As many of you know, I’ve had to switch computers recently and it has been challenging to say the least.  A bright spot was a document someone sent me years ago and I didn’t even realize I still had.  Enjoy!

Can you imagine yourself to be the nun that is sitting at her desk grading these papers all the while trying to keep a straight face and maintain her composure!   

 

PAY SPECIAL ATTENTION TO THE WORDING AND SPELLING.

IF YOU KNOW THE BIBLE EVEN A LITTLE, YOU'LL FIND THIS HILARIOUS!  

IT COMES FROM A CATHOLIC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL TEST KIDS WERE ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT THE OLD AND NEW TESTAMENTS.

THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS ABOUT THE BIBLE WERE WRITTEN BY CHILDREN.

THEY HAVE NOT BEEN RETOUCHED OR CORRECTED.

INCORRECT SPELLING HAS BEEN LEFT IN.

1. IN THE FIRST BOOK OF THE BIBLE, GUINESSIS. GOD GOT TIRED OF CREATING THE WORLD SO HE TOOK THE SABBATH OFF.

2. ADAM AND EVE WERE CREATED FROM AN APPLE TREE. NOAH'S WIFE WAS JOAN OF ARK. NOAH BUILT AND ARK AND THE ANIMALS CAME ON IN PEARS.

3. LOTS WIFE WAS A PILLAR OF SALT DURING THE DAY, BUT A BALL OF FIRE DURING THE NIGHT.

4. THE JEWS WERE A PROUD PEOPLE AND THROUGHOUT HISTORY THEY HAD TROUBLE WITH UNSYMPATHETIC GENITALS.

5. SAMPSON WAS A STRONGMAN WHO LET HIMSELF BE LED ASTRAY BY A JEZEBEL LIKE DELILAH.

6. SAMSON SLAYED THE PHILISTINES WITH THE AXE OF THE APOSTLES.

7. MOSES LED THE JEWS TO THE RED SEA WHERE THEY MADE UNLEAVENED BREAD WHICH IS BREAD WITHOUT ANY INGREDIENTS .

8, THE EGYPTIANS WERE ALL DROWNED IN THE DESSERT. AFTERWARDS, MOSES WENT UP TO MOUNT CYANIDE TO GET THE TEN COMMANDMENTS.

9 THE FIRST COMMANDMENTS WAS WHEN EVE TOLD ADAM TO EAT THE APPLE.

10. THE SEVENTH COMMANDMENT IS THOU SHALT NOT ADMIT ADULTERY.

11. MOSES DIED BEFORE HE EVER REACHED CANADA. THEN JOSHUA LED THE HEBREWS IN THE BATTLE OF GERITOL.

12. THE GREATEST MIRICLE IN THE BIBLE IS WHEN JOSHUA TOLD HIS SON TO STAND STILL AND HE OBEYED HIM.

13. DAVID WAS A HEBREW KING WHO WAS SKILLED AT PLAYING THE LIAR. HE FOUGHT THE FINKELSTEINS, A RACE OF PEOPLE WHO LIVED IN BIBLICAL TIMES.

14. SOLOMON, ONE OF DAVIDS SONS, HAD 300 WIVES AND 700 PORCUPINES.

15. WHEN MARY HEARD SHE WAS THE MOTHER OF JESUS, SHE SANG THE MAGNA CARTA.

16. WHEN THE THREE WISE GUYS FROM THE EAST SIDE ARRIVED THEY FOUND JESUS IN THE MANAGER.

17. JESUS WAS BORN BECAUSE MARY HAD AN IMMACULATE CONTRAPTION.

18. ST. JOHN THE BLACKSMITH DUMPED WATER ON HIS HEAD.

19. JESUS ENUNCIATED THE GOLDEN RULE, WHICH SAYS TO DO UNTO OTHERS BEFORE THEY DO ONE TO YOU. HE ALSO EXPLAINED A MAN DOTH NOT LIVE BY SWEAT ALONE.

20. IT WAS A MIRICLE WHEN JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND MANAGED TO GET THE TOMBSTONE OFF THE ENTRANCE.

