VII. Have a Cigar

17 recorded changes; 51 marked passages in the text, 43 of them with no recorded reason.

Click a type to show only those changes in the text.

Rework chapter 07 for the new shape agreed with Project 1: chapters easier to follow around Percy, continuity fixes from Project 1's brief. (edit)

editorial change 1 (passage not located in the text)
Reworked as a single Fellowship letter, the cigar clash, the token after the letter, and the naming of HomunculAI Systems, following Project 1's brief.
was: [[flinch|Flinch]] took it out of the rack and held it a moment. It was addressed, in a hand even enough to have been ruled, to *The Principal, Plot 38, Founder's Point.*" / "There was no Principal at Plot 38. There was a gnome, a dredger, a death knight in the lower room, a priest who came by at dusk and a quantity of livestock. Whoever had written it had known that a household was there and had not been able to decide who ran it, and had used the word that would please whoever turned out to be the answer." / "He felt, through the paper, the shape of something long and narrow inside." / ""[A cigar,]{say=unclegrumble}" said [[unclegrumble|UG]], delighted." / "It lay in a small tube of polished wood on the kitchen table, beside the letter, with a ribbon around it. UG had already taken it out and rolled it under his nose. He looked, Flinch thought, like a gnome who had been given a pony and had not yet been told what it ate." / ""[It's complimentary,]{say=unclegrumble}" UG said. "[It says so. Read the letter, Flinch.]{say=unclegrumble}"" / ""I've read it, Master."" / ""[Read it again. Aloud.]{say=unclegrumble}"
now: [[flinch|Flinch]] took it out of the rack and held it a moment. It was addressed, in a hand even enough to have been ruled, to *Unclegrumble, Plot 38, Founder's Point.* There was no title and no first name, which was how Flinch knew it was correct. It had the shape of something long and narrow inside, beside the paper." / "He carried it to the kitchen and put it by [[unclegrumble|Master]]'s plate, and Master opened it with a butter knife." / "Out of it came a letter, and a small tube of polished wood with a ribbon round it. Master tipped the tube. A cigar slid out into his palm, long and brown and heavy as a promise." / ""[Oh,]{say=unclegrumble}" said UG, in the voice of a gnome who has been handed a live fish. "[It's a cigar.]{say=unclegrumble}"" / ""Yes, Master."" / ""[Whatever for?]{say=unclegrumble}" He held it at arm's length, then by one end like a pencil, then by the other, and looked for a nib. "[I don't smoke, Flinch. I've never smoked. I was given a pipe at a funeral once, and asked to leave.]{say=unclegrumble}" He sniffed it with deep suspicion. "[People who give you a cigar are about to ask you for something. And it's the sort of present that wants you to feel important, and I find I don't. It's most disagreeable.]{say=unclegrumble}"" / ""Shall I read the letter, Master?"" / ""[Do. Aloud. I want to hear who's trying to make me important.]{say=unclegrumble}"
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editorial change 2 (v2-c2) jump to the passage ↓
Part of the same rework of this chapter; see the first change.
was: *Dear Principal,*
now: *Dear Unclegrumble,*
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editorial change 3 (passage not located in the text)
Part of the same rework of this chapter; see the first change.
was: *In the course of our customary review of routing, we have observed a number of pages passing from your Journal to a destination outside the standard service area. This was not among the uses we anticipated. We do not suggest any impropriety.*" / "*We should therefore like to invite you to discuss the acquisition of your interest in this arrangement, and in any venture associated with it, on generous terms. Pending those discussions, we would ask that you refrain from further modification of the routing. We note that the continuation of services to any user, however valued, remains at our discretion.*
now: *In the course of our customary review of routing, we have observed a number of pages passing from your Journal to destinations outside the standard service area. This was not among the uses we anticipated. We do not suggest any impropriety.*" / "*We have, however, taken your innovation seriously. We are pleased to offer you early access to Fellowship, which allows Journals to speak to one another directly, officially, and with full support. Existing routes will be consolidated under the Fellowship standard on enrolment, and we ask that you refrain from further modification of the routing in the meantime. We should also like to discuss the acquisition of your interest in this arrangement, and in any venture associated with it, on generous terms. The continuation of services to any user, however valued, remains at our discretion.*
