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infinity-symbol

The figure eight lying on its side is identified as the infinity symbol, suggesting timelessness or eternal existence linked to the tombstone.

1 chapter across 1 book

Way Station (1963)Clifford D. Simak

Chapter 5

In this chapter, Lewis and Hardwicke discuss the mysterious inscription on a tombstone, which defies all known languages and symbols except for the infinity symbol. They also explore the enigmatic figure of Wallace, a man who seems out of place and time, carrying a rifle yet never using it, and who inspires a complex mixture of fear, familiarity, and shame among his neighbors. The chapter ends with Hardwicke's shocked reaction to photographs of a grave beneath the inscrutable headstone, deepening the mystery.