21. THE PEOPLE WHO FOLLOWED THE LORD WERE CALLED THE 12 DECIBELS.

22. THE EPISTELS WERE THE WIVES OF THE APOSTLES.

23. ONE OF THE OPPOSSUMS WAS ST. MATTHEW WHO WAS ALSO A TAXIMAN.

24. ST. PAUL CAVORTED TO CHRISTIANITY, HE PREACHED HOLY ACRIMONY WHICH IS ANOTHER NAME FOR MARRAIGE.

25. CHRISTIANS HAVE ONLY ONE SPOUSE. THIS IS CALLED MONOTONY.

Well the print copy of “The Sapphire Crucible” has been delayed by 5-7
days.  Amazon is taking some time to get this done.  They did discover
the error in the pricing for “Quest for the Red Sapphire” and have set that back
to its original price.  I went and had my hair cut today.  I have had
the same lady cutting it for over 7 years.  She does a great job and knows
what I like.  I let it grow too long this time and am going into a very
busy time at my day job.  It had to be cut today and my regular stylist was
not working.  So I figured, “What’s the harm in going to someone
else?”  I’m sure you can guess where this is leading.  I had a very
nice lady cut my hair.  Let me start with the positive things.  Since
she didn’t know me she hadn’t heard all my stories and jokes.  My normal
lady knows everything about me.  It was fun to talk to fresh ears that had
never been bored by my stories.  On the other hand, I told the lady today
what I wanted and she didn’t interpret it the way my usual lady does.  The
result was traumatic.  She would cut for a while and then find the colic on
the back of my head was sticking up.  So she would cut some more from all
over.  Then it did it again.  So she cut shorter.  Ordinarily I
don’t pay much attention while my hair is being cut but I began to perk up when
I saw the woman wrinkling her lips to the side as she tried to figure out what
to do with the unruly hair with which she had to contend.  I became nervous
as she would snip and look, then snip and look.  The longer she worked, the
more scared I became.  I started to picture what it would look like if
time-lapse photography were used and you could watch my hair getting shorter and
then popping up in the back.  Then it would go still shorter and pop up
again.  After a while she said, “That colic of yours is really
troublesome.”  That’s never what you want to hear while sitting in the
stylist’s chair.  It hadn’t been troublesome for 7 years.  Why was it
a problem now?  She stopped when I presume she had the back straightened
out.  Then she asked, “Do you want it shorter?”  I haven’t had this
little hair since I was born.  So I told her to stop.  I usually use
gel to hold my hair in place but I don’t think that will be much of a problem
right now as there is little to hold down except my colic.  If I comb my
hair the way I normally do it all stands up.  I don’t blame the
stylist.  She thought she was doing as I asked.  I blame myself. 
This must be how people feel when they cheat on their spouses.  I feel
violated and like I was wrong to go to another woman for my needs.  I wish
I could take it back but it is done and there is nothing I can do about
it.  My stylist will forgive me, I hope.  She’s a good woman and I’m
lucky to have her there normally.  I just need to forgive myself and find a
way to keep this blasted hair from standing up in the back  When I returned
home, I texted my wife and told her how much I missed her.  You truly don’t
appreciate something until it’s gone.

If everything goes right, tomorrow “The Sapphire Crucible” will be out on
paperback.  I was told by my publisher that it should go live then. 
Look for it on Amazon.  I will provide the link as soon as possible. 
No one seems to have caught that “Quest for the Red Sapphire” is still only .99
on Kindle!  The promotion ended but somewhere someone dropped the
ball.  Regardless, their blunder is your gain.  If you were thinking
of giving Book 1 in the Sapphire Chronicles a shot this is as good a time as
any.  Get your copy before they find the error.  My struggles with
Windows 8.1 continue.  Now it keeps telling me it needs to repair disk
errors but every time I repair them, the same message comes up again after the
restart.  I did manage to get my printer and camera working.  The task
of finding 13 years’ worth of pictures and over 1000 songs and then finding the
right home for them is daunting.  I seem to be all consumed with this task
and all my 13 year old daughter can ask is, “When can I play SIMS?”  Well,
we each have our priorities in life.  Have a good night all.  I will
be working on this tomorrow.