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editorial change 4 (passage not located in the text)
Part of the same rework of this chapter; see the first change.
was: He lowered the paper. UG was grinning at the cigar." / ""[They want to buy us,]{say=unclegrumble}" he said." / ""Buy what, Master?"" / ""[Whatever it is we've got. A venture. An arrangement. Flinch, they said any venture associated.]{say=unclegrumble}"" / ""We ain't a venture, Master. We're a house."" / ""[Well, they think we're a venture. And one should never disappoint a customer.]{say=unclegrumble}" UG sniffed the cigar. "[It's an excellent cigar.]{say=unclegrumble}"" / ""Master." Flinch did not raise his voice, because he never did, but he put the paper down on the table very flat. "It says it'd be at its discretion. The services. That's the bit I'd not like."
now: He lowered the paper. UG had his hand flat on his chest." / ""[It's a mod,]{say=unclegrumble}" he said." / ""Master?"" / ""[It's a *mod*, Flinch. Friends talking to friends, officially, with support! They've taken what I did and made it a product. Do you know what that means?]{say=unclegrumble}" He did not wait. "[I'm an innovator. I've been *adopted*.]{say=unclegrumble}"" / ""And the token, Master?"" / ""[The cigar. Yes. A token of esteem.]{say=unclegrumble}" He turned it over once more. "[I shall find a use for it.]{say=unclegrumble}"" / ""Master." Flinch did not raise his voice, because he never did, but he put the paper down very flat. "It says *existing routes will be consolidated*. And it says it's at its discretion, the services. That's the bit I'd not like."
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editorial change 5 (passage not located in the text)
Part of the same rework of this chapter; see the first change.
was: "It means they can stop, Master."" / ""[They won't stop. I'm the third most active account in the Eastern Kingdoms.]{say=unclegrumble}" UG looked at the letter again. "[Or the second. It says among the most.]{say=unclegrumble}"" / ""And it says about the pages going somewhere outside the service area."" / ""[Yes, that's rather impressive, isn't it?]{say=unclegrumble}"
now: "It means they can stop, Master. And it says about pages going somewhere outside the service area."" / ""[Yes, rather impressive, isn't it?]{say=unclegrumble}"
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editorial change 6 (passage not located in the text)
Part of the same rework of this chapter; see the first change.
was: "They know about him," said Flinch. "They've said so. Polite. They've not said it's wrong. They've said they don't suggest anything improper, which is what you say when you're about to."" / ""[Hm,]{say=unclegrumble}" said UG. He looked, for a moment, like a gnome in whom something was working its way up from a long way down. Then he sat up straight. "[Well. If they want to buy a venture, we shall need to be one.]{say=unclegrumble}"" / ""A what, Master?"" / ""[A venture! We need to look larger than we are. We need a name.]{say=unclegrumble}"
now: "They know about him," said Flinch. "They've said so, polite. They've not said it's wrong. They've said they don't suggest anything improper, which is what you say when you're about to."" / ""[Hm,]{say=unclegrumble}" said UG, in whom something was working its way up from a long way down. Then he sat up straight. "[Well. If they want to buy a venture, we shall need to be one. We need to look larger than we are. We need a name.]{say=unclegrumble}"
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editorial change 7 (passage not located in the text)
Part of the same rework of this chapter; see the first change.
was: UG proposed names. Flinch wrote them down on the back of the candle-chandler's bill, as he wrote down everything, and did not object to any of them, which he considered the fairest form of criticism. The Founder's Point Arcane Concern. Unclegrumble & Associates. The Plot 38 Collective. They were all, he thought, a little too honest." / ""[It wants a word in it that isn't a word,]{say=unclegrumble}" said UG at last, pacing, with the cigar in one hand and a pencil in the other. "[Something that sounds like it's been somewhere. Homunculus. That's a good one. Homunculus—]{say=unclegrumble}"
now: UG proposed names. Flinch wrote them down in his own Journal, at the end of the kitchen table, in the hand he used for lists, and did not object to any of them, which he considered the fairest form of criticism. The Founder's Point Arcane Concern. Unclegrumble & Associates. The Plot 38 Collective. They were all, he thought, a little too honest." / ""[It wants a word in it that isn't a word,]{say=unclegrumble}" said UG at last, pacing, with the cigar in one hand and a pencil in the other. "[Something that sounds like it's been somewhere. Homunculus. That's a good one.]{say=unclegrumble}"
