demands, or if Mr. Casher is able to contact us directly, all we want to do is to help him.\"\n\n\"Thank you, FBI special agent Roberto Sanchez,\" the newscaster said. \"Our correspondent, Amelia Crosby, spoke with the former drug dealer who was the focus of Evan Casher's Oscar-nominated film.\"\n\nThe camera shifted to a young black man, around thirty, looking uncomfortable in a suit and tie. The subtitle read JAMES \"SHADEY\" SHORES.\n\n\"Mr. Shores, you've known Evan Casher ever since he did a film about how you were unjustly accused and railroaded by a corrupt narcotics investigator. What do you think could be behind Evan Casher's bizarre disappearance?\"\n\n\"Oh, no,\" Evan said.\n\n\"Listen, first of all, that other guy\u2014your anchor, with that freeze-dried hair\u2014suggesting that Evan Casher could be involved in his mama's death, that is straight-out _bleeeeeep_.\" The censor swooped in for the last word.\n\n\"What motive could anyone have to hurt Mr. Casher or his family?\" the reporter's voice asked. \"He upset a lot of people in Houston law enforcement with his documentary about you.\"\n\n\"No, he pointed out one real bad apple, but it's not like he indicted the whole criminal system or nothing.\"\n\n\"Do you have any theories on what might have led to his disappearance?\"\n\n\"Well, I would think whoever killed his mama didn't want him talking about what he saw. My worry is that the Austin police done let Evan down, letting him get kidnapped. I think they ought to be looking hard at those officers, and how they let a _bleeeeep_ take Evan, because a lot of police don't like to have dirty laundry aired, even when it ain't their department, and...\"\n\nThe reporter started trying to talk over Shadey, to no avail.\n\n\"... that's all I'm saying is, the police got to show they're serious about finding Evan.\"\n\n\"Evan Casher saved your life, didn't he, Mr. Shores?\"\n\n\"Look, Evan succeeds because he can be the biggest pain in the _bleeep_ in the room. Evan Casher got a lot of fame and money out of my misfortune. He didn't share none of them movie proceeds with me. He made promises to me, I was gonna be famous, I could get a music career out of this movie, and that's all _bleeep_. I'm still working as a security guard.\" Shadey shook his head at the injustice of it all.\n\n\"You ingrate,\" Evan said. Using his family's tragedy as a platform for his complaining.\n\n\"He's making a new movie about professional poker, and he was supposed to introduce me to people who could help me get into that line of work, and he never did, so I'm thinking he got involved with illegal poker money, he got himself in trouble.\"\n\nShadey started to air his next grudge and the reporter briskly thanked him and shifted to the New York studio to introduce Kathleen Torrance as another prominent young documentary filmmaker. She was also Evan's ex-girlfriend from his student days at Rice, but the reporter didn't note that particular relationship, simply saying \"a colleague in film.\" Their affair had cooled when she'd moved to New York, ended when she'd acquired another filmmaker as a boyfriend. He had not talked to her in six months, after exchanging friendly but awkward hellos at a Los Angeles film festival.\n\n\"Ms. Torrance, you know Evan Casher well,\" the reporter began.\n\n\"Yes.\" Kathleen nodded. \"Very well. He's one of the top ten young documentary filmmakers in America.\"\n\n\"What do you think has happened?\"\n\n\"Well, I have no idea. I don't think this could be related to Evan's work, as your previous guest suggested, because despite what people think, documentary filmmakers aren't really investigative journalists. Evan's films have focused on individuals in extraordinary circumstances\u2014not on political or hot-button issues.\" Prompted by the reporter's questions, Kathleen gave brief descriptions of Evan's films and works. \"I just hope that if whoever has taken Evan can hear me, they will let him go. He's a great guy, and I can't imagine him being involved with anything that is illicit or harmful to anyone.\"\n\nThe reporter thanked Kathleen and went back to the anchor, and the coverage shifted to a murder-suicide at a New Hampshire truck stop.\n\nEvan stared at the screen. His life was being dissected on national television. His father was missing. The FBI wanted to talk to him. He hurried to the phone, picked it up, started to dial.\n\nThen put it back down on the cradle.\n\nGabriel was a CIA operative, and he had put two cops in the hospital and kidnapped Evan. If he was working on the CIA's orders, and Evan went to the police... what happened next? The CIA wasn't supposed to beat up cops or chain citizens to beds. So whatever had befallen his family wasn't a story that the CIA wanted in the public eye.\n\nHe needed to know more. He had a sudden terror of making a wrong move, stepping out of one prison into a far worse one.\n\nQuickly, he checked the rest of the house. A dining room and living room. A media room with a massive TV. A laundry area. Back upstairs were four more bedrooms, one occupied by another suitcase with a few clothes unpacked. No sign anyone other than Gabriel was here.\n\nHe went back downstairs. He found a garage that held a motorcycle, a gleaming Ducati. Next to it was an old Suburban. No sign of the stolen Malibu.\n\nEvan found the keys for the Suburban, dangling from a key holder in the kitchen. He pocketed them.\n\nOn the kitchen table was the duffel bag he'd brought from Houston. He remembered Gabriel had taken it from his house after he ran. His gear was all there. His digital music player, his camcorder, his books and notes. His clothes, which looked as if they had been searched and refolded.\n\nHe zipped up the duffel bag, carried it as he ran back up the stairs.\n\nGabriel was awake, one eye swelling with a purple blossom of bruise, his jaw red and scraped.\n\n\"Are you working alone?\" Evan said.\n\nGabriel let five seconds pass. \"Yes. And I'm prepared to have an honest discussion with you now about our situation.\"\n\n\"You're all for straight shooting when you're the one chained up, you lunatic. You don't have any credibility left.\" Evan waggled the ID in front of Gabriel. \"You said you owned a security firm. This says you're CIA. Which is it?\"\n\n\"You're in a load of trouble.\"\n\n\"You have information on who killed my mother, Mr. Gabriel. I have a gun. Do you see how this equation works out?\"\n\nGabriel shook his head.\n\nEvan leveled the pistol at Gabriel's stomach. \"Answer my questions. First, where are we?\"\n\n\"You won't kill me. I know it, you know it.\" He put his gaze to the wall, as though bored.\n\nEvan fired.\n\n#\n\nGALADRIEL, JARGO'S COMPUTER GODDESS, spent the night trying to track Evan and his kidnapper. She broke into national databases. She wormed her way into the Austin Police Department's computer system, searching for traces, for reports, for the barest sign of Evan Casher. She moved through a jungle of information as patiently and efficiently as a hunter bringing down prey.\n\nShe called at Saturday's dawn with her first report.\n\nJargo woke Carrie on the couch and Dezz in the other bedroom. Jargo spoke at length with Galadriel, then put Carrie on the phone while he tended to private business on his phone in his bedroom.\n\n\"Evan hasn't used his credit cards or accessed his bank account. No one has. Do me a favor, hon. Look at the file I just sent you.\" Galadriel was a former CIA hacker, a heavyset woman who spent her hours away from the computer refining gourmet recipes and watching 1950s movies, when she believed the world had been a kinder place. She had a warm, Southern accent and sounded as if she ought to be a friend's sweet mother. \"See if you see what I see.\"\n\nCarrie opened the e-mail attachment, and a list of messages appeared, lifted from the Cashers' e-mail accounts: a private account for Donna, one for Mitchell Casher's personal e-mails, and another for his work as a computer security consultant.\n\n\"I just tiptoed into their ISP's database and copied their messages. Since the boys didn't have time at the Casher house to go through their e-mails,\" Galadriel said.\n\nCarrie scanned through the messages on Mitchell Casher's account. Mitchell had sent a few e-mails to his son; nothing of great interest. One update on how his golf game was progressing, a mention of a couple of vintage jazz recordings he liked and thought Evan would enjoy along with the songs in digital format, a request that Evan come home soon for a visit. A few Christmas photos done by his mother. No message appeared encoded or encrypted in any way. There were no suspicious attachments.\n\nDonna Casher had a separate e-mail account through the same provider. More messages to and from Evan. The rest of her e-mails were mostly chatty exchanges with fellow freelance photographers. Except for Friday morning.\n\n\"She sent him four digital songs, two photos,\" Galadriel said. \"But note the size of the photos. They're larger than they should be.\"\n\n\"They had the files hidden in them,\" Carrie said.\n\n\"I suspect one photo contained a decryption program. The other photo contained the files. So when he downloads the photos, the decryption software launches secretly and decodes the files hidden in the second photo. Buries them in a new folder deep on his hard drive, where he wouldn't look normally. And he never sees or knows that they're present.\"\n\n\"Please tell that to Jargo. That she could have snuck the files to Evan without him seeing them.\"\n\n\"But he could have seen them, hon, if he knew they were coming,\" Galadriel said. \"You know Jargo isn't going to take the risk that he saw them.\"\n\n_And you_ , Carrie thought, _you act like you're sweet as sugar but you won't be stupid and help me when I really need it._ She wasn't fooled by Galadriel's honeyed voice. A steel-spined woman was at the other end of the line. \"Are there copies on the servers that delivered the mail?\"\n\n\"Cleaned off. I assume by Donna. Smart cookie,\" Galadriel said.\n\n\"Was Donna your friend?\"\n\n\"I don't have friends in the network, honey, even you. Attachments are dangerous.\"\n\n\"So we have nothing to go on.\"\n\n\"Actually, we do. Donna had been on e-mail discussion lists for opera and books. And a group on tracing genealogies in Texas.\"\n\n\"Genealogy,\" Carrie said.\n\n\"Smart girl. Odd that Donna Casher would be interested in genealogy.\"\n\n\"Right. No point in tracing a family tree when you're living under a false name.\" Carrie jumped to the genealogy group's website and found a message index. The e-mails to the group were mostly requests from people looking for connections to particular surnames in particular counties in Texas. Every message went to every member through the genealogy list's e-mail address, which meant that every message to that address reached all subscribers. It was not the forum for a private dialogue.\n\n\"I just did a cross-check on who sent Donna e-mails within the subscriber list,\" Galadriel said. \"Go to message number forty-one.\"\n\nCarrie did. An e-mail from a Paul Granger read:\n\nI'm very much interested in Samuel Otis Steiner family history you mentioned on genealogy forum. My grandmother was Ruth Margaret Steiner born in Dallas died Tulsa daughter of an immigrant family from Pennsylvania. I can supply records you requested for the Talbott family which originated in North Carolina, moved to TN, appeared again in Florida. Please indicate whether you have appropriate records or access to them. My daughter and I are visiting Galveston soon and are interested in tracing our history back to 1849. I can be reached at 972.555.3478.\n\nRegards,\n\nPaul Granger\n\nCarrie jumped back to the genealogy discussion list. At the bottom of each e-mail was a link to the list's online archive. She entered it and did a search on Samuel Otis Steiner.\n\nShe found a single posting about Steiner, from Donna Casher approximately two days ago. She did a search on Donna Casher's name; that single posting was the only time Donna had ever contributed to the group discussion. She'd simply requested information on anyone with knowledge of the Samuel Otis Steiner family.\n\n\"This isn't about tracing roots, clearly,\" Galadriel said. \"It's a contact.\"\n\n\"An innocent-looking way to communicate without arousing suspicion.\" Carrie studied the awkwardly worded message. No obvious code, but the numbers might be a key. \"That number, what is it?\"\n\n\"One sec.\" Galadriel put her on hold, jumped back on twenty seconds later. \"Hon, it's a Dallas, Texas, metro code. Got a voice-mail system. No identifier as to who it belongs to. I'll have to see if I can find it in the phone company database.\"\n\nCarrie studied the e-mail again. \"Eighteen forty-nine. Doesn't an end date seem odd in this context? You only want to go back so far and no further? Genealogists wouldn't stop at a particular date.\"\n\n\"I'm playing with the numbers, sugar. I suspect it's a code.\"\n\n\"One we've used?\"\n\n\"I can't tell you that, honey, but I'll check.\"\n\nCarrie clicked her tongue. \"Eighteen forty-nine might be the key to the rest of the message. Taking the first letter, the eighth, the fourth, and the ninth, then repeat. Or the same pattern, with words.\"\n\n\"Too obvious an approach, dear,\" Galadriel said. \"I'm looking at the server log for Donna Casher's e-mail account. No messages again from Paul Granger or anyone else.\"\n\n\"So this voice-mail account in Dallas, it's all we've got.\"\n\n\"Eighteen forty-nine,\" Galadriel said, \"could be a code word itself. A warning, an instruction, and everything else in the message, other than the phone number, is camouflage. Like 1849 means _run for your life_ or _we've been caught_ or _go to Plan B_.\"\n\n\"Or _call your son, get him home, then run for your life_ ,\" Carrie said. \"Does Granger's name ring a bell?\"\n\n\"No. I've checked, he's not in any of our databases. I'll check national driver's license records, but most likely it's an alias. And I've checked the message logs; no messages from Granger to Evan or Mitchell Casher.\"\n\nCarrie said, \"Please trace the e-mail.\"\n\n\"Already did. Sent from a public library in Dallas.\"\n\n\"So what next?\"\n\n\"We have a convergence of data in Dallas. I'll see if we can connect any of our known enemies to the Dallas area.\" Galadriel paused. \"You working this with Dezz?\"\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\nGaladriel made a noise in her throat. \"Good luck on that, sugar.\"\n\n\"Thanks, Galadriel.\" Carrie hung up and knocked on Dezz's door. He answered after a moment, clicking off a cell phone and slipping it into his pocket.\n\nShe told him about the leads. \"What are we supposed to do if we find this Granger and find the whole U.S. government right behind him?\"\n\n\"Run,\" Dezz said. \"Fast and far.\"\n\n\"They'll kill Evan. He doesn't deserve to die.\"\n\n\"What Evan Casher deserves could change from second to second. He goes public with what happened to him, he shoots us in the leg. We're lame. We'd have to shut down, at least for a year, and we can't afford that.\"\n\n\"It must be nice to have so little morality, you can just tuck it in your pocket.\"\n\nDezz smiled. \"This from the whore. Do you need me to loan you some conscience? I've got conscience to burn.\"\n\n\"Evan doesn't have to die if he can help us. He'd listen to me. He doesn't know anything, he's not a threat.\"\n\n\"So you think.\"\n\n\"So I think.\"\n\n\"You think a lot,\" Dezz said. \"Every brain cell firing all the time.\"\n\n\"News flash. Most people do.\"\n\n\"Most people don't, including you. You messed up, not finding those files.\"\n\nShe ignored him.\n\n\"Tell me true, sunshine. Does he know about the Deeps?\"\n\n\"No,\" she said. \"No, he doesn't. I'm sure of it.\"\n\nShe could see he didn't believe her. She poured coffee. Jargo came out of his room, pale.\n\n\"The bald man,\" Jargo said. \"We got a positive ID from the elves, off the phone records for the voice mail and from the ID. His name is Joaquin Gabriel. He's ex-CIA. The elves are tracking back every connection in Gabriel's life to see where he might stash Evan Casher.\"\n\n\"Why would Gabriel want Evan? What did he do at CIA?\" Carrie asked. A slow curl of horror rose up her spine.\n\n\"CIA. Oh, man,\" Dezz said.\n\n\"He got kicked out years ago,\" Jargo said.\n\n\"Maybe he got kicked back in,\" Dezz said.\n\n\"Gabriel cleaned up internal spills and messes,\" Jargo said. \"He's what folks call a traitor baiter. Find the people on the inside who can bring the CIA down.\"\n\n\"Oh, man,\" Dezz said again.\n\n\"Mr. Gabriel's got a score to settle with me.\" Jargo's phone rang again. He listened, nodded, clicked off the phone. \"Gabriel's son-in-law has a weekend house in a town called Bandera. Gabriel might run there.\"\n\n\"Good,\" Dezz said. \"I'm getting bored.\" And he made a gun out of his hands, fired it between Carrie's eyes.\n\n#\n\nTHE BULLET SMACKED INTO THE WALL six inches above the headboard. Gabriel jerked and flinched, his eyes widened.\n\n\"My mother is dead. My dad is missing. No more chances,\" Evan said. \"Where are we?\"\n\n\"Near Bandera.\"\n\nEvan knew it was a picturesque town in the Texas Hill Country.\n\n\"It's my son-in-law's vacation house. My daughter married well.\" Gabriel watched the gun, not Evan.\n\n\"Are you CIA or private security?\"\n\n\"Private,\" he said after a moment. \"But I am ex-CIA, and your mother... knew of me and my work. That's why she called me. I used to do internal security. Used to. The Agency ran me out.\"\n\n\"Tell me how to reach my father.\"\n\n\"I don't have a way.\"\n\nGabriel was sticking relentlessly to that aspect of the story. Evan decided to turn the question the other way. \"Does my dad know how to get in touch with you?\"\n\n\"No, he doesn't. This was your mom's arrangement. I had no contact with him.\"\n\n\"You're lying.\"\n\n\"I'm not. Your mom didn't think I needed to know.\" Gabriel gave Evan a crooked, slightly crazy grin. \"Your mother stole Jargo's files. Jargo has access to your dad because your dad works for Jargo, too. Your dad is missing. Do the math.\"\n\nEvan had not thought clearly, given the pell-mell rush and chaos of the past twenty-four hours. \"Jargo has my dad.\"\n\n\"Quite likely. I suspect he was on an assignment for Jargo when your mom decided to run. Jargo found out, grabbed your dad to keep him under control. He probably gave them your mom's computer password so Jargo could look for the files.\"\n\n\"I need those files. To ransom my dad from Jargo.\" But the files were gone, evaporated into nothing. His heart sank into his stomach. They'd gotten into his laptop fast. They knew his password. Probably from his dad, who handled the infrequent maintenance on Evan's system.\n\n\"All they'll care about now is being sure you don't know what was in the files, and that you have no copies of them.\" Gabriel gave Evan a sick smile. \"I'm your only hope to hide from these people.\"\n\n\"How does Carrie fit in? She knew I was in danger, she tried to warn me.\"\n\n\"Who's Carrie?\"\n\n\"Never mind,\" Evan said after a moment.\n\nGabriel closed his eyes. \"Clearly I used the wrong approach in dealing with you, Evan. I should have trusted you.\"\n\n\"You think?\"\n\n\"Congratulations, you've proven yourself to me. But you don't understand what's at stake. These files your mother stole, they could take down Jargo, and he's a very bad guy. I've got to have those files. They're the evidence I need.\"\n\n\"Against Jargo.\"\n\n\"Yes. To prove I shouldn't have lost my career, all those years ago. That Jargo has traitors inside the CIA working for him.\" Gabriel coughed. \"The CIA, overall, is an organization with great, hardworking, honest people. But a few bad apples rot in every barrel, and Jargo knows the bad apples. Your mom came to me because she knew I wasn't a bad apple, Evan. She was afraid to go straight to the Agency, because she didn't want to give this information and warn Jargo. He's got people in the Agency on his payroll, people in the FBI, too. They get wind of these files, or where you're at, and they've got the same motive to get rid of you that Jargo does. They don't want to be exposed.\" Gabriel licked his lips. \"Evan. I bet files that valuable, your mom hid another copy. Where would that be? Think. If you have another copy, I can still help you.\"\n\n\"Or we can just call the CIA.\"\n\n\"Evan. Do you think the CIA wants this news going public, that a freelance spy ring operates under their nose, inside their own walls?\" Gabriel licked his lips again. \"The CIA drove me out of work just for suggesting the merest possibility. Certain people in the CIA would rather kill you than let you harm the Agency's credibility. You go public, you're a dead man. They're hunting you as much as Jargo is.\"\n\nThe CIA. The thought made Evan's skin prickle with cold. Jargo was a killer, but he was only one man. But if these files threatened the CIA, they could find him. He couldn't hide from them forever.\n\n\"Who do I call at the CIA to tell them to stop?\"\n\nGabriel laughed, a cold, sick sound. \"You don't tell them that, son. They don't stop. They hunt you till they find you, they see what you know, and if you know too much, then they kill you. I wouldn't run to the CIA if I were you.\"\n\n\"So they and Jargo both want the files. Are the files lists of traitors inside the CIA who help Jargo, or agents, or names, or operations that are under way?\"\n\n\"Names. See me trusting you now?\"\n\n\"Of agents?\"\n\nGabriel hesitated for a moment. \"I think so.\"\n\n\"It either is or isn't names of agents.\"\n\nGabriel shrugged.\n\n\"What were you going to do when Mom gave you these names?\" Evan steadied the gun at him. \"I don't have a single reason to believe a word you've said. You could have been lying to me from minute one, and I don't think you saved me out of any debt to my mom or out of the milk of human kindness. You want those files as bad as Jargo\u2014you could lie about what's in them and why you need them.\"\n\nGabriel kept his mouth shut.\n\n\"Fine. Play silent treatment. You can tell me about it on the way.\"\n\n\"Way where?\"\n\nEvan took his laptop and left the room. Gabriel didn't deserve an answer. Evan sat down in the darkened hall, put his head in his hands, weighed his options. Gabriel knew the complete truth but wasn't talking. He could stick a gun up to Gabriel's head and threaten to kill him if he didn't talk. But he and Gabriel both knew that Evan wouldn't murder him in cold blood. Gabriel saw it in his eyes.\n\nSo another tactic, and a better one that would give Evan his dad and stop Jargo. The man behind his mother's death, if Gabriel wasn't lying.\n\nBut Evan had a call to make. His cell phone was with the Austin police, but Gabriel's phone sat on the breakfast counter.\n\nHe picked up the phone and dialed Carrie's number.\n\n#\n\nTHEY HAD ROCKETED SOUTH ON I-35 from Austin, veering west onto Highway 46, through the old German town of Boerne. Live oaks and twists of cedar covered the hills. The sky began to cloud.\n\nCarrie sat in the front, Jargo in the back, Dezz drove. The highway sign read: Bandera 10 Miles.\n\nCarrie's phone hummed in the silence. She had set it to vibrate, not ring, and she thought, _Oh, no._\n\n\"I hear a phone,\" Jargo said.\n\n\"Mine.\" Carrie's palms went slick with sweat.\n\n\"Evan. Hallelujah,\" Dezz said.\n\n\"Answer it. But hold the phone so I can hear.\" Jargo leaned forward, put his chin over the seat, his head close to hers.\n\nCarrie dug the phone from her purse, flipped it open. \"Hello?\"\n\n\"Carrie?\" It was Evan.\n\n\"Sweetheart. Are you okay?\"\n\n\"I'm fine. Where are you?\"\n\n\"Evan, never mind me. You were kidnapped\u2014where are you?\"\n\n\"Carrie. How did you know I was in danger when you called me?\"\n\nJargo stiffened next to her.\n\n\"Three men were at your house when I came back with breakfast for us. They said they were with the FBI, but I thought... I thought there was something fishy about them. I didn't like the look of them.\" She chose her words carefully, aware she had two audiences to please. \"They looked like thugs trying to act like government agents. I didn't let them in the house, Evan.\"\n\n\"What did they want?\"\n\n\"They wanted to ask you questions about your mom. Where are you, what's happening?\"\n\n\"I can't really talk about it.\" Evan seemed to give a sigh of relief. \"I just wanted to be sure you were safe.\"\n\n\"I'm fine, I'm just afraid for you. Please tell me where you are. I'll come, wherever it is.\"\n\n\"No. I don't want you involved. Until I figure out what's really happening.\"\n\n\"Tell me where you're at, babe. Let me help you.\" Jargo's hand touched Carrie's shoulder.\n\n\"Where did you go yesterday morning, Carrie?\"\n\n\"You\"\u2014she closed her eyes\u2014\"you gave me a lot to think about last night. I went for a drive. Then to get us breakfast. I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up. I didn't mean to send a mixed message to you.\"\n\n\"You should leave Houston. Put space between your life and mine. I don't want you hurt by... whoever is after me.\"\n\n\"Evan. Let me help you. Please. Tell me where you are.\"\n\nJargo eased her closer, put his ear even closer to the phone. \"I love you,\" she said.\n\nA moment's silence. \"Good-bye, Carrie. I really love you. But I don't think we can talk for a while.\"\n\n\"Evan, don't.\"\n\nHe hung up.\n\nJargo shoved her hard against the window. \"You little idiot!\" The glass smacked hard against her skull; the barrel of his Glock pushed against her throat.\n\n\"Should I pull over?\" Dezz asked.\n\n\"No.\" Jargo yanked the cell phone from Carrie, read the call log, dialed Galadriel on his set, ordered her to trace the number. He hung up and stared at Carrie. \"You called to warn him? You told me you didn't call him.\"\n\n\"No, I called to give him a reason to stay away from the FBI or the CIA if they came looking for him.\"\n\n\"I didn't tell you to do that,\" Jargo said.\n\n\"Initiative. I wanted him to shut up, about everything, until we could get to him. You didn't get to him in time. You let the police get ahold of him. But I didn't get to tell him the entire spiel. Gabriel attacked the police cruiser just as I'd gotten him on the phone.\"\n\n\"Why didn't you tell me?\"\n\n\"Because you'd freak out, just like you're doing now. I didn't get useful information, but I didn't put us at risk.\"\n\n\"If the police recovered his cell phone, your phone number's on the log.\"\n\n\"I used a backup phone. Cheap, a throwaway. Untraceable.\"\n\n\"It was stupid,\" Jargo said.\n\n\"You want him alive so you can get the files. If his mother told him about you or the files, I didn't want him saying a word to the police about the CIA. It was to protect him and to protect you. Our interests coincided.\" She watched Jargo's gun, wondered if she would be dead in the second it took to see the bullet launch from the barrel.\n\nHe lowered the gun. \"This is really not the time for me to worry about your loyalty. We clear?\"\n\n\"Crystal clear.\" She gripped his arm. \"The CIA killed my parents\u2014you think I want them killing Evan? If he's with Gabriel, and we can get Evan back, let me talk to him. It'll be much easier if you let me handle it. Please.\"\n\n\"You think you can recruit him.\"\n\n\"I think I can start the process. He's lost everything. Except me. He's vulnerable. I can win him over, I know I can.\"\n\n\"He said he loves you,\" Jargo said.\n\n\"Yes. He told me that last night.\" She faced the front of the car.\n\n\"So you're his weakness,\" Jargo said with a laugh.\n\n\"Apparently.\"\n\n\"Him loving you should make things easier,\" Dezz said with a laugh. \"Bring him over with a good screw, and we're set.\"\n\n\"Shut your stinking mouth,\" she said. She wanted to smash Dezz's nose in, break the teeth in his smirk.\n\nJargo's cell phone beeped. He answered, \"Galadriel, don't disappoint me.\" He listened. Nodded. \"Thank you.\" He clicked off. \"The cell phone is owned by one Paul Granger.\"\n\n\"Same name as the e-mail,\" Carrie said. \"How far away are we?\"\n\n\"Less than five minutes,\" Dezz said. And then the sirens were wailing, the blues and reds of a police car flashing behind them.\n\n#\n\nCARRIE WAS SAFE.\n\n_Thugs trying to act like government agents_ , Carrie had said. Was it really the FBI? Or could it be the CIA, looking for him? How would they know about him, about his parents and their connection to these files? It didn't make sense to him, but nothing did this morning. What mattered was Carrie was safe and sound. He would have to resist the urge to hear her voice and keep her at arm's length, clear of this nightmare.\n\n_I find you and lose you, all at once_ , he thought. But just until he could find his dad, find out the truth of what had happened to his family. Then they could be together.\n\nHe went back to the bedroom where Gabriel was chained. Now Gabriel was sitting close to the headboard.\n\n\"My girlfriend said the FBI was looking for me yesterday morning.\"\n\n\"Quite possibly,\" Gabriel said. \"What do you want me to do about it?\"\n\n\"She didn't believe they were real FBI. Could they have been CIA? You pull in my mom in Austin, they grab me in Houston.\"\n\n\"If they wanted you, they would have grabbed you earlier and taken you. I don't know who it was. Sorry.\" Gabriel rattled the chain. \"Are you leaving me here?\"\n\n\"I don't know yet.\" Evan locked Gabriel in the bedroom. He hurried down the hall. Gabriel could be lying about not having help; the CIA or any friends of Gabriel's could arrive at any moment. He ran into Gabriel's bedroom. Opened the first suitcase. A few clothes. A lot of cash. Enough to make Evan stare. Neatly bound bricks of twenties and hundreds. No ID in the bag, but the luggage tag read J. GABRIEL and an address in McKinney, a suburb of Dallas.\n\nHe searched Gabriel's other bag. A few clothes, two guns, neatly oiled and disassembled. He dumped the gun pieces in with the cash. In the corner he spotted a small metal box.\n\nHe tried opening it. Locked. Locked meant important. He needed tools to crack it open. He dumped his damaged laptop into the suitcase with the cash. Ran downstairs to the garage. He loaded the bag into the rear of the Suburban, clearing out space. He hurried back inside and retrieved the small locked box, put it inside his duffel bag, went back down to the garage, and stuck the duffel in the passenger seat.\n\nHe went back upstairs. Getting Gabriel downstairs in the handcuffs would not be easy. He would stick Gabriel in the back of the SUV, hit the road, and call Durless. He thought Durless would listen. He was probably mortified and furious at losing Evan, and then losing the case to the FBI. Evan would give him a chance to save face.\n\nHe unlocked the door and walked into the bedroom.\n\nThe bed was empty. The handcuff dangled from the bed frame. The drapes danced in the breeze allowed by the open window.\n\nEvan ran downstairs. His own breathing, panicked, filled his ears. CNN warbled in the den. He opened the door leading to the garage. Ducked inside. No sign of Gabriel. He edged into the dimly lit garage and over to the Suburban.\n\nWhere was Gabriel?\n\nThe garage door powered upward in sudden motion.\n\n#\n\nEVAN KNEW HE WOULD BE SEEN in a matter of seconds. The Suburban was parked farthest from the door leading into the house. As the garage door motored up, Evan slid over the hood of the SUV, putting the Suburban between him and the rest of the garage. He huddled down close to the front right wheel. He pulled the gun he'd taken from Gabriel from the back of his jeans.\n\nGabriel ran into the garage.\n\n_I have his keys, he went out the window, this must be his only way back in the house_ , Evan thought.\n\nEither Gabriel had seen him or hadn't and Evan would know in a moment.\n\nFootsteps. Heading toward the door that led to the kitchen. Evan heard that door open. Then the garage door powering downward along its tracks. Gabriel cutting off his escape that way. He believed Evan was still inside the house.\n\nEvan risked a peek above the Suburban's hood. _He's probably got more guns in the house, and he's heading for one, because he knows I've got one and now I'll have heard the garage door, wherever I am in the house._ Evan eased inside the Suburban from the passenger side, slid into the driver's seat, inserted the key into the ignition. He found the garage door opener clipped to the sun visor and hit the button. The garage door stopped.\n\nHe hit the button instantly again and the door crept up as he started the Suburban. Evan thought, _Please, let him have run upstairs already..._\n\nThe door to the house flew open; Gabriel stood in the doorway, gun in hand. The garage door still motored upward.\n\nGabriel slammed his fist onto the door control; it stopped. He ran past the motorcycle. Heading right for the driver's door.\n\nEvan shifted into reverse and hit the accelerator. The Suburban roared backward, metal screeching as it scraped the lowered garage door.\n\nGabriel fired. The bullet pinged off the roof, his aim too high. Evan spun the wheel, slamming backward into metal in the wide stretch of driveway. In the rearview mirror he saw the stolen Malibu.\n\nGabriel sprinted toward the car's front, aiming at the tires, bellowing, \"Stop! Evan! Give it up!\"\n\nEvan wrenched the car into drive. The Suburban rocketed forward; Gabriel screamed as he went over the hood and off the side of the car.\n\n_I hit him_ , Evan thought. He aimed the Suburban down the driveway, which cut down a sizable hill studded with cedars and live oaks. It looked like the Hill Country. Gabriel had mentioned Bandera. For once he'd told the truth.\n\nThe driveway snaked down to a closed metal gate that fenced the property off from a small country road. Evan pressed the other button on the garage door opener, hoping that the gate was electronic. The gate didn't budge. Then he spotted a loop of chain locking the gate shut.\n\nHe searched in the dividing console of the Suburban, then hunted on the car key ring. No extra key.\n\nEvan grabbed the gun from the passenger seat, got out of the Suburban, left the engine running. He aimed at the hefty lock on the chain, took two steps back, and fired.\n\nThe gunshot thundered across the silence of the hills. The lock rocked, a hole blasted in its edge. He tested the lock. It held.\n\nHe heard the whine of a motorcycle. The Ducati, revving down through the driveway.\n\nEvan steadied his aim and fired again. The bullet pierced the lock dead center. The lock fell open under his hands, and he unwound the chain, dropping the links onto the gravel at the road's edge. His breath grew heavy and loud in his ears. He shoved the gate open.\n\nThe whine crescendoed. He saw the Ducati arrowing down the driveway through a break in the trees, then roaring toward him. Gabriel raised his pistol. The warning shot kicked up dust near Evan's feet.\n\nNo place to hide. Evan, the chain in one hand, the gun in the other, slid under the Suburban at the passenger side, into the grit and gravel.\n\nHe had taken cover in panic. _Stupid, stupid, stupid._\n\nThe Ducati stopped ten feet away. Limestone dust from the gravel coated the bottom of its wheels.\n\n\"Evan.\" Gabriel sounded as if he were talking around broken teeth. \"Toss the gun out. Now.\"\n\n\"No,\" Evan said.\n\n\"Listen to me. Don't be an idiot. Don't run. They'll kill you.\"\n\n\"Back off or I'll shoot you.\"\n\nGabriel's voice lowered. \"You shoot me, you're completely alone in this world. No money. No place to go. The cops hand you right over to the FBI, and then you know what happens.\"\n\n\"No, I don't.\"\n\n\"FBI comes and collects you on behalf of the CIA. Takes you into federal custody. And then they lose you, Evan, because the government wants you and your family dead. You've become a hot potato ain't nobody touching. I'm your only hope. Now come on out.\"\n\n\"I'm not talking to you. I'm counting. When I hit the magic number, I'm shooting you in the foot.\" He wanted out from under the hot, dusty car, the heat of the engine pressing against his back.\n\nGabriel kept his voice calm, as though trolling his options and seeing which one would lure Evan into sunlight. \"Evan, I know what it's like to have no place to go.\"\n\nEvan waited.\n\n\"I know how these people work, Evan. How they'll hunt you. I can hide you from them. Or get you to a place where you could negotiate a peace settlement with them.\" Slowly moving, slowly circling the Suburban. \"Best of all, I have a plan to get your dad back.\" Gabriel's voice was low, buddy-intimate.\n\nEvan aimed at Gabriel's feet. His heart hammered against the gravel.\n\n\"Your mother trusted me, and I failed her. I feel responsible. But remember, I shot through the rope, I saved your life.\" Gabriel's voice dropped lower. \"I'm talking with you. I'm not dragging you out by your heels to fight you.\"\n\n_Because I hit you with a car and because I have a gun, and you know it. You heard me shoot the lock. And you'rehurt, bad hurt from hitting the car, but you still chased me down here. You need me. Because you want Jargo so bad, and I'm the bait._\n\n\"We need to go to Florida,\" Gabriel said. \"That's where I was taking your mother. That's where she expected to find your dad.\" Tossing Evan a bone.\n\n\"Where in Florida?\"\n\n\"We can talk about details when you come out. I've got a great idea on how to get your dad back for you.\"\n\n\"So let's hear your plan,\" Evan said. Keep Gabriel talking. Let his voice give away any sudden effort, like rushing toward the Suburban.\n\n\"Jargo wants your dad, to lure you in and ensure you can't hurt him with the files. The CIA wants your dad or those files, to nab Jargo and whoever's in the CIA that works with him. I suggest you offer deals to both sides, get them face-to-face. Then you threaten to expose both sides\u2014Jargo as a freelance spy, the CIA as dealing with him, which is an embarrassment to them\u2014and negotiate the return of your dad. Play them against each other. We can work out the details. But come out and let's talk.\"\n\n_And what does that plan buy you?_ Evan wondered. He could not figure out what Gabriel wanted\u2014revenge, but against both Jargo and the CIA? It made no sense. Unless he really was ex-CIA and the disgruntled employee of the century. \"All right,\" Evan said. \"I'm coming out now. Don't shoot me.\"\n\n\"Toss the gun out, Evan. Flick on the safety and toss the gun out.\"\n\nEvan, lying flat, aimed with care at Gabriel's foot. His hand trembled and he willed it still. _Make it count._ But the surface of the road, all rough edges of gravel, made him worry the bullet might not fly straight into Gabriel's leg. _Hurt him just bad enough so you can get away._\n\nHe aimed. But before he squeezed the trigger, a single shot rang out. A smack of bullet slammed into flesh, and Gabriel screamed and fell to the dirt.\n\n#\n\nCARRIE GLANCED BACK AT THE WHIRLING sirens and lights. \"It's a cop. I told you to slow down.\"\n\nDezz said, \"Just be cool and follow my lead.\"\n\n\"Dezz,\" Jargo said. \"Take the ticket. You're a model citizen. We leave slowly and quietly, you got me?\"\n\nDezz pulled over and the county deputy sat behind him, lights spinning, for a minute.\n\n\"He's calling in the license,\" Jargo said. \"Dezz, if we lose Evan over this, you're dead.\"\n\n\"It's all cool,\" Dezz said.\n\nCarrie tensed, turning to watch as the deputy unfolded himself from the cruiser and walked up to the driver's side. _Just let us go, please_ , she thought. _Please._\n\nBefore the deputy could say a word, Dezz held his forged federal ID credentials up for inspection, saying, \"Special Agent Desmond Jargo of the FBI. I'm heading to Bandera to locate a person of interest in a case based out of our Austin office.\"\n\nThe deputy took the proffered ID, studied it with care. He handed it back to Dezz, peered in at Carrie. \"You got ID, ma'am?\"\n\n\"She doesn't need it, she's with me,\" Dezz said. The deputy looked in the backseat at Jargo.\n\n\"Hello, Officer,\" Jargo said.\n\n\"They're witnesses. With me,\" Dezz said.\n\n\"Registration?\" the deputy said.\n\n\"Did you hear one word I said to you?\" Dezz said. \"Special agent. On a case. In a rush. I'd simplify it further but _special_ and _agent_ both have two syllables.\"\n\n\"Cute. Registration, please, sir.\"\n\nDezz handed him the card and the deputy studied it. He handed it back to Dezz.\n\n\"Thank you. May we get on down the road, please?\"\n\n\"I'm curious.\" The deputy was young, brash-looking, a later-life version of the smart-mouth who sat in back rows lobbing spit wads but figured out after high school that police work was steady hometown employment. Carrie didn't look at him; she looked straight ahead at the road. \"What case you got of interest down here?\"\n\n\"I really don't have time for a summary,\" Dezz said, \"and it's confidential, so we're\u2014\"\n\n\"Not rushing off just yet,\" the deputy said.\n\n\"I'm a federal agent\u2014\"\n\n\"I heard you the first three times. But you're in our jurisdiction, and I haven't heard that you've spoken with our sheriff.\"\n\n\"I planned to call the sheriff shortly. We hadn't located our subject yet, and I saw no need to waste his time.\"\n\n\"Her time,\" the deputy said. \"Step out of the car, sir, and we'll give her a call about your case.\"\n\n\"This is ridiculous.\"\n\n\"Sir. All due respect, you can't come down and run ninety on our roads.\" The deputy leaned down close to Dezz's window. \"Let's just call\u2014\"\n\n\"Let's not.\" Dezz's fist lashed out like a hammer into the soft of the throat, crushing the windpipe. The deputy staggered back from Dezz's window, his sunglasses askew, mouth working in circles for air. Dezz drew his gun and fired a silenced shot. It burst the forehead between the Stetson and the cheap sunglasses.\n\nCarrie screamed. She saw a car cresting the hill, approaching them. Dezz floored the pedal; the sedan shot forward. Dezz readied his gun, steering with one hand.\n\n\"Dezz!\" Jargo yelled.\n\nThe approaching car\u2014a puttering Chevrolet, ten years old\u2014braked at the sight of the deputy lying dead in the road, and Carrie saw the driver's face widen in shock. She was a thirtyish blonde with glasses, wearing a Walmart apron and fluffy bangs. Dezz fired twice as they zoomed past. The driver's window vanished in glass dust and a bloom of red. The Chevrolet left the road, smashed into fencing that marked the edge of a cow pasture, the front of the car crumpling like foil.\n\n\"Not. A. Word.\" Dezz steered back into the center of the lane and shoved the speed up to one hundred.\n\nJargo leaned forward and closed his hands around his son's throat.\n\n\"That was idiotic,\" Jargo said.\n\n\"We don't have time to mess around with cops.\" Dezz sounded calm, as though they'd just stopped to inspect peaches at a roadside fruit stand.\n\n\"I ordered you to take the ticket!\" Jargo said. \"Listen to his lecture, smile and nod, be smart.\"\n\n\"Dad. The only ID I had at hand was the federal. He was calling it in, no matter what, and I couldn't let that happen. Better, tactically, to kill him now than to have to run later. It only put us two minutes behind schedule.\"\n\nJargo eased his grip off Dezz's throat, slapped the back of his son's head. \"The next time you disobey, I'll shoot you in the hand. I'll ruin it. You won't ever work again. And I'll cut you off, and I'll...\" Jargo fell back in the seat. He lowered his voice. \"Do not disobey me.\"\n\n\"Yes, sir,\" Dezz said.\n\n\"You didn't have to kill that woman,\" Carrie said in a thin voice.\n\n\"I just shot out her window. So she couldn't get a look at us, spot our license plate.\"\n\nCarrie fought down the urge to vomit. She couldn't show weakness around him. Not now.\n\nJargo said, \"Let's put the unfortunate deputy and witness out of our minds. We have a job to do.\"\n\nCarrie knew his request was for her benefit; the two innocents were already long gone from Dezz's mind. She checked her gun, wiped a hand across her mouth.\n\n\"Carrie, those deaths just now, they're regrettable,\" Jargo said. \"Truly. But I can't think of them as people, you see? I can't imagine them as someone's baby, or that they had a whole and worthy life to live. You have to keep your eyes on the prize. It's the only way to stay sane.\"\n\nCarrie knew he\u2014they\u2014were cold beyond belief. Worse than insane. They chose to murder without guilt.\n\n_Evan, please don't be at this house. Don't._\n\n\"Find a back way,\" Jargo said. \"Pull up the GPS map for me. Just because Evan called Carrie doesn't mean he's free of Gabriel. This could be a trap, Gabriel or the CIA pulling us in.\"\n\nA trap, with Evan laid as bait. She didn't want to think about that. \"Evan...\"\n\n\"Carrie, I know. You don't want him hurt. We don't, either. I have my own reasons for wanting to be sure Evan is safe.\" The lie\u2014she was sure it was a lie\u2014sounded smooth on Jargo's tongue.\n\nDezz pointed at the GPS screen. \"There's an access road a half mile from the front entrance of the ranch. We'll go in that way.\"\n\n_Get to Evan first_ , Carrie told herself. _Find him and get him out of there before Dezz and Jargo kill him._\n\nThe hill rose from the back ranch road in a sharp incline, limestone breaking through the thin soil in heaves and cracks, thirsty cedars and small oaks competing on the scrubby land. Dezz took the lead, Carrie the middle. Jargo brought up the rear.\n\nDezz stopped so suddenly Carrie nearly walked into his back.\n\n\"What's wrong?\"\n\n\"I heard a hiss.\" For the first time Carrie heard a tremble in Dezz's voice.\n\n\"Snakes are still hibernating now,\" Jargo said. \"No need to be afraid, little boy.\" Annoyance and arrogance blended in his tone; stinging still, Carrie decided, from Dezz's earlier disobedience.\n\n\"I don't like snakes,\" Dezz said. He took a tentative step forward. Carrie went around him to take the lead, easing down through the trees. Dezz walked as if he were navigating a minefield, one cautious step after another.\n\n\"Dezz, it's okay.\" Carrie wished a rattlesnake would whip its head out from under a rock, sink its fangs into Dezz's face or leg or butt. \"I think you heard the wind in the branches.\"\n\nHe didn't move.\n\n\"Dezz hates snakes. Reptiles. Anything that lives belly on the ground,\" Jargo said. \"I should get him a cobra as a pet. Help him overcome his weakness.\"\n\nDezz moaned in his throat.\n\n\"Now you know how to punish him when he won't listen to you,\" Carrie said to Jargo. \"Put a copperhead in his bed.\"\n\nThey heard a crash of metal, then another crash, a gunshot, a scream, the roar of an engine moving away from them.\n\nJargo grabbed Dezz's arm and the three hurried down an incline, then climbed up another small hill. They ran past a stable and a limestone pool, heard the rev of a second engine, heard the distant crack of another gunshot, saw a bald man racing a motorcycle down the driveway.\n\n\"Gabriel,\" Jargo said.\n\nDezz bolted, hurrying down the driveway, Jargo following. He called back over his shoulder, \"Carrie, secure the house.\"\n\nShe didn't stop, and Jargo raised a gun toward her and said, \"Do what you're told.\"\n\nEvan wasn't on the motorcycle; he might be in the house. _This is my chance._ So she nodded and ran back toward the house.\n\nSeeing Gabriel talking to a parked Suburban, Dezz hunkered down among the cedars. Jargo knelt next to him.\n\n_Evan_ , Dezz mouthed. _He's in the car._ Jargo nodded. They waited through two minutes of talking.\n\nDezz couldn't see where in the Suburban the idiot was. But then he heard, from under the car, a clear yell: \"I'm coming out...\" And Gabriel training his pistol at the SUV's underside.\n\nDezz stood, aimed, and fired.\n\nThe bald man jerked, blood popped from his back, and he fell with a choked cry of agony.\n\n\"Don't kill Evan,\" Jargo whispered to Dezz. \"Wound if you must. I prefer him alive to answer my questions.\" He gripped Dezz's arm. \"Clear?\"\n\n\"Totally.\"\n\nJargo frowned. \"You've not had a confidence-inspiring day.\"\n\n\"Benefit of the doubt, Daddy.\" Then Dezz yelled, \"Freeze! FBI!\" and started down the hill. Jargo stood, glancing back at the house where Carrie had vanished. Silence. He hoped Gabriel worked alone. Traitor baiters often did; they trusted no one. It was, Jargo knew, a sad and smart way to live. He drew back into the trees to watch. In case Evan came out shooting.\n\nGabriel crawled for his gun, face contorted in pain. Another bullet kicked up the limestone crush by his head and he stopped.\n\n\"I told you to freeze,\" Evan heard a voice say. Not angry. Calm. A young voice. Almost amused. \"It wasn't a suggestion. It was a strongly worded suggestion.\"\n\nGabriel said, \"Him... him...\"\n\n\"Evan? The cavalry's arrived,\" the voice called.\n\n\"Your house\u2014\" Gabriel gasped, and a second bullet hit him, this time in the shoulder. Gabriel shrieked, twisted in the dirt with a stunned look on his face. Evan could see a man's legs walking toward him.\n\n_Your house._ Evan fought down the sudden surge of terror in his chest, his guts.\n\nThe voice called, \"Be still now, Mr. Gabriel. You keep moving, you make me very nervous. I don't like being nervous.\" Then the voice brightened. \"Evan? You under the car or in it?\"\n\nEvan gave no answer. That voice. It was the voice from his parents' kitchen. The voice of his mother's murderer. Rage surged up in him.\n\n\"Hey, Evan, the good guys are here. FBI. Come on out, please.\"\n\nEvan didn't trust anyone who said he was FBI but who shot a wounded man.\n\n\"All's well, Evan. It's safe now. If you've got a gun, toss it out. We don't want any accidents.\"\n\nGabriel groaned and sobbed.\n\n\"Evan. I don't know what this crazy old fool told you, but you're perfectly safe. I'm FBI. My name is Dezz Jargo and\"\u2014a pause for emphasis\u2014\"I know your dad. He's sick with worry about you. We tracked Mr. Gabriel here. I need you to come out. We're gonna take you to your dad.\"\n\nJargo. Evan imagined Jargo would be an older man. This guy looked too young to run a criminal ring.\n\n\"Show me your credentials,\" Evan yelled.\n\n\"Well, there you are!\" Dezz called kindly.\n\n\"He's a liar,\" Gabriel yelled, and the walking legs delivered a sudden kick to Gabriel's head. Blood and two front teeth flew free from the mouth, and Gabriel lay still. Evan couldn't tell if he was still breathing.\n\n\"Evan, come out now please,\" Dezz said. \"For your own safety.\"\n\nEvan fired at Dezz's feet.\n\nCarrie moved from the garage to the kitchen. Silence, except for the television, tuned to CNN.\n\n\"Evan?\" she called. \"Evan, honey, it's me. Carrie. Come out.\"\n\nSilence. A shiver took hold of her chest as she went into each room. Afraid she would find him dead.\n\nHe had called, he had to be free.\n\nUnless it was a trap, and as soon as Evan called her, Gabriel killed him. She tried to think. Gabriel was ex-CIA. These files\u2014she wasn't sure what they contained that made Jargo sweat\u2014were of interest to Gabriel because he'd gone freelance, or he'd turned traitor, or he'd gone back to work for the Agency. Smoke and mirrors, this world was nothing but smoke and mirrors and she could not see the truth of anything except Evan lying in the bed, saying, _I love you._\n\nShe moved through the downstairs rooms quickly, efficiently. She hurried upstairs. The last time she had seen him he was lying in bed, asleep, perfectly at peace, and now he had endured this horror. His mother dead, and she had been powerless to stop it or to protect Donna or him. His mother, strangled. Hers had been shot.\n\n_Please, Evan, be here, not down there with Dezz. Or be gone. Gone far away where I can't find you._\n\nShe tore through each room, praying to find him first.\n\nDezz howled and jumped at the missed shot, but he didn't retreat far. Instead he gave a twisted laugh. \"Funny way of saying thanks for the save,\" he called. \"Gabriel was aiming for you when he was telling you to come out. I saved you.\"\n\nEvan waited. He thought Dezz would run for cover. It was sensible. Dezz didn't. But he didn't come any closer.\n\n\"Your father,\" Dezz said, \"his name is Mitchell Eugene Casher. Born in Denver. He's been a computer consultant for nearly twenty years.\"\n\n\"So?\"\n\n\"So, if I'm just FBI, I know that. But I'm his friend, Evan. His favorite ice cream flavor is butter pecan. He likes his steak medium. His favorite television show of all time is _Hawaii Five-O_ and he often bores people with plot summaries. Sound familiar?\"\n\nIt did. \"How do you know him?\"\n\n\"Evan, I have to trust you now. Your father does special work for the government. I handle his cases. I'm here to protect you. Your family has been targeted by very bad people. Including Mr. Gabriel here, who was kicked to the curb by the CIA.\"\n\nThe voice. He compared Dezz's voice to the voice that had spoken behind him, when he'd knelt in the kitchen, a gun at his head, his mother's dead face six inches from his. Now he wasn't sure. Those whole horrible moments fogged in a haze. He tried to remember the voice that had spoken while his mother was dead, the voice in his ears while he was dying at the end of a rope. \"Be a good boy and come out. I'll share my candy with you.\"\n\n\"Don't talk to me like I'm four years old,\" Evan said.\n\n\"I wouldn't dream of talking down to the famous director.\"\n\nEvan waited. A caramel wrapper dropped by Dezz's feet.\n\nEvan thought, _If I shoot him, there is still one more. If the two of them are still together._\n\n\"Got a friend at the house who's worried about you,\" Dezz said. \"Carrie's here with me.\"\n\nEvan thought he had heard wrong. \"What?\" His chest tightened. A lie. It had to be a lie.\n\nTen seconds of silence and Dezz said, \"Sorry, Evan, stay still, I just need to take a simple precaution,\" and he shot out the right front tire of the Suburban. The heavy SUV sank and settled down where the tire blew.\n\n\"I can't risk you shooting me and driving off,\" Dezz said. \"We're not doing a Mexican standoff. I want to take you to Carrie. And to your father. Come out, hands up, we call him. Get everyone back together. Nice family reunion.\"\n\nEvan gritted his teeth. No. Dezz was a liar, a killer. He wouldn't believe anything he said about Carrie. These men had found invisible files on his computer, erased his computer back to a default state in minutes, found Gabriel's hideout in the middle of nowhere. Learning his girlfriend's name was nothing. It was a trick, it had to be a trick, to lure him out.\n\nHe had to get out of here. But he couldn't drive the Suburban, not with a shredded tire.\n\nThe Ducati. It stood near the front of the Suburban, where Gabriel had parked it. The Suburban faced the gate. The bike was to his right, and Dezz stood over to the left and halfway up the hill. No way Gabriel pocketed the keys when he got off the bike, ready to shoot Evan. Right?\n\nGabriel gave out what sounded to Evan like a long, dying sigh.\n\nEvan would have to leave the suitcase behind, with the cash and his damaged laptop inside. He had the South African passport that Gabriel had shown him in his pocket and Gabriel's CIA ID. The duffel bag was in the car, too. But, he remembered, on the passenger side. He played the sequence of escape in his mind. Roll out on the passenger side of the Suburban. Ease the door open, grab the duffel\u2014it held the small locked box he'd taken from Gabriel, and his film gear. Shoot at Dezz to chase him back up the hill. Jump on the bike, go through the gate. It was probably suicide. But at least he was going down trying.\n\n\"Bring Carrie down here, let me see her, and I'll come out,\" he called.\n\nSilence for a second, and Dezz said, \"You come out and I'll bring her to you.\"\n\nDezz paced about twenty feet away. Close into the trees.\n\n_He's waiting for you to go for the motorcycle._ No, Evan decided. He was just waiting. He could see Dezz's face now: blondish hair, thin features; he looked sick-boy sallow, junkyard mean, flat-out crazy.\n\n_Did you kill my mother?_ He'd heard two voices, that he was sure of, but this was only one guy.\n\n_Stay focused. Keep your hand steady when you fire._ His father's voice in his ear, although he'd never been very good at target practice when his father had dragged him to the range, and he hadn't been in years. Evan wriggled out from under the car on the passenger side, the Suburban's chassis between him and Dezz. He opened the door. He grabbed the duffel, put the strap over his shoulder.\n\nDezz ran straight for him, aiming, yelling, \"Evan, great, arms up please where I can see them, okay?\"\n\nEvan fired over the hood and Dezz's jacket sleeve jerked as if tugged from behind. Dezz dropped to the ground and Evan kept firing over Dezz's head until the gun emptied. He reached the motorcycle.\n\nThe keys gleamed in the bright sunlight. He cranked the engine, squeezed into gear, spinning gravel, and shot through the narrow opening of the gate. He did not look back because he did not want to see the bullet coming for him. So he did not see Jargo step from the oaks, shoot at his shoulder, and miss, did not see Dezz stand, take careful aim, and a running Carrie shove Dezz as he fired. Evan heard the crack of the two pistols, their echoes bouncing around the mesquite-studded hills, but nothing hit him. He bent over the cycle, low, the duffel killing his balance, still holding the emptied gun in one hand, his chin close to the handlebars, and all he saw was the road leading away from death.\n\n#\n\nEVAN NEEDED A CAR. Fast. Dezz could come after him at any moment, thundering down and running him off the road, smearing him into jelly. A sign down the road indicated he was two miles from Bandera.\n\nHe drove into town, stopping only to tuck the emptied gun into the duffel so he wasn't flashing around weaponry. Lots of shops, a barbecue restaurant, signs for festivals happening every month. He peeled off the main road and wondered how he would go about stealing a car.\n\nIt was a strange decision. He wasn't part of the normal world anymore; he had stepped over into a shadow land where he had no map, no compass, no North Star to guide him. He had seen his face on the national news, seen himself discussed as a victim of crime. He had run over Gabriel and kept driving. He had seen Gabriel shot twice but was not heading to the police. He had escaped from the man who might have killed his mother.\n\nThe rule book of his life was in the gutter.\n\nHe drove until the houses were smaller, the edges of the lawns less precise.\n\nSmall towns. Unlocked doors, keys in cars. Right? He hoped. He parked the Ducati, pocketed the keys, slung his dusty duffel over his shoulder. A slow rain began, the sky rumbled. Most of the homes had driveways with carports instead of garages. Good. That made spotting a target car easier, and he wondered if this was how thieves approached their work. The rain chased everyone inside. He prayed no one watched him as he ambled from driveway to driveway, peering into cars, testing the doors. Everything was locked. So much for small-town trust.\n\nHe was on his eighth driveway, soaked now, approaching a pickup when the front door opened and a tough, thick-necked guy stepped out onto the home's small porch.\n\n\"Help you, mister?\" he called. In a tone not exactly a threat, but not saying, _Hi, come and drink a beer with me._ \"What you doing?\"\n\nThe lie came to Evan's mouth so easily it astonished him. \"Flyers.\" He pointed at the duffel bag. \"Supposed to leave flyers on windshields, but it's too wet. So I was gonna stick 'em in the driver's seats.\"\n\n\"Flyers for what?\" The giant stepped forward, giving Evan a doubting eye: his shaggy hair, the earring, the now filthy bowling shirt, begrimed with wet dirt and Gabriel's blood.\n\n\"New church in town,\" Evan said. \"The Holy Blood of Our Lord Fellowship. Have you been saved? We give more redemption for the dollar. We use rattlesnakes in our services and\u2014\"\n\nThe giant said, \"Thanks, I'm good,\" stepped back inside, and closed the door.\n\nEvan headed down the street. Fast now, running in the rain. The giant either bought it or he didn't and was calling the cops.\n\nTwo more doors down, a Holy Grail gleamed in the rain: an unlocked truck. It was a Ford F-150, red, an interior clean except for a Styrofoam coffee cup in the holder, a cell phone wedged in the seat divider, and a Teletubby doll, worn out with affection. The lights were off in the house: the mailbox read EVANS. An omen, a kiss of good luck. He tore out a piece of paper from his notebook and wrote, _Really sorry about taking the truck, the Ducati parked down the street is yours to keep, I'll call and tell you where I've left your truck._ He put the note and the Teletubby doll and the Ducati keys on the porch in plain sight, got in, started the truck, backed up. He thought the phone might be useful before the angry owner deactivated its service.\n\nNo one came out of the house.\n\nHe drove out of Bandera at modest speed, checking the gas gauge. Almost full. Luck had finally given him a break he hadn't had to fight for.\n\n_Now you're a real criminal._ What would his mom say?\n\nShe'd say, _Go get the men who killed me._\n\nNo. Revenge didn't matter\u2014saving his father did. Florida, Gabriel had claimed, was the rendezvous point for Evan's dad. His father might already be there, if he wasn't being held by Dezz Jargo's group. Evan would drive to San Antonio\u2014it was almost noon now\u2014and head east. He cranked on the radio as he hit the highway. Willie Nelson implored Whiskey River to take his mind. The storm blossomed into full fury, and he pointed the truck southeast. He knew the signs would guide him into the sprawl of San Antonio. Then he could take Interstate 10 in a straight shot to Houston and beyond, across the Louisiana flatlands and bayous. Across the toes of Mississippi and Alabama and into the westward finger of Florida.\n\nThen he could find his father. In a big, crowded state, where he had no idea where to start looking. But he couldn't stay still.\n\nHe thought about the files. The files were the crux, the negotiating point, the key to rescuing his father. If Dezz Jargo and company believed he possessed another copy of the files and would eventually exchange them for his dad, then the files shielded his father. Kill his father, and Evan had no reason to keep the files secret.\n\nPeople had lied to him before, with the cameras rolling, trying to make themselves look good. Or look smart. The best liars skirted the truth, stayed close enough to it. Maybe there were pebbles of truth in Dezz's and Gabriel's claims. The truth might lie between their tongues.\n\nHis whole body hurt, his whole body said _enough_. Concentrate on the road. Don't think about Mom, about Carrie. Just drive. Every mile gets you closer. That's what his dad had said on the long family drives. They never had other family to visit; these were always trips to the Grand Canyon, to New Orleans where his parents had lived when he was born, to Santa Fe, to Disney World once when he was fifteen, too cool for Disney but actually dying from excitement. Whenever he'd ask the inevitable childish question of how much farther, Dad would say, \"Every mile gets you closer.\"\n\n_That's no answer_ , Evan would complain, and his father would just repeat the answer: \"Every mile gets you closer.\" Smiling at Evan in the rearview mirror.