(Achilles opens the door. They enter, and begin climbing the steep helical
staircase inside the tower.)
Tortoise (puffing slightly): I'm a little out of shape for this sort of exercise,
Achilles. How much further do we have to go?
Achilles: Another few flights ... but I have an idea. Instead of walking on
the top side of these stairs, why don't you walk on the underside?
Tortoise: How do I do THAT?
Achilles: Just hold on tightly, and climb around underneath-there's
room enough for you. You'll find that the steps make just as much
sense from below as from above ...
Tortoise (gingerly shifting himself about): Am I doing it right?
Achilles: You've got it!
Tortoise (his voice slightly mufJled): Say-this little maneuver has got me
confused. Should I head upstairs or downstairs, now?
Achilles: Just continue heading in the same direction as you were before.
On your side of the staircase, that means go DOWN, on mine it means
UP.
Tortoise: Now you're not going to tell me that I can get to the top of the
tower by going down, are you?
Achilles: I don't know, but it works ...
(And so they begin spiraling in synchrony, with A always on one side, and
T matching him on the other side. Soon they reach the end of the staircase.)
Now just undo the maneuver, Mr. T. Here-let me help you up.
(He lends an arm to the Tortoise, and hoists him back to the other side of the
stairs.)
Tortoise: Thanks. It was a little easier getting back up.
(And they step out onto the roof, overlooking the town.)
That's a lovely view, Achilles. I'm glad you brought me up here-or
rather, DOWN here.
Achilles: I figured you'd enjoy it.
Tortoise: I've been thinking about that obscene phone call. I think I un-
derstand it a little better now.
Achilles: You do? Would you tell me about it?
Tortoise: Gladly. Do you perchance feel, as I do, that that phrase "pre-
ceded by its quotation" has a slightly haunting quality about it?
Achilles: Slightly, yes-extremely slightly.
Tortoise: Can you imagine something preceded by its quotation?
Achilles: I guess I can conjure up an image of Chairman Mao walking into
a banquet room in which there already haQgs a large banner with some
of his own writing on it. Here would be Chairman Mao, preceded by
his quotation.
Tortoise: A most imaginative example. But suppose we restrict the wordAir on G's String 433