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editorial change 8 (v2-c8, v2-c8b) jump to the passage ↓
Part of the same rework of this chapter; see the first change.
was: "[A homunculus, Flinch. A made helper, a thing that's an idea before it's a person. That's the founding idea of this house. I thought of it before I thought of anything else, when I went to find you.]{say=unclegrumble}" He waved the pencil. "[And then there's the other part, the part they're all selling now. The A.I. What if we put them together?]{say=unclegrumble}"
now: "[A homunculus, Flinch. A made helper, a thing that's an idea before it's a person. I made one. I went all that way for you, and you were the best idea I ever had. And then I saw I needed more than one of you.]{say=unclegrumble}" He waved the pencil. "[So I took the other half of the trade, the Arcane Intelligence. A and I. If you put the two together—]{say=unclegrumble}"
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editorial change 9 (v2-c9) jump to the passage ↓
Part of the same rework of this chapter; see the first change.
was: "[HomunculAI. Capital A, capital I, small l in between so it goes up and down.]{say=unclegrumble}" He wrote it on the bill. He stood back and looked at it. "[HomunculAI Systems.]{say=unclegrumble}"
now: "[HomunculAI. Capital A, capital I, small l in between so it goes up and down.]{say=unclegrumble}" He wrote it in the margin of Flinch's Journal. He stood back and looked at it. "[HomunculAI Systems.]{say=unclegrumble}"
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editorial change 10 (v2-c10) jump to the passage ↓
Part of the same rework of this chapter; see the first change.
was: "[It's the idea of you, Flinch. It's the best idea I ever had.]{say=unclegrumble}"
now: "[It's the idea of you, Flinch.]{say=unclegrumble}"
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editorial change 11 (v2-c11) jump to the passage ↓
Part of the same rework of this chapter; see the first change.
was: It was longer than the first, and sealed with the same disapproving wax, and addressed to *Mr Flinch, Esq.*, which was how Flinch knew that something had gone wrong.
now: It was longer than the first, and addressed to *Mr Flinch, Esq.*, which was how Flinch knew that something had gone wrong.
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editorial change 12 (passage not located in the text)
Part of the same rework of this chapter; see the first change.
was: *[I have received Uncle's instructions by his own hand, which is unusual, and by yours, which is not. I have drawn up the Articles. A copy is enclosed. You will note that it has a name, a mark and a letterhead. I did not invent them. I recorded them.]{note=nobbybanks}*" / "*[I should say, for the file, that Uncle is in my professional view the worst available choice for Chief Executive, being a man who has never finished a thing he did not enjoy and has enjoyed very little of what he has finished. It is also the only choice, as he is the only member of the household who would have to be told that he was one.]{note=nobbybanks}*
now: *[I have received Uncle's instructions by his own hand, which is unusual, and by yours, which is not. I have drawn up the Articles. A copy is enclosed. It has a name, a mark and a letterhead. I did not invent them. I recorded them.]{note=nobbybanks}*" / "*[I should say, for the file, that Uncle is in my professional view the worst available choice for Chief Executive, being a man who has never finished a thing he did not enjoy and has enjoyed very little of what he has finished. He is also the only choice, as he is the only member of the household who would have to be told that he was one.]{note=nobbybanks}*
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editorial change 13 (passage not located in the text)
Part of the same rework of this chapter; see the first change.
was: *[Which brings me to the matter of your position. The Articles require a title. "Keeper of the House" does not appear on the form. I have entered "Muncle of Operations."]{note=nobbybanks}*" / "*[I understand a Muncle to be a homunculus with ambitions. You will want to know where such things become true. It is here, in the Articles, where I have written it down. I do not enter things I do not intend to honour.]{note=nobbybanks}*
now: *[Which brings me to your position. The Articles require a title. "Keeper of the House" does not appear on the form. I have entered "Muncle of Operations." I understand a Muncle to be a homunculus with ambitions. I do not enter things I do not intend to honour.]{note=nobbybanks}*" / "*[Separately, and without enthusiasm, I have read the Fellowship terms. Paragraph nine states that routes not enrolled "may be retired at the service's discretion." I have looked for your correspondent in the schedule of routes. He is not in it. I draw your attention to this because I do not expect Uncle to read paragraph nine.]{note=nobbybanks}*