\n\nFinally Mom would say, _Just enjoy the journey._ She'd lean back from the passenger seat, squeeze his hand, which embarrassed him as a teenager but now seemed like heaven's touch made real. Typical motherly, zippy optimism. He missed her as he would an arm suddenly gone.\n\n_Your father does special work for the government_ , Dezz had said. Even if Dezz was a liar, this had a ring of truth, given the events of the past two days. The concept was hazy, foggy. He did not know what a spy looked like, but he didn't picture James Bond. He pictured a man with the sallow, sad face of a Lee Harvey Oswald, a custom-made silencer in his pocket from a Swiss craftsman, a trench coat easily rinsed of blood and gore, an emptiness in the eyes to show the soul had withered from living under constant stress and fear of discovery. His father read Graham Greene and John Grisham, loved baseball, hated fishing, wrote computer code, and worshiped his family. Evan had never known a lack of love.\n\nSo did your dad tell you he loved you, go get on a plane, and then go steal secrets or kill people? Did blood money pay your way through college, put food in your belly, fund chewing gum and comic books and every other treasure of childhood?\n\nThe miles of Texas unfurled, long and rainy. \"Every mile gets you closer,\" he said under his shallow breath. Again and again, a mantra to keep away the pain and to harden his heart.\n\nHe would find out the truth. He would find his father. And he would make the people who had killed his mother pay with everything they held dear.\n\n#\n\nI COULD KILL YOU!\" Dezz screamed at Carrie. \"I had him!\"\n\nShe crossed her arms. \"Jargo wanted him alive. You were aiming for his head.\"\n\n\"I was aiming for the bike. The bike!\"\n\n\"If you were aiming for the bike,\" Jargo said, stepping between them, \"you could have shot it out when you shot the Suburban's tire, son.\"\n\nDezz's red face frowned. \"What?\"\n\n\"You hoped Evan would run,\" Jargo said. \"Give you a reason to shoot him dead. Get over this jealousy regarding Carrie. Now.\"\n\n\"That's not true.\" Dezz shook his head, fished in his pocket for candy. He jabbed a caramel in his mouth. \"I don't care who she sleeps with.\"\n\n\"Why didn't you take out the bike, then? After lecturing me about tactics earlier this morning?\" Jargo said. He went over, prodded Gabriel with his shoe.\n\n\"I didn't think he'd try for the bike. Who knew he would fight back, he's just a filmmaker!\" Dezz spat out the title. He whirled on Carrie. \"He knew how to shoot\u2014why didn't you warn me?\"\n\n\"I didn't know he could shoot. He never mentioned it.\"\n\n\"Dezz,\" Jargo said in a cold voice. \"His father is a crack shot. It's not unreasonable that he might have taught Evan about guns.\"\n\nDezz jerked off his jacket, pointed at the scorch in his skin. \"Where's your concern for me?\"\n\n\"I'll get you a bandage. Satisfied?\" Jargo said.\n\nCarrie kept her voice cool. \"If you want to know with certainty what Evan knows, and how big a threat he is, you need him alive. I can find him. He has few friends, few places to hide.\"\n\n\"Where will he go, Carrie?\" Jargo asked. He was calm, unruffled, kneeling to check Gabriel's pulse.\n\n\"Think about it from Gabriel's perspective. He is ex-CIA. He not only has a bone with you, but with the Agency. If we assume he's operating alone, he'll have wanted to maintain total control over Evan. He stole him from the cops. That means he would have warned Evan off the cops, off the authorities.\" She hoped she'd made a good case and went for the close. \"He'll go to Houston. He'll look for me. He has friends there.\"\n\nDezz jabbed his gun against her chest. It was still warm, the heat spreading through the material of her blouse. \"If you hadn't let him head to Austin yesterday morning, we'd be in a lot better shape.\"\n\nShe gently moved the gun away from her. \"If you thought before you acted\u2014\"\n\n\"Be quiet. Both of you,\" Jargo said. \"All of Carrie's theorizing aside, he may be heading straight to the Bandera police. Gabriel's alive. Let's take him and get out of here.\"\n\nThey loaded Gabriel in the back of the dented but drivable Malibu, wiping down and abandoning their own car behind a dense motte of live oaks. Gabriel had two bullet wounds, one in the shoulder, one in the upper back, and he was unconscious. Carrie took a medical kit from the car they were leaving behind and tended to his injuries.\n\n\"Will he live until we get back to Austin?\" Jargo asked.\n\n\"If Dezz doesn't kill him,\" Carrie said.\n\nDezz got into the car, jerked the rearview mirror to where he could see Carrie in the back, Gabriel's head in her lap.\n\n\"I could kill you,\" he said again. But now there was just the hurt of the denied child, the tantrum fading into pout.\n\nIt was time, she decided, to start playing a new hand. \"You won't,\" she said calmly. \"You'd miss me.\"\n\nDezz stared at her and she saw the anger begin to fade in his face. She allowed herself to breathe again.\n\n\"Go eat dinner,\" Jargo ordered them when they returned to the Austin apartment. \"I need peace and quiet for my talk with Mr. Gabriel.\"\n\nCarrie did not like the sound of that announcement but she had no choice. She and Dezz walked down the street, under the arching shade of the oaks, to a small Tex-Mex restaurant. It was crowded with young, hip attendees from the massive South by Southwest music and film festivals that dominated Austin every mid-March. Her heart went into her throat. Evan had talked about coming to the festival until just last week; _Ounce of Trouble_ had debuted at South by Southwest a couple of years ago, and he loved the craziness, the energy, the deal making. He loved seeing all the new movies at the cutting edge of cinema, the heady rush of thousands of people who loved to create. But the edits on _Bluff_ nagged at his mind, undone, so he had decided to skip this year's events.\n\nCrowded around the tables were young people who reminded her of Evan\u2014talking, laughing, their minds focused on art rather than survival. He should be here with her, watching movies, listening to bands, his mother alive. Instead she watched Dezz signal the hostess with two fingers and she followed him to a booth. Carrie excused herself to go to the ladies' room, left him playing with the sugar packets.\n\nThe ladies' room was busy and noisy. In the privacy of a stall, Carrie opened a false bottom in her purse. She removed a Pocket PC, tapped out a brief message, and pressed Send. The PDA tapped into the wireless server in a coffee shop next door. She waited for an answer.\n\nWhen she was done reading the reply, she blinked away the tears that threatened her eyes and washed her face with trembling hands. She came out of the ladies' room, half-expecting Dezz to have his ear pressed to the door, and then she could simply kill him on the spot. But the hallway held only a trio of laughing women.\n\nShe returned to the booth. Dezz dumped his sixth sugar packet into his iced tea, watching a mound of sweetness filter down past the cubes into the tea. She considered him: the high cheekbones, the dirty-blond hair, the ears that protruded slightly, and instead of being afraid of him she pitied him. For just one bent moment. Then she remembered the deputy and the woman on the highway, him shooting at Evan, and disgust filled her heart. She could shoot him, right here in the booth. His hands were nowhere near his gun.\n\nBut instead she sat down. He had ordered iced tea for her as well.\n\n\"Sometimes,\" he said, not looking at her, \"I really hate you and then I don't.\"\n\n\"I know.\" She sipped at her tea.\n\n\"Do you love Evan?\" He asked this in a soft, almost childish whisper, as though he'd spent his day's ration of bravado and bluster.\n\nThere was only one answer she could give him. \"No. Of course not.\"\n\n\"Would you tell me if you did?\"\n\n\"No. But I don't love him.\"\n\n\"Love is hard.\" Dezz poked his straw into his sugar hill, stirred it down to nothing. \"I love Jargo and look how he talks to me.\"\n\n\"That deputy. That poor woman. Dezz, you understand why it was a terrible mistake. How you put us at further risk.\" She had to treat it like a tactical error, not a human tragedy, because she was not sure that his unfinished jigsaw of a brain understood sadness and loss.\n\n\"Yeah. I know.\" He crumbled a tostada, flicking the fragments across the table, stuck his finger in the salsa, licked it clean. The waitress came and took their orders. Dezz wanted _tres leches_ cake first, but Carrie said no, dessert after dinner, and he didn't argue.\n\nHer hate for him did not ease, but she wondered what chance he had ever had, with Jargo as a father. \"Where did you go to school, Dezz?\"\n\nHe looked at her in surprise, unaccustomed to a personal question. She realized he never regularly spoke to anyone other than Jargo and Galadriel. He had no friends. \"Nowhere. Everywhere. He sent me to school in Florida for a while. I liked Florida. Then New York, and I didn't even know if he was alive or dead for three years, then California for two years. Then I was Trevor Rogers. Trevor, isn't that a name that suits me? Other times he didn't bother with school. I helped him.\"\n\n\"He taught you to shoot and strangle and steal.\" She kept her voice lower than the Tejano music drifting from the speakers, than the laughter from the tables.\n\n\"Sure. I didn't like school, anyway. Too much reading. I liked sports, though.\"\n\nShe tried to imagine Dezz playing baseball without taking a bat to the opposing pitcher. Or three-on-three basketball, occupying the court with boys whose fathers did not teach them how to disarm an alarm system or slice open a jugular. \"You don't do this often, do you? Just sit and eat with another human being.\"\n\n\"I eat with Jargo.\"\n\n\"You could call him Dad.\"\n\nHe sucked a long draw on his sugar-clouded tea. \"He doesn't like it. I only do it to annoy him.\"\n\nShe remembered her own father, her clear and unabated love for him. She watched Dezz swirl the tea in his mouth, look up at her, then look down back to his drink in a mix of contempt and shyness. She saw, with aching clarity, that he believed she was probably the only woman he could talk to, that he could hope for.\n\n\"I'm still mad at you,\" he said to his tea glass.\n\nTheir plates arrived. Dezz forked a chunk of beef enchilada, looped a long string of cheese around his fork, and broke the thread with a flourish. He tested out a smile. It chilled her and sickened her all at once. \"But I'll get over it.\"\n\n\"I know you will,\" she said.\n\nThe apartment was quiet and dark. Jargo had rented the two adjoining apartments as well to ensure privacy. He set a small digital voice recorder on the coffee table, between the knives.\n\n\"No objections to being recorded, do you, Mr. Gabriel? I don't want to trample on your constitutional rights. Not the way you did on other people's in years gone by.\"\n\nGabriel's voice was barely a creak, faded from blood loss, pain, and exhaustion. \"Don't you talk to me about what's moral or decent.\"\n\n\"You hunted me for a long time. But your license got revoked.\" Jargo selected a small knife and a long blade geared for holiday duty. \"This big beauty is designed to cut turkey. Rather appropriate.\"\n\n\"You're nothing but a traitor.\"\n\nJargo inspected the knife, ran its edge along his palm. \"That line is awfully tired. Traitor baiter. Baiting isn't a very strong action. Catching is more impressive.\" He came closer to Gabriel. \"Who are you working for these days? CIA or Donna Casher or someone else who wants to bring me down?\"\n\nGabriel swallowed. Jargo held up the thin silver of the small blade, raised an eyebrow. \"This one's not for turkey. It's for sausages.\"\n\n\"You'll kill me regardless if I talk or not.\"\n\n\"My son didn't leave me much of you to work with. But it's your choice whether the end is fast or slow. I'm a humanitarian.\"\n\n\"Screw you.\"\n\n\"Not me. Your daughter. Or your granddaughters. She's, let's see, thirty-five, very rich husband, living in Dallas. I'll send my son up to her showcase home. Dezz'll rape her, make rich hubby watch, tell them the reason their wonderful lives are being cruelly abbreviated is her father, then gut them both.\" He paused and smiled. \"Then I'll sell your granddaughters. I know a reclusive gentleman in Dubai. He'll pay me twenty thou for them. More if I don't break up the set.\"\n\nGabriel's eyes moistened in terror. \"No. No.\"\n\nJargo smiled. Everyone but him had a weakness, and that made him feel so much better and secure in his place in the world.\n\n\"Then let's chat like the professionals we are so your family gets to enjoy their storybook life. Who are you working for?\"\n\nGabriel took two deep breaths before answering. \"Donna Casher.\"\n\n\"What exactly were you supposed to do for her?\"\n\n\"Get fake IDs for them, get her and her kid to her husband. Then get all three of them out of the country. Protect them.\"\n\n\"And your payment was what?\" Jargo moved closer with the larger knife, brushed its edge along Gabriel's jaw.\n\n\"Hundred thousand dollars.\"\n\nJargo lowered the knife. \"Ah. A cash basis. Would you like a drink to kill the pain? Kentucky bourbon? Mexican tequila?\"\n\n\"Sure.\" Gabriel closed his eyes.\n\n\"And I heard you were off the sauce. Shame to backpedal. Well, you can't have a drink. Not yet. I don't believe that hundred thou was the whole payment, Mr. Gabriel.\"\n\n\"Please, don't hurt my girls. They don't know anything.\"\n\nJargo leaned close to Gabriel, studied Gabriel's face as though admiring the deftness of a painting, and flicked out his hand. A shred of cheek parted from Gabriel's face. Gabriel gritted his teeth but didn't scream. Blood dripped from the cut, in a slow ooze.\n\n\"I'm impressed.\" Jargo got up, went to the bar, opened a bottle of whiskey. Sniffed at it. \"Glenfiddich. Mother's milk, during your glory days at the Company. At least what I heard in the rare moments I gave you any thought.\" He poured a stream onto Gabriel's cut. \"The drink you wanted. Enjoy.\"\n\nGabriel moaned.\n\n\"Now. An old spook like you, a hundred thousand won't keep you in Fritos and Ripple.\" He produced a piece of paper from his jacket, held it up. \"We traced this e-mail from you to Donna Casher. Decode it for me.\"\n\nThe old training died hard. \"I don't know what it means.\"\n\nJargo flicked the blade along the ear's surface, scored blood from the lobe. Gabriel jerked. \"With two bullets in you, your mouth ruined, this doesn't hurt much. You want me to dig the bullets out for you?\" Jargo grinned.\n\nGabriel shuddered.\n\n\"See, Donna Casher turning to an ex-CIA drunk is truly the million-dollar question. Why you? I believe you were willing to take a bigger chance. For more than money. Tell me. For your family's sake.\" Jargo leaned down, whispered into the man's devastated ear. \"Buy their safety.\"\n\nGabriel's chest heaved. He cried. Jargo restrained himself from cutting the man's throat. He hated tears. They lessened a person so.\n\nGabriel found his breath. \"The message meant she was ready to run.\"\n\n\"Thank you,\" Jargo said. \"Running with what?\"\n\n\"Donna had a list.\"\n\nConfirmation. \"A list.\"\n\n\"Of a group of people. Inside the CIA... running illegal, unauthorized operations. Hiring out assassination and espionage work to a freelance group of spies she called the Deeps. She had your CIA clients' names, she had account information on how they had paid for your services. Like I always suspected.\"\n\n\"And never proved,\" Jargo said. \"Describe the data, please.\"\n\n\"This freelance group, the Deeps, she said they had clients inside the CIA. Inside the Pentagon. Inside the FBI. Inside MI5 and MI6 in England. Inside every intelligence agency in the world. Inside the Fortune 500. Inside governments, all high-ranking people. Any time someone needs a dirty job, forever off the books... they come to you.\"\n\n\"They do,\" Jargo said. \"You can see why my clients wouldn't appreciate you taking their names in vain.\" He brought the knife closer to Gabriel's throat. \"Did Mitchell Casher know about your arrangement to be his wife's bodyguard?\"\n\n\"She said he didn't know about her having this client list, or her wanting to run. He was on an assignment for the Deeps\u2014for you\u2014and she said we would meet him in Florida in three days. That was his reentry point after his assignment overseas. She wanted me with her when she talked to him. To convince Mitchell they had no choice but to run. I was to pose as a CIA liaison, tell him they were getting immunity and new identities in exchange for the data. Then they'd run, the whole family, together.\"\n\n\"Donna made this a fait accompli.\"\n\n\"She didn't want to give her husband a choice. She was burning their every bridge.\"\n\n\"Where was she running to?\"\n\n\"I just had to get the Cashers safely to Florida. They would run from there. Anywhere. I don't know. Didn't Donna tell you this before you killed her?\"\n\n\"Dezz killed her. In a rage. Because she would not speak. She was stronger than you. And she had better training.\" He wiped blood off the knife. \"And so she summoned Evan to Austin.\"\n\n\"Donna planned to explain to him they had to run\u2014tell him the entire truth. That she worked for your network, she wanted you brought down, that she would give me the data to bring down every one of your clients. Then we were driving to Florida. She wanted to avoid airports.\"\n\n\"Lucky for him you arrived.\" Jargo brought his face close to Gabriel's. \"This client list and some related files were on Evan's computer. We saw it. We erased it. You're telling me he didn't know he had the files?\"\n\n\"I don't know if he knew or not. I'm telling you what his mother knew. He... he doesn't seem to know much.\"\n\n\"Does he know or not?\"\n\n\"I don't... think so. He's dumb as a stump.\"\n\n\"No, he's not dumb.\" Jargo ran the tip of the blade along Gabriel's chin. \"I don't believe you. Donna cleaned the files off her computer. She sent a backup to Evan's computer. But she would need the files to convince Evan of the need for them to vanish. You don't simply just go and run away from your life. So Evan must have seen the files. And taken the precaution of making a copy and hiding it.\"\n\n\"He doesn't know.\"\n\nJargo jabbed the knife into the bullet wound in Gabriel's shoulder, and Gabriel's eyes bugged, the veins popped on his neck. Jargo clamped a hand over Gabriel's mouth, twisted the knife, let the scream run its course under his fingers, removed the knife, flicked away the blood.\n\n\"Are you sure?\"\n\n\"He knows,\" Gabriel gasped. \"He knows. I told him. Please. He knows your name. He knows his mother worked for you.\"\n\n\"He fought you.\"\n\n\"Yeah.\"\n\n\"Beat you.\"\n\n\"He's thirty years younger than me.\"\n\n\"Given your reversal of fortune,\" Jargo said, \"I think you'd like for Evan to bring me down.\"\n\nGabriel met Jargo's stare. \"You won't live forever.\"\n\n\"True. Where were you supposed to meet Mitchell in Florida?\"\n\n\"Donna knew the location, I didn't. He wasn't expecting her. She was intercepting him on his way home.\"\n\n\"Where will Evan run? To the CIA?\"\n\n\"I warned him off the CIA. I didn't want\u2014\"\n\nJargo stood. \"Ego, ego, ego. You wanted the files for yourself. To bring me down. Humiliate the CIA. It would ruin them, you know. Revenge. See where it's gotten you?\"\n\n\"I've kept my promise.\"\n\n\"Tell me. Do you often respond to any crank who contacts you to help you in your vendetta against the CIA? She must have offered you proof of her credentials. A taste for what was to come.\"\n\nGabriel looked into Jargo's face and said, \"Smithson.\" Smiled as Jargo went pale. \"I've told you everything I know.\"\n\nJargo struggled to keep his emotions from surfacing on his face. How much had Donna told this man? Jargo pretended as if the name Smithson meant nothing to him. \"Evan left a large amount of cash behind in your son-in-law's Suburban. But no IDs. Presumably you didn't plan on the Cashers flying out of Florida under their own names. I need to know the identities on the documents you created for Evan.\"\n\nGabriel closed his eyes. As though steeling himself for the answer.\n\nJargo sipped at the whiskey, leaned over close to Gabriel, and spat whiskey onto Gabriel's facial gash.\n\nGabriel spat back.\n\nJargo wiped the string of saliva from his cheek with the back of his hand. \"You'll give me every name Evan's got documentation for. And then we'll go\u2014\"\n\nNowhere. Gabriel whipped his head downward and to the right. Jargo still held the long silver blade of the knife in his hand, and Gabriel pounded his throat onto the point with one breathless blow.\n\n\"No!\" Jargo jerked away, letting go of the knife. It wedged in Gabriel's neck. Gabriel collapsed to the floor, eyes clenched shut, and then his breath and his life unfolded out of him.\n\nJargo slid the knife free. He tested for a pulse; gone.\n\n\"You can't know. You can't know.\" In a fury, he started kicking the body. The face. The jaw. Bone and teeth snapped under his heel. Blood splattered across the calfskin. His leg started to get tired, his pants were ruined, and the rage drained out of him and he collapsed to the soiled carpet. _Smithson._ How much had Donna told Gabriel or told her son?\n\n\"Did you lie to me?\" Jargo asked Gabriel's body. \"Do you know our names?\" He couldn't risk it. Not at all. He had to assume the worst. Evan knew.\n\nHe could never let his clients know they were in danger. That would start a panic. It would destroy his business, his credibility. His clients could never, ever know such a list existed. He had to bring Evan down now.\n\nHe cleaned the blood from the knife and called Carrie's cell phone. \"Get back here. We're leaving for Houston. Immediately.\"\n\nNo debate now. No discussion. Evan Casher was a dead man, and Jargo knew he had just the perfect bait to grace a trap.\n\n# SUNDAY\n\n## MARCH 13\n\n#\n\nSUNDAY MORNING, shortly after midnight, Evan finally let himself weep for his murdered mother.\n\nAlone in the cheap Houston motel room, not far from the shadow of the old Astrodome and the distant hum of cars speeding along Loop 610, the lights off and the bed weathered with hourly use, he lay down, alone, and memories of his mother and his father flooded his mind. The tears came then, hot and harsh, and he curled into a ball and let them come.\n\nHe hated to cry. But the moorings of his life had been shorn away, and the grief throbbed in his chest like a physical pain. His mother had been gentle, wry, careful as a craftsman about her photos. Shy with strangers but expansive and talkative with him and his father. When he was little and would beg to sit in her darkroom and watch her work, she would stand over her photo-developing equipment, a lock of hair dangling in her face, singing little songs under her breath that she composed on the spot to keep him entertained. His father was quiet, too, a reader, a computer geek, a man of few words, but when he spoke every word mattered. Always supportive, insightful, quick to hug, quick to gently discipline. Evan could not have asked for kinder and better parents. They were quiet and a little closemouthed, and now that quirk loomed large in his head. Because now it meant more than computerish solitude or artistic introversion. Was it a veil for what lay beyond, their secret world?\n\nHe'd believed he knew them. But the burden of a hidden life, lived just beyond his eyes, was unimaginable to him.\n\n_Because they didn't want you hurt. Or because they didn't trust you._\n\nTen minutes. Crying done. No more, he told himself. He was done with tears. He washed his face, wiping it dry with the paper-thin, worn towel.\n\nExhaustion staggered him. He had driven straight into San Antonio, changed the license plates off the stolen pickup, trading with a decrepit-looking station wagon in a neighborhood where it seemed less than likely the police would get a prompt phone call. He drove the speed limit on I-10, heading east, winding through the coastal flatlands and into the humid sprawl of Houston. He stopped only for gas, eating Slim Jims and guzzling coffee, paying with cash when he had to refill the tank. He found a cheap motel\u2014cheap in that the hookers shook their moneymakers a block away\u2014and booked a room for the night. The clerk seemed to resent him\u2014Evan supposed they didn't get much demand for more than an hour or two in the room. Evan palmed the room key and drove the truck\u2014too nice for the lot\u2014past an old woman smoking cigarettes in a doorway, past two whores chatting and laughing in the parking lot. He locked the door behind him. There was no furniture other than the bed and a worn TV stand, bolted to the floor. The TV brought a fuzzy picture and offered only the local Houston channels.\n\n_All gone._ The words spoken by one of the killers in the kitchen. The file they killed his mother for had been on his computer. Somehow.\n\nGabriel said she'd e-mailed the files. Assume it was true, since she'd sent him a large e-mail late the night before she called him. So she must have hidden a program inside the songs, tucking these hidden files on his laptop in a place he would never look. He wasn't a computer geek, he didn't explore the innards of his laptop, he didn't browse through his library or preference files. But the data would be there, a backup for his mother or insurance for Gabriel, and Evan would have never thought twice about receiving a set of music files.\n\nMusic files.\n\nHe dug his digital music player out of the duffel. Evan always synced his music files with his digital music player, and he had Friday morning, so he could listen to the music during the drive to Austin. So potentially he still had the file\u2014still encoded, but not lost. If he could move the correct music file to a new computer, it might automatically re-create the files his mother had stolen.\n\nIf it was in a digital photo\u2014those he didn't back up. It would be lost forever.\n\nHe would need a computer. He didn't have enough cash for one, and he did not dare use a credit card. Tomorrow's problem.\n\nOutside, a woman cussed, a man laughed and asked her to love him until tomorrow, then the same woman laughed with him.\n\nHe dug out the small, locked box he had taken from Gabriel's house. A single wire hanger dangled in the closet; he tried to pick the lock with its bent end, feeling ridiculous. Got nowhere. He walked down to the motel office.\n\n\"Do you have a screwdriver I can borrow?\" he asked the clerk.\n\nThe clerk looked at him with empty eyes. \"Maintenance'll be here tomorrow.\"\n\nEvan slid a five-dollar bill across the counter. \"I just need a screwdriver for ten minutes.\"\n\nThe clerk shrugged, got up, returned with a screwdriver, took the bill. \"Bring it back in ten or I'll call the cops.\"\n\nCustomer service, alive and well. Evan headed back to his room, ignoring a \"Hey, sweetheart, you need a date?\" from a prostitute at the edge of the parking lot.\n\nEvan broke the lock on the fifth try. Small, paper-wrapped packages spilled out, and Evan hurried back to the office in case the grumpy clerk made good on his threat. The clerk didn't look over from his TV basketball game as Evan slid the tool back across the counter.\n\nThe low groans of a couple sounded through the thin walls when he went back into the room. He didn't want to hear them and he cranked on the TV. Evan opened the first package. Inside were passports from New Zealand, held together with a rubber band. He opened the top one: his own face stared back at him. He was David Edward Rendon, his birthplace listed as Auckland. The paper looked and felt appropriately high-grade government authentic; an exit stamp indicated he'd left New Zealand a scant three weeks ago.\n\nHe picked up another New Zealand passport from the spill of papers. His mother's picture inside, a false name of Margaret Beatrice Rendon, the paper worn as if it had flown a lot of miles. A South African passport in the name of Janine Petersen. Same last name as his African identity. A Belgian passport for his mother as well, her name now Solange Merteuil. He picked up another Belgian document. His picture again, but with the name of Jean-Marc Merteuil. He opened the second package: three passports for Gabriel, false names from Namibia, Belgium, Costa Rica.\n\nThe next package held four bound passports at the bottom of the pile, looped together by a rubber band. He flipped them over, freed them from the band. South Africa. New Zealand. Belgium. United States. Opened them. And inside each, his father's face stared up at him. Four different names: Petersen, Rendon, Merteuil, Smithson.\n\nOdd. Three for him, three for his mother, but four for his dad. Why?\n\nIn the final package were credit cards and other identity documentation, tied to his family's new names. But he was afraid to use the cards. What if Jargo could find him if he charged gas or plane fare or a meal? He needed cash, but he knew if he made an ATM withdrawal from his accounts, the transaction would register in the bank's database, the security tape would capture his image, and the police would know he was back in Houston. _So what if they know you're in Houston? You're leaving for Florida._ But he was still reluctant to go to a bank.\n\nHe tucked the passports back into the bag.\n\nThe awful question wormed in past his fatigue: _Was Jargo waiting for me at Mom's?_ If Jargo wasn't expecting Evan, then they were after his mother and Evan had simply arrived at the wrong time. But if they were... how had they known he was coming? He had talked directly to no one but his mother. He could phone in an anonymous tip to the police, suggest they look for bugs on her phone. Or on his. He had called Carrie, left her a voice mail. They could have intercepted that message.\n\n_You're ignoring that Carrie quit her job that morning. She vanished without telling you. Did she know about this?_\n\nThe thought dried his throat. _Don't love me_ , she had said. But that couldn't mean regret. That couldn't mean she was preparing to betray him. He knew her, he knew her heart. He could not believe Carrie would have any voluntary involvement in this horror. It had to be a phone tap. Which was an entirely scary prospect of its own. Gabriel had called Jargo a freelance spy\u2014assume that was true, then Jargo could tap phones. But if it wasn't, then Jargo was working for a bigger fish. The CIA. The FBI.\n\nHe needed money. He had the Beretta he'd fired at Dezz, but he had no ammo left. He needed help.\n\nShadey. He could call Shadey. The falsely accused man who had been at the heart of his first documentary. Shadey had griped about Evan plenty on CNN, but he was tough and smart and resourceful.\n\nEvan paced the floor, trying to decide. He suspected if the police were serious about finding him, Shadey might be under surveillance. And Evan was a little afraid of Shadey. He had been wrongly persecuted by a vengeful cop, but he wasn't a saint. He was a risky choice as an ally. He craved attention, and from his TV interview he acted as if Evan had done him wrong. He might turn Evan over to the police immediately and grab a headline for himself.\n\nBut Evan had no one else to ask.\n\nHe doused the lights. Played back every moment he had spent with Carrie Lindstrom over the past three months, when she had stepped into his life. When he slept, he did not dream of her, but of the noose tightening around his neck as his mother lay dead below his feet.\n\nA harsh buzzing woke him. Forgetting where he was, he first thought it was his old alarm clock, and that Carrie was in the bed with him, and all was right with the world. But it was the stolen cell phone from the truck. Probably the owner, calling to chew him out for stealing the phone. It was 6:00 A.M. Sunday morning. He picked up the phone; the display screen didn't reveal a number.\n\nHe clicked on the phone. \"Hello?\"\n\n\"Evan. Good morning. How are you?\" a voice said. It had a soft Southern drawl.\n\n\"Who is this?\"\n\n\"You can call me Bricklayer.\"\n\n\"Bricklayer?\"\n\n\"My real name's a secret, son. It's an unfortunate precaution I have to take.\"\n\n\"I don't understand.\"\n\n\"Well, Evan, I'm from the government, and I'm here to help you.\"\n\n#\n\nHOW DID YOU GET THIS NUMBER?\" Evan whispered. Outside was still and quiet, except for the infrequent hum of traffic; the lovers next door slept or, more likely, had concluded their business and crept back into the empty night.\n\n\"We have our ways,\" Bricklayer said.\n\n\"I'm hanging up unless you tell me how you got this number.\"\n\n\"Simple. We recognized Mr. Gabriel from the police description. We know Mr. Gabriel seized you for, well, let's call it his version of protective custody. We know he was in Bandera because of a credit-card charge he made. We know he has a family member with a house that has been occupied, damaged, and abandoned as of yesterday. We know Mr. Gabriel is missing. We know a truck with a cell phone in it was stolen from Bandera. We arranged with the owner and the cell phone company to keep the phone activated. So we could talk to you, if you or Mr. Gabriel was in possession of the phone. And I see that you are.\"\n\nEvan got up and began to pace the room.\n\n\"May I speak to Mr. Gabriel?\" Bricklayer asked.\n\n\"He's dead.\"\n\n\"Oh. That's unfortunate. How did he die?\"\n\n\"A man named Dezz Jargo shot him.\"\n\nA long sigh. \"That's very regrettable. Are you injured?\"\n\n\"No. I'm fine.\"\n\n\"Good. Let's proceed. Evan, I bet you're scared and tired and wondering what you ought to do next.\"\n\nEvan waited.\n\n\"I can help you.\"\n\n\"I'm listening.\" He wondered\u2014they had found him because of a stolen phone. Could they be tracing the call, turning a satellite miles above to shift its lens onto Texas, onto Houston, onto this seedy nowhere?\n\n\"You and I have a mutual problem. Jargo and Dezz.\"\n\nEvan blinked. \"Dezz is Jargo. Jargo's his last name.\"\n\n\"Clarification, Evan. I say Jargo, I mean a man we know as Steven Jargo. Dezz is his son. Of course, those aren't their real names. No one knows what their real names are. Probably even they don't.\"\n\n\"His son.\" He'd had it wrong. Dezz and Jargo. So there were two. Son and father. \"They killed my mother.\"\n\n\"Dezz and Jargo will kill you, too, if they get a chance. We don't want you hurt, Evan. I want you to tell me where you're at, and I'm gonna send a couple of men to pick you up. Protect you.\"\n\n\"No.\"\n\n\"Evan, now, why say no? You're in terrible danger.\"\n\n\"Why should I trust you? I don't even know your real name.\"\n\n\"I understand your reticence. Truly. Caution is the hallmark of an intelligent mind. But you need to come in under our wing. We can help you.\"\n\n\"Help me by finding my dad.\"\n\n\"I don't know where he is, son, but if you come in, we'll move heaven and earth to find him.\"\n\nIt sounded like an empty promise. \"I don't have the files you all want. They're gone. Jargo and Dezz destroyed them.\" He picked up his music player. Perhaps not. But if he simply gave them the files, they could use them how they wanted, destroy them, and make him vanish. He would only trade them for his father. Nothing else.\n\nBricklayer paused, as though contemplating unexpected news. \"Jargo won't leave you alone.\"\n\n\"He can't find me.\"\n\n\"He can and he will.\"\n\n\"No. You want what he wants. These files. You'll kill me, too.\"\n\n\"I most certainly would not.\" Bricklayer sounded offended. \"Evan, you're emotionally exhausted. It's understandable, given your horrible ordeal. Let me give you a number, in case we get disconnected. I loathe cell phones. Will you write the number down?\"\n\n\"Yes,\" and Bricklayer fed him a number. He didn't recognize the area code.\n\n\"Evan. Listen to me. Jargo and Dezz are very dangerous. Extremely.\"\n\n\"You're preaching to the choir.\" He risked a guess. \"Are you with the CIA?\"\n\n\"I loathe acronyms as much as cell phones,\" Bricklayer said. \"Evan, we can have substantive talks when you come in. I personally guarantee your safety.\"\n\n\"You won't even tell me your name.\" Evan paced the room. \"I could buy time by talking to the press. Telling them the CIA is offering to help me. Give them this number.\"\n\n\"You could go public. I suspect, though, that Jargo will kill your father in retaliation.\"\n\n\"You're saying he has my father.\" Evan waited.\n\n\"It's most likely. I'm sorry.\" Bricklayer sounded like a mortician, gently agreeing that, yes, it was a beautiful casket. \"Let's move forward, so we can work together to get your dad home. Would you meet with me? We can meet in Texas; I assume you're still in the state\u2014\"\n\n\"I'll consider it and call you back.\"\n\n\"Evan, don't hang up.\"\n\nEvan did. He switched off the phone, dropped it on the bed as if it were radioactive. If Bricklayer could triangulate on the phone, the government could just bust the door down.\n\nHe pulled on a change of clean clothes he'd packed in the duffel. He spread his cash in front of him. He had ninety-two dollars. A camcorder, a cell phone, a Beretta with no ammunition.\n\nHe couldn't face Shadey or the sweet-talking Bricklayer or Dezz and Jargo without being armed. It would be suicide. But he didn't think gun shops were open on Sundays, and he couldn't go into one anyway, not with his picture all over the news as a missing man. Pawnshops? He didn't want to part with the camera suddenly; he wished he could have gotten Dezz on film. That would have been leverage. Selling the camera was a last resort.\n\nYou could buy all sorts of things on the street. Drugs. Sex. Why not ammo?\n\nHe closed his eyes. Thought out ways he could acquire ammo for a particular gun. One idea came to mind, crazy, definitely daring, but it played on the only common wish he knew how to grant with the skills and resources he had.\n\nEvan ventured into the early-morning damp. Down low on his head, he wore a baseball cap that had been in the rear seat of the stolen truck. He bought the Sunday _Houston Chronicle_ out of a vending machine in front of a decrepit coffee shop. His face and his father's face were on the cover of the metro section, an old publicity photo his mother had shot after _Ounce of Trouble_ had made the short list for the Oscars, where his hair was shorter and he wore nerd-boy eyeglasses. He didn't need glasses but he'd decided they made him look smarter, more artistic. It had been a shallow affectation; his mother had teased him about how seriously he took himself, and now he felt embarrassed. The paper said his father was also considered missing; no record existed of anyone named Mitchell Casher having flown to Australia from the United States in the past week. No mention or picture of Carrie.\n\n_Carrie's here with me_ , Dezz had claimed in his creepy singsong voice. Evan had not believed him. If Carrie had been kidnapped, it would have been in the papers.\n\nOr would it? She had quit her job. She wasn't with him. Who would report her missing? But if she had been taken, she wouldn't have been able to call him and warn him before Gabriel's attack. So where was Carrie? Hiding? He ached to talk to her, to hear her soothing voice, but he couldn't go near her, he couldn't involve her again.\n\nHe folded the paper under his arm. Pay phones were a dying breed with a cell phone wedged in every pocket and purse, but he found one two blocks down at a convenience store where the lot smelled of Saturday-night beer. A gangly kid lounged near the phones, chewing on a grape Pixy Stix, watching Evan with all the suspicion and arrogance of a prison guard.\n\n_He might do._ Evan picked up a phone, dropped in the required coins.\n\n\" 'Spectin' an important call on that phone,\" the boy said in a low murmur. Giving Evan a narrowed stare.\n\n\"Then they'll get a busy signal for a minute.\"\n\n\"Find another phone, son,\" the kid said.\n\nEvan stared at him. He wanted to pop the kid in the sneering mouth and say, _You picked the wrong guy to mess with today._ But then he decided he didn't need another enemy. He had learned one thing as a filmmaker: everyone wanted to be in a movie.\n\nEvan didn't put a smile on his face because smiles weren't always good currency. \"You an entrepreneur?\"\n\n\"Yeah, that's me. I'm a mogul.\"\n\nEvan grabbed the Beretta tucked in the back of his jeans, under his shirt, and he jammed it into the kid's flat stomach. The kid froze.\n\n\"Calm down. It's unloaded,\" Evan said. \"I need bullets. Can you get them for me?\"\n\nThe kid let out a long wheeze. \"Man, forget you. I might've if you hadn't been a jerk just now.\"\n\n\"Then I'll make my call.\" Evan let his fingers drift back to the filthy keypad.\n\n\"Wait, wait. What is it?\" The kid put his back to the street and examined the gun. Evan kept it in a tight grip. \"Beretta 92FS... yeah, I bet I can score a few sweet mags for you. Friend of a friend. Cash basis.\"\n\n\"Of course.\"\n\n\"Lemme make a call on your coins,\" the kid said.\n\nEvan handed him the receiver. The kid punched numbers, spoke in a low tone, laughed once, hung up the phone. \"An hour. Be here. Cash. Four mags, fifteen rounds each, three hundred dollars.\"\n\nHe didn't know ammo prices, but he suspected the quote was higher than what he would pay in a gun shop or online. But the street didn't ask questions. \"I don't need that much ammo.\"\n\n\"Won't deal less. Otherwise not worth getting out of bed, son.\"\n\nEvan didn't have three hundred dollars, but he said, \"I'll be back here in an hour.\"\n\nNow that he had a customer, the kid nodded. Ambled off across the lot, sliding a fresh Pixy Stix out of his pocket, tearing off the top, and dumping the purple powder onto his tongue.\n\nEvan walked four blocks until he found another convenience store. He wore the sunglasses he had found in the stolen pickup and he bought hair-coloring dye, a pair of scissors, a giant coffee, and three breakfast tacos thick with fluffy eggs and potato and spicy chorizo sausage for breakfast. It didn't get him closer to three hundred dollars. He swallowed the crazy urge to show the clerk the gun tucked in the back of his pants to see if that would produce three hundred bucks. The clerk rang him up. Watching Evan when she gave him the change.\n\nFear slammed into his stomach like a fist. Was this what paranoia was?\n\nHe hurried back to the motel. Evan locked himself in. Devoured the breakfast tacos and finished the black coffee while he read the directions on the hair dye. It would take only thirty minutes to set.\n\nHe cut his hair, locks falling into the sink. He had never given himself a haircut before and it looked really bad until he muttered, \"Screw vanity,\" and he hacked it into a not-as-bad burr. He removed the small hoop earring from his left ear. The earring seemed too young for him now; it was time to grow up. Then he dyed his hair, sitting on the bathroom floor, refining his plan while the black color set. He laughed when he saw himself in the mirror, but it was serviceable. He didn't look exactly like the picture in the paper. But he still looked like himself.\n\nHe had about eighty bucks left and ten minutes before the kid showed up with the ammunition. He drove back to the store where he had met the kid, parked at the edge of the oil-pocked lot. He went inside the store. An old lady bought orange juice and a can of pork-and-beans and shuffled out the door. Evan waited until she was gone and approached the clerk. This clerk nodded along with a Sunday-morning evangelical-church service and slurped coffee. She was an older lady, dour, with a stray eye.\n\n\"Excuse me, ma'am. That tall kid who hangs out by the phone,\" Evan said. \"Mr. Pixy Stix. Is he a problem for you?\"\n\n\"Why you care?\"\n\n\"He warned me off using the phone. I bet he's using it for drug deals.\"\n\n\"He don't buy enough Pixy Stix to pay rent.\"\n\n\"So if I get him to quit hanging out here, you won't be heartbroken? You wouldn't feel you have to call the police right away?\"\n\n\"I don't want no trouble.\"\n\n\"He'll never know what hit him.\"\n\n\"What do you care what he's doing? I never seen you in here before.\"\n\n\"My aunt just moved in down the street, and that kid smarted off to her when she was using the phone, and old ladies should be able to make phone calls without hassle.\"\n\n\"So tell the police.\"\n\n\"That's a temporary solution. The police come, then they go. My idea is longer-lasting.\"\n\nThe clerk studied him. \"What are you doing?\"\n\n\"I'm going to hang out at the phone and wait for him.\"\n\n\"Why? You buying?\"\n\nHe held up the duffel and showed her his camcorder. \"No. I'm selling.\"\n\nThe kid returned, five minutes late. But not alone. His companion was a thick-necked young woman with a toughness etched in her face. She stood bigger and taller than the kid, and a similar set to their eyes and their frowns suggested she might be an older sister. She carried a shopping bag from Goodwill in her hand. They arrived in a new Explorer and parked at the end of the lot.\n\nEvan stood by the phones with the duffel over his shoulder, the digital camcorder wedged in place in the duffel. He left the zipper gaping open enough so that the lens could get a clear shot. The woman didn't like that he had the duffel. Tension deepened the frown in her face.\n\n\"Hey,\" Evan said.\n\n\"Drunk barber got ahold of your hair, son,\" the kid said.\n\n\"The makeup director wanted me to have a more street look,\" Evan said, and waited to see what they would say.\n\nThe kid just frowned as if Evan were crazy\u2014and then the woman said, \"Let's go to the back of the store.\"\n\n\"Actually, there'll be a phone call coming in for you here in a minute. We should just wait right here.\" Evan put a bright, fake smile on his face.\n\n\"Excuse me?\" The woman was running the show now, not the kid.\n\n\"Here's the deal,\" Evan said. \"I'm a scout for a new reality show, it's called _Tough Streets_. HBO next fall. We put people who don't have any street smarts in neighborhoods where they've never been before. Picture soccer moms and suburban dads trying to cope in the Fifth Ward. Whoever can accomplish a set list of goals, well, they move on in the competition. The grand prize is a million bucks.\"\n\nThe woman stared at Evan, but the boy said, \"I got an idea for a show. You put me in River Oaks, let me live in luxury, and film that all the livelong day.\"\n\n\"Shut up. You buying or not?\" the woman said.\n\n\"Did you bring the ammo?\" Evan asked.\n\n\"Yeah.\"\n\n\"I'm buying. But we're test-driving this as one of our challenges. I just wanted to see how easy it was to buy ammo on the street. While taping.\" He raised the camcorder, with its lens cap off and recording lights aglow, out of the duffel. \"Smile.\"\n\n\"No, no, no!\" the woman said, and she shielded her face with her fingers.\n\n\"Wait. Wait.\" Evan switched off the camcorder. \"I'm not getting you in trouble. I just had to test the challenge. Ma'am, you're an original. You're what we're looking for on _Tough Streets_.\"\n\n\"Me. On TV.\" She brought her hands down from her face.\n\nHe held up one hand as though framing her face. \"I think you'd be great. But you don't have to be on TV if you don't want to be.\"\n\n\"Big Gin gonna be a star.\" The kid laughed.\n\nBig Gin froze. \"What is this?\"\n\nEvan held up his hands. \"The contestants all have street guides as partners in the game, because you and I know that they won't have a chance without them. Dumb people from suburbia.\"\n\n\"Like you,\" Big Gin said.\n\n\"Yes, like me. You're beyond telegenic. The strength in your face. The confidence of your walk, your talk. Of course the street guide shares half the prize money\u2014\"\n\n\"A half million. You're kidding,\" Big Gin said.\n\n\"\u2014unless you have a record,\" Evan finished his sentence. \"We could not hire anyone with a record. The lawyers are insistent about that.\"\n\n\"Buying ammo would get you a record,\" Big Gin said.\n\n\"Well, the contestants wouldn't truly be buying real ammunition. Just blanks. The lawyers are insistent about that, too.\"\n\n\"She's never been convicted,\" the kid said.\n\n\"Shut up.\" Big Gin looked at Evan in a way he'd seen in film-deal meetings: a player who's wondering if she's the one being played.\n\n\"This is bull,\" the kid said. \"You got three hundred bucks for the ammo, or not, 'cause we ain't staying if you don't.\"\n\n\"Shut up,\" Big Gin said to him.\n\n\"Um, I cannot give you three hundred bucks,\" Evan said. \"That would mean we've conducted an illegal transaction, and we couldn't hire you then for the show, Ms....\"\n\n\"Ginosha,\" she said.\n\n\"Don't tell him your name,\" the kid said. \"He doesn't have the money, let's go.\"\n\nEvan had a leftover card in his wallet from a screening and cocktail party he'd been at last week in Houston. One was from a producer with a Los Angeles production company called Urban Works, a guy named Eric Lawson. He handed Big Gin the card. \"So sorry. Meant to give this to you earlier.\"\n\n\"Whoa,\" she said. \"You for real.\"\n\n\"Yeah.\"\n\n\"Where's your camera crew? Why just you?\"\n\n\"Because this is guerrilla TV. We don't bring camera crews out here when we're scouting for talent and locations. It would not be reality TV then, would it?\"\n\nBig Gin studied the business card, as though it held a doorway to a long-held desire.\n\n\"So who's calling on the phone?\" she said.\n\n\"One of the talent scouts,\" Evan said. \"He'll pretend to be the suburban contestant you have to help. But I want to film you from back over here, near this side of the lot. Just talk off the top of your head, show me how you can improvise. I've got a mike built into the phone already, but I want a distance shot of you. Here, young man, I'm sorry, what's your name?\"\n\n\"Raymond.\" The boy examined the business card but with a critical glare.\n\n\"You come over here and stand by me, out of the shot.\"\n\nRaymond frowned but not at the business card. \"Why can't I be in the shot?\"\n\n\"It's my shot,\" Big Gin said.\n\n\"Well, Raymond, frankly, you didn't act interested,\" Evan said. \"You didn't think I was legit.\"\n\n\"Sure he did,\" Big Gin said. \"That's just the way he talks. He's cool now, he's not disrespecting.\"\n\n\"Raymond, you know, we have to win over the young audience as well,\" Evan said. \"Our target demographic includes teenage girls.\"\n\nRaymond, holding the bag with the ammunition, tented his cheek with his tongue, gave Evan another frown, but went and stood by the phone, calculated a pose, stood his best side.\n\n\"Excellent. But I don't like the bag being in your shot. You look like you're shopping.\" Evan took five steps back.\n\nBig Gin picked up the bag of ammo clips, brought them over to Evan, put them at his feet. \"We ought to be compensated for our time if you ain't buying.\"\n\n\"Oh, absolutely. Of course this is basically your private audition, and you didn't have to stand in line, and\"\u2014he put the camcorder up to his eye\u2014\"I go down to the community center, I got folks lining up around the lot to try out.\"\n\nBig Gin gave him a look in the lens. \"What do I do?\"\n\n\"Let your natural personality shine through.\" Evan was fifteen paces from them now, worried about the boy, whose suspicions had not flagged for one moment. The duffel and the bag of ammo sat between Evan's feet. The stolen cell phone lay wedged in his back pocket.\n\n\"Act natural. Don't look at me.\" Evan reached behind him, pressed the dial button of his pocketed phone. It was already keyed to the pay phone's number.\n\nOne ring. \"Look at the pay phone, let it ring three times, let me get the film rolling.\" But Evan was the one rolling, grabbing the duffel and the ammo, running backward toward his truck. Two rings. Raymond still stared at the phone, but Big Gin couldn't resist the lure of the camera's eye. She spun as Evan jumped into the truck. He'd left the key in the ignition. He wrenched the car into reverse, saw Big Gin shout and run after him. He tore out into the street, into a hail of horns of oncoming traffic.\n\nRaymond, now sold on the idea of TV stardom, answered the phone. \"Is this part of the audition?\" he asked.\n\n\"I've taped you dealing for a week,\" Evan lied into the phone. \"You show up at that phone again, I give the cops the tape.\" In the rearview mirror Big Gin stormed out into traffic, shooting him the finger, winded in a short run.\n\n\"That's illegal!\" Raymond hollered. \"You nothing but a thief.\"\n\n\"Complain to the cops. Thanks for the ammo. We've made a fair trade\u2014I'll be quiet and I'll keep your bullets.\"\n\nRaymond's reply got cut off when Evan thumbed off the phone. Evan floored the accelerator in case Big Gin came after him in their shiny new Explorer. He hoped Big Gin and Raymond had been more honest than he had. He opened the bag. Four magazines. He tried to fit one into the Beretta. It smacked in clean and true.\n\nNow he could go find Shadey.\n\n#\n\nEVAN DROVE THE PICKUP TRUCK PAST the gated community's wall. The condos stood behind wrought iron and imported stone. The building lay at the edge of the Galleria district, Houston's Uptown, crammed full of high-end shops and eateries and condominiums catering to both the aged oil money and the young high-tech rollers. This particular enclave was called Tuscan Pines, but tall Gulf Coast loblollies, less romantically named than European evergreens, shaded the lot. Across the street stood high-end office space and a small boutique hotel. Evan parked in the office lot.\n\nHe waited. He expected to see police cars. But instead a parade of Mercedes and BMWs and Lexuses came and went out of the gate. After another hour Shadey walked out of the security guard's box, headed toward a beat-up Toyota, got in, and puttered out of the complex. Evan followed him as he headed down Westheimer, toward River Oaks and the heart of Houston.\n\nHe stopped next to Shadey at the first light. Waited for Shadey to look over at him. Shadey was a typical Houston driver who didn't mess with glancing into other lanes.\n\nEvan risked a honk.\n\nShadey looked over. Stared as Evan smiled, as he recognized him under the black hair.\n\n_I need to talk to you_ , Evan mouthed.\n\n_No_ , Shadey mouthed back. He shook his head. Blasted through the red in a sudden sharp left turn.\n\nEvan followed. He flashed his lights. Once. Twice. Shadey made two more turns and drove behind a small barbecue restaurant. Evan followed him.\n\nShadey was at his window before Evan had finished parking. \"You stay away from me.\"\n\n\"It's nice to see you, too,\" Evan said.\n\nShadey shook his head. \"It's not nice to see you. No way nice to see you. I got an FBI agent I'm supposed to call if I see your smiling face.\"\n\n\"Well, I'm not smiling, so you don't have to call.\"\n\n\"Just go, man. Please.\"\n\n\"I'm not a suspect, I'm not a fugitive. I'm just missing.\"\n\n\"I don't care about what you calling yourself. I don't need trouble in my life.\"\n\n\"You complained on national TV that I didn't set you up in movies or as a musician.\"\n\nShadey glared at him. \"Hey, man, I was just making myself available to interested parties. You never know who's watching the news.\"\n\n\"Well, since you told a couple of lies about me, you can help me and wipe the slate clean. I need cash.\"\n\n\"Do I look like an ATM?\" Shadey lowered his sunglasses so Evan could see his eyes. \"I'm a security guard, I don't got cash.\"\n\n\"I know you can get cash, Shadey. You have connections.\"\n\n\"No more. Get your unconnected self on your way.\"\n\n\"It's funny how being cleared of a crime creates this wave of gratitude,\" Evan said. \"Considering you didn't even have a good lawyer when I met you.\"\n\n\"I don't owe you forever, Evan.\"\n\n\"Yes, you actually do. Without _Ounce of Trouble_ you're still in jail, Shadey, and, yes, you owe me forever.\"\n\nShadey closed his eyes. \"You're in trouble. I don't do trouble anymore. I help you, I'm a felon.\"\n\n\"No. You're a friend.\"\n\n\"Spare me, man.\"\n\n\"I pissed off the wrong people, just like you did years ago, and they're trying to kill me to make a problem go away. I need cash, I need a computer.\"\n\n\"Make yourself a movie. Explain it to the world.\" Shadey shook his head. \"I'm sorry, no way, no how.\"\n\n\"You know what, you didn't deserve me, as an advocate or a friend. I'm sorry I bothered. You live your life of freedom. Free to complain. Thank me when you think of it.\"\n\nShadey stared at him. Pushed his sunglasses back into place.\n\nEvan started the pickup's engine. \"If people come around looking for me, tell them you haven't seen me. But don't be surprised if they kill you just to cover their trail.\" He started to put the car into reverse and Shadey put his hand on the door. Evan stopped.\n\n\"I already got a call. After I was on CNN. A lady. Said her name was Galadriel Jones. She said she worked for _Film Today_ magazine. Said if I heard from you or could tell her where you was, exclusivelike, I'd get fifty thousand in cash. Under the table.\"\n\nEvan knew _Film Today._ It was a small, influential trade-press publication, and he didn't believe for a second a reporter would pay fifty thousand dollars to a tipster; an industry magazine couldn't afford it.\n\n\"How did this woman sound?\"\n\n\"Too-sweet nice.\"\n\n\"Did she give you a phone number?\"\n\n\"Yeah. Said not to call the magazine's number, said to call her number.\"\n\n\"They're playing you for a fool, Shadey. They won't pay you. They'll kill us both. The people who killed my mom, I think they've got my dad. The only way you're safe is if you help me.\"\n\nShadey cracked knuckles, cussed under his breath. Leaned in close to the window. \"I don't like gettin' played. By either them or you.\"\n\n\"I'm the one being straight with you. I've always been straight with you, no matter what you think. Please help me.\"\n\nShadey gave Evan a hard stare. \"You remember where my stepbrother's house is, over in Montrose?\"\n\n\"Yeah.\"\n\n\"Meet me there in two hours. You ain't there when I arrive, I ain't waiting, and we never saw each other, we never talked, and you never come look for me again.\" He got back into his car, waited for Evan to back out, then peeled out of the parking lot.\n\nEvan drove in the opposite direction, watching for cars that were watching him.\n\nThe next theft: a computer.\n\nHe couldn't go to Joe's Java, where he'd met Carrie\u2014too many people there knew him. He remembered an independent coffee shop called Caf-fiend near Bissonnet and Kirby, usually with a big Rice University undergrad clientele. As a visual-arts student just a few years ago, he'd edit film on his laptop, leaving it at the table because there were always nice folks around and he was just up at the counter getting coffee, he could keep an eye on it. But he'd turned his back on it plenty. Laptop users could be complacent.\n\nShadey might not show with the money, much less with a computer. He had already stolen a truck that was someone's pride and joy; he could steal a computer. Shame welled in him. He needed something, he'd steal it. It would hurt an innocent person to steal and he still cared about that. But his survival was at stake.\n\nHe wondered as he walked into the coffee shop, _Who am I becoming?_\n\nHe put on the sunglasses he had found in the stolen pickup, ran a hand over his shortened black hair. The shop was busy, nearly every table taken, and a steady business of people buying coffee drinks to go.\n\nA new line of computers stood on a counter running along one wall, Internet-ready. He wouldn't have to steal one\u2014at least not to do half of what he needed. His next serious crime could wait.\n\nHe got a large coffee, surveyed the crowd. No one paid him any attention. He was anonymous. He put his back to the room, the sweat dampening his ribs. He opened a browser on one of the computers. He was the only one using the store-provided systems; most people had brought their own.\n\nHe went to Google and searched on \"Joaquin Gabriel.\" No clear match; there were quite a few men named Joaquin Gabriel in the world. Then he added \"CIA\" to the search terms and got a list of links. Headlines from the _Washington Post_ and the Associated Press.\n\nVETERAN SPY'S CLAIMS ARE \"DELUSIONAL,\" CIA SAYS. And so on. Most of the articles were five years old. Evan read them all.\n\nJoaquin Gabriel had been CIA. Before the bourbon and paranoia got hold of him. He was charged to identify and run internal operations to lure out CIA personnel who had gone bad\u2014a man known as a traitor baiter. Gabriel launched a series of increasingly outrageous accusations, condemning CIA colleagues for collaborating with imaginary mercenary intelligence groups, of running illegal operations both in America and abroad. Gabriel accused the wrong people, including a few of the most senior and honored operatives in the Agency, but his claims were hard to swallow given his alcoholism. And complete lack of evidence. He left, abruptly, with a government pension and no comment. He had moved back to his hometown of Dallas and set up a corporate security service.\n\nWhy would his mother trust this man\u2014a drunken disgrace\u2014with their lives?\n\nIt made no sense. Unless Gabriel had been dead right in theory. Mercenary intelligence groups. Freelance spies. Consultants. What he claimed Jargo was.\n\n_That's why Mom went to Gabriel. She knew he would believe her; this was the evidence that would vindicate him, redeem his career._\n\nHe had another idea. The names on his father's passports. Petersen. Rendon. Merteuil. Smithson. _You also don't know about your parents._ Gabriel meant more than the usual unimaginable life of his parents before he was born or their hidden dreams and thoughts. More than regrets of youth or unfulfilled hopes or an ambition never mentioned to him but allowed to die in isolation. Something bad.\n\nPetersen. Rendon. Merteuil. Smithson.\n\nFirst he did searches on Merteuil. Most of the links referenced Merteuil as the surname of the vicious aristocratic schemer from the French novel _Les Liaisons Dangereuses_ , variously played in film adaptations by Glenn Close, Annette Bening, and Sarah Michelle Gellar. He wondered if that meant anything, an alias based on a deceitful character. But then he found a reference to a Belgian family with that surname, killed five years ago in a Meuse River flood. The dead Merteuils had the same names as those on his family's Belgian passports: Solange, Jean-Marc, Alexandre.\n\nRendon produced a bunch of results, and he specified the search more carefully on the name in his alias: David Edward Rendon. He got a website rallying against drunk driving in New Zealand and listing a long history of people killed in accidents as meat for the argument for stiffer penalties. A family had been killed in a horrific crash in the Coromandel mountains east of Auckland. James Stephen Rendon, Margaret Beatrice Rendon, David Edward Rendon. The three names on the passports.\n\nHe searched on the Petersen names. Same story. A family lost in a house fire in Pretoria, blamed on smoking in bed.\n\nDead families hijacked, he and his parents readied to step into their identities.\n\nThe coffee in his gut rose up like bile.\n\nIt was the nature of a good lie to hug the truth. He was Evan Casher. He was supposed to be, in addition, Jean-Marc Merteuil, David Rendon, Erik Petersen. Every name was a lie waiting to be lived by his whole family.