I’m back!!  On Wednesday my old Windows Vista computer finally died on
me.  It has been devastating.  My whole world was wrapped up in that
computer.  But I was smart.  I backed up my important files on an
external hard drive and in the cloud at Norton.  So I went out and spent
what seemed like a ridiculous amount on a new computer and warranty. (I have to
have the warranty.   I can’t fix this stuff)  I took it home and
found I had a new and powerful enemy.   Its name is Windows 8.1. 
IT IS EVIL!  My hard drive was not compatible with it and my Norton files
downloaded over 2 days to who knows where. The product key for my Microsoft
Office was on an email in my old system but I do not seem to be able to read my
old emails in this new system.  So I chatted with Microsoft and begged for
the product key.  They wanted the email address, mailing address, name and
date of the order.  I was able to locate all of that.  Then they
wanted the last 4 digits of the credit card used to buy it.  That was 3
years ago and the card was lost and replaced.  They could not help me
without it.  So while I was in chat mode I called my bank’s 24 hour line
and explained that I needed those numbers.  The associate said that the
numbers would have been deleted after the new card was issued.  Then she
checked with her supervisor.  They found them!  So I proudly gave the
numbers to Microsoft and they gave me my activation key.  Without it I
would not be talking to you now.  I have been fighting with this machine
since Wednesday night.  This is exhausting and I still have yet to find any
of my pictures, music or emails. But at least I’m back on my blog which makes me
happy.  Apparently none of my old software is compatible with 8.1 except
for Office.  I still don’t know what 95% of this stuff is.  When I ask
friends for help they answer with things like, “Dude, you have Windows
8.1?  That’s, like way different.”  No kidding.  Can you
help?  “No.  Maybe if it was Windows 7.”  Well it’s not Windows
7.  I can’t even get that on a new computer.  Microsoft dictates what
we will use and we as consumers are just supposed to adjust.  Until this
incident I actually thought I knew a few things about computers.  Now I am
starting over.  It’s like trying to learn a new language where they don’t
use the same letters as English.  I’m spent for the night but I am
back.  Sorry it took so long.

Today I received my first review of “The Sapphire Crucible”.  It is posted
on Amazon and Goodreads.  Here is the Amazon link. http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Crucible-The-Chronicles-ebook/product-reviews/B00JL0P6IG/ref=dp_top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UTF8&showViewpoints=1 
Pick up a copy of the book today at http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Crucible-The-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00JL0P6IG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398206341&sr=8-1&keywords=sapphire+crucible  And strangely enough, “Quest for the Red Sapphire” was supposed to go off sale but it is still listed for .99 so get one while you can.  http://www.amazon.com/Quest-Red-Sapphire-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00DZ100MO/ref=sr_1_2_bnp_1_kin?ie=UTF8&qid=1398206341&sr=8-2&keywords=sapphire+crucible 
My computer is being temperamental so I might be hit and miss with my blogs.

Elizabeth McKenna has been kind to feature me on her blog this fine Easter
Sunday.  It is technically a cover reveal but also talks about “The
Sapphire Crucible” and me.  Take a few moments to check it out and have a
Happy Easter.  http://elizabethmckenna.com/my-blog/

I don’t write my blog on Mondays and Fridays due to other commitments.  As
a result I did not have a chance to honor Friday, April 18th.  This is an
important day to me.  You may wonder what significance this day
holds.  In history, this this the day in 1942 when Jimmy Doolittle led his
raid on Tokyo.  In 1906 there was the Great San Francisco Earthquake. 
Conan O’Brien and actors James Woods and Rick Moranis all celebrated
birthdays.  79 years ago another person was born on April 18th who would
have a profound effect on my life; my Mother.  Her name was Janice Marie
and she was perhaps the kindest, most loving human being I have ever
known.  She always saw the good in people.  Regardless of the enormous
list of character flaws, she would always point out what was good in another
person.  Never one to draw attention to herself she sacrificed without
regret for her family and always thought of others first.  She was also
right up there with my father as one of the most quotable people I have ever
known.  Some of her sayings were odd but strangely true like, “You may not
remember where you went or when it was but you’ll remember what you ate.” 
Other quotes were more profound.  “When all your friends have gone and you
feel alone and deserted, your family will still be there.”  Above all else
she was a believer.  She believed in her faith, her family, and in the
underlying goodness within humanity.  My mother always encouraged me,
particularly in my pursuit of writing.  Even when I was told by others that
I was wasting my time writing, she told me my work had merit and that I should
keep striving to do better…as long as I kept a day job to pay the bills. 
For years she pressed me to publish my work but I never felt it was ready. 
Then she came down with cancer and went through treatment.  She told me it
was in remission and flew out with my father to see me and my family. 
Everyone could see how sick she still was except me.  I wanted to believe
the story.  My mother went for a drive with me one night and told me she
had shared parts of my first book with friends and they loved it.  She made
me promise to have the book published.  After so many years I was surprised
by the sudden rush.  To borrow a line from “West Side Story”, my mother
“…Never asked the time of day from a clock.”  But she was asking, in fact
pleading with me to publish my work.  So I promised.  When she
returned home she went straight into hospice and I never saw her alive
again.  It took a few years but I have kept my word by releasing my first
two books with more to come.  Somewhere out there I like to think she is
proud of me.  I know that I am proud to be her son.