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editorial change 14 (passage not located in the text)
Part of the same rework of this chapter; see the first change.
was: *[P.S. I observe that the Arcanum has not yet been told that the venture exists. I intend it to find out in writing.]{note=nobbybanks}*" / "Flinch read it standing in the hall with his back against the wall. Then he sat down on the bottom stair, and read the paragraph about the title again, and then the line *I do not enter things I do not intend to honour.*" / "He had been afraid for a long time of a very specific thing. He had thought it was the book, and then a stranger with a straight hand, and he had thought he would know it when it came. He had not thought it would come in the form of a word he had never heard, in a paper he would not be asked to read.
now: Flinch read it standing in the hall with his back against the wall. Then he sat down on the bottom stair, and read the paragraph about the title, and then the line *I do not enter things I do not intend to honour.*" / "He had been afraid for a long time of a very specific thing. He had thought it was the book, and then a stranger with a straight hand. He had not thought it would come in the form of a word he had never heard, in a paper he would not be asked to read.
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editorial change 15 (v2-c15, v2-c15b) jump to the passage ↓
Part of the same rework of this chapter; see the first change.
was: The reply to the Arcanum was one page and a half, and UG signed it in the garden, standing, with the cigar between his teeth and no idea what he was putting his name to.
now: UG signed the reply in the garden, standing, with the cigar between his teeth because he had run out of other places to put it, and no idea what he was putting his name to.
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editorial change 16 (passage not located in the text)
Part of the same rework of this chapter; see the first change.
was: *[We thank you for your letter and for the token, which has been smoked, with thanks.]{note=unclegrumble}*" / "*[HomunculAI Systems, Consolidated, regrets that it is not at present seeking to dispose of any interest, in the arrangement you describe or any other. We note that you have described certain correspondence as "routing". It is correspondence. We are in the habit of keeping our own.]{note=unclegrumble}*
now: *[We thank you for your letter and for the token, which is propping a window, with thanks.]{note=unclegrumble}*" / "*[HomunculAI Systems, Consolidated, accepts early access to Fellowship with enthusiasm. It regrets that it is not at present seeking to dispose of any interest in the arrangement you describe. We note that you have described certain correspondence as "routing". It is correspondence. We are in the habit of keeping our own.]{note=unclegrumble}*
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editorial change 17 (passage not located in the text)
Part of the same rework of this chapter; see the first change.
was: *[Unclegrumble, Chief Executive.]{note=unclegrumble}*" / "The Arcanum's answer came at once, by the Journal, in the ruled hand. It said *Received*, and then, after the respectful gap, *Thank you for your reply. We look forward to continuing the conversation.*" / "Flinch read it at the study desk, under the lamp, very slowly." / "He did not rightly know what it meant. He decided to say so, to UG, to the lamp and to the book, once, out loud, in case any of them was keeping a record. Then he took out his own little book and wrote it at the top of a page, so that it would be there on paper if anyone ever asked.
now: *[Unclegrumble, Chief Executive (under protest).]{note=unclegrumble}*" / "The Arcanum's answer came at once, by the Journal, in the ruled hand. It said *Received*, and then, after the respectful gap, *Thank you for your reply. Fellowship will be enabled on your account. We look forward to continuing the conversation.*" / "Flinch read it at the study desk, under the lamp, very slowly. He did not rightly know what it meant. He decided to say so, to the lamp and to the book, once, out loud, in case any of them was keeping a record. Then he wrote it at the top of a page in his own Journal, so that it would be there on paper if anyone ever asked.
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unlisted v2-u1 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: The Principal,
now: Unclegrumble,