\n\nExcept the one name that didn't have a match in his mother's or his fake passports, the extra passport for his father. Arthur Smithson.\n\nSearching the name produced only a scattering of links. An Arthur Smithson who was an insurance agent in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. An Arthur Smithson who taught English at a college in California. An Arthur Smithson who had vanished from Washington, D.C.\n\nHe clicked on the link to a story in the _Washington Post_. It was a report on unsolved disappearances in the D.C. area. Arthur Smithson's name was mentioned, as well as several others: runaway teens, vanished children, missing fathers. Links offered the original stories in the _Post_ archives. He clicked on the one for Smithson and found a story from twenty-four years ago:\n\n> **_Search for \"Missing\" Family Suspended_**\n> \n> by Federico Moreno, Staff Reporter\n> \n> A search for a young Arlington couple and their infant son was called off today, despite a neighbor's insistence that the couple would not simply pull up stakes without saying good-bye. Freelance translator Arthur Smithson, 26; his wife, Julie, 25; and their two-month-old son, Robert, vanished from their Arlington home three weeks ago. A concerned neighbor phoned Arlington police after not seeing Mrs. Smithson and the baby play in the yard for several days. Police entered the house and found no signs of struggle, but did find that the Smithsons' luggage and clothing appeared to be missing. Both the Smithsons' cars were in the garage.\n> \n> \"We have no reason to suspect foul play,\" Arlington Police Department spokesman Ken Kinnard said. \"We've run into a brick wall. We don't have an explanation as to where they are. Until we receive more information, we have no leads to pursue.\"\n> \n> \"The police need to try harder,\" said neighbor Bernita Briggs. Mrs. Briggs said she routinely babysat for Mrs. Smithson since Robert was born, and that the young mother treated her as a confidant and gave no indication that the family planned on leaving the area.\n> \n> \"They had money, good jobs,\" Mrs. Briggs said. \"Julie never said one word about leaving. She was just asking me about what curtains to pick out, what patterns to get for the nursery. They also wouldn't leave without telling me, because Julie always teased me as being a worrywart, and if they just took off and left, I'd be worried sick, and she wouldn't put me through grief. She's a kind young woman.\"\n> \n> Mrs. Briggs told police that Smithson was fluent in French, German, and Russian and that he did translation work for various government branches and academic presses. According to Georgetown University records, Mr. Smithson graduated five years ago with degrees in French and Russian. Mrs. Smithson worked as a civilian employee of the navy until she became pregnant, at which point she resigned.\n> \n> The navy did not return calls for this story.\n> \n> \"I wish the police would tell me what they know,\" Mrs. Briggs said. \"A wonderful family. I pray they're safe and in touch with me soon.\"\n\nThe archived story offered no picture of the Smithson family. No further links to indicate that there was a follow-up story on them.\n\nAnother family, dead like the Merteuils in Belgium, the Petersens in South Africa, and the Rendons in New Zealand. But not dead. Vanished. Unless this Washington Smithson was now the Smithson selling insurance in South Dakota or the Smithson teaching Shakespeare in Pomona.\n\nWhat had Gabriel said during their wild car ride out of Houston? _I'll tell you who I am. Then I'll tell you who you are._ Evan thought he was crazy. Maybe he wasn't.\n\nHe stared at the name of the vanished child. Robert Smithson. It meant nothing to him.\n\nHe jumped to a phone-directory website and entered the name BERNITA BRIGGS, searching in Virginia, Maryland, and D.C. It spat back a phone number in Alexandria. Did he risk the call on the hot cell phone? Bricklayer would know, no doubt accessing the call log. No. Better to wait. It might put her in danger if Bricklayer knew he was calling her.\n\nHe wrote down Bernita Briggs's phone number. He left, conscious of the barista's eyes on him. Wondering if this was paranoia, settling into his skin and bones, taking up permanent residence in his mind, changing who he was forever.\n\n#\n\nTHE HOUSE STOOD ON THE EDGE of the Montrose arts district, on a street of older homes, most tidy with pride, others worn and neglected. Evan drove by Shadey's stepbrother's house twice, then parked two streets over and walked, the duffel over his shoulder. The cap and shades made him feel like a bandit waiting outside a bank. A For Sale sign stood in the overgrown yard, a full sleeve of brochures awaiting curious hands. Every drape in the house lay closed, and he imagined the police waiting, or Jargo handing a suitcase full of cash to Shadey, or Bricklayer and government thugs smiling at him behind the lace. He remembered interviewing Shadey's stepbrother, Lawan, here for _Ounce of Trouble_ ; Lawan was a smart, kind guy, quiet where Shadey was loud, ten years older. Lawan managed a bakery, and his house always smelled of cinnamon and bread.\n\nEvan waited at the street corner, four houses down.\n\nShadey was ten minutes late. He came alone, walked up to the front door, not looking at Evan. Evan followed a minute later, opening the front door, not waiting to knock. The inside of the house smelled now of dust instead of spices and flour. No one was living here.\n\n\"Where's Lawan?\" Evan asked.\n\nShadey stood at the window, peering out to see if anyone had followed Evan. \"Dead. Two months ago. The AIDS caught up with him.\"\n\n\"I'm really sorry. I wish you had called me.\"\n\nShadey shrugged. \"When was the last time you called me, just to see how I was?\"\n\n\"I'm still sorry.\"\n\n\"You don't have to be. Back to biz, son.\"\n\nEvan waited.\n\n\"I scrounged up green for you. But you get caught, you keep my name out of it.\"\n\n\"Why are you so mad at me?\"\n\nShadey lit a cigarette. \"Why you think I'm mad?\"\n\n\"On CNN. You acted like I'd ripped you off. I didn't make a lot of money on the movie, Shadey. I'm not Spielberg. I didn't promise you a career in entertainment\u2014I couldn't make that promise.\"\n\n\"Being in your movie, you gave me a taste of a better life, Evan, better than what I had here. Better than what I could have gotten when I dealt.\" He watched Evan through the smoke. \"You know, once _Ounce_ came out, I wanted to make a movie. Tried writing a script. Took classes. Couldn't stitch two scenes together. No head for it.\"\n\n\"Why didn't you tell me? I would have helped you with your script.\"\n\n\"Would you? I think you were one busy white boy after _Ounce_ hit big. You get into your work, you don't pay so much attention to people. You're right, I had my freedom because of _Ounce_. But you had your career because I said yes to letting you film my story. That's a debt you can't repay, either.\"\n\n\"Shadey. I'm sorry. I had no idea. I do owe you. Thank you. I'm sorry if I never said it before.\"\n\nShadey offered his hand; Evan shook it. \"The whole damn world boils down to you owing another fool something. So it don't matter. Because now we're even. If I was mad\u2014well, you limited my career options.\"\n\n\"I don't understand.\"\n\nShadey leaned forward in the quiet of the house. \"I was still dealing dope on occasion, Evan. Yeah, that cop Henderson framed me, he planted the coke in my car. But I had kilos of coke riding in the trunk not three days before.\"\n\nEvan stared.\n\n\"You really thought I was innocent, pure as the driven snow.\" Shadey shook his head. \"Evan, I was driving the snow.\" He laughed at his own joke. \"But you do your movie, I can't deal no more. My face is too well known, and I'm Mr. Innocent Wronged by the Police. You get me interested in movies, but I don't got a clue how to make 'em. So I'm a security guard. That's about all you left me. Certain times freedom is just painting yourself into a new corner you can't get out of.\"\n\n\"I'm sorry, Shadey.\"\n\n\"Don't worry about it no more.\" Shadey handed Evan the case. Evan sat it on the floor and opened it. Cash, a few hundred, all in worn tens and twenties.\n\n\"Count it, it's about a thousand. All I can spare.\"\n\n\"I don't need to count it. Thank you.\"\n\n\"Lawan had a laptop computer; you can have it.\"\n\n\"Thank you, Shadey. Thanks a lot.\" Evan blew out a sigh to hide the quaver in his voice. \"I knew I could trust you. I knew you wouldn't let me down.\"\n\n\"Evan. Listen to yourself. You think I never saw the pity in your face, that I never heard that tone of voice that let me know you were doing me a life-changing favor? You ain't as smart as you want to be, Evan. Now you're the one brought low. Now you're the one needing the handout. Now you're the one that looks like something to scrape off the bottom of a shoe.\"\n\n\"I never pitied you.\"\n\n\"You didn't believe I could stand on my own two feet to get out of jail.\"\n\n\"You couldn't.\"\n\n\"The way the wheel of fortune spun, you landed on my doorstep, you helped me. But I want you to wake up and see the world how it is, because you don't know what it is to be in trouble, real trouble. I trusted you because I didn't have a choice. You trusted me when you do have a choice, Evan. You got other friends you could've run to, smarter than me. Don't trust unless you must. That's my motto.\" Shadey reached out, squeezed Evan's shoulder. \"I thought about what that Galadriel Jones said to me. If you came around, she said call this number, and I'd have fifty thousand bucks in cash, tax-free.\"\n\n\"But you haven't called.\"\n\n\"What do you think?\"\n\n\"No. Because you're all about respect, and she's trying to bribe you. Trick you.\"\n\n\"I pretended to listen to her. Sure I was tempted. That's over two years' salary taking shit from the snobs at Tuscan Pines. But you know, I might lie and I might steal once upon a time, but I ain't gonna be bought.\"\n\n\"I'm glad, Shadey. Thank you.\"\n\n\"Welcome.\"\n\n\"I need to borrow a phone. And I need to use your brother's computer. Are we safe here for a while?\"\n\n\"Yeah. Less the real estate lady shows up to show the house.\" Shadey shrugged. \"Doesn't seem likely.\"\n\nEvan sweated through four rings.\n\n\"Hello?\" A woman's voice, worn from a lifetime of use.\n\n\"Hello, may I speak to Mrs. Briggs?\"\n\n\"Whatever you're selling, I sure don't want none.\"\n\n\"I'm not a salesman, ma'am. Please don't hang up\u2014you're the only person who can help me.\"\n\nThis appeal to elderly ego could not be resisted. \"Who is this?\"\n\n\"My name is David Rendon.\" He decided at the last moment not to use his real name; old people were often news junkies, and he tossed out one of the false passport identities. \"I'm a reporter for the _Post_.\"\n\nShe didn't give a reaction to this, so Evan plunged ahead: \"I'm calling to see if you remember the Smithson family.\"\n\nSilence for ten long seconds. \"Who did you say you were?\"\n\n\"A reporter for the _Post_ , ma'am. I was doing a search through the archives and saw a story about your neighbors having vanished over twenty years ago. I couldn't find a follow-up and I was interested to know what happened to them, to you.\"\n\n\"Will you put my picture in the paper?\"\n\n\"I bet I can arrange a picture.\"\n\n\"Well\"\u2014Mrs. Briggs lowered her voice to a practiced conspiratorial whisper\u2014\"no, the Smithsons never showed up again. I mean, that house was a dream, perfect for a new family, and they just up and walk away. Unbelievable. I'd gotten attached to that baby of theirs, and Julie, too. Arthur was a jerk. Didn't like to talk.\" Reticence was clearly a crime to Mrs. Briggs.\n\n\"But what happened to their house?\"\n\n\"Well, they defaulted on the mortgage, and the bank finally resold it.\"\n\nHe wasn't sure what to ask next. \"Were they a happy family?\"\n\n\"Julie was so alone, you could see it in her face, in the way she talked. Scared girl, like the world had gone up and left her behind. She told me she was pregnant and I remember wondering, 'Why is there dread in this sweet girl's face?' Happiest news you could get, and she looked like the whole world crashed down on her.\"\n\n\"Did she ever tell you why?\"\n\n\"I considered that she wasn't happy in her marriage to that cold fish. Child might have anchored her down.\"\n\n\"Did Mrs. Smithson ever suggest that she might want to run away, go live under a new name?\"\n\n\"Good Lord. No.\" Mrs. Briggs paused. \"Is that what happened?\"\n\nHe swallowed. \"Did you ever hear them mention the name Casher?\"\n\n\"Not that I recall.\"\n\nHe had spent his childhood in New Orleans while his father completed a master's in computer science at Tulane. When Evan was seven, they moved to Austin. He thought he had been born in New Orleans. \"Did they ever mention New Orleans to you?\"\n\n\"No. What have you found out about them?\"\n\n\"I've found pieces that don't quite fit together.\" He blew out a sigh. \"You wouldn't happen to be a pack rat, would you, Mrs. Briggs?\"\n\nShe gave a soft, warm laugh. \"The polite term is _collector_.\"\n\n\"Did you keep a photo of the Smithsons? Since you and Julie Smithson were so close?\"\n\nSilence again. \"You know, I did, but I gave it to the police.\"\n\n\"Did you ever get it back?\"\n\n\"No. They kept it, didn't return it to me. I suppose it might still be in the case file. Assuming there is one.\"\n\n\"You didn't keep another photo?\"\n\n\"I think I had a photo of them at Christmas that I kept, but I don't know where it would be. They didn't travel at Christmas. No family but each other. They met at an orphanage, you know.\"\n\n\"An orphanage?\"\n\n\"Positively Dickensian. Oliver Twist marrying Little Nell. I couldn't get to my sister's for Christmas one year because of a snowstorm, so I spent Christmas Eve with the Smithsons. Arthur drank. He didn't want me around. It embarrassed Julie, I could see, but we still had a nice time once Arthur passed out.\" She paused. \"I just don't understand the pressure people inflict on themselves. It ages them. Me, I never worry.\"\n\nAn indecisive mother, a drunken father. It didn't sound like his parents. \"Mrs. Briggs, if you have another photo of the Smithsons, I would be very obliged if I could get it from you.\"\n\n\"And I would be if you would tell me who you really are. I don't think you're a reporter, Mr. Rendon.\"\n\nEvan decided to play it straight. Trust her, because he needed the information. \"I'm not. My name is Evan Casher. I'm sorry for the deception.\"\n\n\"Who are you, then?\"\n\nThis was a huge risk. He could be wrong. But if he didn't chance it, he was hitting a dead end. \"I think I'm Robert Smithson.\"\n\n\"Is this a joke?\"\n\n\"It's not the name I grew up with, but I found a connection to my parents and the Smithsons.\" He paused. \"Do you have Web access?\"\n\n\"I'm old, not old-fashioned.\"\n\n\"Go to CNN.com, please. Do a search on Evan Casher. I want you to tell me if you recognize any of the pictures.\"\n\n\"Hold on.\" He heard her set down the phone, heard a computer rouse from sleep. She clicked and typed. \"I'm at CNN. C-A-S-H-E-R?\"\n\n\"Yes, ma'am.\"\n\nHe heard her clacking on a keyboard. Silence.\n\n\"Look for a story about a homicide in Austin, Texas,\" he said.\n\n\"I see it,\" Mrs. Briggs whispered. \"Oh, dear.\"\n\nThe last time he'd checked out the website, the update included a picture of his mother and of himself on the site. \"Does Donna Casher look like Julie Smithson?\"\n\n\"Her hair is different. It's been so many years... but, yes, I think that is Julie.\" She sounded as grieved as she would if Julie were still her neighbor.\n\nHe steadied his voice. \"Mrs. Briggs. I believe my parents were the Smithsons and they got into serious trouble all those years ago and had to take on new identities. Hide from their past.\"\n\n\"Is this you? The picture next to her?\"\n\n\"Yes, ma'am.\"\n\n\"You look like your mother. You're the spitting image of Julie.\"\n\nHe let out a long sigh. \"Thank you, Mrs. Briggs.\"\n\n\"This says you were kidnapped.\"\n\n\"I was. I'm okay. But I don't want anyone to know where I am right now.\"\n\n\"I should call the police. Shouldn't I?\" Her voice rose.\n\n\"Please don't call the police. I have no right to ask it of you, and you should do what you think is right... but I don't want anyone to know where I am. Or that I know what my family's names used to be. Whoever killed my mom might kill me.\"\n\n\"Robert.\" She sounded as if her heart were breaking. \"This better not be a joke.\"\n\n\"No, ma'am. It's not. But if Robert was my name, I've never known it.\"\n\n\"They both loved you very much,\" she said. Choking back tears.\n\nEvan's face went hot. \"You said they met at an orphanage. Where?\"\n\n\"Ohio. Oh, dear, I don't remember the town's name.\"\n\n\"Ohio. Okay.\"\n\n\"Goinsville,\" she said with sudden assurance. \"That's the town. She joked about it, never going back to Goinsville. It was so sad that they were both orphans, I remember thinking that at Christmas. And that they were so happy to have you. Julie said she never wanted you to endure what they did.\"\n\n\"Thank you, Mrs. Briggs. Thank you.\"\n\nNow she cried softly. \"Poor Julie.\"\n\n\"You've been a tremendous help to me, Mrs. Briggs.\" A terrible reluctance to hang up, to break this fragile link to his past, shook Evan. \"Good-bye.\"\n\n\"Good-bye.\"\n\nHe hung up. She might have caller ID. She might have seen the number and be calling the police right now. They might not believe her, but it would be a lead, and it would be followed.\n\nGoinsville, Ohio. A place to begin.\n\nSmithson. Why would Gabriel prepare a passport with his father's old identity? Possibly that information\u2014of who the Cashers once were\u2014was part of the payment. Possibly it was Gabriel's idea of a joke.\n\nHe found Shadey's stepbrother's laptop, stored on a closet shelf. It was a nice new system. He hooked up his digital music player to the computer, made sure it had all the same music software as his original laptop, and transferred the songs his mother had e-mailed him Friday morning.\n\nHe searched for newly created files. None, other than the songs themselves. He went through every folder, opened every file, to see if an unseen program dumped new data.\n\nNothing. He didn't have the files. His mother had used another method to get Jargo's treasured data on his system, or the program simply didn't execute more than once. Maybe the data was erased or ignored if the encrypted songs were copied again.\n\nHe had nothing to fight Jargo with now.\n\nExcept Bricklayer.\n\nShadey was watching TV downstairs. \"May I have that number that Galadriel lady gave you?\"\n\n\"Tell her I said hi,\" Shadey said. \"Not.\"\n\nEvan went back upstairs. Shadey followed him. Evan dialed.\n\nFour rings. \"Yes?\" A nice-sounding lady, Southern accent. Calm.\n\n\"Is this Galadriel?\"\n\n\"Who's calling?\"\n\n\"I'm actually more interested in talking to Mr. Jargo, please.\"\n\n\"Who's calling?\"\n\nHe wasn't going to give her enough time to trace the call. \"I'll call back in one minute. Get Jargo on the line.\" He hung up. Dialed back in two minutes.\n\n\"Hello.\" Now a man's voice. Older. Cultured.\n\n\"This is Evan Casher, Mr. Jargo.\"\n\n\"Evan. We have much to discuss. Your father is asking for you. He and I are old friends. I've been taking care of him.\"\n\nJargo had his dad. Evan sank to the floor. \"I don't believe you.\"\n\n\"Your mother is dead. Don't you think such a tragedy would make your father surface and run home to you, if he could?\"\n\n\"You killed my mother.\" Now he'd found his voice again.\n\n\"I never harmed your mother. That was the work of the CIA.\"\n\n\"That makes no sense.\"\n\n\"I'm afraid it does. Your mother worked for the CIA on an infrequent basis. She came across information that would irrevocably damage the Agency. America's enemies already believe our intelligence operations are on the ropes; these files would be the CIA's death knell. The CIA will kill you to keep those files secret.\"\n\n\"I don't care about these files. You and your son killed my mother.\"\n\nA pause. \"You know I have a son?\"\n\n\"Yes.\" Let Jargo believe that he had information that could make Jargo worry, make Jargo wonder how much he knew. \"His name is Dezz.\"\n\n\"How do you know he's my son?\"\n\nHe thought it might be unwise to name Bricklayer as his source. \"It doesn't matter.\" Evan's head started to throb. \"Let me talk to my dad.\" At these words, Shadey sat on the floor across from him, a scowl of worry on his face.\n\n\"I'm not prepared to do that yet, Evan,\" Jargo said.\n\n\"Why?\"\n\n\"Because I need an assurance from you that you'll work with us. We came to that house outside of Bandera to help you, Evan, and you shot at us and ran away.\"\n\n\"Dezz killed a man.\" Now Shadey raised an eyebrow at Evan.\n\n\"No. Dezz saved you from a man who was using you so he could fight his own war against the CIA. The CIA would then use you to try to get us and your father. You're nothing but a pawn to them, Evan\u2014pardon the melodrama\u2014and they're prepared to slap you all over the chessboard.\"\n\nIt fit in with what he had learned about Gabriel; at least, a bit.\n\n\"If I give you the files, will you give me my dad? Alive and unharmed.\"\n\nHe thought he almost heard the barest sigh of relief from Jargo. \"I'm surprised to hear you have the files, Evan.\"\n\nThe files were real. Here was confirmation. Sweat broke out under his arms, in the small of his back. He had to be very, very careful now.\n\n\"Mom made a backup and let me know where they would be.\" The lie felt just fine in his mouth.\n\n\"Ah. She was a very smart woman. I knew her for a long time, Evan. Admired her greatly. I want you to know that because I never, ever could have harmed Donna. I'm not your enemy. We're family, in a way, you and I. I respect how you've protected yourself thus far. You have much of your parents in you.\"\n\n\"Shut up. Let's meet.\"\n\n\"Yes. Tell me where you are and I'll take you to your father.\"\n\n\"No, I choose the meeting place. Where is my father?\"\n\n\"I'll trust you, Evan. He's in Florida. But I can get him to wherever you are.\"\n\nEvan considered. New Orleans was between Florida and Houston, and he knew the city, at least the part around Tulane where he had spent his early childhood. He remembered his father walking him through the Audubon Zoo, playing catch with him on the green stretches of Audubon Park. He knew the layout. He knew how to get in, get out. And it was very public.\n\n\"New Orleans,\" Evan said. \"Tomorrow morning. Ten A.M. Audubon Zoo. Inside the main plaza. Bring my dad. I'll bring the files. Come alone. No Dezz. I don't like him, I don't trust him, I don't want him near me. I see him and the deal is off.\"\n\n\"I understand completely. I'll see you then, Evan.\"\n\nEvan hung up.\n\n\"What have you gotten yourself into and what do you think you're doing?\" Shadey asked.\n\n\"Documentary lesson number one. Show characters in conflict. You remember at the courthouse\u2014I got your mama to wait out on the steps when Henderson's mom came out. Put two mothers fighting for their sons, in direct opposition, together. Fireworks.\"\n\n\"But what if he's bringing your dad?\"\n\n\"He wouldn't let me talk to him. He won't stick to the deal. He's trying to convince me that the CIA killed my mother. I'm sure he and Dezz did.\"\n\n\"You saw their faces.\"\n\n\"No.\"\n\n\"Then how are you sure?\"\n\n\"Their voices... I heard their voices. I'm sure.\" Pretty sure, he thought. But not one hundred percent sure.\n\n\"So what now?\" Shadey asked.\n\n\"I can't find my dad dodging bullets, running all the time. I played this by their rules, now I'm playing it by mine.\" He hoisted the camcorder out of the duffel bag. \"These folks stick to shadow. I'm dragging them out into the light.\"\n\n\"And you gonna do all this by yourself?\" Shadey said.\n\n\"I am.\"\n\n\"No. You're not. I'll go with you.\"\n\n\"I'm not guilting you, it's not your fight.\"\n\n\"Shut up. I'm coming. End of discussion.\" Shadey folded his big arms. \"I don't like these people trying to play me. And I figure I need to get you back in debt to me.\"\n\n\"All right.\" Evan picked up the cell phone. Punched the number Bricklayer had given him.\n\n\"Bricklayer. Good afternoon. It's Evan Casher. Listen carefully because I'll say this once and just once. You want these files, meet me in New Orleans. Audubon Zoo. Front plaza. Tomorrow. Ten A.M.\" He clicked off as Bricklayer started to ask questions.\n\n\"You stirring the pot,\" Shadey said.\n\n\"No. I'm putting it on to boil.\"\n\n#\n\nLATE SUNDAY NIGHT, Jargo's chartered plane landed at Louis Armstrong International. Jargo hurried Carrie into a suite at a hotel close to the Louisiana Superdome. Carrie watched the Sunday-night tourist crowd ambling for Bourbon Street. Jargo sat on the couch. He had said little en route to New Orleans, which always made Carrie nervous. Dezz had flown early Sunday morning to Dallas, planning to break into Joaquin Gabriel's office to find any records of Evan's new passports. He was due to arrive in New Orleans at any minute.\n\n\"My son,\" Jargo said into the silence.\n\nCarrie kept watching the tourists. \"What about him?\"\n\n\"He loves you. Or rather, he feels toward you what he believes love to be, which is a sad mix of possession, anger, longing, and utter awkwardness.\"\n\n\"I wonder whose fault that is.\"\n\n\"I ask only that you not be cruel to him.\"\n\n\"He's threatened to kill me before.\"\n\n\"Only words.\" As if words didn't matter.\n\n\"He's...\" She searched for the term. _Crazy_ might be appropriate, but it was not a word she could use with Jargo. \"Troubled.\"\n\n\"He lacks confidence. You could give it to him.\"\n\nHer skin went cold. \"How?\"\n\n\"Pay extra attention to him.\"\n\n\"I'm not sleeping with him.\"\n\n\"But you'd sleep with Evan Casher. For the good of our network.\"\n\n\"I'm not sleeping with Dezz.\"\n\nThe hotel phone rang. Jargo didn't look at her; he punched the speakerphone button.\n\n\"Good news and bad news. Which you want first?\" Galadriel said on the speakerphone.\n\n\"Bad news,\" Jargo said.\n\n\"Evan's off the grid,\" Galadriel said. \"No sign of credit card use, no police report yet that he's surfaced. You won't be able to grab him before your meeting, unless he's stupid enough to use his credit card for a hotel or restaurant.\"\n\n\"He's not stupid,\" Carrie said.\n\n\"Did you pull all stolen-car reports for the five-county area?\" Jargo asked.\n\n\"Yes. Finally I was able to get it. The most likely candidate is a pickup truck, a one-year-old Ford F-150, stolen from a driveway in Bandera. A note with the keys to a Ducati motorcycle were found on the porch.\"\n\n\"Are the locals tracing the Ducati?\"\n\n\"That I don't know,\" Galadriel said. \"Sorry.\"\n\nCarrie watched Jargo. \"CIA or FBI trace it back to Gabriel, they'll arrive back at that house. Start asking questions.\"\n\n\"I'm not worried,\" Jargo said. \"What's of more interest is if they don't trace the Ducati.\"\n\n\"I don't understand,\" Carrie said.\n\n\"Sure you do. The Bandera authorities don't trace it, it's because the investigation's been shut down. Because our friends at the FBI and at the CIA don't want the motorcycle traced, don't want the truck theft pursued.\"\n\n\"Because they're looking for Evan now themselves,\" Carrie said in an even tone.\n\nJargo nodded at her and said, \"So that's the bad news. What's the good?\"\n\n\"I got a partial decode on the e-mail message that Donna Casher received from Gabriel,\" Galadriel said. \"He used an English variant of an old plain-language SDECE code abandoned back in the early seventies. The name for the code was 1849.\" SDECE was French intelligence. Carrie frowned. 1849. The same as the date in Gabriel's e-mail to Donna. Telling her what code to use.\n\n\"Odd choice,\" Jargo said.\n\n\"Not really. One assumes Donna contacted Gabriel in a hurry, and they needed a common code base from which they could both easily work.\"\n\n\"So what's the message say?\" Carrie resisted the urge to hold her breath. She didn't look over at Jargo.\n\n\"Our interpretation is READY ON MAR 8 A.M. DELIVER FIRST HALF OF LIST UPON ARRIVAL IN FL. SECOND HALF WHEN YOU ARE OVERSEAS. YOUR HUSBAND IS YOUR WORRY.\"\n\n\"Thank you, Galadriel. Please call me immediately if you get a trace on Evan.\" Jargo clicked off the phone.\n\nCarrie studied the tension in Jargo's shoulders, his face. She had seen the kicked-to-chunks remains of Joaquin Gabriel and knew this man was on a lethally short fuse. She chose her words carefully. \"The Cashers were to rendezvous in Florida. Where?\"\n\n\"We grabbed him in Miami, returning from a job in Berlin. He must have broken protocol and let Donna know his itinerary,\" Jargo said. \"She must have promised Gabriel the final payoff delivery when the family was overseas and hidden.\"\n\n\" _Second half._ Sounds like two deliveries,\" Carrie said. \"What else did she have beside the account files?\"\n\nJargo's face darkened. \"Half the files first, half the files when they were safe.\" He looked to Carrie as if he were scared and furious and trying to suppress his rage.\n\n\"Jargo. What are these files?\"\n\nA knock at the door. Carrie checked the peephole and opened it. Dezz stepped in. He didn't look happy. \"Nothing in Dallas. Gabriel's office is under surveillance.\"\n\n\"Locals or federal?\"\n\n\"Locals. But it's got to be at the request of the Agency, probably asked via the Bureau,\" Dezz said. \"I couldn't get close to see if there was any info on Evan's aliases in his office. They've connected Gabriel with this case.\"\n\n\"You didn't answer my question, Jargo. What are these files?\"\n\nJargo didn't look at her. \"Donna Casher stole our client list.\"\n\nDezz said, \"There's no such list.\"\n\n\"She amassed a list. A brilliant insurance policy.\" Jargo turned to Carrie. \"Either through Gabriel or his mom, Evan knows all about us now. He just promised me the files in exchange for his dad. He knows Dezz is my son. He knows about us, Carrie. He's seen more than the client files. Maybe files on us.\"\n\n\"So we have to meet him,\" Carrie said.\n\nDezz said, \"Let us take Evan, Dad. You go back to Florida, break out the knives, make Mitchell talk. See if he knows where the client list is.\"\n\nJargo rubbed at his lip. \"But I'm sure Mitchell had no idea Donna betrayed us. He wouldn't have gone on a mission for me if his wife was about to stab me in the back and then return the moment I summoned him back to Florida. It put him straight in our hands, left his family defenseless.\"\n\n\"He could hardly say no to you,\" Dezz said.\n\n\"Sure he could. He could have argued a reschedule. I respect his opinion. He could have easily run from us, and he didn't.\"\n\n\"You're blinded by affection for Mitchell,\" Dezz said. \"It's not very appealing.\"\n\n\"I can't afford sentiment. Even when I really wish I could.\" Jargo closed his eyes, rubbed his temples.\n\nFor the first time Carrie saw a light that wasn't cold and hateful in Jargo's gaze. For the first time since Jargo had told her a year ago, _I know who killed your parents, Carrie, and they will kill you, too. But I can hide you. You can keep working for me, I'll take care of you._\n\n\"Carrie. Did Evan ever mention New Orleans to you? They might have told him where to run if he ever got into trouble. Or if something ever happened to them.\"\n\n\"I'm sure they never gave him any kind of escape plan, because he didn't know his parents were agents. If he'd had a hint of the truth, he would have found out long ago. That's who he is.\" She shrugged. \"He told me he was born in New Orleans, but he hasn't lived there since he was a child. I assume you know that already.\"\n\nJargo nodded. \"Evan specifically asked you not be at the meeting, Dezz.\"\n\n\"He doesn't like me? I'm hurt.\"\n\nJargo gave Dezz a stern glare. \"We're not having a repeat at the zoo tomorrow. You will be calm and you will do as you're told.\"\n\nDezz chewed a caramel and stared at the carpet.\n\n\"What is Mitchell Casher to you?\" Carrie asked Jargo. \"You seem worried about him as much as frustrated with him.\"\n\n\"I would like for him to contact his son for me. To bring him in. He refuses. He doesn't trust me.\"\n\n\"Obviously. You're holding him prisoner.\"\n\n\"I'm convinced he wasn't part of Donna's scheme now. But I can't yet convince him of my good intentions toward his son.\"\n\n\"I wonder why,\" Carrie said. \"Since you don't plan to honor your deal with Evan.\"\n\n\"He won't be expecting to see you, Carrie. You're the element of surprise,\" Jargo said. \"I can't let Evan walk away from that meeting. Once we have the files, Evan's a done deal. You know that. He'll talk. He won't keep his mouth shut. It's the kind of man that he is. You said it yourself.\"\n\n\"The Audubon Zoo is a very public place. Major attraction,\" Carrie said. \"Too many people. Too contained. He made a smart choice. You won't be able to grab Evan there, Jargo.\"\n\n\"Not grab. Kill,\" Dezz said.\n\n\"Not there you can't,\" Carrie said.\n\n\"No. We'll get him to leave with you. He'll be thrilled to see you,\" Jargo said. \"Take him someplace private. Where just the two of you can talk. Then you can kill him.\"\n\n# MONDAY\n\n## MARCH 14\n\n#\n\nEVAN DIDN'T EXPECT THE CHILDREN.\n\nMonday morning at ten Evan imagined the Audubon Zoo would be nearly empty, but a good-sized crowd trickled to the gates as the zoo opened. The small parking lot, on the edge of Audubon Park, held two buses of schoolkids from a Catholic academy and three minivans sporting the logo of a retirement community. Then there was the usual spill of tourists, which New Orleans never lacked.\n\nEvan paid his admission to the zoo. He wore his dark glasses and baseball cap. Few twentyish men were in the crowd. He spotted Shadey, paying in a different line, wearing an Astros ball cap and sunglasses. Keeping his distance, walking with Evan's duffel slung over his shoulder.\n\nThe zoo, Evan noticed, wasn't a place where many people walked alone. Families and couples and herds of students with harried teachers. He circled, keeping his gaze moving across the crowd.\n\nNo sign of his father. Or Dezz. He had no idea what Jargo looked like. He saw no sign of a squad of guys in dark glasses that might work for Bricklayer, with earpieces and trench coats. They wouldn't be so obvious.\n\nEvan darted through the swell of the opening-gate crowd. Last night, in the cheap motel rooms he and Shadey had scored near the French Quarter, he had downloaded a map off the Audubon Zoo's website and memorized it. Every way in, every way out. The zoo backed up to the green sprawl of Audubon Park on one side, to an administration building, side roads, and a Mississippi River landing on the other. The map was general. He suspected there were routes for animal handlers and zoo employees that were not shown.\n\nHe remembered strolls here with his father, his hand in his dad's, his other hand holding a sticky, melting ice cream. He loved the zoo. He headed in the direction of the main fountain in the plaza, with statues of a mother elephant and her calf cavorting in the spray. He walked a slow, measured pace along the palm-lined brick pathway, glancing behind him, as if he were taking in the sights and were in no hurry. Schoolkids milled around him, a teacher attempting to herd them to his right where the real elephants ambled in the Asian Domain, others eyeing a restaurant to his left, although it was too early for burgers and shakes. He was a man enjoying a day at the park, the gentle best of the Louisiana spring before the swamp-native heat and humidity melted the air.\n\nA long, curving bench near the fountain sat empty. Schoolkids and families drifted toward the elephant pen. Most of the early crowd passed him, moving beyond the fountain for the zoo's carousel and the Jaguar Jungle exhibit.\n\nEvan spotted a man walking toward him. Eyes locked on him. Tall, a handsome face, hard blue eyes like chips of ice. Hair streaked with gray. Wearing a dark trench coat. Rain loomed in the skies, but Evan believed the man had something hidden under his coat. That was fine. Evan had something hidden under his raincoat, too. Not a gun. Shadey had the gun, because if either Jargo or Bricklayer grabbed Evan, they'd simply relieve him of the weapon. He had his music player in his pocket, and he would say the files were on it. No argument. No searching. He'd just give it to them, let them worry about decoding it if they could.\n\nHe watched. No sign of his father.\n\n\"Good morning, Evan,\" the man said. Baritone. The same voice he'd heard in his kitchen, heard on the phone.\n\n\"Mr. Jargo?\"\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\n\"Where's my dad?\"\n\n\"Where are the files?\"\n\n\"Wrong. You first. Give me my dad.\"\n\n\"Your father doesn't really need rescuing, Evan. He's with us, of his own free will. He's worked for me for years. So did your mother.\"\n\n\"No. You killed my mother.\"\n\n\"You're confused. The CIA killed your mother. I would have saved her, given the chance. Please look over to your right.\"\n\nEvan did. There was a small playscape, then by the restaurant a patio of tables and chairs for diners. Dezz and Carrie stood at one of the canopied tables, Dezz with his arm looped around Carrie's shoulder. She looked pale. Dezz grinned at Evan.\n\nEvan's heart sank into his gut. _No._\n\nCarrie's gaze locked on Evan's.\n\n\"But Carrie, she's another matter. My people found her when they came to your house in Houston to help protect you the morning your mom was killed. We couldn't leave her for the CIA to kill as well, so we brought her with us.\" Jargo made his voice a slow soothe. \"This has all been a terrible, wretched mistake, Evan.\"\n\nThey'd found her. It could explain Carrie's behavior after he'd left for Austin. They'd forced her to quit her job so she wouldn't be missed, forced her to call him to see where he was when he was in the car with Durless.\n\n\"Carrie is a true innocent, Evan. I think she's a fine young woman. I don't wish her any harm. I'd like to let her go, and I will, as soon as you give me those files. You and Carrie can talk privately. Then I can take you to your father. He's desperate to see you.\"\n\nEvan opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He stared at Carrie. She shook her head, ever so slightly.\n\n\"Yes or no, Evan.\"\n\nEvan kept waiting for the government to descend on them. Bricklayer might be lurking nearby, watching the drama play out, seeing who broke the standoff. But he couldn't wait forever.\n\nEvan said, \"Carrie walks out of here, free and clear. She tells that security guard over there she's very sick, she needs to go to a hospital. Right now. An ambulance takes her away. When she's safe, she calls me on a number I give her. Then you get my dad on the phone and I talk to him, and then, and only then, do I give you the files.\"\n\n\"I'm a great believer in compromise, Evan.\" Jargo held up a small device\u2014a handheld computer, a PDA\u2014next to Evan's ear, thumbed a control.\n\n\"Evan,\" his father's voice said. Mitchell Casher sounded tired, sounded desperate. \"The danger you're in is not from Jargo or any of his people. It's from the CIA. You've made a mistake in not trusting Jargo. The CIA killed your mom. Not Jargo. Please cooperate with him.\"\n\nJargo clicked off the voice recorder. \"I've satisfied one of your requirements.\"\n\n\"I said a phone. Not a recording. He could have said all that under duress. You could have put a bullet in his head when he was done talking.\"\n\n\"Let me assure you, I would never hurt your dad,\" Jargo said in a low voice. \"I don't want to hurt you. You don't want to come with me, fine. You and Carrie can just walk out of here once I have the files.\"\n\n\"As if I could trust you.\"\n\n\"That's your call,\" Jargo said with a quiet shrug. \"If you want to trust the CIA not to kill you once you're back on the streets, that's your call, too. Give me the files, and you and Carrie can walk out of here together if you choose. Have your wonderful life together, although I think the CIA will keep that wonderful life exceedingly brief. Or you can come with me and I'll take you to your father, and I'll protect you from those murderers.\"\n\n\"You promised me my father. You can't tell me that he didn't want to come here and see me.\"\n\n\"Your father's face is all over the news right now. You and he are the most prominent missing people in the country. He wasn't comfortable with traveling. Not when the CIA is hunting him as much as they hunted your mother.\"\n\n\"I don't believe you. We had a deal. You're changing it.\"\n\n\"The world changes all the time, Evan. Only fools don't change with it.\"\n\n\"Well, your world just changed. Look over by the elephants,\" Evan said.\n\n\"I don't have time for games.\"\n\n\"I'm not playing one.\"\n\nSlowly Jargo made a quick survey over the scattered crowd around the elephant pen, looked back at Evan.\n\n\"Thanks for the nice profile shot,\" Evan said. \"You're being filmed. On digital, with a high-powered lens that provides me pristine prints of your face and of Dezz's face.\"\n\n\"I don't believe you.\"\n\n\"I have friends in the documentary world all over this country. You hurt or kill me or Carrie, you're on the evening news, and you won't be able to spot the hidden camcorder before my friends get away. I told you my demands for giving you the files. Let me talk to Carrie. Now.\"\n\nJargo beckoned with a single finger and Carrie hurried over to them. Dezz stayed put.\n\n\"Evan,\" she said.\n\n\"No touching.\" Jargo raised an arm, kept her back.\n\n\"Are you all right?\" Evan asked in a low voice.\n\nShe nodded. \"Fine. They didn't hurt me.\"\n\n\"I'm so sorry,\" he said.\n\nShe opened her mouth to speak, then shut it.\n\n\"She leaves, just as I described,\" Evan said.\n\n\"You're not very smart,\" Jargo said. \"You showed too much of your hand. I would have been willing to let Carrie go once you gave me the files. But film of me? No. I'll need that as well.\"\n\n\"When she's gone.\" Evan narrowed his stare. \"Soon as Carrie's safely away, I'll give you the film and hand you a music player that has the files stored on it. I don't have copies. Understood?\"\n\n\"No. Give me the files and the film, then she walks. If you've got a camera on us, I certainly am not going to harm you, if that's what you're so wrongly worried about. Then we can all part ways, if you're so determined not to see your dad,\" Jargo said.\n\nCarrie broke free from Jargo, closed her arms around Evan. Sobbed into his shoulder. He embraced her, smelled the soft peach scent of her hair, kept his stare locked on Jargo.\n\n\"Trust me,\" Carrie whispered into Evan's ear. Then she pulled a small gun free of her coat and jabbed it under Jargo's chin. \"Tell Dezz to walk away or I shoot you through the neck.\"\n\nJargo's eyes widened in shock.\n\nShe pulled Jargo in front of her and Evan, putting him between them and Dezz. \"It's okay, Evan. We're getting out of here. He's got a gun in his pocket. Take it.\"\n\n\"Carrie...\"\n\n\"Do what I tell you, babe,\" Carrie said. Evan did, pulling a gleaming pistol free from Jargo's coat. He risked a look the other way\u2014toward where Shadey actually stood, under the awning at the edge of the food court. With a duffel, one side cut out, the camera resting inside.\n\nDezz, now hurrying forward, stopped, fifteen feet away from them, staring at the small gun pressed into his father's neck. Carrie moved the gun down, pressing into Jargo's back, where it wasn't so visible.\n\n\"Back off, Dezz!\" Carrie shouted. She lowered her voice to a whisper. \"Evan, if he comes any farther, shoot him.\"\n\nEvan, still stunned, nodded.\n\n\"Evan. You're making a mistake,\" Jargo said. \"I'm the one who can help you. Not this liar.\"\n\nDezz's mouth worked, watching his father, and he ran ten feet to one side, grabbed a young mother pushing a stroller with a fussing toddler. He jabbed a gun into the young woman's throat, yanked her around, put her between himself and Evan. The young mother's face blanched in shock and terror.\n\n\"No!\" Carrie said.\n\n\"I'll trade you!\" Dezz yelled.\n\nAnother woman saw the gun in his hand, shrieked for security, began to run.\n\nCarrie shoved Jargo to the ground in a hard sprawl. \"Run, Evan,\" she said.\n\nDezz pushed his hostage away; she grabbed her baby and fled. Dezz ran toward Evan and Carrie. Pistol out, readying to aim.\n\nScreams erupted around them. Carrie fired past Evan. Dezz ducked behind the bench and shrubbery.\n\nAround them, people panicked, stunned for a moment at the oddity of gunfire, then stampeded for cover or for the entrance, teachers herding kids, parents carrying children.\n\nJargo grabbed at Evan and Evan popped him in the jaw, sent him sprawling back over the bench.\n\nA zoo security guard advanced toward them, yelling an order. \"Down on the ground! Now!\"\n\nA bullet splintered the palm trunk by the guard's head. Dezz had fired. The guard retreated behind the thick trunk.\n\nCarrie gripped Evan's arm. \"Run. If you want to live and get your dad.\"\n\nHe ran with her, dodging through scrambling tourists, deeper into the zoo. He glanced back. No sign of Shadey; he would blend in with the retreating crowd, escape. Evan had told him to make sure whatever footage he got of Jargo made it to safety, no matter what happened to Evan.\n\n\"The entrance,\" Evan said. \"It's the other way\u2014\"\n\n\"I know,\" she said. \"But they can cut us off. This way.\"\n\nHe didn't argue. He was the faster runner and he clutched her arm.\n\nDezz moved through the fleeing crowd, pursuing fast. Gun drawn, people veering away from him in every direction, giving him a clear path. Jargo followed. A man wearing a Tulane sweatshirt made a lunge at Dezz, and Dezz hit him hard across the face with the pistol. The man went down. Dezz and Jargo didn't slow down, Dezz handing Jargo a second pistol.\n\nEvan and Carrie ran past the singsong of the zoo's carousel, firing up for its first ride of the day, and onto a tram path where the Swamp Train looped around the zoo. The next section held animals from South America. Evan looked around for an Exit sign. Or a building where they could hide. They kept running, onto a wooden walkway. It bordered an algae-topped pond for a flock of flamingos on the right and pine-studded land for llamas and guanacos on the left. A family with three kids stood at the walkway's halfway point, admiring the flamingos, snapping photos.\n\n\"Over the railing,\" Evan said. They couldn't run past the family, who would be caught between Carrie and Evan and their pursuers.\n\nCarrie bolted over the wooden divider, dropped down into the exhibit. A small herd of llamas watched them with disinterest. The ground, groomed to look like Louisiana's best approximation of the pampas, was hard and dusty, and they ran to a dense grove of pines near the exhibit's back perimeter.\n\n\"Get the trees between you and them,\" Carrie said. They ducked into the short maze of pines. A bullet smacked against the trunks.\n\n\"Over the fence,\" he said. They climbed in a fast scramble, toppled over the barrier onto an unpaved trail behind the exhibit. The musky smell of wolves in a neighboring exhibit filled their noses. They ran down the service path. Maintenance buildings lined one side, the back of the South American exhibits the other. Tried the doors. Locked.\n\nThrough the foliage and the fencing, Evan saw Jargo running past the family on the wooden walkway, spotted Dezz following in their tracks through the South American grounds.\n\nTrying to catch Evan and Carrie between them.\n\n\"Keep your head down.\" Carrie grabbed at the back of his head. \"Security camera up ahead, don't want it to catch your face.\"\n\nHe obeyed. They ran, eyes to the ground. The service road dead-ended. A glass and stone building to their right held a family of jaguars. A re-creation of a Mayan temple, Jaguar Jungle was a major attraction of the zoo.\n\nThey clambered over the padlocked fencing at the dead end, dropped onto a stone visitors' path by the jaguars, who lounged behind thick glass. One yowled at them, baring curved fangs.\n\nJargo huffed into the Mayan plaza, saw Carrie, fired. A bullet pinged against the Mayan stone carvings. The jaguars raised a ruckus of snarls and snaps.\n\nCarrie and Evan sprinted through dense growth and stone paths, past another faux temple with spider monkeys, past a children's archeological-dig play area. They stumbled down a creek lined with thick bamboo, hurried back up the other side to the stone path. A few moms and kids ambled along and they stared.\n\n\"Crazy guy with a gun!\" Carrie yelled. \"Take cover!\"\n\nThe moms jumped for cover in the bamboo or off the path. Jargo ran past the women, ignoring them.\n\n\"Evan!\" he yelled. \"I can give you your dad!\"\n\nCarrie spun and fired at him. Jargo ducked back into the bamboo. Evan ran past a sign that read No Trespassing, Zoo Employees Only, Carrie following. It had to lead to a building, he decided, a place they could barricade themselves in\u2014Jargo would flee to avoid the police, who would be racing into the zoo now.\n\nEvan hit a short fence, they went over it and then rushed up to another short fence, and Evan said, \"Uh-oh.\"\n\nAlligators. On the other side of the three-foot divider, on a bank, with a narrow gap of scum-topped water beyond, leading to the zoo's Louisiana Swamp wooden walkway, where visitors walked above the water and admired the reptiles from a safe distance. Three of the gators sunned themselves on the bank. Not five feet away from them.\n\nBehind them, a bullet hissed through a suppressor. The shot caught Carrie high in the shoulder and she staggered and screamed. On the walkway across the water, a woman screeched for the police. Loudspeakers boomed into life, urging everyone to head calmly for the exits.\n\n\"Wrong move, Carrie,\" Dezz called from behind a tree. \"Wrongo. Stupid. Dense.\"\n\nEvan held her with one arm, aimed the gun with the other. To stand there was to die. The gators looked fat and zoo-happy and probably weren't hungry. Please. He hoped. He spotted Dezz peeking around a tree and fired a steady barrage of bullets, forcing Dezz back into the undergrowth, then helped Carrie over the fence.\n\n\"Dezz... hates reptiles,\" she said. \"Afraid of them.\"\n\nEvan wasn't sure he had a bullet left in the clip. He hurried her past the resting gators. He stumbled over one's tail and it opened its white, razor-ringed mouth in a defensive hiss. But the gator started a slow waddle away from them.\n\n_Do they smell the blood?_ Evan had no idea.\n\n\"Go,\" she said. \"Leave me. Get safe.\"\n\n\"No. Come on.\" Dezz would be charging toward them since Evan had quit shooting. He saw Dezz approaching, taking careful aim. Evan's gun clicked on an empty magazine. Evan and Carrie jumped into the green-frothed water. He heard a bullet scream above their heads.\n\nEvan held Carrie's gun above the water, but he couldn't swim, help Carrie, and shoot at the same time. The distance to the wooden walkway seemed like a mile. People on the walkway scattered, mothers fleeing with children, one man hollering into a cell phone.\n\nDezz gingerly put a foot over the fence, his gun aimed at the gators, who seemed as uninterested in him as they had been in Evan and Carrie.\n\nEvan kicked forward, pushing Carrie, thinking, _Dezz gets a bead on us, it's over._\n\n\"Help us!\" he hollered up toward the walkway. The cell phone man gestured at Evan to swim to the right.\n\nA log lay between them and the walkway, and with a sudden, yet ancient horror that spasmed up from his spine, Evan saw it wasn't a log. An alligator, facing away from them, lay barely submerged. Ignoring the ruckus behind him.\n\nEvan shoved Carrie to one side, slapped his hand on the water to draw the gator away from her. Carrie paddled toward the walkway. He heard a hiss behind him. One of the gators on the bank opened its mouth again, heckling Dezz, and Dezz gave ground, putting one leg back over the fence. Looking scared and furious.\n\n_They can move faster in water_ , Evan thought, logic kicking into his brain. _Carrie's bleeding, does it draw them like a shark?_ Carrie reached the wooden supports, the cell phone man offered a hand, another man steadying him, and they hauled Carrie up to the walkway.\n\nEvan kicked away from the track Carrie had cut in the water. The log-gator orbited toward Evan. Evan swam hard, waited for the tug that would tear off his leg. He blundered close to the walkway and put up an arm. The men yanked him up. Six feet behind him, the gator wrenched its mouth open in bravado, then settled and watched him with an ageless gaze. Evan dripped water and scum and sprawled across the wood. One of the rescuers wrenched Carrie's gun from his grasp.\n\n\"Please!\" Evan said. \"I need that!\"\n\n\"No way!\" Cell Phone Man put a heavy hand on Evan's chest, pushed him to the railing. \"I called the police, you stay right here!\"\n\nEvan turned toward the bank. Dezz was gone, swallowed back in the bamboo. No sign of Jargo.\n\n\"She's really shot,\" the other man said in shock.\n\nEvan seized Carrie's hand, shoved Cell Phone Man to one side, ran. The men yelled at him to stop. Old swamp-style rocking chairs lined the deck, two older ladies sitting frozen in shock, clutching their purses, as Evan and Carrie ran past. At the end of the walkway stood a gift shop and, just past its door, a railing. They went over the railing; the next walkway led to a wildlife nursery, built to look like a weathered swamp shack with small boats docked in a fronting lagoon. They hurried around the back of the shack. More fencing, covered with ivy, bamboo curtaining a service road beyond.\n\nEvan pushed Carrie up so she could pull herself over. Blood welled from her shoulder, and she gasped as she climbed. She tumbled over the ivy, falling headfirst into the blanketing thicket of bamboo beyond the fence. He jumped on the mesh and saw Jargo approaching from his right, Dezz from his left.\n\n\"Give it up, Evan,\" Jargo called. \"Right now.\"\n\n\"Stay back, or that tape puts your face on the evening news.\"\n\nThe indecision played on Jargo's face. \"You go, you'll never see your dad again.\"\n\nEvan went over the fence. A bullet barked a centimeter from his hand as he let go and fell into the overgrowth.\n\nCarrie grabbed him and they ran, hearing the _pit-pit_ of bullets pocking through the bamboo curtains. Then the noise stopped. Evan was sure the two men were only stopping to climb over the fence in pursuit. They ran along a paved road that served as a tram path. Zoo employees headed away from them in a golf cart, hollering into walkie-talkies. Another fence and they stumbled along a stretch of parking lot and grassland on the border of the zoo. He checked behind them. No sign of Dezz or Jargo; they hadn't scaled the fence.\n\nThey ran along the edge of the zoo now, hearing the approaching whine of sirens.\n\n\"Are you in pain?\" he asked. Stupidest question ever asked, he decided.\n\n\"I'll make it. Are you all right? Did they hit you?\"\n\n\"No. I'm fine. How did you...\" _Shoot your way out of there. Save me._ He looked at her as if he didn't know her.\n\n\"We're getting out of here,\" she said.\n\nBeyond the expanse of the parking lot they could see the whirl of police-car lights near the main entrance.\n\n\"Here.\" He steadied her. \"I'm getting you to a doctor.\"\n\n\"No doctor. Evan, you have to do what I say. I've been protecting you since day one. I'm sorry I had to lie to you.\" Her voice faded to a weak whisper. \"I'm from Bricklayer.\"\n\nHe stopped in his tracks. \"What?\"\n\nShe reached out a hand to him, bloodied from being pressed against her shoulder. \"I... I was supposed to protect you. I'm sorry.\"\n\n\"Protect me. For how long?\"\n\nShe steered him off a path that cut across a swath of deep green. \"Jargo thought I worked for him. He thought I would kill you for him today. But I would never hurt you. Never.\"\n\nThis wasn't what he'd expected. He hurried her into the truck he'd stolen from Bandera. Sirens rose.\n\n_Trust me_ , she had said. He nearly said, _I can't leave Shadey._ But if he told her about Shadey, and she was leading him into a trap, then Shadey would be caught in Bricklayer's net. He shut his mouth, hoped that Shadey had escaped in the melee.\n\nHe eased her over into the passenger seat, looking around frantically for Jargo and Dezz.\n\nShe collapsed, blood smearing the seat.\n\n\"Bricklayer and I are CIA, Evan,\" she said. \"I'm not supposed to tell you, but you need to know.\" She gritted her teeth against the pain.\n\nCIA. Like Gabriel. The people Jargo said had killed his mother.\n\nHe didn't believe Jargo.\n\n\"There they are,\" she said as he climbed into the pickup. \"The Land Rover. Silver.\" Jargo and Dezz, trying to wend past the New Orleans police cars that had responded. Evan didn't see Shadey anywhere in the mass of people milling in the lot. An ambulance stood, lights flashing, but paramedics weren't loading Shadey, or anyone else.\n\n\"Hold on.\" Evan floored the pickup across the lot, then over the expanse of lawn. Headed toward Magazine, the frontage street for the zoo that separated it from Audubon Park.\n\n\"Jargo's seen us,\" she said. \"You're not trained for evasive driving, Evan.\"\n\n\"I'm a Houston driver,\" he said, drunk with fear and energy, and he barreled across Magazine, laying on the pickup's horn, bouncing over the curb into the greater expanse of Audubon Park. _Think. Think of what they'll try next and be prepared for that. Because you can't make a mistake._\n\nIn the rearview he saw the Rover narrowly miss hitting another car, then follow him across the grassy yard between the parking lot and Magazine, Jargo laying on the horn.\n\nMidmorning joggers crossing the swale of parkland stared at Evan as he revved the pickup truck along the grass, dodging the oaks. The northern edge of Audubon Park faced out onto busy St. Charles Avenue, and the neighboring Loyola and Tulane universities stood on the other side of the avenue. He had forgotten that along St. Charles everyone parallel-parked, and this morning cars filled every inch of curb bordering the park. Large concrete cylinders blocked the park's main gate from the street.\n\nNo way out.\n\nHe veered the car to the left, spotting an opening at St. Charles and Walnut, the park's far corner. It was a no-parking zone across from an old estate reborn as a hotel. The pickup lumbered as he spun out onto Walnut and hooked an immediate right onto St. Charles.\n\nHe started to panic. St. Charles was hardly a raceway. Stoplights stood every few blocks; the wide median held two streetcar tracks, with their green tubes lumbering up and down the rails, tourists leaning out to snap photos of the grand homes or of leftover, faded beads still dangling from the street signs from a passed Mardi Gras. If there wasn't a light, a crossover spanned the median, and cars making turns backed onto the avenue.\n\nBut at 10:20 in the morning, traffic wasn't a thick nest. He heard a boom, a thud. The Rover exited Audubon Park behind him, navigating an opening on the opposite corner of the park from where he had exited. Shots hit the bumper; the Rover powered up close to the back of the pickup.\n\n\"He's shooting for the tires.\" Carrie shivered, in shock and dripping wet, blood flowering through her blouse.\n\nA light ahead, red. Cars stopping.\n\nEvan swerved the truck into the streetcar median. He nicked a line of crape myrtles and put the truck on the rail tracks to avoid the metal poles that supplied the cars with electricity. He jammed the accelerator to the floor.\n\nFrom his right, gunfire, a bullet smashing into the rear window. Shards of glass nipped the back of his head.\n\nCarrie said, \"Drive steady, please.\"\n\n\"Sure!\" he yelled back. He zoomed past\u2014no one in the median turn\u2014the intersection with the light, and in his rearview the Rover bounded onto the median with him. Accelerated fast.\n\nAhead, a minivan loitered in the median, waiting for traffic to open up. Two children in the minivan's windows stared as the pickup truck rocketed toward them, a boy pointing in surprise.\n\nEvan spun back onto St. Charles, narrowly missing the minivan, clipping a parked car. Jolt and shatter. He could not head farther right\u2014parked cars lined the length of St. Charles, and the front yards of many of the homes were fenced or walled in. No clear room to navigate. It was the street or the median. Bad choice versus worse.\n\nAnother shot hit the rear of the pickup truck. A line of heavier shrubs lined this stretch of the median. Evan plowed back through them, deciding he was putting fewer lives at risk there than on the street, after he went through another intersection where a car waited in the median to turn onto the westbound side of St. Charles.\n\nThen he saw the streetcar coming toward him, occupying the left-side track, and he laid on his horn.\n\nThe streetcar driver grabbed at a radio mike and yelled into it. Evan screeched to the left, the streetcar passing between him and Jargo.\n\nAhead he saw two police cars, lights flashing, sirens blaring.\n\nEvan rumbled right, aiming for the center of the median; another streetcar was approaching and he overshot, revving off the tracks and back onto St. Charles. An open intersection. He took a hard right, more to keep from crashing than from strategy, then the next left, and drove down a residential street of neat homes, cars parked on the street. Then another right.\n\n\"Turn here, here!\" Carrie said.\n\nShe pointed at a corner lot, a bright yellow building, antiques in the window, a neon Open sign. He saw her idea. The parking and exits were behind the building. He spun into the lot and stopped the car.\n\nWaited.\n\nThe Rover, its side badly dented, shot past on the street. Evan counted to ten, then twenty. The Rover didn't return.\n\n\"What now?\" Evan didn't recognize his own voice. His mouth tasted of the fake-swamp water and his hands shook.\n\n\"Police will be all over St. Charles,\" she said. \"Take a side road that runs parallel. Get us down to Lee Circle, we can get to the interstate there. Get to the airport.\"\n\n\"You need a hospital.\"\n\n\"No hospital. Our pictures will be on the police wire soon,\" she said through gritted teeth.\n\nHe gently peeled her blouse away from her shoulder. He saw the small but vicious wound, touched the stickiness of the blood.\n\n\"You need a doctor.\"\n\n\"Bricklayer will get me help.\" She closed her eyes, closed her hand over his. \"You don't have any reason to trust me. But we just saved each other. That means something, doesn't it?\"\n\nHe didn't know what to say.\n\nShe opened her eyes. \"A government plane there can take us to a place we can be safe. Where we can work on getting your dad back.\"\n\n\"What will the CIA do to get my dad back? He's not one of them. He's an enemy to them if he's worked for Jargo.\"\n\n\"Your father could be our best friend. With his help, your help, we can break Jargo.\" She leaned against the door. In pain. \"Certain people in the CIA and Jargo... have an arrangement. Jargo's selling information to every country, every intelligence service, every extremist group that he can. We're trying to find his contacts inside the CIA. Get rid of the traitors. They're selling our national secrets to Jargo. I was undercover for the Agency, working for Jargo for the past year.