From: IN%"richardv@solist.htsa.aha.nl" 3-JUL-1994 05:08:23.32 To: IN%"VICKIEWEST@delphi.com" CC: Subj: RE: Clamp, X vol. 4 Return-path: Received: from sun4nl.NL.net by delphi.com (PMDF V4.3-7 #6563) id <01HE9AHQMSA890OIX9@delphi.com>; Sun, 3 Jul 1994 05:08:20 EDT Received: from htsa by sun4nl.NL.net via EUnet id AA19335 (5.65b/CWI-3.3); Sun , 3 Jul 1994 11:08:09 +0200 Received: from lek.htsa.aha.nl (root@lek.htsa.aha.nl) by bataan.htsa.aha.nl with smtp (Smail3.1.28.1 #40) id m0qKNLX-001PEQC; Sun, 3 Jul 94 10:56 METDST Received: by lek.htsa.aha.nl (Smail3.1.28.1 #31) id m0qKNLX-000XezC; Sun, 3 Jul 94 10:56 METDST Date: Sun, 3 Jul 94 10:56:19 METDST From: richardv@htsa.aha.nl (Richard Vermaas) Subject: Re: Clamp, X vol. 4 In-reply-to: <01HE8NAFUFBM9EDH7Z@delphi.com>; from "VICKIEWEST@delphi.com" at Jul 02, 94 6:04 pm To: VICKIEWEST@delphi.com Reply-to: richardv@solist.htsa.aha.nl (Richard Vermaas) Message-id: Organization: Hogeschool van Amsterdam, The Netherlands, E.E. &C.S. Dept. Content-transfer-encoding: 7BIT Organisation: Hogeschool van Amsterdam Mailer: Elm [revision: 70.85] Hello Vickie, >You've been posting postscript X files (which I can't read ;_;) >to rec.arts.manga. Would you, by any chance, happen to have >the vol. 4 English translation for X in plain ascii format? Of course, the ASCII script is included below. What is the reason that you can't read the LaTeX scripts? The archive format? Or can't you use LaTeX and dvips at your account? If it is the archive format then let me know, I'll send you the files in another format, as I think the scripts look much better in LaTeX format ^_^ >I must have missed the original posting entirely, and I've >been unable to track it down at any ftp sites (venice and >its successors only have scripts for vols. 1-3). You are correct. I think I'll upload the ASCII script to venice as well, so people without LaTeX can grab those. >If you don't have it, could you maybe suggest someone who >could send this to me? I'd *really* like to have it... Any >help appreciated! Thanks. Well Steven Barnes is the best person to ask in such cases, as he and Tonghyun Kim are the translators. I am waiting anxiously for the translations of X volume 5 right now. X is my favorite manga and I can't wait to read the next volume (which is already available BTW, and volume 6 should be out now (if not soon)). If you're interested in other CLAMP manga: Tokyo Babylon has been translated by Sue Shambaugh I have been told. I am waiting for scripts from her right now. If you're interested I'll forward her address to you. Greetings, I hope you'll enjoy X 4 (I know you will ^_^) Richard Vermaas From: akuma@netcom.com (Steven E Barnes) To: richardv@htsa.aha.nl Subject: X 4 X CHAPTER 4 : SHICHIYOU II Translated by Steven E. Barnes Edited by Tonghyun "Vajra" Kim NOTE: % indicates lines that are not spoken. $ indicates flashback lines P2 X Shichiyou II Shichiyou: (1) The seven stars. Pertaining to the seven stars of the Big Dipper. The radiance of the seven stars. P5 FUUMA Kamui. P6 FUUMA $Kamui. P7 FUUMA $Kamui. (KYOUGO) $It has begun. P8 - 9 KYOUGO $The first arrow... signaling... The End of this World... $Has been... fired... $Fuuma... You are... Ka...mui's... P10 KANOE $Kill him. Kill Kamui. Kill him... P11 FUUMA Ku- $I am Kamui's "what". Father... P12 KOTORI Onii-chan. You should sleep a little more. You haven't slept much during the last 2 or 3 days. [Onii-chan = Older Brother] FUUMA This blanket. Did you put it on me? FUUMA Thanks. KOTORI May I sit next to you? P13 FUUMA? ...Now it's just the two of us. P14 KOTORI ...Once again, I was useless. Also, when Mother died of "sickness", I had a fever, and at the wake, and also the funeral, there was nothing I could do. It was the same with Father; I collapsed again. P15 KOTORI Onii-chan, I'm sorry that you had to do all the work... FUUMA Kotori... KOTORI ...I'm sorry... FUUMA There is nothing you need to apologize for. KOTORI Onii-chan... FUUMA I can get along with out complaining, because you are here. If I had been an only