Tomorrow’s the last day for the .99 download sale
of “Quest for the Red Sapphire.” 
Here’s the link. 
http://www.amazon.com/Quest-Red-Sapphire-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00DZ100MO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1397581610&sr=1-1&keywords=quest+for+the+red+sapphire 
Let me first thank my good friend Angel Dunworth for having me as a guest
on her blog yesterday.  Here is the
link to the interview http://streetlighthalo.blogspot.com/2014/04/interview-with-rival-gates-guest-blogger.html 
As promised, today I am introducing you to a new character in “The
Sapphire Crucible” named Miri. 
That is the short form of her full name Mirianna. 
Here’s her introduction. 
Enjoy.


“You’ll give us answers,” one yelled as he locked the door.“If
you don’t I’m sure Hugon would be happy to interrogate you himself.” They
  laughed and then descended the stairs.



Between the cells were thick stonewalls that prevented prisoners
from seeing each other. They did not, however, deafen sound. The girl cried as
she lay on the floor. It was a painful, sorrowful sound. Linvin sat on the other
side of the wall trying to think of something to say. His usual greetings seemed
wrong at that moment. At last he managed, “Are you hurt?” The sobbing continued.
“Miss,” he called out louder, “Are you injured?”



The crying reduced and was interrupted occasionally by a sniffle.
“It’s nothing that won’t heal,” she said meekly. “But it doesn’t matter. I will
never leave these walls alive.”


Linvin moved closer to the bars by the wall. “My name is Linvin.
What is yours?”


There was silence for a few moments and then one soft, beautiful
word was spoken in return. “Mirianna,” she replied.



“You seem a little out of place here,” Linvin said.



“Everyone in this tower is out of place,” she answered
  indignantly. “I suspect that was their purpose in building it. You don’t sound
  like the usual criminals they bring in here. There must be a different reason
  you have checked in to this establishment.”



“I have no idea why we are here.” Linvin answered.  


“Sure you do,” Mirianna said. “Everyone knows why they’re here.
Some people just don’t want to admit the answer.”



Linvin was caught off guard by her banter. He tried to refocus on
her. “Well then, why are you here?” he asked.



Her tone immediately changed. “So that’s your game, is it? They
bring me down here and think I will tell you everything just by asking? Nice try
Spy. I am wise to you. You can tell that red-eyed sorcerer you work for I have
no knowledge of my country’s defenses. You can also tell him if I did know
anything, I would never tell him or any of his agents.”



Linvin was stunned by the accusation. “Mirianna, you are
  mistaken. I am no spy. My kin and I are prisoners just like you.”



Mirianna snapped back. “That is just what a spy would say.”



Linvin sighed. “If I were a spy then why would they put three
other people in here with me? Would it not be wiser to have a single person here
to whom you could confess?”


Mirianna was silent for a moment and then began to cry once
  again. “I don’t know what to believe anymore. They have tried so many tricks to
  make me betray my country. I am just so tired.”



Linvin sighed and thumped the back of his head against the wall.
“How about this,” he proposed. “I am not a spy and have no use for any
  information about whatever country you are from. Since, however, I cannot say
  what can be heard by others in this place, perhaps we could talk without either
  of us revealing anything our jailors do not already know.”