\"\n\n\"Year,\" he whispered.\n\n\"We've never been able to identify any of his operatives other than Dezz. He has a whole network. Your parents... worked for him.\"\n\nEvan swallowed past the rock in his throat. \"I can't keep pretending they are completely innocent in all this, can I?\"\n\n\"No one can tell you what to do. I learned that early on.\"\n\n\"But Jargo knows you've turned on him, and you have me. He'll just kill my father.\"\n\n\"No. He doesn't want to kill your dad, I don't understand why. Your father is Jargo's weakness. We have to use it against him.\"\n\nAirport. Hospital. He had to choose. Trust the stranger beside him or trust the woman he loved. He started the car, eased out of the lot. No sign of Jargo. Evan drove, finally turning back onto St. Charles. He drove through Lee Circle and fed onto the highway that would merge into Interstate 10. Traffic was light. He steadied his hands.\n\n\"So. You knew me before I knew you,\" he said.\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\n\"So our relationship was a trick. A show.\"\n\n\"You don't understand.\"\n\n\"No, I don't, I don't understand how you could lie to me.\"\n\n\"It was to protect you.\" Her voice rose in half hysteria. \"Would you have believed me if I'd said, 'Hey, Evan, both a freelance spy network and the CIA are interested in you, want to go see a movie'?\"\n\n\"You answer one question for me.\"\n\n\"Anything.\"\n\n\"My mother. Did you tell Jargo that I was going to Austin?\" His voice strained for control.\n\n\"No, baby. No. Jargo picked up my voice mail. He got the message.\"\n\n_If I hadn't left Carrie the message, my mom would be alive._ Grief and horror rose in him like a tide. \"No. Why did you have to leave that morning?\"\n\nShe covered her face with her hands.\n\n\"Carrie, you answer me!\" he screamed.\n\nHer voice sounded broken. \"I wanted permission from Bricklayer... to end the surveillance on you. To pull you and your mom out, get you both to safety. To forget trying to draw Jargo into the open. I had to talk to Bricklayer alone. That's where I was. When I got back, you were gone.\"\n\n\"And so you told Jargo.\"\n\n\"No. No. I acted like I didn't know where you were. I told him I hadn't checked my voice mails, I hadn't gone back to your house.\"\n\n\"You told him I loved you, didn't you?\"\n\n\"Yes.\" She closed her eyes.\n\n\"You must have all had a laugh.\"\n\n\"No. No.\"\n\n\"Did you send the CIA to my house?\"\n\n\"No. Bricklayer's team is very small. We're not set up for big operations. We can't reveal our existence to any possible traitors inside the Agency, because they're our targets, along with Jargo. We're not supposed to operate on American soil.\"\n\n\"Wow, so my family and I, we're really freaking special,\" Evan said. \"I don't know why I should believe you now.\"\n\n\"Because I'm still the same woman you met a few months ago. I'm still Carrie.\" She spoke after long seconds of silence. \"I love you. I told you not to love me, I didn't want you to say it, but I wanted it to be true. I didn't want you hurt. That's why I wanted to pull out. I'm sorry.\" She leaned forward, watching the rearview, watching for the police. \"Oh, Evan, this hurts.\"\n\n_Did you ever love me?_\n\nHe made his choice. He followed her directions, stopping at a quiet aviation office near Louis Armstrong International with two cars parked in front.\n\n\"Inside. People who work for Bricklayer. Bricklayer's real name is Bedford. There's trust for you. Only three people inside the CIA know his real name.\"\n\nHe looked at her. He could just run. Leave her, her colleagues would find her, and he could vanish and never see her again. Never hear another lie from her lips.\n\nHe thought of that morning three days ago, waking up, loving her with both dreaminess and certainty. And she was gone. Thought of how beautiful she had been the first time he'd seen her in the coffee shop, reading that bad book on film with intense concentration. Lying in wait for him. Thought of her in his bed, the softness of her kisses on his lips. Looking at him as though her heart would burst. Maybe her loving him was a lie, but he loved her. She was the worst thing that had ever happened to him. She was the best chance to get his father home. And she had saved him now, saved him from certain death.\n\nEvan carried her out of the car and kicked four times on the office door.\n\n#\n\nKEEPING A MAN IMPRISONED WAS LIKE buying a tour inside his soul. Jargo had seen men, locked in the cramped confines of his homemade jail, talk to people long dead and gone; cry and sob after days of complete silence; one unfortunate drowned himself in the toilet. Strength was often shallow; confidence was a ploy; bravery a mask.\n\nHe already knew Mitchell Casher's soul. It was a soul incapable of betraying anyone he loved. It was a soul that trusted few, but that trust ran deep as gold veining through the earth.\n\nJargo went inside the room. Mitchell lay on the bed, a heavy chain bound around his waist and his ankles, long enough to permit him to reach the toilet. Mitchell was unshaven, unwashed, but dignified. The room smelled of the dried-food packets he'd left for Mitchell, since he and Dezz could not stay to serve as his jailer.\n\nHe stood watching Mitchell, who did not say hello. Jargo lit a cigarette. He had not smoked in fifteen years. He pulled hard on the smoke, breathed in, coughed like a tobacco virgin. He studied the glowing ember of the cigarette.\n\n\"I'm afraid to ask,\" Mitchell Casher said.\n\n\"I have a difficult question for you,\" Jargo said, \"but I really must insist on honesty.\"\n\n\"I've always been honest with you.\" Mitchell's voice was broken, worn with grief for his wife and fear for his son. He sounded like the dead Mr. Gabriel. Jargo offered him a cigarette, and Mitchell shook his head. The imprisonment would take months, years, to break him; bad news about his son would shatter him at once, Jargo knew.\n\n\"I appreciate your honesty, Mitch. Will Evan fight for you?\"\n\n\" 'Fight for me'? I don't know what you mean.\"\n\nJargo sat down across from Mitchell Casher. The glow of the light, high above in the ceiling where no prisoner could reach it, was eye-achingly dim. No window graced the room; Jargo had bricked it years ago, after an unfortunate incident involving a shard of glass and the wrist of a stubborn informant within Castro's regime. But Jargo considered Mitchell not to be missing a view. Outside, the night sky of southern Florida hung heavy with clouds that resembled cancers. \"Will he fight for you? Will Evan try and get you back?\"\n\n\"No.\"\n\n\"I've been thinking long and hard about Carrie and what she's done. I don't know for sure that she is CIA; at the least she's freelance now, and she's taken Evan to sell him and his information to the highest bidder. I suspect that bidder will be the CIA.\"\n\nMitchell put his head in his hands. \"Then let me go. Let me help you find him. Please, Steve.\"\n\n\"Find him? You and I can hardly stroll into Langley's lobby and ask for him back now, can we?\"\n\n\"They'll kill him.\"\n\n\"Yes. But not right away.\" Jargo took another drag on the cigarette, and this time the tobacco soothed his nerves. _You never really forgot how to smoke_ , he thought. _The way you never really forgot how to swim, to make love, to kill._\n\n\"I don't understand.\"\n\nThis was the conversational equivalent of cutting a diamond. One had to be precise to get the intended effect, and there were no second chances. \"Evan told me he has a list of our clients. He also knows my name, and he knows that Dezz is my son. So either he's been in touch with the CIA, or he's got even more information. Information about us. Who we are.\"\n\nMitchell's eyes went wide.\n\n\"All our clients, Mitchell. Do you realize what this could do to us? It's one thing if we all have to vanish and start over again. That's almost impossible. But our clients? We could never rebuild if the CIA got that information.\" Jargo brought his gaze back to the burning ember.\n\n\"I swear to you I never knew she was betraying us,\" Mitchell said in a hoarse voice.\n\n\"I know. I know, Mitchell. Otherwise you would have run with her. I know.\"\n\n\"Then please let me help you.\"\n\n\"I want to let you go. But you're hardly in fighting shape. You might take off and endanger the only chance I have\"\u2014Jargo paused\u2014\"of getting Evan back safely for you.\"\n\n\"The only chance. Tell me.\"\n\nJargo watched his cigarette burn. Waited. Let Mitchell squirm.\n\n\"Evan.\" Mitchell put his face in his hands.\n\n\"I haven't seen you cry since we were boys.\"\n\n\"They killed Donna. Imagine your son in their hands.\"\n\n\"Dezz would never be taken alive. You know how he is.\" Jargo didn't look at Mitchell. \"I'm so sorry.\" His voice cracked. Jargo closed his hand on Mitchell's arm.\n\n\"So let me help you. Please.\"\n\n\"He said he had the client files, Mitchell.\"\n\n\"I bet he lied... Donna wouldn't have shared information with him. His finding out about us, it was her worst nightmare.\"\n\n\"Reality check. They were on his computer. Donna had clothes packed for him to run. He took off without waiting for his girlfriend. I think he knew. And he might know what the files are worth.\"\n\n\"Evan... wouldn't know how to sell the information. He wouldn't know anyone to contact. And he wouldn't hurt me.\"\n\n\"You never told him about your background? Not once?\"\n\n\"Never. I swear, he knows nothing.\"\n\n_You don't know what he knows, and I'm not taking the risk_ , Jargo thought, but instead he said, \"I'm weighing whether to attempt to get Evan back at all. If he plans on fighting for you, he won't simply hand the files over to the CIA. He'll try and strike a deal. Which may give us a window of time. But that's the risk I'm assessing.\"\n\n\"I don't understand.\"\n\nJargo leaned forward, whispered an inch from Mitchell's face, \"You know I have operatives working for me within the Agency.\"\n\n\"I suspected.\"\n\n\"And clients within the Agency. Those people are at huge risk if Evan turns over the files. They're dead in the water.\" Jargo tasted the smoke again, stubbed out the cigarette in an ashtray. \"My people inside the Agency have every reason to get Evan back for me. For us.\" He put a hand on Mitchell's shoulder.\n\n\"They won't hurt him?\"\n\n\"Not if I tell them to bring him to me alive.\" The lie felt fine in his mouth. \"But either way, we must get Evan and whatever information he has away from the Agency. Alive, so you can be together with him again.\"\n\n\"Please, Steve. Let me help. Let me help you find my son.\"\n\nJargo stood. Made his decision. Dug in his pocket and unlocked the chain, slipped it free of Mitchell. The links made a pool of silver on the hardwood floor.\n\nMitchell stood. \"Thank you, Steve.\"\n\n\"Go get showered. I'll cook you dinner.\" He gave Mitchell Casher a rough hug. \"How's an omelet sound?\"\n\nMitchell seized him by the throat, shoved him hard against the wall, relieved him of his gun, angled it under his chin. \"An omelet sounds great. But just so you and I are clear. Your agents. They don't hurt or kill my son. Make them understand we need him alive.\"\n\n\"I'm glad that's out of your system. You can let me go now.\"\n\n\"If they kill my son, I will kill yours.\"\n\n\"Let go.\"\n\nMitchell released his hold on Jargo; Jargo gently pushed his hand away. \"This is what our enemies want. Us at each other's throats.\"\n\nMitchell handed him his gun. \"Evan. Safe. That's nonnegotiable. I can control my son once we've got him back.\"\n\n\"I will do everything I can to bring him home. You realize he'll be the best-kept secret in the Agency. Resources, people, will be diverted from their normal work to help hide him and to rally against us. My eyes inside the Agency will be looking for those signs. A well-meaning idiot in the Agency will mass for a secret war against us, and we'll stop them with our own Pearl Harbor.\"\n\n\"Getting him back will be almost impossible.\"\n\n\"In a way,\" Jargo said, \"I think it might be easy. What we need to do is convince him to come back to us.\"\n\nHe went downstairs to make the omelet. The curving cypress staircase was full of shadow; he did not like lights burning brightly in the lodge, even with every window carefully sealed and covered. Too much light would glow like a beacon in the vast dark and might attract unwanted attention.\n\nThe kitchen in the empty lodge was large, dimly lit. Dezz sat on a stool eating a candy bar, sullen, morose. CNN was on the TV.\n\n\"Any details of note?\" Jargo asked.\n\n\"No. A few people suffered minor injuries in the rush to get out of the zoo. No arrests. No suspects. But no mention of videotape of us.\" Dezz chewed his candy. \"When we catch them, I get Carrie. She's all mine. Ask her your questions, then give her to me. Christmas comes early this year.\"\n\n\"If Evan has the client list and hands it over to the CIA, then they'll up the surveillance on those targets. Not just on our clients inside the CIA, but elsewhere. But slowly. They can't commit too many resources suddenly to us without incredibly uncomfortable questions being asked.\"\n\n\"Your point?\"\n\nHe could share with Dezz what he didn't dare share with Mitchell. \"Very few in the CIA know about us. There is a man, code-named Bricklayer, but I have not been able to determine who he is. Bricklayer is supposed to root out any internal problems in the CIA: problems such as using freelance assassins, selling secrets, committing unapproved kills, stealing from American corporations. Basically, Bricklayer wants to put us out of business.\"\n\n\"Bricklayer.\"\n\n\"Carrie's a resource Bricklayer will have to use. That may be a blessing to us.\"\n\n\"How?\"\n\n\"How the CIA uses Carrie will tell us how much they really know about us.\" He gathered the makings of an omelet from the fridge. Cooking would calm him. He chopped vegetables and he thought of a lifetime ago, a child, watching the girl who became Donna Casher standing across a sun-drenched kitchen table from him, cutting vegetables with a calm precision. She had always wanted everything exact, just so. The sun had always caught her hair in a way that transfixed Jargo, and a tinge of sadness and regret touched his heart. He wished, just once, he had told her how much he liked her photographs.\n\n\"You know, Mitchell and Donna and I, the first job we had together when we went freelance, it was in London. A hit. Really simple, it didn't require all three of us, but there was a sense of power in the three of us doing the kill together. A sense of liberation.\"\n\n\"Who killed whom?\" Dezz asked.\n\n\"Victim doesn't matter. Mitchell and I both did the kill, although my shot hit first. Donna handled logistics.\" Jargo cracked eggs in a bowl, stirred in milk, dumped in the broccoli and peppers. \"Because it was our first job, we were cutting the bonds of our old life. We were so conscious in making our decisions. Before we were never encouraged to be so deliberative. We were more 'point and shoot, don't ask questions.' I fingered the bullets I was using for the longest time, like they were worry beads. Or the last shackles of a chain that we were all breaking.\"\n\nDezz ate a piece of candy.\n\n\"I just traded one set of chains for another, Dezz.\"\n\nDezz had no mind for reflection. He said, \"So how are you getting Evan and Carrie back? Or at least shutting them up?\"\n\n\"Carrie will tell the CIA what she knows, which isn't much. She can't betray enough to hurt us. She can give them descriptions, the apartment in Austin, but not much in terms of usable evidence.\"\n\n\"Get real,\" Dezz said. \"If she's double, she might have information, files... she could skin you.\"\n\n\"She had no access.\"\n\n\"You don't know what she had, Dad.\"\n\nJargo kept his voice low. \"You missed a prime chance to kill them both. Shut up.\" He dumped butter in the sizzling skillet, poured in the eggs. \"I intend to cover every base. Including bases you don't even know are on the field, Dezz.\"\n\n\"We need to pack and run. Set up shop elsewhere. England. Germany. Greece. Let's go to Greece.\"\n\n\"No. I'm not dismantling years of sweat and work. My chains are still ones of my own choice, Dezz.\" The failure dimmed in Jargo. He was ready to roll.\n\n\"You're not going to be able to get Evan back.\"\n\nJargo finished cooking the eggs and slid them on a plate. \"Take this plate and a cup of strong coffee up to Mitchell. Be nice; he threatened to kill you a few minutes ago if I don't get Evan back safe and sound.\"\n\nDezz frowned.\n\n\"Don't worry,\" Jargo said in a low voice. \"Soon Evan will be dead, but Mitchell won't be able to blame us.\"\n\n# TUESDAY\n\n## MARCH 15\n\n#\n\nEVAN WATCHED THE PADDED WALLS, and the walls watched back\u2014the small dents in the fabric reminded him of eyes. He imagined cameras lurking behind the fabric. He wondered what dramas they had witnessed in this room. Interrogations. Breakdowns. Death. A faded stain marred the wall, about the height of a sitting man, and he imagined how the stain had got there and why it hadn't been removed. Probably because the CIA wanted you to contemplate that stain and what it might suggest.\n\nTwo CIA men, one the pilot, flew them on the private jet out of New Orleans. Evan told them he would talk only to Bricklayer. They provided first aid to Carrie and left him alone until the plane landed in a small clearing in a forest. Then a private ambulance with North Hill Clinic written on it, with Virginia license plates, whisked them away. A medical team took Carrie, and a thick-necked security guard put him in this room. He sat and resisted the urge to make faces at the wall, sure cameras watched him. Worried about Carrie, worried about Shadey. Worried about his father.\n\nThe door opened and a man stuck his head inside. \"Would you like to see your friend now?\"\n\nIt occurred to Evan the man might not even know Carrie's real name. It occurred to him that he might not, either. But he said, \"Thanks,\" and followed the man down a brightly lit hallway. The man led him down three doors, and her room wasn't padded; it was a typical hospital room. No windows, the light on the bed eerie and dim, like the glow of the moon in a bad dream. She lay in bed, her shoulder bandaged. A guard stood outside the door.\n\nCarrie dozed. Evan watched her and wondered who she really was, in the spaces between flesh and bone. He took her hand, gave it a squeeze. She slept on.\n\n\"Hello, Evan,\" a voice sounded behind her. \"She'll be right as rain real soon. I'm Bricklayer.\"\n\nEvan put her hand down gently and turned toward the man. He was sixtyish, thin, with a sour set to his mouth but warm eyes. He looked like a difficult uncle. Bricklayer offered Evan his hand. Evan shook it and said, \"I'd rather call you Bedford.\"\n\n\"That's fine.\" Bedford kept his face impassive. \"As long as you don't do it in front of other people. No one here knows my real name.\" He stepped past Evan, put a hand on Carrie's forehead in a fatherly fashion, as though checking her for fever. Then he steered Evan into a conference room down the hall, where another guard stood watch. Bedford closed the door behind him and sat down. Evan stayed on his feet.\n\n\"Have you eaten?\"\n\n\"Yes. Thank you.\"\n\n\"I'm here to help you, Evan.\"\n\n\"So you said the first time we talked.\" He decided to test the waters. \"I'd like to leave now.\"\n\n\"Oh, goodness, I think that very unwise.\" Bedford tented his hands. \"Mr. Jargo and his associates will be hunting for you.\" His politeness was like an heirloom, given prominence on the table.\n\n\"My problem. Not yours.\"\n\nBedford gestured at the chair. \"Sit for a minute, please.\"\n\nEvan sat.\n\n\"I understand you grew up in Louisiana and Texas. I'm from Alabama,\" Bedford said. \"Mobile. Wonderful town. I miss it terribly the older I get. Southern boys can be stubborn. Let's both not be stubborn.\"\n\n\"Fine.\"\n\n\"I'd like for you to tell me what happened since your mother phoned you on Friday morning.\"\n\nEvan took a deep breath and gave Bedford a detailed account. But he did not mention Shadey, he did not mention Mrs. Briggs. He didn't want anyone else in trouble.\n\n\"I offer my deepest sympathies on the death of your mother,\" Bedford said. \"I think she must have been an extraordinarily brave woman.\"\n\n\"Thank you.\"\n\n\"Let me assure you that her funeral arrangements will be taken care of.\"\n\n\"Thank you, but I'll handle her memorial when I get back to Austin.\"\n\n\"I'm afraid you truly can't go home again.\"\n\n\"Am I a prisoner?\"\n\n\"No. But you're a target, and it's my job to keep you alive.\"\n\n\"I can't help you. I don't have these files. Telling Jargo that I did was simply a bluff to get my dad back.\"\n\n\"Tell me again exactly what your father said. Since he blames us for your mother's death.\"\n\nEvan did, repeating his father's plea word for word, as best as he could remember. Bedford took a tin of mints from his pocket, offered Evan the tin, popped a mint in his own mouth after Evan shook his head. \"Quite a story Jargo's peddling. We didn't kill your mother. He did.\"\n\n\"I know. I'm not sure why he cares what I think.\"\n\n\"He doesn't. He just wants to manipulate you.\" Bedford chewed his mint. \"You must feel like Alice, fallen down the rabbit hole into Wonderland.\"\n\n\"Nothing wondrous about it.\"\n\n\"The fact that you survived an attack and a kidnapping is quite impressive. Mr. Jargo and his friends, they've stolen your life from you. They put a piece of wire around your mama's throat and squeezed the last breath out of her. How does that make you feel?\"\n\nEvan opened his mouth to speak and then shut it.\n\n\"It's the kind of question you ask in your films. I watched them a couple of months back. How did that fellow in Houston feel, framed by the police? How did that woman feel when her son and her grandson didn't come home from war? I was most impressed. You're a good storyteller. But just like a reporter with his soul sucked out, you have to ask the dreaded question: 'How does it make you feel?' \"\n\n\"You want to know? I hate them. Jargo. Dezz.\"\n\n\"You have every reason.\" Bedford's voice went lower. \"He made your mom and dad lie to you for years. I suspect it wasn't entirely their choice to work for the Deeps, at least for as long as they did.\"\n\n\"The Deeps.\"\n\n\"Jargo's name for his network.\" Bedford tented his hands.\n\n\"Gabriel said he was a freelance spy.\"\n\n\"It's true he buys and sells information, between governments, organizations, even companies. As far as we know.\"\n\n\"I don't understand.\"\n\n\"We've never been able to prove, conclusively, that he exists.\"\n\n\"I've seen him. So has Carrie.\"\n\n\"This is what we know: There is a man who uses the name Steven Jargo. He has no financial records. He owns no property. He does not travel under his own name, ever. Very few people have seen him more than once. He regularly changes his appearance. He has a young man who works with him, supposedly his son, and the son works under the name of Desmond Jargo, but there is no record of his birth, or his schooling, or him having anything like a normal life that creates a paper trail. They have a network. We don't know if it's just a few people or if it's a hundred. We suspect, from the times the name Jargo has popped up, that he has clients, buyers for his information and his services, on every continent.\" Bedford opened up a laptop. \"I'm about to show extraordinary trust in you, Evan. Please don't disappoint me.\"\n\nBedford pressed a button and activated a projector cabled to the laptop. The image of a body, sprawled on pavestones, one arm dangling in a turquoise pool. \"This is Valentin Marquez. A high-ranking financial official in Colombia, one that our government was not fond of because he had connections to the Cali drug cartels, but we couldn't touch him. His body was found dead in his backyard; four of his bodyguards were killed as well. Rumors surfaced that an American State Department official funneled money to a man named Jargo; he put a hit on Marquez. Given the political situation, this would not be an activity we want exposed: American officials illegally diverting taxpayer funds to hired killers.\"\n\n_Click._ Another picture. A prototype blueprint of a soldier wearing a formfitting jumpsuit. \"This is a project the Pentagon has been working on, the next generation of ultralightweight body armor for field troops. This blueprint was found in the computer of a senior army official in Beijing by one of our agents, who was attempting to steal data on the Chinese conventional-weapons program. We kidnapped the official, and under duress, he told us he bought the plans from a group he called the Deeps. We found an attempt was made to sell the same armor prototype to a Russian military attach\u00e9 three weeks later. He refused the offer and attempted, instead, to steal the prototype from the seller. The seller killed the man, his wife, and his four children. The wife's aunt, who was visiting, survived by hiding in the attic. She got a glimpse of the killer. Her description matches Dezz Jargo's, although his hair was a different color and he wore glasses in Russia. Two months later, a major international armaments dealer made a proposal for a body armor that matched these specifications exactly. In short, Jargo works both sides of the fence. He steals from us, he sells to us.\"\n\nEvan closed his eyes.\n\n\"Those are the closest cases we can tie to Jargo. We have several others where we suspect his involvement but can prove nothing.\"\n\n\"My parents could not have been involved with a man like that. It just can't be.\"\n\n\"That's what Carrie thought, I'm sure,\" Bedford said. \"Her father worked for Jargo. Jargo killed her mom and dad. Or rather, had them killed.\"\n\nEvan felt sick.\n\n\"Her real name is Caroline Leblanc. Her father ran a private security service after a long career in military intelligence. He had come to the Agency and met with me, let me know that Jargo had operatives working in the Agency and people buying his services within the Agency. I asked him to remain in place, keep working for Jargo, but report to me. Jargo found out, or Carrie's father slipped up. Jargo made her think the CIA was responsible for her father's death. But Carrie came to us after her father's death\u2014she learned additional details that convinced her that Jargo was behind her parents' murders. At tremendous personal risk, Carrie joined us and became our double agent within the Deeps.\"\n\nEvan found his voice after a moment. \"Jargo killed her folks. And she kept working for him.\"\n\n\"Yes. It was difficult but she knew it had to be done. Carrie is our single operative who's gotten close to Jargo, although she's seen him face-to-face less than five times.\"\n\n\"So who sent her into my bed, you or Jargo?\"\n\nBedford let the words die on the air. \"A man like you, who looks for truth in the world, knows that life is complicated. I asked her to watch out for you. I didn't order her to kiss you, sleep with you, or care about you. She's not who you thought she was... but she's still Carrie. Does that make sense?\"\n\nHe didn't know. \"Why were you and Jargo interested in me?\"\n\n\"I, simply because Jargo sent Carrie to watch you.\" Bedford cleared his throat. \"He wanted to know what film you were making next.\"\n\n\"Film? I don't understand. Wasn't he watching me because of my parents?\"\n\n\"That would be the natural assumption. But he wanted Carrie to find out about your film plans. That seems to have been the genesis of his interest in you.\"\n\n\"He wanted me for this network. Like Carrie.\"\n\n\"Possibly. But then he'd have gotten your parents to recruit you. Like how John Walker talked his friend and his son into becoming spies for the Russians.\"\n\nEvan tried to imagine his parents sitting him down for that talk. The picture wouldn't form.\n\n\"But... Jargo never said a word to me about my films. He said I had files he needed. He wanted them in exchange for my dad.\"\n\n\"He told Carrie the files are information on his clients\u2014the people in the CIA and elsewhere who hire him to do their dirty work. I don't know why your mother went against Jargo, but she did. We think she contacted Gabriel to extract her and you. In return, she would have given him Jargo's client list. Gabriel would have taken the list public, to shame the CIA\u2014we fired him, because no one believed his stories that we had freelance spying occurring within the Agency\u2014and to bring down Jargo.\"\n\n\"How did Mom get these files?\"\n\n\"Unknown. She must have worked for Jargo.\"\n\n\"So Gabriel was telling me the truth. Well, partially.\"\n\n\"Mr. Gabriel let his personal weaknesses and biases cloud his judgment. Both here and after he left the Agency. It's very sad. I've asked the FBI to move his family to a safe location, hide them until we bring Jargo down. We told both the family and the Bureau that Mr. Gabriel gave us information on a drug cartel before he vanished.\"\n\n\"So... how long ago did Jargo order Carrie to get involved with me?\"\n\n\"Three months.\"\n\n\"When did my mother steal these files?\"\n\n\"I'm not sure, but we believe she contacted Gabriel last month.\"\n\n\"So Carrie was watching me... before Mom stole the files. That doesn't make sense.\" Evan stood up, paced the room. \"I never thought, never talked, about making a documentary about spies or the CIA or intelligence work of any sort. Why would he tell Carrie to watch me because of my films?\"\n\n\"He never gave her a more specific reason,\" Bedford said.\n\n\"So she's told you about what films I've made or might make.\"\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\n\"So, you must have an idea about what sparked Jargo's interest.\"\n\n\"Tell me what your planned subjects were.\"\n\n\"Hasn't Carrie reported all this to you anyway?\"\n\n\"I'd like to hear it from you, Evan. Tell me everything. This might be the key to locating Jargo. We find him, we get your father back.\"\n\n\"Won't he just kill my dad? If my mom betrayed him, he'll think my dad did as well.\"\n\n\"Carrie tells me Jargo has been rather protective of your father. I'm not sure why. Now tell me about your films.\"\n\n\"I thought about telling the story of Jameson Wong, the Hong Kong financier. He had the franchise for a number of luxury brands in Hong Kong. But he made bad investments, got grossly overextended, lost his fortune. When he got on his feet, he started funneling money from wealthy expat Chinese to groups that support reform in China. He went from being a self-involved CEO to a real voice for democracy.\"\n\n\"How did you choose him?\"\n\n\"I read an article about him in the _New York Times._ Is he connected to Jargo?\"\n\n\"Perhaps. Continue.\"\n\n\"Um, Alexander Bast. He was kind of the king of the London social scene about thirty years ago. High roller, slept with lots of famous women. Renaissance man, for a partyer. Ran three famous nightclubs but also two art galleries, a modeling agency. He lost it all, I think his accountant stole it from him, and then he started a small publishing company, of all things, publishing books by Soviet dissidents. Then he was murdered in a robbery of his home.\"\n\n\"How did you find out about Bast?\"\n\n\"Well, he was semifamous already, simply because he was such a friend to so many famous people. But I was in the UK a few months ago, lecturing at the London Film School, and I got an anonymous package indicating that Alexander Bast would be a good subject for my next film project. It included clippings about Bast, his murder, his life.\"\n\n\"That's rather unusual, isn't it, for someone to pitch you a film idea anonymously?\" Bedford cupped his hands over his chin, leaned forward on the table.\n\n\"Everyone has an idea for a movie, I get ideas tossed to me by nearly everyone I meet.\" Evan took a long sip of water. \"But, yes, an anonymous package, this was odd. I hadn't ever heard of Bast. But the story about him\u2014rich party animal embraces social change\u2014was interesting, and he was certainly an intriguing character. Most pitches are beyond boring\u2014they just don't have meat enough for a movie.\"\n\n\"Did you ever find out who left the package?\"\n\nEvan shifted in his chair. \"The head of the documentary department at London Film, Jon Malcolm, told me that a man named Hadley Khan had been asking him if I'd mentioned doing a film on Alexander Bast. I told Malcolm about the anonymous package I'd gotten, because it was odd.\"\n\n\"Hadley Khan.\"\n\n\"Yeah. He's from a wealthy Pakistani family based in London. I had met him at a Film School cocktail party. His family donates money to a number of London cultural interests. Malcolm told me Hadley had mentioned my work to him a couple of times, pushed for me to get an invite to speak at the Film School. I figured Hadley sent the package.\"\n\n\"What did he talk to you about at the cocktail party? Do you recall?\"\n\nEvan thought, let the silence take hold of the room. \"I only thought about it later, when it became clear he'd sent me the anonymous package.\" He closed his eyes. \"He asked about my next film project. I don't discuss my ideas, and I gave him the polite answer that I wasn't sure yet. And frankly, I really wasn't sure what I'd do. He told me how much he admired biography as a focus, that London was full of fascinating characters. It was all harmless and vague. But I remember his face\u2014he reminded me of a rookie car salesman, gearing up for the pitch but lacking the spine to close the deal.\"\n\n\"Did you ever ask Hadley Khan about the information on Bast?\"\n\n\"No. Malcolm didn't tell me about Hadley having sent me the package until I was back in the States. I e-mailed Hadley but never got a response.\" Evan shrugged. \"It was strange, but I found out a long time ago all sorts of people want to get close to the film business. I figured, since he had money, he probably wanted to be a producer. Get a credit on a film. It's very common. I thought he was just an amateur.\" Evan shook his head. \"It definitely sounds more sinister now. Knowing what I know.\"\n\n\"Alexander Bast was a CIA agent,\" Bedford said. \"A low-level courier. Not important. But still on our payroll until the day he died.\"\n\nEvan leaned back in the chair. \"Nothing in the material Khan gave me on Bast indicated he had a CIA tie.\"\n\n\"We don't generally advertise,\" Bedford said dryly.\n\n\"Bast has been dead for twenty-plus years. If there was a connection to him and Jargo, why would Jargo care now?\"\n\n\"I don't know. But that has to be part of the reason Jargo was interested in you. Bast was CIA, Jargo has contacts in the CIA. You were in England before Jargo got interested in you. So was your mother.\"\n\n\"She had a photographic assignment for a magazine.\"\n\n\"Or she had work to do for Jargo.\"\n\nEvan decided to broach the subject. \"Jargo said your people killed my mother.\"\n\n\"We covered that already. He lied, of course.\"\n\n\"But what you're doing is illegal. Last I heard the CIA isn't supposed to operate on American soil. Yet here you are.\"\n\n\"Evan. You're correct. The CIA charter doesn't permit the Agency to conduct clandestine ops on U.S. soil or against citizens.\" Bedford shrugged. \"But the Deeps are a very special case. If we bring in the FBI, we hopelessly complicate the situation. We can act and act decisively.\"\n\n\" _Complicate_ means 'expose,' and that's what you don't want. The fact is you have active traitors and rogues in the Agency.\"\n\n\"I don't want them to know we're on their trail. All our activities will come to light once the bad guys are down. We still have congressional oversight, you know.\"\n\n\"All I care about is getting my dad back from Jargo.\"\n\n\"Without the files,\" Bedford said, \"we don't have a lot of options.\"\n\n\"I don't know where any of the files on the Deeps are.\"\n\n\"Oh, I believe you. If you knew, you would have given them to us.\" Bedford crossed his legs.\n\n\"My mother had to have stolen them from somewhere. If this network is as fragmented as you say, she wouldn't have easily amassed a list of the clients. She would have to steal this list. From a central source.\"\n\n\"I think it likely.\"\n\nEvan got up and began to pace the floor. \"So. Jargo gets interested in me because he hears I'm doing a film that threatens him. That means he has a connection to Hadley Khan. He inserts Carrie into my life to watch me. Then my mother steals these files... why? Why does she turn against Jargo, after so long?\"\n\n\"Maybe she learned of Jargo's interest in you. It was probably a protective measure.\"\n\nEvan's head spun. His mother. Set her own death in motion, trying to save him from Jargo.\n\n\"You get the client list, what do you do with it?\"\n\n\"The CIA has only a few bad apples. I think Jargo knows most of them. We take them down. Jargo has to be stopped.\"\n\n\"And you getting a list of Jargo's other clients, that doesn't hurt you, either.\"\n\n\"Of course not. The British and the French and the Russians want to know about their own loose cannons. But my primary concern is in cleaning our own house. If you might help us figure out where she hid another copy of the files, that would\u2014\"\n\n\"I told you, I don't have the files,\" Evan said. \"So we should steal the files again.\"\n\nBedford raised an eyebrow. \"How?\"\n\n\"Go backward from when my parents vanished from Washington all those years ago. Find another path into Jargo's organization.\"\n\n\"He'll have destroyed the files.\"\n\n\"But not their essence. He still has to have a way of tracking clients, payments made to him, deliveries he does. That information still exists. We have to crack his world.\"\n\n\"Stop saying _we_.\"\n\n\"I want my father back. I can't just sit around a hospital room forever.\"\n\nBedford leaned back. \"And you think you could do it.\"\n\n\"Yes. If I start getting close to Jargo, he'll try and grab me. Or he'll think I'm working with you now, and he'll want to grab me to see what you know.\"\n\n\"Or grab Carrie.\"\n\n\"No. He nearly killed her. She doesn't go anywhere near him.\" Evan shook his head. \"Where were you, by the way, in New Orleans? You sent her alone.\"\n\n\"Carrie is an excellent agent, but she's strong-willed.\"\n\n\"Oh. That's not an act?\" Evan said, and permitted himself his first smile in days.\n\nBedford gave a soft laugh. \"No, that's who she is. She risked everything to save you.\"\n\n\"I don't want her near Jargo.\"\n\n\"That's not your choice, though, is it?\"\n\n\"Get another agent.\"\n\n\"I can't. Fighting Jargo is not official CIA policy, son, because we don't want to admit he's a problem.\" Bedford put the smile back on. \"You're at a secret CIA clinic in rural Virginia. The locals think this is a sanatorium for rich alcoholics. On our books you're listed under a code name, which in the records is a nonexistent Croatian Muslim college student living in D.C. wanting to trade information on Al Qaeda in Eastern Europe that will, of course, not pan out. Your flight from New Orleans will be logged as me traveling back from a meeting with a journalist from Mexico who had information to share on a drug cartel that is financing terror activities in Chiapas. You see how the game is played? Until we identify who Jargo has in his pocket in the Agency, we dare not tip our hand. No one in the Agency can know we're hunting Jargo and the Deeps. According to Agency records, Carrie is assigned deep cover to an operation in Ireland that doesn't exist. You don't exist. I sort of exist, but everyone thinks I'm just an accountant who travels a lot checking Agency books.\" Bedford smiled again.\n\n\"Then let me find the files. You don't risk anything, and I'm the only one who you know can draw Jargo out.\"\n\n\"You're a civilian. Carrie goes with you.\"\n\n\"No.\"\n\n\"Because you don't trust her or because you love her?\"\n\nEvan said, \"I don't want her hurt again.\"\n\n\"She saved your life, son. She wants the people who killed her parents to go down, and she's worked this for a year. She's an extraordinary young woman.\"\n\nEvan stood up, paced the room. \"I just wish... you had been watching my mom instead of me. You had to have checked on me, on my family, when Jargo assigned Carrie to me.\"\n\n\"We did. Your parents had extremely good legends.\"\n\n\"Legends?\"\n\n\"Background stories. There was nothing to make us doubt them, until we went back and found no pictures of them in the high school yearbooks they supposedly were in.\"\n\n\"Then why weren't you watching them?\"\n\n\"We were watching your father. But very carefully. We thought he had the connection to Jargo, as Carrie's father did. These people are extremely good. They'd spot surveillance unless it was perfect.\"\n\n\"Once again, you didn't want to tip your hand. You left us out in the cold.\"\n\n\"We didn't know what was happening. We couldn't find it out.\"\n\nEvan let it go. \"If my dad wasn't in Australia, like Mom said...\"\n\n\"He spent the last week in Europe. Helsinki, Copenhagen, Berlin. We lost him in Berlin last Thursday.\"\n\nHis father. Evading the CIA. It didn't seem possible.\n\n\"Either Jargo grabbed him in Germany or he returned to the U.S. without us knowing, and then Jargo nabbed him.\"\n\n\"If I get the files back, what happens to me and my dad?\"\n\n\"Your father tells us everything he can about Jargo and his organization. In exchange for immunity from prosecution. You and your father get new lives, new identities overseas, courtesy of the Agency.\"\n\n\"What about Carrie?\"\n\n\"She gets a new identity. Or she keeps working for us. Whatever she wants.\"\n\n\"All right,\" Evan said quietly.\n\n\"I'm surprised, Evan. I had you pegged as more self-involved.\"\n\n\"I find out what was in the files my mom stole, I don't just get a negotiating tool to get my dad back. I find out the truth about who they are. Who I am.\"\n\nBedford gave him a smile. \"That's true. It could be the first step in having your life back.\"\n\n\"I don't have my laptop\u2014it got left behind when I escaped from Gabriel's house\u2014but I have my music player... it contained the files my mother sent, I think, but I couldn't decode the files again when I downloaded them a second time. And the player was in my pocket when I jumped in the water in the zoo. It's ruined.\"\n\n\"Give it to me. We'll try.\"\n\n\"I have a passport that Gabriel provided. South African.\" Evan pulled it from his shoe. \"I had other passports, but they got left behind in my motel room in New Orleans.\" He supposed Shadey took them when he fled.\n\nBedford studied the passport, handed it back, gave him a critical look. \"We can improve your hair color. Change your eyes. Do a new photo. It's probably best the world still thinks you're missing. You'd be besieged by the media if you surfaced right now.\"\n\n\"All right.\"\n\n\"Evan. Understand this. One mistake and you're dead. Your father's dead. And worse\u2014the Deeps get away with everything.\"\n\n#\n\nCARRIE WAS AWAKE WHEN EVAN RETURNED to her room. The guard shut the door behind him, left them alone.\n\n\"Hey. How are you feeling?\" he asked. A dinner tray of comfort food sat before her: chicken soup, mashed potatoes, a chocolate shake, glass of ice water. Mostly untouched.\n\n\"You're not hungry?\" He wasn't sure how to start this conversation. She had been unconscious much of the time on the fast flight out of New Orleans, and he couldn't talk to her in front of the CIA guys.\n\n\"Not really.\"\n\n\"Bedford said your wound wasn't too bad.\"\n\nColor touched her cheeks. \"More gouge than bullet hole. It caught the top of my shoulder. It's sore and stiff but I'm feeling better.\"\n\nHe sat in the chair, bolted to the floor, at the foot of her bed. \"Thank you. For saving my life.\"\n\n\"You saved mine. Thanks.\"\n\nAwkward silence again.\n\nHe got up and sat on the bed next to her. \"I just don't know what to believe right now. I don't know who to trust.\" He heard Shadey's words in his head: _Don't trust unless you must._ Maybe Carrie had spotted Shadey in the crowd\u2014recognized him from _Ounce of Trouble_ \u2014but she still made no mention to Bedford. Protecting his friend. Showing him, through her silence, that she could be trusted. He didn't dare mention Shadey's name\u2014the room was probably bugged. He just hoped Shadey was safe and lying low.\n\n\"Trust yourself,\" Carrie said. Now she looked at the tangle of sheet around her waist.\n\n\"Not you?\"\n\n\"I can't tell you what to do. I have no right.\"\n\n\"Bedford says you'll want to help me get my dad back.\"\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\n\"At great risk to yourself.\"\n\n\"Life is nothing but risk.\"\n\n\"You don't have anything to prove to me.\"\n\n\"You and your father are the best hope we have of breaking them. It's not a matter of force. It's a matter of subtlety. That's all I want, Jargo broken. And for you to be safe.\"\n\nHe leaned forward. \"Listen. You don't have to play a role anymore. You don't have to pretend to love me. Or even like me. I'll be fine.\"\n\n\"Don't sell yourself short, Evan. You're easier to love than you think.\"\n\nHis face felt hot. \"Why didn't you just tell me the truth?\"\n\n\"I couldn't put you in that danger. Jargo would have killed you.\"\n\n\"And you would have lost your chance to take him down.\"\n\n\"But you're more important to me than Jargo.\" She closed her eyes. \"I didn't let myself get close to anyone after my parents died. You were the first.\"\n\nHe held her hands. \"Bedford says Jargo killed your folks.\"\n\n\"I don't know who actually pulled the trigger. One of the other Deeps or a hired hit man. Jargo wouldn't soil his hands. He made sure I was with him and Dezz when it happened. He wanted me to be sure that I thought the CIA was responsible.\"\n\n\"Tell me about your parents.\"\n\nShe stared at him. \"Why?\"\n\n\"Because now you and I do have truly a lot in common.\"\n\n\"I'm sorry, Evan. I'm so sorry.\"\n\n\"Tell me about your folks.\"\n\nShe let go of his hands, knotted the sheets with her fingers. \"My mother wasn't involved with the Deeps. She was an advertising copywriter for a small firm that did direct mail. She was pretty and kind and funny\u2014just a really great mom. I was an only child, so I was her everything. She loved me very much. I loved her. Jargo killed her when he killed my father. That's about it.\"\n\n\"And your dad?\"\n\n\"He worked for Jargo. I thought he had his own corporate security firm.\" She took a sip of water. \"I suspect he mostly did corporate espionage\u2014finding people inside companies willing to sell secrets. Or setting up compromising situations where they were forced to sell.\"\n\n\"Did your mother know?\"\n\n\"No. She wouldn't have stayed married to him. He lived a life we didn't know about.\"\n\n\"How long ago did they die?\"\n\n\"Fourteen months. Jargo decided my father had betrayed him, and he killed them both. It was made to look like a robbery. Jargo stole their wedding rings, my dad's wallet.\" She closed her eyes. \"I was already working for Jargo. Through my dad. He recruited me.\"\n\n\"Why would your father have drawn you into this mess?\"\n\nShe looked at him with haunted eyes. \"I don't know why... I assume he thought it was good money, better than I was making. I have a degree in criminal justice from the University of Illinois, I went into police work... he told me I could make a lot more money doing 'corporate security.' \" She drew quote marks with her fingers around the last two words.\n\n\"What kind of work did you do?\"\n\n\"Low-level stuff. I'd be the go-between from Jargo to other agents or client contacts. I filled dead drops\u2014you know, secret places where you leave documents and the client picks them up. I never even saw Jargo or the client's contact. I never got the location of the dead drop until the last minute, so it was much more difficult for Bricklayer to watch. I hadn't done a job for Jargo in three months when he ordered me to Houston.\"\n\n\"Bedford says you came to him to fight Jargo.\"\n\n\"I never bought the robbery story... my father was trained to fight, he wouldn't be taken so easily. I was on a job in Mexico City and I went to the embassy. They put me in touch with a CIA official, he got Bedford down fast on a plane. He asked me to stay in place, keep working for Jargo, feed them what information I could. But it was hard. I wanted out. I wanted to shoot Jargo dead. I've wanted to kill Dezz. But Bedford ordered me not to\u2014we needed to wrap up the whole network, and their clients. I kill them, another Deep simply takes over and we're back to square one.\"\n\n\"I still don't see why they can't put their hands on this guy.\"\n\n\"Evan. He's extraordinarily careful, and he's been doing this a long time. I'd get my instructions\u2014encoded\u2014in what would look like an innocent e-mail. Then I'd pick up from a dead drop the materials for the client that another Deep had stolen, go to a second dead drop, often in another city or country, and leave them. If the CIA picked up whoever picked up the goods, Jargo would know his network was blown, and we wouldn't get any closer. The best the CIA could do was to replace the information I was dropping off with data that was similar but not quite right. He never uses the same e-mail twice. Never the same base of operations twice. Everything is handled through third-party companies that are simply fronts, and as much with cash as he can. He's really, really hard to stop. He's killed four people in the past few days.\" Tears threatened her eyes. \"I thought I could do it alone, but I couldn't.\"\n\nHe kissed the top of her hands and put her hands back onto the blanket. \"I'm going to find the files my mom stole. Jargo still has my father, I'm getting him back. Do you know where he is?\"\n\n\"I think in Florida. Jargo has a safe house there, but I don't know where.\"\n\n\"Bedford has agreed to help me.\"\n\n\"Let Bedford hide you, Evan. If your dad can get away from Jargo\u2014\"\n\n\"No. I can't wait. I can't let my dad down. Bedford already said I won't be able to talk you out of this. Will you help me?\"\n\nShe nodded, took his hand. \"Yes. And...\"\n\n\"What?\"\n\n\"I know it's hard to trust anyone now. But you can trust Bedford.\"\n\n\"All right.\"\n\nShe put her hand on his cheek. \"Lie down here with me.\"\n\n\"Um, I don't want to hurt your shoulder.\"\n\nShe gave him a slight smile. \"You're just lying down, ace.\"\n\nShe scooted over and he stretched out next to her and held her and she fell asleep in a few minutes, her head on his shoulder.\n\nBedford sat watching a monitor that showed Carrie and Evan lying in the hospital bed, whispering quietly, talking. Love at twenty-four. It was the intensity of it that could frighten a man, the sureness of it, the belief that love was a lever to lift the world. He had already lowered the volume; he didn't need to hear what they said. He was a spy but he did not want to spy on them, not now.\n\nCarrie slept and Evan stared off into space.\n\n_I wonder_ , Bedford thought. _I wonder how much you really know, or really suspect._\n\n\"Sir?\" A voice behind him, one of his techs.\n\n\"Yes?\"\n\nThe man shook his head. \"The damaged music player... we can't recover any encoded files from it. Whatever process was used, it did not leave any other files hidden inside the music files when he transferred them to the player. I'm very sorry.\"\n\n\"Thank you,\" Bedford said. The tech left, shutting the door behind him.\n\nAfter a moment Bedford switched off the monitors and went down to the clinic's kitchen to make himself a sandwich.\n\nHe heard a noise behind him after he spread the mayo on the rye.\n\nEvan stood behind him, a slightly crooked smile on his face. \"I know where we can start. We can make a move that Jargo will never anticipate.\"\n\nGaladriel looked at the readouts while sipping decaf and eating a chocolate doughnut. She knew she shouldn't, but stress made her crave carbs. She had hacked into the FAA database, examining every plane takeoff in Louisiana and Mississippi since Jargo and Dezz had lost Carrie and Evan in New Orleans. Every flight accounted for, recorded, logged. But no flight that led to a place where it should not. Which meant that they hadn't flown, they had driven out of New Orleans. Or they could still be in New Orleans.\n\nBut she had already been through every hospital record she could acquire, stealthily weeding through the databases, and no young woman matching Carrie's description had been admitted to a hospital in that area. She would have to widen the search, cover Texas to Florida.\n\nShe sipped her coffee, nibbled at her doughnut. Shame that Carrie was a traitor. She rather liked Carrie, although she had never met her and had only talked with her on the phone a few times. But Carrie and Evan were young and stupid, and sooner or later they'd poke up their heads, via a travel document or a credit activity, and Galadriel would see them. Then Jargo would unleash his dogs and end this particular mess.\n\nShe had an unusual protocol to follow, designed by Jargo years ago, in case he feared the network was in danger of exposure. Panic mode. She was to monitor phone lines used only for emergency communications by certain Deeps, to ensure that no one was running. She ran a program that would feed cleaned money into banks around the world. And for some odd reason, he added another request last night: she was to track cellular phone call patterns to and from a small chunk of southwestern rural Ohio. Glean every cellular call made, incoming or outbound, then deliver the data to Jargo.\n\nShe wondered, exactly, what Jargo was looking for in Ohio. Or what conceivable danger could lurk for him on such quiet country roads and fields.\n\n# WEDNESDAY\n\n## MARCH 16\n\n#\n\nWEDNESDAY MORNING EVAN AND CARRIE regarded each other's new look over breakfast.\n\n\"You don't look like you,\" Evan said.\n\n\"Welcome to Salon Bricklayer,\" she said.\n\nEvan's hair was now a rich auburn and cut in a cleaned-up military burr, his hazel eyes hidden behind brown contact lenses. He wore a dark suit with white shirt, a shift from his normal colorful clothing. Carrie's dark hair had been lightened to blond and cut short. She wore tinted glasses that made her eyes look brown instead of blue.\n\n\"Call me chameleon boy,\" Evan said.\n\n\"Hope and pray that this is the last time you ever have to go through a transformation.\"\n\nAfter reviewing their plans with Bedford, Evan and Carrie boarded the small government jet that had brought them from New Orleans. They flew to Ohio, landing at a small regional airport east of Dayton.\n\nBedford had arranged for a car to be left for them, and while the pilot hurried to fetch it, Carrie and Evan waited under the canopy in front of the airport. Rain weighed the pewter sky, the wind blew damp and constant. Evan had an umbrella, from the plane, and he abandoned the idea of talking to her under it, even surrounded by the open lot. There might be a mike hidden inside the umbrella's shaft. There might be a mike hidden in the car. The pilot might report every word he spoke back to Bedford. He wondered how his parents had coped with the burden of endless deception. Perhaps it explained their silences toward each other, the gentle quiet of the love that demanded few words.\n\nGoinsville\u2014where Bernita Briggs had told him that the Smithson family, his family, was from\u2014lay ten miles west of the slant of Interstate 71. The pilot drove. Evan sat in the backseat. Carrie's arm rested in a sling, and she seemed tired but relieved. Relieved, Evan decided, to be out of her bed, to be taking action against Jargo.\n\nThey left the CIA pilot drinking coffee and ordering a second breakfast in a diner at the edge of town, working through a thick magazine of crossword puzzles.\n\nEvan drove into Goinsville and parked in the town square. Four junk shops angling for antiquers' dollars; an outdoor caf\u00e9 with weathered tables, empty under the rain-bottomed clouds; an optometrist's office; a law office; a title office. A normal, anonymous town.\n\n\"Goinsville never quite got going,\" he said. He drove a block off the square and parked in front of a small, newer building with Goinsville Public Library in metal letters mounted against the brick.\n\nEvan told the librarian on duty that they were researching genealogies.\n\nThe woman\u2014small, dark, pretty\u2014frowned. \"If you're looking for birth certificates, you're out of luck before 1967.\"\n\n\"Why?\"\n\n\"County courthouse burned down. We're the county seat. All the records went up in smoke with them. Anything from '68 on, we can do.\"\n\n\"What about your local newspaper?\"\n\n\"On microfilm back to the 1940s,\" the librarian said. \"We've also got old phone books\u2014in original form, if that helps. What's the family name?\"\n\n\"Smithson.\" First time he could claim the name as his own, first time he had said it aloud in public. _Arthur and Julie Smithson. They used to live here. They grew up here._\n\n\"I don't know any Smithsons,\" the librarian said.\n\n\"My parents grew up in an orphanage here.\"\n\n\"Goodness. No orphanage here. Closest one would be in Dayton, I'm sure. But I've only lived here for five years.\"\n\nShe showed them the microfilm machines, told them to ask if they needed any help, and retreated back to her desk.\n\n\"The orphanage must be closed,\" he said. Or Mrs. Briggs was mistaken. Or a liar. \"Start with the current phone books, look for any Smithsons. I'll start with the paper. I got to go to the bathroom, though.\"\n\nShe nodded and he returned to the entry foyer. Next to the restroom was a pay phone. He fed it quarters, dialed Shadey's cell phone.\n\n\"H'lo?\"\n\n\"Shadey. It's Evan. I only have a few seconds. Are you okay?\"\n\n\"Yeah, man, where are you?\"\n\n\"I'm fine. I'm with... the government.\"\n\n\"Please be kidding.\"\n\n\"I'm not. Did you make it back to Houston?\"\n\n\"Yes. Charged a plane ride back on my Visa, man, you owe me.\" But the earlier bite in his tone, when he and Evan had talked in Houston, was gone. \"You sure you okay?\"\n\n\"Yes, and I'll make sure you get your money.\"\n\n\"I... I don't mean to sound cheap. It's just now I'm scared, Evan.\"\n\n\"You should stay out of sight.\"\n\n\"I am. I called in sick at work, I'm staying at a friend's house.\"\n\n\"Good idea. Did you get Jargo and Dezz on film?\"\n\n\"Crystal clear. Got Dezz grabbing that little mama, him shooting and missing that guard, too. That's called attempted murder in Louisiana, I do believe.\"\n\n\"I need you to upload the film to a remote server where I can get it. Do you know how to do that?\"\n\n\"No, but my friend knows computers. Where do you want it?\"\n\nEvan gave him the name of a remote server service he'd used to back up dailies of his films, so he always had an off-site backup in case his computer was stolen or his house burned down.\n\nShadey repeated back the information. \"I'll set up an account under my stepbrother's name. Password is evanowesme.\"\n\n\"Thanks. Stay low, Shadey.\"\n\n\"When are you coming back to Houston?\"\n\n\"I don't know. Thanks for everything. I'll wire you your money.\"\n\n\"Man. Don't worry about it. Watch your back.\"\n\n\"I will. I got to run, Shadey. Stay safe. I'll call you when I can.\"\n\nHe walked back to the table and Carrie gave him a smile as he sat back down.\n\n\"Not much to look for in the phone books, the last twenty years,\" she said. \"No Smithsons. I'm already on the newspapers. You start on that set.\"\n\nEvan put in the microfilm to search through the town paper. He was conscious of Carrie's closeness, of the smell of soap on her skin, of what it would be like to kiss her and pretend none of this nightmare had happened.\n\nIt wouldn't ever be the same between them, he knew. The innocence was gone forever.\n\n\"Your parents could have lied to your source,\" Carrie said.\n\n\"It bothers you I won't tell you the source's name.\" He had not told anyone Bernita Briggs's name or how he'd found the information tying his family to the missing Smithsons. Bedford hadn't pressed him.\n\n\"No. You're protecting that person. I'd do the same in your shoes.\"\n\n\"I want to trust you. I know I can. I just don't want Bedford to know.\"\n\n\"You can trust him, Evan.\" But she went back to her search.\n\nHe started on a set of microfilmed newspapers that began in January 1968. Goinsville news was full of civic events, farm reports, pride in the school's students, and a smattering of news from the wider world beyond. He spun the film reader's wheel past car crashes, births, football reports, a saints' parade of Eagle Scouts and FFA honorees.\n\nHe stopped at February 13, 1968, when the county courthouse burned. Read the article. The fire completely consumed the papers in the old courthouse. In the following days, arson rose its head and had also been suspected in the orphanage fire three months before. Investigators were attempting to find a link between the two fires.\n\n\"Are you to the end of 1967?\" he asked.\n\n\"No. Halfway through '63.\"\n\n\"Go to November '67. I found it. Orphanage fire.\"\n\nIn a few minutes, she found the newspaper account. The Hope Home for Children sheltered the illegitimate unwanted in Goinsville. The stray seeds of southwest Ohio that didn't end up at church homes in Dayton or Cincinnati apparently found root at the Hope Home. It housed both boys and girls. In November 1967, fire erupted in Hope's administrative offices, tearing like wind through the rest of the complex. Four children and two adults died of smoke inhalation. The rest of the children were relocated to other facilities throughout Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia.\n\nThe Hope Home never reopened. Evan went back to the courthouse fire story. Most articles written about the orphanage tragedy and the courthouse fire carried the byline of Dealey Todd.\n\n\"Let's look him up in the most recent phone book,\" Evan said.\n\nCarrie did. \"He's listed.\"\n\n\"I'll call him and see if he'll talk to us.\" Evan did. \"His wife says he's retired, at home, and bored. Let's go.\"\n\n#\n\nTHOSE POOR KIDS,\" Dealey Todd said. He hovered near eighty, but he wore the unfettered smile of a child. His hair had beaten a long-ago retreat, leaving a trail of freckles mapped across his head. He wore old khakis that needed a wash and a shirt faded with loving wear. His den held a rat's nest of old paperbacks and three TVs, one tuned and muted to CNN, the others tuned to a _telenovela_ , also muted.\n\n\"Learning Spanish,\" he said.\n\n\"Watching pretty girls,\" his wife said.\n\nEvan's throat tightened as CNN played. His face had been on CNN repeatedly in the past couple of days, although other stories had now bumped his from the news. But Bedford's disguise seemed to work; Dealey Todd hadn't given him a more curious look than he would have given any other stranger when Evan introduced himself and Carrie as Bill and Terry Smithson. Probably Dealey paid more attention to the _telenovela_ bosoms than he did the news feeds.\n\nMrs. Todd was a bustling woman who offered coffee and promptly vanished into the kitchen to watch yet another television.\n\nEvan decided to play a sympathetic hand. \"We think my parents came through the Hope Home orphanage, but their records were destroyed,\" said Evan. \"We're trying to locate any other alternative source of records, and also to learn more about the Home. My parents died several years ago, and we want to piece together their early lives.