child, then maybe I would done something disgraceful enough to drive Father crazy. P16 KOTORI Thank you, Onii-chan. I will be strong. Since it is impossible for me to be of use to you, from now on, I will persevere with all my heart, so that at least I won't trouble you. But. But... Only a bit... Only now... Is it OK to cry? Because starting tomorrow, I absolutely will not cry... P17 KOTORI Only for now... FUUMA Kotori... KOTORI (sob) Father... (sob) Father... (KYOUGO) $It has... begun. $The first arrow... signaling... The End of this World... $Has been... fired... P18 (KYOUGO) $Fuuma... you are... Kamui's... P19 $Kamui... P20 SORATA The finest Kalbi, and Tan-shio, and top sirloin and... Miss, how about Liver-sashi? [Kalbi: Korean style roasted rib; Tan-shio: Salted innards; Liver-sashi: Sliced raw liver] ARASHI ...Yes. SORATA Eat some liver too, Kamui. (You're already small as you are.) Liver is full of nutrition, so eat up. KAMUI Bastard!! SORATA Reimen for three, after that. [Reimen (Naengmyun): Korean noodles in cold soup or with hot spice.] P21 SORATA Can you also bring Yukke and Baribari salad? [Yukke (Yukhoe): Seasoned raw meat] WAITRESS Certainly, sir. KAMUI Why did we have to come to someplace like a yakiniku-ya? [Yakiniku-ya : Korean style roast beef restaurant] SORATA Well, you can't fight on an empty stomach, you know. I decided that if I ever came to Tokyo, I would eat at this yakiniku-ya. The baribari restaurant in front of Gaien is really cool, as expected. [Gaien: The garden outside of Emperor's Palace] It's alright, Miss. P22 SORATA Of course, the bill is on me. Eating yakiniku, surrounded by two beauties...I'm the happiest dude in the world. WAITRESS Thank you for waiting. Here are the Kalbi, Tan-shio, and top sirloin you ordered. SORATA Ooh, it's here, it's here; let's eat! Kamui, it's bad manners to stand and eat, although I understand that you got impatient. P23 SORATA Miss, you're familiar with this, aren't you? Hey Kamui, hurry up and sit down. I do not understand what Tokiko-san was about to tell us about your "destiny", however, since I do know about your mother's family, I can explain it to you. P24 SORATA It is for this reason... This Kalbi is already cooked. P25 SORATA The maiden name of your mother, before she married was "Magami." Magami, which is written with "Shin" as in shinjitsu, and "Kami" as in Kami-sama. [Shinjitsu = Truth; Kami-sama = God; Sorata is describing the Chinese characters used to spell the name Magami; since many characters are pronounced identically, it is helpful to mention other words which use the same character] Those of the Magami family are "kage-nie" [Shadow + Offering] P26 KAMUI Kage-nie? SORATA Kamui, do you know about "Migawari-ningyou"? [Substitute + Doll] It's the doll used in ancient sorcery that received various misfortune and troubles, as a substitute for a human being. That's what it is. P27 SORATA As for "Kage-nie"... By becoming the "shadow" of some person, they become an "offering", receiving all of his misfortune in place of him. In otherwords, a living "Migawari-ningyou". P28 SORATA By becoming the "Kage-nie" of people born of nobility and important politicians of Japan, they accept all the misfortune that these people should receive. That is the occupation of the Magami family. What is the identity of the "Kage-nie" of the Magami family? What guy is the Magami family receiving the "Migawari-ningyou" for? Nobody knows. Even to the people of Kouyasan, where I'm from, the Magami family is a mysterious clan. Some say that some people in the Imperial family are under the care of the Magami family and others say that about half of Japan's Prime Minsters have had the Magami family as Kage-nie. P29 KAMUI Mother was... SORATA If it's a leading figure of Japan, the misfortunes they catch are no laughing matter. There are probably many guys who have grudges, and If he makes the wrong move, he'll be in deeper shit than just losing his life. P30 SORATA The people of the Magami family, by making themselves into Kage-nie, manipulate