Montag had never been more content. He was now ruler over his own domain. The Caesar of the drums of his city that beats out rhythms to the functions of everyday life. What he decreed came to life countering what he condemned which lie as dead as the Cities of the last days. During those days, people were mirthful, but the total disregard for a higher intellectual left their psych a barren wasteland where the refuse of that day's entertainment laid their nest to influence their thoughtless actions. But no, thought Montag, today people were much happier indeed. They had the likes of Shakespearean behavior coupled with Mark Twain's understanding all doused with the emotions relating to Jane Austen and Brontean instigation. They had the power to reason and barter and debate based on sound influences. Influence that were right, thought Montag. Influences that improves society, thought Montag. Influences that won't cause unnecessary pain or distress, thought Montag. Yes, thought Montag, the citizens of his city must be much more content indeed.
“Governor Montag” spoke a city official disrupting his thoughts, “we have a defiant.”
“Is it not defiant of you, Black, to disrupt my hour of meditation”, countered Montag.
“Oh, I uh, was not aware, sir-”
“I'm sure you were not, otherwise you might not have subverted the one hour I set aside for my own thoughtful inclinations so candidly. Anyhow, under what suborder has this citizen been accused defiant?”
“Actually, he's been found guilty already. This is merely a sentencing hearing.”
Montag glared angrily at Black. Found guilty already? I am the ruler, he thought. How can one of my subjects possibly be judged guilty if I were not the one declaring that judgment.
“Under whose order has the citizen been found guilty?”
“Granger's sir.” answered Black nervously.
“Bring him to me and set this defiant away for a later time. And, please, Black, doing this in a timely manner would be very much appreciated.”
“Yes, sir”
As Black scurried away from the throne chamber with the defiant, Montag escaped once again to his thoughts. Once the city had been destroyed, he, Granger and the others, including Faber, had returned, setting up a new rulership under the laws and principles they had come to accept from extensive reading. But, how, he thoughtfully inquired, did Black survive? Of course, he remembered, though Black was still in the city when the bombs destroyed it he was in prison, thought Montag. The prisoners were underground which accounted for their survival. Also, he concluded, most the prisoners were imprisoned for possession of literature, which made them perfect citizens for the new city he and the other men were building. In time, they were joined byother survivors who looked to them as superiors. They had to find a way to govern their new-found citizens in a way that allowed them to express their free will. Thus, they unanimously determined that a way to do this would be if their citizens did what they also did. With equal opportunity in mind, they suggested their daily rituals to the people without reserve. In time, as the original men Montag built his new city with died off and others replaced them, those suggestions became requests and those requests, orders and those orders, in turn, became laws. Of the original group of men, only he and Granger still remained. Funny, he mused, they never did get around to building that mirror factory…
“You wanted to see me Governor” now interrupted Granger.
“No need for the formalities, Granger, I-”
“ Oh but, yes, Governor, the formalities are very much needed. You of course are supreme ruler, and as such, you deserve the proper approach that formality offers.”