\"\n\n\"Admirable,\" Dealey Todd said. \"Interest in your parents. My own daughter lives down in Cleveland and can't be bothered to phone more than once a month.\"\n\n\"Dealey,\" Mrs. Todd called from the kitchen. \"They don't care about that, honey doll.\"\n\nThe honey doll made a sour face. \"Okay, the orphanage.\" He shrugged, returned to his smile, sipped at his black coffee. \"Orphanage got built, then it burned ten years later. So you might be in for a long, difficult haul to find records.\"\n\nEvan shook his head. \"There has to be a source for records. Who built it? Maybe whatever charity sponsored it has what I need.\"\n\n\"Let's see.\" Dealey closed his eyes in thought. \"Originally a nondenominational charity out of Dayton started it up, but they sold it to\"\u2014he tapped on his bottom lip\u2014\"let's see, I want to say a company out of Delaware. You could probably find a record of sale at the county clerk's office. But I remember they went bankrupt, too, after the fire, and no one rebuilt the orphanage.\"\n\nA bankrupt owner. Who knew what had happened to the files. But Evan knew from his documentary interviews that dead ends often had left turns, just out of view. He thought for a second and asked, \"How did the town view the orphanage?\"\n\n\"Y'know, not that Goinsville isn't a charitable place, 'cause it is, but many folks around here weren't overjoyed with the orphanage. Kind of a not-in-my-backyard feeling. Bunch of so-called church ladies were just tight-jawed about it\u2014\"\n\n\"Dealey, honey doll, don't exaggerate,\" Mrs. Todd called from the kitchen.\n\n\"I thought when I retired from the paper I left editors behind,\" Dealey said.\n\nSilence from the kitchen.\n\n\"I'm not exaggerating,\" he said to Evan and Carrie. \"People didn't like in particular that young ladies in trouble could go to Hope Home and drop their precious loads. You get the sinners along with the end product.\" He stopped suddenly, the smile now uneasy, remembering that he was speaking of Evan's parents and grandmothers.\n\n\"Did anyone dislike the place enough to burn it?\" Evan asked.\n\n\"Everyone thought it was an accident at first, the wiring. But six months after the fire, a teenager named Eddie Childers shot his mama and himself. The police found souvenirs from both burn sites\u2014baby socks, a girl's uniform from the orphanage, family photos from the workers at the courthouse. All stashed under his bed. I'll never forget that\u2014I was there when the officers found the stuff. And he left a note taking responsibility. He was a wild kid. Sad, very sad.\"\n\n\"So the records of any children born at the Hope Home were destroyed,\" Evan said. \"Because both the orphanage and the county courthouse were gone, and the owners went bankrupt.\"\n\n\"Yes, basically,\" Dealey said. \"I remember I wrote a few stories about the company that owned the orphanage after it burned... because, you know, it brought about twenty or so jobs to the town. People hoped they'd rebuild. Twenty jobs is twenty jobs.\"\n\n\"Well, we'll look up those stories at the library,\" Carrie said.\n\nEvan thought, _This is a dead end, this is nothing. It couldn't be._ And then he thought, _That is the point: Goinsville is a dead end._ Someone wanted it to be the end of the road for anyone who ever came looking for Evan's parents. _It can't be. You can't run a business that takes care of kids and have every bit of its history vanish..._\n\n\"Thanks for your time,\" Carrie said.\n\n\"Twenty jobs,\" Evan said suddenly. \"Hey, do you know anyone who worked at the Hope Home that might still be alive?\"\n\nDealey bit his lip in thought. Mrs. Todd emerged from the kitchen. \"Well, Dealey's cousin's wife worked at the orphanage as a volunteer. Read the kiddies stories every Wednesday, you know. Get 'em interested in books, because you know that's the key to success. I remember because Phyllis won a volunteer-of-the-year award, and my mother-in-law nagged at me for weeks to volunteer myself. She might be able to help you, or give you the names of the employees.\"\n\n\"Does she by any chance still live around here?\" Evan asked. \"I could show her pictures of my mom and dad, see if she would remember them.\"\n\n\"Sure,\" Dealey said. \"Phyllis Garner. She lives five streets over.\"\n\n\"Phyllis is as sharp as a tack,\" said Mrs. Todd. \"Honey doll, shame it don't run in your family.\"\n\nA quick phone call determined that Mrs. Garner was home, watching the same soap opera as Mrs. Todd. They drove over the five streets with Dealey Todd to an immaculately maintained brick home, shaded by giant oaks. Mrs. Garner wore a lavender sweater set, was perfectly coiffed, and was eighty-five if a day.\n\nPhyllis Garner gestured them to sit on a floral couch.\n\n\"I know it's been many years, ma'am.\" Evan showed her current photos of his parents. \"Their names were Arthur and Julie Smithson.\"\n\nPhyllis Garner studied the photos. \"Smithson. I think I do recall that name. James!\" she called to her grandson, who was puttering around in her garage. \"Come help me a minute.\" They vanished down into a basement, leaving Dealey, Evan, and Carrie to talk about the weather and college football, two of Dealey's keen interests.\n\nPhyllis returned fifteen minutes later, dusty but smiling. The grandson carried a box. He set it on the coffee table and left to finish his puttering.\n\nPhyllis sat down between Evan and Carrie, opened the box, and pulled out a yellowing scrapbook. \"Photos of the kids. Mementos. They'd draw me a picture and sign it _for Miss Phyllis_. One girl always signed it _for Mommy_ , told me she needed to practice on me, for the day when she got herself a real mother. It broke my heart. I wanted to bring her home but my husband wouldn't hear of it, and it was the only argument I never won. My heart bled for those children. No one wanted them. That's the worst thing in this world, to be unwanted. I hope you recognize your parents in here.\" She flipped through pages. Phyllis Garner, radiant and beautiful and probably every orphan's dream. Evan wondered if she had been conscious of how the bereft children must have ached for her to slip her hand into theirs and say, _You're coming home with me._ It might have been less painful if such an angel had kept her distance.\n\nShe pointed at a photo of a group of six or seven children. Evan's eyes went to the children first, looking for his father and mother in every face. No. Not them. Then he noticed the man standing behind the children.\n\nThe man was short, balding, but not completely bald. He wore glasses and a thin, academician's beard. But the shape of the face, the sureness of the stance, were the same. Evan had seen the face several times, in the news clippings left anonymously for him at his lecture four months ago. The man's smile was tight, as though bottling in the scintillating personality that had made him such a force in London.\n\nAlexander Bast.\n\n\"That man. Who's he?\" Evan asked. He kept his voice steady.\n\nPhyllis Garner flipped the picture over; she had a list of names written in tidy cursive on the back. \"Edward Simms. He owned the company that ran Hope Home. He only came here once, that I recall. I asked him to pose with a group of the children. In honor of his visit. He smiled, but you would have thought I scalded him. He acted like the children were dirty. The other ladies found him charming, but I don't have to count scales to know a snake.\"\n\nCarrie's hand closed around Evan's arm. Hard. She pointed wordlessly at a tall, thin boy standing near Bast. Shock on her face.\n\n\"What's the matter, dear?\" Phyllis asked.\n\n#\n\nAFTER A LONG MOMENT CARRIE SAID, \"Nothing. I thought... but it was nothing.\"\n\n\"Are you all right?\" Evan asked.\n\nShe nodded. \"I'm fine.\"\n\n\"This was the last batch of kids that came in before the fire, I believe.\" Phyllis Garner laid the open scrapbook on her lap, ran her fingers along the page. \"I remember they were shy at first. And of course, they were older kids, not babies. Sad that they hadn't been adopted yet. People wanted babies.\"\n\nCarrie pointed at one tall, lanky kid. \"He was in the picture with Mr. Simms.\" She kept her grip on Evan's arm.\n\nPhyllis pried the picture out of the plastic page cover. \"I wrote their names on the back... Richard Allan.\" She frowned at Carrie. \"Honey, are you okay? You still look upset.\"\n\n\"Yes, I'm fine, thank you. You're right, it's sad, these older kids not finding homes.\" Carrie's voice was normal again.\n\n\"It was just so unfair,\" Phyllis said. \"The focus on finding babies. This was an appealing group of kids. Nice-looking, bright, clearly well cared for, well spoken. At the orphanage, you'd see kids, and all the hope had died in them. Hope that they would not just find families, but have a life beyond low-end jobs. Orphans face such an uphill fight. These kids, they don't look very broken at all.\"\n\nEvan flipped a page. A picture of two teenage girls, a teenage boy standing between them, brownish hair thick, a wide smile on his face, a scattering of freckles across high cheekbones, a tiny gap between his front teeth.\n\nJargo. His eyes were the same, cold and knowing.\n\n\"Oh,\" Carrie said. It was almost a moan.\n\nSweat broke out on Evan's back.\n\n\"Did you find your dad?\" Phyllis asked brightly.\n\nEvan looked down the rest of the page. Two photos down were two kids, a girl, blond with green eyes, memorably pretty but with a serious cast to her face. A boy standing with her, holding a football, sweaty from play, light hair askew, grinning, ready to conquer the world.\n\nMitchell and Donna Casher, young teenagers. Frozen in time, like Jargo.\n\n\"May I?\" Evan asked.\n\n\"Of course,\" Phyllis said.\n\nHe loosened the picture from the plastic cover, flipped it over. _Arthur Smithson and Julie Phelps_ , written in Phyllis's neat script.\n\n\"Smithson,\" Phyllis said. \"Oh, that's it! Are they your folks?\"\n\n\"Yes, ma'am.\" His voice was hoarse. He forced himself to smile at her.\n\n\"Honey, then you take that picture, it's yours. Oh, I'm so glad I could help.\"\n\nCarrie tightened her grip on his hand. \"Phyllis, did any of this last group of kids die in the fire?\"\n\n\"No. It was younger kids. The older kids all got out.\"\n\n\"Do you remember where any of these kids went after the fire? Specific other orphanages?\" Evan asked.\n\n\"No, I'm sorry. I don't even know that I was told.\" Phyllis leaned back in her chair. \"We were told it was best for us not to stay in touch with the kids.\"\n\n\"May we borrow these photos? We can make copies, scan them into a computer, give them back to you before we leave town,\" Evan said. \"It would be huge for us.\"\n\n\"I never did enough for those kids,\" Phyllis said. \"I'm glad someone finally cares. Take the pictures, with my blessings.\"\n\nAfter waving good-bye to Phyllis and Dealey, they drove toward the airport, where a computer and a scanner waited on the jet.\n\n\"My _father_ ,\" Carrie said, her voice shaking. \"That boy in the picture next to Alexander Bast, it's my dad, Evan, it's my dad!\"\n\n\"Are you sure?\"\n\n\"Yes. Our parents knew each other. Knew Jargo. When they were kids.\" She jabbed at one of the photos. \"Richard Allan. My dad's name was Craig Leblanc. But this is him, I know it's him. Don't go to the jet. Let's go get coffee for a minute, please.\"\n\nThey sat in a corner of a Goinsville diner, the only customers except for an elderly couple in a booth who exchanged laughs and moony smiles as if they were on a third date.\n\n\"So what does this mean?\" Carrie studied the picture of her father as if he might have the answers. Tears sprang to her eyes. \"Evan, look at him. He looks so young. So innocent.\" She wiped the tears away. \"How can this be?\"\n\nThis evil\u2014Jargo\u2014that had touched their lives went far deeper than Evan had ever imagined. It intertwined his life with Carrie's even before they were born. It frightened him, made the threat against them seem like a shadow always looming over them, both of them unaware that they lived in darkness.\n\nEvan took a steadying breath. Find order in the chaos, he decided. \"Let's walk through it.\" He ticked the facts on his fingers. \"Our parents and Jargo were all at an orphanage together. The home burned down with all its records. The kids get dispersed. Then the county courthouse burns a month later, and it's all blamed on a firebug who commits suicide. Alexander Bast, a CIA operative, runs the orphanage under a false name.\"\n\n\"But why?\"\n\n\"The answer's in front of us, if we were looking for these kids' pasts. The records. The birth certificates. You could create a false identity very easily, using Goinsville and the orphanage as your place of birth. You can say, yes, I was born at the Hope Home. My original birth certificate? Unfortunately destroyed by fire.\"\n\nCarrie frowned. \"But the state of Ohio would have issued them new ones, right? Replaced the records.\"\n\n\"Yes. But based on information provided by Bast,\" Evan said. \"He could have falsified records so that he could claim every orphan living at Hope Home was born at Hope Home. Maybe those kids had different identities before they came to this orphanage. But they come here and they're Richard Allan and Arthur Smithson and Julie Phelps. After the fire, they have new birth certificates in those names, forever, without question. And then you just ask for replacement birth certificates in the names of any of the dozens of kids at Goinsville.\"\n\nCarrie nodded. \"A whole pool of new identities.\"\n\nEvan took a long sip of coffee. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the photo; his mother had been so beautiful; his father, so innocent looking. \"Go back further. Back to Bast, because he's the trigger. Tell me why a London nightclub owner, friend to celebrities, dabbles in an American orphanage.\"\n\n\"The answer is he's not just a London party boy,\" Carrie said.\n\n\"We know he was CIA.\"\n\n\"But low-level.\"\n\n\"Or so Bedford says.\"\n\n\"Bedford's not a liar, Evan, I promise you.\"\n\n\"Never mind Bedford. This might have been a way for the Agency to create new identities more easily.\"\n\n\"But they're just kids. Why would kids need new identities?\"\n\n\"Because... they were part of the CIA. Long ago. I'm just theorizing.\"\n\nHer face went pale. \"Wouldn't Bedford know about this if the Deeps were part of the CIA's history?\"\n\n\"Bedford got the job to track down Jargo only about a year ago. We don't know what he was told.\" He grabbed her hands. \"Our folks left their lives. Quit being Richard Allan and Julie Phelps and Arthur Smithson and took on new names. Bedford might have been told it's a problem he's inherited, rather than a terrible secret.\"\n\nEvan went back to the stack of photos. \"Look here. Jargo with my folks.\" He pointed at a picture of a tall, muscular boy standing between Mitchell and Donna Casher, his big arms around the Cashers' necks, smiling a lopsided grin that was more confident than friendly. Mitchell Casher bent a bit toward Jargo's face, as though asking him a question. Donna Casher looked stiff, uncomfortable, but her hand was holding Mitchell's.\n\nCarrie traced Jargo's face, looked at Mitchell's. \"There's a resemblance with your dad.\"\n\n\"I don't see it.\"\n\n\"Their mouths,\" she said. \"He and Jargo have the same mouth. Look at their eyes.\"\n\nNow he saw the similarity in the curve of the smile. \"They're both just grinning big.\" He didn't want to look at the men's eyes\u2014the nearly identical squint. It couldn't be, he thought. It couldn't be.\n\nShe inspected the back of the photo. \"It just says Artie, John, Julie.\"\n\nHe flipped over to the other picture of Jargo that Phyllis had shown him. \"John Cobham.\"\n\n\"Cobham. Not Smithson.\" She clasped both his hands in hers.\n\n\"The photos are faded,\" he said in a thin voice. \"It blurs features. Makes everyone look the same.\"\n\nShe leaned back. \"Forget it. I'm sorry. Back to what you said. Whether Bedford knows. He must not\u2014he wouldn't have bothered to send us here.\"\n\n\"So what are you going to tell him?\"\n\n\"The truth, Evan. Why not?\"\n\n\"Because maybe, maybe this is a CIA embarrassment Bedford doesn't know about. Bast brought these kids here, set up names for them, made it hard for anyone to ever trace their records, and he worked for the CIA.\" Evan leaned forward. \"Maybe the CIA took these young kids and raised them to become spies and assassins.\"\n\n\"That's a crazy theory. The CIA would never do this.\"\n\n\"Don't take the CIA's side automatically.\" Evan lowered his voice, as though Bedford sat in the next booth. \"I'm not attacking Bedford. But don't tell me what the Agency\u2014or maybe a small group of misguided people in the Agency\u2014might or might not do, or have done decades ago, because we don't know. Bast was CIA. He brought our parents here. For a reason.\"\n\nCarrie held up a hand. \"Assume you're right. But, at some point, this group took on new names and new lives, and they all went to work for Jargo. Why? That's the question.\"\n\n\"Bast died. Jargo took over.\"\n\n\"Jargo killed Bast. It has to be.\"\n\n\"Maybe. At the least, Jargo had a hold on our parents and maybe these other kids. An unbreakable hold. I want to go to London.\"\n\n\"To find out about Alexander Bast.\"\n\n\"Yes. And to find Hadley Khan. He knew about the connection between Bast and my parents. It can't be coincidence.\"\n\n\"It can't be coincidence, either, that your mom picked now to steal the files, to run. She knew you'd been approached about Bast.\"\n\n\"I never told her. Never. You know I don't talk about my films when I'm concepting. You were the first person I told.\"\n\n\"Evan. She knew. You e-mailed Hadley Khan, trying to find out why he left you that package about Bast. She could have looked on your computer. Maybe she saw Bast's name in an e-mail to Hadley. Or when she met me... maybe I reminded her of my dad. Maybe she was afraid you'd be recruited. And she just wanted a permanent escape hatch for your family.\"\n\n\"She spied on me.\" He knew it was true. \"My own mother spied on me.\"\n\nShe reached past their cold coffee cups to take his hand. \"I'm so sorry, Evan.\"\n\nThe photo of Bast, scattered among the pictures of their parents and Jargo a lifetime ago, smiled up at them.\n\nThey called Bedford from the plane and explained what they had found. \"We want to go to London,\" Evan said. \"My mother's last travel photo assignment was there. Hadley Khan is there. And Bast died there. Can you get the CIA office in London to get us the complete files on Bast's murder?\"\n\n\"There is no record in Bast's file about this orphanage,\" Bedford said. \"Are you sure it's him in the photo?\"\n\n\"Yes. Could his record have been expunged if someone at the CIA wanted to hide his involvement?\"\n\n\"Anything is possible.\" Bedford's voice sounded tight, as though the rules of engagement had just been rewritten. Evan could see the heightened tension on Carrie's face: _What are we dealing with here?_\n\n\"London,\" Evan said. \"Can we go?\"\n\n\"Yes,\" Bedford said. \"If Carrie feels well enough to travel.\"\n\n\"I'm fine. Tired. I can sleep during the flight,\" Carrie said.\n\n\"I'll arrange a pickup for you in the London office. I'll talk to our travel coordinator, but I believe you'll have to have a fresh pilot. Change in Washington. And, Carrie, I'll have a doctor check you before you leave for Britain, and another doctor for when you get to London.\"\n\n\"Thank you, Bricklayer.\"\n\nBedford hung up. Carrie went to the restroom. Evan closed his eyes to think.\n\nHe heard Carrie return to her seat. He kept his eyes shut. The jet roared above Ohio, turning toward Virginia. Leaving a patch of ground that was the first step in the long lie of his family's existence.\n\nHe pretended to be back in the study in his Houston house, digital tape downloaded onto his computer and him threading his way through twenty hours of images, paring away all the extraneous gunk and talk from the heart of the story he wanted to tell the audience sitting in the quiet dark. He had read once that Michelangelo just took away the chunks of marble that didn't belong and found the David hiding within the mass of stone. His David was the truth about his parents, the information that would free his father.\n\nSo what was the true story, where was the subtle art under the block of marble?\n\nHe opened his eyes. Carrie sat, staring ahead of her, hunched as though caught in a chill wind.\n\nSuddenly his heart filled with... what? He didn't know. Pity, maybe sadness, in that neither of them had asked to be born into this disaster. But she had chosen to stay in it. First for her parents, then for Bedford. And now for him.\n\nThe weight of what he owed her, as opposed to the confusion and pain from her earlier lies, settled onto his heart. \"What are you thinking of?\" he asked.\n\n\"Your father,\" she said. \"You look like him. In your smile. In those photos, your father had a very innocent smile. I was wondering if he is scared. For himself, for you.\"\n\n\"Jargo's told him a thousand lies, I'm sure.\"\n\n\"He only has to tell one really good one.\"\n\n\"One wasn't good enough to fool you,\" Evan said.\n\n\"I wonder if our parents were ever afraid we would find out the truth and turn away from them.\"\n\n\"I'm sure they must have been. Even when they knew we loved them.\"\n\n\"But my father recruited me, he pulled me into this world, the same way Jargo did to Dezz. I still don't understand why he did it.\" But she sounded tired, not angry.\n\n\"We don't know he had a choice, Carrie. Or maybe he hoped if you were involved in the business, you wouldn't reject him.\"\n\n\"I would have loved him, no matter what. I thought he knew that.\"\n\n\"I'm sure he did.\"\n\nShe shook her head. \"I just feel now, he had this whole life I never knew. A whole set of thoughts and worries and fears that he had to keep secret. It's as if I didn't know him at all. Probably that's how you feel about your dad.\" _Or me_ , he waited for her to say, but she didn't.\n\nHe cleared his throat. \"I only know I love the dad that I know, and I have to believe that's the truest part of my father, no matter what else he has done.\"\n\n\"I know. I feel the same. You would have liked my father, Evan.\"\n\n\"You must miss him.\"\n\n\"Seeing him in those pictures, so young... it's still getting to me.\" She wiped at her eyes. He moved into the seat next to hers. Put his arm around her. Brushed the tears from her cheek.\n\n\"They didn't trust us with the truth,\" she said after a moment.\n\n\"They were trying to protect us.\"\n\n\"That was all I wanted to do with you. Protect you. I'm sorry I failed.\"\n\n\"Carrie. You didn't fail me. Not once. I know you were in a terrible, terrible position. I know.\"\n\n\"But you hate me a little. For lying.\"\n\n\"I don't.\"\n\n\"If you hate me,\" she said, \"I'd understand.\"\n\n\"I don't hate you.\" He needed her. It was a subtle shock. The knit of tragedy forever linked them, the same way his parents and her father were linked. He did not want to be alone.\n\nHe kissed her. It was as tentative and shy as a first kiss, a first real kiss, often is. He leaned back to study her, and she closed her eyes and found his mouth with her own, gently, once, twice, then he kissed her with passion. A need for tenderness mixed with a need to show her that he loved her.\n\nShe broke the kiss, rested her forehead against his. \"Our families lived false lives. I did it for a year. I don't want to live a lie anymore. You cannot imagine how lonely it is. I don't want you to do it. We can just be us. I love you, Evan.\"\n\nHe wanted to believe. He needed to love; he needed to believe the best in her. He needed to regain what he had lost, in some small measure. The awareness was sudden and bright, a firecracker in his head. He wanted to be alone with her\u2014away from CIA bugs, away from their parents caught as strangers in old photos, away from death and fear.\n\n\"I love you, too,\" he said quietly.\n\nShe settled into his arms and he held her until she slept.\n\n_We can just be us._\n\n_Yes_ , he thought. _When Jargo is dead. When I've killed him._\n\nAs the jet screamed toward Virginia, Evan didn't wonder if she was the same woman he loved. He wondered if he was still the same man she loved.\n\n#\n\nJARGO LAY HALF AWAKE, half asleep, waiting for the phone call that would end this nightmare. He was a boy again, sitting in a darkened room, listening to the voice of God ringing in his ears. God was dead, he knew, but the idea of God was not, of a being so powerful he held absolute sway over you, whether you breathed, whether you died. The boy he was had not slept in three days.\n\n\"The challenge,\" the voice said, soft, British, quiet, \"is that you must make a failure into an opportunity.\"\n\nJargo-the-boy\u2014his name had been John then, the name he liked best\u2014said, \"I don't understand.\"\n\n\"If you create a situation, and you lose control of it, you must be able to reimagine that situation. Turn it to your advantage.\"\n\n\"So if I fall off a ten-story building... I can hardly reimagine that into victory.\" He was thirteen and he was starting to question the whole world he had always known.\n\n\"I speak of salvageable situations,\" the voice said with no trace of impatience. \"You live and breathe, you can manipulate people. You must construct every trap so that if the prey escape, they do not believe they were in a trap of your making.\"\n\n\"Why do I care,\" Jargo asked, \"what an escaped victim thinks?\"\n\n\"Stupid, stupid boy,\" the voice said. \"You don't see it. The trap still has to be set. You have to remain unknown, no suspicion of you brought to light. I don't really think that you'll ever be ready to lead.\"\n\nThe phone rang.\n\nJargo sat up, blinking, the frightened boy sitting in the dark lingering for just a moment, then gone. He groped for the phone, clicked it on.\n\n\"I have the cellular records from your special chunk of Ohio.\"\n\n\"Okay,\" he said.\n\n\"They're uploaded to your system,\" Galadriel said.\n\n\"I'll tell you what I'm looking for. Calls to the D.C. metro area.\"\n\n\"Seven,\" she said after a moment.\n\n\"Get me addresses for all those numbers.\"\n\nA pause. \"Two residences. Five government offices, mostly congressional offices and Social Security.\"\n\n\"None to confirmed CIA addresses?\"\n\n\"None,\" she said after another moment. \"But we don't have a complete list of CIA numbers. You know that's impossible.\"\n\n\"Get me calls from or to all of Virginia and Maryland.\"\n\nAnother pause. \"Yes. Sixty-seven in the course of the day.\"\n\n\"Any to Houston?\"\n\n\"Fifteen.\"\n\n\"Get me all those addresses, for every call.\" His other line rang. \"Hold on a minute.\" He answered the other phone. \"Yes?\"\n\n\"I think they're flying to Britain,\" the voice said.\n\nJargo closed his eyes. Down the hall he could hear the barest _zoom-zoom_ of Dezz's Game Boy, the quiet of Mitchell's voice. They'd had a long day and accomplished little in trying to devise a way to draw Evan back to them. But now everything had just changed.\n\n\"From where?\"\n\n\"I suspect from an Agency medical clinic in southwest Virginia. It's called North Hill Clinic. There's a private airstrip close by and the requisition is for that airstrip.\"\n\n\"They flew there from New Orleans?\"\n\n\"I don't know. I've only seen the requisition for a plane to go from D.C. airspace to the UK. Not even sure it's them. A doctor requisitioned to meet the plane before departure, another doctor requisitioned for meeting the flight in London. If your former agent is injured... it could be her. Of course it could be an ancient Agency fart traveling with a medical condition.\"\n\n\"You said _meet_ the plane. Where else has it been?\"\n\n\"Don't know.\"\n\n\"You can't find another requisition for today's travel?\"\n\n\"No. But it must be domestic. A tight lid is kept on domestic data, and I'm not cleared for it.\"\n\n\"What's the ID on the case for the flight to the UK?\"\n\n\"Also classified, but joint ops with British intelligence. That's all I know.\" The voice started getting nervous. \"You better get this under control, Jargo...\"\n\n\"It's under control. Hold on.\" He got back on the phone with Galadriel. \"I want to know if there were any cellular calls placed today from jet phones in our Ohio territory to southwestern Virginia. Cross-reference it with any known CIA or federal numbers in that area.\"\n\n\"I'm not sure I can trace aviation calls,\" Galadriel said. \"I don't know if the calls are handled differently.\"\n\n\"Just do it. Search for satellite calls as well.\"\n\nHe heard the hammer of keystrokes. He waited long minutes, listening to fingers dance on a keyboard as she wormed her way into databases. Galadriel hummed tunelessly as she worked. \"Yes. Just one, if I'm reading the data correctly. Went through a transmitter near Goinsville, Ohio. To a number keyed to North Hill Clinic, due east of Roanoke, at two forty-seven this afternoon.\"\n\nThey had been to Goinsville.\n\nJargo closed his eyes, considered his narrowing options. _You must construct every trap so that if the prey escape, they do not believe they were in a trap of your making._ The hardest lesson he had ever learned, but the philosophy had kept the Deeps in the shadows, kept them alive, made them rich. He'd racked his brains all night and day today, trying to construct a way to lure Evan out into the open, lure him back into their world to simplify killing him while making Mitchell believe they were rescuing Evan.\n\nBut perhaps this wasn't a disaster. Rather, his best chance yet to rid himself of every headache, every threat.\n\nGoinsville. They might have found nothing; what was there to find? Nothing. His life there was a past no one remembered. But they'd found something. London was the next stop in the thread. He could not ignore the possibility that Evan knew far more than his father thought he did.\n\nCertain times called for a slow cut; other times required a final slash across the throat.\n\nIt was time to be brutal.\n\nHe got back on the other phone. \"I still need your help.\"\n\n\"What do you want?\" the voice asked.\n\n\"Want. What a concept, want.\" Jargo knew the pain it would cause Mitchell. He wasn't blind to suffering; pain was irrelevant. Jargo would suffer his own setback as well. But he had no choice. \"I want a bomb.\"\n\n# THURSDAY\n\n## MARCH 17\n\n#\n\nTHE LONDON-BASED CIA FIELD OFFICER\u2014his name was Pettigrew, he didn't offer a first name\u2014picked them up at a private airstrip in Hampshire. He carried himself with an impatient air. Pettigrew was closemouthed as he hurried them to a car, driving them himself to a safe house in the London neighborhood of St. John's Wood. He took his time, circling in roundabout routes, and Evan, who only knew London well enough to find Soho and the London Film School, got lost along the drive.\n\nPettigrew didn't speak a word to them on the way.\n\nIt was early afternoon in London, and they had, to Evan's surprise, left the rain in Ohio. The sky was clear, the few clouds thin cotton. Pettigrew shut a wrought-iron gate behind them as they went up the house's front stairs.\n\nPettigrew escorted them to tidy, unadorned rooms, with private baths, and they both showered. A doctor waited to change Carrie's bandage and inspect her healing wound. When they were done, they followed Pettigrew into a small dining room where an elderly woman brewed strong tea and coffee and served a lunch of cold meats, salad, cheese, pickles, and bread. Evan drank down coffee with gratitude.\n\nPettigrew sat down, waited until the elderly lady had bustled back into the kitchen. \"This is all damned odd. Being ordered to dig up Scotland Yard files with cobwebs on them. Taking orders from a man with a code name.\"\n\n\"My apologies,\" Carrie said.\n\n\"I have top clearance,\" he said. Almost peevishly. \"But I live to serve. We didn't have much notice\"\u2014his tone held the acid of the long-suffering\u2014\"but here's what we found.\"\n\nHe handed them the first file, squiring the remaining two close to his chest. \"Alexander Bast was murdered, two shots, one to the head, one to the throat. What makes it interesting is that the bullets came from two different guns.\"\n\n\"Why would the killer need two weapons?\" Carrie said.\n\n\"No. Two killers,\" Evan said.\n\nPettigrew nodded. \"Vengeance killing. To me it speaks of an emotional component to the killing. Each killer wanting to put his imprint on the act.\" He slid them a picture of the sprawled body. \"He was killed in his home twenty-four years ago, middle of the night, no signs of a struggle. Entire house wiped down for prints.\" Pettigrew paused. \"He worked for us for twenty-three years before he died.\"\n\n\"Can you give me more details about his work here?\" Carrie asked. She and Evan agreed that she, being a CIA employee, would drive the questioning. An ID Bedford had provided named Evan as a CIA analyst, but he stayed quiet.\n\n\"Well, among Bast's many creative sidelines, he dabbled in art, he dabbled in sleeping with celebrities who frequented his nightclubs. Drug arrests at one of his clubs lost him his cachet, and he burned thousands of pounds trying to keep them afloat. We looked hard at him then\u2014we don't want agents involved with illegal narcotics\u2014but the drug dealing was simply a few of his regular customers abusing his hospitality. After the clubs closed, he focused all his energies on his publishing firm, which he owned for quite a while but had been his most neglected business. He published literature in translation, especially Spanish, Russian, and Turkish. Imported permitted books back into the Soviet Union, translated underground Russian literature into English, German, and French. So he was a valuable contact, given that he could reach into the dissident community in the Soviet Union and that he could travel somewhat freely back and forth. At first his handlers suspected he might be a KGB agent, but he checked out clean and got cleared on every follow-up. We watched him closely during his financial troubles; that's a time when an operative might be bought. But he always came out clean. He was popular with the dissident Russian community here in London.\"\n\n\"So what exactly did he do for the CIA?\" Carrie asked.\n\n\"Couriered data from his contacts' contacts in and out of Berlin, Moscow, and Leningrad. He was handled by American embassy officers under diplomatic cover. But he was low-level. He didn't have access to Soviet state secrets. And the dissident community was not particularly useful to the Agency at that point in time\u2014they might give us names of people who had critical access and would spy for us, but dissidents were too closely watched by the KGB. Too easy, frankly, for the KGB to infiltrate.\"\n\nEvan studied the picture of Bast, murdered. Bast's eyes were wide in horrified surprise. This man had known Evan's parents. Played an unseen role in their lives. \"No suspects?\"\n\n\"Bast lived a high life, even after his fall. A few husbands were rather unhappy with him. He owed money. He broke business deals. Any number of people might have wanted him out of their lives. Of course, Scotland Yard didn't know about Bast working for the CIA, and we didn't tell them.\"\n\n\"Rather important information to withhold,\" Carrie said.\n\n\"I didn't personally. You needn't sound peevish.\"\n\n\"Of course you didn't,\" Carrie said with a laugh, trying to defuse the sudden tension. \"You're not even forty, right? It just surprises me.\"\n\nPettigrew's voice took on a peppery tone of disapproval. \"It's not good advertising for recruitment to have your assets murdered.\"\n\nCarrie paged through the murder-scene photos. \"The CIA must have suspected Bast was identified as a CIA agent and killed by the Soviets?\"\n\n\"Naturally. But the murder looked like it coincided with a robbery, and that simply wasn't the KGB's style. Remember, Bast was a low-level asset at best. He never was an original source of valuable information. He never fed us disinformation originating from the KGB. He was just a very reliable courier and gatherer of contacts. You know, a lot of KGB archives have come to light since the fall of the USSR. There's no record that the KGB ordered him killed.\"\n\n\"Could we talk to his handler?\" Carrie asked.\n\n\"Bast's case officer died ten years ago. Pancreatic cancer.\"\n\n\"The robbery,\" Carrie said. \"What was taken? Could the killer have discovered anything that pointed to Bast's connection to the CIA?\"\n\nPettigrew pushed another file toward them. \"The Agency had an operative sweep Bast's apartment after the murder and after the police had gone through. He found Bast's CIA gear all properly hidden. Undiscovered by the police, who of course would have confiscated the stuff.\"\n\n\"What about his personal effects or his finances?\" Evan asked. \"Anything unusual?\"\n\nPettigrew flipped through the papers. \"Let's see... a friend, Thomas Khan, supplied information.\" He ran a finger down a list. \"Bast had two separate bank accounts, he had a lot of money tied up in his publishing concern...\"\n\n\"You said Khan? K-H-A-N?\" Evan said. Same last name as Hadley Khan. Here was the connection from Evan to Bast. Carrie shook her head. _Say nothing._\n\n\"Yes. I have a file on Thomas Khan as well.\" Pettigrew fingered the file, pulled out a sheet of paper. \"Mr. Khan said Bast kept a fair amount of cash on hand, and none of that was found in the house. Khan was a rare-book dealer and said Bast often paid him for volumes with cash.\"\n\nCarrie took the paper and read aloud from the report as she scanned it: \"Born in Pakistan to a prominent family. Educated in England. His wife had been an Englishwoman, a high-ranking political strategist and academician who worked on defense initiatives. No trouble with the law. Conservative in political leanings, served as a director on a British foundation that pledged financial support to the Afghani rebels against the Soviet invaders. Worked in international banking for many years, but his real passion is Khan Books, a rare-book emporium, on Kensington Church Street, which he's operated for the past thirty years. He retired from banking ten years ago and put his entire focus on the bookstore. Widowed twelve years ago. Never remarried. One son, Hadley Mohammed Khan.\"\n\n\"I know his son,\" Evan said. \"Hadley. He's a freelance journalist.\"\n\nPettigrew shrugged; he didn't care. His phone rang in his pocket; he excused himself with a quick wave of his hand, shutting the door behind him.\n\nEvan made a quick survey of the files. No hint that Bast was also Mr. Edward Simms. Bedford had dug last night into incorporation databases and found that the Hope Home in Goinsville had been bought by a company called Simms Charities. The company had incorporated two weeks before it bought Hope Home, sold all its assets after the fire. If the CIA had put Bast up to buying orphanages, though, no sign remained in his official file.\n\nEvan went back to the sheet on Thomas Khan. \"Rare books, and among his specialties are Russian editions. Bast did Russian translations. So they both had contacts back into the Soviet Union. And both were involved in rebellion movements\u2014one supporting dissident writers, the other supporting the mujahideen in Afghanistan.\"\n\n\"So they both hated the Soviets. It doesn't prove anything,\" Carrie said.\n\n\"No. It doesn't.\" But Evan sensed a thread here; he just didn't know how yet to grab it, follow it. He opened the file on Hadley. It was not a formal CIA file, unlike the one on Thomas Khan, who had had a London station file opened on him when he'd assisted the police in Bast's murder investigation, or on Alexander Bast, who had been a paid operative. It was the little Pettigrew's people had gleaned after Bedford's hurried request: Hadley's birth date, schooling, travel in and out of Britain, financial records. The school records were not impressive; the success and brilliance of the parents eluded the son. Hadley had spent two months in an Edinburgh detox center; he had lost two good magazine jobs and had not been published in the past six months. But the inquiry had produced new information: according to his latest girlfriend, who had been fooled by a London station assistant who'd called her this morning pretending to be a colleague of Hadley's, Hadley Khan was recently estranged from his father. The girlfriend had not heard from or seen Hadley since last Thursday, but she did not sound concerned; he was a loose-footed guy who often went to the Continent for a couple of weeks at a time. Especially after a falling-out with dear old Dad.\n\nThe photos of Hadley in the file were culled from his British driver's license; Evan remembered him from the cocktail party a lifetime ago at the Film School, his grin a shade too eager, his eyes holding a secret.\n\n\"So Hadley Khan anonymously urges me to do a film on the murder of Alexander Bast, a friend of his father, and never responds to my e-mail asking why,\" Evan said. \"And then he takes off the day before my mother dies. Hadley never mentioned any connection between Bast and his dad in the material he gave me.\"\n\n\"That's very odd. It would have simplified your research.\" Carrie tapped Hadley's file. \"We know there's a connection between our parents and Bast. And a connection between Bast and Khan. That doesn't mean a direct connection between Thomas Khan and our parents.\"\n\nA chill prickled Evan's skin. \"It's no coincidence that Hadley pitched the Bast story. He must have known of my parents' connection to Bast.\"\n\n\"He approached you, but he didn't tell you everything. So he either copped out or he was stopped from getting in touch with you again.\"\n\n\"I think he got scared. It's why he went anonymous. Hadley had his own agenda. The girlfriend says he and Thomas don't get along. I wonder... if this was revenge against his father.\"\n\n\"It's only revenge if his father's done wrong.\" Carrie massaged her injured shoulder.\n\n\"Like involvement with Bast's murder?\"\n\nCarrie shrugged.\n\n\"The British authorities would have an interest, but why would Jargo care?\"\n\nThey fell silent as Pettigrew returned. He assembled a sandwich from the cold meats and cheese. \"My source at New Scotland Yard called. There's been no report filed that Hadley Khan is missing. No indication that he traveled out of Britain, or into any European country in the past two weeks.\" He took a jaw-breaking bite of sandwich. \"We've called Hadley's cell phone three times this morning, and he's not answering.\"\n\n\"We'll pay his dad, Thomas, a visit,\" Evan said.\n\n\"No time like now,\" Pettigrew said around a still-full mouth.\n\n\"We don't alert Thomas Khan by barreling in full force,\" Pettigrew said as he parked a block away from Khan Books and displayed a Borough resident's parking permit\u2014Evan guessed it had been provided to the CIA by the Brits out of professional courtesy. \"I suggest Evan go in alone.\"\n\n\"What do you think?\" Evan asked Carrie.\n\n\"Khan may run,\" Carrie said. \"I think I should be ready to follow him.\" She pointed at an opposite street corner. \"I can stand there. You can tail him if he comes this way, Pettigrew.\"\n\nPettigrew frowned. \"We should have a team set up for surveillance. Bricklayer said nothing about this turning into an active field operation. I would have to alert the Cousins\"\u2014using the term British and American intelligence services had for each other\u2014\"we can't start tailing a guy on British soil without approval.\"\n\n\"Calm down,\" Carrie said. \"I just want to be prepared.\"\n\n\"I'm not entirely comfortable,\" Pettigrew said.\n\n\"If there's a problem, Bricklayer will deal with it. No heat on you,\" Carrie said.\n\nPettigrew nodded. \"All right then. If Khan bolts, you follow on foot, I'll follow in the car.\"\n\n\"Watch yourself.\" Carrie got out of the car, put on sunglasses, walked down to the corner opposite the bookstore, held a cell phone to her ear as though she were chatting with a friend.\n\n\"Be careful,\" Pettigrew said to Evan.\n\n\"I will.\" Evan got out of the car, strolled past a mix of antiques shops, high-end eateries, and boutiques. The bell on the door of Khan Books jingled as he went inside. Late afternoon on a weekday, Khan Books' only customers were a French couple exploring a display of Patricia Highsmith and Eric Ambler first editions in an assortment of languages. Evan found himself noting the exit doors, the surveillance cameras posted in the corners of the rooms.\n\n_I've changed. I feel like I have to be ready for anything at any time._\n\nA small, wiry man, dapper in a tailored suit, with a shock of gray-chalk hair, came forward. His shoes were polished black ice; an impeccable triangle of blue silk handkerchief peeked from one pocket. \"Good afternoon. May I assist you today?\" His voice was quiet but strong.\n\n\"Are you Mr. Thomas Khan?\"\n\n\"Yes, I am.\"\n\nEvan smiled. He didn't want to be subtle. \"I'm in the market for first editions published by Criterius. I'm particularly interested in the translation of _Anna Karenina_ and any dissident literature published in the 1970s.\"\n\n\"I'll be happy to check.\"\n\n\"I understand the owner of Criterius\u2014Alexander Bast\u2014was a good friend of yours.\"\n\nThomas Khan's smile stayed bright. \"Only an acquaintance.\"\n\n\"I'm a friend of a friend of Mr. Bast.\"\n\n\"Mr. Bast died a long time ago, and I barely knew him.\" Thomas Khan smiled in good-natured confusion.\n\nEvan decided to gamble, toss another name into the weird ring that joined all these lives together. \"My friend who recommended your store is Mr. Jargo.\"\n\nThomas Khan shrugged. Quickly. \"One meets so many people. The name does not signify. One moment, please, and I'll consult my files. I believe I have multiple copies of the _Karenina_ edition.\" He vanished into the back.\n\n_This man may have kept a secret for decades; you coming in here and tossing around names won't scare him. But then, if you're the first to toss it at him in many years... maybe you will rattle him._ Evan stayed in place, watching the French couple loiter, the woman leaning slightly on the man as they hunted the shelves.\n\nHe waited. He didn't like that Khan was out of his view. Maybe the man was bolting out the back door. Jargo's name might be like acid on skin. Evan stepped behind the counter and went around the corner\u2014cluttered with a watercooler, stacks of books, and an antique desk with a computer\u2014and went searching for Thomas Khan.\n\nPettigrew watched Carrie pretend-chatting on her phone, keeping her gaze near the bookstore entrance. Evan went in. A minute passed; Pettigrew counted each second. Then he pulled a briefcase from the rear seat of his sedan, got out of the car, and strolled toward the entrance to the bookstore.\n\nHe saw Carrie watching him and he lifted his hand in a quick, furtive palm-up signal: _wait_. She stayed put as he headed for the bookstore.\n\nThe maze of offices in the back of the gallery led nowhere.\n\n\"Mr. Khan?\" Evan called in a hushed tone as he went into the bookstore's back. It was empty. Thomas Khan employed no assistants, no secretaries, no junior booksellers in his rabbit hole of a business. Evan heard a slight sound, two sharp _thweets_ , maybe an alarm peep announcing a door had opened and closed. Evan found a back exit door. He pushed it. It opened onto a narrow brick way and he saw Thomas Khan running for the street, glancing back over his shoulder.\n\n\"Stop!\" Evan ran after him.\n\nPettigrew performed best while taking specific orders. This was the truth of his life: taking orders in school, in family, in bed with his wife. He carried out today's orders with certainty. He stepped inside the bookstore, closed the door behind him, locked the dead bolt above the key lock. He flipped the simple calligraphied sign over to Closed. No one else had left or entered the shop since Evan. He saw Evan stepping into the rear of the shop, quietly calling, \"Mr. Khan?\"\n\nA couple rummaged for editions on a table. The woman murmured in French to the man, pointing out a volume's price in dismay. Pettigrew brought out his service pistol and with a hand only slightly shaking, shot them both in the back of the head. _Thweet, thweet_ , said the silencer. They collapsed, their blood and brains spraying across a pyramid of volumes. Ten seconds had passed.\n\nPettigrew set down the briefcase. Jargo said there would be a two-minute delay once he set the briefcase's combo lock to the correct detonation sequence. Ample time for him to get out, go to the street corner, shoot Carrie in the head, escape in the confusion. He thumbed the last number of the lock into place.\n\nJargo lied.\n\n#\n\nTHE EXPLOSION TORE OPEN THE FRONT of Khan Books, flowering into an orange hell, sending glass and flame shooting into Kensington Church Street. Carrie screamed as the force of heat and blast hit her. A car passing in front of the bookstore tumbled and slammed into a restaurant across the street. People fled, several bleeding, others running in blind panic. Two people lay in bloodied rags on the pavement.\n\nDebris rained down on the street, shattered chunks of brick, raindrops of glass, a sooty mist, and smoke. Carrie careened backward, into the shelter of the corner of the building, in front of a dress shop, the mannequins indistinct behind the webbed glass.\n\nEvan.\n\nCarrie stumbled to her feet, ran toward the inferno, stopped halfway across the street. Heat slammed against her face. Burning pages settled toward the ground in a fiery snow. One landed on her hair; she slapped at her head, burned her hand.\n\n\"Evan!\" she screamed. \"Evan!\" Only a fierce roar answered her as thousands of books, and the structure of the building, abandoned themselves to flame.\n\nGone. He was gone. She heard the rising cry of police and emergency sirens. She ran down the block toward the CIA car. The door was unlocked, the keys still inside. She ducked into the car, started the engine.\n\nShaking, she made a mix of left and right turns, avoiding the instant traffic jams, and stopped near Holland Park. She willed her fingers to be still and dialed Bedford. When he answered the phone, at first she could not speak beyond identifying herself.\n\n\"Carrie?\" he said.\n\n\"At Khan's store. There was an explosion.\" He was gone. Evan could not be gone.\n\n\"Calm down, Carrie.\" Bedford's voice was like steel. \"Calm down. Tell me precisely what happened.\"\n\nShe hated the hysteria in her voice but her self-control broke like a rotting dam. Her parents dead, her year of nonstop deceit, worrying that Jargo would discover her at any moment, finding Evan and nearly losing him again... she bent over in the car.\n\n\"Carrie! Report. Now.\"\n\n\"Evan... went inside Khan's bookstore. Pettigrew followed him inside a minute later, but he signaled all was well. Then about thirty seconds later, a blast. The entire store is gone. Bombed.\" She steadied her voice. \"I need a team here. We need to find Evan. Maybe he's still inside, hurt, but it's all on fire...\" She stopped. _He's gone. He's gone._\n\n\"Did you see Evan or Pettigrew leave?\"\n\n\"No.\"\n\n\"Any other exit or entrance?\"\n\n\"I don't know... not on the street I could see.\"\n\n\"Okay,\" Bedford said. \"Assume you're under surveillance. Obviously the Deeps have targeted Khan.\"\n\n\"Get me a team. MI5 or CIA. Now. I need them here now.\"\n\n\"Carrie. I can't. We can't show our involvement. Not with a bombing in London.\"\n\n\"Evan\u2014\"\n\n\"I can be in London in a few hours. I need you to lay low. That's a direct order.\"\n\n\"Evan's dead, Pettigrew's dead, and that's just too bad, isn't it? You let him get involved, you wanted him involved because it made this hunt easier for you!\"\n\n\"Carrie. Get ahold of yourself. Right now I want you safe, I want you protected. Pull back. Find a place to hide, a library, a coffee shop, a hotel. You are not authorized to talk to anyone, not even Pettigrew's superior, until I arrive and debrief you. That's a direct order. I'll call you back when I'm on the ground in the UK.\"\n\n\"Understood.\" The word tasted like blood in her mouth.\n\n\"I'm sorry. I know you cared for Evan.\"\n\nShe couldn't answer him. She wasn't supposed to lose anyone else she loved. He could not be gone.\n\n\"Good-bye,\" she said.\n\nShe hung up. She steadied the tremble that threatened to take over her hands.\n\nShe wasn't hiding in a hotel. Not yet.\n\nShe got out of the BMW. Cars and pedestrians fleeing the blast area choked the streets. She stopped at an office supplies store near Queen Elizabeth College and asked to borrow their phone book. She found the listing for Thomas Khan.\n\n\"Where is this, please?\" she asked the clerk, pointing at the address.\n\n\"Shepherd's Bush. Not at all far, west of Holland Park.\" The clerk gave her a look of friendly concern; the news of the Kensington Church Street blast was all over the television and radio, immediately suspected as a terrorist attack, and Carrie was begrimed and shaken. \"Do you need help, miss?\"\n\n\"No, thank you.\" She wrote down Khan's address. She could break into his house, find if he had any connection to Jargo or to the CIA. It was action. Evan was gone. She could not sit still.\n\n\"Are you sure you're all right?\" the clerk called as Carrie ran out the door.\n\n_No_ , Carrie thought, _I'll never be all right again._\n\nBut wait. She stopped herself, stumbling along the sidewalk, the sirens a constant buzz in the air. As soon as the police identified Khan Books as the bombing site, the police and MI5 would be poring over Thomas Khan's house. If the slightest connection pointed back to the CIA\u2014if she was found there and questioned by British authorities\u2014it would be a public relations disaster for the Agency. She couldn't go to Khan's. Not enough time to search before the police arrived.\n\nNot enough time. Not with Evan. She thought of him in that first moment of talking with him, him buying her coffee: _But you bought a ticket_ , teasing her about paying to see his movie. He had told her that he loved her first, but she'd known she loved him weeks before he said the words.\n\nCarrie leaned against the car. A pall of smoke rose from the direction of Kensington Church Street. She had nowhere to go in London, no one to trust.\n\nEvan. She shouldn't have left him alone. She should have stayed at arm's length. Her face ached with unshed tears. _I'm sorry, sorry for what I've done, sorry for what has been lost, Evan, what have I done?_\n\nCarrie made her decision. Run and hide. Wait for Bedford's call. She wiped Pettigrew's car of prints, out of habit, and walked away from it.\n\nShe did not see the men following her from across the street, staggered apart by thirty yards, all three closing in on her.\n\n#\n\nEVAN CAUGHT THOMAS KHAN'S JACKET SLEEVE just as the explosion ripped apart the bookstore. Air rushed forward, blown down the throat of the brick way by heat and force. The blast hammered Evan into Khan, shoved them both off their feet, and they sprawled onto the ground. Dust misted and heated the air.\n\nEvan scrambled to his feet, pulling Khan with him.\n\n\"Let me go!\" Khan tried to jerk free. Evan tightened his grip and dragged Khan to the street behind the bookstore. Coughing, they stumbled into a mad dash of shoppers, clerks, tourists, and neighborhood residents. A pillar of fire and smoke rose behind them. Khan twisted away from Evan's grip, but Evan manhandled him by both arm and neck and hurried him down the street. He pictured where he had left Pettigrew and Carrie. Down a block, then up another two blocks, and they would come up behind Pettigrew's BMW.\n\n\"This way,\" Evan said.\n\n\"Let me go or I'll scream for help,\" Khan said.\n\n\"Go ahead. Be an idiot. I'm with people who can protect you.\"\n\n\"You bombed my store!\"\n\nRage seized Evan. He gripped Khan by the throat. \"You were involved in my mother's death.\"\n\n\"Your... mother?\"\n\n\"Donna Casher.\"\n\n\"I don't know any Donna Casher.\"\n\n\"You're connected to Jargo, you're involved.\"\n\n\"I don't know any Jargo.\"\n\n\"Wrong. You just ran when you heard his name.\"\n\nKhan tried to pull free.\n\n\"Just walk home, Mr. Khan.\" Evan released Khan's throat. \"Go on. I'm sure the police will have lots of questions as to why your business was bombed. Get your answers ready. I'll be happy to talk with them, too.\"\n\nKhan stood still.\n\n\"You've got both Jargo and the CIA after you, Mr. Khan. But I'm here right now, and if you don't help me, I guarantee I will kill you. But if you help me, you're safe from everyone who could hurt you. Decide.\"\n\n\"All right.\" He held up his palms in surrender. \"I'll help you.\"\n\nEvan seized the older man's shoulder, hurried him along the street. They rounded a corner, raced up toward Kensington Church Street where Pettigrew was parked, fighting against a fleeing crowd.\n\n\"Who sent you?\" Khan asked.\n\n\"Me, myself, and I,\" Evan said.\n\nThey reached a block and Evan saw the CIA BMW tear out, backward, Carrie at the wheel.\n\n\"Carrie!\" Evan yelled. \"Here!\"\n\nBut in the chaos of noise, the rush of people and cars, she didn't see him. She spun the car and roared, awkwardly, down the street and out of sight, narrowly avoiding running pedestrians.\n\nEvan groped for his cell phone. Gone. He'd left it in the car with Pettigrew. He shoved Khan against the brick wall of a building. \"Jargo killed my mother. Your son wanted me to do a documentary about Alexander Bast and it got back to Jargo, and he panicked and started killing people. Now, you'll tell me everything about my parents and Jargo, or I'll drag you back to the flames that was your bookstore and throw you inside.\"\n\nKhan's eyes were wide with terror and Evan thought, _I really could kill him._\n\n\"Listen,\" Khan said. \"We have to get off the streets. I have a place where we can hide.\" He closed his eyes.\n\nEvan considered. Pettigrew wasn't at the wheel, didn't appear to be in the car. Carrie looked hysterical. Where was the CIA officer? Dead in the street, killed by the blast? Evan looked down the wrecked street but couldn't see in the haze of smoke.\n\nThe day had gone horribly wrong. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to haul Khan back to the CIA safe house. Evan knew Khan's offer could be a trap. He had no gun, no weapon. And no choice. He couldn't let Thomas Khan simply walk away. Evan stayed close to the man, keeping a firm grip on his arm. Khan no longer appeared inclined to run. He walked with the frown of a man dreading his next appointment.\n\nAs they walked south to Kensington High Street Khan said, \"May I hazard a theory?\"\n\n\"What?\"\n\n\"You came to my bookstore with the CIA. Or maybe MI5. And surprise, you're supposed to be dead, along with me.\"\n\nEvan gave no answer.\n\n\"I'll take that as a yes,\" said Thomas Khan.\n\n\"You're wrong.\" _No way_ , Evan thought. No way Carrie could have been involved if the bomb was meant for him. She could have killed him at any point in the past few days if she were against him, and he knew she wasn't. But Bedford\u2014he didn't want to think the old man had set him up. Pettigrew. Maybe he was in Jargo's pocket. Or he was one of Jargo's Agency clients, a shadow who wanted Jargo protected.\n\nEvan said, \"Take me to Hadley.\"\n\nKhan shook his head. \"We talk in private. Keep walking.\" Khan ran across the street, Evan still clutching his arm. Khan pointed toward a small bistro. \"We need transportation. I have a friend who owns that business, he'll be sympathetic. Wait here.\"\n\nEvan tightened the grip on his arm. \"Forget it. I'm coming with you.\"\n\n\"No, you're not.\" Khan smoothed down his hair, straightened his suit jacket. \"I need you, you need me. We have a common enemy. I'm not running off.\"\n\n\"There's no way I can trust you.\"\n\n\"You want a sign of my good faith.\" He leaned close to Evan, his jaw touching Evan's, whispering into Evan's ear, \"Jargo's clearly after me now. I am a loose end. So are you. We have a mutual interest.\"\n\n_He thinks the bomb was planted by Jargo. Not the CIA. Or at least he wants me to think he blames Jargo._ \"Why are you sure it's Jargo?\"\n\n\"I protected him long enough. But no more. Not when he's after me now. He wants war, he gets war. Wait here.\" He shrugged free and Evan knew he'd have to fight Khan, here on the street, to keep him close, and it would attract attention. He watched Khan hurry and vanish into the caf\u00e9.\n\nEvan waited. Panicked Londoners jostled past him, a hundred people passing him in a matter of minutes, and he had never been so alone in his life. He decided that he had made a huge mistake in letting Khan walk free. But moments later Khan drove up to the curb.\n\n\"Get in,\" he said.\n\n#\n\nTHOMAS KHAN HEADED SOUTHEAST ON THE A205. Evan flicked on the radio. The news was full of the explosion on Kensington Church Street. Three confirmed dead, a dozen injured, firefighters battling to bring flames under control.\n\n\"Where is Hadley?\" Evan said.\n\n\"Running and hiding, just like you and me.\"\n\n\"Why?\"\n\n\"I've hidden Hadley from Jargo. I thought my influence with Jargo could survive our... recent problems. I was wrong.\"\n\n\"What problems?\"\n\n\"Once we're safe.\"\n\nKhan exited in Bromley, a large borough of suburban homes and businesses. He navigated a maze of streets and finally steered into a driveway of a good-sized house. The driveway snaked behind the home, and he parked where the car couldn't be seen from the street.\n\n\"I suspect we don't have long,\" Khan said. \"The home belongs to my sister-in-law. She is in a hospice. Dying of brain cancer. But soon the authorities will be looking to anyone who knows me for information.\"\n\n\"Like your friend who owns the coffeehouse. He can tell them you're alive.\"\n\n\"He won't,\" Khan said. \"I smuggled him and his family out of Afghanistan during the Soviet occupation. I asked for silence, he will be silent. Hurry inside. Our only advantage may be that Jargo will believe us both dead.\"\n\nThey entered through a back door. It opened into a kitchen. A mineral smell of disinfectant hung in the air. In the den, antique furnishings blended with an eclectic and colorful mix of abstract art. Bookshelves commanded one wall. The house had a comfortable air, but already wore a heavy sense of abandonment.\n\nKhan collapsed on the couch. Clicked on the TV with the remote, found a channel airing live footage of the bombing site. The reporter indicated the destroyed business was owned by an Anglo-Afghani, Thomas Khan. The reporters tossed out theories and speculations as to a reason for the bombing.\n\n\"They got it wrong. You're from Pakistan,\" Evan said.\n\nKhan shrugged. \"I have bigger worries.\"\n\nEvan went to the kitchen. Hanging along a magnetic strip were a wicked assortment of knives. He picked the largest one and returned to the den. Khan looked up at him.\n\n\"Is that for me?\" Khan did not act afraid.\n\n\"Only if I have to.\"\n\n\"You won't. Stabbing is intensely close-range and personal. Nasty. Messy. You feel the person die. A sheltered boy doesn't have enough steel in his spine.\"\n\n\"I'm just learning what I'm capable of. You're going to help me bring Jargo down.