events so that the misfortunes of the supplicant befall themselves instead. And it seems they also have knowledge of techniques to avoid this misfortune. They're not your typical, ordinary sorcerors, you know, because they are protecting the guys who support Japan while putting themselves in danger. P31 SORATA The mother who bore Kamui... I wondered what kind of incredible person she was, but of course, she was a Magami person. P32 SORATA Certainly, if she was a Magami person, then she was highly qualified to become the mother of "Kamui." P33 KAMUI %Mother... P34 KAMUI However... Mother burnt to death. Was this the reason? ARASHI I think that is incorrect. You said your mother passed away by burning. KAMUI Yeah... ARASHI About when did she pass away? KAMUI ... Two weeks ago. P35 ARASHI If she was of the Magami family, and she was also a woman possessing the qualities needed to become the mother of "Kamui", she would certainly have become the "Kage-nie" for someone. Also... P36 ARASHI It would be someone "who absolutely must not die," in Japan; She probably protected this person. ARASHI If your mother, who was a "Kage-nie", passed away by being enveloped in flames, then the one she protected should also have burned up. SORATA ...I haven't heard of such a famous person burning to death. ARASHI I also do not recall hearing any such rumors. P37 SORATA Concerning the Magami family, even among the guys who are aquainted with the inner workings of Japan, there are only a handful of people who know this. Because they are top secret guys. Even at Kouya, the ones who know are slightly more than ten people. Miss. To become that well-informed about the Magami family... Where do you fit in? P38 SORATA The Sumeragi family, who are the supreme modern day Onmyouji? [Onmyouji/Onyouji : Oriental sorceror] No, I'd heard that the 13th head of the Sumeragi family was definitely a man. [Subaru Sumeragi from _Tokyo Babylon_] Perhaps... You're connected with O-Ise-san. [O-ise-san, or Ise Jinguu is one of the most important Shinto Shrines, as it is dedicated to Amaterasu, the Sun goddess. (It is claimed that the Imperial Family is descended from Amaterasu). The head priestess is always an Imperial Princess. The Mirror, one of the three imperial treasures, is enshrined at Ise. (The Three Treasures are: The Sword, The Mirror, and the Jewel).] P39 SORATA Miss... You're really a beauty. Of course, I've picked you. ARASHI What do you mean? P40 SORATA Well, we've eaten yaki-niku, our stomachs are full; will you guide us now? Miss. ARASHI To where? SORATA Grandfather "Stargazer" at Koya said: P41 SORATA The center of the Japanese politics. The place which is one of the five most spiritually screwed-up places in Japan. The Diet Building. P42 - 43 SORATA The "Dreaming Princess" lives underneath it. P44 SORATA Kamui. This princess will probably tell you the rest. P47 SORATA Excuse me, driver. Can you give me a receipt? This means my life you see. Because with out my recent receipts, they won't acknowledge my expenses. Thank you for your troubles. You're still hesitating? Is is OK for you to take Kamui and I to the princess, beneath here? P48 SORATA Don't worry, don't worry. The Princess has already knows that I'll show up with Kamui. After all, she's the "Dreaming Princess" who moves the Japanese politics from behind the scenes. P50 $The maiden name of your mother, before she married was "Magami." $The Magami are Kage-nie. P51 $By becoming the "Kage-nie" of people born of nobility and $important politicians of Japan, $they accept all the misfortune that these people should receive. P52 $That is the occupation of the Magami family. KAMUI %Mother. P54 %HINOTO %I have been waiting. P55 %HINOTO %The visitor from Kouya. And... P56 %HINOTO %Kamui P57 %KAMUI %It's her!! P58 SOUHI / HIEN What!! SORATA Kamui!! P59 SORATA Wait, Kamui! You mustn't start a fight here!! P60 KAMUI Let go! It's her! %HINOTO %I apologize for the rudeness the other day. P61 SOUHI / HIEN Princess!! %HINOTO %I beg of you... Please listen to my words. %For the