After more time Mirianna agreed. “You start,” she told Linvin in
a quiet voice from just the other side of the wall.



“Well,” said Linvin as he thought. “My uncle, cousins and I were
traveling through the Unclaimed Territory and were caught trying to cross the
Mystic River into the Mandrean Empire.”



“Why would you want to come here?” Mirianna asked. “Do you work
for them?”


Linvin grew angry. “If I worked for them I would not be in this
jail, would I? I thought you were not going to ask me such questions.”



“Do they have any idea why you are here?” Mirianna asked in a
softer tone.


Linvin ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “I have no
idea what they know or do not know. They have asked us no questions.”



Mirianna was surprised. “Do you mean they have not interrogated
you at all?”


“That is correct,” Linvin stated. “We are clueless about their
intentions. Why are you here?”


Mirianna put her head on her knees and let her hair cover her
face. “I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. I was
  ignorant and now what days I have left are at the mercy of these beasts and
  their masters.”


“Do you have food?” Linvin asked.



“They give me Goblin Biscuits from time to time.”



Linvin took a loaf of bread and stretched it through the closest
gap in the bars. “Here,” he said, “Take this. We have plenty of food.”



She paused at the sight of the loaf. “Is this some sort of
  trick?”


“Yes,” Linvin said sarcastically but with a smile. “I am tricking
  you into eating bread. Call the guard!”



He changed his voice back to a more pleasing tone. “Look, my arm
is growing tired. Either take the bread or leave it on the ground. I was only
trying to help. Remember I do not want to know any secrets from you. 45




That is unless you would like to tell us a secret way out of
  here.”


Mirianna laughed as she wiped her tears. Linvin grinned and
  added, “What, no snappy retort? How disappointing.”



“I have no answer for that question but will gladly entertain
ideas,” she said. A moment later Linvin saw a soft, smooth, feminine hand reach
for the bread. He was pleased to see he’d gained at least the slightest trust.
As it turned out, perhaps he gained more than that. Her hand bypassed the bread
and touched Linvin’s skin. The surprised elf dropped the food. Her fingers
caressed his slowly and gently as they ran the length of his hand and then
interlocked the digits.


“Thank you,” she whispered in a soft melodic voice. He felt like
a cool summer breeze had blown across his face. The hairs on his hand rose as
she softly released him and picked up the bread.



He basked in the glow of the trifling as she nibbled at the food.
After a few moments she spoke.


“By the way,” she called out softly.



“Yes Mirianna?” the eager young half-elf answered.



“Call me Miri,” she said. “I’m sorry I was rude. This place can
get to you after a bit. Thank you for the bread. It is the first real food I’ve
had in days.”


With that she moved over to a pile of straw she used as a bed.
She ate her food and then lay down to
rest.

There are just 2 days left in the .99 sale for “Quest for the Red
Sapphire.”  Buy it here http://www.amazon.com/Quest-Red-Sapphire-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00DZ100MO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1397581610&sr=1-1&keywords=quest+for+the+red+sapphire 
As I have been posting excerpts over the last while I have taken a step back to
realize how much the characters have developed from Book 1 to Book 2 (“Sapphire
Crucible”).  Linvin makes better decisions and reaffirms his position as
the leader.  Anvar reduces his criticism of Linvin and proves to be of
great assistance in the events to come.  Rander takes a while to make a
significant change.  When it does happen, however, he finally proves his
worth.  Bander has completely turned around from the start of the
book.  He proves to be a huge asset to the party.  They have been
through so much with quite a bit to go and the characters are developing into
very different people.  It’s exciting to read and think back about how they
used to act.  Then there is Miri.  Who is Miri, you may ask?  She
is the wild card in the scenario.  Tomorrow’s blog will be devoted to her
but I will tell you today that she makes a profound difference in the outcome of
“The Sapphire Crucible.”  There are a host of new characters who all play
their parts.  In the coming blogs I will also talk about Lord
Mandrean.  He is a complex character far different from any you have been
exposed to so far.  For those of you who like to read an actual book, you
will be happy to know that my publisher, Solstice Publishing, is putting the
finishing touches on the print version of “The Sapphire Crucible.”  It
should be out and available shortly.  I will keep you advised.  For
those of you who like the Kindle version, you can download it here: http://www.amazon.com/Sapphire-Crucible-Chronicles-Rival-Gates-ebook/dp/B00JL0P6IG/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1397667452&sr=1-1&keywords=sapphire+crucible 
Enjoy the read!

