"A little dust shaken out, but no more." William considered mentioning the fissure that Mercedes had told him about, but he decided it might alarm her unduly. Instead, he continued, "I had only just moved in, so most of my belongings were still in a case, and there were few of those besides." He smiled. "It's not until you are no longer eating in a dining hall that you realize just how much flatware and service a person truly needs."