sake of the Earth... And for your own sake. P62 KAMUI My sake...? P63 %HINOTO %I shall show you. Things of the Earth, things of the Future. %Then... Things about Kamui yourself. P64 KAMUI About me? KAMUI You'll probably show me strange dreams again, won't you? Those unpleasant dreams. SOUHI / HIEN Why you! You mock the Princess!? P65 %HINOTO %Stop!! SORATA Geez, she's one mean Princess. ARASHI No...she isn't like that normally... %HINOTO %A star from Kouya. SORATA Eh? P66 %HINOTO %I thank you for protecting Kamui. SORATA Well, if you thank me like that, I'm at a loss. Will ya stop please? %HINOTO %One of the Seven Seals, who was raised at Kouya... %I am glad we could meet. SORATA And I'm lucky to have met the famous "Dreaming Princess underneath the Diet Building". Because... P67 SORATA That stubborn Stargazer of Kouya seemed to very fond of you. Do you know him, Princess? %HINOTO %My body does not allow me to go into the outside world. I have never %met with the astrologer priest who raised you. However, I and the %astrologer priest at Kouya are both ones who bear the same destiny, %which fortells the future. We meet together, I in my dreams, and he %in his stars. P68 SORATA ...Philosophical talk is outside the range of my field. But I also like you, Princess. You look far younger than your actual age. P69 SORATA Kamui. There is something you want to know. That's why you came as far as the Diet Building with me. And secondly, the Yakiniku-ya. KAMUI You took me to that Yakinikuya!! SORATA Right, right. You liked it? [ARASHI: I'm certain it was good...] KAMUI Bastard!! P70 SORATA Don't worry, Kamui. If anything happens to you, I will throw my body in they way and help you somehow. That is my destiny. P71 KAMUI What... P72 %HINOTO %I will show you things of the Earth, of the future, and then... %of you, Kamui. P73 $Kamui. Please go to Tokyo. $Your destiny is waiting. P74 %KAMUI %Mother... P80 %KAMUI %Earth? %HINOTO %Kamui... P82 %KAMUI %Tokyo?? P83 %KAMUI %It's covered by a desert. P84 %KAMUI %What is this!? P85 CHILD Mother. Mother. P86 CHILD Mother. Mother. Get up, Mother!! P87 CHILD [Crying] %HINOTO %We have crossed over into a dream. You cannot touch anything %in a dream with your "dream" body. P88 KAMUI Where is this place? This desert... And all those people...!! P89 KAMUI Is this... also a dream? P90 KAMUI %Tokyo. The same Tokyo as always... P91 KAMUI %What!? P92 KAMUI %What the hell!? Those dragons!? P98 KAMUI What the hell was that dragon? And that earthquake... %HINOTO %That was the "Dragon of Earth." P99 KAMUI Dragon of Earth? %HINOTO %The Seven Dragons will awake. %And then, they will tear the Earth, and Tokyo apart. P100 KAMUI "Dragon of Earth", you say? Is it an earthquake? Will Tokyo be destroyed by an earthquake? %HINOTO %That's right. However, that which will cause the earthquake %is the "Seven Dragons" P101 %HINOTO %The "Seven Minions." P102 $KYOUGO $Ka...mu...i... Take... back... the... Holy Sword... $A kekkai... Before... the... Se...ven Seals... $are... destroyed. $The Minions... KAMUI The Minions...? Is it the Minions Uncle spoke of? %HINOTO %And then battle with the Seven Minions. P103 %HINOTO %That which will defend against the destruction of the Earth is... KAMUI %A dragon!? %HINOTO %Only the "Dragon of Heaven." P104 KAMUI The seven stars... of the Big Dipper...? %HINOTO %The Dragon of Heaven. The Seven Stars in the sky. In this world, %there are merely seven who can create the Kekkai, which will save %the Earth. The Seven Seals. P105 KAMUI The Seven... Seals? %HINOTO %The Dragon of Heaven, the Dragon of Earth. The Seven Seals %and the Seven Minions. P108 KAMUI %It vanished. P109 %HINOTO %Kamui. If the Dragon of Heaven is defeated by the Dragon of Earth, %then the Earth will be destroyed. Recently, earthquakes in excess %of level 5 on the Richter scale have come in rapid succession. %This is within the omens. KAMUI But why will the Earth be destroyed if Tokyo is destroyed by earthquake? %HINOTO %Because Tokyo is the "lynchpin" of the kekkai that protects the