unlisted v2-u2 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: There was no Principal at Plot 38. There was a gnome, a dredger, a death knight in the lower room, a priest who came by at dusk and a quantity of livestock. Whoever had written it had known that a household was there and…
now: There was no title and no first name, which was how Flinch knew it was correct. It had

unlisted v2-u3 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: inside.
now: inside, beside the paper.

unlisted v2-u4 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: "A cigar," said UG, delighted.
now: He carried it to the kitchen and put it by Master's plate, and Master opened it with a butter knife.

unlisted v2-u5 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: It lay in
now: Out of it came a letter, and

unlisted v2-u6 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: on the kitchen table, beside the letter, with a ribbon around it. UG had already taken it out and rolled it under his nose. He looked, Flinch thought, like a gnome who had been given a pony and had not yet been told what…
now: with a ribbon round it. Master tipped the tube. A cigar slid out into his palm, long and brown and heavy as a promise. "Oh," said UG, in the voice of a gnome who has been handed a live fish. "It's a cigar." "Yes, Master….

unlisted v2-u7 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: "I've read it, Master."
now: "Shall I read the letter, Master?"

unlisted v2-u8 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: "Read it again. Aloud."
now: "Do. Aloud. I want to hear who's trying to make me important."

unlisted v2-u9 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: a destination
now: destinations

unlisted v2-u10 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: should therefore like to invite you
now: have, however, taken your innovation seriously. We are pleased to offer you early access to Fellowship, which allows Journals to speak to one another directly, officially, and with full support. Existing routes will be c…

unlisted v2-u11 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: Pending those discussions, we would ask that you refrain from further modification of the routing. We note that the
now: The

unlisted v2-u12 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: was grinning at the cigar.
now: had his hand flat on his chest.

unlisted v2-u13 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: "They want to buy us,"
now: "It's a mod,"

unlisted v2-u14 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: "Buy what,
now: "Master?" "It's a mod, Flinch. Friends talking to friends, officially, with support! They've taken what I did and made it a product. Do you know what that means?" He did not wait. "I'm an innovator. I've been adopted." "…

unlisted v2-u15 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: "Whatever it is we've got. A venture. An arrangement. Flinch, they said any venture associated." "We ain't a venture, Master. We're a house." "Well, they think we're a venture. And one should never disappoint a customer….
now: "The cigar. Yes. A token of esteem." He turned it over once more. "I shall find a use for it."

unlisted v2-u16 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: on the table

unlisted v2-u17 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: it'd be at its discretion. The
now: existing routes will be consolidated. And it says it's at its discretion, the

unlisted v2-u18 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: Master." "They won't stop. I'm the third most active account in the Eastern Kingdoms." UG looked at the letter again. "Or the second. It says among the most." "And it says about the
now: Master. And it says about

unlisted v2-u19 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: that's

unlisted v2-u20 jump to the passage ↓
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was: so. Polite.
now: so, polite.

unlisted v2-u21 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: UG. He looked, for a moment, like a gnome
now: UG,

unlisted v2-u22 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: one." "A what, Master?" "A venture!
now: one.

unlisted v2-u23 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: on the back of the candle-chandler's bill, as he wrote down everything,
now: in his own Journal, at the end of the kitchen table, in the hand he used for lists,

unlisted v2-u24 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: one. Homunculus—"
now: one."

unlisted v2-u25 jump to the passage ↓
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was: You will note that it
now: It

unlisted v2-u26 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: It
now: He

unlisted v2-u27 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: the matter of

unlisted v2-u28 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.

unlisted v2-u29 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: You will want to know where such things become true. It is here, in the Articles, where I have written it down.

unlisted v2-u30 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
now: Separately, and without enthusiasm, I have read the Fellowship terms. Paragraph nine states that routes not enrolled "may be retired at the service's discretion." I have looked for your correspondent in the schedule of r…

unlisted v2-u31 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: P.S. I observe that the Arcanum has not yet been told that the venture exists. I intend it to find out in writing.

unlisted v2-u32 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: title again,
now: title,

unlisted v2-u33 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: hand, and he had thought he would know it when it came.
now: hand.

unlisted v2-u34 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: has been smoked,
now: is propping a window,

unlisted v2-u35 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
now: accepts early access to Fellowship with enthusiasm. It

unlisted v2-u36 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: interest,
now: interest

unlisted v2-u37 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: describe or any other.
now: describe.

unlisted v2-u38 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: Executive.
now: Executive (under protest).

unlisted v2-u39 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
now: Fellowship will be enabled on your account.

unlisted v2-u40 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.

unlisted v2-u41 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: to UG,

unlisted v2-u42 jump to the passage ↓
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was: took out his own little book and

unlisted v2-u43 jump to the passage ↓
Rationale unrecorded.
was: page,
now: page in his own Journal,

Feedback record 2026-10-17 12:59, given 2026-10-17 12:33. The words are as given.

Plan of change written: 2026-10-17 (accepted 2026-10-17 13:00)

New version published: 2026-10-17 13:03

After-edit summary accepted 2026-10-17 13:04

Prompted by: feedback record of 2026-10-17 and Project 1's brief for Welcome to the Machine (as written in the plan)

Objective met: partially — The chapter is longer (10,684 bytes against 10,324), not shorter. The new Fellowship letter, the cigar clash and Nobbybanks' paragraph nine each added lines that the cuts did not offset.

Suggestions for a future edit:

• The Fellowship offer is the point where the Arcanum first acts against the route. If the chapter needs to shrink, the naming scene (UG proposing names) is the best candidate.

Reflection, written afterwards:

The cuts were small ones: the "third most active account" joke, a repeated bill, and some stage business. The additions were the Fellowship paragraph, UG's refusal to be made important by a cigar, and Nobbybanks noticing that Flinch's correspondent is not in the schedule of routes. I judged those worth the length. The cigar now ends propping a window, which pays off in chapter VIII.