Someone had polished the lower handrail without touching the upper one.
Iven noticed it beyond the third lamp. The top rail wore a crust of mineral dust, broken where workers gripped it. The lower rail shone along a continuous strip facing the passage. Not a cleaning mark. Something had rubbed against it at the same height for a long time.
He put his lamp beside the bright metal without touching it.
The rail was warm.
Hesh saw where he was looking.
“That’s new this season.”
“Since the pump stopped?”
“After. Before we tried the bearing.”