Earth. P110 %HINOTO %In Tokyo, numerous artificial Kekkai exist. The roads and the high-rise %buildings in the Shinjuku district serve as kekkai stones. %The Yamanote-line, a linear Kekkai centered on the Imperial Palace; %the tracks of which were laid in the shape of Buddha's Palm to %protect Tokyo. [The Yamanote-line is a railroad loop which circles the heart of Tokyo] %Sunshine 60, the cornerstone that supports the unstable foundation %of Tokyo. [Sunshine 60 is the tallest building in Japan, as well as being the symbol of the Ikebukuro district.] %And... P111 %HINOTO %The Tokyo Tower. [Modeled after the Eiffel Tower, and built in 1958, the Tokyo Tower is the 4th tallest construct in the world (333 m). Although the tower was built as a broadcast tower, it is also one of the most popular attractions in Tokyo. It has two observation platforms; one at 150m and the other one at 250m. NOTE: "3" is considered to be a lucky number by Asians and three "3" means incredible luck.] KAMUI Tokyo Tower? %HINOTO %There are countless kekkai set up by our predecessors in Tokyo. P112 KAMUI ...If Tokyo is destroyed by a great earthquake... These Kekkai will also collapse. %HINOTO %That's why the qualifications for the Seven Seals is the creation %of Kekkai. P113 %HINOTO %Kamui, you could defend against this great earthquake of Tokyo. %Command the Dragon of Heaven and save the Earth. KAMUI I...can...? %HINOTO %I expect that you have noticed. P114 %HINOTO %That power. Because of that power, your mother left Tokyo with %you, while you were still a little kid. P115 %HINOTO %Kamui. "The one who holds the key to the future of this world." %Do you know the reason for that name? KAMUI Reason? P116 KAMUI My mother gave me this name. I don't think there were any reasons... %HINOTO %Kamui. P117 %HINOTO %"One who represents the majesty of the gods" P118 %HINOTO %And... KANOE %"One who hunts the majesty of the gods" P119 KAMUI Who!? KANOE Pleased to meet you, Kamui. I wanted to meet you. %HINOTO %Kanoe... Why... P120 KANOE You can't get the jump on me, Hinoto-neesan. [Neesan = Elder Sister] KAMUI Sister? KANOE To enter into my sisters Dreams; for me, it is not a difficult thing. After all, there are only two of us sisters in this world. P121 KANOE Neesan, how sly of you to not say the most important thing. %HINOTO %Kanoe!! KANOE Kamui. You can certainly become the Dragon of Heaven. P122 KANOE However... %HINOTO %Please stop, Kanoe!! KANOE You can also become the Dragon of Earth. P123 %HINOTO %Kamui!! P124 - 125 KANOE For you, "two futures" exist. P126 KANOE The Dragon of Heaven. To live as one of the Seven Seals. P127 KANOE The Dragon of Earth. To live as one of the Seven Minions. P128 KANOE Even Dreamer Hinoto, who has never made any mistakes reading the future, not even once... Couldn't exactly determine your future. P129 KANOE Kamui, the dream Hinoto-san showed you earlier, is favorable to her. Do you want to see yet another future? P130 KAMUI Yet another... "future"? KANOE Right. P133 $Your destiny is... $For you, two futures... KAMUI Two futures...? P135 KAMUI Two... futures...? P136 SORATA Future? There are two futures? What's that? Hey. P137 [SORATA: You and I are on good terms, that was a bit too cold] SORATA How can you treat me so unkind? Just as soon as you took the Princess' hand, I supported you, because you were falling over. P138 %HINOTO %Kamui... Kamui, I beg of you. I beg of you save the Earth... P139 %HINOTO %Lead the Dragon of Heaven, and save Tokyo... KAMUI That woman said there exist two futures for me. P140 KAMUI Why didn't you say this? %HINOTO %That's... P141 KAMUI Get out of my way. P143 KAMUI Did you intend to fool me? %HINOTO %N..no. SORATA Wait! ARASHI What... KAMUI It seems you know about my mother. P144 KAMUI Talk. Who was the one who killed mother? Who burned the house we lived in, after we ran from Tokyo? Who was the one who killed mother while I was gone!? P145 %HINOTO %Your mother... was not killed... KAMUI What!? %HINOTO %She took her life of her own accord. P146 KAMUI I...it can't