A Fool: Valia Wain was acquitted! Our Queen is just and merciful!
A Chelish Person: Mmmhmmm.
A Fool: What is that supposed to mean?
A Chelish Person: It means, "mmmmhmmm." The voice rises sharply on the 'hmmmm'.
A Fool: I am a fool. I came here just last month, from other lands. Direct from Heaven, maybe, where all is as it seems. I cannot understand this 'mmmhmmm.'
A Chelish Person: I have no pity for fools.
A Fool: But if fools irritate you, better then to enlighten them.
A Chelish Person: Fine. Where, do you suppose, is Valia Wain?
A Fool: Well, I heard she was taken away to receive religious education.
A Chelish Person: Mmmmmhmmm.
A Fool: Which seems good, because she needs religious education.
A Chelish Person: Mmmmhmmmm.
A Fool: Oh, come on. What are you implying?
A Chelish Person: It would be embarrassing to the Church, for Valia Wain to be publicly hung. And many among the people of Westcrown are her defenders, and would be shaken in their faith in Her Majesty's good government.
A Fool: Yes! That is why it is good that she was acquitted!
A Chelish Person: But it would be embarrassing to the Crown, for her to remain a free person, or for her to speak her radical ideas ever again, or for anyone to imagine they would survive doing as she did.
A Fool: I suppose.
A Chelish Person: And so we observe the result: there is no public execution! The Queen is good and merciful! There is no Valia Wain! She broke no laws, the law says, and nonetheless no one will ever see her again.
A Fool: Are you saying that they put her to death in secret, to satisfy us with the Queen's mercy and make sure she makes no trouble?
A Chelish Person: I have said no such thing! I said, mmmmhmmm.