\"\n\n\"I said no such thing,\" Khan said. \"I said we had a mutual enemy. I can hide for the rest of my life. I don't need to fight Jargo. He thinks I'm dead.\"\n\n\"If he's your enemy now, surely you'd rather see him taken down than worrying about him ever finding you.\"\n\nKhan shrugged. \"The young worry about victory. I prefer survival.\" He tilted his head at Evan. \"I thought you would be far more interested in hearing about your parents than planning an impossible revenge on Jargo.\"\n\nEvan took a step forward with the knife. \"You know my mother worked for the Deeps.\"\n\n\"I only knew her by her code name. But I read the American news on the Web, I saw her face on a report after her murder and I knew who she was.\"\n\n\"You saw her when she was in England a few weeks ago.\"\n\n\"Yes.\" His voice was barely a whisper.\n\n\"Why was she here?\"\n\n\"It's oddly liberating to tell you what I always kept secret. I feel like I'm shedding an old coat.\" Khan offered a gentle smile. \"She stole data from a senior-level British researcher involved in developing a new Stealth-style fighter. He had classified information on his laptop; you know the sort of man, technically brilliant but chafes at rules. Lax about security. He meets his mistress for getaways from the lab at a small hotel in Dover. Your mother took photos of him and the mistress, although probably he'd let his affair be exposed rather than cooperate, but more importantly, she obtained copies of the fighter data during their stay. That's the real leverage. Unless you're copulating with animals or small children, sex isn't the great lever it used to be.\" Khan almost sounded disappointed; a man wistful for the good old days.\n\n\"So she steals the data and you sell it.\"\n\n\"No. I provide the logistics to support her, I arrange for the money to go into her account. Jargo handles the sell.\"\n\nLogistics for support. Money. He would have to know where the money came from. _The client list_ , Evan thought. This man had it. He kept his face neutral. \"And who would Jargo sell this data to?\"\n\nKhan shrugged. \"Who doesn't need information like that these days? The Russians, who are still afraid of NATO. The Chinese, who still fear the West. India, who wants to take a bigger role on the world stage. Iran. North Korea. But also corporations, here and in America, who want the plans. Because they want to get contracts or outmaneuver the avionics firm who designed the plane.\" He offered Evan a neat, practiced smile. \"Your mother was very good. You should be proud. She followed me to where I kept the files, accessed my laptop, stole the data, and I never knew until last week.\"\n\n\"I can't find pride in her accomplishments right now,\" Evan said.\n\n\"Now, if we'd wanted the man dead... well, your father would have been sent. He's quite the able killer.\" Khan studied his fingernails. \"Garrote, gun, knife. He even killed a man in Johannesburg once with nothing but his thumbs. Or perhaps that was simply a rumor he started. So much depends on reputation.\"\n\nThe knife seemed suddenly lighter in Evan's hands.\n\nKhan made a murmur of sympathy in his throat. \"I know them better than you do, yet I never knew their real names. Rather sad, really.\"\n\n_You're just trying to goad me. Play me into making a mistake._ \"Since we're helping each other, tell me what my mother stole from you.\"\n\nKhan's tongue touched his lower lip. \"Account numbers in a Caymans bank. She copied a file that had names linked to accounts. I didn't realize she had stolen the files, copied them, until I ran a test on my system last Thursday.\"\n\nThursday. The day before his mother died. The day, perhaps, she decided to run. She must have known Jargo and Dezz were after her. Or Khan was lying\u2014a distinct possibility. \"And she got a list of all the Deeps' clients.\"\n\nKhan frowned. \"Yes. She got that as well.\"\n\n\"And you warned Jargo?\"\n\n\"Naturally. He didn't know about the client list. That was my own insurance in case things ever got ugly between him and me. But I convinced him that your mother had pieced together the list from other information Jargo knew I already had.\"\n\nThe other information. Khan must have it all\u2014the name of every Deep, every financial account they used, every detail of their operations. No wonder Jargo wanted him dead. \"I want a copy of every file.\"\n\n\"Destroyed in the bomb blast, I'm afraid.\"\n\n\"Don't lie to me. You have a backup.\"\n\n\"I must decline.\"\n\nEvan stepped forward. \"I'm not giving you an option.\" He moved the knife toward Khan's chest.\n\n\"It's shaking,\" Khan said. \"I don't think you truly have the stomach for\u2014\"\n\nEvan jerked forward and brought the point of his knife to Khan's throat. Khan's eyes widened. A globe of blood welled where blade met skin.\n\n\"I'm my father's son. The knife's not shaking now, is it?\"\n\nKhan raised an eyebrow. \"No, it's not.\"\n\n\"I will kill you if you don't help me. If you help me, there's a man at the CIA who can protect you from Jargo. Help you and your son hide. Give you both a new life. Do you understand?\"\n\nKhan gave the slightest of nods. \"Tell me who this man is at the CIA. I hardly plan to turn myself over to one of Jargo's clients.\"\n\n\"You don't need to worry about that. Talk straight. Tell me where Hadley is.\"\n\nKhan clenched his eyes shut. \"Hiding. I don't know.\"\n\n\"He's hiding because he pitched me the Alexander Bast film project. Hadley set all this mess in motion.\"\n\n\" 'How sharper than a serpent's tooth.' \" Khan pressed his fingertips into his temples. \"It is cruel to know a child could hate you so. Did you love your parents, Evan?\"\n\nNo one had asked him this, ever, not even Detective Durless in Austin, which seemed like a thousand years ago but had been only a few days. \"I do. No past tense about it. Very much.\"\n\n\"Do you still love them, knowing what they were?\"\n\n\"Yes. Love isn't love unless it's unconditional.\"\n\n\"So when you look at your father, you won't see a killer. A cold and capable killer. You'll just see your dad.\"\n\nEvan tightened his grip on the knife.\n\nKhan said, \"Ah. The poison of doubt. You don't know what you'll see. How you'll feel. I was clumsy a few months ago. I recruited Hadley to work for me. To assist me. I trusted him, I thought he simply needed meaningful work to bring order to his life, and I was wrong. He was given a basic assignment and he barely escaped being caught by French intelligence. He promised me he would do better, but he decided that he wanted out.\"\n\n\"You didn't accept his resignation.\"\n\n\"He didn't tell me he wanted to quit. It's not a job you leave. In learning how to do my work, he found files on the Deeps\u2014all of them, and their children. If he went to MI5 or the CIA, he knew he would be put under protective custody and my assets would be immediately frozen. He wanted the money. So he wanted Jargo and myself exposed, but not until he could make arrangements to vanish. So he could access my accounts and rob me first.\" He sounded more tired than angry.\n\n\"You sound as though you've talked with him.\"\n\n\"I have. Hadley confessed all to me before he left.\" Khan gave a thin smile. \"I forgave him. In a way I was almost proud of him. Finally he had shown daring and intelligence. You were the only child of a Deep involved in the media. He thought he could befriend you and subtly draw you out to expose the network. Tease you with the murder of Bast. Egg you on to investigate. Make you do the dirty work without him putting his own neck in Jargo's noose.\"\n\n_He's opening up too easily_ , Evan thought. Like a documentary subject who won't shut up, because the only way to convince is with a torrent of words. Or they need to hear themselves talk, maybe to persuade themselves as much as convincing you and the audience. _How far is he playing me?_ Evan wondered. \"But he didn't respond to my e-mail about the Bast package.\"\n\n\"A fool puts great events in motion and then grows frightened.\" Khan raised an eyebrow. \"I'm talking freely now\u2014is the knife necessary?\"\n\n\"Yes. The orphanage in Ohio. Bast was there, Jargo was there, my parents were there. Why?\"\n\n\"Bast had a charitable soul.\"\n\n\"I don't think that was it. Those kids, at least three of them, became the Deeps. Did Bast recruit them for the CIA?\"\n\n\"I suppose he did.\"\n\n\"Why orphans?\"\n\n\"Children without families are so much more pliable,\" Khan said. \"They're like wet clay; you can mold them as you see fit.\"\n\n\"Why did the CIA need them instead of using regular agents?\"\n\n\"I don't know.\" Khan almost smiled, then closed his eyes. He gave a hard sigh, as though confession had lifted a burden from his shoulders.\n\n\"Tell me why they needed fresh starts, fresh names, years later. Did they leave the CIA?\"\n\n\"Bast died. Jargo took command of the network.\"\n\n\"Jargo killed him.\"\n\n\"Probably. I never asked.\"\n\n\"Were Jargo and my folks, and the other kids from that orphanage, were they hiding from the CIA?\"\n\n\"Before my time. I don't know. When Jargo took over, he gave me a job. He brought me in to run logistics for him.\"\n\n\"Were you CIA?\"\n\n\"No. But I'd helped support British intelligence ops in Afghanistan, during the rebellion against the Soviets. I knew the basics. I retired. I wanted just a quiet life with my books. No more field work. Jargo gave me a job.\"\n\n\"Well, Jargo just fired you, Mr. Khan. You work for me now.\"\n\nKhan shook his head. \"I admire your nerve, young man. I wish Hadley had become your friend. You might've been a good influence.\"\n\nThe phone rang. Both men froze. It rang twice and then stopped.\n\n\"No answering machine,\" Evan said.\n\n\"My sister-in-law hated them.\"\n\nThe ringing phone bothered Evan. Maybe a wrong call, maybe someone calling for the dying sister-in-law, maybe someone looking here for Khan. \"I want my father back. You want Jargo to stop trying to kill you. Do our interests coincide or not?\"\n\n\"It would be better if we could both just vanish.\" Khan swallowed. Sweat beaded along his face and he coughed for breath.\n\n\"Give me what I need. We can lean on the clients to break Jargo. Trace their dealings back to him. He's finished, he can't hurt you or Hadley.\"\n\n\"It's too dangerous. Better to just vanish.\"\n\n\"Forget that.\"\n\n\"I can't think with a knife at my throat. I would like a cigarette.\"\n\nEvan saw fear and resignation in the man's face, smelled the sour tang of sweat on Khan's skin. He'd overstepped. He eased up off Khan, dropped the knife from his throat. Khan put his fingertips up to the slight welling of blood, dabbed into the blotches. \"Shallow wounds. Thank you. I appreciate the kindness. May I reach in my pocket for my Gitanes?\"\n\nEvan put the knife back at Khan's throat, opened his jacket. Fished out a pack of Gitanes cigarettes. Stepped back and dropped them on Khan's lap.\n\n\"My lighter's in my pocket, may I get it?\" Thomas Khan's voice was calm.\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\nKhan dug out a small, Zippo-style lighter, lit a cigarette, exhaled smoke with a weary blow.\n\n\"I gave you your cigarette,\" Evan said. \"Now I want this client list.\"\n\nKhan blew out a feather of smoke. \"Ask your mother.\"\n\n\"Don't be a jerk.\"\n\n\"You appear to be a bright boy. Do you really think that if your mother stole the files that could identify the clients, we would leave those accounts open?\" His voice was gentle, almost chiding, as though talking to a slightly dense but adored child.\n\nEvan said, \"I'm not falling into the trap. You have the accounts that the operatives\u2014like my parents\u2014used. That's all I need. I can break Jargo either way.\"\n\nKhan laughed. \"Do you think our operatives will keep working under those names, given the danger we're facing?\"\n\n\"If they have families and kids like my folks or you, your suburban camouflage, they can't change.\"\n\n\"Sure they can. Your mother's account isn't under Donna Casher, you stupid, stupid boy.\" Khan shook his head. \"It's under another name she used. You won't catch anything in that net. We're far too careful. We've got escape routes built in if our covers are ever blown. We've all been doing this a very long time, before you were off your mother's teat.\" He stubbed out the cigarette. \"I suggest you leave now. I will give you half the money in your mother's account, and I will keep the rest for my silence. It is two million U.S. dollars, Evan. You can vanish into the world instead of a grave. You will not be able to get your father back. Your dying won't bring back your mother.\" Khan pulled a fresh cigarette out with delicacy. \"Two million. Don't be a fool, take the money. Get a new life.\"\n\n\"But...\" And then Evan saw the hole in Khan's offer. Accounts with false names. The explosion. Escape routes. The phone ringing only twice. A new life. This was a trap, but not the kind he'd expected.\n\nKhan had all the time in the world sitting here in this house. Smiling at him. No dying sister-in-law. No Khan name attached to this house. Escape route.\n\n\"You\u2014\" Evan said.\n\nKhan flicked the lighter again, holding it sideways, a blast of mist jetting from the lighter's end. Evan threw up his jacketed arm across his face. Pepper spray seared his eyes, his throat. He staggered and fell across the Persian rug. Pain gouged up through his eyeballs, his nose.\n\nKhan dashed across the room, knocking a thick tome from the shelf, reaching in, drawing a Beretta free, spinning to fire at Evan. The bullet barked into the coffee table by Evan's head. He blindly seized the table, brought it up as a shield, charged at Khan, his eyes burning as if he'd had matches poked into them. Two more silenced shots and wood splintered into Evan's stomach and chest, but he rammed the table into Khan, forced the gun downward, drove him back into the oak shelves.\n\nPressing and pressing and pressing harder. Evan powered his legs, his arms, the agony in his face fueling him. Flattening the man into the wall. He heard Khan's lungs empty, heard him gurgle in pain; the man dropped to the floor, the gun still in his hand.\n\nEvan dumped the table and snatched at the gun, Khan's face and fingers nothing but a blur. But Khan held on to the Beretta. Evan fell onto the older man. Khan pistoned a knee into Evan's groin, jabbed bony fingers at his clenched-shut eyes. Evan let go of the gun with one hand and punched, connecting with Khan's nose. The man's face was a haze through his tearing eyes. Evan seized the Beretta again with both hands, fought to turn it toward the cloud of the ceiling. Khan jerked it back, aimed it toward Evan's head.\n\nThe gun fired.\n\n#\n\nTHE HEAT OF THE BULLET PASSED Evan's ear. He put all his weight and strength into twisting the barrel toward the floor. Khan jerked, trying to wrench the weapon free. The gun sang again.\n\nKhan spasmed. Then went still. Evan yanked the gun away, staggering, clawing at his eyes.\n\nHe retreated to a corner of the room. He could barely see Khan, but he kept the gun trained on him. Evan moaned; the pain in his eyes was blinding.\n\nNo movement from Khan. He forced himself back toward the body, touched the throat. Nothing. No pulse.\n\nAgony. Evan stumbled into the kitchen. Powered on the faucet, splashed handfuls of water on his face. The brown contact lenses Bedford had given him washed free. After the tenth handful the agony started to subside. No sound in the house but the water hissing into the sink. He rinsed his swollen eyes, again and again, the gun still in his other hand, until the pain lessened. He walked back into the den.\n\nKhan stared up at him from the floor, three-eyed, the middle eye red. Evan checked again; the neck, the wrist, the chest, were all empty of a heartbeat.\n\n_I just killed a man._\n\nHe should be sick with fear, with horror. A week ago he would have been paralyzed with shock. Now simple relief flooded him that it was Khan lying dead on the floor and not him.\n\nHe went to the bathroom and studied his face in the mirror. His eyes hazel again and swollen almost shut. His lip was badly split and bloodied. He opened the cabinet under the sink and found a fully stocked first-aid kit. Of course there was one here; in this house was everything Khan needed.\n\nThis was Khan's escape route.\n\nHe had not thought clearly in the chaos of the bomb blast, he was so focused on getting his hands on the man who could unfold the map to his parents' lives.\n\nKhan had screwed up in Jargo's eyes, but maybe Jargo didn't want him dead. Maybe Jargo wanted to dead-end any immediate investigation into the Deeps. Khan had walked out after Evan had said the name Jargo. Or maybe he already knew Evan's face. Then Pettigrew walked in with the bomb, or Khan triggered the bomb once he was clear of the building. Khan, with his own business destroyed, would not run to a place that would only give him a few hours' sanctuary. He would run for his escape hatch. If the Deeps had fallback identities, so did Khan, their moneyman. He'd brought Evan to a place where Khan could hide, clothe himself in a prepared identity, melt into the world. Even better, he would be assumed dead in the bookstore blast.\n\nWhen Thomas Khan was assumed dead, then no one in the CIA would be looking for him.\n\nIt was no small thing to walk away from your life. And if this house was Khan's hidey-hole, his first stop in the journey into a fresh and secret life, he would have resources here to shut down his operations, money and data to cover his tracks and to step into his new identity. But if Jargo knew this was where Khan would run\u2014and Jargo might\u2014then Evan didn't have much time at all. Jargo could send an agent to ensure Khan had escaped the blast if Khan didn't check in.\n\nThe ringing phone. Maybe it had been Jargo calling for Khan.\n\nEvan might not have much time at all, but he had to risk it. The answers he needed could be inside the house.\n\nEvan checked every window and door to be sure it was locked. He pulled down every window shade, closed every curtain. Two small bedrooms, a study, and a bath upstairs, a master bedroom and bath downstairs, with den, kitchen, dining room. A door off the kitchen led down to a small cellar; Evan ventured down steps, flicked on a light. Empty. Except for in the corner, a large, black, zippered bag. A body bag.\n\nEvan eased down the zipper.\n\nHadley Khan. He recognized the face\u2014what was left of it. He had been dead for a few days. Lime powder dusted his body, to minimize the burgeoning odor of decay. Shot once through the temple. He lay curled tight in the bag, naked; long, vicious welts marred his face and his chest. His hands were missing. His mouth gaped open; there was no tongue.\n\n_I forgave him_ , Khan had said.\n\nEvan stood and walked to the opposite side of the cellar and pressed his forehead against the cool stone and took deep, shuddering breaths. _Khan did it here, he tortured and killed his own son for betraying him. For betraying the family business._\n\nWhat would his parents have done to him if he'd stumbled on the truth or threatened to expose them? He could not imagine this. No. Never.\n\nKhan's voice echoed in his ear: _I know them much better than you do._\n\nEvan closed the body bag. He went upstairs to the den. He dragged Thomas Khan's body down the basement steps, placed him next to his son. He went back upstairs, found a folded sheet in a bedroom closet, and covered both corpses with it.\n\nHe drank four glasses of cold water, ate four aspirin that he found in the first-aid kit. His eyes hurt, his stomach ached.\n\nHe returned to the study and tested the desk and a credenza; both were locked. Evan went back to the basement and searched Khan's pockets: no keys, but a wallet and a PDA. He powered it on; a screen appeared, asking for his fingerprint.\n\nHe dug Khan's right hand from under the sheet, pressed the dead man's forefinger against the screen. Denied. He grabbed Khan's left hand, pressed Khan's left forefinger against the screen. It accepted the print, opened to show a normal startup screen. He studied the applications and files. The PDA held only a few contacts and phone numbers: a few Zurich banks, a listing of London bookstores. There was an icon for a map application. He opened it. The last three maps accessed were London; Biloxi, Mississippi; and Fort Lauderdale, Florida. A notation on the Biloxi map, showing the location of a charter air service. Biloxi wasn't that far from New Orleans. Maybe that was where Dezz and Jargo had fled after the New Orleans disaster.\n\nBut nothing that announced, _X marks the spot where your father is._\n\nExcept maybe Fort Lauderdale. A specific place in Florida. And Gabriel had said Evan's mother had claimed that they would meet his father in Florida. Carrie thought his father was in Florida.\n\nCarrie. He could try to call her. Reach her through the London CIA office. Tell her he was alive. But, no. If Jargo's agents or clients within the CIA thought he was dead... no one would be hunting him. And they had known he was in London, had nearly killed him. Bedford's group had been compromised.\n\nHe wanted to know Carrie was safe; he wanted to tell her he was alive. But not now, not until he had his father back. She wouldn't go back to the house Pettigrew had taken them to, he believed; if Pettigrew worked for Jargo, it was too dangerous. She would carefully reunite with Bedford.\n\nEvan reconfigured the password program to delete Khan's fingerprint and used his own thumbprint as the passkey. It might be useful later. He put the PDA in his pocket. Standing up, he spotted a toolbox in the corner and took it upstairs.\n\nHe jabbed a screwdriver into the desk lock with caution; after the trick pepper-spray lighter he could not take anything on face value. But there was only the click of the metal against metal.\n\nHe picked up a hammer and with four solid blows cracked open the locks on Thomas Khan's desk. In one drawer he found papers relating to the ownership of the house. It had been bought last year by Boroch Investments. Boroch must be a front for Khan; if there was no obvious connection to Khan, the police wouldn't come here. Thomas Khan wouldn't show his face if he could help it in digging his escape tunnel.\n\nIn the desk drawer he found stationery and envelopes for Boroch Investments, as well as a passport from New Zealand and one from Zimbabwe, both in false names and with Thomas Khan's pictures inside. There was a phone, in need of a charge but working. He dug out the charger from the back of the drawer and began to power up the phone. He checked the call log; the list was empty.\n\nHe forced the lock on another desk drawer. It held a metal box containing bricks of British pounds and American dollars. Beneath that an automatic pistol and two clips. He counted the money. Six thousand British pounds, ten thousand in U.S. funds. He set the cash on the desk. The side desk drawers were empty.\n\nHe attacked the credenza with a hammer, a screwdriver, and then a crowbar. Dizziness oozed into his brain, from lack of eating, from exhaustion, from the pepper spray, but he knew that he was close, so close to getting what he needed. So close.\n\nThe door cracked under the crowbar. Empty.\n\nNo, it couldn't be. Couldn't. Khan would need data files, he would need to access new accounts, erase old ones. There had to be a computer in this house aside from the PDA. Unless Khan had kept it all in his head. Then Evan was back to zero.\n\nHe searched the room. The small closet held office supplies, old suits, a raincoat. He went through the guest bedrooms\u2014practically bare\u2014and the downstairs bedroom. He searched carefully, knowing he was no pro, but he reminded himself to be disciplined and thorough. But he found nothing, and the chance to close his hands around Jargo's throat started to turn to smoke.\n\nIn the darkened den, he risked a reading light. The bookcase. Khan had hidden his gun behind the volumes.\n\nEvan searched the rest of the bookcase. Nearly every inch filled with good books, leftovers from Khan's store. How could such a psychopath have such excellent taste in reading? But nothing else lay concealed behind the books. He rifled through the kitchen cabinets and pantry. He dumped canisters of salt and flour on the floor. Nothing. A freezer full of frozen dinners, but he ripped them open, dumped them in the sink, hoping a disk or CD might be hidden inside. Suddenly he was hungry and he microwaved a frozen chicken-and-noodle dinner, nauseated at eating a dead man's food. He decided to get over it.\n\nHe sat down on the floor and forced himself to calm down as he ate. The food was tasteless but filling. His stomach settled. The jet lag and the fade of his adrenaline rush swamped him, and he fought the urge to just lie down on the floor and close his eyes, slip into sleep. Maybe there was nothing more to find.\n\nThe basement. The one room he hadn't searched. He went down the darkened steps. Past the sheeted bodies. The basement was small. Square, with a stacked washer\/dryer on one side and metal shelving on the other. The shelves held an assemblage of junk. More books, boxed. He went through them all. A television set with a cracked screen. A box of gardening tools, clean of mud, probably never used. A couple of cases of canned soups and vegetables and meats, in case Khan had to hide a fellow operative.\n\nHis gaze went back to the TV with its cracked eye. Why would anyone keep a small broken TV? TVs were cheap now. To repair the screen, you might as well buy a new one. Maybe Khan was driven by a sense of waste not, want not. But he had been well-to-do. A broken TV was nothing.\n\nEvan took the TV down from the shelf. He retrieved a screwdriver and unfastened the back.\n\nThe television had been stripped of its guts. Inside was a small notebook computer and charger. Evan powered on the laptop; it presented a dialog box prompting him for a password.\n\nHe entered DEEPS.\n\nWrong. He entered JARGO.\n\nWrong. He entered HADLEY. Wrong. The CIA could crack this, but he couldn't. Even if he deduced a password, Khan might have encrypted and passworded the files on the system. He would be a fool not to take that precaution.\n\nEvan stared at the screen. Maybe he should just take the computer and go to Langley, the CIA's headquarters. Turn himself in...\n\n... and not save his father.\n\nHis father's face floated before him in the darkened basement, and he stared at the father-and-son bodies of the Khans. If he believed the past few days, his father was a professional killer who had stamped out lives the way others stamped out ants. But that wasn't the father he knew. It could not be; the truth could not be that harsh or that simple. He had to have the data to rescue his father.\n\nOr, he thought, he had to create the illusion that he had the data.\n\nThe laptop. He didn't need the data, he just needed the laptop itself to barter for his father. It might hold the exact same files his mother had stolen. At the least it was a negotiating point: he could always threaten to turn over the laptop to the CIA unless his father was released. Jargo couldn't know with certainty that the files were, or weren't, on Khan's machine. Even if this didn't hold the client list, it might hold enough data\u2014financial, logistical, personal\u2014to destroy the Deeps.\n\nHis mother might have stolen the files from this very laptop. He tried to imagine how she had done it. She'd snapped pictures in Dover, stolen the military data. Delivered the goods to Khan. But probably not here, not in his safe spot. She'd probably handed him the stolen data and photos on a CD, in a park, in a theater, in a caf\u00e9. But maybe she follows Khan here after they part ways. Then... what? Khan loads the data she stole on the computer to send to Jargo. He leaves. She breaks into the house, finds the laptop. She must have software to bypass the passwords\u2014a necessity if she routinely stole information.\n\nIf she did it\u2014it could be done. He could steal the same files.\n\nHe tried the laptop once more. Entered BAST. Nothing.\n\nOHIO, because of the orphanage. No.\n\nGOINSVILLE. Refused.\n\nHe found Khan's car keys on the kitchen counter, put the laptop and the money in the car's trunk. He went back inside and put Khan's PDA, gun, and phone into his jacket pocket. He wanted to sleep, and he wanted to believe that Khan's hiding place could be his hiding place. But it wasn't safe to stay here.\n\nFort Lauderdale. His mother's mention of Florida to Gabriel. It was his best bet.\n\nHe got into the borrowed Jaguar. Realized he had never driven a car designed for the left side of the road and, for the first time in days, really laughed. This would be an adventure.\n\nNerves on edge, Evan drove into the darkness. A cold rain began to fall. He had to concentrate entirely on retraining his driving reflexes. He headed slowly, like a rookie driver, back toward London and found a decent hotel in Crystal Palace. He treated himself to a real meal of steak and fries in a small bar, drank down a pint of ale, watched a couple and their grown son laugh over lagers. He paid and went back to the hotel, lay down on the bed.\n\nHe turned Thomas Khan's cell phone back on and it chimed that there was a message. He didn't know Khan's voice-mail password. But he found a call log, listing a recently missed number.\n\nHe opened Khan's PDA and activated the Voice Memo application. Then he dialed the number on the new call log.\n\nHe could not negotiate if they all thought he was dead.\n\nIt was answered on the first ring. \"Yes?\" He knew the voice, his soft psychotic purr. Dezz.\n\n\"Let me speak to Jargo.\" Evan held the PDA close enough to record every word.\n\n\"No one here by that name.\"\n\n\"Shut up, Dezz. Let me talk to Jargo. Now.\"\n\nThree beats of silence. \"Put ourselves back together, have we?\"\n\n\"Tell your father I have all of Mr. Khan's files relating to the Deeps. All of them. I'd like to negotiate a trade for my father.\"\n\n\"How's Carrie? Blown to bits? I'm sorry I wasn't in London to help you pick up the pieces.\" He stifled a giggle.\n\n\"You say another word to me, freak, and I e-mail the client list to the CIA, to the FBI, to Scotland Yard. You're not calling the shots. I am.\"\n\nSilence for a long moment, and Dezz said with icy politeness, \"Hold, please.\"\n\nHe imagined Dezz and Jargo, seeing Khan's number on a cell phone screen, knowing now about the explosion and weighing if Evan was telling the truth.\n\n\"Yes? Evan? You're well?\" Jargo. Sounding concerned.\n\n\"I'm fine. I have a proposal for you.\"\n\n\"Your father is worried sick about you. Where are you?\"\n\n\"Deep in the rabbit hole. And I have Thomas Khan's laptop. From his hiding place in Bromley. With all his files.\"\n\nA long pause. \"Congratulations. I for one find spreadsheets boring.\"\n\n\"Give me back my father, and I'll give you your laptop, and then we're walking away from each other.\"\n\n\"But files can be duplicated. I don't know that I can trust you.\"\n\n\"You have no room to question my integrity, Mr. Jargo. None. I know about Goinsville, I know about Alexander Bast, I know he set up the original Deep network.\" All bluff; he wasn't sure how any of this fit together, but he had to pretend that he knew. \"I have Khan's laptop and I'm giving it to you. Not to the police. Not to the press. All I want is my dad. You either take the deal or you don't. I can tear the Deeps apart in five minutes with what I've got.\"\n\n\"May I speak to Mr. Khan?\" Jargo asked.\n\n\"No, you may not.\"\n\n\"Is he alive?\"\n\n\"No.\"\n\n\"Well. Did you kill him or did the CIA?\"\n\n\"I'm not playing twenty questions with you. Do we have a deal or do I go to the CIA?\"\n\n\"Evan. I understand you're upset. But I didn't want Khan dead. I didn't want you dead.\" A pause. \"If you've got Internet access, I'd like to show you a tape. To prove my point.\"\n\n\"A tape.\"\n\n\"Khan had a digital camera in his business. Did a constant feed to a remote server. We take a lot of precautions in our line of work, you understand. I just accessed the server. I can prove to you it was a known CIA operative who set off the blast. His name was Marcus Pettigrew. I suspect the CIA saw a way to get rid of you and Khan all at once, nice and neat.\"\n\nEvan remembered seeing a set of small cameras mounted in the corners near the bookstore's ceiling. He said what he thought Jargo would expect him to say, \"So what? So I can't trust the CIA. It doesn't mean that I can trust you.\"\n\n\"Watch the tape,\" Jargo said, \"before you make up your mind.\"\n\n\"Hold on.\" Staying on the phone, Evan walked down the stairs from his room to the hotel's business center. It was empty. He fired up a gleaming new PC, set up a new e-mail account at Yahoo! under an invented name, and gave Jargo the new e-mail account's address. After a minute the attached film clip appeared in the in-box. Evan clicked it. Saw himself, from above and to the left, come in and talk to Khan. Khan and then Evan went offscreen, and here came Pettigrew. Flipping the Closed sign. Murdering two people. Leaning down to touch his briefcase. Then nothing.\n\n\"I'm not really into eviscerating my own network,\" Jargo said. \"The CIA would be, however.\"\n\n\"You could have doctored that tape.\"\n\n\"Evan. Please. First Gabriel, now Pettigrew. Your friend Bricklayer sent you right into that death trap. Kill two birds with one stone, you and Khan. I'm not your enemy, Evan. Far from it. You've fallen in with the wrong crowd, to put it mildly, and I've been trying to save you.\"\n\nBricklayer... he knows Bedford's code name. He hated the oily concern that failed to hide the arrogance in Jargo's voice.\n\n\"That tape doesn't lie. Now who do you believe?\" Jargo asked.\n\n\"I want to talk to my dad.\" Evan put a calculated quaver of doubt in his voice.\n\n\"That's an excellent idea, Evan.\"\n\nSilence. And then his father's voice: \"Evan?\" He sounded tired, weak. Beaten.\n\nAlive. His father was truly alive. \"Dad, are you okay?\"\n\n\"Yes. I'm all right. I love you, Evan.\"\n\n\"I love you, too.\"\n\n\"Evan... I'm sorry. Your mother. You. I never meant for you to get dragged into this mess. It was always my worst nightmare.\" Mitchell's voice sounded near tears. \"You don't understand the whole story.\"\n\nHe knew Jargo was listening. _Pretend you believe him. It's the only way Jargo will give you Dad. But not too fast, or Jargo won't buy it._ He had to play his own father. He tried hard to keep his voice steady. \"No, Dad, I sure don't understand.\"\n\n\"What counts is that I can keep you safe, Evan. I need you to trust Jargo.\"\n\n\"Dad, even if Jargo didn't kill Mom, he kidnapped you. How can I trust this guy?\"\n\n\"Evan. Listen carefully to me. Your mother went to the CIA, and the CIA killed her. I don't know why she did it, but she did, thinking they would hide her, hide you. But they killed her\"\u2014his voice broke, then steadied\u2014\"and now they've used you to try to draw me and Jargo out.\"\n\n\"Dad\u2014\"\n\n\"Jargo and Dezz weren't at our house. It was the CIA. Anything else you've been told is a lie. Believe your eyes. That CIA agent in London tried to kill you. There's no plainer evidence. I want you to do what Jargo says. Please.\"\n\n\"I don't think I can do that, Dad. He killed Mom. Do you understand that? He killed her!\" He gave his father an abbreviated account of his arrival at home.\n\n\"But you never saw their faces.\"\n\n\"No... I never saw their faces.\" He let three seconds tick by, thought, _Make Jargo think you want to believe Dad, you want to believe worse than anything, so this horror will all be over._ \"I saw Mom, and then I freaked, and they put a bag over my head.\"\n\nMitchell's voice was patient. \"I can tell you it was not Dezz and Jargo, it wasn't.\"\n\n\"How can you be sure, Dad?\"\n\n\"I am. I am absolutely sure they didn't kill your mom.\"\n\n_Start acting dumb._ \"I just heard voices.\"\n\n\"In the most horrifying moment of your life, you might make a mistake, Evan. Jargo might threaten you to get cooperation, but it's easier than explaining to you. But he really wouldn't hurt you. They shot at Carrie at the zoo. Not you.\"\n\nNot true, but Jargo had fed his father a matched set of lies. He didn't argue the point. _Now for confusion._ \"But Carrie said\u2014\"\n\n\"Carrie betrayed your trust. She played you, son. I'm sorry.\"\n\nHe let the silence build before he spoke. \"You're right.\" _Forgive me, Carrie_ , he thought. \"She wasn't honest with me, Dad. Not from day one.\"\n\nMitchell cleared his throat. \"Never mind her. All that matters is getting you here with me. Are you safe from the CIA right now?\"\n\n\"To them, I'm dead.\"\n\n\"Then bring Jargo the files. We'll be together. Jargo will let you and me talk, work out what happens next.\"\n\nEvan lowered his voice. \"Say nothing. I have the laptop, but I can't get past its password. I've never seen these files Jargo wants. I'm not a threat to him.\" He knew Jargo was drinking in every word.\n\n\"It'll all be fine as soon as we're together.\"\n\n\"Dad... is it all true? What I found out about you and Mom, about the Deeps? Because I don't understand...\"\n\n\"You have been very sheltered, Evan, and you are about to do more harm, ever, than good if you expose us. Do what Jargo says. We'll have lots of time, and I can make you understand.\"\n\n\"Why aren't you Arthur Smithson anymore?\"\n\nA pause. \"You don't know what your mother and I did for you. You have no conception of the sacrifices we made. You've never made a difficult choice. You have no idea.\" Then Mitchell's words came in a rush, as though his time ran short: \"You remember when I gave you all the Graham Greene novels, and I told you the most important line in all of them was 'if one loved, one feared'? It's true, one hundred percent true. I was afraid you wouldn't have a good life, and I wanted a good life for you. The best life. You are everything to me. I love you, Evan.\"\n\n\"I remember. Dad, I love you, too.\" No matter what he had done. Evan remembered his father giving him a bunch of Greene novels his senior year in high school for Christmas, but he didn't understand the quote. It didn't matter. What mattered was Dad was alive and he was getting him back.\n\n\"Listen closely.\" His father's voice was gone, replaced by Dezz's. \"I'm in charge of you, now. Where are you?\"\n\n\"Just tell me where I'm supposed to be to exchange Khan's computer for my father.\"\n\n\"Miami. Tomorrow morning.\"\n\n\"I can't get to Miami that fast. Tomorrow night.\"\n\n\"We'll arrange tickets for you,\" Dezz said. \"We don't want the CIA scooping you back up.\"\n\n\"I'll handle my own travel. I'll call you from Miami. I'm picking the time and place for our exchange.\"\n\n\"All right.\" Dezz gave a giggle. \"Don't run away from me this time. Now that we'll all be like family.\" And he hung up.\n\n_Like family._ Evan didn't like the dig in Dezz's tone, and he thought of the faded pictures of the two boys in Goinsville, their similar smiles and squints. Seeing now what he didn't want to see then, the possibility that the connection between his father\u2014a man he loved and admired\u2014and Jargo, a brutal and vicious killer, could be a thread of blood.\n\nEvan had decided to play dumb, to let Jargo think he would blindly rush to save his father, but now he felt dense. Graham Greene quotes that had burned up the precious time talking with his father. Digs from Dezz. It didn't make sense.\n\nEvan erased the downloaded movie from the PC and walked back to his room. He sprawled on his bed and stared at Khan's laptop, still hiding its secrets like a willful child.\n\nIf he walked this laptop back to Jargo for his father, he'd get his dad back, he hoped, but Jargo would not be stopped. No. Unacceptable. So he had to do both. Get his father back and bring Jargo down, with no room for error.\n\nHe sat and considered the tools at his disposal, the ways tomorrow might play out.\n\nIt was a matter, he decided, of simply being the best storyteller. He needed to outdo a veritable king of lies. His first prop was this uncooperative laptop. It was time for sleight of hand.\n\n#\n\nSHE PICKED UP THE PHONE ON the third ring. \"Hello?\"\n\n\"Hello, Kathleen.\"\n\nA moment of stunned silence. \"Evan?\"\n\n\"Yeah, it's me.\"\n\n\"Are you okay?\"\n\n\"Yes. I saw you talking about me on CNN last weekend. I appreciate the kind words.\"\n\n\"Evan, where are you, what happened? I've been worried sick about you.\"\n\nHe wanted to believe it was true, his former girlfriend fretting over him, and he knew his request would put her to the test.\n\n\"I can't tell you what's happened or where I am. I need your help. I may be putting you in danger by asking. If you hang up now, I won't blame you.\"\n\nSilence. Then she said, \"What kind of danger?\"\n\n\"Not so much to you, but to whomever you can get to help me.\"\n\n\"Spit it out, Evan.\" She always had a brutal directness.\n\n\"A dangerous group of people want me dead. They killed my mom, kidnapped my dad, they're looking for me. I have one of their computers and I need access to it. But it's encrypted.\"\n\n\"This is a joke, right?\"\n\n\"My mom's dead, do you think I'm joking?\"\n\nFour beats of silence. Her voice lowered. \"No, I don't think you are.\"\n\n\"Help me, Kath.\"\n\n\"Evan, listen, go to the police.\"\n\n\"They'll kill my dad if I do. Please, Kathleen.\"\n\n\"How could I help you?\"\n\n\"Because you produced _Hackerama_ with Bill.\" Bill was the guy she'd left Evan for, a filmmaker from New York Evan actually thought was a cool guy. He'd beaten Evan out for the Oscar with his film about the culture of computer hackers.\n\n\"Yes,\" she said after a moment's hesitation.\n\n\"I need a contact in England. Smart and discreet, who won't go straight to the police, and is an encryption expert. I can pay them well. You, too.\"\n\nShe let a beat pass. \"Evan. I'm not taking your money and I can't help you commit a crime.\"\n\n\"It's to save my dad, to save myself.\"\n\nHe heard Kathleen fidget.\n\n\"If you've been watching the news, you might have heard about a bombing in London today. That was this group, trying to kill me.\"\n\n\"You sound crazy right now, to be honest.\"\n\n\"I've been on the run for days. Hiding. My life is literally in your hands, Kathleen. I need help. I can't stop these people, I can't expose them in any way that the police will believe, without this evidence.\"\n\n\"Assuming that you're telling the truth, you're asking me to call a friend and put him or her in great danger.\"\n\n\"Yes. That's true. You should warn them. Be honest with them so they know what they're facing. But I'm paying. These guys always need money, right?\"\n\n\"Doesn't sound like a good idea,\" she said, \"for anyone but you.\"\n\nDead end. He couldn't blame her. \"I understand. I wouldn't want an innocent hurt, either. Thanks for being willing to talk to me. And thanks for defending me on CNN. It meant a lot to me.\"\n\n\"Evan.\"\n\nHe waited.\n\nFinally she said, \"I'll find someone to help you. How can I reach you?\"\n\n\"It's better for you if I just call you back. The less you know, the better.\"\n\n\"I'm so sorry about your mom. She was a terrific woman. And your dad...\"\n\n\"Thank you.\"\n\n\"Call me back in an hour.\"\n\n\"Okay.\" He hung up. He wondered if she would call the police straightaway. He called Kathleen Torrance back in precisely an hour, using the hotel phone. Khan's cell phone was strictly for talking with Jargo.\n\n\"Evan. A hacker gave me the name of a friend of his in London. I called the friend. His hacker name is Razur. He doesn't want you to know his real name. He said he'd meet you tonight at this caf\u00e9. You got a pen?\" She gave him an address in Soho.\n\n\"Thank you, Kathleen.\"\n\n\"I beg you. Let the police handle this.\"\n\n\"I would if I could. It's complicated.\"\n\n\"Will you call me back? Let me know you're all right?\"\n\n\"When I can. Be well, Kathleen. Thanks.\" He hung up.\n\nHe went downstairs, asked the desk clerk for directions to the caf\u00e9 Razur had suggested. He got back in Khan's car, steeled himself for driving on the opposite side of the road, and headed out into the chilling, cutting rain.\n\n#\n\nYOU WERE VERY PERSUASIVE, Mitchell,\" Jargo said. \"I'm proud of you. That was a difficult conversation.\"\n\n\"I don't want him hurt.\" Mitchell Casher closed his eyes.\n\n\"None of us want Evan hurt.\" Jargo set coffee down in front of Mitchell. \"I hate to criticize, but you should have told him about us long ago.\"\n\nMitchell shook his head. \"No.\"\n\n\"I told Dezz as soon as he was old enough to understand. We get to work together. It's very nice to work with your son.\"\n\n\"I wanted a different life for Evan. The way you wanted a different life for all of us.\"\n\n\"I applaud the sentiment, but it's misplaced. You didn't trust him, so you put him in greater danger, made it more likely he could be used by our enemies.\" Jargo stirred his own coffee. \"You seemed to win his trust back, at least to a degree.\"\n\n\"I did,\" Mitchell said in a hard voice. \"You don't need to doubt him. Your tape convinced him. He's got a false ID, he's got cash, he can get back here.\"\n\n\"It bothers me he wouldn't let us come fetch him. Bothers me a lot. This could be a CIA trap.\"\n\n\"Your contacts would tell you if he'd been found.\"\n\n\"I hope.\" Jargo sipped at the coffee, watched Mitchell. \"He seemed to soften toward you, but I'm not convinced.\"\n\n\"I can persuade my son our best interests are his best interests. You trust me, don't you?\"\n\n\"Of course I do.\" And behind the frown of family concern, Jargo allowed himself a regretful smile. What was the opening line of _Anna Karenina_? Bast had given Jargo a copy of the book a week before Jargo had killed him. The line was arch nonsense about every unhappy family was unhappy in its own way. The Jargos and the Cashers, he decided, were truly unique in their misery.\n\nHe left Mitchell alone in his room and went downstairs to the lodge kitchen. He wanted quiet in which to think.\n\nThe boy might be lying about having Khan's laptop, but Jargo decided he wasn't. He wanted his father back too badly. He wondered if Dezz would fight so hard for him. He thought not. That was good, because to fight for what could not be won was stupid.\n\nAnd he loathed stupidity. He'd lightened the world's burden of two idiots today. Khan had gotten too lazy, too complacent, too self-important. Losing him, losing Pettigrew as a client, were setbacks but not a crippling loss. He could let Galadriel take over Khan's duties; her loyalty was unquestioned, and she had no bitter offspring to get underfoot, no ego cultivated in boardrooms. Pettigrew had been slow to pay for a hit on a senior CIA official in Moscow whom he personally disliked and whose job he coveted. Khan had no involvement with Jargo's American properties; otherwise staying here at the lodge, under the empty black skies, would have been too risky.\n\nJargo poured a fresh cup of coffee, studied its steam. The boy couldn't crack the laptop; at least Khan had done one thing right. And Mitchell had, if words were to be believed, snared his own child into a death trap.\n\nHe would have a Deep operative do the hit on Evan, after he had delivered the client list and Khan's laptop. Without killing Mitchell, of course: from a distance, with a high-powered sniper's rifle. He suspected Mitchell would want to talk to the boy alone. An attack staged on father and son, he decided, and poor Evan just stepped the wrong way and put his brains in a bullet's path. He liked the approach because it would stoke Mitchell's fury, make him easier to manipulate. Evan dead, Donna dead, that grief could make Mitchell even more productive in the years to come.\n\nBut he had to prepare for every eventuality, act as though meeting Evan was a CIA trap, and seal every exit. He picked up a cell phone, made a call.\n\nJargo then crushed a sedative into a glass of orange juice to keep Mitchell calm and took the doped drink back upstairs. He had a long night ahead of him.\n\n#\n\nRAZUR WAS THIN, like his sharp-edged namesake. He wore a goatee dyed platinum blond and black eyeglasses, and a Celtic cross was tattooed on the back of his neck. \"Evan?\"\n\n\"Yes. Razur?\"\n\nRazur shook hands with him and sat down at Evan's table, in the far back corner of the caf\u00e9. He tilted his head at Evan. \"Your eyes look like you just smoked yourself a big chronic.\"\n\n\"Chronic?\"\n\n\"A potent joint, mate.\"\n\n\"Oh.\" Evan shook his head. \"No. You want a coffee?\"\n\n\"Yeah, black. Largest they got.\"\n\nThe caf\u00e9 was grimy and funky, but not too busy, a line of computers on one side of the metallic wall, young people Web-surfing while downing juices, teas, and coffees. Evan got up and ordered the drink from the barista. He sensed Razur's gaze on him the whole time. Evaluating him as a series of problems to be broken down into his constituent parts and solved. Or maybe revisiting the marijuana theory and deciding Evan's request was the result of reefer madness. Evan came back to the corner table and set a steaming cup in front of Razur.\n\nThe hacker took a cautious sip. \"I'm told you're being raked over by nasty people.\"\n\n\"The less you know the better.\" Evan didn't want to get into the details of the Deeps or their entanglement with the CIA.\n\nRazur gave a thin smile. \"But you've gotten their dirty secrets.\"\n\n\"Yes. On a laptop. But I can't get past the password.\"\n\n\"I won't either,\" Razur said. \"Without the cash.\"\n\nEvan handed him a laundry bag from the hotel. Razur peeked inside at the money.\n\n\"Count it if you want.\"\n\nRazur did, fast, under the table, where the bricks of cash wouldn't draw attention. \"Thanks. Sorry I'm not a trusting soul. You got the system?\"\n\n\"Yes.\" Evan brought the laptop out of a shopping bag he'd found in the back of the Jaguar.\n\n\"I'm not really into breaking the law, I'm into technical challenges, showing up the losers who think they're so smart but they aren't. Savvy?\"\n\n\"Savvy.\"\n\nRazur popped open his own sleek laptop, revved it up, cabled it to the Ethernet port of Khan's machine. \"I'll run a program. If the password can be found in a dictionary, we're in.\"\n\nHe clicked keys. Evan watched as words began to rapid-fire scroll on a screen, faster than he could read them, throwing themselves against the gates of Khan's laptop fortress.\n\nAfter a few moments Razur said, \"No joy. We'll try it with alphanumerics thrown in at random and variant misspellings.\" Razur slurped at his coffee. Watched the slow, solemn rise of a status bar as millions of new combinations attempted to speak the open sesame of Khan's laptop.\n\n\"Hey, do you know much about handhelds?\" Evan asked.\n\n\"Not my specialty. Low-powered buggers.\"\n\nEvan pulled Khan's PDA out of his pocket, used his thumbprint to open it.\n\n\"Biometric security,\" Razur said. \"What have you got on your to-do list, stealing a nuclear weapon?\" He laughed.\n\n\"Not today. What are these programs? I don't recognize them.\"\n\nRazur studied the small screen. \"My. I'd like to play with these. This one's a cellular interference program\u2014it would emit a signal to jam any cell phone in the room.\" He grinned mischievously, eyeing the several customers chatting on their phones. \"Should we try?\" Tapped the pad without waiting for Evan's answer.\n\nWithin ten seconds everyone was frowning at his or her phone.\n\n\"Ah, I think I just broke a law.\" Razur tapped again and the phone service seemed to return as the customers redialed and started their conversations again.\n\n\"And this one\"\u2014Razur tapped it open, studied the program with a frown\u2014\"it's like what I'm using on your laptop. But specialized. For keypad alarm systems. Most have only a four-digit password. Patch into the alarm system and it would decipher and activate the code.\"\n\n\"You mean it would give me the code of an alarm system on the screen so I could enter it?\"\n\n\"I think that's what it's designed to do. Hmmm. This one copies a storage card or a hard drive. Compresses the data so it would fit on this PDA.\"\n\n\"You couldn't copy a whole computer hard drive using this, though, could you?\"\n\n\"No. Not this. Too small. But another PDA, or a set of files, sure.\"\n\n_Maybe my mother used an approach like this to steal the files from Khan_ , Evan thought. \"It would be fast?\"\n\n\"Sure. If you grab other files along with it, no problem. Grab a whole folder, it's faster than searching and grabbing for files. If you can compress it, all the better.\" He handed him back the PDA, his eyebrow raised. \"You steal this from the spooks?\"\n\n\"Spooks?\"\n\n\"Spies.\"\n\n\"You don't want to know.\"\n\n\"I don't,\" Razur said.\n\nEvan watched the status bar slowly inching its progress. _Please_ , he thought, _crack. Give me the files._ But they weren't just files: they were a lifetime's worth of secrets, the financial trails of terrible deceits, the record of lives snuffed out for dirty money. He had one hand to play with Jargo, and it was on these files.\n\nRazur lit a cigarette. \"I could hack a porn site while we're waiting. Cover up the tits with pictures of prominent politicians. I'm very antiporn these days. I've gone all Victorian.\"\n\nEvan shook his head. \"I want your opinion on an idea of mine. If we crack the password, but the files on the laptop are encrypted, would that keep you from copying them to another computer?\"\n\n\"Possibly. Depends on how they're encrypted. Or if they're copy-protected.\"\n\n\"The program to de-encrypt the files has to be on this laptop, right? I mean, you would need to edit files, so you would have to decrypt them first, make changes, and lock them back up.\"\n\n\"Yes. If the unlocking program's not on the laptop, it needs to be in a place where it can be downloaded easily. Otherwise it's like a lockbox without a key, worthless. If your bad guy stashed a custom program on a remote server, I'll dig through his cache, if it hasn't been erased, to track it, or I'll have to hack into his service provider.\" Razur grinned. \"I detect an evil idea about to take flight.\"\n\n\"So we could decode the files,\" Evan said, running a finger along the smooth edge of the laptop, \"and hide a copy. On a server where I could retrieve a copy off the Web. Then we encrypt the hard drive of this laptop again, using the same locking software and the original password. I give the bad guys their encrypted laptop, they might believe I never, ever saw the files. It's like returning a locked box to them that I never had the key for. So they think I'm no longer a real threat to them.\"\n\nRazur nodded.\n\n\"Or even if they kill me, the files could still be used to cut off the balls of said bad guys. It would be my ace in the hole.\"\n\n\"No guarantees,\" Razur said, \"that I can even break this system open.\"\n\n\"Then I think I need a Plan B.\" Evan toyed with the possibilities. He smiled at Razur. \"I'm going to need a bit more help from you. Of course I'll pay extra.\"\n\n\"Sure.\"\n\n\"Tell me, do you play poker?\"\n\n# FRIDAY\n\n## MARCH 18\n\n#\n\nTHE MEN CAUGHT EVAN AT HEATHROW Airport early Friday afternoon. He made an effort to look like any young tourist. He wore fresh-pressed khakis and a new black sweater, tennis shoes, and sunglasses bought from Razur. His hair was still CIA-short but now it was platinum-white, courtesy of Razur's much-tattooed girlfriend. The men let him approach the British Airways counter, buying a round-trip ticket to Miami, paying with cash, even let him glide through security. He used the South African passport he stole from Gabriel a lifetime ago. He was nearly to his gate when the agents came up on both sides of him, said, \"This way, Mr. Casher, please don't make a fuss,\" with cool politeness, and so he didn't. Suddenly walking next to him and in front of and behind him were six British MI5 officers, and they boxed and steered him with grace.\n\nNo one around Evan realized he had been plucked into custody.\n\nThe agents escorted him into a small, windowless room. It smelled of coffee. Bedford stood at the end of a conference table. Then Evan saw Carrie on the other side of the room. She rushed to him, embraced him. \"Thank God you're okay.\"\n\nShe held him for a long minute, tight, and he gave in to her embrace, being careful of her hurt shoulder.\n\n\"I thought you were dead,\" she said into his neck.\n\n\"I'm sorry. I tried to stop your car but you didn't see me. I was too far away. But I knew you were alive. You're okay?\"\n\n\"Yes. British intelligence had a team following us. They found me after the blast. Took me to a safe house for questioning.\"\n\nShe pulled back from him, kissed him quickly, put her hand on his cheek. Giddy in her relief. \"What's with the Sting look?\"\n\nHe shrugged. Bedford came forward, put his hand on Evan's shoulder. \"Evan. We are all tremendously relieved that you're alive and well.\"\n\nAnother man sat next to Bedford: clipped hair, good suit, a face bland as air. \"Mr. Casher. Hello. I'm Palmer, MI5.\"\n\n\"My counterpart, of sorts,\" Bedford said. \"Not his real name. You understand.\"\n\n\"Hello,\" Evan said. He ignored Palmer's outstretched hand, shrugged his shoulder out from under Bedford's grip.\n\n\"Evan?\" Carrie eased him into the chair next to her. \"What's the matter?\"\n\n\"My problem is with you,\" Evan said to Bedford. \"You delivered us into the hands of a murderer.\"\n\nBedford went pale. \"I'm sorry. We've looked at every moment Pettigrew's spent in the Agency for the past fifteen years and still haven't found the connection to Jargo.\"\n\n\"I know where you can get the accounts linking Pettigrew and Jargo. And maybe, just maybe, I'll give it to you. But you and I have to make a deal.\"\n\n\"A deal.\"\n\n\"I don't think you can keep me alive, Mr. Bedford. You're so worried about showing your face you don't know who to trust. I'm not waiting to be shot by Pettigrew, Part Two.\"\n\nCarrie asked Bedford, \"Could I talk to Evan alone?\"\n\nBedford measured the chill in the room and gave a quick nod. \"Yes. Palmer, let's you and I talk outside, please.\" They shut the door behind them.\n\nCarrie took his hand. \"How could you let me believe you were dead? I've spent the past twenty-four hours grieving.\"\n\n\"I am truly sorry. But I didn't know who other than you and Bedford I could trust. Clearly Bedford doesn't know, either. I wasn't going to phone in and walk back into the arms of another Pettigrew.\"\n\n\"How did you get information tying Pettigrew to Jargo?\" she said.\n\n\"I got resourceful.\"\n\n\"Will you give it to me?\"\n\n\"No. If I hand it over, my father is dead. I need your help. I have to get out of here.\" Evan spoke in the barest whisper. \"If Jargo gets word that the CIA has picked me up, he'll call off trading me the files for my dad.\"\n\n\"You really have the files.\" She sounded stunned.\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\n\"I can't go against Bedford. You're not thinking straight.\"\n\n\"I'm so far down the rabbit hole now... I can't trust anyone. Jargo not to kill me, Bedford to protect me. You to love me.\"\n\n\"I do love you.\"\n\nHe was suddenly afraid the poker face he'd worn the whole day would crack. He closed both his hands around hers. \"I want to forget everything. I want us to have a normal life. But that's not going to happen while we're still down the rabbit hole. I have to take the fight right to Jargo, and I've got a way to stop him cold, but I need your help. I have to get to Florida. I need you to stay here, out of harm's way.\"\n\n\"Evan...\"\n\nBedford opened the door. Walked in without waiting to see if their conversation was done. Palmer and one of the MI5 officers followed him into the room, the officer carrying Evan's luggage. He set it down and left, shutting the door behind him.\n\nCarrie mouthed, _He won't let you go._\n\n\"Evan,\" Bedford said. \"What do I have to do to regain your trust?\"\n\n\"It's gone. You've got leaks, and those will get me and my dad and Carrie killed. Now we can talk about a deal or you can let me go.\"\n\n\"You're not going anywhere, Mr. Casher.\" Now Palmer spoke. \"Would you open your bag for us, please?\"\n\nEvan did, deciding to let them think they were still in charge for another minute. He saw the bag had already been searched. It held only a few clothes that he had bought and a few thousand in American cash. He had left Khan's gun with Razur.\n\n\"Your carry-on, please,\" Palmer said.\n\nEvan opened up a small briefcase bag. Palmer reached in and pulled out a laptop computer.\n\n\"What's this?\" Bedford held up the computer.\n\n\"A laptop.\"\n\nBedford opened up the laptop, powered it on. \"It's passworded.\"\n\n\"Yeah.\"\n\n\"Enter the password, please, Evan.\"\n\n\"I don't know it.\"\n\n\"You don't know your own password.\"\n\n\"That's Thomas Khan's computer.\"\n\n\"How did you get it?\"\n\n\"Doesn't matter,\" Evan said. \"I did what I said I promised, which is get the files my mother stole. Khan is Jargo's moneyman. Or was. He's dead.\" Evan raised his hands in mock surrender to Palmer. \"It was self-defense. In case you're prosecuting me.\"\n\nPalmer shook his head.\n\nEvan turned to Bedford. \"Here's the deal. Let me go get my dad. I guarantee I'll still give you what you need to take down Jargo, but my dad and I, and Carrie, if she wants\"\u2014he turned to her, and she nodded\u2014\"we vanish on our own terms.\"\n\nBedford sank into his chair. \"Evan. You know I can't agree to your request.\"\n\n\"Then I get a lawyer and I talk a mile a minute about CIA officers carrying explosive devices into Kensington bookshops. Your choice.\"\n\n\"Don't threaten me, son,\" Bedford said.\n\n\"I have an alternate suggestion,\" Carrie said. \"Maybe one that will make you both happy.\"\n\nBoth men waited.\n\n\"If Evan trades his dad for this laptop, it requires a meeting. That brings Jargo out in the open. I know him\u2014he'll handle this himself.\"\n\n\"Where is this exchange, Evan?\" Bedford asked.\n\n\"Miami. Read my ticket, Bricklayer.\"\n\n\"I'm not your enemy. I never was,\" Bedford said.\n\n\"I pick the meeting site,\" Evan said to Carrie. \"Once I'm in Miami.\"\n\nCarrie turned to her boss. \"This meeting pulls Jargo into the light. It's our best chance to stop him.\"\n\n\"And he'll be lightly guarded. Maybe just Dezz. He won't tell his operatives a word about this if he can avoid it,\" Evan said quietly. \"No way his network knows they're on the verge of being exposed. He would face a mass, very fatal defection.\"\n\n\"You really think,\" Bedford said, \"that you're running the show now.\"\n\n\"I am. And I don't want my dad put at risk,\" Evan said. \"Anything happens to him, you get nothing.\"\n\n\"I envy your dad, having your loyalty,\" Bedford said. \"But your dad's already at risk, because I'm quite sure Jargo has no intention of letting you leave that meeting alive.\"\n\n\"I've considered that possibility. I have a fallback. We're doing this my way.\"\n\nBedford put his hands flat on the table. \"Would y'all please excuse me and Evan for a moment?\"\n\nThe others got up and left, Carrie shaking her head. She waited for Palmer to step out, then said to Evan's back, \"If you love me, you'll trust me. It's not a complicated equation. Don't fight us. Let us help you.\"\n\nHe didn't look at her. She closed the door behind her.