be. Can't be... P147 %HINOTO %Kamui... %Kamui! P148 KAMUI Who!? SAIKI Unhand Princess Hinoto. KAMUI Bastard, you're... P149 KAMUI Still alive, huh? SAIKI I won't acknowledge it. KAMUI What'd you say? SAIKI I absolutely will not acknowledge that you are "Kamui". KAMUI Hey, don't mock me. P150 - 151 KAMUI This time, I'll stop your breathing!! P153 KAMUI %A wolf!? %HINOTO %This is an Inu-gami... [The Japanese believe that Inugami (spirit of dog) has great spiritual and magical power; there are quite a few rituals which invoke Inugami to kill enemies] P154 %Inu-gami!? SOUHI / HIEN It can't be!! In this "Dreaming room", Princess Hinoto's Kekkai is set up. It's impossible for an inu-gami to enter... %HINOTO %The Seven Seals. P155 %HINOTO %Souhi, Hien. Greet the one above ground. %One of the Seven Seals is right above us. P156 KOTORI Bye. FUUMA Will you be OK by yourself? KOTORI I'll be OK. It's just a routine checkup. I'm not in bad condition or anything and I feel great. Who knows? Perhaps my heart has already gotten better. P157 KOTORI As for you, your face looks pale. You probably haven't slept at all. When I come back, I'll make something delicious. You and I both, if we don't eat well, we won't get better. Right? FUUMA Be careful. P158 FUUMA %Kotori... P159 FUUMA Where have you gone. Kamui. There's something I want to ask... No. P160 FUUMA Although there is something that I must ask... ..."Something I must ask Kamui"... What? I'm... KANOE $I beg of you, save the Earth. P161 KANOE $Kill Kamui. P162 Kamui... P163 KOTORI Kamui-chan. Where have you gone, I wonder... Even though you were badly wounded, are you alright? ...This is... Kamui-chan's... house where he lived, long ago... P164 KOTORI Kamui-chan... WORKERS But it's strange, you know? Even though the surface is so massivly torn, the underground cables, and the water pipes, and the gas pipes; they aren't hurt at all. I wonder how that happened when there was no earthquake... W-what! The cables! P165 WORKER Look out! KOTORI Kyaaaaaaa! Kya- P166 KOTORI Kyaaaaaaa! P167 GUY Are you OK, Miss? KOTORI Y...you are... GUY Whaaat. Just an ordinary young man, passing by. P168 GUY Are you unhurt, Miss? KOTORI Y-yes. P169 KOTORI Look out! P170 GUY Telephone pole Shirahadoriii! [Naked Blade Catch] P172 GUY Tei- Nen- Hadouken! [Wave Motion Punch] P173 GUY Chikyuuwari!! [Earth Split] P174 GUY It's OK now. Looks like the enemy gave up. They caused a disturbance like this. They're no average Empowered One. Someone you know, Miss? P175 GUY There are countless weirdos in this world. A cute girl like you should be careful. P176 KOTORI Th- Thank you for saving me. GUY This neighborhood is especially dangerous. P177 GUY Because this seems to be the house where Kamui was raised. KOTORI Eh? Wait! P178 $GUY $...Where Kamui was raised. KOTORI Why did he know about Kamui... P180 YUUTO Satsuki-chan!? P182 YUUTO What happened? What the hell? SATSUKI Kanoe told me to investigate that girl, but... P183 SATSUKI I poked my nose in, and got slapped. YUUTO By whom? SATSUKI I don't know, but... P183 SATSUKI To push away Satsuki-chan, the computer whiz... One of the Seven Seals? KANOE No... He might have been one of the Seven Minions. P184 YUUTO? Kanoe-san. Those wounds are...? KANOE When I did some mischef in sister's dream, I was driven back. But, thankfully, I was able to contact Kamui. P185 %Kamui. KANOE Satsuki. P186 KANOE You aren't hurt? SATSUKI Right. KANOE Do you know the name of that girl? SATSUKI Kotori Monou. KANOE So, Kotori-chan, you say. Satsuki, how about one more request? I'd like you to investigate what kind of person it was who saved Kotori-chan. P187 SATSUKI I'm already tracking him. KANOE Thanks. Cute Satsuki. They are gathering. Those involved in the End of Tokyo... P188 KANOE This looks promising. X 4 - End -- __________(Richard Vermaas)________________(richardv@htsa.aha.nl)___________ "I have never understood why it should be necessary to become irrational in order to prove that you care, or indeed why it should be necessary to prove it at all." [Avon]