Kallen turned around, his back to Old Saman, and sat down on the steps.
He understood now. Old Saman intended to martyr himself.
"I don't think there's anything particularly great about this choice of yours."
"I told you, I'm a coward. From the moment I chose to become the Cemetery Keeper here, I've been a coward right up to now. I don't consider myself anything close to great, either.
"I've always been running away, always immersed in my own world. I'm content, and I've long since grown used to it.
"I even feel that I'm not dying for Pamireth, because when I learned the news, I wasn't all that angry. Perhaps I simply can't adjust, and can't be bothered to adjust again.
"Heh, most importantly, I'm old.
"In fact, I'm quite a bit older than I look.
"When someone gets old,
"he tends to cling to the old ways and become conservative.
"But it might not be that he likes the old ways or being conservative, much less that he rejects change.
"It's just that, seeing he only has a few years left, he can't be bothered with all the fuss anymore.
"It's like riding a tram. You're half a stop away from your destination. Even if a seat opens up, you can't be bothered to go sit down. You might as well stand a little longer and get off at your stop."
Old Saman reached out and gently nudged Kallen's shoulder as he sat diagonally in front of him.
"By the way, your manservant took my pipe back with him."
Kallen took his cigarettes and lighter out of his pocket and handed them to Old Saman.
Old Saman pulled out a cigarette and put it between his lips, then took out another and offered it to Kallen. "I know