A aa SA a Std wt ad ——Copyright © 1972 by Giulio EinaudEditore Engh wansiaion copyright © 1974 by Harcour Brace & Company Allright reserved. No part ofthis publication may be reproduced ‘or transmied in any form oe by aay means, electronic of mechanical, Jncluding photocopy, recording, or any information sorage and revival stem, wihout pemisson in wrting from the publisher. ‘Requests for permission to make copes of any part ‘ofthe work should be mailed 1: Permissions Deparment, Harcourt Brace & Company, 6277 Sea Harbor Drive, (dando, lord 328876777 “This isa transation of Lect sdb brary of Congress Catalogng-n Publication Data Catena, tao. Iavisle cies Hares pbk) ‘Translation of le it invisibil, “A telen and Kur Woll book.” 1. Polo, Marco, 12532-13230—tion 2 Kublai Khan, 1216-1294— Fiction. 1 Tie. IPzacisgssinl 1978 QIBOO.ANS] 853'914 7716002 ISBN 0415-685380-0 Prot i the Une States of AmericaSéld AS AS If you choose to believe me, good. Now I will el hhow Octavia, the spider-web city, is made. There i 1 precipice beeween ewo steep mountains: the city is over the void, bound to the two crests with ropes fand chains and caewalks. You walk on the lite wooden ties, careful not t set your fot in the open spaces, or you cling to the hempen strands. Below there is nothing for hundreds and bundkeds of feet: a few clouds glide past; futher down you can glimpse the chasms bed. This is the foundation of the city: « net which serves as pasige and as support. All the rest, instead Of rising up, is ung below: rope ladders, ham- mocks, houses made like sacks, clodhes hangers, te races like gondola, skins of water, gis jes, spits, baskets on strings, dumb-waiters, showers, trapezes sand ings for children's games, cable cas, chande- liees, pots with tailing plans. Suspended over the abyss, the life of Octavia’ i habitants is less uncereain than in other cities. They know the net will lst oaly so long. 7 p