Walking Into The Wind

Roma Mater.

When Gratillonius walks around their estate with his father:

"The wind shrilled and plucked at his cloak." (p. 48)

When Gratillonius mentions his brother, Lucius, who should inherit.

"They trudged on in silence, except for the wind." (p. 53)

Marcus has to pause before divulging that Lucius has converted to Christianity and might even become celibate.

When Gratillonius asks what his father knows about the mysterious city, Ys:

"Wind roared and whistled." (p. 58)

His father needs time to reply and knows nothing first hand. Ys is a mystery that Gratillonius will penetrate. Indeed, he will become the title character of this Tetralogy, The King of Ys.

In Poul Anderson's texts, the wind punctuates and comments.