"I must have had a look of perplexity on my face. Pablito laughed. It was a polite laughter.
" 'No. I don't see what you mean, Pablito,' I said. 'But that's because don Juan never told me anything about it. The topic is completely new to me. Please tell me everything you know.'
" 'The Atlanteans are the nagual; they are dreamers. They represent the order of the second attention brought forward, that's why they're so fearsome and mysterious. They are creatures of war but not of destruction.
" 'The other row of columns, the rectangular ones, represent the order of the first attention, the tonal. They are stalkers, that's why they are covered with inscriptions. They are very peaceful and wise, the opposite of the first row.'
"Pablito stopped talking and looked at me almost defiantly, then he broke into a smile.
"I thought he was going...