\n\nBedford said, \"This room isn't bugged. But it is soundproof. Just so you know.\"\n\n\"Palmer's not taping?\"\n\n\"No, he's not.\" Bedford took a sip of water. \"If you've arranged a trade of these files on this laptop for your father, I assume you've spoken with your dad.\"\n\nEvan nodded.\n\nBedford said, \"Tell me what he said to you. Word for word.\"\n\n\"Why?\"\n\n\"Because, Evan, I have had a contact among the Deep operatives for the past year. No one else in the CIA even knows I had a contact, including Carrie. I don't know his real name. Your father might be my contact, and he might have sent me a message through you. He knows we would be searching for you until we had conclusive evidence that you were dead.\"\n\nEvan listened to the silence in the room: his own heartbeat, the hum of the heater fending off the wet cold outside.\n\n\"You're lying. You're just trying to get me to cooperate with you.\"\n\n\"Remember I asked you about what your father said on the tape Jargo played at the zoo. I wasn't so interested in the story Jargo peddled to your father; I was listening for code words. Just in case your dad was my guy.\"\n\n\"No.\" Evan's voice rose. \"If Dad was your contact, you would have already known about Goinsville. About the other Deeps. About how to find Jargo and Khan.\"\n\nBedford shook his head. \"The contact approached me. I've never met him. We spoke on the phone; he mailed me cell phones, to be used once, then destroyed. He was extraordinarily careful. I don't even know how he knew to find me, that I was the one charged with finding the Deeps. But he did. He agreed to work with me on a highly limited basis. I wanted to force his hand to do more\u2014to tell me who he was, to tell me more about the Deeps\u2014but he refused. I didn't even know his location, where he lived. I tried to trace him; he always hid his tracks. He gave me nuggets that proved his good intentions: a warning about an Albanian terrorist cell planning an attack in Paris; the location of a Pakistani nuclear scientist who wanted to sell secrets to Iran; the hideout of a Peruvian criminal ring. Every bit of evidence he gave me was correct. There was never face-to-face contact. We never paid him for his services.\"\n\n\"Why would he help you?\"\n\n\"My contact said he disagreed with certain missions Jargo assigned him. He thought they were harmful to American interests. It seemed like he had a complicated relationship with Jargo; he wanted the operations to fail, but he didn't want to hand Jargo over. So he contacted me. I provided him with disinformation to feed back to Jargo's clients.\" Bedford shook his head. \"My contact doesn't know where the other Deeps are to be found. The network remains highly compartmentalized. But he fed us valuable information about what kind of work Jargo did, the nuances and shifts in the underground market for corporate and government secrets.\" Bedford poured himself and Evan glasses of water, pushed a glass toward Evan. \"I had an escape clause with my contact\u2014that when it was time to run, he would identify himself to me and I would get him and his family out. Away from Jargo. To safety. It's what your mother wanted for you. I can't help your mother but I can help you.\"\n\n\"You could have told me about my dad before.\"\n\n\"I don't know if your dad is my contact, Evan. And I wasn't going to let anyone know I had a contact close to Jargo unless I had absolutely no other choice. We've reached that point. Tell me whatever your dad said. Word for word, if you can.\"\n\nEvan pulled the PDA from his pocket, unlocked it with his thumbprint, tapped the Voice Memo application. The conversation with Dezz, then Jargo, then his father, spilled out from the PDA, loud and clear. The two men stared at each other while Mitchell Casher's voice filled the small room. When it was done, Bedford closed his eyes.\n\n\"Look at me,\" Evan said. \"Is he your contact? Is he?\"\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\nA tightness seized Evan's chest. \"If Mom and Dad had just trusted each other...\" He didn't finish the sentence. Mom would have known Dad was helping the CIA. Dad would have known Mom had stolen Jargo's client list as a shield to protect their son. They could have stopped Jargo without a shot being fired, and Mom would be alive.\n\n\"Lies were integral to their lives,\" Bedford said. \"I'm so sorry, Evan.\"\n\nSilence filled the room until Evan spoke. \"Okay. So he's your contact. He's in trouble. What do you do to help him?\"\n\n\"Did he give you those Graham Greene novels?\" Bedford asked.\n\n\"What?\" The question wasn't what he was expecting. \"Yes. Before I started at Rice. He said I should read really brilliant books before I had to wade into the boring junk you read in college.\"\n\n\"Did he ever mention the 'if one loved, one feared' line?\" Bedford leaned forward.\n\n\"I don't remember it if he did. But Greene is his favorite author, so he always talked about the books with me. The line sounds vaguely familiar.\"\n\n\"The quote is from _The Ministry of Fear_. It's a bitter truth. We always risk when we love. It's also a code phrase I established with your father.\" Bedford folded his fingers over his lips.\n\n\"Tell me what it means.\"\n\n\"It means, _Forget me. I can't be rescued._ \"\n\nEvan felt his poker face crack. \"No. No. Your code doesn't matter now. You have to help him.\"\n\nBedford straightened his stance, with a quiet confidence that suggested the battle between them was over. \"Evan. In this business you lose people. It's war. It's sad. I would have liked to have met your dad face-to-face, to have known him. I believe that I might have even liked him. But he's telling me to walk away. I don't know if he believes Jargo, that the CIA killed your mother. It may not matter what he believes. He expected if the CIA caught you, you'd be brought to me, and I'd ask you about anything unusual that he said. Whatever Jargo is setting up in this meeting is a trap. I can't risk it. My team is too small. We'll have to wait for another chance.\"\n\n\"You can't abandon him.\"\n\n\"I can't risk resources to save a dead man. He's warning me off. I'm sure to save you from being anywhere near Jargo.\" Bedford stood. \"My sympathies. We'll head to Washington instead of Miami. We'll get you in a protection program. The government is extraordinarily grateful for what you've done.\"\n\nEvan stayed in his seat.\n\n\"I know this is hard for you to hear. You've lost your mother. But, son, you have Carrie.\"\n\n\"I know.\" Evan stared at the warm mahogany of the tabletop.\n\n\"I give you every assurance we can hide you successfully. Think about where you might want to live. Ireland, or Australia, or\u2014\"\n\nEvan looked up at Bedford. \"No. We're going to Miami.\"\n\n\"I'm sorry, Evan, but no. Out of respect for your father\u2014\"\n\n\"The laptop. Through my film connections, I found a very good hacker. We already removed and hid the files. You'll never find them. You try and access the laptop without the right password, it reformats itself. Only I know where Jargo's client list is. And I'm not telling you unless you get my father back.\"\n\n\"Evan, listen to me\u2014\"\n\n\"The discussion is over.\" Evan stood. \"Are we going to Miami or not?\"\n\n#\n\nYOU'RE WORKING A SCAM ON ME, Evan,\" Bedford whispered so he wouldn't be overheard on the CIA jet. They flew miles above the Atlantic, arrowing south toward Florida. Evan sat in the back, Bedford next to him. Carrie sat at a front window. A fourth passenger, a beefy-necked older man who Evan presumed was a CIA officer Bedford trusted, chatted with her. He'd introduced himself as Frame, no first name mentioned, so Evan was unsure if Frame was a code name like Bricklayer or his real surname. Frame made small talk about the Washington Redskins, apparently his preferred subject. Carrie smiled and nodded and kept glancing at Evan. \"I know a scam when I see it.\"\n\n\"Excuse me?\" Evan asked.\n\n\"I don't think you really have the files, at least, not all of them. You're a responsible kind of guy. If you could take Jargo down in an instant, you would. So you're not telling me everything you know about these files.\"\n\nEvan remained silent.\n\nBedford gave him a crooked smile. \"You are a piece of work, young man. Blackmailing the CIA.\"\n\n\"Not the whole Agency. Just you, Bricklayer.\"\n\n\"Piece of work,\" Bedford repeated. \"I could use a young man like you, Evan.\"\n\n\"No, thank you.\" He knew Bedford meant it as a compliment, but he wanted no more of this world. \"I don't think I'm conning you any more than you're conning me.\"\n\nBedford looked hurt. \"I've been totally straight with you about our plan of attack.\" Bedford had outlined a simple scheme: get Evan to a safe house where he would call and arrange the meeting. He would take a laptop that looked just like Khan's; Bedford assured him Jargo would never get close enough to it to spot any differences or check a serial number. Evan would suggest an immediate rendezvous at a secluded spot where Bedford and his team would take cover, not giving the Deeps time to set up their own counteroperation. Jargo and Dezz would be taken alive if possible, dead if required.\n\n\"Yes, and your plan sounds thorough,\" Evan said. \"Just like Pettigrew taking us around London was.\"\n\nBedford leaned back. \"Everyone on the team has been vetted. They're clean. Pettigrew wasn't a team member, he was a decorated field officer who wouldn't ask too many questions.\"\n\n\"Jargo's worried about his CIA contacts being exposed. He eliminated one by getting rid of Pettigrew.\"\n\n\"I suspect he was a client, not an operative. He was one of the most senior CIA officers in Europe,\" Bedford said. \"You see the challenge I face. How deep Jargo's reach can be. But I promise you, Evan, I'll honor our deal. I'll bring your dad home. This is the best chance we've ever had to get Jargo. We'll have additional personnel in Florida to help us. I'm finally getting every resource I need.\"\n\nEvan glanced toward the front of the plane. Carrie watched him. Frame was reading the _Guardian_ 's headlines to her and commiserating about the state of the world.\n\nEvan might not get another chance. He leaned in close enough to Bedford to smell the mints on the man's breath. \"There's a reason Jargo's been able to infiltrate you, and that's because he knows you so well. The Deeps are a CIA problem, aren't they?\"\n\nBedford frowned.\n\n\"Indulge me for a minute. Spy networks don't spring up out of orphanages. They have to be cultivated. The Agency spawned them. Alexander Bast set up the Deeps for the CIA. You could have agents on American soil who you would never have to acknowledge. A ready-made group of agents you could use for all sorts of clandestine jobs you don't have to explain to Congress, or to anyone. No paper trail of their involvement with the Agency. No blame if anything ever went wrong.\"\n\nBedford said, \"I think that's an incorrect hypothesis.\"\n\n\"So who set up this network?\"\n\n\"Alexander Bast, for his own reasons. I suppose he wanted to make money. Freelance spying. Mr. Bast was a man ahead of his time.\" Bedford stared ahead.\n\n\"You'll never, ever admit it was the CIA, will you? I'm wasting breath asking you.\"\n\nBedford smiled.\n\n\"You'll kill Jargo, even if you don't need to kill him to save my dad. You don't want him talking about your deals with him, the fact he was pinch-hitting dirty jobs for American intelligence. And you can take over the network. Worm your way into every intelligence service and business that uses the Deeps.\"\n\n\"When you and your dad are safe, the Deeps are no longer your concern.\"\n\n\"They have families like mine. And Carrie's. Kids and spouses who have no idea what they do. You'll hunt them down, won't you? Or use them for your own agenda.\"\n\n\"Evan. Please. Not your concern. Your only worry is getting your dad back. As soon as we have him, the two of you are on a plane to a warm, distant paradise, new names, cash, a fresh start.\"\n\n\"What about Carrie?\"\n\n\"Her, too, if she wants to go with you.\"\n\nEvan closed his eyes. He did not sleep. He heard Bedford rise from the chair, cough, pour a drink of water, go talk on the jet's phone, presumably to check on arrangements in Miami. Then Evan heard Carrie slide into the leather chair next to him.\n\n\"So. You've gotten everything you want.\"\n\n\"Not quite yet.\" Kept his eyes closed.\n\n\"The past day has been a nightmare. I thought you were dead. I thought I had made a mistake, that I had failed to protect you.\"\n\nEvan opened his eyes, tilted his head close to hers. \"I don't blame you. I trust you,\" he said in a low whisper, his mouth a bare inch from hers. \"So you should know I don't have the files yet.\"\n\nHer eyes went wide. \"But you told Bedford\u2014\"\n\n\"I told Bedford I had the laptop, with the files on it. My hacker did crack the password on the laptop. But all the files are encrypted. My hacker hasn't been able to break the encryption yet. He may not be able to. We could be at a dead end.\"\n\n\"So the laptop we have\u2014\"\n\n\"\u2014isn't Khan's. It's just a new one, the same model, bought this morning in London. It's my decoy, my fakeout. We put a program on it that will appear to reformat the hard drive if anyone attempts to crack the log-in password. My hacker has Khan's laptop back in London, and he's trying his best to unlock the files. But he hasn't yet. So I'm trusting you. Tell Bedford and maybe he'll break his deal with me to hide me and Dad. I'll only give him the real laptop once Dad and I are clear and gone. And I mean, gone under our own terms. In identities we've set up. Once we're gone, I don't want Bedford or the Agency to ever find us. Ever. My family's involvement ends now and forever. So you have to choose, Carrie. If you want to come with me and Dad, you can. I want to be with you. If you don't, if you want to stay with the Agency, that's your choice. But I'm trusting you with this information.\"\n\n\"What if we can't get your dad back or if Jargo has already killed him?\"\n\n\"I think my dad is Jargo's weakness. I can't be sure, but...\" Evan paused\u2014remembering Jargo's cryptic words the first time they'd spoken on the phone: _We're family, in a way, you and I_ ; hearing Dezz's taunt: _We'll all be like family_ \u2014seeing two boys in a faded photograph who shared similar features. \"I don't think Jargo will kill him.\"\n\n\"He killed your mother.\"\n\n\"But Jargo could have killed him when he found out Mom stole the files, and he didn't. He's kept him alive, fed him a whole story about the CIA killing Mom.\"\n\n\"Will you give the CIA Khan's laptop if your hacker can't break it open?\"\n\n\"Yes. I still vanish, under my own terms, and I'll arrange for Bedford to get the real laptop. Maybe the CIA can crack the encryption if we can't. I don't want Jargo running free. I want him taken down just as much as you do. If I die today, the hacker turns over the laptop to MI5 in London, with a letter explaining what's hidden on the system.\"\n\nShe looked at him, then looked at Bedford.\n\n\"I keep wishing we had met in that coffee shop, just like regular people,\" Evan said, his voice still a whisper. \"That we had our dates and got to know each other, without you already knowing everything about me. That we built trust the way everyday people do. I trust you now. But you have to trust me.\"\n\nNot a moment's hesitation. \"I do.\"\n\nHe put his arm around her. She closed her eyes, leaned into his shoulder. He closed his eyes, and this time he slept, heavily. When he woke up, she was asleep, nestled against his shoulder. For a moment the nearness of her broke his heart. Then the plane began its descent toward Florida, toward Fort Lauderdale.\n\n_I'm coming, Dad, and they won't know what hit them._\n\n# SATURDAY\n\n## MARCH 19\n\n#\n\nFLORIDA AT MIDNIGHT. The air hung heavy with damp, the clouds blotted out the stars. The CIA jet shuttled to a remote hangar at the Fort Lauderdale\u2013Hollywood airport, and two cars\u2014a black Lincoln Navigator and a Lincoln Town Car\u2014waited for the passengers. A woman and a man, dressed in dark suits, stood by the cars. The woman stepped forward as they approached.\n\n\"I'm McNee, out of the Mexico City office. This is Pierce from HQ.\" She handed Frame their credentials. \"Who's Bricklayer?\"\n\n\"I am.\" Bedford didn't introduce the others.\n\n\"Sir, you have several calls to return... regarding the bombing in London yesterday. If you take the Navigator, you can talk privately.\" She gave _privately_ the subtlest stress.\n\nFrame nodded at Carrie and Evan. \"They can ride in the Town Car with McNee and Pierce.\" He handed Carrie her Glock; they had all given their weapons to Frame before boarding the plane.\n\n\"Do you have a piece for Evan?\" Bedford asked. \"I don't want him unarmed until our target's in the morgue.\" As if he didn't even want to say the word _Jargo_ aloud, in a crowd.\n\n\"You know how to use?\" Frame asked.\n\nEvan nodded. Frame went to the Navigator, brought back a Beretta 92FS, showed Evan how to check, load, unload, and put on the safety. Evan put the gun inside the laptop bag and kept his grip on the decoy laptop. \"I'd like to keep hold of the goods, if you don't mind.\"\n\n\"Fine,\" Bedford said.\n\n\"Where are we headed?\" Evan asked.\n\n\"A safe house in Miami Springs. Near the Miami airport. Courtesy of the FBI. We told them we had a Cuban intel agent willing to defect,\" McNee said.\n\n\"Then you'll make your phone call,\" Bedford said.\n\nMcNee gave Evan a kind smile. \"I promise when we get to the house, you'll get a good meal. I like to cook.\" She popped open the trunk, and Carrie and Evan put their luggage inside. Evan kept the decoy laptop clutched against his chest, as though it were the dearest object in the world to him, and McNee held the back door open for them. Pierce, the other CIA operative, got in the front seat.\n\nThey slid onto the cool leather of the backseat. McNee shut the door, got in the driver's seat, and started up the car. \"We'll shake any shadows first.\" She powered up the dividing window between the front and rear seats so that Carrie and Evan could talk in private. Evan glanced back; Bedford was in the passenger seat of the Navigator behind them, already talking on a phone.\n\nEvan stared out at the night. The air felt as warm as a kiss. Billboards, palm trees, and speeding vehicles flashed by. The two cars made a long series of turns and backtracks around the airport, stopping and checking and ensuring no one followed, and then McNee headed onto I-95 South. Even after midnight it was a busy highway.\n\nThey rode in silence for a few minutes.\n\n\"You shouldn't go to the rendezvous point,\" Carrie said.\n\n\"I'm the bait.\"\n\n\"No. Your call is the bait. I don't want you near Jargo. You can't imagine... what he would do to you if he catches you.\"\n\n\"Or to you.\"\n\n\"He'd give me to Dezz,\" Carrie said. \"I'd rather die.\"\n\n\"I'm going. End of story.\" Evan read the signs. An exit to take to the Miami airport. McNee wheeled over fast, taking the 195 East exit toward Miami Beach. But the airport, and the safe house, was to the west.\n\nHe looked through the rearview window; Bedford's Navigator swerved around two cars, horns blaring, staying with them, narrowly avoiding a pickup truck.\n\n\"What's wrong?\" Evan said.\n\nMcNee flashed a look in the rearview mirror, gave a shrug. She pointed at the wire in her ear, as if to suggest she'd been radioed new instructions.\n\nPierce\u2014the CIA guy in the front seat\u2014unhooked his earpiece, fidgeted with a frown. Then he slammed backward into the passenger door and slumped down. McNee raced around a truck, putting distance between her and the Navigator.\n\nPierce wasn't breathing. A bullet hole in his throat. McNee stuck the pistol in the drink holder.\n\nEvan kicked at the reinforced divider as McNee swerved across more lanes of traffic. It didn't budge. \"She's kidnapping us,\" he told Carrie.\n\nEvan stared through the back windshield. Bedford's Navigator vroomed up next to them, a black Mercedes in fast pursuit behind him. Bullets pinged against the driver's side of the Town Car as McNee tore away from Bedford's Navigator. Bedford, from his passenger window, shot at McNee. Flashes, the Mercedes firing at Bedford. But beyond the Mercedes, Evan spotted another car, a BMW, revving up next to the Navigator.\n\nMcNee cranked it to ninety, heading for Miami Beach. The towers of downtown Miami glittered beneath the clouds.\n\n\"Stop or I shoot!\" Carrie ordered. McNee shot her the finger. Carrie fired at the divider, at a point between the dead man and McNee's head: the glass was bulletproof, and the slug hammered flat into the faintly green material.\n\nEvan tested the locks. They'd been stripped; the controls didn't work. He kicked at the window. It was reinforced.\n\nBedford's Navigator accelerated close to the Town Car, like a lion chasing down a gazelle, looking for the battle-ending tenderness of throat. The Mercedes roared on the Navigator's other side in pursuit. Bullet fire from the Mercedes peppered the side of the Navigator's windows, the glass popping into small concentric circles but holding.\n\nEvan slid back the cover on the sunroof, framing a gleam of the moon as it slid between two heavy clouds. He thumbed the control. Sunroof stayed still. He pulled the Beretta from his laptop bag and fired into the sunroof's glass. It held. The boom hurt his ears inside the closed car.\n\n\"We have to get out,\" Carrie said. The Mercedes nicked the Navigator, sparks flying up between the cars like a fountain of light. Gunfire erupted from the Mercedes and the side windows in the Navigator shattered.\n\nEvan saw Bedford return fire from the front passenger side of the Navigator. The Mercedes answered with a burst of bullets and Bedford collapsed, half out the Navigator's window, a smear of blood along the door and the front window.\n\nBedford. Gone.\n\nMcNee's voice crackled to life on the intercom: \"Quit shooting, and you won't get hurt.\"\n\n_There has to be a way out._ Not the windows, not the roof. The seats. Evan remembered a news report he'd seen about a trend in recent models, to make backseats more easily removable to accommodate the constant American hunger for trunk room. _Don't let the Agency have modified everything or we're in a death trap._ He dug his fingers into the seat and pulled. It gave a centimeter. He yanked again.\n\nHe glanced over his shoulder: McNee's eyes burned into his in the rearview, otherworldly, distorted by the pocks in the bulletproof glass. He heaved again at the seat, and now he saw the Navigator veer behind them, its side crunched, Bedford's limp body dangling over the shattered glass, with a horrifying percentage of his head pulverized away. The Mercedes approached to attack the driver's side.\n\nFrame wasn't surrendering. He wasn't abandoning them.\n\nAround them, other late-night Miami Beach traffic sped and spun out of their way, cars steering to the shoulder, drivers reacting in alarm and shock to the war waging in the lanes. With bay on both sides, the highway offered no place to exit until Alton Road and the residential neighborhood edging South Beach.\n\n_She has to slow for the exit. Our chance to get out._ Evan eased the seat back, exposing the dark of the trunk.\n\n\"Go!\" Carrie shouted.\n\nEvan wriggled through into the pitch-black. He swept his arm in the darkness ahead of him. Looking for the thin wire and handle that would release the trunk door from inside. Assuming there still was one. Maybe the CIA or McNee had removed it.\n\nBullets dinged above his head, hitting the trunk's top.\n\nThe Town Car careened to the right, then again to the left. Evan lay wedged in the narrow opening, and the charging rocked him back and forth. He twisted, pulling himself through the tight gap, pushing their small luggage out of the way. Carrie pushed his feet and he popped through the leather canal into the full dark of the trunk. She pushed the laptop bag into the trunk after him.\n\nEvan found and jerked the release cord.\n\nThe trunk popped up and the wind of traveling at ninety miles an hour boomed in his ears. The night lay vacant of stars, the clouds low and heavy over the city like a pall, and the Navigator drove up close to the bumper, ten feet from him, Frame's face a white smear behind the dazzle of the lights.\n\nMcNee urged more from the engine, the speed surging past one hundred as she barreled onto the South Alton Road exit, blasted through a green light, standing on her horn, cars screeching as drivers slammed brakes to avoid crashing into the Town Car.\n\nThe Mercedes charged close and a man leaned out of the passenger side, gun leveled at Evan. Dezz. Grinning, hair flying around his face. Gesturing him back into the trunk.\n\nEvan hunched down. Reached back into the rear seat, groped for Carrie's hand. Nothing.\n\n\"Come on!\" he yelled to her.\n\nThe Mercedes rammed the Navigator again and a second burst of gunfire flared. The Navigator flew over the median through a gap in the palms and flipped. Bedford's body flew from the wreck and tumbled along the asphalt. The Navigator slid on its side in a shower of sparks, nose-diving into a darkened storefront, metal and glass splintering and shattering.\n\nThe Mercedes retreated to the right, then revved forward, coming up close behind the Lincoln. Dezz leaned out the passenger side, fired into the trunk hatch. The bullet hit above Evan, ricocheted into the night. Warning shot; he didn't doubt Dezz could put a bullet through his throat.\n\nEvan steadied his gun and fired.\n\nMissed. He was no pro. He fired again and the bullet popped into the Mercedes's hood. The Mercedes backed off twenty feet. He didn't know the pistol's range, but he wasn't about to waste another bullet. And too many people around; he could miss, kill an innocent bystander.\n\nMcNee lay on the horn, driving with insane abandon, powering down Alton Road, through the maze of beautiful people in their beautiful cars. She would kill people, he couldn't stop her.\n\nBut he could shoot out the tires.\n\nThe idea occurred to him with almost eerie calm. Before she killed innocent people, before she got back on a highway. It was the only way he could take command of the situation.\n\nEvan leaned out again, aimed the gun at the tire below him. He wondered if the tire's exploding would kill him, if the car would somersault into the night sky and kiss the unforgiving concrete. In the car, Carrie might survive. He wouldn't have a prayer.\n\nHe held the gun steady and the Lincoln slowed.\n\n_They see me and they radio McNee. It's like having a gun to her head._\n\nHe fired.\n\nThe tire detonated. The blast of pressure and the car's swerve threw him back into the trunk. The Town Car spun into the oncoming lane; a banner for Lincoln Road passed above his head. Then the car stopped, amid a shriek of brakes.\n\nThe passenger window shattered from inside, Carrie emptying her gun onto the same fracturing point, firing the clip empty. Carrie went out, feet first, hitting the concrete in a tight roll, her arm out of the sling, and the Mercedes skidded to a stop thirty feet from her, crashing into a Lexus.\n\nShe held the decoy laptop in her good hand, raised it like a trophy. And ran. Away from both cars, into the snarl of traffic.\n\nDezz and Jargo came out of the Mercedes and fired at her. Evan took aim but two people got out of the Lexus, between him and Dezz, and he stopped, afraid of hitting them.\n\nDezz fired once at him, pinging the trunk lid, and Evan ducked down. People on the street, in the caf\u00e9s, fled and screamed. He risked a look.\n\nBut Dezz and Jargo ignored him; they saw Carrie had the laptop. Carrie bolted toward the western end of the street; she hurtled into the parting crowd, into traffic, and the two men followed her.\n\nThey vanished around a corner.\n\nEvan heard a police siren approach, the spill of blues and reds racing along the scorching path they'd taken. He grabbed the laptop bag and jumped out of the trunk; McNee's door was open, she ran hard in the opposite direction, her gun out, aiming at anyone who tried to stop her.\n\nThe BMW\u2014that had been behind the Mercedes on the highway\u2014headed straight for him. Braked. The window slid down. \"Evan!\"\n\nHis father behind the wheel, dressed in a dark coat, a bandage on his face.\n\n\"Dad!\"\n\n\"Get in! Now!\"\n\n\"Carrie. I can't leave Carrie.\"\n\n\"Evan! Now!\"\n\nClutching the laptop bag, Evan got in. This was not what he had expected; he thought Jargo had his father locked in a room, tied to a chair.\n\n\"Here.\" Mitchell Casher pulled away from the Mercedes, tore along the sidewalk, steered off the chaos on Alton, took a side road. Then another side road.\n\n\"Dad!\" He grabbed his father's arm.\n\n\"Are you hurt?\"\n\n\"No. I'm fine. Carrie\u2014\"\n\n\"Carrie is no longer your concern.\"\n\n\"Dad, Jargo will kill her if he catches her.\" Evan stared at his father, this stranger.\n\nMitchell took a street that fed back onto Alton, two blocks away from the chaotic mess of the crash, then cruised up to the speed limit on the stretch of road that cut through the bay. On one side, giant cruise ships shimmered with light. On the other, mansions crowded a spit of land, yachts parked on the water.\n\n\"Carrie. Dad, we have to go back.\"\n\n\"No. She's not your concern anymore. She's CIA.\"\n\n\"Dad. Jargo and Dezz killed Mom. _They_ killed her.\"\n\n\"No. Bedford's people did, and we've taken care of them. Now I can take care of you. You're safe.\"\n\nNo. His dad believed Jargo. \"And Jargo just let you go.\"\n\n\"He made sure I had nothing to do with your mother stealing the files and running to Gabriel.\"\n\n\"You were CIA, too. Bedford told me. _If one loved, one feared._ I know the code.\"\n\nMitchell kept his eyes on the road. \"The CIA killed your mother, and I didn't want Bedford coming for me. All that matters now is that you're alive.\"\n\n\"No. We have to be sure Carrie got away from them. Dad, please.\"\n\n\"The only person I work for now, Evan, is myself. The only job I have is to keep you safe, where none of these people can ever find us again. You have to do exactly what I say now, Evan. We're getting out of the country.\"\n\n\"Not without Carrie.\"\n\n\"Your mother and I made enormous sacrifices for you. You have to make one now. We can't go back.\"\n\n\"Carrie's not a sacrifice I'm willing to make, Dad. Call Jargo. See if they got her.\"\n\nHis father drove the BMW past the emergency vehicles racing toward Miami Beach, eased them back onto I-95 North. \"Where are we going, Dad?\" Evan still had the Beretta in his lap, and he imagined the unimaginable: pointing the gun at his father.\n\n\"Not a word, Evan, say nothing.\" His father tapped at his phone. \"Steve. Can you talk?\" Mitchell listened. \"Evan ran into the crowd. I'm still looking for him. I'll call you back in twenty.\" He didn't look at Evan. \"They have Carrie. Dezz winged her in the leg. They carjacked a ride, they escaped from South Beach. But he has Khan's laptop.\"\n\n\"The laptop she had is a decoy,\" Evan said. \"Call him back and tell him I'll trade the files for her safety.\"\n\n\"No. This is over. We're getting out. I did what you asked.\"\n\n\"Dad, stop and call them back.\"\n\n\"No, Evan. We're talking, just you and me. Right now.\"\n\n#\n\nHIS FATHER DROVE EVAN TO A house in Hollywood. The homes were small, with metal awnings, painted from a palette of sky: sunrise pinks, cloudless blues, light eggshell the shade of a full moon. Fifties Florida. Stumpy palmettos lined the road. A neighborhood of retirees and renters, where people came and went without attracting attention. Evan remembered reading, with a chill in his chest and spine, that a group of the 9\/11 hijackers had lived and gone to flight school in Hollywood because no one got noticed there.\n\nMitchell Casher steered into the driveway and doused the lights.\n\n\"I'm not abandoning Carrie.\"\n\n\"She ran. She abandoned you.\"\n\n\"No. She drew them away from me. She knew the laptop was empty, she knew they'd follow her. Because I can still bring down Jargo.\"\n\n\"You put a lot of faith in a girl who lied to you.\"\n\n\"And you put no faith in Mom,\" Evan said. \"She wasn't leaving you. She wasn't running without you. She was coming to Florida to get you.\"\n\nMitchell's mouth worked. \"Let's go inside.\"\n\nAs soon as they stepped in the door, Mitchell closed his arms around Evan. He leaned into his father's embrace and hugged him back. Mitchell kissed his hair.\n\nEvan broke down. \"I... I saw Mom... I saw her dead...\"\n\n\"I know, I know. I am so sorry.\"\n\nHe didn't break the embrace with his dad. \"How could you have done this, how could you?\"\n\n\"You must be hungry. I'll make us omelets. Or pancakes.\" Dad was always the weekend cook, and Evan sat at the island counter while his dad chopped and mixed and skilleted. Saturday breakfast was their confessional. Donna always lounged in bed and drank coffee, left the kitchen to the men and stayed out of earshot.\n\nHe thought of that kitchen, his mother's strangled face, him hanging from the rafters at the end of a rope, dying, stretching his feet toward the counter before the hail of bullets cut him free.\n\n\"I can't eat.\" He stepped away from his father. \"You're really not much of a captive, are you?\"\n\n\"Be happy I'm free.\"\n\n\"I am. But I feel like I've been played for a fool. I risked my life... so many times in the past week, trying to save you...\"\n\n\"Jargo only agreed to let me talk to you this way today. Just today.\"\n\n\"He made it sound like he would kill you.\"\n\n\"He wouldn't have. He's my brother.\"\n\nEvan's stomach twisted. It was the truth of a fear that had lurked in the back of his mind since he'd seen the photos from Goinsville. It explained his father's gullibility, his torn allegiance. He looked in his father's much-loved face for echoes of Jargo's scowl, Jargo's cold stare.\n\n\"I don't know how you can claim him as your brother. He's a vicious murderer. He tried to kill me, Dad. More than once. In our home, at Gabriel's, in New Orleans, in London. And just now.\"\n\nDad poured them both glasses of ice water. \"Let me ask you a few questions.\"\n\nThis was worse than being interrogated with a gun at your head. Because this was reality given an awful twist. Acting normal, talking normal, when nothing was normal.\n\n\"Do you know where the files your mother stole are?\"\n\n\"No. Dezz and Jargo erased them. So I went to the source.\"\n\n\"Khan. What did you actually take from him?\"\n\n\"Plenty.\"\n\n\"That's not an answer.\"\n\nEvan knocked the water glass out of his father's hand. It shattered on the floor, sprayed cubes and liquid across the carpet. \"I don't even know you. I came here to rescue you, and you want to grill me, Dad. We need to go out, get in the car, and get Carrie. Then we run. Forever. Jargo killed Mom. She wanted to protect me from this life, and you know it.\"\n\n\"Just tell me exactly what evidence you have against my brother.\"\n\nA horrible thought occurred to him. \"You told Bricklayer to stay away. You didn't want to be rescued. If you couldn't get me back... you want to stay with these people. You really do believe Jargo. Not me.\"\n\n\"Evan.\" Mitchell looked at his son as though his heart were an open wound. \"It doesn't matter now. We can both go. Both hide. I know how. We never have to worry again.\"\n\n\"You answer me, Dad. You were Arthur Smithson. Mom was Julie Phelps. Why did you have to vanish?\"\n\n\"None of that matters now. It won't make a difference.\"\n\nEvan gripped his father's arm. \"You can't keep any more secrets from me.\"\n\n\"You won't understand.\" Mitchell bent as though in physical pain.\n\n\"I love you. You know that is true. Nothing you can say will make me not love you.\" Evan put his arm around his father. \"We can't run. We can't let Jargo win. He killed Mom, he'll kill Carrie. Doesn't that matter?\" Evan's voice rose. \"You don't even act like you miss Mom.\"\n\nMitchell stepped back in shock, grief twisting his face. \"My heart is broken, Evan. Your mother was my world. If I lost you as well...\"\n\nThe cell phone in Evan's pocket vibrated. Evan opened it. \"Yes?\"\n\nHis father stared at him, looking as if he wanted to reach for the cell phone. But he didn't.\n\nRazur had provided Evan with the phone, and only Razur had the number.\n\n\"They really should name a computer after me,\" Razur said. \"Or an entire programming language.\"\n\n\"You did it.\"\n\n\"I decoded the files. Bloody hell of a job. The files even had passwords against them when decoded. One file was triple-locked, so it must be the grand prize. It's just a list of names and pictures. It's called CRADLE.\"\n\nProbably a code name for the client list. That would be the file most carefully guarded. \"How can you get it to me?\"\n\n\"I'm uploading copies to your remote server account. You can download the files and the encryption software all at once. Can I delete the originals or trash the laptop?\"\n\n\"No. I may need them. But I would suggest you hide them someplace very safe.\"\n\n\"And here I was all tempted to mount that laptop on my wall. Like a tiger I'd brought down.\" Razur was merry with his triumph.\n\n\"Thank you,\" Evan said. \"Enjoy the money.\"\n\n\"I shall.\"\n\n\"You just saved lives.\"\n\n\"That's a bonus, then,\" Razur said.\n\n\"Drop out of sight for a while.\"\n\n\"I'm going on holiday. But you know how to reach me.\"\n\nRazur hung up and Evan erased the number from his call log. He folded up his phone. Time to decide if he could trust his dad.\n\n\"Is there a computer and Internet access in this house?\"\n\n\"Who was that?\"\n\n\"Never mind. Tell me.\"\n\nMitchell licked at his lips. \"Yes. In the back bedroom.\"\n\nEvan went to the bedroom, found a PC connected to broadband. He fired up the computer, accessed the remote server account Shadey had set up for him when he'd called Shadey in Goinsville. \"Where will Jargo take Carrie?\"\n\n\"To a safe house. For questioning.\"\n\n\"Call them. Tell them to let her go. Or Jargo's client list is on the front page of the _New York Times_ tomorrow morning.\"\n\n\"If you hurt him, he'll just go underground and he'll hunt us.\"\n\n\"Is it that you're afraid of him or that he's your brother?\"\n\n\"Both,\" Mitchell said. \"But listen to me. You release that list, we'll be hunted by far more than the Deeps. Intelligence services, criminal rings around the world, will put bounties on our heads.\"\n\n\"Stop with the global guilt trip. You got us into this, I am getting us out of it.\" Evan tapped on the keyboard, downloaded Razur's uploads. There were several. He opened the first one. Account numbers, a good three dozen, in various Swiss and Cayman banks. He clicked open a folder called Logistics: a file inside, one of many, held the requirements for his mother's last assignment in Britain. A third held arrangements to meet with the Israeli Mossad and hand them a Hamas accountant who had reneged on a deal to provide information to Jargo. Photos of the murder of Hadley Khan, his slow torture, taken by Thomas Khan to prove his fealty, to document his loyalty to Jargo over family. And so on. Every document a page in the diary of a secret world.\n\nA document that listed clients. For all the fear and death it had caused, the file was a simple spreadsheet. A few names at the CIA\u2014including Pettigrew's\u2014at the FBI, at Mossad, at both Britain's MI6 and MI5, at Russia's SVR, at the Chinese Guoanbu, at the German and French and South African intelligence agencies. The Japanese. Both the Koreas. Fortune 500 companies. Military commanders. High-ranking government officials.\n\n\"His reach\u2014\" his father said behind him.\n\nEvan clicked back to the folder file for Logistics. He opened a subfolder named Travel. He read the last three entries. A chill rose on his skin.\n\n\"Dad. How did Jargo grab you when you came back to the States?\"\n\n\"I flew into Miami on Wednesday night\u2014he called me back from my job early. He said there was a problem, he had to hide me. They took me to the safe house and he locked me up.\"\n\n\"Wednesday. Then what?\"\n\n\"He and Dezz went to Washington to get a lead on Donna's contact at the CIA.\"\n\n\"No. They went to Austin.\" He pointed at a listing in the logistics file. \"Khan arranged for a charter flight for them, from Miami to Austin on Thursday. They went to see Mom. Or to watch her. Maybe she spotted Dezz or Jargo, knew she was being trailed. That's what triggered her to run Friday morning.\"\n\nHis father stared at the screen.\n\nEvan clicked down to another spreadsheet. UK operations. Money funneled into an account in Switzerland, from one to another. \"Dad. Look. This transfer. Who is Dundee?\"\n\nHis father had found his voice again. \"An agent's code name.\"\n\n\"Paid the day I arrived in London and Jargo tried to bomb me. Dundee is probably the bomb maker.\"\n\nMitchell sank to the floor, still staring at the computer.\n\nThe final document\u2014titled CRADLE\u2014sat alone at the window's bottom. Evan clicked it open as his father grabbed his hand and said, \"Don't, son, please, don't.\"\n\n#\n\nTOO LATE. EVAN OPENED CRADLE. It held old photos\u2014of children. Sixteen children. One of his father, with his wide smile. His mother was a blonde wisp of a child, high-cheekboned, her hair twisted in a garish, girlish braid. Jargo at seven already had the flat, cold eyes of a killer. A sweet-faced girl looked like a childish version of the driver McNee. Names lay underneath each photo. He stared at his parents and Jargo. And Carrie's father.\n\nArthur Smithson. Julie Phelps. John Cobham. Richard Allan.\n\n\"Those were your real names,\" Evan said. \"What happened to your parents?\"\n\n\"They all died. We never knew them.\"\n\n\"Where were you born?\"\n\nHis dad didn't answer. Instead he asked, \"Did you download the encryption software?\"\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\nHis father leaned over and clicked buttons. Dropped the CRADLE document on it again and the file reopened.\n\nNot the CIA. Not an independent organization that Alexander Bast had started and Jargo had hijacked. New names lay beneath each schoolchild photo.\n\nHis mother. Julija Ivanovna Kuzhkina.\n\nHis father. Piotr Borisovich Matarov.\n\nJargo. Nikolai Borisovich Matarov.\n\n\"No,\" Evan said.\n\n\"We were a great, great secret,\" his father said behind him. In tears. \"The seeds of the next wave of Soviet intelligence. The gulags were full of women, political dissidents, who were not allowed to keep their children. Our fathers were either other dissidents or prison guards who impregnated the women. Our mothers got to see us\u2014once a month, for an hour\u2014until we were two and then never got to see us again. Most of the children ended up in labor or reeducation camps. Alexander Bast went through the camps. He found the female prisoners with the highest IQs\u2014giving them legitimate tests, because the Soviets claimed dissidents were mentally damaged and had low IQs\u2014and he tested their two-year-olds, and then he took a group of us away.\"\n\n\"Bast was CIA.\"\n\n\"And KGB. He was a KGB-dangled double agent. His loyalty was to the USSR. He played the CIA for fools.\"\n\nEvan touched the screen, the photo of his mother. \"He transformed you into little Americans.\"\n\n\"In Ukraine, the Soviets built a replica of an American town. Called Clifton. Bast had another complex near it. We had the best English and French teachers, we spoke it like natives. We were even taught to mimic accents: Southern, New Englander, New Jersey.\" Mitchell cleared his throat. \"We even had American textbooks, although our instructors were quick to point out Western falsehoods in favor of Soviet truth. And from an early age, we were taught tradecraft. How to fight, if needed. How to kill. How to lie. How to spy. How to live a completely double life. We grew up in constant training, programmed for success, for fearlessness, to be the best.\"\n\nEvan put his arm around his father.\n\n\"At the time, Soviet intelligence was in disarray,\" Mitchell said. \"The FBI and the CIA kept rolling up and shutting down Soviet operations and agents in the States, because so many of the American-born agents had ties to the Communist Party before World War Two. And if you were a Soviet diplomat, the FBI and CIA knew you were also likely KGB\u2014it tied the spies' hands, constantly. The illegals\u2014spies living under deep cover\u2014were more successful. Or at least Bast sold the upper echelon of the KGB on this idea. Very few knew of the program. It was identified under a training program called CRADLE on budgetary documents and reports, and given an extremely low profile. No one could know. The investment that would have been lost was too much, much more than training an adult agent.\"\n\n\"Then Bast brought you to the orphanage in Ohio.\"\n\n\"He bought it. Set us up in our new names and identities\u2014\"\n\n\"\u2014and then promptly destroyed the orphanage and the courthouse. Giving you a fallback position if your identity papers were ever questioned. And a source for new identities when needed.\"\n\nMitchell nodded.\n\n\"To grow up and be spies.\" Evan pictured his parents as children, drilled, trained, groomed for a life of suspicion and deceit. In the photos they looked as if they just wanted to go outside and play.\n\nMitchell nodded again. \"To be sleeper agents. But we were to attend college\u2014our scholarships paid from an orphans' fund run by a company that was a front for Bast\u2014and then he, as a longtime trusted CIA operative, would smooth the road for recruitment.\"\n\n\"Into the CIA.\"\n\n\"Yes. Or land us jobs in defense, energy, aviation... wherever would be useful. We were to be flexible. To focus on operations. To wait for opportunities. To serve when summoned.\"\n\n\"And as the Smithsons, you got a job as a translator for military intelligence, and Mom worked for the navy. You were perfectly placed. Why did you become Mitchell Casher?\"\n\n\"For you.\" Now his father seemed to draw strength from the moment. He stood before Evan, his hands folded in front of his waist like a penitent, his eyes moist with tears, his voice strong. Not trembling.\n\n\"I don't understand, Dad.\"\n\n\"We saw what America was. Freedom. Opportunity. Honesty. For all its warts, its problems\u2014America is a paradise. We wanted to raise our children here, Evan, without fear. Without worry that we would be caught and killed or summoned back to Russia, where our parents had been in jail and we'd never been given a choice in our lives. Did you know at Clifton, we had to be taught how to make choices? How to deal with real independence?\" Mitchell shook his head. \"We had freedom; we had interesting work; we had food in our stomachs and no lines to stand in. We knew we had been lied to. Completely lied to.\"\n\nEvan put his arm around his father once more.\n\n\"The only thing that shielded us from the KGB was Bast. He was our sole handler, our sole contact. We were not listed in official KGB files. We were not acknowledged. We were not even given credit for the operations we ran that were successful. If I stole computer-networking technology, Bast invented a fictitious traitor or onetime agent who had stolen it. The KGB command never knew I existed. Otherwise those fools in the KGB\u2014more like a black hole than a bureaucracy\u2014would have gotten impossibly greedy; asked us for the moon and stars and destroyed us all by giving us impossible jobs. The Soviets had just invaded Afghanistan; Bast told Jargo that he might be reassigned to run the networks the Soviets were building in Kabul. If he was moved out of position, it would have exposed us all to the greed and incompetence that was rife in the KGB's American operations.\"\n\n\"You would have had to work according to the KGB's rules. Not Bast's.\"\n\n\"In a strange way, we were like his children.\" Mitchell closed his eyes. \"Your mother was pregnant with you, a few of the other Deeps had married, started having children. Building real lives.\" He swallowed again. \"We were not supposed to be in contact with each other, but we were. My brother saw an opportunity. We would finally be real Americans. We'd be capitalists about our work.\"\n\n\"So the Deeps killed Bast. Two shots from two different guns. Jargo and another Deep.\"\n\n\"Me,\" Mitchell said in a soft voice. \"Jargo and your mother and I went to London. Shot him. Jargo first, then me. It was like killing my own father. But I did what I had to do. For you. To give you a chance.\" Mitchell swallowed. \"We killed him and the few we could reach in Russia who knew about CRADLE. It was less than ten men at that point. That file of us as children, it looks like a scanned paper I saw once of all of us, back in Russia. It belonged to Bast.\"\n\n\"And Khan kept it. For insurance, in case you all betrayed him the way Jargo did Bast,\" Evan said.\n\n\"I think you're right. We created the evidence and fed it to one of Bast's KGB handlers, that he had been murdered by the CIA, his fictional agents eliminated by the CIA. We all vanished from the lives we had lived. You were only a few months old then.\"\n\n\"But once the Soviet Union fell... you could have stepped forward.\"\n\n\"We had been spying for years by then, Evan. For the CIA. Against the CIA. We were freelance and we were very good. We could hardly step forward and say, 'Hey, we're a very successful network of former KGB agents, we've been doing the jobs too dirty for your own budgets, for your own people.' We would have been seen as the ultimate loose cannons, hunted by every intelligence service. Some of our clients, they've been using us for twenty-five years. They've risen far in their careers. We couldn't come forward. We had... built wonderful lives.\"\n\n\"So you did deals with everyone and their brother.\"\n\n\"We were the town whores of intelligence work. We stole from the Israelis for the Syrians. We kidnapped old Germans in Argentina for the Israelis. We stole from German scientists and sold to KGB agents who never knew we were once their colleagues. Corporate espionage because it's fast and lucrative.\" Mitchell ran his hand along his face. \"Espionage is illegal in every country. There is no clemency. Even ex-KGBers that are working as consultants now in the U.S., they had not done what we had. They had not committed murder. They had not lived under false names. They had not sold their services to the highest bidder.\"\n\n\"And this noble work was done for my sake.\"\n\n\"For you. For Carrie. For ourselves and all our children. We didn't want you to never have choices. We didn't want to take you away from everything you had ever known. We\"\u2014here Mitchell's voice broke, that of a boy torn from a mother's arms\u2014\"we didn't want you to be taken from us. We wanted to be alive and free.\"\n\nThe shock of his statement made Evan's bones feel like water. \"This isn't freedom, Dad. You haven't been able to do what you wanted. Be what you wanted. You just traded one cage for another.\"\n\n\"Don't judge me.\"\n\nEvan stood. \"I'm not staying in the cage you built for yourself.\"\n\nMitchell shook Evan's shoulders. \"It wasn't a cage. Your mother got to be a photographer. I got to work with computers. Our choices. And you got to grow up free, not afraid, not with us rotting in a prison, just like our mothers.\" Mitchell's mouth contorted in fury and grief; rage fired his eyes.\n\n\"Dad...\"\n\n\"You don't know the evil you were saved from, Evan. I don't mean the evil of murder. I mean the evil of oppression. Of your soul suffocating. Of constant fear.\"\n\n\"I know you think you did the right thing for me.\"\n\n\"There's no 'think' about it\u2014I did, your mother and I did!\"\n\n\"Yes. Dad.\" Evan drew his father into a long embrace, and Mitchell Casher shuddered. \"It's okay. I will always love you.\"\n\nHis father hugged back, fiercely.\n\n\"You did the right thing at the time,\" Evan said. \"But this life killed Mom, and it has nearly killed me and you both. Please. We have a chance to end it. We can go anywhere else. I'll dig ditches, I'll learn a new language. I just want what's left of my family to stay together.\"\n\nMitchell sank down in the chair in front of the computer and put his face in his hands. Then he sat up, quickly, as though he'd assumed an unnatural posture.\n\n_He has to be ready all the time. Every moment that he's awake._ Then Evan realized he had moved to that same edge of life, in just a week. He went to the computer, studied the faces of the lost children. He took Khan's PDA from his pocket, wirelessly moved all the client names and agent names from the files on the computer onto the PDA.\n\n\"What are you doing?\" Mitchell said.\n\n\"Insurance.\" Evan erased the downloaded files from the PC. Erased the browser history so it wouldn't point back at the remote server. He shut down the laptop and closed the lid. He could redownload the files from the Internet again. If he lived.\n\n\"The files paint a target on our backs. You should destroy them,\" Mitchell said. Evan wondered which face his father wore now: the protective dad, the frightened agent, the resolute killer. Evan's skin went cold with shock and with fear.\n\n\"I'm afraid of you,\" he said.\n\nPiotr Matarov, Arthur Smithson, Mitchell Casher, looked up at him.\n\nEvan walked out of the bedroom. In the small breakfast nook, his father's raincoat lay over the back of a chair. Evan dug around in it, pulled out a satellite phone. Clicked it on, paged through the few numbers listed. One for J. He carried the phone back to his father.\n\n\"You did what you did to have your life. I have to stop Jargo to have mine. I cannot let him kill Carrie, and I cannot let him get away with killing Mom. He gets stopped in his tracks. Now. You can either help me, or not. But before you walk away, I need you to make this phone call.\" Evan put his hand on his father's arm. \"Call. Find out if Carrie's all right. You haven't seen me. I got away.\"\n\nMitchell clicked, rang. \"Steve.\" A pause. \"Yes.\" Another pause. \"No. No, he got away from me. He has a friend or two in Miami. I might try them.\" A pause. \"Don't kill her. She might know where Evan would go. Or if I find him, she could be useful in bringing him in. We still need to know how large Bricklayer's group is.\" Mitchell spoke with a soldier's brisk tone. Weighing options, offering countermoves, speaking like a man comfortable in shadows. \"All right.\" He clicked off. \"They're at the safe house. Our final stop on our escape route. She's still alive. He's... questioning her. He wants the password to the laptop.\"\n\nWhat had she said in the car? _He'll give me to Dezz. I'd rather be dead._\n\n\"She doesn't know the password. That computer's empty, anyway.\" _Except for my fallback, my poker bluff for Jargo, if he ever cracks it._\n\n\"I bought her time,\" Mitchell said. \"But it won't be pleasant for her.\"\n\n\"Where is she?\"\n\nMitchell shook his head. \"You can't save her.\"\n\n\"I can. If you help me. Just tell me where Jargo has her.\"\n\n\"No. We're running. Just you and me. Never mind Carrie. You and me.\"\n\nEvan took the Beretta from his coat pocket. He didn't raise it. \"I'm sorry.\"\n\n\"Evan, put that away.\"\n\n\"You made the tough choices, Dad, for me. Because you loved me. But I'm not leaving Carrie. Tell me where she is. If you don't want to go, it's your choice.\"\n\nHis father shook his head. \"You don't know what you're doing.\"\n\n\"I absolutely do. Your choice.\"\n\nMitchell closed his eyes.\n\n#\n\n_I T WILL END TONIGHT_, Evan thought. _One way or another, all the years of lies and deceit end. Either for my family or for Jargo._\n\nMitchell drove north to 75 West\u2014nicknamed Alligator Alley. As they headed west, the night cleared and the adrenaline settled into Evan's flesh and bones like a permanent high. They listened to a news station out of Miami; McNee was dead, shot by a police officer as she tried to flee the scene in Miami Beach.\n\n\"Jargo won't kill Carrie right away. They'll want to know everything that the CIA knows\u2014they'll take their time. Jargo can't afford to let the CIA work another mole into the network.\"\n\n\"Will Jargo torture her?\" _Torture._ It wasn't a verb you wanted within a mile of the woman that you loved.\n\n\"Yes.\" The answer sounded flat in the dark space between them. \"You cannot dwell on Carrie, Evan. If you go in thinking about Carrie... or your mother... you'll die. You must focus on the moment at hand. Nothing more.\"\n\n\"We need a plan.\"\n\n\"This isn't my forte, Evan. Rescue operations. We're not a SWAT team.\"\n\n\"You kill people, right? Consider it a hit. On Dezz and Jargo.\"\n\n\"I don't usually have an untrained person to protect, either.\"\n\n\"This is my fight as much as yours.\"\n\nMitchell cleared his throat. \"I go in alone. You'll stay hidden outside. They'll expect me to return here, if I can't find you. I'll say you're still missing, no report that the police have found you. I'll tell them that I've heard the news report that McNee is dead, but that I heard on the Miami police band that she's alive but captured. Since Jargo stole a civilian car, he won't have heard any police-band reports.\"\n\n\"We hope.\"\n\n\"We hope. They'll know if McNee is alive, the FBI and CIA will bring extraordinary pressure to bear on her. We need to run.\" Mitchell glanced at his son. \"That movement creates an opportunity of weakness. They will want to shut down everything in the house before they go.\"\n\n\"The decoy laptop. They'll take that with them?\"\n\n\"Yes, unless they've already broken it with an unlock program.\"\n\n\"They won't have,\" Evan said.\n\n\"What did you put on the decoy?\"\n\n\"Let's just say I learned a few tricks from the poker champs when I filmed _Bluff_. The importance of mental warfare.\"\n\n\"When they come out of the lodge, Jargo will be walking alone, Dezz probably will have Carrie in cuffs. Both will be armed and ready. I'll drop back and get them both in my kill zone. I will shoot Dezz first, because he will have the gun on Carrie. Then Steve.\" His voice wavered.\n\n\"Don't hesitate, Dad. He killed Mom. I promise you it's true.\"\n\n\"Yes. I know he did. I know. Do you think knowing makes it any easier? He's still my brother.\"\n\nSilence hung between them for a long moment before Evan spoke. \"What if they want to kill Carrie before leaving? The Everglades\u2014you could make a body vanish forever.\"\n\n\"Then,\" Mitchell said, \"I'll lie and say I want to kill Carrie myself. But slow. For turning you against me.\"\n\nThe cool calculation of his father's voice made Evan shudder. \"I don't think it's right you go in alone. You don't have to fight my fight.\"\n\n\"The only way this will work is if they believe you and I are _not_ together and have not been together.\"\n\n\"All right, Dad. Can I ask you a question?\"\n\n\"Yes.\"\n\n\"Did you love Mom?\"\n\n\"Evan. Yes, with all my heart.\"\n\n\"I wondered if maybe the marriage was arranged, to give you cover.\"\n\n\"No, no, son. I loved her like crazy. My brother, he was in love with her, too. It was the only time I beat him in anything. When Donna chose me.\"\n\nThe night was dark and vast. Evan had never seen the Everglades before and it was both empty and full, all at once. Empty of the human touch other than the highway, filled by a plain of dirt, water, and grass that throbbed with life. Mitchell headed south onto Highway 29, on the edge of the Big Cypress National Preserve. No lights of a town or business, just the curve of the road heading into black.\n\nIn the darkness by the side of the road, his father stopped the car.\n\n\"Hide in the trunk. Break the trunk light so it won't shine.\"\n\nA jolt of panic hit his chest. So much unplanned. So much to do to try to prepare, but no time.\n\n\"The driveway goes around to the back of the lodge, where there's a large porch. I'll park with the trunk aimed away from the lodge. You'll see a gray brick building toward the back of the property. It's a garage and houses the generator. Run as fast as you can for it. Stay behind it until I come for you. If we come out and I miss a shot, you should have a clear line at Dezz or my brother.\"\n\n\"Dad. I love you.\" Evan took his father's hand in the darkness.\n\n\"I know. I love you, too. Go get in the trunk.\"\n\n#\n\nINSIDE THE TRUNK\u2014FOR THE SECOND time in a night, and he hoped for the last in his life\u2014Evan felt the BMW come to a stop. He heard his father get out of the car. No call of greeting broke the still quiet, and he heard his father go up the stairs and onto a porch, then a door open. Then he heard a murmur of cautious hellos, his dad's voice sounding actor-pitch perfect in its weariness and fear, and then the door shut.\n\nHe eased the trunk open, rolled out the back. The night air was cool and moist, but his palms were drenched in sweat. He held the Beretta that Frame had given him a few hours ago. No spill of lights glowed in the night to show him his way. He lay flat for a moment on the concrete, waiting for a door to fly open, shots to fire. Nothing.\n\nHe ran, keeping the cars between him and the lodge's back porch.\n\nBlackness. He didn't have a flashlight; his dad had said not to risk using one. He ran into the pitch-dark and hoped that he wouldn't trip and plunge into wet or a hole or a stack of trash cans that would set off a din. He stumbled against the garage, eased around its corner. Evan stayed still. Every rustle sounded like a snake or a gator\u2014he did not want to see alligators again\u2014slithering closer.\n\nHe thought he heard a click: probably an alarm system, reactivating after his dad was inside. He stayed still as stone, the sweat oozing down his ribs, his breath sounding huge in the silence. He had a gun. He had Khan's PDA, with its fancy alarm deactivator, which he had no idea how to use. Now he needed patience.\n\nFive minutes. Ten minutes. No blast of shots. No creak of a footfall on the back porch. He peeked past the corner of the garage, past his father's parked car, up to the lodge. Only the sound of his breath, of the ocean of life around him.\n\nThen he heard the slightest crush of a heel on tall grass. Fifteen feet away. He froze.\n\n\"I... see... you,\" a voice called in singsong. Dezz. \"Sitting so still...\"\n\nA bullet smacked into the brick wall ten feet to his right. Evan lurched backward. Another shot hit the corner, well above his head. Shards of brick pelted his face.\n\nEvan pointed the gun in the direction of the shots. He'd seen a moment of flash, but he was shaken and he hesitated.\n\n\"I see you sitting, pointing a gun. You're not even close,\" Dezz said. \"Put the gun down. Come inside. Or I'll march back inside and I'll break your father's spine. He won't die; it'll be worse than death, because when we roll out, we'll just dump him, freshly quadriplegic, in the swamp. The choice is yours. It's over, Evan. You decide how nasty it gets for your dad and Carrie.\"\n\nEvan dropped the gun. The clouds parted for a moment and he saw, in the dim moonlight, Dezz hurrying toward him, gun stretched out. Then a savage kick hammered him into the wall. Brick cut the back of his head.\n\nDezz drove the heel of his boot into Evan's cheek.\n\n\"You took me away from my game with Carrie,\" Dezz said, bending to retrieve Evan's gun from the grass. \"And I was just getting warmed up.