The .99 sale of “Quest for the Red Sapphire” ends Friday.  Get yours
here http://www.amazon.com/Quest-Red-Sapphire-Chronicles-ebook/dp/B00DZ100MO/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1397581610&sr=1-1&keywords=quest+for+the+red+sapphire 
before it’s over.  Today I am going to treat you to another excerpt from
“The Sapphire Crucible.”  If you thought Hugon was intimidating, wait till
you read about Necromancer.  Enjoy the read.


Hovering just off the ground was a diminutive Human man, no bigger than
Rander with his arms outstretched to the sides. He was adorned in a white silken
robe with gold embroidery at every edge. Handcrafted sandals of the finest
quality covered his feet. He lowered his arms and the light and wind dissipated.
His face could be discerned.
His skin was white as snow. It was as though he
had never been in the sun. A gray beard obscured much of his lower face and
dipped down to his chest. As the breeze subsided, his hair fell back around his
head. The short salt and pepper locks fell gracefully around his face. Even with
that, the most notable feature was only just coming into view.
The man’s eyes were sunken deep into their sockets. There were no pupils or irises in the
eyes. They glowed in a combination of red and orange hues. Their appearance in
the darkened cavities of the skull was that of smoldering coals in a
blacksmith’s forge. They gazed about the room as the man set down on the ground.
The goblins shook with fear. Even the obstinate Hugon cowered on the floor.

The man spoke with a voice that was both amplified and at a screeching
pitch. “Word has reached me that my prisoners have arrived. You did not inform
me as I had ordered. WHY.” The walls shook from his voice.
Hugon crawled forward with his belly impeding his progress. “Great Necromancer, we received no
orders telling us to inform you.”
Necromancer grew enraged at the statement.
“Do not lie to me, Vile Vermin.” He held out his palm. A wind blew through the
room and gathered the ashes from the scroll. Drawing together in a vortex, it
deposited the remains in his hand. With the soot in his possession he closed his
fingers. The ash changed back into the scroll. Opening the parchment he read it
to himself. “I seem to have found the orders,” he said as he dropped them in
front of Hugon. The Jailor did not move.
Without notice Necromancer reached out one hand and unleashed a plume of fire the like of which no one but a Lava Giant had ever seen. The flame poured over the quivering bodies on one side of
the room. The entire area was enveloped in liquid flame. After a few short
moments, he pulled his hand back and the fire withdrew back to his palm. All the
goblins on that side of the room were gone. No trace was left to show they’d
ever existed. The elves had been in that area as well, but they were unscathed.
Their skin had not even risen in temperature.
Just by lifting one forefinger, Necromancer surrounded Hugon in a shell of magic, which was nearly
invisible. It lifted him off the ground. With a shift of his finger Necromancer
sent him flying across the room until he collided with the wall of the tower.
Then he soared across to the far side and again struck the wall. The process was
repeated several times before Necromancer deposited the massive goblin where
he’d previously lain.
Necromancer walked forward and stopped just short of
Hugon’s face. The Great Goblin immediately tried to kiss his feet. Repulsed by
the action, Necromancer stepped back. Then he spoke. “Were my orders unclear?”

“No,” answered Hugon.
“Then I must assume you chose to ignore them. Is
that right?”
“Yes,” answered the timid Hugon.
Necromancer placed his
hands behind his back and paced before the goblin. “Did you know any of the
goblins I just eradicated?”
“Yes”
“Were you friends with any of them?”

“Yes,” answered Hugon.
“Perhaps you wish to join them in the Hereafter?”
Hugon simply shook his head. Necromancer stopped walking. “Then consider this
your only warning. If you ever disobey me again there will not be enough dust
left from your body to bury.” Then he turned his attention to the remaining
goblins. “Just to make sure this refuse does not choose to test me, if he
disobeys me you will all share in his fate. If he cannot follow orders for
himself, perhaps he will for you.”