In lieu of the opportunity to actually read them, Ilde briefly and vividly imagines what the content of Rodolphus's journals might look like. A lot of words packed in close together; she wonders how he describes things to himself in private. What kind of language he speaks when no one is listening. These are the sort of things that interest her about other people, but they're not the sort of things she ever asks questions about. She just wonders, and watches for any opportunity to see.

"I wonder what makes people write things down." She considers her tea for a moment, then adds, "Besides being told to do it."