The Peacock 1849

This place vaguely resembles the grounds of Carl's mansion. It is indeed a southern magnolia where the two peacocks are perching, but it is larger, grander with more plate sized creamy white flowers and more spreading. The peacocks have both inclined their heads as though to observe us more carefully. A soft, gentle and almost intolerable sweet musical note proceeds from Tron's mouth, and the two peacocks hop down from the branch and begin to walk with us. We are on a path paved with grey and white stones, surrounded by flower beds and trees. I dare not ask where we are. The silence, but for the occasional birdsong, is all enveloping. We cannot be anywhere in Canada. The birds, such as they are, sound tropical, and there are magenta, red and violet bursts of bougainvillea and scarlet and orange hibiscus flowers. I hear the soft plashing of water and the path leads us to a small circular fountain, in a round plaza surrounded by low stone benches. On the one just on the other side of the fountain is seated the young Jesus. He smiles sweetly, then whispers something to Tron, who promptly walks away in another direction,behind our lord. "All paths lead to me, " he says gently, as I take my seat at his side. With his right hand he strokes back my hair, then gently kisses my forehead. The press of his lips on my skin is soft, a little bit moist, and I feel a sudden and unexpected peace flowing into my being. "where are we" "We are in my kitchen." "But this looks like a garden with a fountain." "It is that too", he says, and suddenly, I am seated with him at a kitchen table, where Mary is also seated slicing various cheeses onto a plate, and Joseph is mixing something in a bowl.