Universe Zooms In

Good, that's the passport sorted, says Gaius. Now to find Arthur.

I know where he is, says Saint Roley. He's with Sweezus and Belle eating oysters.

Show me, says Gaius.

What about Baldy and my beetle? says Terence.

No time for that now, says Gaius. Saint Roley, show me the way.

Saint Roley flutters upwards. But he has reckoned without his new microchip.

Ouch! says Saint Roley.

What now? says Gaius.

Hurting, says Saint Roley. Pick me up. I'll point the way.

So Gaius picks up Saint Roley, who points the way.

Terence stamps crossly behind them, without his cousin or his beetle.

......

The oyster picnic has become much more lively.

Belle has obtained more oysters, and more local wine.

Sartre has explained the basics of topology, to François-René.

(You are no different from a donut. In what way? There is a hole going through you).

François-René has admired it. And thought to himself. What do I know that is modern? Well, there is always knot theory.

(Have you heard of the unknot? I have not. It is a closed loop of rope without a knot in it. How simple! Wait, I have not finished. In mathematics, an unknot is the identity element with respect to the knot sum operation).

Sartre frowns, determined to understand it.

Arthur has drunk lots of wine. He understands it.

Sweezus has too. Yeah. He understands it.

I get it, says Belle. A donut is an unknot.

Everyone laughs, because they are two different things, yet the same thing, exactly. Which is funny.

Drop drop drop. The first raindrops fall.

And Gaius appears with Terence, and Saint Roley.

Arthur! says Gaius. We must leave tomorrow for Paris. There are a few things to sort out first.

Yerp! says Arthur.

Arthur! says Belle.

Firstly, says Gaius, train tickets for us from Saint Malo to Paris. Second, Baldy and the beetle to be picked up from the church.

Done, says Arthur. What church?

Saint Roley will show you, says Gaius. It's just round the corner.

Carry me, says Saint Roley. I've been microchipped.

Lucky, says Terence.

Okay. Come on, says Arthur.

My beetle's in pieces, says Terence.

Bring sticking plaster, says Saint Roley.

I've still got that box of jungle ones, says Sweezus. No otters or monkeys, but heaps of others. Take it with you.

They'll be too big for a beetle, says Belle. You'll need scissors.

She produces nail scissors, from her back pack.

Arthur has all he needs now to ressurrect the beetle.

He has a powerful feeling that the universe has zoomed in to focus on this exact moment.