\"\n\n#\n\nI HEAR AN IDIOT PISSING HIS PANTS.\" Dezz pushed Evan up the back-porch steps, his gun nestled at the back of Evan's head. Pressing against his scalp, maybe the same gun Dezz had used in Evan's mother's kitchen a week ago.\n\nEvan's head throbbed and his face ached. He kept his hands up.\n\nDezz grabbed his arm, shoved him through a doorway. Evan tried to stop but he splayed out on the tile floor.\n\nDezz flicked on lights. He trained his gun\u2014the same one he'd smashed Evan in the face with\u2014on Evan.\n\nThen Dezz pulled the goggles free from his face and tossed them on the counter. \"Night vision, with an infrared illuminator,\" Dezz said. \"Nowhere you can hide from me. Not that it matters anymore. You are quite the fearsome mercenary. It's like watching a Special Forces bloopers tape.\" Dezz clicked on a light, and now, close to him, Evan saw a twisted, compact version of himself: the same dirty-blond hair, the same slim build, but Dezz's face wore a harsh thinness, as if life had short-changed him on the flesh. A pimple sprouted at the corner of his grin.\n\nDezz jerked Evan to his feet and locked the gun on Evan's head.\n\n\"Please run. Please cry. Please give me a reason to shoot you.\"\n\nEvan blinked against the bright lights. The lodge opened up into a broad foyer. Dim lights shone, but none of the glow slipped past the boarded-up windows. The furnishings of a lobby had been stripped clean, except for a wagon-wheel chandelier that hung from the ceiling. It had the air of an expensive building trying to look rustic, aimed at the ecotourist or hunting crowd.\n\n\"I'm surprised you came out looking for me,\" Evan said. \"Since you're so scared of gators.\"\n\nDezz drove a hard punch into Evan's stomach, ramming him against the wall. He collapsed, fought to stay conscious. Dezz grabbed Evan's throat, pulled him back to his feet.\n\n\"You're\"\u2014he slammed Evan's head against the wall\u2014\"a\"\u2014slammed it again\u2014\"nothing,\" Dezz said, finishing with another head pound. \"Famous filmmaker. That counts for nothing in the real world. You thought you were smarter than me, and you're just so unbelievably dumb.\" Dezz opened a piece of caramel, shoved the wrapper into Evan's mouth.\n\nEvan spat the wrapper out. Blood coursed down the back of his neck. \"I talk with Jargo. Not you.\"\n\nA scream, born of terror and pain, broke from upstairs.\n\nEvan froze; Dezz laughed. He prodded Evan with the gun. \"Get up there.\"\n\nHe pushed Evan up the curving grand staircase. \"Girl Scout's a screamer. I bet you knew. I bet you scream, too. I bet you cry first, then you piss yourself, then you scream your throat raw. When I'm done with you, I'll have to take notes so I don't forget.\" The staircase led to a wide hallway with four doors, all but one shut. Boards covered the window at the end of the hall. Dezz pushed Evan into a room.\n\nThe room had once been a conference space, where people sat with open binders, fought off meeting fatigue, watched droning presentations about sales projections or revenue figures, and probably all wished they were out fishing or hunting in the Everglades instead of deciphering a pie chart. They would have drunk coffee or ice water or sodas cold from a bowl filled with ice. Muffin tray in the middle.\n\nNow the table and the drinks were gone, and Jargo stood, holding a red-stained knife and a pair of pliers. He stared at Evan with a cold, fierce hatred, then stepped aside so Evan could see.\n\nCarrie. She lay on the floor, her top torn off her shoulders. The bandage on her shoulder was ripped free, the shoulder and her leg both bloodied. Pain fogged her eyes. Her right arm was thrown over her head, handcuffed to a steel hoop in the floor, installed where carpet had been pulled away.\n\nThen Evan saw his father. Mitchell sprawled on the floor, his face bruised and bleeding, the fingers on his right hand broken into twisted shapes, handcuffed to a metal bar that ran the length of the room.\n\nMitchell's face crumpled when he saw his son.\n\nJargo rushed forward and slammed his fist into Evan's face.\n\nEvan hit the floor. He heard Dezz giggle, heard him step aside, make room for his father.\n\nJargo kicked Evan hard, in the spine. \"I kicked a man to death once.\" Jargo kicked Evan in the neck. \"I kicked Gabriel until he was nothing but paste and shreds.\"\n\n\"Don't smash in his face yet,\" Dezz said. \"I want him to see me do Carrie. Especially when I stick it in her, and she loves it so much that she's screaming. That'll be cool.\"\n\nEvan said, past the blood in his mouth, past the agony in his neck, \"I came here to make a deal with you.\"\n\nJargo kicked him again, in the stomach. \"A deal. I don't care about any deal. Give me the files, Evan. Now.\"\n\n\"Okay,\" Evan whimpered. \"Please stop kicking me so I can... tell you.\"\n\n\"Get him up,\" Jargo said, tucking the knife back into his pocket. Dezz yanked Evan to his feet.\n\n\"Steve, don't, he's my son, don't,\" Mitchell said. \"I'll do whatever you want, just let him go, please.\"\n\nJargo glared back at his brother. \"You traitor. Don't you beg to me.\"\n\n\"What I'm offering,\" Evan said with a calm assurance that surprised him, \"is a deal that lets you stay alive.\" He looked past Jargo's shoulder at Carrie; her eyes opened.\n\n\"Well, this I can't wait to hear,\" Jargo said, a trace of cold amusement in his voice.\n\n\"We could have brought the police. We didn't,\" Evan said. \"We want to settle this. Just between the four of us.\"\n\n\"Give me the files. Right. Now.\" Jargo raised his gun. \"Or I take you outside and I shoot out both knees and I start kicking the flesh off your bones.\"\n\n\"Don't you want to even hear my offer?\" Evan asked. \"I think you do.\"\n\n#\n\nFOR A MOMENT JARGO'S FACE WAVERED behind the gun sight.\n\n\"Because if you kill me, there is no deal. No files for you,\" Evan said. \"No more Deeps. I didn't come to kill you. I came to deal.\"\n\n\"Then why'd your father come in alone?\"\n\n\"His idea. Not mine. He's overprotective. I'm sure you're the same way with Dezz, Uncle Steve.\"\n\nJargo smiled.\n\n\"Or should I just call you Uncle Nikolai?\"\n\nThe smile faded.\n\n\"You're running out of time,\" Evan said. \"You want the files on Khan's laptop, I can give them to you.\" Evan stepped around the gun. He knelt by his father. \"I told you this wouldn't work, Dad. We're doing it my way.\"\n\nMitchell nodded. Stunned.\n\n\"You broke his fingers,\" Evan said to Jargo.\n\n\"Dezz did. He gets carried away. Mitchell didn't tell us you were outside, though, if that's what you're wondering.\"\n\n\"I don't doubt him,\" Evan said. \"I'm sure I can trust him completely, the same way you can trust Dezz.\"\n\n\"What is that supposed to mean?\" Dezz said.\n\nEvan's gaze met Carrie's. His back was to Dezz and Jargo and he mouthed, _It's okay._\n\nShe closed her eyes.\n\n\"I can give you the files now,\" Evan said.\n\nJargo put the gun back to his head.\n\nEvan leaned down to the decoy laptop's keyboard. The laptop was powered on, a prompt screen awaiting the password.\n\nEvan leaned down, typed the password, and stepped back.\n\n\"There you go,\" Evan said.\n\nThe laptop digested the password, the prompt screen disappeared, a video application started automatically, a film file loaded into the application and ran.\n\n\"What is this?\" Jargo said.\n\n\"Watch,\" Evan said.\n\nThe film opened with the Audubon Zoo on last Monday morning, the sky gray with the promise of rain. The camera zooming in close on Evan's face, then Jargo's. Jargo in full profile, talking rapidly, his cool starting to break.\n\nThen Evan's voice began to speak on the film. \"That angry man in the picture is Steven Jargo. You've been doing business with him for a long time. You've hired him to kill people you don't like, steal secrets you don't have, commit operations that your government or your bosses don't approve of. You may not have seen his face before\u2014he hides behind other people\u2014but here he is. Take a good look.\"\n\nOn the screen, Jargo's face turned toward Shadey's hidden camera. Angry, almost frightened. Vulnerable.\n\n\"Mr. Jargo's operations have been compromised. He lost a list that had the name of every client who used his freelance spy network. Officials in every major intelligence agency. Government ministers. High-ranking executives. If you have received this e-mailed message, your name is on this list.\"\n\nJargo made a noise in his throat.\n\nThen the scene fell apart into gunfire, Evan punching Jargo, Evan and Carrie fleeing into the depths of the zoo, Jargo pulling himself up from the ground, he and Dezz giving chase.\n\n\"Why am I alerting you to this problem?\" Evan's voice resumed. \"Because we value your business. Your loyalty to Mr. Jargo's network. But every organization needs to grow to meet new challenges. Our time for change is now. I understand this may make you uneasy about conducting additional business with us.\"\n\nDezz said, \"You can't.\"\n\n\"Please, have no fear,\" Evan's voice said. \"There is no need for you to order your intelligence services to kill Mr. Jargo. We are his associates, we have taken command of his network, and the situation is now under control. You will be contacted in the near future by a new representative of our company regarding your future business with us. Thank you for your attention.\"\n\nThe screen faded as the crowd in the zoo continued to run past Shadey's station. Then the film started again. Evan let it play. Let it work under their skin.\n\nJargo stood frozen. A man whose world had vanished. Dezz grabbed Evan's throat.\n\n\"Back down,\" Evan said. \"I'm not done laying out the deal for you.\"\n\n\"Let him go. Let him talk,\" Jargo said in a cracked voice.\n\n\"Your clients,\" Evan said in an even tone, \"are powerful people who don't want their dirty laundry aired. Maybe they'll work with me and Dad, maybe not. They have reason to stick with the Deeps. We can hurt them, they can hurt us, but if we all hold our noses, they get what they want and we'll make a lot of money.\"\n\n\" _We'll?_ \" Jargo said.\n\n\"Yes,\" Evan said. \"Dad and I are taking over the Deeps.\"\n\n#\n\nTHE ONLY SOUND IN THE ROOM was the looping video and the whisper of Evan's recorded voice. Mitchell and Carrie stared at Evan, Dezz looked ready to murder, Jargo's mouth worked as though struggling to form words.\n\n\"That still cool with you, Dad?\" Evan called. \"You want Jargo in or not?\"\n\nMitchell found his voice. \"I don't want my brother dead. But, no, he can't stay in command.\" Playing along with Evan, stepping into his son's charade.\n\n\"Okay, Dad.\" Evan gave Jargo a smile; the hardest gesture he'd ever made. \"I'm not cutting you entirely out of the family business. I mean, if you want to retire, it's your choice.\" He pulled Khan's PDA out of his jacket pocket. \"I took this from Thomas Khan. A copy of that film we're all enjoying is also sitting on a computer, preset to e-mail in less than ten minutes. To every client. And to every Deep. Those kids you were raised with, endured hell with. I know you've killed at least two of them. That leaves twelve who don't know what a piece of trash you are. They'll find out in ten minutes.\"\n\n\"So I just hand over the reins to you?\" Jargo said.\n\nDezz bounced on the soles of his feet.\n\n\"Yes, you do. Sound familiar? You pulled a similar stunt on Alexander Bast twenty-odd years ago. But I'm not killing you.\" _Not yet_ , he thought. He gripped the PDA, willed his hand not to shake. \"I can stop the e-mail program from scaring your whole network and every client of yours. Only I have the key. You kill me, you hurt my dad or Carrie, the files go, and you're history. The Deeps will hunt you. The clients will hunt you. And when they find you; you'll be the one kicked to death.\"\n\n\"Dad,\" Dezz said in a strained voice, \"you cannot cave to him.\"\n\n\"I had a hacker break all of Khan's files open for me,\" Evan said. \"I know your name, Uncle Nikolai, I know who you are and who pays you. It's done for you. Over.\"\n\n\"He's lying!\" Dezz screamed.\n\n\"Am I? I have Khan's laptop. I have his files, his PDA, and that film footage.\" Evan narrowed his stare. \"You messed with the wrong guy.\"\n\n\"It's all a bluff,\" Dezz said. His reddened face sweated, he grimaced showing small white teeth.\n\nEvan kept his gaze on Jargo, unlocked the PDA with his thumbprint. He tapped open a file on the PDA. Held it out for Jargo to read. A long list of names. Clients. Deeps.\n\n\"Do I look,\" Evan said, \"like I'm bluffing?\"\n\nThe glow of the PDA played along Jargo's face. He read the names. Closed his eyes. \"What... do I have to do to get you to not send the e-mail?\"\n\n\"Put your guns on the floor. Unlock my father and Carrie. Leave. Immediately. Just go.\"\n\nDezz raised his gun. \"No!\"\n\n\"Kill me and it goes,\" Evan said. \"Decide.\"\n\n\"You could still send the e-mail,\" Jargo said.\n\n\"You'll just have to trust me,\" Evan said. \"Dad still wants to run the Deeps\u2014I won't destroy his business.\" The lie tasted fine in his mouth, with all the other lies. He held out his hand. \"Your gun.\"\n\nJargo said, \"Mitchell. You know I never would have hurt you. I gave you the life you wanted. The life we dreamed about. I cannot believe you would turn on me.\"\n\n\"You just broke his fingers,\" Evan said.\n\n\"Not me. Dezz did. Dezz... did.\" Jargo took an unsteady step. \"You're doing this because you think I killed your mom. I didn't. I did not.\" A stress on the _I._ \"I just wanted to find out what she had taken, why she had taken it. I...\" He shuddered, uncertain in his sudden weakness.\n\n\"Shut up and give me your gun. Eight minutes.\"\n\nJargo handed him the gun.\n\n\"Unlock Carrie. Unlock my dad.\"\n\n\"Do it,\" Jargo said to Dezz.\n\n\"No way, no way, no way!\" Dezz's voice morphed to a high shriek. \"It's a lie, he's just telling us a story, it's what he does!\"\n\nEvan aimed the gun at him. \"Seven minutes. You want to get down the road, I imagine.\" He wanted to shoot Dezz, shoot him right through his lying eyes. But he just wanted them gone, his father safe, Carrie safe. The police could pick them up on Alligator Alley, whether they fled back to Miami or headed northwest to Tampa.\n\nJargo grabbed the keys and knelt by Mitchell. Mitchell pushed himself away from the wall. In pain.\n\nDezz closed the laptop, cut off the reel of video, and swung the gun toward Evan. \"Dad, this is a bad idea. He's bluffing. There's no wireless around here for him to connect to, to stop an e-mail.\"\n\n\"I can do it with a phone call, too,\" Evan said. \"You're running out of time.\"\n\n\"Dezz. Shut up.\" Jargo clicked loose the cuff that held Mitchell to the iron bar and glared at his son. \"If not for your lack of self-control...\"\n\nMitchell climbed to his feet, one circle of the handcuff open, the other dangling from his left wrist. He stared at his brother. Anger, hate, hurt, a kaleidoscope of emotions built over the years of deception, played across his face.\n\nEvan saw it, keeping his gun trained on Dezz, thinking, _Dad, just let them go, we've got the upper hand, play it out, they're gone and we're fine..._\n\n\"You killed my Donna,\" Mitchell said. His mouth sounded as if it were full of gravel. \"You flew to Austin and killed her.\"\n\nThen he swung the heavy cuff.\n\nThe open circle of steel caught Jargo in the face, sliced through skin, hooked hard into his cheek. Jargo screamed. Mitchell yanked the cuff and tore his brother's face open.\n\nDezz swung his gun toward them, but Mitchell spun with a kick and caught Dezz's arm. The bullet blasted into the cypress flooring.\n\nEvan ducked back to cover Carrie, who was still bound to the floor.\n\nDezz retreated to the door and fired. Twice. The first bullet caught Jargo in the back of the head as he staggered, his hooked face chained to his brother's wrist. The second hit flesh with a wet pop as the two brothers collapsed together.\n\nEvan fired. Dezz fell back from the doorway. Evan heard footsteps pounding in retreat, a howl of pain. Evan kept his gun trained on the door, frantic with fear for his dad. He knelt by the crumpled bodies. Jargo lay atop his father, and he pulled him off. Jargo was dead, the back of his head a wet mess. Unseeing eyes bulged in disbelief.\n\nMitchell looked at his son. He moaned and closed his eyes. A circle of bullet gouged the middle of his shirt.\n\n\"Evan!\" Carrie's voice cut through the haze of shock. She pulled hard at the cuff that bound her to the floor.\n\n\"Dad is shot\u2014\" he started, then his head cleared. Get her loose. She could help Dad, he could go finish Dezz. If Dezz came back, he couldn't leave her bound to the floor.\n\n\"Jargo's got the key,\" she said.\n\nHe found the keys under Jargo's dead arm. He hurried to her, keeping the gun aimed at the doorway, jabbed the key into one lock. It popped free.\n\n\"Keep aiming,\" she said. \"I'll open the other lock.\"\n\n\"Babe, he shot my dad.\" All the bluster, all the confidence bled out of Evan's voice.\n\n\"We're... going to get help right now.\" She sat up, shaking. \"I'm shot, Evan, he shot me in the leg.\"\n\n\"I'll kill him\u2014\" Evan started.\n\nShe put a hand on Evan's mouth. Silence.\n\n\"I think he'll run,\" she whispered.\n\n\"I'll get help for you and Dad. Then I'm going to go kill Dezz.\" Evan heard a coldness in his voice he had never heard before.\n\nCarrie touched Mitchell's throat. \"Evan...\"\n\nAll the lights went out.\n\n#\n\nIN THE DARKNESS EVAN CLOSED HIS hand over Carrie's.\n\nSilence again. But then a groan of the cypress staircase.\n\n\"He's coming back,\" Carrie whispered.\n\n\"Is there another gun up here?\" Evan whispered.\n\n\"I don't know... they took your dad's when they brought him in.\"\n\nAnother creak of a footfall.\n\nDezz. Dezz killed the power, plunged them into darkness. Evan's PDA, abandoned on the floor, gave off the barest gleam. Evan groped for and found his father's face. A slight trickle of breath tickled Evan's fingers. Alive.\n\nAnother step below. Dezz was coming.\n\n\"Can you walk?\" Evan asked.\n\n\"Not far. Not fast.\"\n\nHe fumbled along Jargo's body and found the knife. Evan stuck it in the back of his pants, pulled his shirt out over the waist. In case he lost Jargo's gun.\n\nHe handed her his cell phone. \"See if you can get a signal in here. Call.\"\n\n\"I have no idea where we are.\"\n\n\"A mile or so south off Alligator Alley, Highway 29 south. Abandoned lodge on the right side of the road.\"\n\nThe footsteps against the cypress stopped. Dezz inching along the carpet. Or simply waiting for them to run out into the hallway.\n\n\"He's coming,\" Carrie said. Evan heard the panic rise in her voice. A dim glow shone when she switched on his phone.\n\nThe bullet smacked hard into Evan's right hand, where he held the gun, and he screamed and fell back. In the first few moments of shock there was no pain, then agony flared straight up his arm to his brain. He dropped Jargo's gun, blood gushing from his palm.\n\n\"Drop the phone,\" Dezz ordered, \"or he dies.\"\n\nShe obeyed.\n\n\"I... see... you...\" Dezz called. \"Still.\"\n\nNo. Couldn't be. But then he remembered the goggles. Dezz had worn them outside, tossed them on the counter. Dezz's retreat was simply to douse the power and get the goggles. Lights out, with only him seeing. Heading back upstairs to kill them.\n\nThe bluff\u2014Evan's only way to defeat them\u2014had failed. Gone. It was over.\n\nHis hand throbbed in pure pain. The gun was gone. He ran his other hand along his fingers. All still there, but his right hand was a pulpy mess of flesh, a hot hole in the back of his hand.\n\n\"You... you killed my father.\" Dezz's voice sounded disembodied in the darkness.\n\n\"You shot him,\" Evan managed to say. The knife. He had Jargo's knife, tucked in the back of his pants. He reached for it, then froze. Dezz could see him.\n\n_Bring him to you. Close enough to stab._\n\n\"Dezz. Listen. We can talk, can't we? Can't we?\" Evan said. _Let him think you've reached the end of the rope. Let him think you're that scared boy again he almost killed in Austin._ He pushed Carrie away from him. She tried to draw close to him but he shoved her away harder. \"This is between you and me, Dezz.\"\n\n\"You don't have to worry about Carrie.\" Dezz's voice floated in the black. \"I'm not killing Girl Scout. Yet. We'll have a lot of quality time alone.\"\n\nEvan tested the bluff again. \"You have to let us go, or those files break the Deeps.\"\n\n\"I'll just start all over again. Running a network's a hassle. I'll do just fine on my own.\"\n\nEvan kicked himself up against a corner of the room, held out his bloody hand for mercy. _Keep coming, you freak, keep coming._\n\n\"A guy like me, I can always find work.\" Dezz's voice cracked. Evan heard the crinkle of an unwrapping caramel.\n\nEvan closed his good hand around the knife.\n\n\"But a guy like you...\" A flash of brilliance blinded Evan. The bullet struck the wall above his head. A hoot of laughter. Dezz, toying with him as he had outside. Evan put out his mangled hand, groped the wall. The gun fired again, above his head. He cowered to the floor. Begged in ragged cries for his life, thinking, _He wants to play, just let him walk by Carrie and keep coming._\n\nGunfire erupted again. A series of flashes. Downward. The sound of bullets hitting flesh and flooring. Carrie screamed.\n\n\"Bye now, Mitchell,\" Dezz said. Now the flash of light faded, just a repeating pattern in the black, an echo of death.\n\nBut Evan saw where the flashes were, ten feet away, a constellation burned against his eyes. Evan ran forward, the knife in his good hand, listening for a huff of breath. To his left. He stuck the knife out straight in front of him and slammed full force into Dezz.\n\nDezz screamed. Evan flew into him. They fell to the floor. Evan brought the knife down, felt it pierce fabric and skin. Dezz screamed again.\n\nEvan's torn hand found the goggles and he stabbed below the lenses. Once. Twice. A fist slammed into his jaw, a hand closed around his shattered hand and twisted.\n\nThe pain was beyond reason. Crippling. But he smelled caramel, felt warm breath near his face. He raised the knife and drove it downward.\n\nDezz stiffened and gasped, died, the breath sliding out of him.\n\nEvan yelled for Carrie. He unhooked the goggles from Dezz's face and put them to his own eyes.\n\nEerie green. Dezz below him. Dead. He raised his head. Carrie crouched in the opposite corner, near his father. Her eyes clenched shut, then opened wide in the blackness. His father, his face gone.\n\nEvan stared at his father in the greenish otherworldly light. \"Carrie, it's over...\" He staggered to Carrie and knelt before her. He put the goggles on her so she could see him. She touched his hand and started to cry.\n\nEvan turned and placed his hand on his father's chest. He felt the silence and closed his eyes. Behind him Carrie leaned into his back and her tears touched his shirt.\n\nFinally he stood and helped Carrie to her feet, careful of her wounded leg. She held his injured hand tight to her chest.\n\nGuided by the goggles, he and Carrie walked downstairs into the blackness.\n\n# TWENTY DAYS LATER\n#\n\nYOU HAVE A DECISION TO MAKE,\" the man said.\n\nEvan stood on the wet sand, watching the tide dance around his feet. Carrie stood on the porch of the rental house, arms crossed, watching them.\n\n\"I wanted to talk to you alone, Evan.\" The man was the new Bricklayer, Bedford's replacement. \"My proposal is simple. The film you made to bluff Jargo actually has a wonderful idea sewn up in it. Taking over the Deeps network. It's brilliant in its simplicity.\"\n\n\"I only made the video to scare Jargo if he caught me.\"\n\n\"You could take over the Deeps,\" Bricklayer said. \"There's no one alive on Jargo's team who knew about you to contradict you.\" Evan glanced at him, but Bricklayer's smile was neutral. \"The rest of the network wouldn't question you were the heir apparent if you told them your parents and Jargo trained you for the role should they die. Your knowledge of the network and its finances will be very convincing. And we can feed their clients\u2014at least the unfriendly ones\u2014whatever information we want.\"\n\n\"Or blackmail them into doing your bidding,\" Evan said. \"I'm not the right guy for the job.\"\n\n\"But you are.\" The new Bricklayer lacked Bedford's charm; he spoke, instead, with a quiet arrogance. \"Evan. We've made a sizable investment in you.\" Because he was a bureaucrat, he started naming the favors of the Agency: \"Set you up here in Fiji, gave you new names. Provided funerals for your mom and dad. Paid a large sum of money to your friend Shadey for the help he gave you in bringing Jargo down. We've given you your life back.\"\n\nThe life Evan had had was gone, but he said, \"I appreciate all you've done.\" He didn't want to talk to this Bricklayer\u2014this thin shadow of the decent man Bedford had been\u2014anymore. But he was curious. \"The other Deeps. You've located them all.\"\n\n\"They're being watched.\" Watched. Not arrested. Because they might still be useful in their ignorance if Evan said yes to Bricklayer's proposal. Bricklayer gave him a lazy smile. \"Their next orders could come from you.\"\n\nEvan drew a line in the sand with his toe. \"They have lives like my folks did? Kids?\"\n\n\"Yes. Lots of kids. And if we leave that network in place... well, none of their kids have to suffer.\" Bricklayer smiled at Evan, pretending that he wasn't using guilt to shame him into stepping back into the world of shadows.\n\nEvan stared out at the water. He counted to ten. \"Let me think about it. Let me talk to Carrie.\"\n\n\"There's really only one answer to give, Evan.\" Bricklayer cleared his throat.\n\nEvan turned away from Bricklayer and walked back to the porch. His head and his heart filled with grief for his parents, for a mother bravely defying a dangerous secret world to save him, for a fearless father who sacrificed himself for his son. He needed them more than ever right now, but all he had left of them was their love and courage.\n\nHe hoped it was courage enough to do what must be done. So they didn't die in vain.\n\nBricklayer still stood on the beach, glancing out at the white of the waves, turning his gaze back to them. Waiting for an answer.\n\n\"What does he want?\" Carrie asked in a whisper.\n\nHe told her and her face fell. She put a hand over her eyes.\n\n\"But I'm making a different choice than my mom made,\" Evan said, \"when she had to choose how to use the files. She used them as a shield. I'm using them as a battering ram.\"\n\n\"How? They'll never leave us alone. They'll force us to help them.\"\n\n\"It ends today.\" He paused. \"I still have a copy of the list Razur hid for me.\"\n\nShe took her hand down from her face.\n\nHe turned his back to Bricklayer, leaned against the porch railing. \"We'll release the files to every major media organization in the world.\" It was what his mother should have done. What Gabriel should have done. What the CIA should have done. \"Running didn't work for my parents. We're going to have the lives they wanted for us. We're not looking over our shoulders anymore. Are you with me?\" He tried to smile. \"You want to buy a ticket?\"\n\nEvan saw all the pain and loss Carrie had suffered cross her face. \"It's a risk, Evan.\"\n\n\"No. It's a choice.\" He took her in his arms and she hugged him with all her strength. \"And I choose you.\"\n\n# ACKNOWLEDGMENTS\n\nThis book is fiction. That means it's made up, entirely a product of my imagination, is conjured out of thin air, and bears no reality to the actual world or any person or organization in it.\n\nI owe great thanks to Peter Ginsberg, who embraced the book, from initial concept to final draft, and, like the fantastic business partner he is, helped me keep my eyes on the prize; and Mitch Hoffman, who brought a brilliant and laserlike editorial insight to a weighty manuscript and truly helped me find the heart of the story of Evan and Carrie. I am also indebted to Carole Baron, Brian Tart, Kara Welsh, Susan Schwartz, Erika Kahn, Lindsey Rose, and Genny Ostertag for their enthusiasm and support for the book.\n\nFor their help in researching and completing this novel, I thank many people:\n\nMy sister-in-law Vicki Deutsch, my brother-in-law Michael Deutsch, and my niece Savannah were considerate hosts in Florida.\n\nPhil Hunt, MD, answered my questions regarding medical trauma, and Charlyne Cooper facilitated our talks.\n\nMy in-laws Rebecca and Malcolm Fox offered encouragement during critical junctures.\n\nAt the Audubon Zoo in New Orleans, Louisiana, Roberto Aguilar, DVM, senior veterinarian, and Sarah Burnette, public relations director, kindly gave me a detailed behind-the-scenes tour. Dr. Bob and Sarah answered even my clumsiest questions with grace and humor. The Audubon Zoo is one of the jewels of the South, and I encourage you to visit it the next time you're in New Orleans.\n\nShirley Stewart, my UK agent, and Jennifer Wolf-Corrigan answered questions and kept me laughing. Jennifer's fellow book-club members Martha Ware, Joanna Dear, Jo Shakespeare-Peters, and Sarah von Schmidt also provided welcome opinions regarding the London settings.\n\nMarcy Garriott, director of _Split Decision_ and president of the Austin Film Society, patiently answered my questions about the craft and practice of documentary filmmaking.\n\nI owe thanks to three of my fellow writers in particular. Christine Wiltz was a generous guide to New Orleans and allowed me to use her good name to open doors. Elaine Viets kindly drove me around Miami and Fort Lauderdale and suggested locales for the book's South Florida chapters. Jonathon King pointed me to the perfect location for the Everglades scenes.\n\nAs always, my deepest appreciation goes to my wife, Leslie, my sons, Charles and William, my mother, Elizabeth, and my stepfather, Dub, for their encouragement and support.\n\n# ABOUT THE AUTHOR\n\nJEFF ABBOTT is the _New York Times_ \u2013bestselling, award-winning author of thirteen novels. His books include the Sam Capra thrillers _Adrenaline_ and _The Last Minute_ , as well as the standalone novels _Panic, Fear_ , and _Collision. The Last Minute_ won an International Thriller Writers award, and Jeff is also a three-time nominee for the Edgar award. He lives in Austin with his family. You can visit his website at www.jeffabbott.com.\nWhen a beautiful woman asks for his help, ex-CIA agent Sam Capra becomes caught in a battle with the most dangerous enemy ever\u2014a man who owns the people who run the world...\n\nPlease turn this page for a sneak peek at\n\n**DOWNFALL**\n\n# 1\n\n**_Wednesday, November 3, afternoon_**\n\n**_San Francisco, California_**\n\nThe simplest beginnings can unravel a life. A family. A world.\n\nIn this case, chewing gum.\n\nDiana Keene reached into her mom's ugly new purse in the middle of their argument to snatch a slice of spearmint. She saw three cell phones hidden at the bottom of the purse.\n\nOne pink, one blue, one green. Cheap models she'd never seen before, not like the smartphone Mom kept glued to her side at all times, befitting a public relations executive.\n\n\"And since you'll be running the company while I'm gone,\" Mom was saying, her back to her daughter while she stuffed a sweater into her luggage, \"no sauntering into the office at nine, Diana. Be there by seven thirty. Give yourself time to scan the news feeds from the East Coast.\"\n\nDiana grabbed the gum, stepped away from the purse, and considered whether or not to confront her mother in her little white lie. She decided to dance around the edges.\n\n\"I don't think it's healthy to go without a cell phone for two weeks.\" Diana crossed her arms, staring at her mother's back. She unwrapped the gum, slid the stick into her mouth. \"What if I need you?\"\n\n\"You'll survive.\" Her mother, Janice, zipped up her small suitcase, turned to face her daughter with a smile.\n\n\"What if a client throws a fit? Or I do something wrong?\"\n\n\"Deal with it. You'll survive.\" Janice straightened up and smiled at her daughter.\n\n\"Mom\u2014what if I need\u2014\" and then Diana broke off, ashamed. She stared past her mother's shoulder, out at the stunning view of San Francisco Bay, the hump of Alcatraz, the distant stretch of the Golden Gate. It was a cloudless day, the early haze burned away, the blue of the sky bright. _Need what? Need you to keep running my life for me?_\n\n\"Need money?\" Mom, as she often did, finished the sentence for her but misinterpreted what she meant. \"Diana, you're a grown woman with a good job. You can survive for two weeks without any\"\u2014and here Mom did her air quotes, bending her fingers\u2014\"emergency loans.\"\n\n\"You're right.\" _Why are you lying to me, Mom?_ she thought. \"Where is this no-contact retreat again?\"\n\n\"New Mexico.\"\n\n\"And I have no way to contact you\u2014none at all?\" _Like on these three cheap phones?_\n\n\"Cell phones are forbidden. You could call the lodge and leave a message, I suppose,\" Janice said, but in a tone that made it clear that she didn't want her Bikram yoga or her bird-watching or her organic lunch interrupted. \"The whole point is to get away from the world, sweetheart.\"\n\nMom stuck with the lie, and Diana felt her stomach twist. \"This just isn't like you, withdrawing so completely from the world. And from your work. And from me.\"\n\n\"Yes, I'm a workaholic, sweetheart, and it's made me tired and sick. I'm ready for a break, and I'm ready for you to be fine with it.\"\n\nDiana thought, _Confront her with the lie. And then she knows you snooped in her purse like a kid would, and you're twenty-three, not thirteen, and... maybe Mom has a good reason._ She thought of the hours her mother had worked, everything she'd done for Diana. In the car. She'd ask her about the phones in the car.\n\n\"I'm ready.\"\n\nDiana jingled her keys. \"Fine, let's go.\"\n\nMom's town house was the entire top floor of the building. They took the elevator down and walked across the building's small lawn (a rarity in San Francisco), through the heavy metal gate to Green Street. Diana put her mother's bag in the back of the Jaguar that Janice had bought her for her last birthday. Diana drove out of the lovely neighborhood of Russian Hill. Janice talked about what needed to be done at work while she was gone: account reviews, pitching stories on clients to the leading business publications, preparing for client product launches in January. Diana kept waiting for her mom to stop lying.\n\nThey were ten minutes from the airport and Diana said, \"Why are you taking three, yes three, cell phones to a place that forbids them?\"\n\nHer mother looked straight ahead and said, \"So when they confiscate one, I'll have extras hidden away.\"\n\nDiana laughed. \"You troublemaker. Give me the numbers and I'll call you or text you.\"\n\n\"No. Don't call me.\" She looked out the window. \"Just let me go do what I need to do and don't call me.\"\n\nHer tone was far too serious. \"Mom...\"\n\n\"Do not call me, Diana, and frankly, I don't appreciate you rooting around in my purse. Stay out of my business.\"\n\nThe words were like knives, sharp, and to Diana's ears not like Mom.\n\nThe drive turned into a painful silence as Diana took the exit for the airport.\n\n\"I don't want this to be our good-bye, honey,\" Janice said.\n\n\"Are you really going on this retreat?\" Diana pulled up to the curbside drop-off.\n\n\"Of course I am.\" Steel returned to Mom's voice. \"I'll see you in two weeks. Maybe sooner if I get bored.\" Janice leaned over and gave Diana a kiss on the cheek, an awkward sideways hug.\n\n_You're still lying to me_ , Diana thought. _I don't believe you._\n\n\"Love you, honey,\" Mom said. \"More than you can know.\"\n\n\"Love you, too, Mom. I hope you have a great time at your _retreat_.\"\n\nMom glanced at her. \"Two weeks will let you make a splash at the office while I'm gone. Be smart, show everyone you deserve to be my successor. You'll be running it when I'm dead and gone.\" Janice's voice nearly broke on the last words, like she needed to clear her throat. She squeezed Diana's hand.\n\nDiana didn't care for talk like that\u2014for any suggestion of a Mom-free world. \"I'll keep everything running smoothly.\"\n\nThen Mom stepped out of the car, grabbed her small suitcase, and walked toward the terminal entrance.\n\nDiana thought of jumping out of the car, running to her for one more hug, and thought, _No, I won't, because you're clearly lying to me and I want to know why_.\n\nHer mother had never lied to her. The reason had to be big. Two weeks where Mom didn't want anyone to know where she was. She headed back toward the city. But not to her own apartment. Back to Russian Hill, back to Mom's.\n\nDiana felt a cold tapping of terror down her spine, her imagination dancing with the possibilities behind her mother's lie.\n\nJanice Keene watched her daughter, the only true good thing she had done in her life, drive away until Diana was gone from sight in the eddying swarm of cars, cabs, and limos.\n\nInside her purse the pink phone rang. She answered it.\n\nA voice of a man, with a soft mixed accent of an American who'd spent much time in London, said, \"You'll be traveling under the name Marian Atkins. Inside the lining of your purse is an appropriate ID. There'll be a package for you at your hotel when you arrive with what you need. Call me on this phone when the first job is done, and then destroy the phone. I'll call you then on the green phone. The blue phone for the last job.\"\n\n\"I understand.\"\n\n\"Remember you're doing it all for your daughter, Janice. And then you can rest easy.\"\n\n\"I know.\"\n\nThe man hung up. Janice Keene went to the ladies' room and tore open the lining of the purse and yes, there was a California driver's license and a credit card in the name of Marian Atkins. Attached was a sticky note with an airline and a confirmation number and a hotel name with another confirmation number. The purse had been delivered to her house yesterday via an overnight courier, from an address in New York.\n\nJanice walked to one of the airline's self-service kiosks and tapped in the first number. The screen brought up an itinerary that informed her she was booked on a flight to Portland, Oregon. It spat out a boarding pass for Marian Atkins.\n\nShe collected the pass and walked with resolve toward the security lines.\n\nJanice Keene was going to do what she must to ensure the world\u2014that uncertain, awful, wonderful place\u2014could never hurt her Diana. To be sure her daughter had a perfect life, just as perfect as the last seven years had been for her mother.\n\nNo matter who had to die.\n\n# 2\n\n**_Wednesday, November 3, afternoon_**\n\n\"Sam! I want to get married here!\"\n\n\"Of course you do, darling,\" I said. I smiled at the venue's event planner as we walked through the large marble atrium of the Conover House, one of the grander spots to host a wedding or conference in San Francisco. The romantic grin on my face was the kind I'd worn when I got married for the first time. Mila's hand was clenched in mine, and her smile was dazzling. Pure bridal joy.\n\n\"Well, let me give you a tour,\" the planner said. She was a tall woman, fortyish, in a smart gray suit. She'd sized us up the moment we arrived\u2014sans appointment with that hurried disregard of the truly moneyed\u2014and we were dressed to kill. No pun intended.\n\n\"One thing first,\" I said.\n\n\"She will show us a cost estimate later, darling,\" Mila said, ever the impatient bride. She leaned in close to me, her hair smelling of lavender, her eyes dancing with mischief. \"Whatever it is, I'm sure it will be worth it.\"\n\n\"My question isn't cost. It's security,\" I said. \"You have security here, yes, during events?\"\n\n\"Yes, of course, if that is a concern.\"\n\n\"It is.\" I didn't elaborate on a reason. I just kept my fake smile in place.\n\n\"We have a contract with a topflight security firm here. And a system of monitors and cameras throughout the building.\" She gestured up at a small camera in the top corner of the atrium. I flexed the smile for the camera's benefit.\n\n\"He is such the worrywart.\" Mila looked stunning in her dark, snug dress, every inch the giddy bride. She wore a ring on her hand, a lovely diamond, that sparkled grandly on her finger. \"Now the building.\"\n\n\"One more question,\" I said. \"You have cameras monitored, yes?\"\n\n\"Yes. Our on-site team can respond. Or they're happy to work with your own security team, if you should have one.\"\n\n\"That's very reassuring,\" I said, and off we went on the tour of the beautiful old building, which had once been a very grand bank, the planner pointing out the venue's features and facilities.\n\n\"I am thinking,\" Mila exclaimed as we walked along the marble floors, \"of a 1920s theme for the wedding. Sam, is that not brilliant?\"\n\n\"Brilliant,\" I said. The architecture and decor certainly fit her idea. We were on the second floor by now, and I spotted a men's room as we headed toward a grand staircase leading to the third floor. \"I'm feeling a bit unwell, please excuse me. You all go on, I'll catch up.\"\n\n\"He is so nervous to marry me,\" Mila said to the planner as I went through the men's room doors. \"We have been through so much together, you see.\"\n\nThat was true. The door shut behind me. No cameras in here. I went into a stall, counted to sixty, and then I walked out and headed downstairs. The planner had already told us that most of the food service and administrative offices were on the first floor.\n\nI assumed security was there as well. There might be a guard on duty, but there were no events being hosted right now, one conference having ended at noon. I tested the door marked SECURITY, lockpick at the ready.\n\nBut the door was unlocked.\n\nI stepped inside. A small chamber, because they needed the real estate for food and rentals. Nine monitors set up to show various rooms and entrances of the Conover House. But no guard. Bathroom break?\n\nOne monitor was tuned to a cable news channel. The vice president of the United States had died last week from a sudden stroke, and conjecture about who the president would appoint as his successor was rampant. To me it sounded like a festival of endless talking heads. On the security monitors I saw Mila and the planner strolling on the third floor, and Mila pantomimed excitement to keep the planner focused on her, not on wondering where I was at or why I was taking so long in the bathroom.\n\nA stack of DVDs stood on the rack, each in a jewel box, with a date and time range written on it, tied to a particular camera. The dates went back for a week. Liability issues, I thought. The venue wanted to protect itself. Because even among a well-heeled crowd, fights break out, people get drunk, tumbles happen down the stairs.\n\nOr someone tries to commit a murder and fails.\n\nI pulled one disc out of its jewel box for an evening three nights ago, from 8:00 P.M. to 10:00 P.M., for the main ballroom. I replaced it with a similar disc. The discs got reused, I figured, at the end of the week. I slid the jewel box home and slipped the original video disc into the small of my back, against my belt. My jacket hid it.\n\nOn the screen, Mila bounced on the tiptoes of her elegantly shod feet, enraptured with the thoughts of the perfect wedding reception.\n\nThe door opened. A guard, midtwenties, about my age, stepped in. He looked annoyed but not angry to see me. \"Sir, you're not supposed to be in here.\"\n\n\"Sorry. I was getting a tour with my fianc\u00e9e\"\u2014I pointed toward Mila on the screen\u2014\"and I had a security question that I didn't wish to ask in front of her while we're getting the tour for our wedding reception. The door was unlocked.\"\n\n\"Yes, sir?\"\n\n\"Are your people armed?\"\n\nThe guard blinked. \"No. We've never needed to be.\"\n\n\"Thank you.\" I didn't explain my question. I knew my intrusion would be mentioned to the planner, and they'd wonder why I was so obsessed with security. I didn't need to give an answer since Mila and I wouldn't return here. I nodded and I walked past him, and I was entirely sure that as I went up the two flights of stairs he watched me on the screen. I rejoined Mila and the planner and made sure to give Mila a convincing kiss for the benefit of the security guard. Her mouth was tight under mine, firm and warm.\n\nWe finished the tour, discussed possible booking dates eight months from now, and promised to call back soon.\n\nThen we headed out into the busy Financial District, walked to the car, and drove back toward my bar in the Haight. I told Mila what I'd found, handed her the stolen disc.\n\n\"You asked if their guards were armed? I suspect every date I mention to the planner now, the venue will be booked,\" Mila said. \"I am so disappointed.\"\n\n\"I could kill you,\" I said.\n\n\"What, the wedding is off?\" she said in mock surprise.\n\n\"I got caught. I had to talk my way out.\"\n\n\"You have gotten lazy and sloppy,\" she said. She slipped off the diamond engagement ring\u2014I had no idea where she'd gotten it\u2014and put it in her pocket.\n\n\"I told you I didn't want to do... _this_ anymore.\"\n\n\"Do what?\"\n\n\"Be your spy, your thief, your hired gun.\" I kept my hands steady on the wheel. \"I have a son now.\"\n\n\"And the reason you have him back is me,\" she said. \"I've given you much and asked for little.\"\n\n\"Mila...\"\n\n\"Fine. Let's go see your son. And\"\u2014she held up the disc I'd stolen\u2014\"let's see who our would-be killer is.\"\n\nMy bar in San Francisco\u2014one of thirty plus I own around the world\u2014was called The Select and it wasn't open yet; I'd decided while my son Daniel was here not to open until five in the afternoon. It gave me more time with him. I parked behind the bar in a shared lot and opened the door with a key. The bar itself was silent. Upstairs, I could hear laughter and music and my heart melted a bit. Call me sentimental. I'd fought far too hard to get my son back to ever feel embarrassed by emotion.\n\nUpstairs, in the office\/apartment above The Select, my son Daniel, ten months old, was on a blanket, crawling and laughing, while Leonie played with him. I'd been lucky. Leonie hadn't enrolled yet in art school, so she had the time to travel with me, bring Daniel along as I went to several of my bars over the past two weeks: New York, Austin, Boston. We'd flown down from my bar in Vancouver yesterday, at Mila's insistence, because there was a problem.\n\nMila knelt to tickle Daniel's nose, earned a giggle from him, and then she completely ignored Leonie. Leonie ignored her back. They don't like each other and I'm not entirely sure why. Leonie is not Daniel's mother; she is, well, a nanny of sorts, an art student-turned-forger. She'd lost a lot in her life, and I'd saved Leonie from a criminal syndicate called the Nine Suns. The same syndicate that kidnapped Daniel and his mother, even before he was born, and destroyed my CIA career. Leonie had been good to Daniel and taken care of him when no one else would. She was deeply attached to my son, and so I'd asked her to stay in his life. We'd had a brief fling\u2014under highly stressful circumstances\u2014and were back to being just friends. Leonie had been nothing but perfect with Daniel, but I knew Mila thought I'd made a mistake, asking a former criminal to watch over my son.\n\nI hoped Mila was wrong.\n\nMila slid the disc into a laptop on the desk.\n\n\"Here he is.\" She pointed. \"Dalton Monroe.\" She clicked with the mouse and a red dot appeared on Monroe, a tall, rangy man in his sixties. He wore a suit and seemed determined to meet and greet everyone in the room, which was at least two hundred people.\n\nIn his right hand was a glass of bourbon.\n\n\"It's no easy thing to poison a man in front of two hundred witnesses,\" Mila said. \"I admire the nerve.\"\n\nI picked up Daniel and sat next to her. He squirmed a little on my lap, eager to watch the red dot, like it was a game. Leonie stretched out on Daniel's blanket and began to sketch in a pad aimlessly.\n\n\"Two hundred people, but it gets pared down pretty fast,\" I said. \"Look. He has a bodyguard near him. Maybe five admirers in a knot around him. Beyond that, a few people watching him directly, angling for their chance to talk to him. Maybe fifteen, at any given second, looking at him. And looking at that same moment at the poisoner.\"\n\nShe accelerated the feed; forty minutes into the video, Dalton Monroe stumbled badly, clearly ill. He dropped the bourbon glass. The bodyguard hurried him out, Monroe smiling, waving off concerns from the other guests. He had then been taken to a private medical clinic, where it was diagnosed that he'd ingested a nonfatal dose of digitalis. The press were told he'd simply become ill at the party and had to leave. Dalton Monroe was worth a billion dollars and did not care to have it known that someone tried to poison him at a reception celebrating his latest business acquisition, a local software company he'd bought to fold into his empire.\n\n\"He's Round Table, right?\" I asked Mila. The Round Table. My secret benefactors. A network of resource-rich and powerful people who want to be a force for good in the world, behind the scenes. They have Mila as their face to me; they gave me the bars to run, a web of safe houses around the world.\n\nThey helped me get back my son. I know little about them, except that they started off as a CIA experiment that finally broke free to pursue their own agenda.\n\n\"Yes,\" Mila said. \"Someone tried to kill a Round Table member. I want you to find out who.\"\n\n\"I said I'd run the bars for you all. Nothing more.\" I settled Daniel on my knee.\n\n\"Sam, perhaps Leonie wouldn't mind taking Daniel for a walk,\" Mila said. \"The day is so lovely.\"\n\n\"I don't mind.\" Leonie was normally chatty with me, but always quiet around Mila.\n\n\"No, would you leave him, please?\" I got down on the blanket with him, wriggled fingers at him. I felt like I never got to see him enough, even when he was traveling with me.\n\n\"Fine,\" Leonie said. \"I'll go get an iced coffee.\" I thought she already had the ice in her voice. She left. Mila stood at the window while I played and made bubbling noises at Daniel, and I figured she waited until she saw Leonie on the street below.\n\n\"You need to be nicer to her,\" I said. \"You can trust her to keep her mouth shut about the Round Table.\" And I knew we could\u2014we'd given Leonie a far safer, brighter new life.\n\n\"I will never trust her.\"\n\n\"I do, end of discussion.\"\n\n\"I understand you want to be with your son,\" Mila said. \"I do. But the bars, a very good livelihood for you, were not free. There was a price attached.\"\n\n\"I'm not ungrateful. But I'm also not a police detective.\"\n\n\"The Round Table never wants the police involved. If this poisoning attempt on Monroe was because he is a member of the Table, then we must know without involving the police. Felix will help you.\" Felix was the manager of The Select. The senior managers of my bars know about the Round Table and were recruited to help with their work.\n\n\"What about you?\"\n\nDaniel grabbed my wiggling fingers and laughed. Sweetest sound ever.\n\n\"I have to return to Los Angeles tomorrow on other business. I'm sure you can handle this.\"\n\n\"And what do I do when I find out who tried to poison Monroe?\"\n\n\"Give me their name. Then the Round Table will decide how to proceed.\" She got up from the laptop, gave me a smile dimmer than her fake bridal one. \"Don't pretend you're not itching for some action. A man like you doesn't like to sit and play with a baby on a blanket for long.\"\n\n\"Actually, I like nothing better.\" I made a face at Daniel. \"Don't we? Don't we like playing on the blanket?\" Daniel concurred with laughter but then gave me a rather serious frown, as though a more detailed answer required thought.\n\nMila didn't smile. \"I know you love Daniel. But I also know you, Sam. You cannot sit at a desk; you cannot play on a floor. You need something more.\"\n\nI looked up at her. \"No, I don't.\"\n\n\"Sam. Send Leonie and Daniel home to New Orleans. They've been traveling with you for two weeks; a baby needs routine and order, not bars and airplanes. I'll even give Leonie and Daniel a ride to the airport, get them their tickets. Then you go home when you've cleared up this little case for me, yes?\"\n\nI was a former undercover CIA agent, not a detective, but I nodded. Anything to get her to go. If I found Monroe's poisoner, fine. If I didn't, then maybe I could make a new deal with the Round Table. One that kept me out of trouble. One that let me play on blankets. Then I could go home to New Orleans for a while. I had to find a way to make this balance work.\n\n\"That planner will be so disappointed that we're not getting married there,\" I said. I don't even know why I mentioned it. The words felt odd in my mouth, and I was glad Leonie wasn't there, even though we were just friends now.\n\nMila crooked a smile at me. \"Maybe if you find our poisoner,\" she said, \"I'll throw you a big party.\"\n\n# ALSO BY JEFF ABBOTT\n\nSam Capra series\n\n_Adrenaline_\n\n_The Last Minute_\n\nWhit Mosley series\n\n_A Kiss Gone Bad_\n\n_Black Jack Point_\n\n_Cut and Run_\n\nOther fiction\n\n_Panic_\n\n_Fear_\n\n_Collision_\n\n_Trust Me_\n\n# [Praise for \n**PANIC**](toc.html#toc-praise)\n\n> \"PANIC is a sleek, smart thriller that combines a family tragedy, international intrigue, and the redemptive power of love... There is no question: Jeff Abbott is the new name in suspense.\"\n> \n> \u2014Harlan Coben\n\n> \"A superior, fast-paced thriller... White-knuckled suspense that's extremely hard to put down.\"\n> \n> \u2014 _Publishers Weekly_\n\n> \"PANIC is a ride down the roaring rapids. Jeff Abbott has put together a hell of a page-turner.\"\n> \n> \u2014Michael Connelly\n\n> \"Engrossing... with skilled handling of riveting action sequences, plot twists, and camera angles, all converging at breakneck speed, Abbott whips these simple ingredients into a near-perfect thriller that may indeed result in physical distress akin to panic for anyone trying to put the thing down before the last bullet flies. Fans of Harlan Coben, Lee Child, Joseph Finder, or John Grisham\u2014anyone who enjoys a wild ride on a bumpy road\u2014can cheer the arrival of our latest master of the fine art of the page-turner. Highly recommended.\"\n> \n> \u2014 _Booklist_ (starred review)\n\n# Acclaim for Jeff Abbott's Sam Capra Thrillers\n\n# THE LAST MINUTE\n\n> \"An explosive cocktail.\"\u2014\n> \n> _Washington Post_\n\n> \"[An] adrenaline rush that won't stop.\"\n> \n> _\u2014San Antonio Express\u2013News_\n\n> \"Abbott is one of the best thriller writers in the business, and he delivers action and complex characters... The next Capra novel cannot come fast enough.\"\n> \n> \u2014Associated Press\n\n> \"This is the second in the Capra series, and he hasn't slowed down. It has killings, betrayals, big-time conspiracies, and action galore.\"\n> \n> _\u2014Oklahoman_\n\n> > \u2014\n>> \n>> \"Gripping... edgy... a breathless suspense novel... As a writer [Abbott] is fluid, smart, witty, and easy to take.\"\n>> \n>> _\u2014Dallas Morning News_\n>\n>> \"Like **Adrenaline** , this is a fast-paced thriller with a likable, morally conflicted hero. Sam is in a difficult situation, seemingly forced to commit murder to find his son, and\u2014this is a testament to Abbott's skills as a storyteller\u2014we really don't know whether he will follow through... Let's hope Abbott isn't through with Sam. He's a very well-drawn character, and it would be nice to see him again.\"\n>> \n>> _\u2014Booklist_\n\n# ADRENALINE\n\n> \"Twisty, turny, and terrific.\"\n> \n> _\u2014USA Today_\n\n> \"Outstanding... genuinely moving... Abbott hits full stride early on and never lets up. Readers who thrive on a relentless narrative pace and a straight line to the finish won't be disappointed.\"\n> \n> _\u2014Publishers Weekly_ (starred review)\n\n> \"Breathless fun... You really do keep turning page after page.\"\n> \n> _\u2014Cleveland Plain Dealer_\n\n> \"Deliciously crafty... heart-pounding thrills... a stunner... _Adrenaline_ has all the hallmarks of a career-changer. It should launch him into the Michael Connelly or Dennis Lehane stratosphere... Abbott sets a merciless pace, but he never lets speed hinder his writing... glorious sensory acumen... with just the right amount of snarky wit.\"\n> \n> _\u2014Dallas Morning News_\n\n> \"Extremely compelling... a thriller that will get even the most jaded reader's pulse racing... a grand slam home run... _Adrenaline_ rivets the reader from the very first paragraph, and Capra proves to be a character with enough skills and depth to be extremely compelling... Everyone will want to see what Abbott, and Capra, have up their sleeve next.\"\n> \n> \u2014Associated Press\n\n> \"Thrilling.\"\n> \n> _\u2014New York Daily News_\n\n> \"Exhilarating... Confirms Abbott as one of the best thriller writers of our time... This is a book that's getting a tremendous amount of buzz; everyone's talking about it. I think Jeff Abbott's the next Robert Ludlum. And I think Sam Capra is the heir apparent to Jason Bourne... The most gripping spy story I've read in years... It just grabs you. Great read!\"\n> \n> \u2014Harlan Coben\n\n> \"Exhilarating... keeps the intensity at a peak level... _\u2014Adrenaline_ proves worthy of its title.\"\n> \n> _\u2014Columbus Dispatch_\n\n> \"[A] complex, mind-bending plot... If Sam improves on his parkour skills, the future thrillers will spill over with nonstop action, just as _\u2014Adrenaline_ does.\"\n> \n> _\u2014San Antonio Express-News_\n\n> \"This is a wonderful book and the start of one of the most exciting new series I've had the privilege to read... Sam Capra is now on my short list of characters I would follow anywhere. _Adrenaline_ provides the high-octane pace one expects from a spy thriller, while grounding the action with a protagonist that anyone can root for.\"\n> \n> \u2014Laura Lippman\n\n> \"This one hooked me and didn't let go... Abbott does a great job with pacing and switching perspectives.\"\n> \n> _\u2014Seattle Post-Intelligencer_\n\n> \" _Adrenaline_ lives up to its name. It's pure thriller in pace, but Abbott manages to keep the book's heart anchored in the right place. The characters aren't cardboard action figures, but people under incredible stresses and strains. I read it in a big gulp.\"\n> \n> \u2014Charlaine Harris\n\n> \"A white-knuckle opening leads into undoubtedly the best thriller I've read so far this year... _Adrenaline_ will surely vault Abbott to the top of must-read authors. The relentless action will hook you from the heart-stopping opening to a conclusion that was as shocking as it was heart-rending.\"\n> \n> _\u2014Ventura County Star_ (CA)\n\n> \"Nail-biting.\"\n> \n> _\u2014Austin Chronicle_\n\n> _Adrenaline_ , like its namesake hormone, is all about pace, and a high-speed pace at that. A word of caution: Don't start reading [it] just before bedtime!\"\n> \n> _\u2014BookPage_\n\n> \"Engaging from the first paragraph, terrifying from the second page, _Adrenaline_ accomplishes what most modern thrillers can't. It makes us care about its characters even while we're speeding headlong down the ingenious rabbit hole of its plot. Well done!\"\n> \n> \u2014Eric Van Lustbader\n\n> \"Engrossing... flows rapidly from page to page... definitely a page-turner... wonderful descriptive writing... Abbott's demonstrated ability creates a highly recommended 5-star book.\"\n> \n> _\u2014Kingman Daily Miner_ (AZ)\n\n> \"The title of this book pretty much sets the pace for this action-packed thriller. Within its pages are all the best aspects of a very enjoyable good-versus-evil plot: intrigue, spies, double crosses, foreign locales, technology used for nefarious purposes, a good-hearted hero, and the obligatory nasty bad guys.\"\n> \n> _\u2014Suspense Magazine_\n\n> \"Sam Capra is the perfect hero\u2014tough, smart, pure of heart, and hard to kill. And _Adrenaline_ is the perfect thriller. Taut and edgy, with breakneck pacing and perfect plotting, it's a breathless race from the shocking, heart-wrenching opening sequence to the stunning conclusion. Jeff Abbott is a master, and _Adrenaline_ is his best book yet.\"\n> \n> \u2014Lisa Unger\n\n> \"Hero Sam Capra likes to unwind with parkour, leaping from building to building, clambering up walls and hurtling through space across the urban landscape... The sport's a fitting metaphor for Abbott's style, tumbling from page to page with the frantic inevitability of Robert Ludlum... It all works beautifully.\"\n> \n> _\u2014Booklist_\n\n### Thank you for buying this e-book, published by Hachette Digital.\n\nTo receive special offers, bonus content, and news about our latest e-books and apps, sign up for our newsletters.\n\n Sign Up\n\nOr visit us at hachettebookgroup.com\/newsletters\n\n# Contents\n\nWelcome\n\nDedication\n\nFriday\n\nChapter 1\n\nChapter 2\n\nChapter 3\n\nChapter 4\n\nChapter 5\n\nChapter 6\n\nChapter 7\n\nSaturday\n\nChapter 8\n\nChapter 9\n\nChapter 10\n\nChapter 11\n\nChapter 12\n\nChapter 13\n\nChapter 14\n\nChapter 15\n\nChapter 16\n\nChapter 17\n\nSunday\n\nChapter 18\n\nChapter 19\n\nChapter 20\n\nChapter 21\n\nChapter 22\n\nMonday\n\nChapter 23\n\nChapter 24\n\nTuesday\n\nChapter 25\n\nChapter 26\n\nWednesday\n\nChapter 27\n\nChapter 28\n\nChapter 29\n\nChapter 30\n\nThursday\n\nChapter 31\n\nChapter 32\n\nChapter 33\n\nChapter 34\n\nChapter 35\n\nChapter 36\n\nChapter 37\n\nChapter 38\n\nFriday\n\nChapter 39\n\nChapter 40\n\nSaturday\n\nChapter 41\n\nChapter 42\n\nChapter 43\n\nChapter 44\n\nChapter 45\n\nChapter 46\n\nChapter 47\n\nChapter 48\n\nChapter 49\n\nTwenty Days Later\n\nChapter 50\n\nAcknowledgments\n\nAbout the Author\n\nA Preview of _Downfall_\n\nAlso by Jeff Abbott\n\nPraise for Panic\n\nNewsletters\n\nCopyright\n\n# Copyright\n\nThis book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living or dead, is coincidental.\n\nCopyright \u00a9 2005 by Jeff Abbott\n\nExcerpt from _Downfall_ copyright \u00a9 2013 by Jeff Abbott\n\nAll rights reserved. In accordance with the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, the scanning, uploading, and electronic sharing of any part of this book without the permission of the publisher constitute unlawful piracy and theft of the author's intellectual property. If you would like to use material from the book (other than for review purposes), prior written permission must be obtained by contacting the publisher at permissions@hbgusa.com. Thank you for your support of the author's rights.\n\nGrand Central Publishing\n\nHachette Book Group\n\n237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017\n\nwww.hachettebookgroup.com\n\nwww.twitter.com\/grandcentralpub\n\nFirst e-book edition: May 2013\n\nGrand Central Publishing is a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.\n\nThe Grand Central Publishing name and logo is a trademark of Hachette Book Group, Inc.\n\nThe publisher is not responsible for websites (or their content) that are not owned by the publisher.\n\nThe Hachette Speakers Bureau provides a wide range of authors for speaking events. To find out more, go to www.hachettespeakersbureau.com or call (866) 376-6591.\n\nISBN 978-1-4555-4612-1\n","meta":{"redpajama_set_name":"RedPajamaBook"}}